It's great that you are doing a giveaway for the headphones!
- Who was the manufacturer that introduced you to personal audio?
The first manufacturer introducing me to personal audio would be Audio-Technica. I actually placed an order for the V-moda Crossfade LP, but I shortly cancelled it after doing a little more research. During this time, I looked at headphones as a gaming peripheral rather than a way to enjoy music. My music collection was horribly low then, and nonexistent to many other people here in the forum that have as many albums as songs I have. I didn't know what I wanted back then, so all I had was how enthusiastic the reviewer was for a certain product.
Due to my lack of knowledge, I was easily persuaded by the ATH-M50x due to the hype surrounding it as well as the 200 USD price point. I would've gone for a Beyerdynamic 770 or 880, but was restricted by the higher price point and the need for an amplifier (the 32-ohm versions were priced even more). I still enjoy the M50x today, however.
Ostry was the first manufacturer that introduced me to IEMs in a way that would make me travel further down the IEM path. I had the Xiaomi Pistons before that, but was too impressed at the time. I wore the KC06a many times, even more than my M50x, for the portability and covenience of IEMs. The convenience ended up inside a washing machine, so I moved on to the Fidue A83 and started properly identifying my sound preference and truly appreciating music from there.
- What are some of your current favorite products in the audio world? What makes them better than the other products you’ve tried?
My collection is rather limited, but I'm planning to expand it.
The favorites headphones would be the Fidue A83 and AKG 7xx. Both appeal to my ears to make the price I pay for them worth it. The A83 was the first product that allowed me to distinguish a headphone/IEM's sound, while the K7xx was an upgrade to the M50x with a more neutral sound signature compared to that headphone. The A83's mids impressed me deeply with how vocals are handled through the IEM.
As for sources, my Schiit Stack boasts great quality for a budget price and my Fiio X1 amazed me for a device under $100 that had a very functional screen and OS as well as a clearer sound than my phone. I currently have a Fiio X5, but have not used it enough to make an overall judgement, but I'm liking my upgrade so far. Even now, I look at the X1 and still think the value goes beyond a hundred US dollars.
- How does music drive or move you in your day-to-day life?
It's funny that I prefer silence just as much as music. However, silence is for calming down my stresses while music is meant to motivate and move me upwards to a better attitude. I listen to music a lot more than before, using my IEMs during my commutes to my classes, and also using them inside my house when I'm focusing on homework. I actually use my portable rig in my house when I don't feel like working on my desk.
I went into audio to upgrade a peripheral to my self built computer. Now I have spent more on audio than my computer itself, which is very amusing to me.
I want to thank you, MassDrop, for making this giveaway possible!