[Hevan]

 
They seem so nice.
 
Thanks a lot everyone, I will return this HD 598 one

Do you recommand me to get a cheap amp with the DT 990 or thats not needed?
 
And the circle area inside there is flat right? not like 598 bump (my ears really hurt from this, some plastic pressing on my ear tip)
edit: saw video on youtube and this one DT 990 seems to be flat ) Looks like my dream headphone!
Is those head-band/earpads binding material actually metal? that looks so sturdy! great
 
Made quick image in paint to explain what I mean, the black area is the thing I'm talking about:
 

 

[Thommohawk]

 
Quote:

 
They seem so nice.
 
Thanks a lot everyone, I will return this HD 598 one

Do you recommand me to get a cheap amp with the DT 990 or thats not needed?
 
And the circle area inside there is flat right? not like 598 bump (my ears really hurt from this, some plastic pressing on my ear tip)
edit: saw video on youtube and this one DT 990 seems to be flat ) Looks like my dream headphone!
Is those head-band/earpads binding material actually metal? that looks so sturdy! great
 
Made quick image in paint to explain what I mean, the black area is the thing I'm talking about:

Not sure about the image there, but I can feel the foam backing a little on my left ear now and then but here's the rub - even that is made of such a plush material that something which should be so distracting doesn't bother me! 
 
Also the arms connecting the earcups to the headband are in fact metallica - in fact the whole headphone is metallic save for the cups, velour pads and leatherette headband. So pretty much the whole support structure of the headphones are metal instead of plastic. Honestly I love the build quality. 
 
Surprisingly comfort isn't too much of an issue (after a while) as they are light despite the metal. But you should know that the Pro versions are designed to be used in studio environments so they do clamp a bit tighter than the more expensive non Pro versions. You should also know that these are in fact open backed. So air will breathe out and in as will any audio.
 
As for amplifier suggestions, I wouldn't bother with the E5 or anything really cheap like that. Personally I'd go for the E7 minimum if you're going to get an amp as it functions as a quality portable DAC also. Plus if you ever upgrade to a proper desktop amp like the Fiio E9 like I did the Fiio E7 just slots right into the docking bay on it and acts as a pure DAC as it's amplifier is bypassed in favour of the much more robust E9 amp thus giving the DAC much more room to stretch it's legs - and your headphones. And the quality of the E7/E9 combo with the DT 990 Pro is totally amazing for me. Not just saying that because of buyer bias as if I wasn't happy I'd simply return them. This is more speaking from first hand experience, the combination sounds amazing! 
 
And it's all equipment that has good price to performance ratio, or excellent bang for the buck.
 
 

 

[OneSec]

coloration
 
I think Hevan is NOT looking for a neutral phone. In fact from description a basy phone will suite him better.
 
Also Heven mentioned money for value. 598's value is hard to steal. I think its possible to seek for a different sound signature, but looking for better improvement on this price point, its a bit of challenge. Also your description seems to fit close phones better.
 
Quote:

The HD 598 feels kinda flat in the mids and dull in the lows, they don't feel very vivid.

Hevan,
If you are getting an amp for sure, get the amp first, and maybe it will create a good synergy with 598? Best if you could get both phones and test them together (A-B ing) with the amp and you will tell which suites you the best.
Go for auditions. Better let your ears tells you what to get, rather than going for blind deals.  Also please please - bring your own equipment for audition for fair comparison.
 
P.S: Have you played games with 598 on? with the description of 'large sound stage' it should help you to grap kill flags better
P.S. 2: If you found the right phone and they sound different from your audition experience, it's normal - you need to some run-in time for new phones.

 

[vrillusions]

Throwing another wrench in there, but have you had a look at Fischer Audio FA-011?  Have to admit I don't own it but just looked at a review a couple days ago and it mentioned that the FA-011 had a lot of quality bass.  I've thought of getting them for something different from my HD558 (which I like, but have the usual "what else is out there" feeling)

 

[h4mm3r 0f th0r]

OP stop comparing siberia(v2 is it?) with the hd598, The thing is that siberia is very cheap and sound very flat, also they are not audiophile headphones but they have a large soundstage. They have a good bang for buck and beat many headphones twice their price. I personally have both and i love the sound of 598s especially for gaming as they perform incredibly well with DH. Keep them if the budget allows and buy another pair for music/movies.

 

[Hevan]

Which amp would you guys recommand then? And is it really worth to add?
 
@vrillusions I tried to find it but it's not availible in the netherlands here

@hammer of thor it's siberia v1, they don't sound any more flat then my hd 598's =/

 

[Arleus]

Wow, I didn't read headfi for a couple of days, and this thread has doubled in length. Hevan, the bump in the back of the 598 earcup is, I believe, their 'sound reflector' thingy that apparently improves the imaging (positioning of sound) of the headphones. I've not seen any headphones from any other company with the same bump there, so you should be safe looking at other brands. And now that you're more sure of the differences between the 598 and your Siberia, but still don't enjoy them, I think it's time to start looking at other sound signatures as other posters have suggested. You might find something with a slightly emphasised bass and treble to be more engaging.
 
