Beyerdynamic’ DT series consists of some of the most popular headphones choices in the professional market to date, leaving the DT 240 Pro with some fairly big shoes to fill. Do they live up to their namesake?
Final verdict
The DT 240 Pro are a perfectly fine set of budget studio headphones. Despite some issues with comfortability, these are easily one of the best options in their price range.
Their frequency response is nominally flat, and they’re incredibly durable. For the price, there isn’t much to complain about.
What I like
- Nominally flat response.
- Lightweight yet durable.
- Great for casual listening.
- Affordable.
What I don’t like
- Not very comfortable.
- Somewhat inaccurate low end.
Why you should trust this review
I’ve been producing and engineering for over 15 years.
During that time, I’ve had hands-on experience with a wide array of monitoring setups – from high-end monitors and studio headphones to crappy earbuds and repurposed car speakers.
I know how to stretch a budget, and I know when a piece of gear doesn’t perform up to its asking price.
This experience, along with years of problem-solving in a variety of recording environments, has taught me what gear is worth your investment – and what isn’t.
Sound quality 4.0
The Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro have a reported frequency response of 5 Hz – 35 kHz. Overall, the headphones have a fairly bright sound signature, although the low bass has a slight emphasis.
I found that the bottom of the low end was rather muddy to my ears. The low end is good enough for most tracks, and I can’t imagine that the average music listener will be deterred by this, but for the engineers reading, know that the low end is a bit uncontrolled and inaccurate. However, this muddiness doesn’t bleed into the upper registers, and the midrange is nominally flat.
Around 3 kHz, we begin to see some inconsistencies, starting with a few -5 dB dips before a high resonance boost around 9-10 kHz.
Again, your average listener won’t be perturbed by such things, but this sort of performance doesn’t yield any sort of high promises when it comes to mixing and mastering.
Build and design 4.2
The earcups are made of metal while the rest is primarily made of dense plastic.
Overall, the DT 240 Pro feel extremely durable for a budget pair of headphones. They’re also incredibly lightweight, so much so that I could barely feel them on my head during listening sessions.
The earcups are a bit small, and probably won’t be fairly comfortable for most ears. The earcups swivel 90 degrees, and both sides have an 1/8-inch jack to connect the audio cable to. The headband is also covered in pleather which is fairly comfortable.
Comfort 2.5
Like I said, the earcups are fairly small and may bend and compress the average earlobe. This makes these headphones a bit uncomfortable, especially for longer listening sessions.
The DT 240 Pro also clamp rather hard over the head. For those of you who wear glasses this discomfort might be amplified even further.
The pleather headband and lightweight design may make up for this in some ways, but they still feel like a cheap pair of headphones.
I wouldn’t recommend the DT 240 Pro for jogging or working out. While the headband is fairly tight, they won’t hold up for anything more intense than walking or lying around the house.
Isolation 4.5
The noise cancellation here is better than one might expect, making these headphones rather ideal for casual listening on your commute to work.
The lower rumbles of trains and cars may cut through whatever tune you’re listening to, but you’ll be happily cut off from hearing any conversations or chatter in your vicinity.
Accessories 4.0
The Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro come with a soft carrying pouch, a 1/8 to 1/4-inch adapter, and a coiled audio cable.
Compared to other studio headphones
While the DT 240 Pro might be the perfect choice for anyone looking for a cheap pair of studio headphones, here are a few alternative options to consider.
Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
The sound of the DT 240 Pro is a bit more colorful and engaging. But the ATH-M40x headphones are more comfortable, especially for longer sessions.
Read the full Audio-Technica ATH-M40x review
Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro vs Sony MDR-7506
The DT 240 Pro sound better on a wider variety of genres than the Sonys do. The MDR-7506, on the other hand, sound better for hip-hop and pop, so take that as you will.
Read the full Sony MDR-7506 review
Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro vs Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
The HD 280 Pro have a lot more energy in the sub frequencies than the Beyerdynamics do. They’re also a bit bulkier, which can be favorable for those of you with slightly larger ears.
Still, the DT 240 Pro are much more flexible and sound better on a larger variety of genres.
Read the full Sennheiser HD 280 Pro review
Who are the Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro headphones best suited for?
The DT 240 Pro are best suited for studio monitoring and casual listening. As far as mixing and mastering is concerned, there is an argument to be made that these headphones can be useful in such situations, but overall I wouldn’t recommend them as your main references.
See current price at: Amazon
