[El_Doug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsplice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with that. If you feel that you could afford something more than what you currently have, you will always think "man just imagine how much better this could be if I bought this...or that...and this...."

and THIS is why we go to meets

eliminating this uncertainty is the first step towards satisfaction with your own rig! once you are no longer feeling inadequate, you are 50% of the way there.

every level of detail and nuance revealed is an opportunity for more and more of the persistent excitement that the OP refers to. sure, new system color can be temporarily exciting - however too many people on this board are condescending of the higher-priced gear, arguing that perceived improvements are simply a matter of experiencing a different sound signature. this is wrong! to me, though I cannot deny that the coloration is most obvious at first, a new, more perfect blend of detail, lushness, soundstage, etc. is critical to reaching the nirvana Ice wants to reach

@OP - just buy the Sony

that + your current amp + DT48s just may get you there!

 

[zotjen]

Audio wowness doesn't start at a price point. And you should know better by now.

 

[tvrboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif What price point. I mean audio so good, you spend every waking moment thinking of listening to your set up and doing nothing else. I really like my set up, but I feel I'd need a HD800/R10/Q10/Auditor etc/New 1,400 Sony SACD player to get me there? Maybe a 3,000 DAC, Or just the HE90. I know people say it's the music.. I just want to expand on the aural aspect, Like I'm in another world or something. I can't afford this now, but would 10,000 get me there, buying used. I'm a bit afraid to hear the best at meets.. Might make me sell everything for it or something. & yes, I'd still be keeping my DT48..)

No price point. When I bought a HD-201, I loved it and played all my favorite albums again just to hear them through that headphone. I wouldn't worry too much about what you're missing .... just enjoy what you have. Your post seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy that you will never be satisfied with what you have.

 

[sampson_smith]

My "WOW" experience began with Shure SE210 IEM's for portable and Alessandro MS-1i's for home listening. I'm sure that one can do much better (my SR-325is's are a clear improvement), but something tells me that it's being a music enthusiast first, and only an audiophile second, that dictates whether or not one finds (their favored style of) music totally immersive and resplendent. I mean, jeepers... I used to totally wig out to White Zombie walking to high school using nothing but a poorly-recorded cassette, a first gen' Walkman and stock buds. I'm always trying to get back to that feeling...

 

[krmathis]

$5000
Not $4999 and not $5001, but $5000 sharp.

Seriously...
I do not think it comes at a certain price point. As one can get a great sounding unit for $100, while another one costing $1000 may sound worse.
What is important is the components quality and how they match with each other.

 

[JJDyn0mite]

My wowness started at $50 when I bought my first set of grado's, used SR-60's off the FS forums when I first joined (about 8 years ago...)

Nothing since then has been such a big jump in enjoyment, but I still love anticipating what a new headphone will sound like and playing my favorite music through them all over again.

JJ

 

[DoYouRight]

I struggle with this alot, this website if read daily and hourly can be one huge factor in not enjoying music. If you read and listen at the same time is blah and can be "so much better with this gear". I found the more you ignore things the more euphoric it can get. Listening to my old ipod and esw10 no amp in dark bedroom is the best and trumps everything else because I immerse myself and forget about the world. I become in the recording.

One thing I miss was opiates, they take you there and then some VERY quickly with hardly any special gears. But wife can not enjoy that hobby,

 

[adrift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJDyn0mite /img/forum/go_quote.gif My wowness started at $50 when I bought my first set of grado's, used SR-60's off the FS forums when I first joined (about 8 years ago...) Nothing since then has been such a big jump in enjoyment, but I still love anticipating what a new headphone will sound like and playing my favorite music through them all over again. JJ

I joined the forum for just the opposite reason. I didn't know anything about headphones at all. Didn't even know there was an enthusiast scene out there for them. Needed a new pair of headphones to replace some cheap broken computer headset... found people raving about the SR60s and 80s. Bought a pair. Thought they sounded very good, but it wasn't the mind blowing experience I was bracing myself for... just too much untapped potential and I find them so bright at times its hard for me to stand.

I ran into this board on my quest for the ultimate (relatively speaking) cheap and portable audio experience. I have to admit to a wowness experience the first time I was introduced, through this board, to binaural audio, and to a lesser extant Dolby Headphone audio.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ffrr /img/forum/go_quote.gif really, in this hobby, audiophilia, one is never satisfied.. you enjoy it for a minute, thinking "wow, this is amazing" but unless you cut yourself off from the internet and the printed audiophile rags , etc.... it is a whole lot of chasing "perfect sound" and happiness never comes..satisfaction is elusive. excitement/happiness is attained only through tweaking and purchasing. the only folks that are truly happy are the folks that dont have money to get into this audiophile game. they enjoy music instead of equipment.

