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jhharvest t1_irshjtt wrote

Step 1: Buy headphones

Step 2: Enjoy headphones

Step 3: Read reviews of other headphones / amps / DACs

Step 4: Become disappointed in your current gear

Step 5: See step 1

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GamePro201X t1_irshwaw wrote

Step 6: after multiple repetitions of steps 1-5, know your preferences, and become more satisfied with your gear while still buying more

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FastGecko5 t1_iru4i3e wrote

Step 4 has been hitting me hard lately. Feels bad man.

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jhharvest t1_irv5dzk wrote

It's just part of the great circle of life audiophile.

"This too shall pass"

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RayceManyon t1_irt97iu wrote

Purchase separate headphones for bass, clarity, 1 neural pair, a wireless pair and hd600 because everyone needs to own a pair.

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rhalf t1_irsom92 wrote

DIY. Find some obsolete or broken set of headphones. Repair or modify them. Listen to results.
Most headphones are very simple and easy to fix. Once I learned how to doit, people started giving me their old headsets that needed some TLC. I rotated many headphones that way. Some very high quality. Even If I couldn't keep them, I got to listen to them for a day and it was enough for me to find my own preferences and learn how good a headphone can sound. Most importantly though, I met audiophiles, who were happy to chat about their gear. Buying used gear is also very good way of meeting them.
Then there are audiophile meets. Look for them on forums. Maybe there is one in your town.

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covertash t1_irsin5n wrote

Probably best to start with what you have now (what headphones you already use, music source, what you like/dislike about your current setup, etc.), and work your way from there. Blindly buying things is really the quickest path to finding frustration and an empty wallet, at the same time.

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Fun_Cake_5635 OP t1_irw76s6 wrote

I have a Sony xm5 right now, is that a good beginning?

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covertash t1_is0jvm3 wrote

I have not heard those before, unfortunately. However, I will say that any way you can enjoy your music is always great, so perhaps focus on your level of enjoyment, first and foremost, rather than categorizing something as good or bad. :)

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SaucyStoveTop69 t1_iru59b2 wrote

Go somewhere that has headphones on display that you can listen to. Use this to identify what type of sound you want (bassy/bright/neutral/etc). Then pick out a few headphones/iems that you might want in your price range and watch reviews. Be sure to make sure whatever you get has a sensitivity preferbally over 100db/mw and an impedance of under 100ohms so you won't have to also get an amp.

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Chok3U t1_irst2yd wrote

Start small, enjoy what you've got(maybe start with a pair of Porta Pros or kph30i), and when the time is right you can upgrade

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trbd003 t1_irt3cnp wrote

Buy a pair of HD600s and a Modi. That's than enough to get started then refine your taste from there.

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PapaDoobs t1_irw8a5m wrote

Or, like, just stop there and save a BUNCH of money

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renerem t1_irvsqhg wrote

Tbh, the budget IEM market is pretty crazy at the moment and you can find good entry stuff for around $20-30 e. g. 7Hz Salnotes Zero, Moondrop Chu etc.

If you want over-ear headphones I'd recommend starting somewhere in the $150-200 range. Well tuned headphones around that price that are great as a reference are e. g. the AKG K371 or K361, the Sennheiser HD560S or the Sennheiser/Drop HD6XX.

After you got some experience with these kinds of headphones that are generally regarded as well tuned, you can make your mind up about things you maybe don't like or want to change e. g. more/less treble, more/less bass, more/less midrange, better detail retrieval etc. after all music is a very subjective thing, but you need a good "baseline" to start off of imo.

There are a bunch of Youtube channels I generally would recommend for beginners to take a look into: The Headphone Show, DMS (to some degree), Joshua Valour (to some degree), Crinacle. Stay away from channels like Z Reviews, most of his videos shouldn't be taken seriously and lack the scientific value.

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ZestyBeer t1_irw7q61 wrote

Buy headphones. Listen to music through said headphones.

Repeat until bankruptcy.

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oneamongthefencescot t1_irsov3y wrote

Amazon try different sets return if don't like. What you do like look at graphs figure out which signatures you like. Hang out here ask questions and ignore any stuck up responses somebody will help.

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cojack909 t1_irswa5m wrote

Get some good cheap monitors, as a reference , to start out.

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I_am_Mr_Knowitall t1_irt1tj7 wrote

Start with cheap-ish IEMs to figure out what sound signature and form factor you like, through trial and error. You can find plenty of affordable IEMs on AliExpress. From there - work your way out. Good luck.

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GodbyM t1_iruvy8j wrote

If you really want to buy, set your financial limit. Then find a store where you can listen to headphones in that range and bring music, you already like. Don’t buy. Come back two days later and do it again. No worries. They will not be sold out.

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sic_erat_scriptum t1_irti9d3 wrote

Buying shit isn’t a hobby.

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FalsettoFlyin t1_irtk36z wrote

But listening to them is…? I never got this as a hobby I just like my music to sound good lol

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sic_erat_scriptum t1_irtl42n wrote

Being interested in the gear you listen to music with does not necessitate also jumping onto the hedonic treadmill.

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FalsettoFlyin t1_irtylbw wrote

Had to google hedonic treadmill. For example, I recently bought an Audi…. Was super happy. I still enjoy the car way more than my old Saturn but in the grand scheme of things I think I was just as satisfied with my life before this purchase.

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ign6rant t1_irvzh1y wrote

racing is a hobby, but you need a car.

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RunninTony t1_irz719l wrote

Nope. Sim racing is legit. Especially once you get into mid-range rigs. Nothing compares to the track but saves some cash and can hit outside of weekends.

Edit: support your local track!

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