When comparing Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B vs Beyerdynamic DT990Pro, the Slant community recommends Beyerdynamic DT990Pro for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Beyerdynamic DT990Pro is ranked 28th while Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B is ranked 53rd. The most important reason people chose Beyerdynamic DT990Pro is:
These headphones should be able to withstand minor impact and drops, and will last you years of use. The headband and yokes are made from solid yet lightweight metal, so they won’t break easily. The ear cups are made of plastic materials which, while not as durable as metal, are strong enough to not come off as flimsy.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Exceptional mic
The microphone has good clarity and can actually be used for tasks other than talking on the phone - like recording podcasts on the go for example.
Pro Comes with two different cords
One cord comes with an inline mic and with controls, and the other cord is your standard audio cable. This inclusion not only allows you to pick a cable to best suit your use-case for the headphone, but this also ensures that you have a spare cable should one get damaged.
Pro Good bass reproduction, warm mids and smooth highs
The bass of these headphones is pretty good. Bass drum hits have good power to them, yet they do not muddy up the sound. The mids are warm and forward, and should present vocals and mid-range sounds quite well. The highs do not have a lot of sparkle, but they are clear and present a good level of detail.
Pro Can effectively cancel out noise
With these headphones it will be much easier for you to focus on your music, or whatever it is that you are listening to. Combined with the closed back design, airplane/train/bus engine noises are effectively cancelled out.
Pro A good number of accessories are included
Along with the two headphone cables, you get a carrying case, an airline adapter and a 6.3mm plug. These should help make the headphones easier to transport and also make them compatible with a wider range of audio sources.
Pro Well-built
These headphones should be able to withstand minor impact and drops, and will last you years of use. The headband and yokes are made from solid yet lightweight metal, so they won’t break easily. The ear cups are made of plastic materials which, while not as durable as metal, are strong enough to not come off as flimsy.
Pro Full and rich bass with very detailed treble
The low frequencies are what stand out from the sound signature. The bass is powerful, deep and tight so you get a lot of thump without muddying up the overall sound. This is complemented by very detailed and airy high frequencies, so you should be able to easily hear the fine details from your music.
Pro Wide soundstage
The audio from these headphones will sound wide and quite immersive, which can be attributed to the open-back design. This also results in good instrument separation, so you’ll be able to easily identify the directions where the various sound sources are coming from. The wide soundstage can result in a truly immersive music listening experience, and also makes these headphones a good choice for movies and gaming.
Pro Soft on the head
You can wear these headphones for many hours straight with little to no issue, as the head band and ear pads have thick padding. The ear pads have a suede cover which allows some airflow to the ears, and helps minimize heat build-up.
Cons
Con Requires an amp for optimal volume/sound quality
If you really want to get the best sound quality as well as volume from these headphones then you will need a decent headphone amp. The impedance of these headphones is quite high at 300 Ohms, so these require a good bit of power to function optimally.
Con Can get uncomfortable for people with larger ears
The ear cups of these headphones are quite compact, and may rub against the ears of some users, which can get quite uncomfortable.
Con Requires a headphone amp
You won’t get a lot of volume and a good music listening experience from these headphones when plugged straight to your phone or computer. These have a high impedance rating so you’ll need a powerful amp to run the DT990 properly.
Con Leaks a lot of sound
The DT990s are not ideal for use in an office environment, if you share your space with others or when traveling. These headphones are fully open, so they leak out a lot of sound, which can be annoying to others.
Con Tight clamping force
You may find the clamping force to be quite tight, especially if you have a fairly large head size. This can make wearing the headphones for hours straight uncomfortable, even if the padding on the ear cups and headband are quite thick.
Con The highs can get quite sharp
too boosted and harsh, which can feel fatiguing.This can be apparent if you listen to more aggressive styles of music like rock or metal, or music which involves a lot of cymbals and high-pitched instruments.