I think you can reach a point of satiety with audio gear. When you get to a cetain point there really isn't any more improvement. The cost of gear expands to every price point (hence, Vertu cellphones) regardless of quality or performance. Marketers know that exclusivity and price snobbishness are a part of this game, so if someone is willing to pay $30,000 for an amp, there will be an amp that will sell for $30,000. Even if it's pretty much the same thing as a $2,000 amp, someone is going to buy it to score points in the fashion parade/genital waving part of this hobby.

When you know where that point is, you can get there pretty cheap if you buy used. You can also DIY the majority of stuff you want, also skipping past the hype and going directly to quality.

 

[DoYouRight]

Adrift the one thing HF-2s do is cure that bright pain of the other models very well with more bass impact.

I wish there would be less AMAZING AMP/DAC of the week where theres so much new crap we dont get a chance to enjoy what we have before being bombarded with all these new gears that are basically the same just with good reviews.

Before I attempted anything DIY i thought it was a cheap alternative and meagor at best. But boy was I floored at that. DIY is where you get huge enjoyment because its price/performance ratio is REALLY good not just some random reviewer's keyword. Plus YOU BUILD IT you get so much more from that.

 

[Postalisback]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adrift /img/forum/go_quote.gif I joined the forum for just the opposite reason. I didn't know anything about headphones at all. Didn't even know there was an enthusiast scene out there for them. Needed a new pair of headphones to replace some cheap broken computer headset...

Haha I went the same route, although my headset wasnt broken, but I wanted something better, so glad I found this place (can't even remember how I did now)

My first purchase was the Sennheiser HD 595, then after that a pair of Philips SHP2000 (cost me £12 lol), I thought those were brilliant, until I got a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 231 Pro, which I ended up preferring to both the 595s and the Philips.

My next purchase after that was the DT 150, and I love the rolled off treble (treble gets irritating on the DT 231 Pro now)

 

[adrift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoYouRight /img/forum/go_quote.gif Adrift the one thing HF-2s do is cure that bright pain of the other models very well with more bass impact. I wish there would be less AMAZING AMP/DAC of the week where theres so much new crap we dont get a chance to enjoy what we have before being bombarded with all these new gears that are basically the same just with good reviews. Before I attempted anything DIY i thought it was a cheap alternative and meagor at best. But boy was I floored at that. DIY is where you get huge enjoyment because its price/performance ratio is REALLY good not just some random reviewer's keyword. Plus YOU BUILD IT you get so much more from that.

The price difference between a headphone like the SR80 and the HF2 is pretty hefty (when you can find one). Especially for a brand known for a specific sound signature. Its not that I don't believe you, its just that if I'm going to spend that much money on a new headphone its going to be on a can that sounds significantly different. I just purchased a pair of used HD650s from another head-fier last night and am hoping that'll be closer to what I'm looking for, and if not, at least I'll have tried something different.

I agree with you about the DIY thing. I suppose for some its probably a bit scary messing with stuff you're not too sure about and breaking stuff. Where do you suggest one starts with a good simple DIY project?

 

[adrift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postalisback /img/forum/go_quote.gif My next purchase after that was the DT 150, and I love the rolled off treble (treble gets irritating on the DT 231 Pro now)

I'm still curious about the DT150s by the way, but the comments about the lack of comfort scared me off a bit. I already find the Grados to be pretty painful after a few hours and wanted something... less so. I'm hoping the HD650s will get me to the darker sound I want and be more comfortable. ...plus I couldn't pass up on the deal. I'll be keeping my eyes open for a cheap pair of DT150s though if they ever come up.

 

[DoYouRight]

try a y2 gamma dac outshines many big boys I hear very well. not too hard of a build.

and a mini3/m3/milley starving student tube amp

Those are good starters with great gains when completed.

 

[Aynjell]

Right now the only thing I can think about is finishing my current project so I can work on this amp I'm thinking about making. Right now, as it stands, I'm excited to go home just to listen to my current setup which is as follows:

Source: AMD64 box, running gentoo linux, sound card is an audigy 2 ZS Platinum. I'm using Rhythmbox for my player.
Amp: simple cmoy, as reference as you can get, this is something I'm going to change shortly.
Cans: Audio Technica ATH-AD700.

My ATH's all of a sudden sound amazing to me, I haven't quite jumped the fence on whether burn in occurs (although it makes sense that some flexing occurs)... but they sound smooth as butter and almost real to me. I'm sure things get better as you go upward and I'm well on my way. My next design should be a CMOY still, but will most likely be a bit different in how it's setup.