I don’t know if equal value is important, but complimentary sound profiles is for a collection. The sound quality isn’t always governed by the cost. My guess is that there are few people here that would agree that the $100 Olina hangs with most things in the under $300 range.
I have too many IEMs right now, and I could easily whittle my collection down, but I like having options. I am guessing that every person has a different number. I could probably get down to 3 IEMs and an open back headphone. The HD58x I picked up for $130, gets the job done for what I need. For IEMs, I want more, and I could get down to Tea, Olina, S12 in my current collection, and be content. Those plus the headphones add a BTR5, and the total is still under $800, so I can throw in a pair of Mele without guilt.
While I wish I had gone straight to the HD58x skipping the SHP9500. If not for the SHP9500 and Zeos, I never find hifiguides, then there are a bunch of other things that I never learn about, and people I never meet, so it was necessary step for me. I am guessing we all have some piece of gear we look at that way.
I’m was actually thoroughly pleased with the 9500s I even owned the 6xx at the time and still found them a good use to keep alongside the senns. I wish I’d didn’t buy the 9600. Or the Hifiman 4xx. But again to your point, I probably wouldn’t be on here or heard of Zeos or dms or hifiguides without most of these headphones.
So with the release of the Meze 109 Pros, due to their overwhelmingly positive reviews from most people including those who were sure they weren’t going to like it, I may have found the one I personally could be content with. Great build quality, great all rounder and aside from some saying it can become slightly bright at times, very inoffensive in its sound and overall rather impressive technically. I’ve read some argue it’s not worth it’s price in technicality on it’s own right, as there are “better” cans in their price range or cheaper that out perform them. But from my experience so far, most times when people argue a phone having better performance, whilst it may be true, their tastes in sound preferences and signatures don’t match my own. Or it’s not a comfortable headphone and it’s not worth me owning regardless of its performance capabilities. Kinda like yeah you can get a great deal on performance car for the price you would pay for a comfortable Audi or Volvo (again to use that comparison here). The performance car may be impressive technically, and out due the others by neither all margins, but sports suspension and high top speeds that you will almost never use, I’d rather have the slightly slower but much for comfortable Audi or Volvo for everyday use. And I feel like I may find that in the 109 Pros. I’m just waiting for the Hifi shop near me to get them in stock so I can compare them with the Edition XS (though due to my experience with the 400se I’m not looking forward to that headband) they have there and my Radiance as well. Sometimes I love and hate this hobby lol!