Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) vs Focal Utopia: which needs more amplifier?

The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) is 250Ω at 102.0 dB/mW; the Focal Utopia is 80Ω at 104.0 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) needs 2.0 dB more than the Focal Utopia to reach the same loudness — 0.63 mW against 0.40 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationBeyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω)Focal Utopia
Impedance250 Ω80 Ω
Sensitivity102.0 dB/mW104.0 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)108.0 dB/V115.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB0.63 mW0.40 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.40 V0.18 V
Current for 100 dB1.6 mA2.2 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
31.25 Ω10.00 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
280280

Where the two part company

Every source in the database that drives one of them drives the other. On power, the choice between these two changes nothing about what amplifier you need.

9 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) under the one-eighth rule but not for the Focal Utopia (Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th gen, Schiit Valhalla 2, Zoom UAC-232, 6 more).

280 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) and Focal Utopia. Every figure on this page comes from what Beyerdynamic and Focal published, or is derived from it — what Beyerdynamic publishes and what Focal publishes, both counted.