[jdhore]

Let's have a bit of story time...JD's Audio Journey (tl;dr: My introduction):
 
I was born a poor bl...Wait, that's a different story...
 
Like most people in this hobby (I think), I started on low-fi/budget-fi crap like Sony MDR-ZX100 and crappy gaming headsets.
 
From there I upgraded significantly to my first pair of real audiophile cans, Beyer DT770 250ohm...I primarily bought them because "Hey, they're used by BBC radio and a lot of music studios and they probably have huge budgets for headphones, so they must be good". I was real happy with them, but from there I decided to go a bit better and on the recommendation of a friend, I got a pair of Hifiman HE-400i's and a Fiio Stack (E17 + E09k)...
 
After that, i'm not sure how, but I kind of just started falling down the rabbit hole and getting more and more and better and better headphones and better and better source components (Currently i'm at Schiit Gungnir as a DAC, KGSSHV Carbon for estats and Schiit Mjolnir 2 for dynamics/orthos).
 
I don't have many regrets, but looking at my bank account balance, this has been a really expensive hobby...but one i'm glad I got into.

 

[thatonenoob]

Good to hear m8.  Can attest to this myself.

 

[dudlew]

Journeys always start somewhere. Glad to hear of your start.
My first proper can was a rebadged Koss RadioShack on ear, which lead to a Senn HD497, then to Beyer DT235, AKG K81, Sony MDR-1R, and Oppo PM3. It also led me amp wise from a PA2v2 to Fiio E11k and Burson Soloist SL. Its been going now for about 14 years, and in between this, I have been buying speaker related stuff as well.
 
Mad journey yes.
Cheap no.
Lots of fun Yeah!

D