Not quite sure where to post this, but I feel compelled,
I started my headphone journey about a decade ago. Through the years I’ve sifted my way through heaps of gaming headsets and headphones from $10 to $1000, and various amps and DACS until arriving at my current set up: Modius -> Asgard 3 -> Elear.
I finally feel like I have arrived. With this current set up, I’m so engaged, and don’t feel like I’m missing anything, and nothing is bothering or grating on me. In other words: this is what I was searching for.
Not to say that I won’t keep experimenting, because I will. I’m just curious to know what your set up was when you felt like you had gotten to where you wanted to be. I’m not sure if that makes sense. I’m not talking end-game, as I don’t know that I believe in an end-game–just when you felt like you had achieved your audio goals and what that system was (even if you’ve still grown since then).
This doesn’t just have to be about gear, philosophy, theory, learning experiences along the way. IDK, just putting it out there for discussion.
Doesn’t it feel good to get to the point where you feel like you are content with your set up? I’m just sitting here listening going, “I don’t know what else I could want.” It’s a good feeling. Maybe you want to share a similar experience?
First “arrived” K712, Atom amp, ol dac
2nd “arrived” dt880,Edition xx, Asgard3,Erish, and Enog2
3rd 'arrived" Eikons,Hexv2,LCD2.2pf, cma800i and g111
Current “arrived” Lcd24,th900, MZ2, and Bifrost 2
Yes it is.
ADI-2 FS and Elex.
I also know there are steps to take up or down but just now.
There is a “no need” good feeling and i’ll try to ride that wave as far as it will take me.
For the first time, I feel pretty content with custom EE Legend X and RME ADI 2 DAC FS. If I bought universal Campfire Andromeda I would have arrived then as well, but I waited for the Campfire Solstice (custom Andromeda) to be released and now wish I bought universal Andromeda instead, so next step was EE Legend X.
In terms of headphones, probably Elex + RME ADI 2 DAC FS for now, but I am really waiting to hear the Diana V2 and choose between Diana V2 and Meze Empyrean and be “done” with headphones since I am not really a big headphone/speaker person.
I had my first feeling of arrival just recently with my Bottlehead Crack + Beyerdynamic T1.2
This combination is everything i want to listen to at the moment. Simply fantastic to my ears. Feels like i have reached a certain point in my headphone journey where i think, can it even be better? ( i know it can )
That doesnt mean that i stop here, because i have soo many things to try ( and interest for sure), but im totally pleased with my setup at the moment and im starting to sell off other things because of it.
audio is a quest…you will never get there. you may find a nice spot and hang around for a while…but the bug will hit you and you’ll go out again in search of something new and different.
My first set up that made me feel content was an xd-05 and my TR-X00 PH with the Lawton driver side mod and ZMF Ori pads. That set up has changed a bit (Asgard 3/topping D10 and Ori hybrid pads) but I’m still pretty much satisfied. The Grado Hemps have sparked my curiosity for Grado and I still want to try an LCD-2 of and a tube amp like the Tuba, but that’s all wants and curiosity, not things I feel I need.
I am getting Lawton cups for myself this Xmas though, so I’m kind of full of shit I guess.
I also started my headphone journey years ago, and so far I had two “arrivals”:
1st - The first time I hooked up the Sennheiser HD598 to an amp (EarMen TR-Amp), that was the first time I actually fully understood the difference a source can make
2nd - A couple of months ago when I got the iBasso SR2, a headphone which is just about everything I would ask for at a 500 USD price point.
I am waiting for the next arrivals, because there are just so many options from 1000-3000 USD, there is a lot of space for “Wow” moments… the journey goes on
another thing to realize is that while more expensive gear almost always sounds better, there are so many good options at the lo-fi and mid-fi levels and new products being released all the time, you don’t have to buy more expensive gear to experience different sonic sound signatures.
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