Design and Build Quality

Sound Quality

Conclusion

Removable cable, energetic/engaging sound, good sound imaging and separation, good level of detail retrieval, clean sound.Aesthetics seem aimed at kids, poor fit, comfort is bad, too much sound leakage for portable use in quiet environments.Closed circumauralMild v-shape with clean mids.Drum & Bass, Classic Rock, Synth Driven Indie Dance, Hip-Hop, Progressive Rock. Overall I’ve enjoyed the DNA Pro with a large variety of music, these are highly versatile.Not necessaryMusicbee (WASAPI) -> Schiit Modi -> Schiit Asgard 2The DNA Pro are built about just as good as any consumer grade headphone in this price range. That is to say that they are built well enough to hold up to daily use as long as you’re not rough with them. The construction seems primarily of plastic that feels likely to break if flexed too hard and pleather pads which feel rather cheap. I can’t find a way to remove the pads either so once they’re worn out they seem to be irreplaceable. The head size hinges feel solid, there are no creeks, but they don’t make me feel confident about using them in public, which is all well and good as I wouldn’t use them for public use anyway due to their leakage.The fit is the low point of the DNA Pro, it’s a shame really as they sound quite nice, but I find them uncomfortable to wear for extended time periods. The biggest problem is the lack of swivel for the ear cups. This causes uneven distribution of pressure from the pads, which in turn makes it hard to get a good seal with these. The bottom of the pad digs into the area under my ear while the top part loosely presses against my head. The loss of seal creates a loss of intimacy and loss of bass. I’ve managed to find a “fix” for this, by pushing the headband more towards my forehead I find that the pads cup around my ear better. The seal still isn’t perfect, but it’s better than wearing the headband on top of my head, even if it looks goofy.That alone would be a pretty nasty issue to have, but the problems with fit don’t end there. The headphones are light on the head with decent clamp, but the headband somehow exerts an abnormal amount of force on top of the head. Much worse than even any planar magnetic headphone I’ve used. I can not wear the DNA Pro for more than an hour before I have a mild headache.I’ve noticed no signs of burn-in or benefits to an amp with these. Use them as you’d like from the get-go. The biggest challenge will be finding how to wear these to get a good fit.With the name Monster I was expecting an overly bassy and muddy sounding headphone due to an overly exaggerated bass response. I quickly realized that my preconceived notions were wrong and unfounded based on my experience with their Beats line. The DNA Pro are neither pushy or muddy in the lower regions, all while putting out an impressive amount of bass. On the whole the bass is controlled, energetic and punchy while not once interfering with the mids.There are times when I find the bass to be highly satisfying, some of the best that I can remember hearing in a headphone. Unfortunately I find that the bass response is missing a sense of encapsulation, taking away immersion, and it’s due to the poor seal that I’m receiving. During these times I cup my hands around the outside and gently push the headphones towards my ears to complete the seal and the bass is now perfect, surrounding me and enveloping me inside of it. With a perfect seal the bass has huge sub-bass presence, clean and rumbling without being bloated. The mid-bass hits hard and clean, carrying the energy through songs that rely on the lower region energy to come to life. Unfortunately the seal isn’t perfect without interference from me, therefore I’m going to write my review as I wear them normally.The sub-bass of the DNA Pro is mildly exaggerated making them a contender for bassheads who are looking for more than just bass. Not only is the sub-bass present with a slight rumble, but it is done so as to be clean and controlled. I can’t think of an instance where the sub-bass drowned the thump of a kick drum or drowned out vocals. In songs like James Blakesthe DNA Pro show off their ability to quickly reproduce the quickly fluctuating bass line in a clean manner. The sub-bass isn’t textured as cleanly as more expensive headphones though, I find it to come off a bit blurred at times, not as detailed as higher end headphones. The sub-bass also suffers from lacking the immersion necessary to really pull me into the music.On the whole I find that the mid-bass tends to be controlled, punchy, full and energetic. The mid-bass carries the energy in cases of high BPM dance music as well as in high energy rock songs and hits with authority when listening to hip-hop. I find the bass to be warm and full, enjoyable and space filling. The bass can decay quickly to keep up with fast paced songs such as The Mars Volta’sor it can lend itself to lingering a bit to fill out tracks like Massive Attack’s. At times the bass is immensely satisfying. There are times though when I find the mid-bass to lack in texture, coming off blurred like the sub-bass, and there are times I find it to be a tad bloated. I find that the DNA Pro show inadequacies in recording and mastering techniques and I feel that this is the cause of the discrepancy I hear. The texture of the bass certainly needs more detail though with a more natural sound, this seems consistent across songs.The mids have highly impressed me, especially in combination with the quality of the bass. The mids are full, clean, and detailed, some of the best I’ve heard in a while. Cursive’s songreally shows how great the mid-range of the DNA Pro is. There are two guitars, cello, and vocals all vying for attention at times, in addition to the backing of the bass guitar and drums. There is a lot going on in this song and lesser headphones would sound congested, hiding the minor details that really make this track. The DNA Pro impress most during the chorus when the two electric guitars blare with heavy distortion while Tim Kasher (vocalist) is wailing his lines. As this is occurring the cello is heard with clarity in the background. Not only am I hearing the cello, but I hear the quick pitch changes and the quick scrapings of the bow. The mid-range is incredibly lively and it suits the dirtiness of the guitar in this track, fully bringing this song to life. What the bass lacks in texture, the mid range makes up for it fully. The mid-range is detailed and lively with the finesse required for acoustic tracks and the grittiness that brings heavy rock tracks to life. Boy the mid-range is lovely.The highs are the weakest part of the sound and that’s saying something. The highs are detailed and lean bright without being fatiguing. They are as detailed and textured as the mid-range with good extension. I like to throw on Pink Floyd’swhen testing highs for the saxophone solo because it’s wonderfully recorded with no distortion present, any heard would be the fault of the headphones. The saxophone remains clean from the low noted start to the building highs. The highs are well represented, but they aren’t lively, in-fact I find them a bit dry and slightly thin at times. In-fact the mid range is so lively that at times I forget about the highs and envelope myself in the mids.The sound is intimate with a slight cave like feeling, this is a common problem with closed headphones though. The width of the sound is decent, above average for closed headphones, with good depth. The great imaging qualities of the DNA Pro bring the music to life, placing the instruments around my head in a 3d space rather than placed in front of me. Instrument separation is also top notch, allowing me to pick apart the various instruments in complex passages. The sound never feels cluttered despite being closed, rather the sound is intimate and enveloping.Now comes the tough part for me. On one hand the DNA Pro sound pretty stellar. I love the bass response, with my hands cupped, the mid range is superb and the highs are clean and well extended. If these had the comfort of the Mad Dogs then these would be an instant buy for anyone who doesn’t mind the aesthetics. Unfortunately I find myself wanting to take the DNA Pro off of my head after an hour as the headband puts an uncomfortable amount of pressure on top of the head. The ear cups are also poorly designed, offering little swivel to get a proper seal.All things considered, the DNA Pro are one of the best sounding headphones I’ve heard in a while. I find them more lively and engaging than the Mr. Speakers Mad Dogs and just as detailed. If you think that you might be one to get a good fit with these and don’t mind discomfort of a headphone then go for it. You won’t be disappointed with the sound.Come see the full photo set here