Howdy folks. I'm also another Aussie with an interest in all things audio, although I do have limits in terms of what I'd be willing to purchase. Since getting more involved in head-fi in recent times, I've been shocked by some of the prices of equipment but I'm getting used to it. Personally, I wouldn't pay some of the prices I've seen for cans, DAPs, DACs or amps, but that's because I'm a tightar...I'm frugal. In saying that, I do want to "invest" in good quality gear, but it does come with limits, as I said.
In the past, I've been more into home theatre and multi-channel music listening, but with my gear currently in storage because of space limitations in our home, I've resorted to a smaller setup; desktop speakers and 2-channel amp for audio from the computer (running via an FX-Audio DAC-X7), and a DAP/headphone amp & headphones setup for when I want to really focus on the music. I've been using an Onkyo DP-X1A DAP for the last two years but recently purchased the Fiio M11, which will be my go-to device for dedicated music listening. I'll pair it with the XDuoo XD-05 headphone amp (which I've upgraded with the Burson OpAmp - and for the life of me, I can't tell the difference).
As far as headphones are concerned, I have the AKG K702 (which I use sparingly) and the Onkyo A800, which are lovely. I had the B&W PX but sold them recently because they were too tight on my head and just didn't feel right. In recent times, I've been looking to step up the experience by exploring planar magnetic headphones. A pair of Mr Speakers Aeon open back are due to arrive today and I'm rather looking forward to what these will do to my music. So, that bit earlier where I said I was frugal? Yeah, that doesn't always apply.
Anyway, I've been a lurker here for a while and I have appreciated the insight and knowledge of the community. It has certainly helped me make decisions about some of the gear I've purchased. And I may need to call upon your expertise again soon enough.
