Looking to upgrade from my Astro A50's to something a bit better. Suggestions?

[Spinny99]

Currently have the Astro A50's which are pretty nice, but I'm looking for something that sounds a little better and feels a little nicer (as in nice earpads). Looking to spend around $300 if possible, and I also need to factor in a mic, which will probably end up being a modmic. I also may need a DAC. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

EDIT: Probably should of mentioned why I'll be using them for. I listen to a lot of music so primarily music, with a little bit of gaming and Netflix.

 

[ssddx]

if you want comfortable pads... beyerdynamics dt770/dt880/dt990 are worth looking at. you'll need an amplifier. as for mic.. if you want an upgrade you can always go with a desk mic or if you are not so worried then a modmic will work fine.

 

[Spinny99]

Thanks for the reply @ssddx

I like those a lot. Would you say they tend to be bass heavy? I think I'd like something on the bass heavy side since I primarily listen to EDM and similar genres. Also, what kind of DAC would you recommend to pair with those.

 

[ssddx]

the 770/990 would be in the "bassy" classification of headphones. that is somewhere between neutral and bass cannon. a good level of bass output without getting muddy or without having poor mids and treble. both are v-shaped with peaked treble and bass with recessed mids. the 770 is more bassy than the 990 with the dt770-80 being the bassiest of the lineup.

what pairs best depends on what you buy. for the 770-80 the soundblaster z would work, the fiio a3 would work and most mid-power products like the e10k, audioengine d1 and similar will also work. for the 770-250 or dt990-250 i would suggest at least the e12 or preferably the schiit magni 2. the o2 amp is also a good product. the e12 has a slight issue with noise while charging so while it works its not perfect. the rest dont have that issue. be aware those are amplifiers not dacs. dac is different. a good dac+amp pairing is the schiit magni/modi stack or the o2+odac. of course if you have good onboard audio on your pc you could use your pc (or soundcard) as the dac portion instead.

as far as what works best for you? that depends on which headphone you end up picking and what features/needs you have.