[Angelbelow]

There is no cure
 
But I wouldn't have it any other way.
 
 

 

[obzilla]

Quote:

tax break only make it worse.
 
im gonna end up buying HD 800s....

Try a LF, Woo GES, and a pair of 007 MkIIs. 
 
This place is financially toxic.

 

[Taowolf51]

Quote:

I'm in the same boat with you, a college student longing for an upgrade since I found this site.
You can:
1. Buy the best equipments so you won't have to upgrade anymore or
2. Buy decent equipments that you can afford and be grateful with what you have or
3. Stay out of equipments forum

Personally I'm going with option #2. I've decided that my last purchases will be a headphone and an amp. After I purchased them, I'm going to stay out of here

at least until I have my own income.

College student. I upgraded to "the best". Didn't fix anything, I just picked up the Fostex T50rp to mod, and I'm eyeing the Grado 325i. I'm also picking up an ODA/ODAC when they come out.
 
Help me...

 

[Magick Man]

You guys all have really nice stuff. I'm using budget-fi and struggling to break into mid-fi. Not really sure if the D7000 is 'mid fi' or 'hi fi' but anyway, all I'm sayin is I can't afford to spend multi-thousands on Audeze & all the best amps etc... but I think I'm gonna have to get myself something pretty nice. It'll either be the hd650 with an amp, or the D7000 with or without amp. I'm fixated... obsessed. It's an itch I feel like I have to scratch or it just isn't going to go away.

I consider the D7000 to be the entry point into the high end, along with others like the HE-500. If I walk into someone's place and see a pair of D7000s hanging next to their desk, I know they're serious about their cans. Personally, I'd go D7000 over HD650 every single time, even if it meant getting a less expensive amp. The Denons don't actually need an amp to sound great, they simply improve with one.

 

[gelocks]

 
Quote:

- Mid-fiers: Audition all the headphones available and realise that the improvements aren't major between mid -> high end cans.

 
This has been my experience from the gear I have bought. The improvements I've heard have not been leaps and bounds. They are palpable but not enough to warrant a lot of spending... Of course, not everyone has the same "ears"
 
Still, something you COULD try is buying your mid-fi gear (whether it's a Denon D2000 or HE-500) and amp, try it out with your favorite music, buy a hifi headphone from a reputable seller with great return policy (such as Amazon and even Crutchfield which has the HD800 open box in like $1100 or so!!!!) and COMPARE it with what you currently have. You can then be the judge if indeed you need to keep buying or if you are happy with your current set-up... This way you can convince yourself and stop listening to us!! LOL
 
It will also depend on your preferences such as: do you like open or closed headphones? Do you care for isolation and sound leakage? Do you prefer highs, mids or lows? One VERY IMPORTANT one is comfort... I know people on the forums that have and LOVE their LCD-2s/3s but they only listen to them like for 1 hour because they believe they are too heavy, etc. That to me is a no-no and I wouldn't want to spend $2k to have something I could use for 1 hour... etc. etc.
 
So apart from the tip mentioned above, you could also put your preferences in check. Answer the questions above, reach your conclusion and try to notice the differences on each headphones and to be on the safe side, buy from a store with great returns....
 
done!
 
 
P.S. I still buy stuff but just because I want to try out different sound signatures (without spending more than $400). I started loving the "Shure" sound but I'm really loving my Denons now. Found out I also enjoy my Beyers and Senns... so I'm all over the place. Now, I'm going to follow my own suggestion, try out one of those hifi options and see if the differences are enough to stick with it or just use my mid-fi ones and be happy... I'm enjoying my music now, if I can enjoy it even more with more expensive gear, then my wallet is screwed... if not, I experienced what all the buzz was about and I'm going to stick with what I already have...
 

 

[Bloodoath]

My view is fairly simple; start cheap.  Decide if amps, DACs and such will provide any improvement to your listening experience.  Get a fairly inexpensive DAC/AMP combo; E7 or uDAC would be a start and a good set of headphones.  See if you like the experience; is it better than what you have now.  Then I'd say look around for the gear you'd like within a reasonable budget and then just save up and get what you think gives the best bang for the buck.  Go too cheap and you'll always wonder if more is better, too expensive and you may have regrets.  Once you've decided you will enjoy a better experience and then have gotten the best value for the money you've spent in your equipment, you may want to try new things, but you'll have a basis to decide if spending extra is worth it.  My current setup will do me until something breaks even though there is better equipment, but it would need to be really good for me to upgrade.

 

[devouringone3]

I haven't read all of what was posted here.
 
