WildStyle-R11
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2012
- Posts
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- 201
For me, I like technology. However, what I like about it, is the choice to get it right. So when my demand is met, I am set. Says the guy with 4 keyboards and 5 mice.I think this all boils down to your innate (and honest) requirements for this particular hobby. Throughout my decade-long journey, I've come across many types of audiophiles - some are more of a melophile; they are in this for the music. Hence, the music always comes first.
Then, there are many who obsessively chase after gear - they constantly buy the latest and the greatest; strangely, the more expensive the item, the better it will be.
These are just 2 distinct examples, but they are no by no means representative of the wide spectrum of audiophiles. Many of us fall somewhere along the polar extremes. For myself, I love my music, but I also enjoy listening to new gear (headphones mostly, then IEMs, then DACs and amplifiers).
I could make an educated guess that if someone was in this solely for the music, they could be perfectly happy with a mid-to-high-end headphone/IEM; say, something that hovers around the $1,000 mark. That's the tier that best encapsulates a blend of build quality and sound quality; this is also the last stop on the journey before diminishing returns slaps you really hard in the face.
Sadly, I'm also a gear-phile, so I partake in the interminable quest for something new and (possibly) better. But, I never lose focus of my music - that always comes first.
So, for my audio quest it was smooth, but energetic presentation. And I found it. RME ADI 2 DAC Helps a LOT. X2's can just do everything in a very all around way, not perfect, but I don't feel like I need to swap headphones between Music, Games and Movies. Lately I have come to the conclusion that I like having less stuff, but more flexible into doing more... Up to a point.
This is why my test playlist consist of mixed recordings. Not something that is mastered to perfection. One of the songs is a Rip from youtube lol. Other than that, it really is a mixed bag in that playlist.The only “high tier” headphones available with an accurate presentation is the Utopia…and well the Sennheiser Orpheus.
The reason why most of these insanely priced flagships tend to render music in an unpleasant manner is not because of neutrality..but because they boost certain frequencies..certain frequencies that on first listen rather ends up wowing you..because we usually tend to feed brand new gear/headphones with the finest produced music out there. It’s first when you start using it as real headphone and just put on music you love that these things dawn on you…like fx a boost in the presence region (estats) or the treble (HD800, K812, ADX5000).
Here are some TOTL offerings that are a loooong ways from being anywhere close to sounding accurate:
Verité, AB-1266 TC, LCD-4, Susvara, TA Solitaire, ADX5000, SR1a, HE-R10P, Ether 2, 007, 009, Voce..and well the list goes on and on and on.
Mid-Fi? Nahh. More like TOTL sound quality in a far more comfortable package
Honestly, I sometimes don't understand headphones. Like X2's Originally, first impressions ehh, good I guess... Later impressions, this is a piece of crap, laughable piece of crap...And yet somehow, years later completely in love with it. That was the point I gave up.