HeadphoneOverreview

Beyerdynamic DT 1770 PRO MKII

Name: Beyerdynamic DT 1770 PRO MKII
Brand: Beyerdynamic

Nearly everyone agrees it's built like a tank and easy to drive — and nearly every claim about its tuning has a reviewer arguing the opposite.

33 sourcesUpdated 2026-10-07

$700Typical US price

Score aggregates reviewer opinions across topics.

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The short version

What to know.

A closed-back studio over-ear on Beyerdynamic's new TESLA.45 driver in the unchanged DT 1770 shell. Sources broadly agree on the practical side: it is heavy-duty, nearly all metal and made in Germany with replaceable parts, two pad sets, two cables and a case; it is easy to drive at 30 Ω; it resolves a lot of detail and stays clean when pushed; most people find it comfortable for long sessions despite a firm clamp and ~377 g; and it isolates reasonably well for a passive closed-back, though low rumble gets through. Almost everything about the sound is argued over. Four measurement rigs agree on the shape — a bass shelf several dB above an HD 600, a deep dip around 200 Hz, a recessed ~3 kHz region and a narrow peak near 8 kHz — but reviewers judge that shape very differently. Bass splits three ways: big and well-controlled, too much and a bit bloated, or restrained and never bass-heavy, a spread one lab traced to seal, pads and source impedance. Treble splits evenly between 'tamed, non-fatiguing' and 'still sharp'. Mids are clean and natural to some and boxy or recessed to others; soundstage is wide and out-of-head to some and compressed to others. Imaging is praised by most but two labs measured high crosstalk on the supplied cables, worst on the coiled one. Build has a small but real camp of owners reporting failures and a plasticky feel, and value is a coin-flip at the $700 list price, less so on the frequent sales.

About this product

This covers the current MKII — the closed-back, 30 Ω TESLA.45 studio over-ear launched in October 2024, shipping with velour and leatherette pad sets, straight and coiled cables and a case. It is not the original 250 Ω DT 1770 PRO of 2015/16, which used the older ring-magnet Tesla driver and needed a real amp; the MKII shares its shell and little else. It is also not the cheaper DT 770 PRO it descends from, nor the open-back DT 1990 PRO MKII, which is the same design with the back opened up.

Beyerdynamic's DT 1770 PRO MKII is the closed half of the company's centenary refresh of its flagship studio pair: the same Heilbronn-built, mostly metal shell as the 2016 original, an entirely new TESLA.45 driver inside, and impedance cut from 250 Ω to 30 Ω so it runs properly from an interface, a laptop or a game controller instead of needing a desktop amp.

Its reputation splits along an unusual line. Studio and gaming writers mostly hear a punchy, detailed, pinpoint-imaging closed-back with the old Beyer treble spike finally tamed. The measurement benches and a sizeable share of owners hear a deliberately V-shaped headphone with a big bass shelf, a scooped upper midrange and a still-sharp 8 kHz peak — and they can point to a handful of physical causes for the gap: seal, pad set, source impedance, and which of the two supplied cables is plugged in.

A good fit for

Recording and tracking, where a closed-back with real isolation and low leakage is the point
Gamers after strong positional cues and punchy bass in a sealed headphone (use the straight cable)
Listeners who like an energetic, detailed, V-leaning sound with plenty of low end — or who will EQ it, which it takes well
Anyone who wants a studio headphone that doesn't need an amp and plugs into consoles and phones as well as an interface
People who value Beyerdynamic's metal, made-in-Germany, every-part-replaceable build
Owners of the original 250 Ω DT 1770 who found its midrange odd — those who moved up consistently prefer the MKII

Think twice if

You need a flat mixing reference out of the box — the measured curve is a clear V, and half the sources say it needs EQ for that job
You're sensitive to treble around 8 kHz and won't EQ; the peak is smaller than on older Beyers but still there
You want a mid-forward headphone for voices — the upper midrange sits several dB below the bass and treble
Your source has a high output impedance, or you'd use the coiled cable — both measurably change the sound
You want deep isolation for planes or commutes; low-frequency noise gets through, and this is a big, wired, desk-bound headphone
You need a balanced connection — the 3-pin mini-XLR rules it out without modification
You're paying full list price for sound alone; Beyerdynamic's own DT 700 PRO X costs well under half as much, and sales on this one are frequent

The reviewer consensus

Agreement &
disagreement.

8 / 12topics divide opinion

4 Mostly agree8 Divided opinions

Common ground6

Heavy-duty, mostly metal and made in Germany, with replaceable parts, two pad sets, two cables and a case — a clear step above the DT 770 and DT 700 PRO X for most sources.
Easy to drive: at 30 Ω and about 95 dB/mW it runs from an interface, laptop, phone or console controller, unlike the 250 Ω original.
Detailed and dynamic, with low distortion even at high volume — and enough headroom to take EQ well.
Comfortable for long sessions for most people, though the clamp is firm and the weight noticeable after a few hours.
Decent passive isolation for a closed-back and little leakage, but low-frequency rumble gets through.
Every measurement shows the same curve: a bass shelf, a deep dip near 200 Hz, a recessed ~3 kHz region and a narrow peak near 8 kHz.

Points of contention9

Bass: big and well-controlled, too much and a bit bloated, or restrained and never heavy — a three-way split one lab traced to seal, pads and source impedance.
Treble: an even split between 'the old 8 kHz spike is tamed' and 'still sharp' — the peak is smaller than the original's but still 5–6 dB above target on every rig.
Tonality: a likeable near-neutral studio sound to some, a scooped V that isn't a reference without EQ to others.
Mids: clean and natural, or boxy and recessed in the upper midrange where voices live.
Soundstage: wide and out-of-head for a closed-back, or focused and somewhat compressed.
Imaging: pinpoint to most, but two labs measured high crosstalk from the 3-pin cable, worst on the coiled one.
Build: a tank to most, but a minority of owners report driver failures and a plasticky feel.
Value: fair for a long-life tool with a big bundle, or steep next to the DT 700 PRO X unless it's on sale.
Pads: Beyerdynamic says the velours add bass and the leatherettes are linear; two measuring sources and PC Gamer found the leatherettes bassier.

A closer listen.

12 topics · 8 divided

Left: criticalRight: positiveTighter lines: more agreement

Choose a topic

Tonality

Leans positiveDivided opinions

Reviewer sentiment23 supporting sources

CriticalNeutralPositive

Band: opinion spread · Dot: weighted average

Sources split on how much the shape matters, not on the shape itself. A slight majority — most editorial reviewers and many owners — hear a likeable, near-neutral or gently V-shaped studio tuning that is easy to live with and easy to correct. The other camp, which includes every source that measured it closely and the lab that scored it lowest, hears a bassy, scooped, sharp tuning that is not a neutral reference without EQ. Both camps agree it takes EQ well.

Measured

Four rigs agree on the curve. On Earphones Archive's B&K 5128 the velour-pad measurement sits about 8 dB above the rig's diffuse-field target from 30 to 100 Hz, about 6 dB below it at 200 Hz and 7 dB below it at 3 kHz, with a notch near 7 kHz and an 8 kHz peak about 5.6 dB above target. GadgetryTech's pinna-clone rig shows the same shape against its HD 6XX: +6.5 dB at 50 Hz, −4 to −6 dB at 200–250 Hz, −6.6 dB at 3 kHz and +6.5 dB at 8 kHz. DIY-Audio-Heaven also found the balance shifting substantially on sources above about 10 Ω output impedance, getting boomier as it rises.

vs. listeners — The graphs don't disagree; the verdicts do. 'Near-neutral' and 'not neutral' describe the same curve against different reference points — a listener's idea of a lively closed-back versus a flat mixing reference. Source output impedance is a second, physical reason two listeners can hear different balances.

Where it splits

Likeable and close enough to neutral — a mild smile curve that works for studio and listening use.55%

“there’s something very likeable about the sound of both models just as they are”
Sound On Sound (Sam Inglis)

Not a neutral reference — bassy, scooped and sharp, and it changes with what you plug it into.45%

“An overall rather expensive but nicely made, sturdy and sensitive (not very closed) studio headphone with a bassy sound with a sharp sound that is easy to drive but output resistance dependent.”
DIY-Audio-Heaven (solderdude)

Link to this topic

Bass

Leans positiveDivided opinions

Reviewer sentiment23 supporting sources

CriticalNeutralPositive

Band: opinion spread · Dot: weighted average

Sources split three ways, which is unusual. One camp hears big, deep, punchy bass that stays controlled and makes the headphone fun for gaming, hip-hop and electronic music. A second hears the same quantity as too much — thick, a little bloated or boomy, and detached from the mids by the dip above it. A third, smaller camp hears restrained, textured bass that never feels heavy, and one owner simply expected more. The measurements show a real shelf, and DIY-Audio-Heaven's seal tests show why the third camp exists: bass level swings substantially with fit, glasses and pads. Extension and low distortion are not in dispute.

Measured

Both squig rigs show a bass shelf roughly 4–6 dB above an HD 600 or HD 6XX on the same rig from 50 to 100 Hz, then a 4–8 dB dip around 200–250 Hz. DIY-Audio-Heaven measured excellent extension and lower distortion than the original, and found that 'The bass levels are (as expected) varying substantially depending on the seal' — glasses or a 1 mm lift bring the bass down a lot — and that a 120 Ω source makes it noticeably fatter. GadgetryTech's rig shows about 2 dB more bass with the leatherette pads, which also fill in the 200 Hz dip.

vs. listeners — The 'restrained' camp contradicts every rig, which all show a real bass shelf. The likeliest explanation is the one DIY-Audio-Heaven measured: a broken seal (glasses, hair, a loose fit) takes away a lot of low end, and a low-impedance source keeps it tighter. The 'too much' camp also includes owners on weak or high-impedance sources — one Head-Fi owner found it boomy on a portable DAC and fine on desktop amps.

