Summary – Beyerdynamic T1 Headphone
The Beyerdynamic T1s are analytical headphones designed for high-end stereo quality sound with a good emphasis on the highs and midranges. As compared to the Sennheiser HD 800s, the T1s have much smoother highs but a more mellowed soundstage and wider bass dispersion. The Beyerdynamic T1s are high-impedance headphones with a rating of 600 ohms and highly efficient acoustic drivers that delivers transparent and crisp sound performance. The headphone itself is very comfortable to wear and comes with soft ear cushions with memory foam pads that ergonomically adjusts to your ears. The T1s produce deep bass with a great deal of depth and impact with accurate sound reproduction in the lower-midrange frequency ranges. They also come with double sided detachable cables, copper conductors, textile braided connection cables with 3.5mm jack plugs and a screw-on 6.35mm jack adapter. The T1s perform really well when properly amped and emphasize the clarity in audio performances with impressive stereo separation. Overall, these are high quality audiophile headphones designed for high-end stereo listening with silky smooth highs and midranges.
The Pros & Cons
The Pros. The Beyerdynamic T1s produce pristine and crystal clear stereo sound with detailed separation and relatively good soundstage. The highs and midranges sound silky smooth particular in the timbre ranges with the T1s. Vocal performances truly shine with the T1 headphones.
The Cons. The Beyerdynamic headphones have a more diffused bass as compared to the Sennheiser HD 800s. They also have less soundstage as compared to the HD 800s due to its closed-back design.
Sound Performance
The sound performance of the Beyerdynamic T1s is unique as compared to the Sennheiser HD 800s. The T1s have very crisp highs and much smoother upper-midrange frequencies as compared to the HD 800s. It also has better defined lower-midrange frequencies with a more open, diffused bass response while emphasizing the highs and timbre ranges really well. In terms of highs and treble ranges, the T1s likely outshines the HD 800s. That being said, the T1s clearly lack the soundstage and depth that the HD 800 brings to the table with its open-back design. That is not to say that the T1s are lacking in sound performance; the HD 800s are simply better at reproducing soundstage and effects that make you feel as though you are sitting in a real life concert hall. The T1s have silky smooth highs with great attention to detail and really bring out of subtle notes in the music which you might not have noticed before. We also ran a few FLAC files through the T1s and you can really hear the clarity and level of stereo separation that these headphones have. The sound signature of the T1s is best described as smooth and rich as compared to the more defined quality of the HD 800s; it definitely has a much warmer and mellow sound as compared to the HD 800s.
Build Quality and Design
The T1s have a really solid and durable construction that gives it a really premium look and feel. The headphones are relatively easy to drive with a good headphone amplifier and are more forgiving of the audio source as compared to the HD 800s. The headphones are very comfortable to wear and come with a high-grade protein coated leatherette headband and soft plush ear padding that ergonomically conforms to your ear size. All the component parts of the T1 headphone are made in Germany and you can really feel that a lot of effort went into producing these headphones – the frequency ranges are also harmonically tuned and you get a distinct sense of a much smoother and crisper sound signature from the T1s, particular in the high-end ranges. The headphones are very comfortable to wear and you can really leave them on your ears for hours on end without feeling fatigued as they do go over the ears. The headphones come with a double-sided detachable cable, copper conductors, textile braided connection cables with a 3.5mm jack plug and a screw-on 6.35mm jack adapter for easy connectivity. Do note that these headphones would require some burn in time before the sound starts to feel smooth and rounder.
The Verdict?
The Beyerdynamic T1s are really high quality stereo headphones that provide elegant timbre ranges, smooth highs and clean midranges. The highs are bright and silk smooth with very refined timbre ranges. The T1s also have detailed midranges and deep bass which feels tight and impactful. We compared the T1s to the Sennheiser HD 800s and found that while the T1s have much warmer and detailed highs, it does lack in the open soundstage provided by the HD 800s. The bass on the T1s also feels deep and slightly more dispersed as compared to the HD 800s with a mellower and warmer sound signature. Vocal performances sounded almost equally good on both the HD 800s and the T1s, although the T1s definitely shines when it comes to emphasizing those timbre ranges. The T1s have an impedance of 600 ohms and are relatively easy to drive when connected to a good headphone amplifier – they are also less punishing towards to quality of the music audio files. Overall, the Beyerdynamic T1s are some of the best audiophile headphones that does provide really detailed sound quality and it ultimately boils down to whether you would prefer a more spacious sound performance or a warmer and crisper sound signature. The high-fidelity sound performance produced by the T1s is definitely something to be reckoned with.
Be sure to check out our top picks for the best audiophile headphones for high-end listening that deliver superb sound performance with crystal clear clarity.