Aiaiai TMA-1s vs. Beyerdynamic dt990/600s

[xrtwenty]

Hey Guys,
 
I've been vacillating between ordering the dt990/600s with an amp or a the TMA-1s without an amp.  I primarily listen to electronic music (trance, bit of dubstep, etc).  Obviously the TMA-1s are significantly less expensive than the dt990s so I'm asking about opinions with regard to cost vs. performance.  The Beyers are $50 more than the TMA-1s but I'd be buying an FiiO e9 to drive them properly, so the dt990s would end up being quite a lot more. I value detail, clarity, and instrument separation above all else, and I'm trying to get a sense of whether the Beyers and amp are worth the extra cash to a student who loves this hobby.  
 
 
Thoughts?  Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[ujiko]

I owned the TMA-1. Used it without an amp with computer and ipod. I was very disappointed after reading all the good reviews in Head-Fi. IMHO I thought the sound was veiled and definitelty not clear.

 

[joelpearce]

These two headphones are opposite in almost every way.  Both have lots of bass, but any similarities end there:
 

DT990	TMA-1
-open	-closed
-bright	-dark
-slightly recessed mids	-emphasized mids
-overall cool signature	-overall warm signature
-requires serious amping	-very easy to drive
-circumaural	-supra-aural

 
It really depends on your likes and needs.  If you have any intention of portable use, I can't really recommend the DT990, though they are the technically better headphone.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

I have done a review comparing them to other well known headphones.
 
For your genres, they will sound great, and clear. They only sound veiled if you refuse to, or cannot, EQ them. Just use something like "Treble Booster" on iTunes, and they will balance out and sound amazing. Otherwise, they are slightly dark.