Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Review

With the great success of Beyerdynamic’s Pro series, they have decided to expand their already large product line and create the Pro X series. What the difference between Pro and Pro X is we will get into soon. Today, we’ll be looking at the DT 900 Pro X, which runs for $299. This is an open back studio headphone, and is meant to be precise and versatile. Let’s put that to the test.

What’s in the Box

• DT 900 PRO X
• 1.8 m (5.9 ft) & 3.0 m (9.8 ft) mini-xlr-kabel (mini stereo jack 3.5 mm)
• 1/4″ adapter (6.35 mm)
• Drawstring bag

Look and Feel

The 900 Pro X feels very similar to other Beyerdynamic models. Its plush, velour ear pads have a velvety texture not seen on most headphones these days. These are clearly made to be worn for long periods of time, and don’t feel uncomfortable even after hours of use. It’s as sturdy as their other models too, and should easily be able to withstand the perils of travel, transportation etc.  

Design

The 900 Pro X are an open back, circumaural studio headphone. As apposed to the original Pro series, the Pro x features the Stellar 45 sound transducer, which was developed and produced in Germany. This transducer features a three-layer speaker diaphragm that uses an integrated damping layer, which helps the 900 Pro X perform consistently across devices. Moreover, this driver allows the Pro X to not be as dependent on an amp for proper volume like the Pro series is.

The 900 Pro X have a frequency response of 5Hz – 40kHz and an impedance of 48 Ohms (Amp not essential)

Soundstage

The soundstage on these felt about standard for a pair of Beyerdynamic open backs. While it was a tad bit wider than past models, it was not a majorly expanded level of width or depth. This isn’t a problem however, as Beyerdynamic does a stellar job with creating a large sense of space and separation. The outer-edges of the stereo spectrum receive a fair amount more weight than the center, as is the case with many open-backs, making for an immersive, surround sound feel.

Lows

The 900 Pro X’s lows are tight and impactful, giving a lot of accuracy and balance to their tuning. I especially enjoyed their ability to pick up the nuances of various percussion and bass timbres. I wouldn’t have objected to some extra sub presence, and just an overall stronger low end. This being said, I do understand that boosting the lows is a slippery slope when making a headphone that is aiming for realism and accuracy. If you use these for casual listening, you’ll find their more controlled lows make them versatile across genres and styles. On the other hand, if you’re using them for music creation or mixing, you’ll find their low end unbiased and easy to work with.

Mid

The 900 Pro X have a clean, fairly colored mid range. The high mids take precedent over the low mids at times, but the low mids are still retained enough to keep the 900 Pro X’s warmth fully intact. There’s a nice snap to the high mids, but their saturation rounds off any edges that might be a bit overly-crisped up. The mid range on these feels like their most distinguishing quality, as it has a very pure but particular timbre, that adds a lot of flare and excitement to music, along with bringing out unique aspects of instrument and vocal presence. 

Highs 

The 900 Pro X are clearly quite bright, but do stay just below the threshold of extreme shine in the super high frequencies. They focus most of their brightness in the 4-8kHz range. This adds a fair amount of clarity, though I felt a few decibels of this range could be used on the 8-16kHz range to add a more delicate, less metallic sound. Paired with their cleaned up mids and neutral lows, the 900 Pro X’s extra crisp highs lead to a light, airy sound. If you want a more gritty, heavy feel, these are simply not aiming for that. 

Overall

The DT 900 Pro X definitely bares many similarities sonically to the DT 990 Pro, especially in its highs and lows. However, the Pro X seems to have a more successful soundstage than past models from Beyerdynamic, along with overall tighter handling and more cleanliness. For $299, this feels like a fairly accessibly studio headphone that will cover the needs of many creators, composers, and performers. 

You can purchase the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at Audio46