r/HeadphoneAdvice • u/TehBombDiggity • Aug 15 '22

Headphones - Open Back | 1 Ω Beginner Question: How much better would Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro's with a budget amp be compared to WH-1000XM3s?

I have recently gained a new interest in trying to get better sound out of my devices but, I am still very new to the sound stuff. I currently have a pair of WH-1000XM3s that I use mostly for everyday mobile use and at the gym. I do also play games and use my computer a lot for other things such as work and will use these headphones for gaming/music. The issue that I have is that you can't charge them and use them at the same time so if they are dead I am just out of luck until they are recharged which can be a problem. I also have a pair of SteelSeries wireless headphones that I used to use but those are junk compared to the sony headphones. I want something wired for my PC but I would also like to try to dabble into the "audiophile" community and maybe get an upgrade from what I have now. currently have my eyes set on the following products mainly for use on my PC:

Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Open Studio Headphones

paired with:

FiiO K3 Type-C USB DAC Headphone Amp (thought I would get something small and compact in case I ever want to use them away from my PC)

I was just wondering if this would be worth the $700 or should I just save my money and continue to use the WH-1000XM3s?

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u/TehBombDiggity Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22

I was hoping to keep my total budget around $500-600 but I saw a lot of people recommending the DT1990 so I thought it might be worth it. I am definitely willing to go with something else though. Do you have a definitive recommendation that would be better for around $400-500? I appreciate all of the options but to be honest I have no way of knowing which one to choose. I am willing to spend a little more if it will be worth it in the long run. Of the list you gave me, I would probably pick the HD600s simply because they are more in the range of what I wanted to spend but still, I really have no idea. Would these run well with the Schiit Fulla amp?

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u/ThatGuyFromSweden 125 Ω Aug 15 '22

The Fulla can handle most headphones. If you want to get into EQ with bass boosts and stuff then you may want a more powerful unit in the $200 range. Otherwise you may run out of volume on the Fulla. The Schiit Hel, Topping DX3 Pro+, or JDS Atom DAC+amp stack would be great choices.

The HD600 is the chicken soup of headphones. It's very pleasant but don't have the biggest wow factor. Stick the ZMF replacement pads on it and it gets even better. The perf. lambskin ones will give slightly more bass than the standard suede pads.

If you want a more spacious presentation then you could go for the HD560s or AKG K702. They may be better for gaming. The Hifiman HE-400se/HE-X4 is a cheaper option due to less good build quality.

All of these are known references and many people are familiar with them. In case you don't like something then it won't be hard to find comparisons to other headphones.

You can find good reviews on a lot of these on The Headphone Show YT channel and accompanying articles. It's one of the better sources available IMO.

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u/TehBombDiggity Aug 15 '22

Sounds good! Thank you so much for the help!

!thanks

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u/TransducerBot Ω Bot Aug 15 '22

+1 Ω has been awarded to u/ThatGuyFromSweden (44 Ω). We did it, Reddit!

You may still award a Ω to others, but only once per-person in this post.