[NickyaKillah]

Hi there Head Fi community. This will be my first post, as I need a little help (fitting that it must be posted in help and recommendations).
 
     I have been wanting a better pair of headphones for gaming and music listening for a while now (70% gaming, 30% music). Strictly home use, and was wondering what I could get.
 
     I have a pair of the well-known Audio Technica ATH-M50X headphones currently for mobile and home use, and I find the sound staging to be little... Well lackluster when playing games that really require a good sound stage (i,e. CS:GO). I also found the sound to be a little recessed in the mid-ranges. I also have a pair of recently acquired V-MODA M-100 headphones currently as gaming cans, but I plan to return them, as the genre-specific nature really doesn't suite me well when doing anything but gaming.
 
     But this isn't a headphone review (that's for later), so lets get to some more parameters for the recommendation, which are laid out here:
 
-Under $250, period.
-No used or refurbished stuff
-Sound staging is a very large aspect in all of this
-Preferably open dynamic, but will consider closed (SIDE NOTE: If the recommendation is closed-back, it must have a good build quality, plastic is acceptable but it should be able to travel from a home location to school and back every day. 
-Must not be super bassy (learned the hard way with the V-MODAs and the XL pads), but I wouldn't mind a bit of a nice extra bump.
 
     Another note, I also have a small portable amp, the Fiio A3 (or E11K), which is recommended for impedance ranges of 16-150 ohms. This is also a factor in the recommendation, for if the cans can't be driven by that amp, it's not happening, and sadly that excludes most Beyerdynamics. 
 
     Welp, that's pretty much it. Thanks for your input, and yeah.. Have a nice day.

 

[Me x3]

You should consider the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro
Fiio A3 will drive them just fine.
 
- Wide soundstage
- Plenty of treble detail for games
- Very comfortable
- Slight boost in the bass
- Built like a tank (made in Germany)
- Less than 250usd
 
If you don't mind getting slightly less 'fun' sounding headphones (neutralish/bass light for some) you might also consider:
 
- AKG Q701/K701/K702 (a bit harder to drive than DT990 Pro, but A3 can do the trick anyway)
 
- Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro (more compact soundstage than DT990, but more neutral overall)
 
The AKG has bigger soundstage, while DT880 is a little bit more detailed in the treble region.
 
For gaming, can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[serman005]

  Hi there Head Fi community. This will be my first post, as I need a little help (fitting that it must be posted in help and recommendations).
 
     I have been wanting a better pair of headphones for gaming and music listening for a while now (70% gaming, 30% music). Strictly home use, and was wondering what I could get.
 
     I have a pair of the well-known Audio Technica ATH-M50X headphones currently for mobile and home use, and I find the sound staging to be little... Well lackluster when playing games that really require a good sound stage (i,e. CS:GO). I also found the sound to be a little recessed in the mid-ranges. I also have a pair of recently acquired V-MODA M-100 headphones currently as gaming cans, but I plan to return them, as the genre-specific nature really doesn't suite me well when doing anything but gaming.
 
     But this isn't a headphone review (that's for later), so lets get to some more parameters for the recommendation, which are laid out here:
 
-Under $250, period.
-No used or refurbished stuff
-Sound staging is a very large aspect in all of this
-Preferably open dynamic, but will consider closed (SIDE NOTE: If the recommendation is closed-back, it must have a good build quality, plastic is acceptable but it should be able to travel from a home location to school and back every day. 
-Must not be super bassy (learned the hard way with the V-MODAs and the XL pads), but I wouldn't mind a bit of a nice extra bump.
 
     Another note, I also have a small portable amp, the Fiio A3 (or E11K), which is recommended for impedance ranges of 16-150 ohms. This is also a factor in the recommendation, for if the cans can't be driven by that amp, it's not happening, and sadly that excludes most Beyerdynamics. 
 
     Welp, that's pretty much it. Thanks for your input, and yeah.. Have a nice day.

You might also consider the Senn HD 598. It has a spacious soundstage and good positional data. It lacks the nth degree of treble detail. It is exquisitely comfortable with velour and a sort of magical clamping pressure that seems to be just enough and not too much. Your amp will have no problem with it. It is within your budget.

 

[soulorc]

I would also recommend HD 598 and AKG Q701.

 

 

[NickyaKillah]

You should consider the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro
Fiio A3 will drive them just fine.

- Wide soundstage
- Plenty of treble detail for games
- Very comfortable
- Slight boost in the bass
- Built like a tank (made in Germany)
- Less than 250usd

If you don't mind getting slightly less 'fun' sounding headphones (neutralish/bass light for some) you might also consider:

- AKG Q701/K701/K702 (a bit harder to drive than DT990 Pro, but A3 can do the trick anyway)

- Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro (more compact soundstage than DT990, but more neutral overall)

The AKG has bigger soundstage, while DT880 is a little bit more detailed in the treble region.

For gaming, can't go wrong with any of them.

Would the 990 600 ohm model work with my A3 or would I need something beefier?

 

[Me x3]

Would the 990 600 ohm model work with my A3 or would I need something beefier?

For very moderate levels yes, but you'll be pushing the little amplifier to its limits frequently and this can cause severe distortion.
DT990 250 Ohm and 600 Ohm are similar in overall sound quality. DT990 Pro 250 Ohm has a little bit more bass punch.
DT990 600 Ohm is tiny bit more ballanced, but both are very similar in the big scheme of things.

 

[smy1]

Fidelio x2 or X1