Headphone Reviews

Sound Quality
The Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro tends moderately toward the warm and relaxed side of neutral. Bass is nicely emphasized and extended, and reasonably tight and articulate, but does intrude a bit on the lower mids.

Midrange above 300Hz is squarely neutral and well behaved into the presence region. Above about 3kHz response takes a nose dive for an octave and returns for air in the high treble in rather lack luster, though inoffensive, manner. Vocals could seem a little shouty at times—I think the missing treble octave made the vocals seem more forward due to the muted consonant sounds.

Overall treble response has about the right amount of energy but is somewhat uneven. Cymbals lack their full body of overtones, and vocal consonants lack a little weight. Things sound more "th" than "ts".

Imaging is surprisingly spacious with both good depth and width. Given the missing treble bits it's quite surprising how stable and well behaved the image is. Even though the bass could be a bit tighter, overall dynamics are solid.

Some Comparisons
It's not hard to poke a few holes into a $99 headphone on an absolute basis; the real acid test is how well it fairs against similarly priced cans.

Sennheiser HD 471i - This headphone made the Wall of Fame Due to its very well behaved and truthful sound. Compared with the DT 240 Pro I found it more coherent and liquid; it clearly had the more refined sound. Unfortunately, it seemed a bit thin and bass light compared to the DT 240's bolder bass response. I think audiophiles would take the Sennheiser over the Beyer for relaxed listening pleasure due to its better comfort and more liquid presentation.

For audio production uses the call is a bit more complicated. Being bass light, novice audio pros might boost the bass excessively with the HD 471i. People are likely to mix the bass about right with the DT 240 Pro. On the other hand, the Sennheiser is more even and truthful sounding; the recording engineer will hear and adjust the midrange and treble sound characteristics with more subtle accuracy. The Beyer seems the more durable of the two. I'm thinking the HD 471i is the better studio recording engineer and music production headphone, and the durability of the DT 240 Pro is better for remote/mobile/location recording.

Audio Technica ATH-M50x - These two headphones sound more alike than different, but the DT 240 Pro gives a bit less forward and more relaxed presentation. Bass it tighter in the M50x but emphasis is about equal. The DT 240 sounds more even through the midrange, but the treble balance is better on the Audio Technica. This one is a bit of a toss up.

Audiophiles will likely prefer the less forward sound of the DT 240 Pro, but the M50x is more comfortable for long listening. Similarly, I think audio pros will prefer the sound of the DT240; but the M50x is built like a tank and folds up into a smaller size. The $50 less expensive price and slightly better sound of the DT 240 Pro may win the day over the less comfortable fit...but that's a call you'll have to make.

Creative Aurvana Live! - This is a clearly more lively headphone with better midrange/treble balance. Bass has slightly less level than the DT 240 Pro but it's quite a bit more wooly and indistinct. The Beyer also has better dynamics and imaging.

Audiophile may like the CAL! better than the DT 240 Pro, but would probably be better off with the Sennheiser HD 471i. Audio producers should probably look to the M50x or DT 240 Pro due to the significantly more durable build quality.

Summary
Beyerdynamic has set its sights on the entry-level pro audio (social media and music production) market with the $99 DT 240 Pro and have done an admirable job balancing durability, light weight, and sound quality. Sound is warm, slightly forward, with a relaxed, if uneven, treble. Bass could be a bit tighter, but overall dynamic punch is good. Imaging is surprisingly wide and deep.

Earcups are a bit too small to be comfortably called an "full-sized, over-ear" headphone, and clamping pressure is slightly strong. While I wouldn't call it comfortable for long listening sessions, it is very secure on the head. Combined with the well designed coiled cable that's less likely to get tangle up with stuff on the desk this makes for a good audio pro working headphone that will stay on you noggin' without worry while you move around.

Overall, the strengths of the DT 240 Pro easily outweigh its weaknesses, and it holds its own against other headphones of its type and price. I heartily recommend it for those taking their first step into mobile audio production; the decent sound balance, small size, and apparent durability will serve well. While the Sennheiser HD 471i sound cleaner, it's a little bass light and not as sturdy. While the Audio Technica ATH-M50x may be more rugged, fold smaller for transport, and more comfortable, the DT 240 Pro sounds and looks a little better.

The Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro is going to wiggle its way onto the Wall of Fame...but it's not going to knock anything off. Beyerdynamic had good aim with these cans, and it's a superior product when it comes to entry-level audio producers on the move. The HD 471i would be better for music production and mixing; the ATH-M50x is probably the better choice for an artists monitoring headphone in the studio where it's likely to get beat up in the hustle bustle or thrown into a milk crate. But for a vloger with a backpack full of recording gear the DT 240 Pro is an excellent choice.

Video
View on YouTube here.

Resources
Beyerdynamic home page and DT 240 Pro product page.
Head-Fi thread.