Beyerdynamic: DT - 440: $210
The most expensive headphone in the test
goes a long way to justifying its price tag…
Details
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Origin: Germany
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Type: open-back
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Weight: 320g
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Features: folding design
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Replacement fabric earpads available
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3.5mm adaptor
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Distributor: Polar Audio
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Website: europe.beyerdynamic.com
The DT - 440 is the entry level model of
the DT series and although it is the most expensive model here, it is
competitively priced - if you’re prepared to shop around.
An open-back design, it’s in keeping with
the rest of the DT series and the relatively large earpad completely covers the
ear. Unlike some of the open designs here noise leakage is relatively low and
the Beyerdynamic has a more aggressive amount of traction to the headband than
some of the other models in the test. This means that they will stay planted to
your head when pretty much everything else in the test has fallen off. Combined
with the relatively high weight this does mean that you are more aware of
wearing them than some of the other headphones in this test, but it would be a
stretch to call them uncomfortable. Unlike the other full-size designs it also
folds up, which makes it more portable than some of the others on offer here.
This will be an important feature for many modern iPad toting headphone
listeners! Another nice touch is the availability of replacement fabric earpads
if you wear the first set out. Beyerdenamic are curiously tight-lipped about
the drivers used, but do acknowledge the presence of a neodymium magnet.
Overall build quality is very good; it doesn’t feel like a cheap headphone.
The
DT - 440 is the entry level model of the DT series and although it is the most
expensive model here
Sound quality
The Beyerdynamic proved to be acceptably
sensitive and from the outlet demonstrated some consistent traits across all
the test pieces. The tonality is slightly dark and this means that the DT-440
rarely sounds bright or forward, but neither is it especially warm. There is
also an impressive sense of drive and timing with up-tempo music and the Kings
of Leon was delivered with real bite.
This timing is present even on the more
relaxed Marthe Tilston and Stuart McCallum pieces as well. The headphone
doesn’t force these slower pieces, but they have a spontaneity and sense of
liveliness that is very endearing. Everything starts and stops with an
assurance and deftness that is very satisfying.
What is less appealing is that the
Beyerdynamic has a presentation that is rather more closed in than some of the
other models here. The presentation of Stuart McCallum’s usually vast Vital
Space is rather constrained and has a slightly left/right effect to it. This
reduction in scale is not always noticeable in isolation but if you switch to
the Audio-Technica or Grado, or even the closed-back Sennheiser, you become
aware that the DT-400 always sounds constrained. This is a shame because the
tonality across all four pieces was excellent and the DT-440 rarely sounded
anything other than detailed and believable. Tilston’s vocals in particular are
wonderfully involving.
DT-440
rarely sounds bright or forward, but neither is it especially warm
Bass is also fairly impressive and the
Beyerdynamic managed to find some genuine low end punch with the Hybrid piece,
as well as tautly defined bass with Martha Tilston.
The DT-440 is an extremely capable
headphone, one that’s assembled to a very high standard too. It is able to
handle a wide variety of musical styles with impressive assurance and it rarely
sounds anything less than lively and convincing. The somewhat closed-in nature
of the performance and the slight lack of top end sparkle rob it of the top
spot in this keenly contested pack, but it is surely way too good to ignore.
On test
Beyerdynamic’s well-established DT 440
offers just below average sensitivity for the group but still generate plenty
of output for little input voltage. Capsule matching error was well above the
group average at 
10.6dB, but with a previous DT 440 I measured the matching was much
tighter. Bass extension of 60Hz for -6dB ref 200Hz is the least impressive of
the group but the impedance variation across the audible frequency range is
modest, from 30.9 ohms to 38.3 ohms, so response error for a 10 ohms source impedance
is close to the group average at 0.42dB. At 394g, the DT 440 is the heaviest
headphone in the group by a margin of 52g. clearly designed to provide a close
to flat diffuse-field corrected response, the DT 440 should provide a very even
tonal balance except for its early bass roll-off and a narrow band of excess
energy around 6kHz.
DT
440 is the heaviest headphone in the group by a margin of 52g
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Results at a
glance
§ Sensitivity:
-5%
§ Impedance
variation: +6%
§ Capsule
matching: -27%
§ LF
extension: -24%
§ Weight:
+30%
Our verdict
§ Sound
quality: 4/5
§ Value
money: 4/5
§ Build
quality: 5/5
§ Sensitivity:
4/5
§ Like:
Excellent build detailed sound and good timing
§ Dislike:
Quite heavy and lack of top end sparkle
§ We
say: A performer with excellent build and strong Sonics, while lacking only a
slight sense of space
§ Overall:
4/5
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