With beyerdynamic unveiling a brand-new headphones and earbuds at a record pace with five new products released just this year—and knowing how impressed we were with the recently released lightweight and affordable DT 270 PRO headphones—we reached out to them again so we could get our hands on the new beyerdynamic DT 275 PRO on-ear monitoring headphones.
While they both share near-identical names and a similar slim and lightweight form factor, the DT 275 PROs are a completely different animal when compared to the DT 270s. Where the DT 270s are over-ear headphones made for home listening and music production on the go, the DT 275s are on-ear headphones designed for use in live sound production, video shoots, DJing, sound cueing, and other professional audio situations where sound needs to be delivered on time in dynamic, high pressure, and high-volume situations.
To put it short: while the DT 270s are made for aural enjoyment in quiet listening rooms, the DT 275s are meant for accurate determination and decision making when working in loud environments. Let’s see how they hold up.
Putting the DT 275 PROs to the Test
After unboxing, I put the DT 275s to the test using them as headphone monitors in a professional studio recording situation, using them both while tracking bass in the live room with a live drummer and when editing and mixing in the postproduction stage, and using them intermittently in my home studio when producing music.
Passive Noise Cancellation
For a pair of on-ear headphones, the first thing I noticed was the impressive amount of passive noise cancellation they provided, especially given the fact that I was sitting about five feet away from a rock drummer in a live room with 18-foot ceilings. I’ve worn far more expensive over-ear monitoring headphones that didn’t even come close to blocking out that much noise.
This is a feature that beyerdynamic seems to be quite proud of, with them stating that these cans produce as much as -22 dBA of passive noise cancellation—which is rare for a pair of on-ears. You won’t have to worry about missing any sonic details when using the DT 275 PROs in loud environments, making them perfect for DJs and live sound engineers pushing through the FOH speakers, or for bass players like me trying to hear themselves through drums and amp stacks.
Comfort and Wearability
The DT 275 PROs had a comfortable fit, even when wearing them for 45-plus minutes; pretty good for on-ear headphones. The soft faux leather earpads, flexible headband, and swiveling cups make for comfortable long-term wear. These hold up to the legacy of supreme comfort Beyerdynamic is known for, though (at least in my decidedly convincing opinion), on-ear headphones never be quite as comfortable as a pair of over-ears, especially if you wear glasses—just the nature of the beast.
However, in the environments you’d typically use these headphones in, hours-long term comfortability shouldn’t be much of an issue: chances are, you’ll be taking them off and putting them on many times if you’re using them in a recording, DJing, or live sound setting. While this pair can certainly be used for mixing sessions given their neutral sound profile, switching to a pair of over-ear open-back headphones is likely the prudent decision if you’re planning on cooking up your mixes all night. These are meant for the now, and not the later.
How Do They Sound?
Despite its namesake, the DT 275 PROs have a perceptibly different sound profile than the DT 270s: the DT 270s have a sort of “V-shaped” frequency response boosting lows and emphasizing highs, adding excitement and energy to playback, whereas the DT 275s have a noticeably more flat and neutral response, making them more appropriate for reference, monitoring, tracking, or mixing live audio on the fly.
While the 275s aren’t going to add extra excitement or extract any playful exuberance of the music you’re listening to, this is exactly what beyerdynamic is going for: these are no-nonsense headphones meant for work first, play second.
The DT 275 PROs have a 45-ohm impedance, so they should work with just about any device you need them to without needing a separate DAC or headphone amp. They deliver tight bass, accurate mids, and smooth extended highs with the extended upper range to 24 kHz, making for great sounding headphones despite (or perhaps because of) their dedication to transparency.
While the instrument separation and localization are commendable, the soundstage and stereo width is noticeably narrower than beyerdynamic’s larger and more expensive offerings (not unlike the DT 270s), but with the nature, price, and intended use of the DT 275 PROs, that’s a nitpick, not an issue.
Overall, these headphones will sound great in any application—but they especially shine when used to their full potential in a loud and dynamic environment—and for the price, they punch far above their weight.
Design and Build Quality
Picking the DT 275 PROs up, I could tell these guys were designed to take a beating—as they should, since they’re designed for sound engineers, musicians, and DJs to use in fast-moving production environments and to take on the road.
What’s even more is that beyerdynamic has designed these headphones to last: the ear cushions, headband padding, and cable are all able to be removed without the use of tools and can be replaced quite easily (just make sure to follow the instructions in the instruction booklet carefully), and internal parts are accessible and repairable without the use of specialized tools.
This decision is incredibly refreshing given the increasingly common trend of consumer electronic manufacturers designing products that they’d rather have you replace than repair. Repairability is exactly the kind of design inclusion that those in the demographic for these headphones would appreciate, coming as a welcome design consideration in today’s audio electronics market.
A much nicer more common trend is wired connection to either side of the headphones, which the DT 275’s certainly include. The included 1.5m coiled cable has a 2.5mm TRS twist locking connection to either earcup and a 90˚ angled termination point at the end, making different setup positions and workflows easier to deal with and disconnections easy to prevent—and as any reference headphone should, it comes with a 1/4” (6.35mm) screw-on adapter for use with a variety of different equipment.
The DT 275s are built for work both inside and out.
Final Verdict
Honestly, much like the Beyerdynamic DT 270 PROs I reviewed a few months back, it’s hard to even come up with an issue I could have with these headphones: they’re affordable, durable, and repairable, they sound great, and their passive noise isolation is incredibly impressive.
Anyone working in high intensity, wet (or sweaty), and outdoor environments should consider these headphones. They’re best in class with their passive sound isolation, present accurate and detailed sound reproduction, are built like a tank, and can be easily repaired by the user—all at a steal of a price.
If you’re serious about sound production need something you can rely on, check out the listing on our online storefront for more information like video showcases, specs, and a downloadable PDF of the user manual if you want to know more, and don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our pro audio experts online or at the Midtown SuperStore!
