[ScareDe2]

It is too risky to buy brand new. Chances are that once you have everything set at home there is something you will want to change about the sound after long listening. What I would do is go second hand deals and sell/trade what I don't like. A second hand Utopia + hugo 2 seems like a very good first move with $4500. Might turn to be an endgame combo as well.

Or why not two headphones? K812 and HD800 with the Hugo 2. Sometimes two headphones is better than one.

 

[griff609]

Unfortunately nothing great in Tampa. Audio Visions South carries entry level end Audeze cans. Magnolia carries McIntosh. I've bought and sold most of my stuff unheard. I honestly would go the opposite route of most here. I'd focus on good neutral gear and grab some used cans off of here. I run two systems MHA100 with MHP1000's and HD800s. I have a NOS system Decco2 and BrickV1 run hd800's and Lcd2rev2. Had the LCD-3's and XC's and let them both go.

Schiit Yggy
Schitt Rag

New or used and start out with whatever cans you have from there. You will be surprised how much mid-level cans sound better on a high end stack than high end cans will on a mid grade stack.

 

[TYATYA]

With lower price tag, hd800s and hdvd800 can be starting point.
You have to hear and compare any set within 4.5k budget before buying. Lets start with above set.
If you not yet read about hdvd800, it is an dac amp combo.
Amp section is good and dac section use R2R design dac pcm1792a.
R2R multibit is preferable than delta-sigma single bit.

Dynamic can not reach the detail and speed of electrostat. But stat hp/amp will dig a bigger hole on pocket.
Hd800s have the speed close to elect., but detail is not reach (I feel a bit blur in compare even it is one of very detail hp).
Speed, detail, sound stage, comfort and light weigh, price.... hd800s is like all rounder.

 

[Deftone]

Don’t worry about which is ranked the best headphones, go and listen to find out which ones you love then build a system around that.

If you can’t audition then you might be stuck in the buy and sell circle.

 

[ScubadudeSA]

For that sort of money I would (did) put together a small collection of carefully selected used items ... Wadia 121, SPL Phonitor, custom OTL valve amp, HD800, LCD2. May have some cash left for an HE560 or Gen 1 T1. Wouldn't exchange the variety I have for any single 4.5 kilobuck system.

 

[D2Girls]

Right. I could find the HD800s used. But isn’t the HPA-1 just an amp? I would want a DAC too

Use topping d30 dac temporarily and save another $1200 for a gungnir multibit.

 

[SeaWo|f]

Stax L500, stax 006ts, holo spring dac Lvl 1 and innuos zen mini mk2?

 

[ceeloChamp]

I know we are talking about full-sized headphones, but would you consider IEMs? The ability to take HiFi music with you is so often overlooked.

 

[franz12]

I know we are talking about full-sized headphones, but would you consider IEMs? The ability to take HiFi music with you is so often overlooked.

I was always curious about people who spend a large sum of money yon IEMs. As soon as I go outside, I will be subject to a lot of unwanted noise. With all those noise, sound quality of any high-end IEMs becomes quickly indiscernible. For me, the convenience of IEMs like Airpods is the first thing to consider.

 

[SilverEars]

I was always curious about people who spend a large sum of money yon IEMs. As soon as I go outside, I will be subject to a lot of unwanted noise. With all those noise, sound quality of any high-end IEMs becomes quickly indiscernible. For me, the convenience of IEMs like Airpods is the first thing to consider.

IEMs can isolate significantly, especially something like ER4 or customs. Most of the ambient noise will be drowned down by iems, but some low frequency noise like in trains, vehicle engines, airplanes are just really difficult isolate, but iems are still the best isolating.

I wouldn't recommend walking around with highly isolated iems where you will be crossing the street that if you don't watch yourself, you can get hit by a car. But other than that, iems are quite convenient, and very good sound quality can be had at such convenience of weight and size of what you are carrying with the ability to isolate high level of noise, and provide good sound quality with drowned noise in certain environments you are out and about.

