[buz]

After spending way too much time on this site (sorry about your wallte AND your time) for the past few months, I finally came full circle and started to wonder: should I just go out, buy a real top of the line setup and be done with it? Might that in the end be cheaper than buying ever more expensive bits and pieces and still craving for more/wondering if an upgrade might help?

If so, how much do I need to spend to get a setup with deep, very fast and punchy bass (think standing next to a drumset or someone actually using your head as a drum if that makes sense) that does not bleed into the mid range (thinking DX1000 maybe?), nice mid ranges and well extended treble (cans [1], USB DAC, amp)?

[1] IEM is welcome as well, just not sure if there is actually any that can compete at the very top end?

 

[St3ve]

Time - definately, Money - probably. You would miss out on the experience of working you're way up there. I think it is that experience which informs what it is you are ultimately looking for.

 

[fjrabon]

I've never met or even heard of anybody that this actually worked for. That is I've never met anybody who went straight to the top and was completely satisfied and then got out of the game.

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buz /img/forum/go_quote.gif IEM is welcome as well, just not sure if there is actually any that can compete at the very top end?

The JH13 is one of the best headphones I have ever heard.

 

[buz]

fjrabon: so is anyone ever completely satisfied? Because if not, the point is somewhat moot

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buz /img/forum/go_quote.gif fjrabon: so is anyone ever completely satisfied? Because if not, the point is somewhat moot

Some say they are satisfied and stop, that I have seen, but they moved around a lot to get there between various top setups. Most either settle with the imperfections of their system and are "satisfied enough" with it, most just keep searching.

 

[ronnielee54]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjrabon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've never met or even heard of anybody that this actually worked for. That is I've never met anybody who went straight to the top and was completely satisfied and then got out of the game.

Same here. There will always be something around the corner that will make wonder if you made a mistake. There is no escape or cure for upgraditis.

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buz /img/forum/go_quote.gif fjrabon: so is anyone ever completely satisfied? Because if not, the point is somewhat moot

I considered this at one point. But then I came to the conclusion: Since I don't really know how diminishing the returns are at the high end, and since you can't really trust anyone else's ears, what if I went top-of-the-line and found it a marginal improvement not nearly worth the money? Or perhaps worse yet, what if I found the improvement substantial but felt a different headphone/setup (like electrostatic or K1000) would better suit my needs?

I'd say take at least one small step ahead first. Go mid-fi if you aren't there yet, buy a headphone around $200-300 (this is the range where it seems the headphones are all universally awesome but with very different flavors). This way you'll 1. See if it's worth it, and 2. Find out what you like/dislike in a headphone. Then if it's worth it throw in a high-end DAC and amp and upgrade your headphones when you're tired of them.

 

[Ninkul]

There are probably a few who don't actually get into this whole head-fi thing. Get their endgame rig right at the begining and never come back to head-fi again

 

[VALIENTE]

May I give some of my tips:
1. Enjoy your headphones.
2. Research before you buy.
3. Buy what you need not what you want.
4. Save money.

I enjoyed my Grado SR60 for more than a year without an amp, and up to now.
I am currently enjoying my new AKG K701 even with just a porta amp.
Headphones are gadgets to enjoy and learn like educational tools.

 

[buz]

> 3. Buy what you need not what you want.

By that measure, people not doing any sound engineering could stay with Apple iBuds, no?

>Go mid-fi if you aren't there yet, buy a headphone around $200-300
I can see it now, if I buy a 300USD headphone, I won't help but wondering what I missed by not buying the 600 USD one. And so on. Problem with this whole thing is - unlike cars or god forbid houses - prices are actually well within what I could absorb. Not necessarily justify, but absorb.

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buz /img/forum/go_quote.gif > 3. Buy what you need not what you want. By that measure, people not doing any sound engineering could stay with Apple iBuds, no? I can see it now, if I buy a 300USD headphone, I won't help but wondering what I missed by not buying the 600 USD one. And so on.

what's even worse than that is buying a $6000 setup, including DACs, amps, headphones, cables, etc and then wondering if you'd have been happier with a different $6000 setup. Like the Beyerdynamic T1 v. Sennheiser HD800 debate that is continually raging around here.

 

[buz]

> what's even worse than that is buying a $6000 setup,

Agreed, except I don't believe in cables. Either it is properly shielded or it's not (come to think of it, if you can run 24mbit VDSL over POTS copper,shieding may not even be particularly important).

. And I doubt I would end up with a 6000USD setup. With DX1000 or D7000 (if imported from the US, in Switzerland they cost more than twice the US street price) and an Icon HDP I would probably go just slightly over the 1000USD mark. Beyond that, I believe it's really very very marginal returns. In the end, DAC and AMPs have to do one job, and one job only, NOT distort signals.

 

[Palpatine]

I'd say yes to both... time and money. If you can try before you buy...even better.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VALIENTE /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3. Buy what you need not what you want.

Blasphemy! Burn the witch!