[TrollDragon]

Quote:

True Dat tds, I also feel ones budget is almost as subjective as audio itself because someone making 6 figures a year is going to have a different budget than someone making $32K a year and then you have parameters like a wife, two kids, a dog and six goldfish helping you manage that budget

 It's a hobby, as I said before I feel you can have decent sound playback for under $100 which would surely qualify as budget just about for any enthusiast in this hobby and I went back through the thread after my initial budget post and saw a couple pages in where the OP pretty much had posted some systems just under the $300 mark which for some especially in this hobby is budget, I know it sure brings a lot more little systems into the picture and for sure some sweet sounding kits. It's all good, if you can afford it and it sounds good to you then it should be here

 
Exactly Podster, I started the thread as it started getting a little old looking at an AK100, RSA Intruder, $150+ 3.5mm TRS IC and then out to a pair of LCD 3's...
It's really hard to post a picture of the Colorfly C3 (the wife commandeered my clip+) running the Porta Pro's or the S500's and not get lost in all the 6 picture quoted reply droolies.  The stuff is gorgeous gear, but really... You just don't carry that around with you, or not most places I go to anyway.
 
True that some of my setups posted here have been close to $300 but considering that most decent headphones retail in that neighborhood alone, 300 bones for a full package is very Budget-Fi in my opinion. The nano 3rd Generation and the Porta Pro's never leave my pocket these days, just ordered a nice leather hard case for the nano from eBay for $4... (Mmmmm nano smell like baseball glove) The nano I got for free, what's an 8GB nano worth these days, not much, and the Porta Pro's I grabbed on sale at B&H for $35.
 
So if your rocking the 2GB Clip+ and a sweet pair of TDK MT-300's or a free iPhone 4 and some used IE80's that you got for a steal (Just let peeps know you picked them up for $150 at a yard sale) 

 then all is good here IMHO.
 
It's all about the music and trying to improve one quality of listening.

 

[Podster]

Quote:

 
Exactly Podster, I started the thread as it started getting a little old looking at an AK100, RSA Intruder, $150+ 3.5mm TRS IC and then out to a pair of LCD 3's...
It's really hard to post a picture of the Colorfly C3 (the wife commandeered my clip+) running the Porta Pro's or the S500's and not get lost in all the 6 picture quoted reply droolies.  The stuff is gorgeous gear, but really... You just don't carry that around with you, or not most places I go to anyway.
 
True that some of my setups posted here have been close to $300 but considering that most decent headphones retail in that neighborhood alone, 300 bones for a full package is very Budget-Fi in my opinion. The nano 3rd Generation and the Porta Pro's never leave my pocket these days, just ordered a nice leather hard case for the nano from eBay for $4... (Mmmmm nano smell like baseball glove) The nano I got for free, what's an 8GB nano worth these days, not much, and the Porta Pro's I grabbed on sale at B&H for $35.
 
So if your rocking the 2GB Clip+ and a sweet pair of TDK MT-300's or a free iPhone 4 and some used IE80's that you got for a steal (Just let peeps know you picked them up for $150 at a yard sale) 

 then all is good here IMHO.
 
It's all about the music and trying to improve one quality of listening.

True and a lot of fun getting there, by the way I just got back from the post office so keep your eyes peeled next week sometime I imagine

 

[TrollDragon]

Excellent, Most Excellent!
 
There is a Mr. Jackson here who has been asking for you as well, funny looking fellow, seems to have a foot and a half of forehead... 

 

[audiotux]

I agree with podster i posted my budget rig on page 5 I guess but since then my budget has improved and so has my rig.

 

[Podster]

Quote:

Excellent, Most Excellent!
 
There is a Mr. Jackson here who has been asking for you as well, funny looking fellow, seems to have a foot and a half of forehead... 

