The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are open-back headphones from the PRO X series. Unlike the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO, they have STELLAR.45 drivers, which helps them reach high volumes without impacting sound quality or adding distortion, whether you're using an audio interface or your smartphone. Beyerdynamic tweaked their tuning too, resulting in a somewhat less bright sound than what fans have come to expect. As a result, their sound is well-balanced, with adequate warmth and boom. Vocals and lead instruments are also present but softened with rounded edges, while sibilants like hi-hats are bright but not piercing. Their passive soundstage is wide, spacious, and open, although they struggle to create a more out-of-head audio experience.
Our Verdict
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are very good for neutral sound. They have a well-balanced sound profile, and although they lack low-bass, which is common for open-back headphones, they still deliver adequate warmth and boom. Vocals and lead instruments are also clear but a little veiled, while sibilants like cymbals are bright. These headphones also have a decent soundstage that feels wide, spacious, and open. However, the soundstage has trouble creating a more out-of-head experience.
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Comfortable and great build quality.
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Consistent audio delivery.
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Includes two audio cables and two 1/4" adapters.
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Passive soundstage struggles to create out-of-head feel.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are poor for commute and travel as this isn't their intended use. They don't block out any of the low rumble of bus or plane engines, they leak a lot of audio at high volumes, and they have a bulky design that can't fold to save space. They also don't have any controls, so you need to pull out your phone if you want to adjust the volume or play and pause audio. That said, they have a comfortable fit and have a great build quality.
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Comfortable and great build quality.
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Bad noise isolation.
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Lots of leakage at high volumes.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are disappointing for sports and fitness as they aren't designed for this. They're bulky, not very portable, and their audio cable could snag on something and pull them off your head. They can also shift places with moderate head movements, which can be annoying if you're doing a high-impact workout. They lack music-related controls, although this is very common for audiophile headphones.
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Comfortable and great build quality.
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Can move around your head with moderate movement.
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No controls.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are poor for office use. They're open-back headphones and don't block out any background noise and leak a lot of audio at high volumes, which can disrupt your coworkers. They also lack a mic and don't have any controls, so you can't play or pause audio without using your device. That said, if that's not a problem, they have a comfortable fit for long days at the office.
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Comfortable and great build quality.
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Bad noise isolation.
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Lots of leakage at high volumes.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are wired headphones, and you can't use them wirelessly.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are fair for wired gaming. They lack a microphone, so you can't speak with teammates unless you're also using a standalone mic. However, if you don't mind only receiving audio, they have a comfortable fit, and their wired design ensures virtually no latency. While they lack a thumpy low-bass, their mid-range is well-balanced and flat, so dialogue and instruments sound clear.
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Comfortable and great build quality.
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Consistent audio delivery.
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No mic.
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Lots of leakage at high volumes.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X don't have a mic, and you can't use them for phone calls.
- 7.9 Neutral Sound
- 4.0 Commute/Travel
- 5.3 Sports/Fitness
- 4.7 Office
- 4.4 Wireless Gaming
- 6.5 Wired Gaming
- 1.6 Phone Calls
- Updated Feb 16, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Feb 10, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Jan 21, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jan 19, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jan 12, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Jan 06, 2022: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X come in one color variant: 'Black'; you can see our unit's label here. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussion section below.
Compared To Other Headphones
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X, alongside the closed-back Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X, make up the PRO X series, a range of headphones and standalone microphones designed with flexibility in mind. They use a different driver than other Beyerdynamic headphones called the STELLAR.45. The manufacturer advertises that this driver allows the headphones to reach higher volumes without impacting sound quality or adding distortion so that you can use them with your audio interface or smartphone. They're also tuned differently and have a slightly less analytical sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO. Vocals and lead instruments are present but a little veiled, while sibilants like hi-hats are bright without being piercing.
Check out our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones, the best headphones for music, and the best studio headphones.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are similarly performing audiophile headphones with different strengths. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the PRO X have a different driver design that's advertised to reproduce loud sound without distortion, whether connected to an amp or a smartphone. They also have a wider and more out-of-head passive soundstage. However, the 990 PRO's mid and treble responses are more balanced, whereas the 900 PRO X features some dips in the low-mid and low-treble ranges that can impact their clarity. They 990 PRO use a coiled audio cable, but it isn't detachable.
While the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are open-back headphones and the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X are closed-back, they have similar sound profiles with slight differences due to design and function. You'll prefer the closed-back 700 PRO X for recording and monitoring as you get a deeper bass extension and more detail in the higher range. However, sibilants can be piercing and uncomfortable to listen to for a long time. The 900 PRO X, on the other hand, are built for critical listening and mixing. Their open-back design lets you mix channels more accurately thanks to their immersive soundstage, but you lose more low-bass. Additionally, both headphones have a sharp dip around 4kHz, which removes some detail from vocals and lead instruments.
The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 are better headphones for neutral sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X. The HiFiMan have a planar magnetic transducer, which is advertised to help improve audio quality. Their sound also follows our target curve a bit more closely, they're more comfortable, and have a wider, more immersive-sounding soundstage performance. That said, the Beyerdynamic are better-built and have a more stable fit.
