Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II vs Sennheiser - HD 800 S
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Driver size | 45 mm | 56 mm |
| Weight | 350 g | 330 g |
Between the DT 1990 Pro MK II and HD 800 S, the DT 1990 Pro MK II comes out ahead in several specs, while the HD 800 S wins on driver size / weight. Overall, the DT 1990 Pro MK II scores 51.4 and the HD 800 S scores 55.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The HD 800 S edges ahead on the Mars Score (51.4 vs 55.3), but the 3.9-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
The DT 1990 Pro MK II does not pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec-table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the HD 800 S if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are driver size, weight. The single most decisive one: Driver size — 24.44% more. 56 mm vs 45 mm.
Both ship with comparable battery life, active noise cancellation, spatial audio, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II or Sennheiser - HD 800 S?
Sennheiser - HD 800 S leads the current Mars Score by 3.9 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II if…
Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
Choose Sennheiser - HD 800 S if…
Sennheiser - HD 800 S has the measurable edge on driver size mm, weight g.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Sennheiser - HD 800 S wins
- ▲Driver size — 24.44% more. 56 mm vs 45 mm.
- ▲Weight — 20.00 g less. 330 vs 350.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 350 g | 330 glead |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 45 mm | 56 mmlead |
| Impedanceⓘ | 250 Ω | 300 Ωlead |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 102 dB | 102 dB |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | false |
| Transparency mode | false | false |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | false |
Battery
| Spec | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lifeⓘ | 0 h | 0 h |
| Fast chargeⓘ | false | false |
Connectivity
| Spec | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 0 | 0 |
| Multipointⓘ | false | false |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | false | false |
| aptX HDⓘ | false | false |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, DT 1990 Pro MK II or HD 800 S?+
HD 800 S lasts 0 hours vs 0 hours.
Do DT 1990 Pro MK II or HD 800 S have active noise cancellation?+
Neither model has active noise cancellation.
Which supports LDAC, DT 1990 Pro MK II or HD 800 S?+
Neither supports LDAC.