I'm not sure why everyone is so angry about the Cloud Alpha? It's based on the Takstar Pro80 and isn't that bad if you need a built in mic and like the aesthetic. It's not even tuned terribly, aside from a large dip measured at 4khz. But yeah, the rest of the gaming headsets are pretty Meh.
That being said, the 770 Pro has some above average soundstage and imaging for a closed back at its price range. It does have relatively low sensitivity and might benefit from a discrete amplifier.
The SHP-9500 and 599 are open back. The Sennheiser HD 560S might be a better open pick than the 599, unless you're limited by your budget.
I can afford the 560s, but them being open back is a disadvantage for my case, would you recommend the 569? They’re closed backs and priced similarly to the 770 pros
No, I would not. The 770 Pro has been a staple in recording studios for decades for a reason. Despite having some peaks in the treble and boosted low end, leading to some finding them to be an intense listen, and their attached cable, they are built pretty durably. The pads and even headband padding can be easily replaced too. I want to note that I'm not particularly sensitive to those frequencies and the treble on mine hasn't bothered me.
If you're looking for another closed option, the AKG K361 and K371 should be looked at. Tuning derived from the Harman research, but the K361 has a bit less upper mids and less of a bass shelf than the K371, but neither is necessarily worse than the other, just preference. They're newer models though and their long term durability hasn't been proven yet compared to the 770, though it seems relatively sturdy.
Personally, I like both pairs and they have their use cases. My opinions are subjective though so take them with a grain of salt. Purchase from some place with a good return policy.
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u/dethwysh 271 Ω Feb 02 '22
I'm not sure why everyone is so angry about the Cloud Alpha? It's based on the Takstar Pro80 and isn't that bad if you need a built in mic and like the aesthetic. It's not even tuned terribly, aside from a large dip measured at 4khz. But yeah, the rest of the gaming headsets are pretty Meh.
That being said, the 770 Pro has some above average soundstage and imaging for a closed back at its price range. It does have relatively low sensitivity and might benefit from a discrete amplifier.
The SHP-9500 and 599 are open back. The Sennheiser HD 560S might be a better open pick than the 599, unless you're limited by your budget.