The Sennheiser HD 560S are better headphones for neutral sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X. While headphones have a decent passive soundstage that feels open, the Sennheiser are more comfortable and have a more neutral sound profile. However, the Beyerdynamic are better built and designed for more professional mixing uses.
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO are better for neutral sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the 770 PRO are closed-back headphones with a more neutral and well-balanced bass and mid-range. They can also block out more background noise, which you may prefer if you listen to audio in a moderately noisy environment. However, the 900 PRO X are open-back headphones that create a more spacious and open passive soundstage.
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are better headphones for neutral sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X. The Philips are more comfortable, have a more neutral sound profile, and their passive soundstage seems more natural, open, and spacious. However, the Beyerdynamic are better built.
The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO are slightly better headphones for neutral sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X. While both headphones are comfortable, the 1990 PRO are better-built and have a more immersive passive soundstage. Their bass response is also more neutral, and they can reproduce a bit more thumpy low-bass. They also come with a more sturdy hard case to help protect the headphones when you're not using them.
Test Results
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X have a somewhat similar look to other headphones from this manufacturer, like the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO with a plasticky black frame and plush gray velour ear cups. Since they have an open-back design, they have fairly non-descript grilles on each ear cup. They only come in one color variant: 'Black'.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X are comfortable headphones. Their padding is very soft and plush, while their headband feels comfortable over long listening sessions. However, they have a high clamping force, which can cause discomfort over time.
They have disappointing portability. They're bulky and can't fold into a more compact form. The ear cups also can't swivel to lay flat.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X come with a nylon-like pouch to help protect your headphones when not in use. It has a drawstring to seal in the headphones, but it doesn't fully close. While it won't protect your headphones from an accidental drop or fall, it can shield them from minor water damage.
The build quality is great. They're mostly plastic, with faux leather headband padding, velour padding ear cups, and aluminum hinges. You can change the headband by carefully pulling the silicone tab on the headband. The ear cup pads are also replaceable, which is handy as they wear down and flattens with continual use. That said, the cable leading from the ear cups to the headband can be prone to damage over time.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X have decent stability. Their high clamping force keeps them in place while you're listening at your desk. That said, although they're not for use during physical activity, they can move around with more intense head movements.
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO X headphones
- 2x 1/4" adapters
- 2x mini-XLR to 1/8" TRS cables
- Carrying pouch
- Stickers
- Bracelet
- Manual
These headphones have a fairly neutral sound profile that's well-suited for a variety of audio genres, including jazz and classical. While they lack low-bass, which is common for open-back headphones, they have adequate warmth and fullness. Vocals and lead instruments are also present in mixes but are slightly veiled, which can hurt their detail and articulation.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X's frequency response consistency is very good. There are some deviations in treble delivery due to the headphones' fit and positioning on your head. That said, to achieve more consistent audio delivery, it's important to take the time to adjust their fit on your head.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X's bass accuracy is great. Although fans of more thumpy and rumbly genres like EDM and hip-hop may find their bass a little lacking, it still has a bit of extra boom to help balance out the range. In the intro to Tank! by SEATBELTS, the staccato bass-line carried by the cello is punchy and warm without crossing over into muddiness.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X have excellent mid accuracy. The response is slightly tilted, but it's still fairly neutral. Vocals and lead instruments sound present but are nudged to the back of your mix and sound a little weak.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X's treble accuracy is satisfactory. The response is mostly underemphasized across the range, so vocals and lead instruments are veiled. That said, sibilants like cymbals are bright but not piercing.
The peaks and dips performance is good. There's a small peak in the high-bass that adds a touch of extra boom to mixes. A deep dip in the low-treble veils vocals and lead instruments, while a wide peak in the mid-treble makes sibilants like S and T sounds piercing.
These headphones have a great imaging performance. The group delay falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in clear and pure audio reproduction. The L/R drivers are also well-matched in terms of phase, amplitude, and frequency response, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects like voices in the stereo image. That said, imaging can vary across units and can indicate a manufacturer's quality control and ergonomics.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X have a decent passive soundstage. Their soundstage seems wide, open, and somewhat spacious. However, it's also perceived as a little unnatural and as if sound is coming from inside your head instead of from speakers placed in the room around you.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X have a good weighted harmonic distortion performance. There's a small peak at normal listening volumes in the low-treble, but this can be hard to hear with real-life content. That said, the rest of the frequency response falls within acceptable limits, which results in clean and pure audio reproduction.
These are the settings used to test the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO. The results are only valid when used in this configuration.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X's noise isolation performance is bad. Since they have an open-back design, they're not designed to block out any of the rumbles of bus engines and office chatter. They do a better job of cutting down the high-pitched hum of an AC unit, but the level of isolation is just okay.
These headphones have a poor leakage performance. Open-back headphones are meant to leak audio in order to create a more spacious and open passive soundstage. That said, if you're sharing a space with others, they can hear your audio, even if it's at a moderate volume.
These headphones come with two mini-XLR to 1/8" TRS cables. One cable is 6.3 ft (1.92 m), and the other one is 10.27 ft (3.13 m).
These headphones don't have a mic and only support audio when connected via analog to your PC.
The Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO only support audio when connected to your PS4 or PS5's console via analog.
These headphones don't have a mic. You can connect them to your Xbox console by plugging in their 1/8" TRS cable into your controller's AUX port.