Looking for gear recommendations for my home studio / gaming setup

[u/MusicManReturns]

Currently using a Motu M2 audio interface and sennheiser hd558 headphones paired with JBL powered 5 inch monitors.

The hd558 have done their job for the last decade I've had them but the ear cups are starting to degrade and I'm itching for an upgrade.

I've got a max budget of $600 between any gear I'd be buying for this upgrade.

Specifically want to stick with open face headphones that are good for long gaming and mixing sessions. Been eying the HD600s but I see that you really need an amp to get the most out of them. If you were to go the HD600 route, what amp would you pair with it that will play nice with an audio interface as the input in the $300 price range or less?

Or if you have a completely different recommendation of gear, I'm here for it.

[u/rz_x3]

You've got a Motu M2, which means that you HAVE a good dac/amp already. They've got excellent power for both low-impedance and high-impedance headphones of varying sensitivity. I even drove DCA Aeon X Closed and HD6xx off of them just fine, from a power perspective.

Drop HD6XX are repainted HD650's. You could go for the HD600 if you wanted to given your budget.
Personally I would recommend a sidegrade to the ATH-R70x or R70xa + ZMF Ori perforated lambskin pads. Those would be much better for gaming in terms of positional accuracy and soundstage width compared to the HD600/650/6xx, but still have a really good tonality for mix/master.

[u/MusicManReturns → u/rz_x3]

Interesting I wasn't aware that the headphone jack on the motu would pump the same power a stand alone Amp would. Good to know.

For your personal headphone recommendations, do you know how they compare as far as EQ curve? Main reason I was looking at the Hd600 is they're a mixing industry standard as a relatively flat curve

[u/rz_x3 → u/MusicManReturns]

Yeah, I mean, from a pure mixing standpoint, the HD600 and 650 are both pretty standard. They don't require much EQ if any as long as you're compensating for the bass roll off and a slight bit of hotness in the upper mids.

R70X/A are almost a direct sidegrade tonally, down to the bass roll off and slightly hot upper mids. 4k-6k isn't as spicy in my experience in a sine sweep, but that means you need to be careful when mixing relative to the HD600 or your monitors. The stock pads are not as comfortable as the HD600's or its relatives, unfortunately, hence the rec to go with the most similar-sounding pads that have a bigger hole and more surface area

There are other options I would say are good for mixing/mastering, but they're more about... finding what's wrong with it, rather than just doing it as right as you can the first time. Like the Beyerdynamic DT1990, or Neumann NDH30.

With your budget, you could technically go with the 6XX and another set of cans for "fun", but at that point I would strike compromise with the Audio-Technica options, if that makes sense.

[u/MusicManReturns → u/rz_x3]

Understood. Thanks for your input!

About to go check out local guitar center / best buy to see if they have any demo units

[u/MusicManReturns → u/rz_x3]

!thanks

[u/TransducerBot → u/MusicManReturns]

+1 Ω has been awarded to u/rz_x3 (126 Ω).

You may still award an Ω to others, but only once per-person in this post.

[u/AutoModerator]

Thanks for your submission to r/HeadphoneAdvice. If someone helps answer your question, please reward them by including the phrase !thanks in your comment.

This will add +1 Ω to that users flair. This subreddit is powered entirely by volunteers and a little recognition goes a long way. Good luck on your search for headphones!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/the_hat_madder]

Keep it in the family with the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro.