3 Comments

• K. C. Norris says:

  March 25, 2016 at 9:08 am

  15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

  
  Tried both versions and liked ver1 slightly more than equal to my HD-800, and these ver2 definitely better., January 16, 2016

  By 

  K. C. Norris (New Jersey) –

  This review is from: beyerdynamic T1 2nd Generation Audiophile Stereo Headphones with Dynamic Semi-Open Design (Silver) (Electronics)

  Okay so for those who want it short and sweet: I blind auditioned the T1 version 1s against my HD-800 & HD-650 headphones with my wife. The primary sound chain was: PC/Win10/Foobar(no DSP applied)/iDSD Micro as DAC/Schiit Audio ASGARD2 Amp. We tried variations of DAC & amps as well, but this was what we based our decisions on the most. Consistently tallied-up the T1 first, followed VERY closely by the HD-800, with the HD-650 coming in a distant 3rd in all genres except blues, where it just sounded “right”. The T1s were more forgiving of file quality, audio mastering, and DAC/amp equipment chosen than the HD-800 without giving up much in detail or fullness. The only thing the T1 never came close in was size of soundstage. Where the HD-800 was huge regardless of music appropriateness, the T1 seems to morph larger or smaller depending on the recording it was rendering back. Sometimes a benefit, sometimes not, but always accurate. In short, if you want to just listen to music without fuss, the T1 is the clear winner. If you want to “tweak” for the ultimate in equipment synergy and specialized cables, then I can see where the HD-800 might achieve greater heights in audio fidelity…. Then I learned that we had been shipped the wrong headphones! Contacted the vendor who was responsive, and had the version2s over-nighted direct from Beyerdynamics. The new headphones came in. A less impressive case than the originals that arrived in a great metal presentation case. But the new headphones had an updated, REMOVABLE cable and just sound “better”. Absent was a tendency to get a little brash in the high end with certain tracks that would get outright sibilant with the HD-800. The HD-650 would smooth the same tracks out beautifully, but at the cost of more detail and richness than we would like. Don’t get me wrong. Outside of the HD-800 and T1s, (both versions) I had never heard a headphone that I enjoyed nearly as much as my HD-650s, and called them my best headphones for quite some time. They are still my 3rd favorites today, but the T1 versions are first now, with the HD-800 a close second.

  T1 selling points – Easy to drive even from a phone and sound great / 600 Ohm rating allows them to have an inky-black noise-free floor even on my most powerful amps at hi-gain. / Don’t need precise hardware combinations to produce good synergy for superior sound. / Still forgiving of sound files that the HD-800 might punish you for. / Feel & Look super-well made. /. 2nd version improves on the excellent sound of the original without dropping detail or richness of soundstage.

  Music auditioned: Asia, Kitaro, Holst, Planet P Project, Alan Parsons, Michael Jackson, Linked Horizon, Beethoven, Handel, Wagner, Moody Blues, ELP, Genesis, Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Chesky Records, Daft Punk, Eddy Grant, Journey, Queen, Rachmaninov, Roger Waters, & Ravel.

  Auditions ranged over a 3 month span after an initial break-in of all headphones for a minimum of 500 hours each.

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• Alphadj says:

  March 25, 2016 at 9:51 am

  9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

  
  I do not like the sound as well as the 1st Gen T-1’s …, October 19, 2015

  By 

  Alphadj (SC) –

  Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

  This review is from: beyerdynamic T1 2nd Generation Audiophile Stereo Headphones with Dynamic Semi-Open Design (Silver) (Electronics)

  I do not like the sound as well as the 1st Gen T-1’s … I have compared them both using very high end gear. PS Audio Direct Stream Dac and a very capable headphone amp Questyle CMA 800R. The 2nd gen are missing something in the mid to high segment which brings the music alive and engaging something that is a must at this price range. All the improvements I applaud like the cabling angle in which it goes into the cans being able to unplug the wires from the cans. Cables seems nice but what good is any of this if the sound is not there? They have done significant changes to the transducer as I compared them side by side. All in all sound is good but not as good as the 1st gen T-1… I really wanted these to work and feel bummed I have to send them back. This is a typical example of corporate muddying up the waters trying to be all things to all people. They said they tweaked them for more bass which I don’t seem to hear that much difference. Might just save the duckies for some Hifiman He-1000.

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• Peter Hyatt says:

  March 25, 2016 at 10:17 am

  3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

  
  Stunning Quality and Manufacturing, January 24, 2016

  By 

  Peter Hyatt (Old Town, Maine) –

  This review is from: beyerdynamic T1 2nd Generation Audiophile Stereo Headphones with Dynamic Semi-Open Design (Silver) (Electronics)

  Stunning quality and manufacturing, the T1 (2) is a work of art. For those who felt that the T series (T1 600 ohm) and T5p (32 ohm) was a bit light on bass, Beyerdynamic has heard you. For those who felt that a few hours and the leather might get a touchy sweaty, Beyerdynamic heard you, too.
  For those of you who have kids, and feared that an accidental tug, or even trip on a headphone cable would mean a terribly expensive repair, and openly complained, “Why don’t high line headphones come with detachable cables?”, Beyerdynamic heard and responded well.
  This, for me, is the most important aspect of the 2nd generation and a deal-maker: the detachable cable is marvelous. They have put in a strong, rather flat shaped cable that means no kinking, no twisting and should the worst happen and one of your kids trips on it, the cable will give and the expensive, hand made headphones will be saved!
  The sound?
  I have never heard such amazing soundstage as instrument separation is natural and beautiful. The highs, especially given classical music’s string section, is precise (hi fi is “high fidelity”, or “strong accuracy”), the mids clear, and the bass increased over the first generation. As impressed as I was with the T5p, thinking that music could not get any better than this, the 2nd generation has come through.
  Dylan’s raspy vocals, the fingers across the guitar strings, the breathing, the nuances, and a soundstage that feels as if I am present front row with the band.
  I think that Beyerdynamic has saturated the price/quality ratio, putting the money into the headphones and cable, offering a hard shell case rather than the aluminum, and with the Tesla powerfully measured magnetic feature, a sound that has no rival. With saturation, going up in price, for whatever reason, may not produce requisite sound quality improvement. The ‘fidelity’ of the sound is impeccable from the Mercedes Benz of headphone makers.

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