[Psilocybe]

Ok, I'm new here, and you guys convinced me to get a semi decent pair of headphones (Samson SR850s aka Superlux HD668bs), and I'm soooooo glad--I'm listening to Metallica on my crappy bluetooth headphones, and I can't believe how bad it sounds. I can't wait 'till my new cans arrive!
 
 
Where did everyone else start out when they first realized there was something wrong with listening to good music through crappy headphones? Any interesting stories?
 
Thanks Head-Fi!

 

[Jakooboo]

I started with a pair of Grados <i>years</i> ago on the recommendation of a DJ friend. He got me into all of this. xD 
 
It's an expensive habit. 

 

[Katun]

My first was V-Moda Bass Freq in-ears. They were only $30 but I thought I spent a fortune.
 
Then it was PortaPro, and then the AD700 as my first *serious* headphone. And I wasn't satisfied...
 
I've been chasing perfection ever since, while all the time knowing, it's not a destination.

 

[Jakooboo]

My first "serious" ones were my 380's. XD

 

[sml1226]

My only real ones

Grado SR-125i

 

[myloveilove]

i guess this is just as good a thread to make an introduction as any. i started with a pair of portapros, maybe four or five years ago. i wasn't necessarily aware of the true nature of the audiophile hobby, but only that stock ipod headphones obviously lacked the ability to 'shine' anymore once being exposed to the portapros. what prompted my buying of the portapros though, was some HD-280s a friend had had. after my beloved pair of portapros died in a terrible fire, i went grado with a pair of SR60s.  i'm here today with the AKG K271 MKIIs, a nice, modest, and "standard" (a lot of people would have differing opinions on this i am sure, though it was the impression i received from many reviews, and what i mostly agree with) pair of headphones.
 
 
 
i consider these pair of headphones my 'start,' and that is how i got here. with my yamaha HTR-5835 receiver as amplification, i can't complain... for now.
 
edit: also OP has awesome username and hi5 to other people starting with either grado or portapro, i think both are still fantastic.

 

[blufox4900]

All started when my bro actually joined this same site. He ended up getting the panasonic HJE900s and let me listen to them tons. He joined the navy, though, and took his headphones with him =/. I tried to get decent quality on the budget by getting the JVC flats and burning them in and they worked perfectly for portable but not for my desktop, the cable was just too short. After I finally got money I decided to take the plunge and go for my first serious headphones, the SR60i's. That was only a few days ago so my journey is just beginning. Who knows where I'll end up, maybe with a multi thousand dollar setup before I settle down? Gotta balance between this and photography though. Either way, my wallet's gonna throw up

 

[Psilocybe]

@blufox, Haha, I am in the exact same position. L lenses are so expensive...

 

[Jakooboo]

Quote:

All started when my bro actually joined this same site. He ended up getting the panasonic HJE900s and let me listen to them tons. He joined the navy, though, and took his headphones with him =/. I tried to get decent quality on the budget by getting the JVC flats and burning them in and they worked perfectly for portable but not for my desktop, the cable was just too short. After I finally got money I decided to take the plunge and go for my first serious headphones, the SR60i's. That was only a few days ago so my journey is just beginning. Who knows where I'll end up, maybe with a multi thousand dollar setup before I settle down? Gotta balance between this and photography though. Either way, my wallet's gonna throw up

You sir have expensive hobbies. XD

 

[smashing]

I'd started quite a number of years back now with Beyerdynamics DT231 as a cheap option for my free PC speakers then. It was not the most expensive can to enter the fray obviously, but my other expensive hobbies (bass guitar and photography) came first. Still, I really considered myself lucky to get acquainted to a couple sound engineers because of my hobby.

 

[Kiwikat]

 
Quote:

@blufox, Haha, I am in the exact same position. L lenses are so expensive...

Ain't that the truth!  I could have bought more than 4 HD650's for what my 300mm cost me...
 
Photography is more expensive than Head-Fi.  Both are stupidly addicting and fun! 

 

[blufox4900]

@Psilocybe: I'm a nikonite myself but I feel ya. Any decent lens is just so expensive that it makes whining about $300 cans kinda silly when a nice 70-200mm 2.8 will set us like $2000 minus the actual camera

@Jakooboo: That I do..that I do..well hopefully one day one of the hobbies will be my actual career! Working on getting my associates degree in photography then I might go for the bachelor's after that. A lot of hard work, though. Any person who thinks photography is a crappy career with no skill just has no idea..

@Kiwikat: Yeah..that's an expensive lens there D: It is an addicting hobby though! I like to save money wherever I can, though. Getting a 35mm 1.8 prime for a refurb nikon D3000 was a steal so far!

 

[Marximus]

I started with Sony MDR-V6s.  I found them extraordinarily uncomfortable.  Some thirty pairs bought and sold later, I'm at HD 580s and HD 518s, with D1001s (Round 2) in the mail.

 

[Speedv1]

I'm new to this really, but pretty much started getting into 'real' ones in early January, this year. In a 2 week period I went from Shure SRH 750DJ to Ultrasone Pro 750. I also got a Fiio E5 followed, not a week later, by a Fiio E7. I then noticed that because I was re-ripping cds in flac (or lossless) I was pretty low on room for my iPhone - so I bought an iPod Classic lol. And now for portable use I have to try out the HD 25s - so I bought them lol. Let's go with I'm starting slow .
 
I'll probably stop my spending for the time being though because I just bought a brand new motorbike and I get it March 9th - now THAT is an expensive hobby - my helmets together cost me $2000 - let's not mentioned the other gear and bike.
 
 
To be honest though any 'start' is a good one. In the future, when you upgrade from that start you'll really appreciate the improvements - or so I've found with other hobbies. It's not a you vs. me hobby, it's a learn and enjoy the experience hobby!

 

[Eric_C]

First "serious" headphones were A. Grado MS1, that was also when I re-ripped CDs at higher bitrates. But I was picky about 'phones from before that--basically when I got my first discman and the earbuds hurt too much to be usable.