[JakobHoffmann]

Hello fellow audio-peeps,
let me give you a small introduction.
 
I'm still kind of new to the hi-fi scene, but i know the most basic stuff already.
I've been using a USB "Gaming Headset" with integrated soundcard by Creative for half a year now and I was shocked when I tried out my brothers Beyerdynamic DT770 M 80Ω 

.
I decided to
Tek Syndicate:

get my audio life together

and get myself a nice pair of headphones, i chose the DT990 Pro with 250Ω for several reasons. I use headphones all the time when im on my PC and use them to listen to music, movies, play a lot of games and talk to friends over teamspeak.
 
I do know that I need an AMP to run the 250Ω cans, however, I don't want to spend a fortune on something like that as I'm still a student.
If anything, then I would go for a DAC/AMP combo and get the best bang for the buck. I already took a look at the FiiO E17 for $140, which is basically what I would buy right now if I had to. I have a few questions now.
 
1. Can this little thing run 250Ω headphones without problems?
2. Is the FiiO suitable as a standalone product or do I need the E09k?
3. Is the audio quality of an external DAC for <$150 that much better?
4. Is there any software or way of equalizing the audio before it passes the DAC (Windows)? The bass and treble options seem a little weak, however I could live with that.
5. Can you recommend anything else for this setup for music, movies and gaming?
    - DT990 Pro 250Ω 
    - Zalman ZM-MIC 1
    - FiiO E17 (?)
    - no soundcard, currently using onboard audio
 
Thanks for your time, have a nice day!

 

[Pirakaphile]

I've heard a lot of good things about Fiio and their products, but.. the Schitt Fulla is also a good alternative for plug and play capability, and can definitely drive the Beyerdynamic DT990s. It'd replace the DAC in your computer and separately amp your headphones as well. (I'm a Schiit guy, they're real cool and offer the best bang for the buck that I know of)
And yeah, there are tons of free equalization programs out there, but I tend not to use em since I have a good set of cans, and I'm content with the sound I get already. But I'm surprised you think the 990's need EQ, they have a hilarious amount of bass, especially for open cans. 
 
I don't think I'd recommend anything else for you at the moment, unless you start specializing and getting into the music side of headphones. Good luck!

 

[JakobHoffmann]

Thanks for replying!
I only need the EQ for filtering out footsteps in games for example.
Just a side note, do they really have that much bass? I mean I have no idea what it compares to. Is it a lot of bass for "audiophiles" or a lot of bass for bassheads that use beats by dr. meh? What exactly do you mean by 

 getting into the usic side of headphones.

?
 
Cheers 

 

[MrKommander]

The quantity of bass is much for people who like their headphones neutral, so definitely not for beats dr. dre fans at least not for those who think the first generation of beats are good sounding headphones. Regarding the Dac/Amp schiit does really good quality stuff and its a great place to start. Oh and wellcome to head-fi, sorry for your walled.

 

[cel4145]

Is using virtual surround important for you in gaming?

If so, look for a used Xonar D1 or DX. It has Dolby Headphone and a very good built in DAC. However, it does not have a headphone amp. So add a Schiit Magni 2, which would easily drive your new headphones.

If you can't afford both right now, start with the Schiit Magni 2. You can plug it into your computer and will drive your headphones well.