OK so I really want the DT770 pro 80ohms, but the overpowered bass is putting me off for competitive reasons (I'm maybe 50% fun, 50% competitive and I will use them with some un-amplified sources like iPhone). Obviously I'd like an all rounder more like the 990 32ohms but my budget is £130 at absolute max. It seems like the ideal situation for me is DT770s with an EQ to close the bass and open the mid when needed?
Could anyone possibly suggest an alternative or should I go for it?
Well have you heard the headphone yet? YMMV always applies, and in the case of a little too much bass, a gaming EQ reduction for competitive can help a bunch. Bass EQ isn't perfect – you lose a bit of information despite calming boominess – but for gaming competitive, you don't really
need much detail in the bass. IMO.
How would you apply an EQ? Would you be gaming on console or PC? I got no recommendations for iPad gaming
2 Questions:
1) Top 5 BA IEM's arond $400 price mark
2) How effective are EQ's? For example, the Panasonic SHE 3580 is said to rival the Ety ER4P by user Joe Bloggs. Could you essentially do the same thing with a lush/colored headphone e.g. Miles Davis Tribute or something really bass heavy like Sennheiser IE8?
Not quite sure what BA stands for, but generally I'd be suprised that an IEM would be a go-to item for gaming. Comfort and soundstage would be my biggest reasons to be skeptical of an IEM being a choice over other headphone types...
That said, I have Etymotic ER-6i IEMs, and I don't think they would
hurt gaming. Just my ears after two hours, despite a good fit. I've never used them while gaming, but I have listened to binaural/holographic sound recordings, and imaging is very precise due in no small part to the articulate detail retrieval. But that short soundstage keeps surround processing from sounding realistic. You could eventually get used to and understand positioning cues, but it just will never be as good as an open headphone.
And EQ is no miracle-worker, small adjustments work out the best because you hit walls of distortion and lack of detail information.
I have not heard of Joe Bloggs or the Panasonic SHE... That IEM may be good, or it may be a "flavor of the month," as the Ety ER4P is very good at a very specific presentation, and the sound signature of the Panny may be "better" only in that it's "better suited" to his taste. YMMV.
But if you get used to IEM gaming, I am certain that if you ever hear a well-considered headphone gaming setup in the future, you will be amazed at what you had been missing.