[GhosT98]

When did you guys become audiophiles? What was your first bit of kit? I first had a UE700 two years ago and have been interested in audio ever since. Probably both a blessing and a curse, because it's the audial equivalent of not being blind (read: Beats) but I'm forever doomed to having a giant hole in my wallet :/

P.S. the Sydney Can-Con this year happens to be held exactly 10 minutes walk from where I live...but would be slightly awkward considering.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

Being 14 years of age, I think that makes me the youngest person on Head-Fi

When did you guys become audiophiles? What was your first bit of kit? I first had a UE700 two years ago and have been interested in audio ever since. Probably both a blessing and a curse, because it's the audial equivalent of not being blind (read: Beats) but I'm forever doomed to having a giant hole in my wallet :/
P.S. the Sydney Can-Con this year happens to be held exactly 10 minutes walk from where I live...but would be slightly awkward considering.

Why not go with your parents or friends? Although it may just cement an even bigger hole in your pocket .

 

[ytisawfulnow]

I am also 14...

 

[GhosT98]

Ha, I'm one of two audiophiles I know. My family certainly aren't. 

 

[GhosT98]

Quote:

I am also 14...

 
And in Australia as well...what a coincidence!

 

[temporaryname]

Some (unrequested) advice then: Find something that performs to an satisfactory level and stick with it.
 
My audiophile journey has been a giant financial pain in my arse and all I learnt at the end of it is 95% of all the positivity is unwarranted hype and surreptitious marketing. I've bought $3,250 highly regarded pieces of desktop equipment that couldn't out do an in-built counterpart on a portable player. I promptly returned said equipment.
Audio reproduction is a science. DAC's and amplifiers are pretty well understood so if you're going to invest in one, do it from someone who's scientifically minded and has properly documented the abilities of their products (Benchmark or Violectric, for example). Transducers aren't at the level of DAC's and amps and at the moment are more suitable to subjective criticism in my opinion, although tread carefully knowing that the science to making a perfect transducer is still being worked out (even though leaps and bounds have been made in this area recently).
 
I'm waiting for an ODA/ODAC combo to be released. I plan to buy it and rest that part of my audiophile journey confident that my gear has been documented to be extremely competent in converting and amplifying the signal with high accuracy and an inaudible noise floor (and for relatively cheap too). The majority of my funds will be spent on tranducers, like the Fit Ear TG! 334's and Audeze LCD-2's.
 
To qualify, this is all my personal opinion and personal experience. I'm sure others will disagree. I'm just hoping to prevent audiophiles new to this hobby getting sucked into the hype and marketing like I was that tells them only a $10,000 system will be good enough to sate their desire for great sound. Remember, read all reviews and impressions with great wariness and above all trust your own ears. This hobby is a business.

 

[ytisawfulnow]

Yeah i recently got the Q701 (rebaged K701) an upgrade from my ATH-M50 and and selling them as i consider them to not be worth the upgrade. I think the next headphone purchase i make will be in the FUTURE with the HE-500 or LCD-2.

 

[temporaryname]

I have both and I vote for the LCD-2's. By far superior in my opinion.

 

[GhosT98]

Quote:

Some (unrequested) advice then: Find something that performs to an satisfactory level and stick with it.
 
My audiophile journey has been a giant financial pain in my arse and all I learnt at the end of it is 95% of all the positivity is unwarranted hype and surreptitious marketing. I've bought $3,250 highly regarded pieces of desktop equipment that couldn't out do an in-built counterpart on a portable player. I promptly returned said equipment.
Audio reproduction is a science. DAC's and amplifiers are pretty well understood so if you're going to invest in one, do it from someone who's scientifically minded and has properly documented the abilities of their products (Benchmark or Violectric, for example). Transducers aren't at the level of DAC's and amps and at the moment are more suitable to subjective criticism in my opinion, although tread carefully knowing that the science to making a perfect transducer is still being worked out (even though leaps and bounds have been made in this area recently).
 
I'm waiting for an ODA/ODAC combo to be released. I plan to buy it and rest that part of my audiophile journey confident that my gear has been documented to be extremely competent in converting and amplifying the signal with high accuracy and an inaudible noise floor (and for relatively cheap too). The majority of my funds will be spent on tranducers, like the Fit Ear TG! 334's and Audeze LCD-2's.
 
To qualify, this is all my personal opinion and personal experience. I'm sure others will disagree. I'm just hoping to prevent audiophiles new to this hobby getting sucked into the hype and marketing like I was that tells them only a $10,000 system will be good enough to sate their desire for great sound. Remember, read all reviews and impressions with great wariness and above all trust your own ears. This hobby is a business.

I haven't actually found a place where I can try out various equipment...makes it hard 

 

[asha1997]

Well, I think I have you beat, I am 14 now, and born in December. My first "real" headphones were sennheiser hd595's and a very nice asus sound card. I've gotten other pairs of headphones that were around $150, but they just weren't what the sen's sounded, or even felt like, with the senns, they were very bright, and enough bass to satisfy my needs. I had a pair of klipsch s4 or something that I plugged into my phone and those were decent. Now I'm looking for a pair of hd580's and then getting a fiio e17, and hopefully in the near future a little tube amp also, most likely a little dot mkiii.
 

 

[GhosT98]

Quote:

Well, I think I have you beat, I am 14 now, and born in December. My first "real" headphones were sennheiser hd595's and a very nice asus sound card. I've gotten other pairs of headphones that were around $150, but they just weren't what the sen's sounded, or even felt like, with the senns, they were very bright, and enough bass to satisfy my needs. I had a pair of klipsch s4 or something that I plugged into my phone and those were decent. Now I'm looking for a pair of hd580's and then getting a fiio e17, and hopefully in the near future a little tube amp also, most likely a little dot mkiii.
 

Haha, you do - I'm born in March.
 
It's good to see people of my age who appreciate good quality audio. My school is roughly equivalent to a Beats by Dre apocalypse.

 

[TickleMeElmo]

Quote:

I haven't actually found a place where I can try out various equipment...makes it hard 

 
I don't think there is anywhere in Sydney that has a true variety of headphones that you could audition. I believe there is a shop in Lane Cove that has HD800s (or it may be Beyer T1's I forget).
 
Quote:

 
It's good to see people of my age who appreciate good quality audio. My school is roughly equivalent to a Beats by Dre apocalypse.

 
I think people discount the Beats brand too readily. They may be overpriced and not the best sound but it brought about a consciousness of the public towards what sounds good. You are probably too young to remember but before the proliferation of Beats almost everyone was using white Apple Earbuds. However bad you think Beats sound they sound better than the Apple Earbuds and this shows some progress.
 
A business is doing itself no favors by selling a cheap product if the market is willing to pay more. If nothing else Beats should be commended on their business acumen. 

 

[Parall3l]

First joined at 14 too. Just turned 16 a few weeks ago.

 

[lee730]

Lol I don't agree with that at all. To be honest in comparison to yesteryear sound quality standards have gone down not up with the general public. A lot of the older gear is still held in high esteem and quite a bit of it even puts the newer audiophile gear to shame. Sorry to bust your bubble but beats are really nothing more than a gimmick to emulsify money from your wallet. There is much better things out there at a fraction of the cost. It's all hype based on a popularity contest (it's pathetic). But it sells and you don't see beats complaining, they are cashing in and reaping the rewards .
 

 

[softrally]

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