I just cured my upgraditis by giving the final blow to my wallet. I have bought the headphone of my dream; even though it's not a company's flagship, it's one of their most appreciated headphones around here, definitely audiophile quality, a bit rare and on the costly side of things... okay I'm talking about a Grado HP2. I'm always thrilled inside when I think that I'm currently listening to the father of all other Grados.
 
But I didn't simply get on top of the chain on first blow, hence my upgraditis.. I went from SR325i, to RS1, to SR100-0, to HP2, and a few more in between for pointless testing purposes and, by lack of courage, not wanting to face my problem, scared by the thought of owning one of the top headphone in the world, thinking this wasn't for me.
 
I'm a university student and luckily I have received quite a lot of scholarships at my entrance for my good grades at the college, that the only reason why I have food to eat right now... or a HP2. If it wouldn't have been for those I would have never thought of even buying my first Grado (this September! yup), and without this first Grado it wouldn't even have been question of Head-Fi I did not know when I discovered Grado.
 
I suggest you that you start by finding a company you like. Find a shape of headphone, a sound, and make yourself a list of criteria, not just the sound, things that you want to find on the perfect headphone, make sure and plan everything so that you fall in love with the headphones of this company. Taking me as an example I wanted an open and full sized headphone (it could be a custom IEM, or a portable sized can, for more examples), that was of a round shape (it could be ergonomically shaped, angled driver, etc., split headband, just consider as much as you can when reading reviews) and that was not too hard to drive. I also dig the plain yet edgy look of the Grados and the raw materials used for their smaller cups. I think a good first step in finding a company you like is to go listen and touch to their lesser demoable choices at a Hi-Fi store or read reviews and impressions on Head-Fi about the company and their models, and most importantly the flagship / best offerings this company makes. I come from a small town where we don't have Hi-Fi stores or headphones from companies discussed on Head-Fi, so I have read reviews. You must already have an idea of the sound you want don't you? Me I wanted details, relative "musicality" (no matter what that means), and I wasn't asking for much bass at all.
 
Once you like a company, buy their flagship.
 
Lol. No I'm serious. Do that.
 
It could be just an AKG, K701, it could also be a Stax SR009. Those flagships are rarely deceiving to someone who just took his first step -- just think for a moment how happy you will be the day it'll enter your house, the day you'll open the textured rigid box with the nice leather smell or whatever headphone and box you have in mind --, but you have to buy only one headphone. And here's the hardest part to curing your upgraditis: content yourself of it. Don't try to change its sound because you don't like it (this issue should already have been ruled out way before you commit yourself to a purchase), don't become one of those merchanters to deal used headphones all day long, one headphone after the other, here on the classifieds section, and become overly nitpicky after having tried all the best in the world. Pick one up, and then start upgrading your system, very slowly... you are permitted to take your time because you have a world class headphone on your head and because it already blew your mind.
 
Later on you'll buy whatever other headphone you want or dream of another one, and you'll be able to sleep with two flagships instead of one if sleeping with headphones is what you want, yes. But right here right now what we want is to cure upgraditis! Let's keep our goal in focus.
 
So yeah in short, buy a end game headphone such as a HD800, a LCD3, a T1... whatever, a Fostex TH900. Save up all of your money for it, desire it for a while and plan it well because you know you will have to stick with it for a long time. Higher grade means better manufacturing means lower chances of failing means better durability means longer lifespan; -- even though some power-users at Head-Fi.org are actually rolling these things as random objects they own and don't care so much about to find a match with the latest state of the art headphone amplifier -- flagships are made to last you for more than a whole chapter in your life, which means many years. For me it is SO satisfying to have on your head a technological milestone (HD800), a wooden piece of planar magnetic art (LCD3), a magnetic field of a superior intensity of that of a MRI scanner (T1 or TH900), etc.
 
If you do just that I'm sure you won't end up owning so many random headphones, amplifiers, cables, mods, and trader feedbacks. I have purchased many Grado headphones for my part but now that I'm listening to a HP2 and I definitely think I should have buy this one in the first place! But it was inconceivable for me to do so at the time. And that's what I mean when I say you need courage (kind of like this guy: http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A1JK8ZMM3WJWOK/ref=cm_pdp_rev_more?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview#R3OE19UCA8842F).
 
Right now I don't feel like owning anything more in life... okay, because I am BROKE, lol.
 
I am broke but I have found my guardian angel so everything will remain o.k. for me.
 
If you're too young, at school, or really just too busy to work for money or have money, then I'm sorry for you because you joined Head-Fi too early in your life. Buy something in between you and your dream headphone. A HD650 from Sennheiser, a RS1 from Grado, but not a model too low (http://www.head-fi.org/t/596210/spent-so-much-money-and-still-disappointed) because you will end up spending even money. Chances are that if you are scared of your upgraditis to develop already then, it is that you already know about this phenomenon and what you will probably do after receiving your new headphone is visit Head-Fi always more and more to read reviews about the actual headphone (yes, about the one you just purchased!) and about the next step to take into improving its sound, or UPGRADEING it with another amp or something, and this is exactly what we want to avoid; the sad truth is that all Head-Fier wants to get the best out of their money, so they read and improve their gear. But yeah, some companies make great audiophile headphones at reasonable price. The FA-003 from Fischer Audio looks very neat. If you're not sure whether you can take care of something such as Sennheiser's flagship, then go for a smaller company and wait a little more before taking a sword and killing your wallet on a HD800.
 
Think about it, if you realize you made a fatal error by buying a Grado PS1000, which I don't even think possible, since this thing must sound incredible, you can ALWAYS resell it on eBay or Head-Fi. And reselling is easy to do, even though you loose a bit of money. Just take care of the thing while its in your possession and you'll be able to get back most of what you paid for it. Like I said, you should have read everything there was on the internet about a headphone (especially when its a flagship!) before purchasing it... I'm being silly with my "fatal error" thing but I just want you to remember that there is always and escape plan. Headphones are resellable goods and they have value... they are not garbage in = garbage out things, those are Skull Candies, headphones  for the people who does not care about what their money can buy, who does not care one bit for their music they listen to only once in a blue moon, Skull Candy is the first headphone you offer to your child or I don't know, but these always end up in the wastebasket because no one cares about it once you have purchased it. When you've entered the top-tier, as long as they are repairable and that parts exists (which holds up true for most company and headphone, even my HP2 for which is still possible to have service from its maker, but not for the Sony R10 owner sadly), its virtually a timeless object that will retain 100% of its functionality... It's true that for cellphones, camera, computers, most of what's part of this huge and recent boom in the digital and computer domain of consuming, these things are condemned to become obsolete, but headphones do last a lot longer. Vintage headphones are still popular around and some of them still sound amazing even compared to nowadays offerings.
 
Next.
 
For the reason of the last paragraph, I think its always worth it buying used gear instead of new ones. I suggest you to do the same. You're doing a lot more good to the planet by getting someone rid of undesired goods instead of asking a manufacturer to create another one from the planet's limited resources. Also, even though some people here thinks their slightly used stuff is worth just as much as brand new in box one, which isn't true, you can snatch some great deals on Head-Fi, a lot more than on eBay, which usually ends up costing more because of all the visibility an auction get. Just know that if you want a clean headphone, make sure the seller doesn't smoke, have cats, or live in a tropical climate area... you can also ask the seller to clean his **** back to the way it was when he unboxed it. To mo, when it comes to flagship headphones, one needs to take utmost good care of it. "Babying" should be THE NORM when you've paid more for a silly headphone than you did for your car! In my case I have a 100% lettering HP2. That paint is worth about 500$ easily, and is super easy to rub off. I'm close to using cotton glove to manipulate it.
 
Finally, as another half step before taking up a grandiosity-level headphone and if you want to put upgraditis on pause with the use of the emergency button, buy one of those "proven-good" headphones They are headphones widely considered as safe bets and classics: Creative Aurvana Live! (or the Denon AH-D1001 equivalent or Fostex Kotori 201), Koss PortaPro, Fostex T50RP (you will want to crack this one up to modify it, I warm you), blox M2C (depending on your criteria's, some doesn't like full sizes), V-Moda M80.. just to name examples I know of, but there are a lot more of those, you just need to read and find out about them. I think the market is currently in effervescence for higher quality headphones, just go to site innerfidelity.com to discover a some thing very satisfying, and budget at the same time, just before getting your dream headphone.
 
