[AaronR]

I use the HD598s for gaming, classical, and electronic. I use a stereo receiver to drive them. IMO they do need a little amplification. You should look into a mixamp, it'll give you surround sound.
 
You might check this out. http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-11-12-12-sennheiser-hd650-added
 
What's more important to you the fun factor or competitive gaming?

 

[Roller]

Quote:

Should my Windows volume be at 100%?
Seems like the gain button pressed in is making volume a whole lot louder.

 
If you're using Windows XP, volume should be at 50%. If you're using Windows Vista or newer, volume should be at 100%. Only lower it if clipping occurs.
 
 
Quote:

I use the HD598s for gaming, classical, and electronic. I use a stereo receiver to drive them. IMO they do need a little amplification. You should look into a mixamp, it'll give you surround sound.
 
You might check this out. http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-11-12-12-sennheiser-hd650-added
 
What's more important to you the fun factor or competitive gaming?

 
He does PC gaming, where the Mixamp isn't suitable for, given that there are better and cheaper options. The Mixamp is a niche device, namely for console gaming.
 
That thread refers to console gaming, not PC gaming, and it's something made clear right on the beginning of the first post. The thread to look into is this one.

 

[Gallade475]

Quote:

Should my Windows volume be at 100%?
Seems like the gain button pressed in is making volume a whole lot louder.

yes it should. the gain button is there for very stubborn headphones like the 770/880/990 600 ohm, or the other hard to drive headphones.

 

[Incrementum]

Quote:

yes it should. the gain button is there for very stubborn headphones like the 770/880/990 600 ohm, or the other hard to drive headphones.

I'm using the 250 ohm version of the DT 990s.  Will the higher gain lower the quality of the sound?  I feel like it probably needs the extra increase in volume for certain games I play.  Unless it's okay to turn the amp up literally all the way on the low gain setting.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

I'm using the 250 ohm version of the DT 990s.  Will the higher gain lower the quality of the sound?

 
Are you using the O2 and X-Fi Titanium HD ? If yes, then either set low/2.5x gain (which should be fine for almost everything with a standard 2 Vrms source), or if you do use high gain for some reason, you have to reduce the volume on the sound card, otherwise the O2 will definitely clip a full 2 Vrms input at 6.5x gain.

 

[Incrementum]

Quote:

 
Are you using the O2 and X-Fi Titanium HD ? If yes, then either set low/2.5x gain (which should be fine for almost everything with a standard 2 Vrms source), or if you do use high gain for some reason, you have to reduce the volume on the sound card, otherwise the O2 will definitely clip a full 2 Vrms input at 6.5x gain.

Does a higher gain mean lower quality sound?  Certain games are quiet and I have to turn the amplifier almost all the way up to get it loud enough.
 
I'm using the O2 and Titanium HD w/ DT990 250 ohm.  Would 70-80% volume be good with the high gain setting?

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Does a higher gain mean lower quality sound?  Certain games are quiet and I have to turn the amplifier almost all the way up to get it loud enough.

 
For the "quiet" games, try increasing the Windows volume, if it is not already at 100%. Running the O2 at its maximum volume setting at low gain is not a problem, by the way. If you cannot get high enough volume in other ways, then use high gain, if those games are really so quiet, then perhaps it will not clip. Other than the risk of clipping, setting high gain increases the measured noise and distortion of the amplifier, but in practice clipping in the gain stage is the most important (and audible) issue if it does occur. Ideally, you should increase the digital signal to a level high enough (without digital clipping) that low gain is sufficient.