Beyerdynamic DT 860

Design

In-ear headphones and over-ears are wildly different by design, and as such, they’re meant for wildly different uses. Where the over-ears will offer greater comfort and usually better sound quality in home use, the line of Etymotic Research in-ear monitors (IEMs) are unique in that they don’t sacrifice much audio quality for their portability. Let’s see how the Beyerdynamic DT 860s stack up against the Etymotic Research mc5s.

Beyerdynamic DT 860	Etymotic Research mc5

Frequency Response

Here’s a difficult matchup: both frequency responses are great, but the Beyerdynamic DT 860s do maintain a higher emphasis over a greater range of frequencies, but that of the mc5s is still very impressive, especially for a pair of IEMs. We’d say that between these two performances, it’s a matter of personal preference here.

Beyerdynamic DT 860	Etymotic Research mc5

Distortion

Neither set of headphones have any difficulties worth reporting in terms of distortion.

Beyerdynamic DT 860	Etymotic Research mc5

Tracking

Here, the entry-level mc5s have a better tracking response than the mid-range Beyerdynamic DT 860s. Still, the difference in performance here looks bigger on a chart than it is by listening. You won’t notice the difference.

Beyerdynamic DT 860	Etymotic Research mc5

Isolation

Here is the biggest draw to the mc5s: isolation. Built to go outside, the mc5s block out anywhere from 25 to 45+dB of outside noise, which is absolutely astounding. For reference, standard earplugs attenuate 10dB on average, and headsets sometimes sniff 15dB of attenuation. When you wear the mc5s, you’re actually making a good step in protecting your ears from noise-induced hearing loss. The Beyers, on the other hand, do not attenuate much noise at all.

Beyerdynamic DT 860	Etymotic Research mc5

Comfort

This is a clear win for the Beyerdynamic DT 860s, as IEMs typically aren’t known for their comfort. When you ram IEMs into your tender ear canals, it’s not uncommon for your headphones to make you feel like you have an ear infection. Though the Beyerdynamic DT 860s aren’t winning any trophies for their comfort level, at least they aren’t IEMs.

Wear
Beyerdynamic DT 860	Etymotic Research mc5

Verdict

Both headphones offer clear advantages over the other, but if isolation and the ability to go outside are important to you, you’re going to want to pick up something like the mc5s. Oh, and by the way: they’re $80. Though the Beyerdynamic DT 860s are impressive in terms of audio quality, the mc5s aren’t a massive step down, and they give you such a huge step up in portability. In the end, it’s up to you, but each set of cans has their upsides.