I’m sure this question has been asked and answered a ton of times, and I’ve look through some of the guides and still stand incredibly indecisive. I’m definitely a casual when it comes to audio. I’m looking for some good imaging headphones for competitive gaming. Mainly play Escape From Tarkov, CSGO, etc… But with my current living situation open back are not exactly an option. Though I do hope that changes in the future. My max price is around $800 for the headphones and dac / amp. I would prefer a dac / amp combo as I’m limited on desk space. Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks!
you dont have to spend that much on a setup especially for gaming. for your situation I would just go for a dt 770 250 ohm and a fiio k5 pro as a DAC/Amp, but f you want to spend a bit more cash a pair of argons might be worth looking into or even the dt 177x go from massdrop though you dont need anything oto powerful to drive the dt 177x go. or you can try to get lucky on ebay or find a used pair of T5p’s
if you want the audio edge for competitive gaming, then the bees knees is the following:
Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm
you need a powerful amp to drive these and I’m not familiar with any warm combo units…perhaps @M0N can pop a couple ideas. but, if you go for a stack, then the new Schiit Modius DAC for $199 and the Magni 3+ Amp or Monolith Liquid Spark Amp would be good ideas. Monolith says they have a Liquid Spark DAC coming…but the ETA has been pushed back several times over the last year. you want a warm Amp (maybe warm DAC) as the 880 can be a bit peaky on the trebble and the warmth tames that so it’s not so fatiguing.
buddy can’t use open backs nor does he want a dac/amp unfortunately, for his budget the dt 1990 would be a better pick IMO mainly for the better imaging prowess
I missed the bit about open back not being an option…but he definitely says he wants a DAC and amp, but would prefer a combo unit vs. two pieces due to space limitations.
in which case, the DT770 250 ohm is a good way to go and a warm amp isn’t as important. in a case like the JDS Labs Element II would be most excellent.
I’m cool with getting a dac / amp. I would prefer a combo but doesn’t have to be. And yea I wish I could use open back but not in the environment I’m in, too noisy…
then yeah a liquid spark with a topping d10s or e30 would be my pick for most beyers especially if your hoping to go with the 770 like I said you dont gotta spend too much to get good gaming audio. 800 is quite a bit
I went from a generic gaming headset (sennheiser game zeros) to the DT 770 Pro 250 ohm and k5 pro also by RiceGurus suggestion and i have not been let down one bit and was very happy with the price point when starting my audiophile adventure. Honestly cant say anything bad about the DT 770s and its a worlds difference if its your first “higher” end audio experience!
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I forgot about the K5 Pro. the issue with it is lack of power which could limit your future upgrade options.
it’s pretty powerful has enough power to drive most headphones even a 880 600 ohm. its got a solid 1.5 watts at 32 ohms which is plenty for most headphones
yeh…but what is it at 250ohm?
I only set such a high price point because I have some extra cash since going outside is a relative no go lately haha. And I do plan on watching movies / shows etc with these headphones as well but the far majority of the time it will be spent gaming.
hmmm…seems availability on the K5 Pro is really bad. I can’t find inventory anywhere…
that said, you can save quite a lot if you’re okay looking at the used market. check out the /ravexchange on reddit and US Audio Mart. you could also post a WTB message in the buy / sell thread under Off Topics.
not sure exactly but IVe heard this thing drive a 880 600 ohm to a satisfactory level so I’m pretty sure this can handle a 250 ohm beyer the easies 250 ohm beyer to drive
well…Fiio says it’s good for anything 300 ohm and lower.
that said…is the K5 Pro a warm unit or more on the neutral side?
I’m just curious what the pro’s / con’s would be for the DT770 PRO 250 ohm vs DT177X / DT1770 PRO outside of the obvious cost difference.
I’m not sure how either would be for gaming…but the 177x is well regarding for music and considered superior to 1770’s they’re based off of.
being the 1770’s have a higher impedance, it’s likely they’ll have the better sound for gaming.
anyone know how good Beyer’s MMX 300’s actually for gaming?
I have the DT 770 Pro 250Ω and also the DT 177X GO.
The 177X has a much lower impedance so you wouldn’t need an amp - I think it’s like 32Ω. It is a great overall headphone for gaming, listening to music, watching videos, etc. Compared to the 770, the mids are much more forward and the treble is rolled off and smooth. However that makes it sound like the 770 are a bad headphone and they aren’t, they can just be a little harsh with their treble if you are sensitive to that sort of thing. I can’t say much about the gaming/imaging aspect between them though as I haven’t really A/B tested them, only that I don’t think the 177X do imaging so much better as to warrant the price jump.
Have you considered the Cooler Master MH751/752? I have those also and I am not a competitive gamer but I also play CSGO and various PS4 games and the imaging is really good. Like @RiceGuru said you really don’t need to spend $800 for a DAC/amp and a good pair of closed-backs that image well.
oook, From what it seems like the 770’s are the way to go for now until I upgrade in the future and hopefully have an environment where I can use open back. As for DAC / AMPS or combos. What would be some good options with the 770’s as well as future proofing so I wouldn’t have to get another DAC / AMP when I upgrade my headphones in the future? Also just want to thank all of you for your input! I’m super new to this so it help a lot.