To kind Troll, post was just under $9 bones. I'm not a greedy boy so you can let Mr. Jackson and Mr. Hamilton battle it out over who gets the ride

 

[Podster]

I'm not sure about winning the budget showdown but this ones a hands down light load

 

 

[JoeDoe]

Sansa Clip + with 32gb SD: $45
Fiio E5: $25
MEElec A151: $50 (thanks to The Deals Thread)
Total Budget-Fi Setup with great SQ and portability: $120
 
The E5 is usually for my GR07s but it gives the 151 a little more bottom too. 

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

I'm not sure about winning the budget showdown but this ones a hands down light load

 

I had one of those itty bitty 4th gen shuffles for a while(that same color too). Impressive sound for something so small! 

 

[Podster]

"I had one of those itty bitty 4th gen shuffles for a while(that same color too). Impressive sound for something so small! "
 
Well Achmed, I thought the 4th Gen Shuff did sound really good on IEM/efficient phones but not like the new 7th Gen Nano, I have enjoyed anything I've plugged into my new Nano. Heck it and my iPhone 4 both sound pretty good on my 702's but so far my fave phones (of the ones I own) are my UE EB5's on it

 

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

"I had one of those itty bitty 4th gen shuffles for a while(that same color too). Impressive sound for something so small! "
 
Well Achmed, I thought the 4th Gen Shuff did sound really good on IEM/efficient phones but not like the new 7th Gen Nano, I have enjoyed anything I've plugged into my new Nano. Heck it and my iPhone 4 both sound pretty good on my 702's but so far my fave phones (of the ones I own) are my UE EB5's on it

 

 
Just the other day I was in a store and had the chance to see one of the 7G Nanos in person....I was amazed at the size of it.....seems like a really nice compromise between something tiny like a Shuffle or Clip and something big like a Touch or Classic. Good to hear that they sound great too!

 

[Podster]

Quote:

 
Just the other day I was in a store and had the chance to see one of the 7G Nanos in person....I was amazed at the size of it.....seems like a really nice compromise between something tiny like a Shuffle or Clip and something big like a Touch or Classic. Good to hear that they sound great too!

Achmedisdead, here is another thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/635800/impression-apple-nano-7g-lightning-to-30pin-adapter that supports the quality of the 7G's output stage. I had wanted to put mine on my C421 when I got it and I found older LOD's would not work with the lightning adapter so I ended up getting a new L3 and then it worked but I also found out this route just ate the battery up in the 7G with really no benefit to SQ! Long story short and as I discovered the 7G sounds great on multiple phones and battery life is killer when run right out of the headphone jack. ClieOS was a great help to me in that thread and who pointed me in the direction of the new LOD. Cheers

 

[FrequencyBlue]

 

 
 
$200 android (was gifted btw) + $4 PowerAmp + $75 JVC HA-FXT90 + $28 orange JVC HA-FX40 (not in the pic)

 

[grokit]

Summer rig: I recently put this together for $80 (the only thing new is the armband) and am quite pleased with it.
 

 
 
Mint iPod PRODUCT:red 3G Nano  $45
Used UltraFit 3000 (incomplete)    $30
New Body Glove armband/case      $5
 
It doesn't hurt that the IEMs retail for $80 alone so I think I did pretty good.
 
It sounds great for what it is but I wish the red Nano matched the red on the Polks

 

[davidcotton]

Posted these all over the place, but figured one more won't hurt.  Maybe pushing the boundaries in terms of budget but considering it's custom, well :-
 
Cosmic Ears MA1 and Sansa Clip Plus, budget custom goodness for £130 (plus impressions, postage and sd card but you get the idea).  So that would be around $200 in total for a custom set up!

 
Small, compact, easy to use (easier than full size customs just plug em in!)sounds great for a single driver (dual also available for a bit more) what's not to like?
 
Cheers

 

[JoeDoe]

Rockboxed Sansa Clip + 40gb -> KSC75

Total beach-ready setup: $45

If you can beat that price to SQ ratio, well my hat is off to you.