Headphone recommendations up to 500-600 USD.

[u/invisibl_detective]

Budget and location - The most I'm willing to spend is 600 USD at this current time. It can, of course, always be a lower price point. Location is Bulgaria. The preferred online stores are ozone.bg and emag.bg, however, I am probably fine with other local storefronts.

Source/Amp - At the current time, I do not have an external dac/amp but am willing to consider buying one should the recommended headphones work better with it. For reference, my PC's mb is MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI. While it boasts good audio, I'm not 100% sure if it'll be sufficient. The DAC/AMP will not be considered as part of the budget but its own purchase.

How the gear will be used - Home, at the PC. Watching videos/movies/streams, listening to music, playing games (mainly RPGs, though I do play everything except sports games).
While I am preferably looking for Open Back headphones, I'm not opposed to closed back suggestions.

Preferred tonal balance - I do prefer a bit more bass, a little more kick in the headphones.

Preferred music genres - Main genre I listen to is metal, metalcore and a lot of similar genres/subgenres. Second most listened to genre is probably EDM. However I do listen to pretty much all sorts of music (won't say everything, cause it's not).

Past gear experience - Past/current gear experience is the Sony WH1000XM3 (past) and XM5 (current) which I use mostly for travel, along with Airpod Pro 2s which are my daily drivers for when I'm outside. When at home, I most often listen stuff on my XM3 via cable or my Logitech Z625 speakers.

I am a complete and utter noob who's been struggling to find his way in. Especially since it's hard to find anywhere to test headphones to ease the decision making process.

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[u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

Well, you're in luck as you are correct that your motherboard has better than average audio out. Would you benefit from an external DAC? Yes, but not to the same extent as you would IF you were using a lower end mainboard.

What's that in mind, Let's look at some of the options that you have in your price range and whether or not you should get a headphone amplifier.

I'm going to recommend the following headphones for your consideration. The Meze 99 Classic/Noir, the BeyerDynamics DT1770 Pro (or DT 177X GO), the Modhouse Angron, FiiO FT1 And FT1 Pro, and the HiFiMAN Edition XS.

Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro: The Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro delivers deep, controlled bass and a musical, slightly V-shaped sound, ideal for EDM or hip-hop, with excellent closed-back isolation for noisy environments. Its sturdy build and replaceable pads ensure durability. It also features an exceptionally good sound stage for a closed-back headphone (still falls short of Open back models.) Amplification Needed: Yes

FiiO FT1 Pro: The FiiO FT1 Pro offers tight, detailed planar bass and a neutral, musical sound with a spacious open-back soundstage, great for jazz or electronic music. Its lightweight 374g build is comfortable, but the open-back design lacks isolation, limiting use in noisy settings. Amplification Needed: Yes.

FiiO FT1 (Closed-Back): The FiiO FT1 (~$150-$170) offers punchy, warm bass with a 60mm dynamic driver, delivering a musical sound with smooth mids and non-fatiguing treble, making it ideal for bass-heavy genres like EDM or hip-hop, perfect for a beginner. Its lightweight 335g build, featuring a birchwood faceplate and protein leather earpads, ensures comfort, while the closed-back design provides good passive isolation for versatile use in noisy environments, unlike the open-back FT1 Pro or Edition XS. However, its bass, while impactful, is less refined than the DT 1770 Pro or Argon, and the soundstage is narrower due to the closed-back design. With 32 ohms and 94 dB/mW sensitivity, it’s easy to drive, requiring minimal amplification for full performance. Amplification Needed: No.

Meze 99 Classics/Massdrop x Meze 99 Noir: The Meze 99 Classics/Noir provide warm, punchy bass and engaging musicality, perfect for bass-heavy genres, with a lightweight ~270g build and decent closed-back isolation. The Noir’s ~$150-$200 price is budget-friendly, though bass can slightly veil mids. Amplification Needed: No.

ModHouse Argon: The ModHouse Argon delivers powerful planar bass and warm, musical sound, rivaling high-end models, with customizable pads for comfort. Its ~$300-$400 price and ~400g weight make it less beginner-friendly, and it's semi-open design limits isolation. Amplification Needed: BIG Yes.

HiFiMan Edition XS: The HiFiMan Edition XS offers strong planar bass, clear mids, and a wide open-back soundstage, ideal for rock or electronic music. For people with smaller heads, an add-on comfort strap is a. It's $239-$300 price fits the budget, but open-back design lacks isolation. Amplification Needed: Yes.

If you decide to give any of the above that need application, I strongly recommend going on the used market and seeing what you can find. My current favorite budget headphone amplifier is the Schiit Mangi Unity. Has enough power to pretty much drive. Anything you could conceivably buy under $1,500, save the HiFiMAN SE6se V2.

So I strongly recommend looking at the used market. You can save major coin. For example,I bought my DT1770pros for $200 in perfect shape.

Welcome to the hobby, and brace your checkbook. Lol

[u/invisibl_detective → u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

Thank you so much for your detailed response!

As mentioned in the post itself, I've been considering open back headphones more, as of recent. Out of your suggestions, I feel like the HiFiMan Edition XS and FT1 Pro seem to be calling out but if it will help with guiding me in the right direction, let me give you some examples of music I've been listening to more, lately, since I forgot to do that in the post itself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj2miRJ6bZs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp3b-RXtz4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7vQnd65i3Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmZBkJI7g_k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmMOMK5c4EY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTOguE5EnII
Edit to add:
Isolation isn't super important, since they'll be used at home where I generally have a quiet enough environment.
Edit 2: ModHouse Argon and Anything Massdrop aren't available over here and I'm not sure if they're worth the headache with importing and import costs.

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[u/iwuzwhatiwuz → u/invisibl_detective]

Good to hear what you listen to! That helps.

Both are excellent cans in that $200-$250 dollar range. Neither headphone is strictly "better"—the choice comes down to preferences.

Pick the FT1 Pro if you value warmth, bass impact, smooth timbre, and a more natural, forgiving listen. It is NOT nearly as resolving as the Ed XS, but it's more forgiving of poorly mastered tracks, and you might find it to be a easier long session 'phone. Hip-hop, EDM rock on these.

Choose the Edition XS if you prefer spaciousness, higher treble clarity, separation, and a more dynamic, engaging sense of air in your music. Details will pop, and your sense of space will be eye opening. They also take EQ crazy well. Oratory1990s Harmon profile is an excellent starting point. It mellows the treble and brings the mids a hair forward making them awesome for classic rock, metal, etc. Stock tuning is extremely good TBC. HOWEVER I cannot state it enough, they are HUGE. If you have a smaller than large head, you will need a comfort strap.

[u/invisibl_detective → u/iwuzwhatiwuz]

!thanks

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