[marios_mar]

I have been a headphone-phile since 2003 and I've been a member ever since.

18 years have passed and after numerous headphone adventures I have gradually lost interest. As I grew up my free time has become more and more precious and scarce. Family also requires me to be more in touch with my environment.

I still enjoy my hd800 headphones but nowadays I use them rarely, maybe a few hours per year. I mostly use my home speakers and AirPods for home music listening. It's convenience above all for me lately and I can't stand the cables, the amps and the DACs despite the higher fidelity. And I listen to a lot of music while driving.

I have kept expensive equipment over the last few years only to find out I have let it sit unused. So even though I love the idea of great headphone sound, I just think I have to admit I am done with headphones. I'll probably sell my HD800s as well and stick with AirPods which instantly pair with my laptop and phone.

Anyone with a similar experience who just quit the hobby?

 

[axsnyder]

With 3 kids and running 2 businesses + too many hobbies I go through this with everything. It is painful to see good gear collect dust, but it is a joy to pick things back up and revisit how good it is!

 

[MisterMoJo]

I have been a headphone-phile since 2003 and I've been a member ever since.

18 years have passed and after numerous headphone adventures I have gradually lost interest. As I grew up my free time has become more and more precious and scarce. Family also requires me to be more in touch with my environment.

I still enjoy my hd800 headphones but nowadays I use them rarely, maybe a few hours per year. I mostly use my home speakers and AirPods for home music listening. It's convenience above all for me lately and I can't stand the cables, the amps and the DACs despite the higher fidelity. And I listen to a lot of music while driving.

I have kept expensive equipment over the last few years only to find out I have let it sit unused. So even though I love the idea of great headphone sound, I just think I have to admit I am done with headphones. I'll probably sell my HD800s as well and stick with AirPods which instantly pair with my laptop and phone.

Anyone with a similar experience who just quit the hobby?

I haven't quit the hobby but wanted to say that there is nothing wrong with your experience and what you are doing. Anyone who tries to convince you that you are dong something wrong is not a friend is all I can say. I prefer speakers but use headphones because I live in an apartment style building with 5 close neighbors whom I do not wish to disturb. So I can relate to your experience. If you do sell your gear don't look back!

 

[Spareribs]

I love headphones but rarely listen because I can use speakers easily and speakers are my preference when it comes to listening.

Also being obsessed with audiophile sound is not a good thing IMO. It becomes a distraction to the spirit of the music.

I’ll probably still get a nice new fancy headphone 10 years in the future just because buying is fun

 

[Draygonn]

It's convenience above all for me lately

Tyll thought the same when he retired.

 

[Redcarmoose]

There are cycles too. So we vary between what we are into. It will be interesting what you do?

 

[E8ArmyDiver]

Sounds like your just in need of a really good pair of Bluetooth cans like the HiFiMan Deva or better the Ananda BT...

 

[Raketen]

Sounds perfectly reasonable (though personally would probably just stash the hd800) . Imagine how mind-blowing the airpods would have been 18 years ago!

 

[Redcarmoose]

Sounds perfectly reasonable (though personally would probably consider hd800s worth the storage space just-in-case). Imagine how mind-blowing the airpods would have been 18 years ago!

You never know when you perception could change again? Meaning you could miss good headphone relay. Then have to repurchase to get a taste.

 

[H20Fidelity]

I joined in 2012 and became addicted, spent hours here daily right in the deep end, writing reviews buying products left / right center. audio buzz was in full flight. Might sound like a broken record but over those years I watched prices increasing, that turned me away from keeping it a full-time hobby. I still own HD800S and some good IEMs but really only listen for 30-minutes in the morning with a coffee now. The bug hasn't gone away completely but the candle is very dim.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Started Head-Fi is 2006, though I didn’t join till 2008. I had also listened to headphones, comparing since 1975. Currently probably 2018 was the top spending in my trajectory....now just enjoying what I have. Have found basic increases still in firmware and still think stuff is progressing, though I don’t foresee any big purchases for awhile? I’m not bored at all, in fact I still scan over reviews....not sure I can find better sounding gear ATM? There is some seriously expensive gear now, way different than even 5 years ago. My main focus now is the music! I would never give up on the music?

Though maybe there is something to these new $6000-$14,000 products? It is really getting too rich for my blood?

 

[Whazzzup]

No kids retired at 43 so have all kinds of time for listening.

 

[Ra97oR]

I am kinda happy with what I got, my HD800S and IEMs are used a lot still, but the latest and greatest no longer get me that excited.

Mostly thanks to the price tags recently!

 

[Spareribs]

It’s not unusual for guys to buy a nice audio rig and never upgrade for 20 years or more. I mean if it sounds really good, forget about it and enjoy the music. Get excited about a new album release instead of a new cable.

 

[550591]

I went from a 5.1 Homecinema setup with projector and 120" screen with over a 1000 blurays to a 4k 32" monitor with a Amazon fire TV cube and 2x echo 4 for stereo.

Everything got to much and I wanted to downsize.


Took a couple of months and I'm back to using a 65" OLED and the setup you see in my signature.

I wouldn't sell all your stuff. You will probably end up buying even more expensive stuff