DT 770 Pro (250Ω) vs DT 770 Pro (80Ω): which needs more amplifier?

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (250Ω) is 250Ω at 96.0 dB (no reference unit printed); the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80Ω) is 80Ω at 96.0 dB (no reference unit printed). This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

In amplifier terms these two are the same headphone. The gap between what they need for 100 dB is under half a decibel, which is smaller than the step between two clicks of most volume controls.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationDT 770 Pro (250Ω)DT 770 Pro (80Ω)
Impedance250 Ω80 Ω
Sensitivity96.0 dB96.0 dB
Sensitivity (voltage)102.0 dB/V107.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB2.5 mW2.5 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.79 V0.45 V
Current for 100 dB3.2 mA5.6 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
31.25 Ω10.00 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
277280

One caution before reading the rows. Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (250Ω) and Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80Ω) printed a decibel figure with no reference unit, so this page reads it as per milliwatt. If it is really per volt, each of them needs far more than the table says. Why the two readings differ by so much.

Where the two part company

3 of the 280 sources have the power for the DT 770 Pro (80Ω) but not for the DT 770 Pro (250Ω) — Apple USB-C dongle (EU), Steinberg UR22C, Sony NW-A306.

9 sources are low enough in output impedance for the DT 770 Pro (250Ω) under the one-eighth rule but not for the DT 770 Pro (80Ω) (Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th gen, Schiit Valhalla 2, Zoom UAC-232, 6 more).

277 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 770 Pro (250Ω) and Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80Ω). Each figure on this page is labelled on those pages with where it came from, including the ones Beyerdynamic never published — what that maker publishes, counted.