Where it splits

Big, deep and punchy but controlled — a highlight, especially for games and bass-led music.36%

“It reproduces bass in a full and powerful way.”
headphonecheck.com (Carsten Kaiser)

Too much — thick, a little bloated or boomy, and detached from the mids.36%

“Bass is elevated in an impressive way but does not sound realistic (a bit bloated).”
DIY-Audio-Heaven (solderdude)

Restrained — well-defined and textured, never bass-heavy, even lean.28%

“The mid-bass is well-defined and textured, though not elevated.”
eCoustics (W. Jennings)

Link to this topic

Treble

No overall leanDivided opinions

Reviewer sentiment20 supporting sources

CriticalNeutralPositive

Band: opinion spread · Dot: weighted average

An even split, and the deepest disagreement in the record. Roughly half the sources — most editorial reviewers and a few owners — say the 8–9 kHz spike Beyerdynamic is known for has been tamed: forward of neutral, crisp, but not peaky or fatiguing. The other half, including all three rigs that publish raw data, still find a sharp peak around 8 kHz that adds an edge to cymbals and voices; one measuring reviewer who is sensitive to that band can't enjoy it without EQ, and two owners call it bright or 'ear piercing.' Everyone agrees it extends well.

Measured

Earphones Archive's 5128 shows a notch near 7 kHz and then a peak at 8 kHz about 5.6 dB above its target; GadgetryTech's rig puts the 8 kHz peak 6.5 dB above its HD 6XX. headphonecheck, by contrast, measured the predecessor's high frequencies reduced and the sound 'softer around 8 kHz', and eCoustics reports the prominent 8–9 kHz spike gone. DIY-Audio-Heaven's leatherette pads add a 4 dB higher treble peak than the velours.

vs. listeners — Both statements can be true at once: compared with the original DT 1770 the peak is smaller and better blended into the surrounding treble (GadgetryTech's comparison shows the same with the DT 1990), but against a neutral target it is still a narrow 5–6 dB peak. Whether that registers as 'crisp' or 'sharp' depends on the listener's sensitivity to 8 kHz, on the pads, and on how much smoothing a published graph applies.

Where it splits· split roughly even

Tamed — forward of neutral and crisp, but no longer peaky or fatiguing.

“although you might expect to find that treble emphasis a little fatiguing, in practice it really isn’t”
Sound On Sound (Sam Inglis)

Still sharp — a narrow 8 kHz peak puts an edge on cymbals and voices.

“Treble is elevated and sharp accentuating drum hits, cymbals and certain instruments as well as giving some sharpness to voices.”
DIY-Audio-Heaven (solderdude)

Link to this topic

The hardware

Specifications.

Checked 2026-10-07

Design

Type: Closed-back over-ear
Drivers: 1 × 45 mm dynamic (TESLA.45)
Tuning: Pads · 2 options

Electrical

Impedance: 30 Ω
Sensitivity: 95 dB/mW≈ 110.2 dB/V
Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz

Connection

Cable: Detachable, single-entry
Connector: 3-pin mini-XLR
Plugs supplied: 3.5 mm, 6.35 mm

Physical

Weight: 377 g
Released: 2024-10

Manufacturer-published figures, not measurements · from north-america.beyerdynamic.com, api.beyerdynamic.de, thomann.co.uk.

Follow the evidence

Sources 33

Read with context

Limitations & method.

As of 2026-10-07

What to keep in mind 9

A read of where reviews and owners land as of October 2026. The MKII is two years old, so long-term reliability reports are still thin.
This covers the current MKII, not the 250 Ω DT 1770 PRO from 2015. They share a shell and almost nothing else, so impressions of one don't transfer to the other — and some online comments don't say which one they mean.
How much bass you hear depends a lot on your seal. Glasses, hair, a loose fit and which pad set you use all move the low end noticeably, which is a big part of why reviews range from 'restrained' to 'too much.'
It ships with two pad sets that change the sound, and sources don't even agree which set is bassier — so any single impression is really an impression of one pad set on one head.
The two supplied cables aren't equivalent: measurements show the coiled one degrades channel separation more than the straight one.
Because the driver is now low-impedance, your source matters: a headphone jack with a high output impedance makes it noticeably boomier.
Measurement rigs read the treble region a little differently, so the exact height of the 8 kHz peak varies from graph to graph.
Owner star ratings skew positive, since they mostly come from people who chose to buy it, and the samples here are modest.
The price has moved a lot — $599 at launch, $699.99 list now, and frequent sales near $450 — so the value case depends on what you actually pay.

Where to buy Product & retailer links

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