[TWerk]

I'm just curious if anyone else has basically found their headphone nirvana here on Head-Fi.

I'm at the point now where I've been on here a few years, owned dozens of cans, and was searching and buying all kinds of cans for a long time. Finally, maybe 3-4 years later I feel like I'm done with it. I've got 6 main cans and 3 IEM's that I love. I absolutely love the stuff I own. I have multiple headphones to listen to regardless of what I want to listen to. My bases are all covered, and my tastebuds are fully satiated.

It's like, no matter which I put on, I get totally sucked into the music and I have no real need to go any further. Also have a great desktop amp to get them all fully singing. I don't need more stuff.

Just wondering, if anyone else has reached it too? It took me awhile, like I said, I've been buying for years but never felt fully and completely satisfied with what I had. Now, having tried basically everything I wanted to try and ending up here, I am.

Just a thread on the topic of being done here knowing what the constant nagging feeling of wanting to upgrade and try something else feels like. Also, maybe tips to getting to this point from others who got there too.

For me, the biggest thing was finding my preferred sound signature. I'm really not so much an audiophile as someone who just enjoys listening letting the music take me wherever it does. I love electronic and dance music more than anything else. I like a "fun" sound signature best. You can spend a lot of money and not be satisfied if it's not the sound signature you like for the music you like.

Once you know your preferred sound signature, you're half way there.

No right or wrong anywhere here, but would be interested hearing from others on the topic, whether you're a newbie or have been here a little while like myself. Are you satisfied yet or still in the process?

And thanks to Head-fi. Without this website, I would not have had the opportunity to try so much gear... It's a great community and I hope they sort out the new forum (especially the F/S area) as it was crucial to me finding my headphone nirvana.

 

[kman1211]

I've pretty much reached it myself. While I know there is better out there, I really don't feel myself wanting anymore, I just don't find myself really caring. New headphones don't really interest me anymore and a system upgrade is no longer a priority, the system upgrade will just happen in time and will make me like what I have even more. I can easily settle into any of my headphones with ease and be fully satisfied with what I'm hearing, just rotating depending on my mood.

 

[TWerk]

I've pretty much reached it myself. I can easily settle into any of my headphones with ease and be fully satisfied with what I'm hearing, just rotating depending on my mood.

That's the key to it, I think. You know you're there when just put it on and fully enjoy.

Once you've got a few that you love, upgrading/getting more doesn't hold the same appeal as it did. When you do try another direction, you often end up just making trades in one area or the other. It's fun to try different gear, but it's also nice to be at that point where you don't need more and more.

 

[kman1211]

That's the key to it, I think. You know you're there when just put it on and fully enjoy.

Once you've got a few that you love, upgrading/getting more doesn't hold the same appeal as it did. When you do try another direction, you often end up just making trades in one area or the other. It's fun to try different gear, but it's also nice to be at that point where you don't need more and more.

Exactly, you don't have this constant nagging of wanting something more.

It doesn't to me either, especially since I know many of the more expensive headphones aren't necessarily better. A lot is trade-offs. I essentially have it set up with varying levels of intensity of sound, the Amiron Home is the relaxed bassy one with the most open sound, the DT 1990 is on the middle-ground and the most neutral, and the DT 480 can almost overwhelm you with it's detail, speed, and intensity but you hear things you don't on the others. But honestly if I didn't have one of those three I would feel something is missing. It's this particular combination that makes me feel I met the end-game for me headphone wise as they fill in all the gaps I want between the three. Never expected it to be all Beyers, but it's how it played out. It's possible I may have a 4th of 5th headphone I truly love that will also fit in my stable in time, but I'm not searching for anything right now and actually haven't been for months, first time I ever had this content feeling with what I have.

 

[TWerk]

So - I guess one tip from us both would also be to look at Bayer if you want to actually be contented!

 

[Malfunkt]

Honestly, I think I passed it a few stops back. Should have got off the bus when I had the chance (JDS Labs C5D with HD650).

I do feel I have one too many cans at the moment though. But each could be rationalized: Sennheiser HD250 for balance (even more so than the 650), Denon D2000 (bass/clarity/comfort), MDR7520 (studio use / portability), HD700 (extreme comfort / gaming / classical / ambient / etc), LCD2 (well, this is harder to justify, but is amazing and an all-round performer, but I don't absolutely need it with the others).

I've capped my spending, so if I want something else, I'm just going to have to rotate something else out. If I want that HD800S (and I would!) I'd have to probably sell three sets. Makes it harder. I've managed to score so many great deals too. Recently the HD250 for under $200CDN - and honestly it's probably the most balanced of all of the above soundwise - really surprising for an old 80s can, it sounds fantastic.

Here is one of my peak (literally) experiences from the past. Scrambled a mountain with this set (MDR-7550). It's the music, your mood, your location, your mindset, and the company you're with. In my experience - it's rarely just the speaker or headphone

 

[Ike1985]

My A18's are pretty close to nirvana. Be happy when I'm done with all these reviews so I can get back to them.

 

[MisterMudd]

Can't say I'm completely done yet, but I have slowed down considerably over the last couple of years. I am set on my open-back preference but have focused over the last year on finding a closed-back headphone that I can really be enamored with. I found it in the Thinksound On2 that came in 2 days ago. As a matter of fact, I could be done!