Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro review: Professional audio made practical

What do you look for in a pair of headphones when you are in the market for one? Apart from the price tag, a favourable audio quality is what everyone prefers, followed by design and wearing comfort. Every individual has a personal different choice — while some prefer bass-heavy audio, others look for a more balanced approach. If you are in the market for affordable headphones, then most of the options you find tend to lean towards bass rather than a balanced audio performance. The other option is to opt for a professional audio gear, in which case most of them aren’t fit for daily use, apart from costing a fortune.

However, Beyerdynamic, a prestigious name in the world of audio accessories, has a pair of headphones that they reckon can cater to those in search of balanced audio performance. The DT 240 Pro is a good example that is claimed to be fit as a daily accessory. It demands a Rs 7,499 price which puts it up against a fair amount of premium wired earphones as well as entry-level wireless examples.

Build, Design:

The Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro is a professional audio gear meant for studios. Therefore, it carries an on-ear design with a metal headband. The band also has a cushion lining for extra comfort. The ear pads are moderate in size and have considerable foam cushioning lined in leather.

Each of the two earpads houses a 2.5mm input jack and the user gets his preference to plug in the cable to any side. This feature is rarely found on headphones out there. The ear pads can be folded flat for easy storage — a must feature to make it portable. As usual, the headband also has retractable arms to accommodate different head sizes.

Beyerdynamic also supplies a 6.35mm port along with the headphone, should the user need it for plugging it into professional audio equipment — DJs will find this highly beneficial. The detachable cable has a coiled design that makes it tangle-free. However, it easily gets disturbing at times since it (at times) hooks on to nearby objects such as tables, chair arms and other similar stuff with sharp edges.

Nevertheless, it saves the wire from tension during accidental tugs. Both the 3.5mm and 2.5mm ports on either side of this cable are gold plated for best connectivity or conduction. The cable is also lengthy enough, measuring 1.25 metres long when stretched to the maximum.

Performance:

Since these are termed 'professional,' expectations from the DT 240 Pro is expected to rise high, especially considering the fact that they come from Beyerdynamic’s stables. And unsurprisingly the DT 240 Pro delivers as promised. The audio quality is one of the most balanced from what we have heard on headphone till date. The mids are rich while the lows and high are sufficiently balanced. Fine audio details and layers can be clearly distinguished to trained ears. Heavy bass lovers could be disappointed here as the DT 240 Pro’s balanced audio doesn’t render the ‘thumps’ that one would expect from a headphone at this price. However, if you can fiddle with equaliser settings to extract the preferred amount of bass, which it can deliver with ease. In short, if you love unadulterated audio quality, then the DT 240 Pro’s performance will definitely satisfy you.

However, another major factor in the DT 240 Pro’s performance is its appreciable noise isolation. There’s no active noise cancellation here, but the passive noise isolation works pretty well to keep unwanted noise at bay. Most of the usual ambient noise in indoors as well vehicle interiors are well dampened.

Comfort:

The Beyerdynamic 240 Pro is noticeably heavy at 196g as most of its construction consists of metal. However, once you adjust it according to your preferred comfort level, it is good enough to wear on for an hour or two, after which one could experience some irritation. Now, there could be a possibility that you are accustomed to the bulk of headphones for long sessions, in which case the DT 240 Pro won’t be an issue during extended use.

Beyerdynamic bundles the DT 240 Pro with a pouch to protect the headphone from any external damage while carrying. The outer plastic surface of the ear pads is highly prone to scratches from the 3.5mm ports and other similar sharp objects. We experienced a similar issue where our review unit was scratched after we noticed that the headphone jack had managed to rub against it even when it was stored in the protective pouch. Therefore, we would advise users to keep the wire out of the pouch for better reasons.

Verdict:

The DT 240 Pro is a good choice for those hunting for a professional headphone without burning a hole in their wallet. Beyerdynamic’s years of fine-tuning audio has resulted in a nicely balanced audio quality on the DT 240 Pro and one can experience it with an investment of around Rs 7,000. Even with the on-ear design, it can be easily worn outdoors, provided you are cautious of the wire tangling around your clothing. For casual users, the audio would appear flat with no inclination towards bass, in which case it’s advisable to look for alternatives from Sony and Sennheiser unless you employ an equaliser software in between. However, if you pure audio performance is what you prefer, then the Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro is certainly recommended.

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