Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO MKII: Open-Back Reference at 30 Ohms

At 250 ohms, the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO was a headphone that demanded a serious amplifier. The second generation, the DT 1990 PRO MKII, comes with a new TESLA.45 driver and just 30 ohms. That means you can plug the open-back studio headphones into an audio interface or laptop without them running out of breath.

At a glance

• Open-back, circumaural studio headphones for mixing, mastering and editing
• New TESLA.45 driver with 45 mm diaphragm, 30 ohms impedance instead of the predecessor's 250 ohms
• Two velour ear pad sets with different tuning, two cables and a hard case included
• Built at the company headquarters in Heilbronn, almost every part replaceable

From power-hungry to all-rounder: what has changed

Beyerdynamic unveiled the MKII generation at the end of October 2024, together with its closed-back sibling, the DT 1770 PRO MKII. The biggest change is the driver. According to HIFI.DE, the 250-ohm first generation could not be driven loud enough by low-output devices such as laptops or smartphones.

The TESLA.45 has been redesigned from the ground up. Its neodymium magnet produces a flux density of over one Tesla in the voice coil air gap. The diaphragm is made of the high-performance polymer PEEK, the voice coil of aluminium-coated copper wire. Beyerdynamic's stated goal: lower distortion and better impulse response than the predecessor.

Smoother highs for complex productions

Sonically, Beyerdynamic mainly reworked the treble: highs around 8 kilohertz were slightly attenuated to avoid wrong decisions in the mix. With techno full of hi-hats, rides and noise layers, that is exactly the range where headphones quickly become tiring.

“Modern productions often have very complex treble frequencies. That’s why the DT 1990 PRO MKII now reproduces highs a little more smoothly than its somewhat brasher predecessor.”

— Ante Mihalj, acoustic engineer, beyerdynamic

Two ear pad variants come in the box. The pre-fitted “Producing Velours” deliver a full sound with a slight bass boost, while the “Mixing & Mastering Velours” sound more analytical. You can tell them apart by the back: lots of small holes on one pair, exactly four on the other. If you are building your kick drums, you can switch between a full and a sober listening perspective.

Technical specifications

Who the DT 1990 PRO MKII is for

Beyerdynamic designed it for long sessions at the mix: a spring steel headband, a memory foam headband with a fontanelle recess, breathable velour pads. According to the manufacturer, the open-back design delivers a natural, spatial sound.

It is not meant for the DJ booth. As HIFI.DE notes, closed-back headphones isolate you from your surroundings to a certain degree, open-back ones do not. For cueing in the club, closed models such as the Sennheiser HD 25 Plus remain the better fit; the DT 1990 PRO MKII belongs in the studio.

Frequently asked questions

Does the DT 1990 PRO MKII need a headphone amplifier?

At 30 ohms, Beyerdynamic says it suits a wide range of devices. Many playback devices do not provide enough voltage for high-impedance headphones, which is why the manufacturer lowered the impedance from the predecessor's 250 ohms.

What is the difference between the DT 1990 PRO and the DT 1990 PRO MKII?

The MKII uses the new TESLA.45 driver, has 30 instead of 250 ohms, slightly reduced highs around 8 kHz and a headband with a fontanelle recess.

Where are the headphones made?

The drivers are manufactured at the company headquarters in Heilbronn and measured several times during production.

Source: beyerdynamic – DT 1990 PRO MKII, HIFI.DE, fairaudio