AKG Q701 vs ATH-AD900x for mostly gaming and a little music

The AD900x are easier to drive so no amp or soundcard needed. The Q701 are not.

I would add the Sennheiser HD 558 into the mix. Works great for gaming, are easy to drive, and have a mellow sound that is great for relaxing music like jazz and classical. Very comfortable as well and do not have a wing style headband like the AD series which can be problematic for people with small heads.

The reason the Audio Technica AD series are so highly regarded for gaming is because they do not have a lot of bass quantity making it easier to pick up positional queues like footsteps and gunshots while having a wide soundstage (audio depth perception) and good detail. If you are playing for purely competitive purposes I would consider them otherwise I would look elsewhere.

Quoting MLE from his gaming guide,

The AD700 ditches warmth, bass, and musicality for sheer performance and detail-whoring.

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They do. I have owned the HD 518 which share the same drivers but has different housing. Still found them excellent for gaming. The HD 558 and 598 have a more open design and lean closer towards the neutral side. They trade bass impact for detail retrieval in mid to high frequencies.

Not a night and day difference though and if you are a casual gamer on a budget I would highly recommend the HD 518 for $65.

The 598 are also on his guide:

You all know it as an improved HD595, which is a consistent fave among gamers, especially those who use virtual surround amps like the Mixamp. My opinion? The hype is well justified, at least when it comes to the HD598. They are incredibly well balanced. Somewhat bass neutral, mids are pretty up front and center, and neutral treble (never harsh) translates to a very promising headphone for gaming on paper. And I'm happy to report that they are ABSOLUTELY phenomenal for gaming. They belong right up there with the best for competitive gaming. Soundstage? Check. Positional accuracy? Double check. Detail retrieval? Triple check. The trifecta. It's missing very little for those needs. The bass may be a bit too laid back for those wanting some immersion in their non-competitive gaming however.

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However I wouldn't recommend the HD 598 when the Hd 558 has nearly the exact same sound for $50 less.

It comes down to personal preference. What is for sure that the HD 558 would be easier to recommenced since they are not bass anemic like the AD 900x and have a tighter fit. The 558 are perhaps not as detailed as the AD900x and some would say they have a veiled sound meaning that highs won't be as sparkly or forward like the AD series but this is not always a bad thing since it is less fatiguing and easier on the ears.

The 558 measure nearly the same as the 598, so for $50 more I can not recommend them. They are also more comfortable and build quality is nearly the same. You will not hear a difference, especially if you do the foam mod (google).

if you want the most advantage and soundstage... the ad500x/ad700x/and to some degree the ad900x along with the q701 are going to do that better. the at's are easier to drive while the akg is not.

as mentioned earlier, the hd518/hd558/hd598 lineup is also very well received. while soundstaging is not as good as the at lineup they are certainly more mellow and easy listening with a more neutral sound with a bit more bass impact. you also do not need to deal with the 3d wing design (its a love or hate kind of thing) or needing a strong amp for the akg's

as mentioned earlier, they all share the same drivers but vary on build quality and sound very slightly due to design. the hd558 is the best buy given better build quality than the 518 and similar sound to the hd598 with a lower pricetag. the hd518 is the best in the lineup for sound quality per dollar but build quality is less.

generally for "advantage in fps gaming" you are looking for an open can with good treble and mid detail, very little bass, good positional audio and good soundstaging. such a can is not the most fun to listen to however will allow you to pick out sounds easier. some people like pairing it up with virtual surround as well though that is a preference thing and depends on the game and how good its sound engine is.

yes, the hd598 series is less fatiguing than the at's or akg's but less bright and detailed. they are a sort of jack of all trades.

...generally razerz stated it pretty well, mostly just seconding his opinion or clarifying where i thought it was needed.

If you have a Best Buy near you they might have a HD 518/558/598 on demo. Check in the Magnolia section if it's not where the general headphones are on display. The AD/AKG Q series on the other hand are going to be hard to find in a brick and mortar store unless it is specifically catered to audiophiles and have a wide selection of headphones to choose from, not just home theater.

No problem. Either way they are both great headphones.

I forgot to mention the drawback of open back headphones, they leak sound and noise isolation isn't that great. People around you will be able to hear what you are listening to so they are best used at home.