i thought it defaulted to email notification. perhaps your spam filter kicked in.
for clarification so you do not get confused: the
AD500x would be the open version while the
A500x would be the closed. the
ADG1 is the open set while the
AG1 is the closed set. looks like you have it right but since you did not list the prefix i wanted to make sure. they share the same drivers just different design (open vs closed).
as far as everyone is aware its either the 500x or 700x drivers inside. the higher you go up numberwise the more bass the headsets seem to get (while still fairly bass light mind you) and somewhat better sound. iirc the soundstage gets a bit smaller (though still large) the higher you go up as well.
yes, you could go with an a900x and modmic for example.
akg has some nice cans if you dont want a whole lot of bass and can afford a decent amplifier. they tend towards bright and neutral with not so much bass normally. not everyone will like them but they arent bad cans.
which headphones are right for you depends on taste, exactly. personally for me the dt770 would be perfect given i value immersion and fun factor over any edge in gaming. i like hearing the big boomy explosions and deep bass on music. the dt770 has that as well as a decent soundstage while retaining the sound isolation closed cans deliver. as for you, it seems like you might be more interested in something that will give you a bit more advantage so i'm leaning more towards the audiotechnica cans but then again, you're likely to listen to alot of music or watch many movies so a general use can with a bit more fun factor like the dt may be up your alley too. the akgs are fine as well, but they are a bit more temperamental so put them in the list but not the short list.
one reason why i left much leeway is because you did not flesh out very well what your taste profile was so i'm unsure about what you actually want. all of the listed headphones are good, but what fits you best depends on your needs.
whether you go with a soundcard or amp or dac+amp depends on what headphones you want as well as the quality of your onboard audio as well as if you care about virtual surround or not.
1. watch the videos here
http/www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-3-18-2016-mrspeakers-ether-c-1-1-added with some headphones on (doesnt matter, any pair that are stereo) and see if you like how virtual sounds and which virtual you like most.
2. if you want virtual, you either need a soundcard, your onboard audio needs to support it or you need to use razers. by default an external dac does not support it and will be standard stereo only. now, i've heard that you can get it working if you either A) have a soundcard or onboard that supports it (a user i was helping kindly let me know he got it working with an external DAC+AMP since he already had a soundcard separately) or B) use razers virtual. another option is using a soundcard (or onboard) as the DAC portion and just buying an external amp if you need one.
personally i could care less about virtual myself. i use speakers anyways... so i may be biased.
not all options need an amp.
the fiio e10k is a nice unit for the price. its entry level but good value. the external boxes which give virtual such as the creative e1 are flawed so i would not rely on those.
the first thing i would do is figure out what kind of signature you want. then find out if you care about virtual and report back. generally bass light cans are advantageous since they dont cover up footsteps but at the same time they can sound lackluster or a little tinny given the lack of bass. neutral cans will sound flat which can be boring but are also the most tonally accurate. v-shaped cans with good bass may cover up some footsteps but will sound the most fun generally speaking. (a/ad series is bass light, dt770 is v-shaped, akg tend towards neutral or bass light)
be aware the dt770 has different lines. the 80 ohm version is the most bassy. the 32 the easiest to drive but not as nice sounding. the 250 is a bit harder to drive but will be the most refined sounding. generally its worth buying either the 250 or 80 and ignoring the 32.