DT 900 Pro X £219

Web polar.uk.com, beyerdynamic.com Gear Closed-back headphones

Last month we reviewed the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X closed back headphones and said they offer the comfort and sound of the company’s almost iconic DT 1770, which are probably in our top three headphones list — and yes, we have a headphones list — yet are pretty much half the price. A great buy. On test here we have the 900 Pro X, the sister model to the 700s, delivering the same kind of experience — similar comfort and weight, same 48 Ohm impedance, same 5Hz to 40kHz frequency range — but in an open back design. Open back headphones have, as you might expect, less isolation but in our tests here, they do offer a more immersive mix experience. You are more ‘in it’ rather than examining it, so they might not be as good for mixing, but are certainly on a par for ‘experiencing’ your music. Ideally, then, you’d have both, the 700s for mixing and 900s for listening, but either way, you get exceptional Beyerdynamic quality for not a lot of cash, at least compared to some phones out there. Our ‘sensible’ head though, is opting for the 700s that already have a beautiful sound stage but, really, in a quiet studio environment, both deliver the mix goods. n9/ 10n