Cons could be that some people are adverse to anything shoved inside the ear canal, or not accustomed to(or aware of) tiny speakers to provide good sound(but they can, really). For me, iems and a good sounding DAP(portable audio player) is a combo I take on my commute to work, and put into a lot of use at work(since they do not leak noise with coworkers around), so they are totally worth it for situations like mine.

 

[ceeloChamp]

IEMs can isolate significantly, especially something like ER4 or customs. Most of the ambient noise will be drowned down by iems, but some low frequency noise like in trains, vehicle engines, airplanes are just really difficult isolate, but iems are still the best isolating.

I wouldn't recommend walking around with highly isolated iems where you will be crossing the street that if you don't watch yourself, you can get hit by a car. But other than that, iems are quite convenient, and very good sound quality can be had at such convenience of weight and size of what you are carrying with the ability to isolate high level of noise, and provide good sound quality with drowned noise in certain environments you are out and about.

Cons could be that some people are adverse to anything shoved inside the ear canal, or not accustomed to(or aware of) tiny speakers to provide good sound(but they can, really). For me, iems and a good sounding DAP(portable audio player) is a combo I take on my commute to work, and put into a lot of use at work(since they do not leak noise with coworkers around), so they are totally worth it for situations like mine.

Most high quality IEMs drowned out the outside noises and even halfway decent ones with a good seal can easily provide you with a quiet enough zone to listen and walk around, it’s the best.

IEMs are so versatile and easy to carry.

 

[franz12]

IEMs can isolate significantly, especially something like ER4 or customs. Most of the ambient noise will be drowned down by iems, but some low frequency noise like in trains, vehicle engines, airplanes are just really difficult isolate, but iems are still the best isolating.

I wouldn't recommend walking around with highly isolated iems where you will be crossing the street that if you don't watch yourself, you can get hit by a car. But other than that, iems are quite convenient, and very good sound quality can be had at such convenience of weight and size of what you are carrying with the ability to isolate high level of noise, and provide good sound quality with drowned noise in certain environments you are out and about.

Cons could be that some people are adverse to anything shoved inside the ear canal, or not accustomed to(or aware of) tiny speakers to provide good sound(but they can, really). For me, iems and a good sounding DAP(portable audio player) is a combo I take on my commute to work, and put into a lot of use at work(since they do not leak noise with coworkers around), so they are totally worth it for situations like mine.

I understand that it makes sense to use IEMs in a some quiet environment when I do not need to walk around. Personally, I use qc25 (noise canceling) and airpods currently. Most comfortable IEMs I ever had. To minimize the risk of losing hearing ability, I listen to music around 78-83db with my over-ear headphones, but at a much lower volume with my IEMs, probably, 65-70db.

 

[AverageGuyNC]

One thing to consider is people are selling their original Yggdrasil very reasonably in order to just buy a new one right now. if you could get a GSX MK2 for around $2,000 and Yggy around $1600, you could pick up one of my favorites (TH900) used or maybe even a HD800 or an Audeze LCD X! And you would have a top of the line system. If you didn't like the headphones, you could sell them and try others. You would be set with the DAC and amp (later on send in the Yggy for an upgrade). Hard for me to imagine a much better set up than that without spending mega bucks! (I tried my Fostex th900 with a great system.. laptop- GSX MK2 - Holo LVL 3 Kitsune DAC, which is about the same league as an Yggy, and could have sat there all day listening!) I liked it a little better than mine! But I'm very happy with what I got.

 

[Deftone]

There’s something missing from IEMs that is there on full sized phones. I don’t know what it is exactly but it’s like when you go from speakers to headphones has the same effect the headphone feels like it’s missing something.

 

[bclark8923]

I'm a Hifiman Fan (although their reliability can be suspect if you get a bad pair). HEK or HEX-V2 (used to save a lot) and then a GSX Mk2 plus a Gumby or Yggy or other DAC