DT 990 PRO (80 Ohm)

i dont own iems but i dont have a problem with the soundstage, its super easy to locate the enemy even in vertical aspect. At first i wasnt even aware how much of a difference they make over some ss arctis in that matter. Isolation obviously is bad because they are open backs, at first it was weird that i heard background noise like my pc running, my keyboard clicks but i get used to it after few days. I always heard them at some level with closed backs so it was just matter of getting used to. When any sound is playing in your headphones its not an issue at all in my opinion. Personaly these headphones are my endgame. I play at quite high level and they are better compared to my other headphones like Superlux hd681, Beyerdynamics DT990 Pro or Arctis 7.

My experience with Beyer headphones is they tend to lack low end and you just kinda have to get used to it and compensate. There might be some technique to it but for me it was just mixing on them for a few years and listening to work in progress mixes on really nice systems (or just in my car) to check balance. I guess my tip is that, since the Beyer headphones have so little low end, it ends up sounding really bright even if the headphones are technically pretty flat, so your instinct is gonna be to boost the lows and cut the highs. What I've found works with the headphones for me (emphasis on FOR ME) is that the highs are in a good spot when they feel 5-10% too loud/present and the lows are in a good spot when they sound 20-30% too quiet. But you just gotta keep working with them or switch to new cans if you feel like you won't get acclimated in a reasonable amount of time. edit: wording

Totally right! I guess I'll also just clarify for OP that I don't use 20-30% low end reduction as a target, but instead it's kind of just a coincidence: if I mix on Beyers and then move to a different system (i.e. nice monitors with a sub, or just different headphones!), I find the low end works out well on the other system even if it sounded too quiet or wimpy in my Beyers. Everyone has a different perception of it. I keep seeing people on these mixing/engineering subs calling the MDR7506s "tinny" or they lack low end or whatever, but coming from Beyers, they sound super bassy to me! So really you must find what works for your ears relative to the kind of music you are working on, OP

It depends on which model you got. The DT 990s come in a range of impedance levels- if you got the 80 ohm version or the Pro X model (48 ohm), chances are your motherboard really is enough to power them and buying an amp would have minimal benefits. If you're happy with the sound, don't go out of your way to spend more money on them.

I don't have a DAC myself but I believe Fiio's are meant to be good value. Again though if you're happy with the sound you're happy with it.

IMO open backed headsets make locating objects in 3D space easier for me vs. closed back. But headphones go north $ wise once you add gear like amp/dac, so here are some normal options. (No amp needed) Sennheiser HD 599 with their clip on mic - ~$165 if you find deal Price tracker included cuz you def missed out on holiday deals so you might wanna wait https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B07Q7S7247 https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0FRVVG2JQ Philips Fidelio X2 i think works with clip on mics as well A step up would be like beyerdynamic DT 990 80 Ohms, those really plushy, but IDK about mic options, you may have to get a boom/clip on but if you wanna dive deep an amped set up with beyerdynamic DT 990 250 Ohms is also option. If $150 is too much, their are a few sub $100 with mics included I can find. HyperX Cloud Series can be found pretty cheap and isnt too bad. You got a TON of options tho, so shop around.

I currently have the Dt990 pros, though 80 ohms I believe, and I'm really happy of how they turned out to sound. Though keep in mind they are open back, so if there is some noise outside, you will hear it. Bonus points is that all the cushions are replaceable, so if one does start to wear down you can just get new ones and you're good to go for another few years.