Just donning these Beyerdynamic DT 860 headphones will show you’re a hardcore hi-fi hipster. Aimed at those who spend hours poring over their record collection, with little regard to things like work, chores and personal relationships, they’re designed to be a music buffs best bud. But do they live up to muss expectations? Read our Beyerdynamic DT 860 review now and we’ll tell all.
There’s no denying that the Beyerdynamic DT 860s are a stunning pair of cans. At £170, they compare excellently to similarly specced headphones from Sennheiser, in specs, style and spend.
Packing an open-backed style, the Beyerdynamic DT 860s are designed for listening to tunes at home. You couldn’t take these out on the road, for fear of sounding like an audio numpty who turns up his bundled iPod buds too loud so everyone can hear. While that means you will have to stump up for some noise cancellers for when you’re out and about, it somewhat misses the point of what these excellent headphones are all about. Namely, getting off on your CD collection while slumped on the sofa.
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Slap the Beyerdynamic DT 860s on and you’ll find them more than comfortable for a few hours listening. Emphasis is very much on the treble, meaning you get very clear and detailed sounds. We found the Rolling Stones oeuvre stunning, although the cans themselves couldn’t rescue tawdry 80s live effort, Flashpoint.
There’s a real vibrant sound quality on offer here and those who like jangly guitars, a la The Smiths and The Byrds, will not be left disappointed. However, the Beyerdynamic DT 860 don’t handle bass as well. That’s not to say they’re weedy, just that if you prefer tracks that leave you with a faint headache rather than songs with treble, you might want to look elsewhere.
One other major niggle is the lack of a 3.5mm jack adapter. Ok, they’re meant for music aficionados, but we’d at least like to be able to hook the Beyerdynamic DT 860s to our iPod or mobile.
In all, the Beyerdynamic DT 860s are a corking pair of headphones. They’re not the best cans money can buy, but at the price, you’ll struggle to find something as good.
