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~$500-$650 budget (USD) Looking to join the hobby!

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Hello, Longtime lurker, first time poster. I am a fledgling musician and eternal appreciator of all types of music that blend talent, artistry, and innovation. I have two young children that often fail to impart 'peace and quiet', so I'm finally ready to dive in an procure some equipment that invokes 'peace and audio'. Setup: Headphones for sure. Everyone in my home is either working, sleeping, or being potty trained. I won't be able to sit and enjoy a pair of quality loudspeakers anytime soon. I'll be largely streaming music from my laptop or iMac to my headphones. I don't have a turntable or vinyl.... yet?! Skill: My goal is to enjoy immersive sound in a chair and zone out for a bit. I have a VERY baseline understanding of tonal ranges, depth of sound, and what things that are "muddy" sound like. But I am an absolute novice with the technology or science behind it. I'm sorry to say I don't know how warm mids and impedance factors truly sound. So my goal is to get a set of cans or cans + DAC (or amp?) so I can start listening to and learning about audio for enjoyment, and to develop my ear for High-Fi. Can anyone recommend a load-out that suits this need? Trying to spend around $500ish to have a nice point of entry, but not a stupid expense in case it just doesn't resonate (pun intended) with me. Thank you very much! (ps. not really looking to buy used gear during COVID. That's just me)
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Ixtayul
23
Feb 11, 2021
I would start out with a Topping DX 3pro LDAC and the Sennheiser 6xx. DAC /Amp and a decent headphone. The DX3 also receives and sends LDAC audio. So if you add a BTR5 you have a great setup to sit and listen (which doesn’t sound like you have much time for) or move around. The Schitt set up suggested here is also a very good option.
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Wits53
2
Feb 6, 2021
I have this same setup also, and I highly recommend it!
Lvyper876
6
Feb 6, 2021
I got a sennheiser 6xx with a schiit magni 3+/ modi stack, GREAT sound and is insane for gaming if that’s also something you’re into. Awesome setup for under $500! If you do game also look into the mod mic 5. Insanely good for a starter stream, or game setup. I’m new to audiophile also but learning.
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