Absolutely! If you are talking about ~5k top-tier headphones, and you are pairing them up with a top-tier amplifier, you could be easily looking at 10 grand.
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I mean, shit. Sus amps go well over 10k alone, and dacs basicaly have no price cap. A propper t20 setup for stax is like a 20k amp as well iirc
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Exactly. It’s also business. You expect people to buy a top-tier amp and DAC for their top-tier headphone, so you develop a very expensive amp or DAC.
Then for the folks who want to spend a couple of grand for a cable, there are a number of manufacturers who will happily sell you a 10 grand power cable.
I see the headphones and think ‘I want them’, then I see the discussion around the surrounding costs and suddenly I want them less 
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No, don’t get scared away.
Electrostats have been perceived to be the highest tier of headphone technology for decades. Nothing has changed, I myself also agree with this statement… except you really do need a dedicated amp (energizer) for them. No, you don’t need 10k for them, but I’d say 2k-5k should be invested for an energizer.
It’s big money, but it is THE end-game.
I’d say go for anything but a Stax energizer.
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Fwiw, imo, cans matter far more than chain. An arya on a qudelix is a much more hifi experience than an ibasso sr2 on a 6k+ source chain. If yiu are interested and can afford it + a starter amp just do that and evaluate how deep you want to go from there.
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Hey! Leave my SR2’s alone. Please 
?
Jokes aside, I agree. What you are listening to makes the largest difference. Whether it’s speakers, IEMs, or headphones. That’s where you want your money to go.
In the end, it’s your ears that make the decision what they like. Money only matters in your bank, more expensive ≠better-sounding. Your taste and preference are the two biggest factors that determine whether a purchase is worth it or not.
Perhaps you do not like the detail in the upper-end, then it doesn’t matter if a headphone costs 10k, your ears simply will not like it. That’s why you always see people telling you to listen to it before you buy it.
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I have an SR-L300 limited and SRM-353X but going TOTL like the Audeze or Stax 009 I feel would benefit from a higher setup.
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I will add, in electrostats, the amp (energizer) matters a lot. It truly does.
Nice to see someone else in the electrostatic game but I’d still take a Stax L700/353X combo for half the price.
If price was a concern before you’ve even heard it you wernt the target market anyways
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The oval cup shape definitely gives off HD650 vibes.
[of course this is shape only. Not material etc]
+1
Many people don’t understand the concept of a target audience.
Manufacturers know who they are making the product for, they know who their buyers will be way before the release of the product.
That is not to say that these products are the best. Someone will prefer a cheaper product, but for the manufacturer that doesn’t matter, because they know that those who are spending the money have a different approach and mindset.
It’s a complicated and controversial topic.
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L300 LTD are fantastic. They were my favorites till I purchased SR-009… And I am running 009 on SRM-252S 
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So I finally watched the headfi review and yep I really want to try these on my 353x…wife might kill me.
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Might be worth saving up for that trip to space. You know, just to keep a safe distance from your then-wife, now-killer 
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SAVAGE UNCOUTH SWINE! 
using 009’s on a 353x is like putting a 3 cylinder in a lamborgini…
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My farrari is slower than my dodge omni. Still love the shit out of it anyways 
Plus, bad example. Ferraris and lambos are engines that happen to com stuck in a car. Its like putting a ferrari V8 in a FWD lancia family sedan, oh wait that one is still dope…
What I’m relay trying to say is, holding the can back or not, a totl can on even entry level gear is still pretty fucking solid
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yes, it will be solid…but you are not getting the value for your money. you’re giving it regular gas, so it’s running rough when with premium plus, it will scream and shine so bright!
Eh, idk man. Every time I’ve heard a totl can on mediocre gear I’ve preferred it over a lesser can on better gear tbh. Like diana v2 on micro BL still has more detail and texture than P6 pro → gsx-mini → arya. I’m personaly of the opinion that scaling cans to the max should be #1 priority in upgrading (assuming you have enough power to run them) then worry about sources.
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