Getting into the audiophile scene =D
Oct 1, 2011 at 5:42 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 14
Sashm

Sashm

New Head-Fier
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Hey guys,
 
Literally discovered this site yesterday! I must say that this is a pretty expensive hobby to get into haha
 
I was looking at all sorts of gear that people are talking about here and I have never heard about some of the stuff like Headphone Amps and DAC's...I was really curios to see what the difference is between a standard non-audiphile setup (mp3 player to generic headphones) and something more complex. However I do not want to spend a lot of money to order stuff online only to find out that the difference does not matter that much to me... Can anybody recommend any sort of conventions/exhibitions/shops that I could go to to check out the gear and what does it sound like ? I live in Melbourne (Australia) and a quick google search did not return much... If anyone lives/ed in Melbourne and could give me any advice I would really appreciate it! =D
 
 
Thanks guys,
Sash.
 
Oct 7, 2011 at 1:51 AM Post #5 of 14
http://www.head-fi.org/t/574512/melbourne-mini-head-fi-meet-13th-november-2011
 
Here you go. It looks like lots of cool things will be there too. You don't have to have any gear or knowledge to attend a meet. All are welcome and it's a great experience.
 
And
 
 
Welcome to Head-Fi. Sorry about your wallet
evil_smiley.gif

 
Oct 8, 2011 at 9:12 AM Post #9 of 14
Welcome to head-fi contrary to what you may see or have seen here you can get into the hobby with minimal investment. Their are a few companies now selling dac/amp combos for around $100 I think Ibasso and Fiio sell some I don't know how good they are but they have to be better then built in soundcards. They you can grab a nice pair of headphones at a decent price if you like bass light headphones I always enjoyed the Audio Technica AD700 which cost me about $80 new but I don't know what they are going for now. If you want something more bass heavy they have the Audio Technica M50 for about $120. So for a little over $200 you can have something pretty good in my opinion.

Of course this is still pretty steep for most but if you want to jump in headfirst thats a good way to do it. As others have mentioned headfi meetups are a great way to test new gear and find out what you like. They can also save you money by not buying what you might have and you get to meet new people and hang out and talk about music and audio. Its a great way to spend a day if nothing else.
 
Oct 8, 2011 at 12:51 PM Post #10 of 14


Quote:
lilkoolaidman said:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/574512/melbourne-mini-head-fi-meet-13th-november-2011
 
Here you go. It looks like lots of cool things will be there too. You don't have to have any gear or knowledge to attend a meet. All are welcome and it's a great experience.
 
And
 
 
Welcome to Head-Fi. Sorry about your wallet
evil_smiley.gif
Click to expand...




 Ahhh beat me to it :wink:
 
 Almost anyone will be able to tell a difference. Whether great or small it doesn't matter that much, in any way it's so great to hear music naturally and detailed.
 
Oct 8, 2011 at 6:25 PM Post #11 of 14
I also believe that the benefit of Head-fi is that it can potentially save you money and here's how it can work:
 
You read about gear that is really good but not so expensive like a good $200 headphone and you buy it used for about $150 or less. You then read of the same thing about a good CD player or DAC that is not that expensive and purchase it and the same thing with a really good amp. In the end, you have a very nice rig and it's exciting. In theory, it is possible to have a nice rig without breaking the bank and Head-fi can be a good guide. So it's not always sorry for your wallet. It's hooray for your wallet!
 
Oct 8, 2011 at 7:57 PM Post #13 of 14
Edit, haha forgot I owned more then one par, I only use 1 the most I bet you can guess which one. But yeah you can get into audiophile level stuff real cheap now days. Hifiman sells a amp/dac combo for $180 I think pair it with something like the K702s and your set. Or something cheaper like a used pair of M50s Probably can grab them for around $70.
 
Oct 9, 2011 at 1:15 AM Post #14 of 14
Look at your finances and then look at the headphones with long track records. Anyone phone that has a huge "appreciation" thread is a good bet. Grados, Sennheiser, AKG are shining examples. Personally, I think if you buy a top phone from their lines, you're getting about as good as it gets. Don't try for a budget model (except maybe the grado SR60) because then you'll waste money as you upgrade. Get the best set of headphones you can afford. That will be your base. You can build from there, but you 'phones are always your foundation. Buy used when you can. The turnover of top equipment here is incredible. Personally, I just bought a phenomenal amp (Millet Hybrid Max) for 100 dollars. Best money I ever spent and I've owned about seven amps over the years. Watch for deals.
 
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