Massdrop x Beyedynamic DT 177X GO Headphones: Best in Class?
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Credit: drop.com
DT 177X GO Headphones:
If you are not familiar with Drop, formerly known as Massdrop, you should visit their site as soon as you are finished reading this review. Drop partners with various companies to recreate a product and solve the problems associated with that product. Drop will gather orders for each product on their site and ship them all at once, sometimes many months later. The benefit of ordering from Drop is that you get an insanely good product for an insanely low price.
The DT 177X GO Headphones are based on the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro's which are loved and hated by many but, make no mistake, they are nothing alike. At 32 ohms you do not need a headphone Amp power these. In fact, they sound amazing plugged into a phone, or laptop, or PC. Hence the word "GO" in the name. They even work well plugged into an Xbox controller and make for an excellent gaming experience. With that being said, if you are new to audio and want a great and versatile headphone and don't have any other audio equipment, the DT 177X Go's are a great starting point if you don't mind spending $450. You can take them literally anywhere and use them for almost anything.
Sound:
We found that the DT 177X GO's had tons of bass and room on the low end which few other headphones in the sub-1000 dollar price range can produce. The bass doesn't punch you in the eardrum like some cheaper headphones. Instead, we experienced extremely deep and roomy lows. The piercing treble from the DT 1770 Pro's is not present in these thanks to a sound dampening layer inside the ear cups. It should be noted that this treble comes back when using the sheepskin ear pads included in the box. These are great headphones right out the box, but that doesn't mean they can't be better. The DT 177X GO Headphones go from great to amazing when plugged into the right Amplifier, and can become a endgame closed-back headphone if you swap the ear pads.
If you plan on only using these on-the-go or just aren't interested in swapping the ear pads, the stock velour pads are excellent.
We do not recommend using the sheepskin pads included in the box as we believe they ruin the sound profile of these headphones. If you enjoy the comfort of the sheepskin pads and don't want to compromise the sound quality AS MUCH, the Dekoni Audio Elite Hybrid's are a good alternative.
If you possess an Amp and DAC and are in need of a more detailed experience, we recommend using the BRAINWAVZ XL Large Replacement Memory Foam Earpads*. We found these bring out the best in these headphones and are excellent for gaming.
Build Quality:
The DT 177X Go Headphones are made of very high quality materials, using mostly painted aluminum which is very good looking and smooth to the touch.
Pros:
Painted aluminum is very sleek and smooth to the touch
Comfort is off the charts despite the heft of the headphones
Most parts are replaceable using parts from Beyerdynamic
Cons:
Ear cushion swaps can be difficult
The worst part of these headphones is the stock cable, which is a 4-pin mini XLR terminated with a detachable 1/4 in TRS cable which reveals a 3.5mm jack underneath. This cable is very thick as well as twisty and is uncomfortable when being used at a desk or on-the-go. Excellent replacement options can be bought from Hart Audio.
Final Take:
Overall, the Massdrop x Beyerdynamic DT 177x GO Headphones are great in both build quality and audio quality and are a great option for the audiophile and casual listener alike. They can produce excellent sound with little or no other audio equipment, are built very solidly, and are very comfortable. Changing pads can help produce and entirely different sound. They are available from Drop.com now for $450.
