Beyerdynamic DT 275 PRO

One of the key features of the DT 275 PRO is strong passive isolation, achieved without any form of electronic noise cancellation. The closed earcups, on-ear design and leatherette pads are claimed to reduce ambient noise by 22 dB. In practice, this is not simply about giving the listener a little peace and quiet. The idea is to keep external sounds from masking a fragment of dialogue, distortion, unwanted noise or an incorrect signal level. Accordingly, the DT 275 PRO has been tuned not to make music sound more impressive, but to deliver clear speech reproduction, controlled bass, low distortion and a suitably honest view of the material being monitored. Beyerdynamic emphasizes that there is no deliberate boost in the bass or treble - the kind of tuning that can make headphones sound more immediately exciting, but can also make reliable decisions more difficult during professional work.

The DT 275 PRO can be seen as a more specialized relative of the earlier DT 270 PRO. Both are compact closed-back headphones weighing just under 200 g, and both use 45-ohm drivers with a specified frequency response of 5 Hz to 24 kHz. Beyond that, however, their practical roles begin to diverge. The DT 270 PRO is an over-ear design with soft velour pads, developed primarily for recording, music production, podcasting, instrument practice and longer sessions in relatively controlled environments. The DT 275 PRO sits directly on the ears, uses more tightly sealing leatherette pads and places greater emphasis on isolation, portability and the ability to put the headphones on and take them off quickly. Beyerdynamic itself sums up the distinction neatly: the DT 270 PRO is primarily about creating, while the DT 275 PRO is about monitoring.

The compact form factor is not simply a styling exercise, either. The DT 275 PRO weighs 195 g, and the earcups can be rotated inward so the headphones take up less space in an equipment bag when the job is done. Beyerdynamic has also come up with an unusually flexible solution for the detachable cable. It can be connected to either the left or right earcup, allowing the user to route it along whichever side makes more sense for a particular workstation, camera, recorder, mixing console or audio interface. The connector uses a bayonet locking mechanism, helping prevent the cable from being pulled out accidentally while moving around quickly or working in crowded conditions. Its construction is also mechanically decoupled to reduce handling noise transmitted to the earcups. The package includes a 1.5 m cable terminated with a gold-plated 3.5 mm mini jack, a 6.35 mm adapter and a simple drawstring carrying pouch.

The dynamic drivers offer a sensitivity of 105 dB SPL at 1 mW and 119 dB SPL at 1 V, with a maximum sound pressure level of 125 dB SPL. A nominal impedance of 45 ohms should make the DT 275 PRO easy to drive not only from professional interfaces, field recorders and mixing consoles, but also from less powerful portable devices. Beyerdynamic specifies total harmonic distortion of 0.04% at 500 Hz and 0.03% at 1 kHz, both measured at 1 mW. In other words, these headphones are not intended merely to form a physical barrier between the listener and the outside world. Their task is to maintain a clear, organized presentation even at high monitoring levels, when an engineer needs to identify a problem immediately and may not have the luxury of checking the material again later in a quieter environment.

Beyerdynamic says the lightweight construction, softly padded headband and sweat-resistant ear pads should make the DT 275 PRO comfortable enough for long production days. With any on-ear headphone designed around strong passive isolation, however, comfort is inevitably a matter of compromise. A certain amount of clamping force helps shut out the surrounding noise, while an on-ear design naturally distributes pressure differently from a large circumaural model. The DT 275 PRO is therefore not trying to replace a pair of plush studio headphones for hours of mixing in a quiet control room. Instead, it is meant to be quick, light, compact and effective in situations where keeping external noise from obscuring crucial details matters more than achieving an almost weightless fit. The ear pads, headband cushion and cable are all replaceable, which should make the headphones easier to keep clean when shared between multiple users and extend their useful service life.

"The DT 275 PRO is a compact monitoring solution that works across a wide range of applications, whether on set, at front of house, side stage or in the DJ booth. Until now, many professional users have had to choose between strong acoustic isolation, neutral sound and a compact, portable design. With the DT 275 PRO, we have brought these different requirements together in a single product for the first time. The result is a portable pair of headphones that allows users to make reliable audio decisions even in demanding environments." - explains Martin Stahl, Director of Product Management Pro Audio at Beyerdynamic. The Beyerdynamic DT 275 PRO is available now, priced at €119, $150 and £99. Replacement ear pads, headband padding, cables and other wear parts can be purchased separately. Info and pictures by Beyerdynamic.