Arya Stealth vs. LCD-X vs. HD 800 S (or others?)
Budget: Up to price of HD 800 S so I guess sub $2000?
Tonal balance: Prefer accurate with potentially preference for bass due to gaming/movie usage
Usage: At home at desk
I've been wanting to get a pair of higher quality wired headphones to use for a mixture of all day wear (somewhat music but also lots of Zoom calls for work), movies, and story-focused games. For music, I do listen to a lot of metal, Lo-Fi, hip-hop, and other bass heavy genres. For the calls, I have a microphone on my desk so the headphones are just for audio output and comfort is probably the main point of concern regarding that. Comfort is a big priority for me since I can be really prone to headaches. It does seem to have a lot to do with clamping force. I previously had the DT 900 Pro X and had to move away from them due to me getting a lot of headaches from the clamping on the sides of my head. I've most recently had the 490 Pro which were considerably more comfortable but I was wanting to do an upgrade.
I got the Arya Stealth to try along with a decent DAC/AMP and they do sound noticeably better in terms of soundstage compared to my 490 Pro's. Soundstage seems to be one of the things that wows me most about headphones and why I have found open back much more appealing than closed back or IEMs. I've also found these to be very comfortable too. The suspension headband seems to distribute most of the weight along the top of my head and there is pretty minimal clamping. To me, these feel even more comfortable than the 490 Pro (which I know are regarded as highly comfortable) due to the incredibly light clamping force. I also do like the responsiveness/improved bass of planar headphones. I have been reading what other people say about the brand's build quality though and that does have me a bit concerned.
I know the HD 800 S stock tuning is known for being bass light but I was thinking that could potentially be boosted using my DAC? From what I understand, it is considered to have one of the widest soundstages of any set of headphones and that does have my interest. I also know it is known for impressive build quality and comfort too and positively regarded for gaming.
The LCD-X are supposed to be really good for a warmer, bassier sound signature and that would probably be good for a lot of the content I listen to. I also figure they are better in terms of build quality than Hifiman while still having the other planar benefits I was liking so far. I also understand though that they are notably very heavy headphones and people have had issues with comfort with them. If the weight is distributed across the top of my head, that could be fine but I am not sure what they are like in-regards to clamping force or if there are other concerns with these headphones to note.
I'm also open to suggestions for other models I might not be familiar with. These are just some of the top contenders I found through my research so far but I am sure there are plenty others out there that might fit well. I appreciate any advice you all have!