[Snifflesqt]

Hey guys. I am interested in buying a good pair of headphones. I will be adding a microphone to these. Either mod one on the side or use a desktop one. Currently I am choosing from the DT990 Pro 250Ohm for $215 or the Audio Technica AD700 for $125. I do not have a sound card or amp although anything will upgrade my crappy $40 headset I use at the moment. Any advice would be really appreciated as I am new to headphones. Thanks guys!

 

[TMRaven]

Definitely the DT990 pro.

 

[Snifflesqt]

Will I need an amp for this though? I only have a intergrated sound card on the mobo?

 

[Snifflesqt]

After doing a little more research it seems that I am going to need an amp for the DT990 250 to make them any good? Can anyone confirm this? Also is the E10 suitable for this headset as it falls within a good price range for me? 

 

[TMRaven]

You don't NEED an amp depending on how good the onboard audio of your computer is.  You might WANT an amp later down the road.  
 
I didn't NEED an amp for my 600Ω beyers when I had them.  

 

[Snifflesqt]

I have a realtek audio driver? Really noob at this. Mother Board is a gigabyte x58a-ud3r

 

[Snifflesqt]

Found it its Realtek ALC889

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Hey guys. I am interested in buying a good pair of headphones. I will be adding a microphone to these. Either mod one on the side or use a desktop one. Currently I am choosing from the DT990 Pro 250Ohm for $215 or the Audio Technica AD700 for $125. I do not have a sound card or amp although anything will upgrade my crappy $40 headset I use at the moment. Any advice would be really appreciated as I am new to headphones. Thanks guys!

 
Heya,
 
The DT990 is going to sound exciting, rich, full, bassy. It will feel great, snug, but comfortable. Build quality is very durable.
The AD700 is going to sound flat, lifeless, hallow, all mids & treble, no bass, anemic. It will feel good maybe, if you have a big head. Build quality is so-so.
 
Between the two, I would get the DT990 if you want a complete headphone. If you are gaming online and all you are doing is listening for foot steps, then consider any headphone you want.
 
I will say that it's smarter to buy a good headphone that is complete (the AD700 is not complete, it cannot do bass tones worth a hoot, so it's half a headphone in my opinion), and simply equalize it to your taste for online gaming if foot-step listening is your goal. Any headphone can do this (you simply equalize down the bass so that the mids & treble are the focus, and boom, you are now doing what the crippled AD700 basically does). That way you can also enjoy music and other audio from them, without missing out. Make profiles for gaming and music for example that way, so you can run an equalizer profile for each. Way better option than buying a crippled headphone.
 
That said, some other headphones to consider:
 
Sony MA900
Beyer DT880
Ultrasone HFI 2400
Hifiman HE-300
 
And since you don't have a soundcard or anything, consider:
 
Asus Xonar DG or DGX (PCI or PCI-E)
Creative Titanium X-fi HD
Creative X-fi USB (external)
Fiio E10
Fiio E7
 
And if you want to make any of those a headset, add an Antlion ModMic.
 
Very best,

 

[Snifflesqt]

Thanks for all the info man will look at the other headsets but Dt990 + the E10 is looking like a winner atm 

 

[Snifflesqt]

One last quick thing Mal, if I get a Asus Xonar DG I wont need to get a mix amp? or will I need to get both? Just editing there is: Asus Xonar DGX PCIE Gaming soundcard, 5.1 Channel, Dolby, Up to 105dB, Built-in Headphone AMP, or Asus Xonar DSX PCIE soundcard, 7.1 Channel DTS Digital Surround, 192kHz/24bit Playback Support, or Asus Xonar DG PCI Gaming 5.1 Channel Dolby soundcard Built-in Headphone AMP,GX  any will do?

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

One last quick thing Mal, if I get a Asus Xonar DG I wont need to get a mix amp? or will I need to get both? Just editing there is: Asus Xonar DGX PCIE Gaming soundcard, 5.1 Channel, Dolby, Up to 105dB, Built-in Headphone AMP, or Asus Xonar DSX PCIE soundcard, 7.1 Channel DTS Digital Surround, 192kHz/24bit Playback Support, or Asus Xonar DG PCI Gaming 5.1 Channel Dolby soundcard Built-in Headphone AMP,GX  any will do?

 
Heya,
 
You would not need a mixamp. The DG(X) has dolby headphone and an onboard amp. And honestly, it's sufficient for the DT990 PRO's regardless of what the numbers listed say. It sounds fine. The DG & DG(X) are essentially doing the same thing. One is PCI, and one is PCI-E, so that you can get whatever is appropriate for your motherboard. Dolby headphone does the surround for you. So you're good to go with just the soundcard and the headphone. That said, try it all out, I find I prefer the sound in games without surround emulation myself, but go with what you like.
 
Very best,

 

[ayaflo]

Fiio E7

 
 
the fiio e 7 can run a 990 pro ?

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

 
 
the fiio e 7 can run a 990 pro ?

 
Yes.
 
It can handle 300ohm and under headphones pretty well. And Beyers are quite efficient despite their impedance rating.
 
Very best,

 

[Snifflesqt]

Yeah was going to say some people do not agree that the sound cards can handle the 990s but I will take your word for it. Thanks again for all the help! Sorry for being noob =P

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Yeah was going to say some people do not agree that the sound cards can handle the 990s but I will take your word for it. Thanks again for all the help! Sorry for being noob =P

 
Heya,
 
Well, a lot of people will also say that every headphone, despite being efficient, some how needs an amplifier (often just as expensive as the headphone itself) to sound "best" (a preferential term).
 
I say let your ears decide.
 
The beauty is, you can always get an external amplifier later. You can output from the Xonar soundcard to an external amplifier and drive any headphone you want that way later down the road. Like a $99 Schiit Magni. But you do not need this kind of output yet.
 
Very best,