[BrianPeppers]

I'm looking for a tube amp in the $100-$150 range. I'm currently using a Schiit Magni and am finding that the pairing is not very good. The bright DT990 sounds too mechanical with the Magni. I would really like something warmer. I think that with the pairing the sound is distant and recessed.The Little Dot MK2 is one contender but it's $190 on Amazon, I assume because of shipping. If this will really be such a big difference compared to the Magni then I am prepared to pay the extra amount, but I would really like to spend under $150. 

 

[tehsprayer]

  I'm looking for a tube amp in the $100-$150 range. I'm currently using a Schiit Magni and am finding that the pairing is not very good. The bright DT990 sounds too mechanical with the Magni. I would really like something warmer. I think that with the pairing the sound is distant and recessed.The Little Dot MK2 is one contender but it's $190 on Amazon, I assume because of shipping. If this will really be such a big difference compared to the Magni then I am prepared to pay the extra amount, but I would really like to spend under $150. 

Try and swap it in for a Vali.

 

[jackwess]

Aune T1 or Bravo audio ocean. 

 

[cswann1]

The Little Dot MKII is really a sweet little amp.   Under $200 there are very few good tube amps (excluding DIY) and this is one of them.  Having said that, I'd just like to caution you against trying to use amps to EQ a headphone that has a facet of it's sound that you don't much like.  The DT990 is a bright headphone and honestly there is not a lot of difference in the sound of a "warm" amp and a "cold" amp.  The headphones signature caries far-and-away the most character of a headphone audio systems overall sound.
 
I would say go ahead a get the Little Dot. In it's price class it's really good and Little Dot is famous for service after the sale, I can personally vouch for that.   If you find that the 990's still give you more treble energy that your ears can tolerate on longer listing sessions, you can look at rolling a darker driver tube which is a very cost-effective way to experiment with amp sound signatures.   Other than that I would say maybe look at the DT880.  The 880 is one of those headphones that has attained almost legendary status because it's so good for a relatively low cost.  The Sennheiser HD600 has the same status but is just more popular, but don't let popularity skew your perceptions, if you like Beyerdynamic (and who could blame you) stick with what you like.

 

[kramer5150]

An amp change will not drastically, night and day, alter the sonic signature of the headphone.  Unless its a "severely" colored circuit design in some way.
 
I think you're better off selling the 990 for a headphone with a warmer sound signature.