The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are sturdy audiophile headphones. They're well-suited to professional applications, but their open-back design isn't ideal for everyday casual use. They feature a sturdy metal frame that can clamp tightly on the head and plastic earcups that won't help block any external noise.
Our Verdict
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO aren't meant for sports use. They have a stable fit but are too cumbersome.
- Sturdy and durable build.
- Stable and well-padded.
- Loud leakage, by design.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO aren't designed for commuting. The open-back design intentionally doesn't isolate.
- Sturdy and durable build.
- Stable and well-padded.
- Loud leakage, by design.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
- Slightly tight on the head.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO aren't designed for office use unless you work in an isolated environment.
- Stable and well-padded.
- Loud leakage, by design.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are wired-only headphones and can't be used wirelessly.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are passable for wired gaming, so long as you don't need mic support or have your own standalone mic. They have an exciting sound with extra bass that can help emphasize sound effects while dialogue and instruments are crisp and bright. Their open-back design also ensures a somewhat open and spacious sound.
- Sturdy and durable build.
- Stable and well-padded.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
- Slightly tight on the head.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are a very good choice for audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response is well-aligned with our target curve, and there's little deviation from their overall bright sound profile. There's a bit of bass roll-off, which is to be expected with open-back headphones, and a boost in the mid-treble helps bring out audio artifacts during editing tasks. Their L/R drivers are generally well-matched, despite a mismatch in the phase that falls outside most people's audibility. They exhibit very little harmonic distortion, so there's no audible coloration of your audio at both regular and elevated listening levels.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO have an open-back design that purposefully allows external audio in. As a result, they have a terrible noise isolation performance that leaves you at the mercy of pretty much all external noise, whether it's engine rumble or background chit-chat. They also leak a lot audio and aren't well-suited to quiet environments.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are wired headphones that don't have a built-in mic.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO have excellent frequency response consistency. Regardless of your face shape or facial features, you'll be able to achieve consistent audio delivery between reseats, and our frequency response results will be in line with what you experience.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Apr 20, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.2, which removes the Cumulative Spectral Decay (CSD) test, retiring its waterfall plot visualization from our reviews. You can read more about this change in the changelog.
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Updated Mar 30, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
- Updated Mar 24, 2026: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
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Updated Sep 22, 2025:
We've rectified an issue that affected the Bass, Mid, and Treble Compliance scoring, as well as Peaks and Dips with these headphones.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Beyerdynamic DT990 PRO come in two different color variants: 'Black' and 'Gray'. We tested the 'Black' variant but expect other color variants to perform similarly. If you encounter another variant of these headphones, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are wired open-back headphones that are well-suited to professional audio applications or for audiophile use. They offer a more open sound than their closed-back sibling, the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, but this comes at the expense of poor noise isolation, along with loud leakage. There's some roll-off in the bass range that's quite common in open-back designs, so it's worth looking at the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO if you're looking for open-backs with better bass extension.
See our recommendations for the best headphones under $200, the best audiophile headphones, and the best headphones for music.
Both the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the Sennheiser HD 560S share open-backed designs. They also have broadly similar sound profiles, with the Beyerdynamic offering a bit more low-end, while the Sennheiser have a more even top-end, but some may prefer the high-frequency sheen on the Beyerdynamic. The Beyerdynamic feel better built and comfortable, though they clamp a bit harder. On the other hand, the Sennheiser have a lighter-feeling fit, so choosing between them may come down to your personal taste.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are similarly performing audiophile headphones with different strengths. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the PRO X have a different driver design that's advertised to reproduce loud sound without distortion, whether connected to an amp or a smartphone. They also have a wider and more out-of-head passive soundstage. However, the 990 PRO's mid and treble responses are more balanced, whereas the 900 PRO X features some dips in the low-mid and low-treble ranges that can impact their clarity. They 990 PRO use a coiled audio cable, but it isn't detachable.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are better critical listening headphones than the Sennheiser HD 600. The Beyerdynamic offer a better value thanks to their excellent build quality and balanced sound profile. They feel a lot more durable than the Sennheiser and have better bass extension. While the two have similarly detailed mid-range responses, the Sennhesier don't sound as sharp as the Beyerdynamic on bright tracks. They also come with detachable cables.
The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 have a flatter sound than the balanced sound profile of the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO, which is a bit brighter, but you can use either for monitoring. The HiFiMan are a bit more versatile and don't need an amp, and they're more comfortable. However, the Beyerdynamic are better built, with a slightly better consistency between wearers. Plus, they're more breathable, and they include a pouch that protects the headphones from minor scratches and splashes.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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