[mamba315]

First post, hello everyone, glad to meet ya.

I was getting tired of the Panasonic IEM's I bought from Circuit City a couple years ago. They were a big upgrade at the time from stock iPod earphones, but they hurt after an hour or so and have some other issues I don't like.

So I went shopping for something better and ended up here, naturally. I wanted some better IEM's for the gym (you're not supposed to leave the gym with sore EARS), and also full headphones for home use. I could technically afford whatever I wanted, but that's not how I live. Was going for maximum "bang for the buck" since I don't have tons of experience with various amps, headphones, audio players, etc etc etc. In other words, I don't know my exact tastes when it comes to hardware.

Have ended up ordering the Grado SR60's from Amazon ($67) and the SoundMagic PL30's from Focalprice ($22). Total cost including shipping... a mere $89. Which is the reason for the title of this post. Without Head-Fi I could have easily spent $400 for both a decent IEM and headphone and not gotten anything substantially better. The way I see it, I saved over $300. That's logical, right?

I may get a headphone amp eventually, so I'll still be poking around here and reading a ton. My main sources of music are my Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop and 1st-gen Iphone. Any recommendations for me on what the next step would be for me, with an emphasis on keeping costs low while I get to know my new purchases? With so many available options, it's not always clear where the best use of time and money is. Thanks in advance!

 

[paaj]

great start... now go spend the rest

I'd say a source improvement is the next step. You could look at one of the iBassos, for a not too expensive source/amp upgrade in one and portable too.

 

[SBD]

Welcome to Head-fi. Sorry about your wallet. (I never said that before. it feels good)

Head-fi can't save you money...that's absurd! The way I see it, you just bought the gateway drugs. In reality head-fi lost you $89 and much more to come.

sr60 is an excellent entry choice and I don't see the need to bother for an amp with those. You could try for a cheap cmoy if you really wanted. Your next purchase IMO should be sr225 if you like the Grado sound. Grados generally don't "need" amps to be driven properly. But if you plan on buying some higher end headphones, just keep in mind that many require costly upgrades in your other components (dac/amp/cable/etc) to pair with. Look around and read what people have to say. Just watch out for "slight" exaggerations.

 

[apatN]

Common sense saved you $300.

Anyway you screwed up imo. You have a budget of 400$ while you only spend 89$.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamba315 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The way I see it, I saved over $300.

I'm bookmarking this post; I can't remember the last time someone claimed that Head-Fi saved them money.

While we're at it, sorry about your wallet.

As for recommendations, I think you should spend a lot of time listening to your new toys (you are going to love the SR-60) and reading. There are two good ways to save money on audio gear. One, buy used. There are lots of good deals in the For Sale Forum - you should always check there first before you buy new.

Second is building your own gear. DIY is popular here and is the best way to get the most for your money. Even if you've never handled a soldering iron before you can learn. There are a few great beginner's projects to get started and plenty of help from other members. Some of the advanced projects are as good as or better than the best (and most expensive) commercial offerings.

 

[mamba315]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paaj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd say a source improvement is the next step. You could look at one of the iBassos, for a not too expensive source/amp upgrade in one and portable too.

I'm glad you brought this up. I've looked at those but am a little hesitant. Some people love them, others say it's no use buying portable amps period. I don't see myself needing the portability aspect, although they do combine DAC and amp capabilities for a relatively low price. I guess it's unclear to me how big of an improvement is to be expected, and whether or not it's better to plan on getting a full-size unit in the long run. I know a lot of people here probably have experience with this decision, so I'm curious to see what everyone thinks.

I've been reading some of the DIY Cmoy websites, and will continue to research this avenue. The used gear idea is really good too. Depreciation, in general, is a huge reason many people can't seem to "get ahead."

Also, thanks for everyone's concern over my wallet. I'm not too concerned... yet!

 

[Nocturnal310]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paaj /img/forum/go_quote.gif great start... now go spend the rest I'd say a source improvement is the next step. You could look at one of the iBassos, for a not too expensive source/amp upgrade in one and portable too.

X2

iBasso D2 Boa is a great product for first time buyers..

it can be plugged into usb port and it becomes the default soundcard.

amazing DAC and an impressive Headphone amp.


also, it ll tame the Bright sound of your SR60 due to its relatively warm sound.

 

[Solid Snake]

I have never seen anyone save money on Head-fi...

Lets see how long that will last!

 

[paaj]

You could try the bowl cups too, I think they sound better and are more comfortable than the standard SR60 pads.
I did get enough return with a portable amp (Hornet) for sr125 to make it worth it for me, less so with esw10 so I sold it. It depends on the headphones. However if portability is no necessity, of course full-size gives better results.

 

[mark2410]

im sorry i think my brain misread something, you said head fi SAVED you money???????

just does not compute

 

[PortaDiFerro]

Glad you feel that way. I can almost guarantee it's not gonna stop there though if you stick around on these forums

 

[Bullseye]

You should have said. "Head Fi directed me on how to spend my money", and we should all be glad we didn't end up buying some skullcandy headphones.

 

[krmathis]

Great to head that we saved you some $$$.
In the long run we may make then go away on other units though. he he

Welcome to Head-Fi!

 

[mbd2884]

It's great whenever someone does some research and makes a good decision on their purchase.

For me, Head-Fi helped me spend more money than I ever would have thought on headphones. 250 for my AD900. 300 for my D2000 and I just sent in another 300 for my DAC/AMP. Yeah...

And I'm not even close to audiophile yet, I think I'm on the border Mid-Fi to Hi-Fi. Someday maybe I will spend thousands on my DAC/AMP, fun fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamba315 /img/forum/go_quote.gif First post, hello everyone, glad to meet ya. I was getting tired of the Panasonic IEM's I bought from Circuit City a couple years ago. They were a big upgrade at the time from stock iPod earphones, but they hurt after an hour or so and have some other issues I don't like. So I went shopping for something better and ended up here, naturally. I wanted some better IEM's for the gym (you're not supposed to leave the gym with sore EARS), and also full headphones for home use. I could technically afford whatever I wanted, but that's not how I live. Was going for maximum "bang for the buck" since I don't have tons of experience with various amps, headphones, audio players, etc etc etc. In other words, I don't know my exact tastes when it comes to hardware. Have ended up ordering the Grado SR60's from Amazon ($67) and the SoundMagic PL30's from Focalprice ($22). Total cost including shipping... a mere $89. Which is the reason for the title of this post. Without Head-Fi I could have easily spent $400 for both a decent IEM and headphone and not gotten anything substantially better. The way I see it, I saved over $300. That's logical, right? I may get a headphone amp eventually, so I'll still be poking around here and reading a ton. My main sources of music are my Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop and 1st-gen Iphone. Any recommendations for me on what the next step would be for me, with an emphasis on keeping costs low while I get to know my new purchases? With so many available options, it's not always clear where the best use of time and money is. Thanks in advance!