New to audio set ups

Hey everyone,

Sorry to bug you guys with another one of these categories, I’ve tried looking through the previous ones and grabbing the info I could for my self but struggled to do a job good of it.

I’m pretty new to the audio aspect for PC’s. I’ve done a bunch of researching between YouTube and other sites and this seems to be the best place so far for helpful info.

So I’m interested in getting a new headset and a DAC for gaming specifically. I typically play siege, arma, squad, battlefield, and such. So I would like headphones that can pick up on footsteps and small audio cues. I’ve seen DT 880’s and 990’s being tossed around a lot and I was curious what the difference is between the 2. My budget is $200 for the headset and I’d like for the DAC to be $100 if possible but wouldn’t mind $150 since I also hear the fiio 5k pro being tossed around a lot as well. I don’t plan on doing much more then just competitive gaming so I don’t need extra bells and whistles. Also really like closed headphones as well since I usually have roommates when I’m in the barracks but I do have headphones I can use in place for the later night sessions, I don’t mind the open for the rest of the day Since from what I’ve gathered open headphones are better for the most part.

Hope you have a great day and I appreciate any help :slight_smile:

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Welcome aboard! As far as headphones go, yeah, you’ve nailed the general recommendation of this community. The difference between the DT880 and DT990 is primarily in sound signature. The 880 is considered a “neutral-bright” headphone while the 990 is a “V” shaped sound. The former has relatively flat response across the audible spectrum with a slight bump in the treble (which helps with its spatial presentation). The latter will give you even more treble boost and definitely more bass punch. The 880 probably has a slight edge in imaging and soundstaging, which is where I would steer you for competitive gaming like you’re talking about. However, both are excellent gaming headphones.

As for a DAC, if you can get the K5 Pro, great, go for it. If it’s too hard to find you can wait on a dedicated DAC and go straight for one of the ~$100 headphone amplifiers that are out there. The Schiit Magni Heresy and JDS Labs Atom will give you a slightly cleaner and sharper top end, the Schiit Magni 3+ and Monolith Liquid Spark will give you a little warmer sound with just a slight treble roll off. But all four are really solid options for either of the Beyer headphones. For now you can run your PC’s analog audio output directly into an amp to power the headphones. Down the road when money allows you can look into an SMSL M100, Topping D10, SMSL Sanskrit 10th Anniversary Ed., or Topping E30 as entry level DACs. Finally, if you’re a good deal hunter, you may yet score a used M100 or D10 for ~$50 to pair with one of the amps mentioned and have a better stack than the K5 Pro for about the same cost. Good luck!

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Thank you so much, I really appreciate the information. I’m definitely leaning to get the DT880 now and thank you for the info about the amps instead of the DAC. I didn’t think of that as an option. I can definitely save up for the dedicated DAC after the amp. Have a great day :slight_smile:

I pretty much agree with @WaveTheory here for what has been said, it would be pretty solid

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Thank you M0N. I picked up on trying to get the DT880 and DT990 from reading your previous comments on other topics so I appreciate you pointing me in the right direction as well

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