We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want reference-grade, closed-back studio headphones built for critical listening and long sessions, choose beyerdynamic DT 1770; if you need a complete podcasting and streaming command center with a mixer, cables, and monitoring headphones in one box, choose Mackie DLZ Creator XS. They are not rivals in the usual sense. One is a precision listening tool; the other is an entire audio production bundle. The right pick comes down to what you are actually trying to do.
• beyerdynamic DT 1770 — biggest strength: 250-ohm, 45 mm Tesla neodymium drivers with a 5 Hz – 40 kHz range, built for high-resolution studio reference work.
• beyerdynamic DT 1770 — biggest trade-off: Wired only, needs serious amplification to drive 250 ohms properly, and it does nothing but reproduce audio.
• Mackie DLZ Creator XS — biggest strength: A 6-channel digital mixer with 2 mic preamps, a 7" touchscreen, Bluetooth and USB, bundled with closed-back headphones and two 25 ft XLR cables.
• Mackie DLZ Creator XS — biggest trade-off: The included headphones are a general-purpose closed-back pair, not a reference-grade monitoring instrument, and the whole bundle is desk-bound.
• Pick the beyerdynamic DT 1770 if your job is hearing the truth about a mix.
• Pick the Mackie DLZ Creator XS if your job is capturing, routing and controlling multiple live sources.
The DT 1770 PRO is a closed studio reference headphone, and every spec on the sheet points in that direction. The 45 mm dynamic Tesla neodymium drivers sit behind a three-layer compound membrane that the design uses to suppress break-up vibrations, with acoustic fabric chosen to keep reproduction distortion-free. You get 250 ohms of impedance and a frequency range stretching from 5 Hz to 40 kHz. That combination is not accidental: it is what you build when the goal is balanced bass, spaciousness and detail rather than a flattering, bass-forward listening curve.
What makes it genuinely practical is the accessory set. You get two sets of ear pads — velour for a more open presentation, leatherette for a more closed, isolating one — plus a coiled cable and a straight 3 m cable, both detachable via mini-XLR connectors. The headband and pads are replaceable, and the whole thing ships with a premium carrying case. The housing is black plastic with an over-ear, rounded-tip fit, and there is a 3.5 mm jack with a 1/4" adapter in the box. It also carries a 2-year parts-and-labor warranty when bought from an authorized dealer.
This is for the person mixing, mastering, monitoring or recording who wants one headphone that does not lie to them. It is also a sensible pick for live work, because the design targets an outstanding output level. Who should skip it? Anyone who wants wireless freedom, anyone unwilling to pair 250-ohm headphones with a proper headphone amp, and anyone who needs the headphones to also be the interface, the mixer and the cables. The DT 1770 does one thing, and it does that one thing at a professional level.
The DLZ Creator XS is not really a headphone at all — it is a compact 6-channel digital mixer with a bundle wrapped around it. The centerpiece has 2 mic preamps, 4 assignable rotary knobs, 6 assignable pads, 3 operating modes and a 7" touchscreen. It connects over USB and Bluetooth. In the box you also get a pair of closed-back studio mixing headphones with 40 mm neodymium drivers, a padded headband and ear bands, plus two 25 ft XLR cables built from 16AWG shielded wire.
The inclusion of those two long XLR cables tells you a lot about who this is aimed at. You are meant to run microphones across a room — a host and a guest, a couple of panelists, a vocalist and a guitar — and bring them into a single control surface you can actually see and touch. The three operating modes and the assignable pads suggest a workflow designed to be simplified for people who are not career engineers. Bluetooth and USB mean you can pull in audio from a phone or a computer without rewiring your whole desk.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for critical mixing and mastering → beyerdynamic DT 1770. 250-ohm Tesla drivers, 45 mm, 5 Hz – 40 kHz, and a design explicitly aimed at balanced, detailed reproduction.
• Best for recording multiple live sources → Mackie DLZ Creator XS. 2 mic preamps, 6 channels and two 25 ft XLR cables are a complete capture chain out of the box.
• Best for controlling a show in real time → Mackie DLZ Creator XS. A 7" touchscreen, 4 rotary knobs and 6 assignable pads give you hands-on access the DT 1770 simply does not have.
• Best for long-session comfort and serviceability → beyerdynamic DT 1770. Replaceable pads, replaceable headband, two pad materials and two cable types included.
• Best for a single tidy purchase → Mackie DLZ Creator XS. Mixer, headphones and cables arrive together, so there is nothing else to source before your first session.
• Best for wireless or computer-based audio routing → Mackie DLZ Creator XS. Bluetooth and USB are built in; the DT 1770 is wired-only by design.
• Best for isolation during tracking → either, but for different reasons. The DT 1770 is a closed reference headphone with swappable leatherette pads; the DLZ bundle headphones are closed-back with padded ear bands.
• Best for portability → beyerdynamic DT 1770. It folds into a premium carrying case at 1.5 lb. The mixer bundle is a desk setup.
My Verdict
Yes, as a monitoring and editing headphone. It is a closed reference design with strong isolation and replaceable pads, which suits long editing sessions. It will not record a microphone or route audio, so you still need an interface or mixer.
The bundle includes the 6-channel mixer, a pair of closed-back 40 mm monitoring headphones and two 25 ft XLR cables. You still need microphones and a computer or phone to connect via USB or Bluetooth.
With 250 ohms of impedance, it needs more drive than typical laptop or phone outputs provide. A dedicated headphone amp or a mixer with a solid headphone output is the sensible pairing.
For streaming, the Mackie DLZ Creator XS is the more natural fit — the touchscreen, assignable pads and multiple operating modes are built for live control. The DT 1770 is the better choice if what you actually want is accurate monitoring of the stream's audio.
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