However, before you go and buy an amp, I would think about what headphones you would like to go for. It's not that easy to get a 'one size fits all' amp for cheap (the O2 should be a good bet, but it's a DIY project) that will suit all headphones. The Beyerdynamics, for example, have 600 Ohm versions of their headphones, and these will require some serious amping to drive them if you go for this version. If you go for something easier to drive, then a small portable amp might be sufficient - this will be cheaper, and also means you can use your headphones on the move if you want to.
 
edit: You can quickly check if you'd prefer an emphasised bass and treble by boosting them up slightly in an equaliser. It won't be the same as having a pair of headphones that 'naturally' sounds like that, but it will give you some indication of if this is the right direction.

 

[Hevan]

Hmmm
 
Would you guys think the DT 990 PRO has more clarity/depth/vivid-ness in it then the HD 598?
 
What exactly you mean with this different ohm versions? How can I check this?

 

[Arleus]

Beyerdynamic make a few variations on the same model of headphones. For example, the DT880 comes in three different 'flavours': 32Ohm, 250Ohm, and 600Ohm. It should be clear when you're buying the headphone which version it is you're buying. The 600Ohm version might sound a touch better than the 250Ohm, but it will require a significantly more beefy amplifier to reach a given volume level. Same when you compare the 250 to the 32. I don't have any Beyers myself, so I'm not sure how much difference there is in the sound between the three.
 
I don't think any other headphone manufacturers offer different impedance versions, but you still need to look at the impedance of the headphones you buy - it will be in the technical specifications with all the other stuff like sensitivity and frequency response (normally the quoted numbers for this are useless). Very roughly speaking, without getting too technical, if you go for high impedance headphones, then the e5/e6 you mentioned earlier will not be powerful enough to drive those headphones. So that's why I'd be a little bit careful about going straight for a small amp like that before you have some idea what headphones you're going to pick.

 

[OneSec]

 Arleus is right, but dont worry too much about the impedance thingy - generally sub 175 headphone "should be" low impedance so you should have a wide range of selection, and Fiio portable amps should have no issue with most of them.
 
If you have a particular model in mind, you should almost be able to find out from this forum if there are picky on amps. I am surprised no one post these yet, phones are listed out with some guidelines on their amp requirement on the first one:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/wiki/buying-guide-headphones-by-price-range
http://www.head-fi.org/t/433318/shootout-93-portable-headphones-reviewed-pioneer-se-mj71-coloud-colors-added-9-4-11#post_5828504
http://www.head-fi.org/wiki/a-hopefully-helpful-headphone-buying-guide-for-newbies-by-boomana
http://www.head-fi.org/t/529144/buying-headphones-seeking-guidance-don-t-start-a-new-thread-ask-for-advice-here

 

[Hevan]

I see some people mention things like a "tube amp" in the links
 
What is this? anyone has any idea?
 
 
So it'd be okay for me to take the one with 250 ohms of resistance?

 

[Thommohawk]

Quote:

I see some people mention things like a "tube amp" in the links
 
What is this? anyone has any idea?
 
 
So it'd be okay for me to take the one with 250 ohms of resistance?

A tube amp is a much more expensive amplifier than the more typical solid state 'box amps' as these tube amps have tubes on them (hence the name) that literally hot up and glow - this gives headphones a very warm sound to it.
 
As to your question of if the Beyer DT 990 Pro has more vividness and depth, I can't say for sure because I've never heard the HD598 - but I can say for sure that the DT 990 Pro has elevated bass and highs, sounds totally engaging and involving - and totally improves with a decent DAC/Amp unit. The Fiio E7/E9 double act is a great synergy with this headphone and neither cost the earth. But there are much cheaper (and much more expensive) options out there obviously. I'm just passing on what I hear lol from my rig. The highs might annoy you though, but personally I enjoy it and I see sibilance as an occasional necessary evil for this kind of sheer clarity.
 
Also, in music, with the DT 990 Pro you hear absolutely everything - especially with a decent dac and amp. But if you want clarity with an engaging and fun sound then Beyer DT 990 simply has to be considered/tested out. Exact description to a T.

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

I see some people mention things like a "tube amp" in the links
 
What is this? anyone has any idea?
 
 
So it'd be okay for me to take the one with 250 ohms of resistance?

Mike at Headfonia has some excellent articles on his website that are quite informative.  You should check them out, whenever you have time.
 

 

[wiinippongamer]

Could you give me an example of what trance music you are listening to?
 
I have some 320kbps trance tracks that are horribly clipped and compressed, and can't tell much of an improvement between my 25$ logitech speakers and my modded $90 headphones, but as soon as I play some well recorded/engineered rock or jazz music, or just a well-made trance(infected mushroom are very good sq-wise) the difference becomes VERY apparent and suddenly my speakers sound like ****.

 

[Cliff-Samuels]

Quote:

 

Strange because I thought the HD600/650 were WAY more boring. The HD598 is like a mini-HD800.
 



What are you looking for?
 

Well the HD598's are not as fussy with what equipment they are used on so they sound ok on most things, a mini HD800 is the first time ive heard them called that but if they suit you all the better, after all we choose headphones to suit our own ears & taste, not because they are the highest ones in the product range, more money doesnt automatically mean better.