What determines headphone quality? First, you may be thinking about a few objective characteristics: materials, frequency response, durability. But what if two headphones are similar in these areas? In that case, we are left to delve into our subjective experiences and decide based on the sound signature of the headphones. I could write a book about how different people’s ears agree with different idiosyncrasies of sound. But instead, I will do the next best thing: write about two headphones that are so close in quality and price, that they beg the question, “Which is better? Which is better?”. Today I’ll conduct a Beyerdynamic DT 770 vs Sennheiser HD 569 comparison review.

Two Sides of the Same Coin – Beyerdynamic DT 770 vs Sennheiser HD 569 Comparison Review

To accurately say which is better, let’s take a look at some objective information:

Specifications

In the Box

Design

Beyerdynamic DT 770

Picking up the Beyerdynamic DT 770, I first notice its ear pads and headband pad. The padding is coated with a black pleather material. It seems like it would be easy to wipe away sweat or dirt, a saving grace for hard-working musicians listening or recording in their hot apartments during summertime. The headphones sit comfortably on my head. They don’t hug my ears too tightly or too loosely, although I’ll admit the weight of the headphones doesn’t feel perfectly symmetrical. It isn’t too distracting though. For the price this falls right in line with what I was expecting.

The headphones sound isolate decently. And while they aren’t as good as something like the Audio Technica M50x in this department, they do just fine. The cable is attached which makes me a little bit worried about potential damage down the line, but overall the headphones and cable feels durable and long-lasting.

The yolk and headband are metal. The headband responds well to me moving it around and bending it, moving flexibly outward as I stretch it. Lastly, I notice the ear cups swivel.

Sennheiser HD 569

The Sennheiser HD 569 has a light, velvety headband pad and ear pads. The headband is plastic and seems slightly less durable. It is stiffer than the DT 770 but as I place it on my head I notice I like the way it naturally curves around my head. As a result, I find the HD 569 to be a bit more comfortable than the DT 770.

And while the ear cups swivel slightly, they are not as movable as the other pair of headphones. Both headphones isolate sound similarly, with not-perfect-but-decent noise attenuation.

Sound

Beyerdynamic DT 770

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 has nice air on the high end. As a result, the top-to-bottom imaging is impressive. The width of the stereo image is decent, although it feels cramped. The high frequencies feel expansive, but the midrange has less precise width. I like the sense of depth provided by the low frequencies, the midrange still stays right up close to my ear.

There seems to be a boost both around 6kHz and a cut around 200kHz. Listening through a few different genres, the DT 770 sounds especially good with folk, jazz, acoustic, and classical music. It’s impedance makes it playback a little bit quieter than the HD 569 but because of its sound signature favors the high-mids, it still stands up next to it.

Sennheiser HD 569

Immediately I notice the vocals feel quieter in the mix. The midrange is thicker overall, although more cloudy in the low-mids. There is a broad boost around 200 Hz, the direct opposite of the DT 770. There is a cut at 1.5kHz but another boost at 3kHz. Listening through a few genres, I like the way these headphones handle electric guitars and synths. Therefore, they particularly work well for hip-hop, electronic, rock, and indie music.

The Sennheiser HD 569 has a wider soundstage, especially in the mid-range, than the DT 770. However, its height is not as impressive. And while its depth is not obvious all the time, it performs well especially when depth is emphasized in the mix.

Overview

So which is better? As you can see, there are so many aspects of the sound signature that are completely opposite of each other, and yet their quality is very similar. I think the question of which is better will be determined based on each individual’s sound signature preferences, combined with what kind of music they listen to the most.

The truth of it is, both headphones are great headphones, especially for the price. You’ll just have to seek out the chance to try them for yourself.

Both the Beyerdynamic DT 770 and the Sennheiser HD 569 are available for the best price here:

Beyerdynamic DT 770 at Audio 46

Beyerdynamic DT 770 on Amazon

Sennheiser HD 569 at Audio 46

Sennheiser HD 569 on Amazon

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