Also, random idea and tips, conveyed as personal experience examples:
 
I don't like headphone amplifier or DACs, I think the law of the diminishing returns applies to them even more (http://www.head-fi.org/t/472214/are-most-headamps-overpriced-cmoys). Those are of a realm even more niche where it truly becomes audiophile's play, and it gets very complicated if you want to attain a very specific sound with a specific headphone. I suggest you to stay away from it until you have found an headphone you truly love for just what it is, by itself (with no need to cover up for its flaws! in a perfect world all headphones should be like that). I still think the headphone is the most important part of the audio playback chain, because it has the most dramatic effect on the sound (obviously? it's the sole interface with your audition!). Me I've bought an okay Amp-DAC combo second hand, here on Head-Fi, for 300, and to stop thinking about it already. I think that as long as you have an headphone amp you're good to go and call yourself an Hi-Fier and invite your friends to come to your room and be impressed by your audiophile rig. Some headphones also sounds good unamped, that's very true for my Grados. I wouldn't recommend to skip the headphone amp part altogether to anyone, but for you, it will certainly help accelerate your curing of your upgraditis, to focusing on the headphone part. Buy one of these Chinese 200 to 350 dollars solid state DAC-Amp, Chineses know how to really give you the most out of your dollar (Dr Dac 2 DX, Matrix I mini, there are tons of them but I don't recall their names as they are all so similar and confusing, like the FiiO's E line).
 
Also I suggest that you forget about cables for now, that's jewelry for when you'll be older.
 
Portable amp is to be considered if you're buying a hard to drive headphone.
 
Remember to get wise and read a lot before buying any serious gear. You make less mistakes when you're wise, which might look obvious, yet we all eventually have to learn it the hard way, one day or another, and we sometimes repeat these mistakes in time... only human.

 

[BleaK]

^a very nice post!

 

[devouringone3]

Thank you Ayreon fan. Sorry I have re-read it and noticed quite a bit of mistakes of all kinds. I first did it very quickly but now I have proofread the whole damn thing.
 
You don't have to re-read it though because it's all for same, but it's definitely easier to read. That's why I'm saying I'm sorry .
 
but thank you!

 

[Bee inthe Attic]

some food for thought, check out the video (it might help put some things in perspective):
 
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_researches_happiness.html
 

 

[KG Jag]

If you have enough discretionary income available after your debts (not just minimum payments) are paid, then fire away.
 
However for most of us without a trust fund, it makes sense to ask: what specific net improvements am I getting for each dollar spent?  How would I use the money if I didn't spend it on headphone "stuff" and what is the value to me of the non-headphone option?  Sooner or later virtually all of us will reach the point of diminishing returns on money spent on this hobby/passion, as well as almost anything else we buy.

 

[Bonobo Loco]

Quote:

If you have enough discretionary income available after your debts (not just minimum payments) are paid, then fire away.
 
However for most of us without a trust fund, it makes sense to ask: what specific net improvements am I getting for each dollar spent?  How would I use the money if I didn't spend it on headphone "stuff" and what is the value to me of the non-headphone option?  Sooner or later virtually all of us will reach the point of diminishing returns on money spent on this hobby/passion, as well as almost anything else we buy.

Agree that diminishing returns sets in quickly... but what happened with me was I got a pair of the hd380's and that gave me a taste of what really good headphones can sound like... but I wanted more. I could tell I wasn't really getting the true audiophile experience.
 
Anyway I ordered a pair of HD 650's and a Fiio e10 amp. They should get here sometime in the next few days. The waiting is killing me : )
 
I know the e10 isnt' really the best thing to power the 650's but hey you gotta start somewhere, right? And like you said, on a budget, you have to do the best you can do.

 

[Taowolf51]

It all depends on price per use, in my opinion.
 
And when you look at it, it's cheaper than most things. Cigarettes are a good example. An average pack can cost $6-7. Let's go with the lower number for this.
Average a 1 pack per day smoker that smokes $6 per pack cigarettes; one year of that is $2190. Say a pack takes about 1-2 hours to smoke total.
 
So for 1-2 hours of enjoyment per day, for one year it costs $2190. So to get the same price-to-usage level as the average smoker (which is a fairly common person) you could spend almost $2200 on audio gear. That's probably what I've spent in the last 5 years on headphones, amps, turntables, speakers, etc. and my gear gets far more than 2 hours of use per day. And, while debatable, I believe I get more enjoyment per hour from my audio gear than the average smoker gets from his/her cigarettes.
And the interesting part is no one looks at smokers as people spending a ton of money on what they do, but when people see my gear I'm all of a sudden Moneybags.

 

[KG Jag]

How much did you pay for your bed?

 

[Dubstep Girl]

guy with the super long post has some good advice.
 
 
except when it comes to just buying a companies flagship. there are exceptions.
 
for example, hd 650 vs hd 800. completely different sound and the hd 800 doesn't represent the sennheiser sound in the same  way as the hd 650 does.
 
likewise, grado ps1000 is nothing like the other more traditional grados. 
 
i like starting small and building up. its more expensive and takes longer, but thats where you learn about the magical world of headphones and get to explore and enjoy different sounds