Short answer: the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth. Both are rated 4.3/5 for sound quality (#25 and #24 of 216 over-ear headphones), and the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth costs $249 against $279.99 for the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X: A preference score of 88 with a warm-leaning, near neutral tilt means most of the spectrum sits close to target, with bass within 0.3 dB and treble within 0.5 dB. The catch: A 9.5 dB dip near 4 kHz is the largest deviation in this group and can pull the bite out of vocals, snares and guitars.
Why pick the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth: A preference score of 88 and a neutral tilt show a tuning that tracks the Harman target well, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 1 dB above target and presence about 1.6 dB above for added clarity. Watch for: An 8.8 dB dip near 9.5 kHz sits beside a 6.6 dB peak at 11.9 kHz, and the air band is about 4 dB high, so the treble can sound uneven and bright.
Buy the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $30.99 less than the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X | HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.99 | $249.00 |
| Ranked | #24 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #25 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 88 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 88 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.08 dB standard deviation | 2.09 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.04 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 48 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB SPL (1mW/500Hz) | 93 dB |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (345 g) | 0.9 lbs (399 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 8Hz - 55kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X:
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
- Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X vs Sennheiser HD 400 Pro
- HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth vs Sennheiser HD 400 Pro
- HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth vs AKG K701
- Sennheiser HD 505 vs Sennheiser HD 650
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X: $279.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: A preference score of 88 with a warm-leaning, near neutral tilt means most of the spectrum sits close to target, with bass within 0.3 dB and treble within 0.5 dB. At 48 ohms it plays loudly from most sources and its 345 g weight is moderate. It is rated the same as the Sennheiser HD 505 and Shure SRH840 and higher than the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x.
Cons: A 9.5 dB dip near 4 kHz is the largest deviation in this group and can pull the bite out of vocals, snares and guitars. The air band above 10 kHz is about 2 dB under target and sub-bass is about 3.5 dB light, so highs lack sparkle and deep bass lacks rumble. The open back leaks sound and gives no isolation.
Full Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.08 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 88 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB SPL (1mW/500Hz) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.04 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (345 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 94 Hz | -2.3 dB | 0.22 |
| Peak | 6,103 Hz | -5.3 dB | 1.81 |
| Peak | 4,103 Hz | +3.8 dB | 4.69 |
| Peak | 6,339 Hz | +1.5 dB | 0.18 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,503 Hz | -0.8 dB | 3.03 |
| Peak | 59 Hz | -0.3 dB | 1.39 |
| Peak | 82 Hz | +0.7 dB | 3.97 |
| Peak | 2,966 Hz | +1.0 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth: $249.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A preference score of 88 and a neutral tilt show a tuning that tracks the Harman target well, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 1 dB above target and presence about 1.6 dB above for added clarity. It is easy to drive at 16 ohms and 93 dB, so a phone or laptop can power it. It has the same rating as the Beyerdynamic DT 880 and Sennheiser HD 505.
Cons: An 8.8 dB dip near 9.5 kHz sits beside a 6.6 dB peak at 11.9 kHz, and the air band is about 4 dB high, so the treble can sound uneven and bright. Low mids are lifted about 1.7 dB and sub-bass is about 3 dB light under 60 Hz. The open back leaks sound and gives no isolation, and it weighs 399 g.
Full HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.09 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 55kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 88 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 93 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (399 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 84 Hz | -2.7 dB | 0.32 |
| Peak | 2,044 Hz | +4.1 dB | 2.00 |
| Peak | 3,064 Hz | -3.3 dB | 2.02 |
| Peak | 1,428 Hz | +2.0 dB | 3.19 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,231 Hz | -2.0 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,374 Hz | +2.1 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 965 Hz | -1.1 dB | 5.99 |
| Peak | 119 Hz | +0.3 dB | 2.44 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons