Sennheiser - HD 550

Maybe a Beyer 900 pro x. Semi-open, good imaging, natural stage. Also, designed to be plugged into mixing equipment; very easy to power A 560s is also a great starter option. They have better sound separation than the Beyer, but the imaging is less precise. You can find them for half the price of a Beyer, but you will need to invest in amplification, so the price works out to about the same For a closed back option, the Ft1 is the current pound-for-pound budget king If it was my money: I would skip the 560s and go for an HD 550 (better drivers, better tuning, better comfort), and pair that with an entry level signal chain. The Magni Piety is my top pick in the $200 range, but good luck finding one as they're out of stock year-round. A next-best option would be something like a Schiit Fulla

I have had the 550 HD for a few days, and I have had many, is that sound outside the headphones moments where I took off the headphones to see if the sound in a game was outside, like a plane or strong wind etc.

hd550 is a fairly affordable and safe pick imo. If you don't mind eq the 560s is another good set. If you love vocals get something from the hd6-line. HD660S2 can be found anywhere near $400 these days

Wouldn’t recommend it honestly, the 600 sounds way more tame and laid back, and has pretty poor imaging. It’s a reference headphone meant for studio use. Get the HD 550 instead

“Best” really depends on what you want. If you like the way your Beats sound but just want something of higher overall quality, check out the Meze 99 Neo or 99 Classics. For a different sound, I just listened to the Sennheiser 620S (which is on sale for $300 now) and *loved* it enough that I might sell my Azurys for them. Ditto the HD 550, a really great choice for your price, albeit a much different tuning. Finally, the Aune SR5000 is an EXCELLENT choice. I just listened to it for the first time and only didn’t buy it because I already have enough headphones. But it’s truly excellent for $300.

Thanks! Do you have a budget in mind? Sennheiser has a number of comfortable open-backs that are tuned more on the warm side, such as the HD 505 (though I prefer the more neutral HD 550), HD 650, and HD 650. This is probably a good starting point. Comfort on these is pretty good as well (especially the newer models).

This would be my answer too (assuming you're okay with open-back headphones, which the MMX 300 are as well). The [HD 550](https://us.sennheiser-hearing.com/products/hd-550) is a great headphone and one of the best releases Sennheiser has had in a while. The fact that you can just buy the [HD 500 BAM](https://us.sennheiser-hearing.com/products/hd-500-series-boom-arm-microphone?srsltid=AfmBOorZqkuybKgnWmJBwoCu4j8UB528DRc3YF0hoooX74_GfoXoaI-M) for any HD 500 series headphone (and the [HD 660S2](https://us.sennheiser-hearing.com/products/hd-660s2)) really opens up your options (there are a lot of good headphones in the Sennheiser HD 500 series). The HD 550 does benefit from an amp as well, so I'd grab something like a Schiit [Fulla 2](https://www.schiit.com/products/fulla-2) (or [Gunnr](https://www.schiit.com/products/gunnr) if you have the budget) to go with it. The Schiit gaming DAC/amps are pretty good units that also have good quality microphone inputs (most 3.5mm microphone inputs are pretty low quality). One other note: The Beyerdynamic MMX 330 is also a great option if you're looking for an open-back. I wouldn't take it over an HD 550, but it's still a solid choice.

I have the BAM mic for my HD 550s. It seems to function well enough for my gaming purposes and integrates well. A bit high on the price end for what it is, but I figure that's for the integration and brand.

Another vote for HD490pro and second place the HD550. Bothe the most comfortable headphones I've used compared to ther styles. To me they also sound the best. Non fatiguing, good bass, and mostly flat and easy to EQ for any music type you want. Also don't need an amp, but will be do better with one if you wanted. I've heard the Sony MDR-MV1 are close to the HD490 in sound with more bass. Headband/earpads: HD490 comes with two sets (velour and fabric) and are easily replaceable. The fabric ones can be washed too. Headband can be easily replaced as well and does create a hotspot on top of your head due to design. The HD560s has the better headband design compared to the equivalent HD550 that can create a hotspot for certain people on top of head. Cable: HD490: best cable included. The stock one is great can be placed on either side, and has a great stress mini coil feature. It will never tug. You can get balanced ones or aftermarket from Hart Cables in any style and connection you want. HD550/560 models only connect on one side and can also find aftermarket cables easily on Hart Cables. Gaming: HD550 or HD560s with Sennheiser BAM mic add on. (HD550 slightly better bass and better for music).

I used my Truthear Hexas & KZ ZS10 for years playing CS and other competitive shooters, only stopped when i upgraded to open back headphones (HD550)

The build quality feels so much better than the 5 series. It's a shame the HD550 didn't inherit the metal headband. I absolutely love the comfort and isolation with these. I use the 500BAM microphone for phone calls. Pretty good value as I got them brand new for $213 + $66 for the 500BAM.

The build quality feels so much better than the 5 series. It's a shame the HD550 didn't inherit the metal headband. I absolutely love the comfort and isolation with these. I use the 500BAM microphone for phone calls. Pretty good value as I got them brand new for $213 + $66 for the 500BAM.