To Upgrade, To Upgrade, but for what to spend the money on?

Headphones Headphone Discussion / Help
1

So, like many of ya’ll I’m likely spending the rest of 2020, and first half of 2021, working from the home office. This means I need to update my soundscape to help keep myself sane. But I have a problem, beyond keeping my budget down as much as I can:

I don’t know what to spend the money on.

Here is kina my current thinking. I could ether get some really nice airly open backs(grados, SHP9500, etc) and some new pads for my MTX40s…

OR I could spend the money and finally replace/upgrade my poor Fiio E10k with something like the Fiio K3 or a cheap DIY tube amp.

So I need some ideas, to help winnow down the options.

2

What’s your budget and use case (i.e. gaming, music, conference calls, streaming)? If gaming…competitive? If music…genres? Are your current headphones the Audio Technica M40x? I’m not familiar with a MTX40 model number. If so, what do you like about them and what would you want to change?

3

Gaming and music, nothing competitive.

For music is all over the place. Prog, Metal, House, Jazz, whatever The Dear Hunter counts as, Folk.

You’ve got the right model on the Audio Technica. If I could change things it one of two directions. Ether more open and comfortable with yo wear for long periods or more isolating with better sound stage. For the overall sound is fine, if a little less detailed then my T2(I know, apple to pears).

Budget around 100-150.

4

Are you currently using the stock pads on the M40x? If so, I never thought they isolated all that well for me.

5

No, aftermarket flannels. They are comfy like well worn jeans.

6

Might I suggest the Koss Audiophile Starter Bundle :+1:

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7

With your genres of choice and what I’m gathering so far, I wonder if something like a 58x would do well for you. It’s open back, great for the music you listen to, a little clampy but otherwise comfy. Not the most open sounding, and pretty intimate staging, but a great option in your budget. Also easy enough to drive from your E10k. I would say maybe Beyer 880, but I don’t think the pairing would be ideal even though it’s nice for mid centric genres and gaming.

For something great and cheap, you could even go for PortaPros or KSC75s with Yaxi pads and still have enough left over to upgrade to something like a Liquid Spark to run off of the DAC in the E10k. Edit: don beat me to it

On the more isolating side, perhaps something like a K371 might work, but might not give you the bump in performance you’re looking for compared to the M40x

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