Free Standard Shipping in the US on orders over $99

Best Beginner Audiophile Setup for Under $500?

Aug 9, 2021518 VIEWS

I have never considered myself an audiophile, but watching videos from Josh Valour, DMS, etc. plus the fact that I love listening to music probably more than anything in life makes me want to become an audiophile. However I do not make a lot of money as of right now, so I want to create the perfect setup for under $500. As of right now, I am leaning towards the 6xx and the Schitt Stack from everything that I have heard online, but I want to know if there is something that I'm missing that might be a better value or if there is something that is slightly more expensive that creates a sound quality far superior than what I listed. For context, I love all kinds of music, but my favorite types are choral, bluegrass, folk, classic rock, and 90's punk rock. For additional context, I have the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless for gaming and I love it, but I also have the AirPods Pro and I prefer that sound signature for music.

(Edited)

Vote

518

welshpirate

Sort by: Newest

Xpfreaky

Aug 13, 2021

This is from Wikipedia; Although many audiophile techniques are based on objective criteria that can be verified using techniques like ABX testing, perceived sound quality is necessarily subjective, leading to some more controversial audiophile techniques being based on pseudoscientific, magical or paranormal principles... IMO, save your money and go with what sounds "best" to you. Audiophile, is a "feeling" or an opinion, as the saying goes, opinions are like assh*les, everyone has one. There's also a lot of flim flam regarding what's audiophile out there as well. Remember, due diligence goes a long way in saving you time money and frustration. Go with what you feel will get you the best "bang" for your $$ & what feels/ listens right for you. Remember, buyer beware. The latest is NOT the greatest either, there's a lot of bullsh*t/ (ters) out there that will try to fleece you. Do your research in what you would find of interest to you, and go with what you are comfortable spending your hard earned $$'s on. Remember there is no FOMO with audio equipment. As for your starting setup, good choice (I do have the Drop Sennheiser 6XX headphones, not one of my favorites unfortunately) see opinion 😁 Personally prefer the Beyerdynamic line of headphones. Reason for this is, from what I understand, all Beyerdynamic headphones are still made in Germany. Drop Sennies are made in Ireland (Not China) and the only other Sennheiser headphones made in Germany is their 800 series all the others in their lineup are made in China (Nothing against Chinese made, however you do get what you pay for in this case). If of interest, currently listening to everything through Beyerdynamic DT770 (250 Ohm version) headphones with a tube amp. One of the reasons for me is that the DT770 headphones definitely have waaay less clamping force on the noggin than the Drop HD6XX phones, and they sound more refined. (Opinion). The DT770 earpads are fantastically cozy & not fatiguing during extended listening sessions. To me the soundstage is more open than that of the HD6XX headphones. I think if you take the time to read reviews from users and different web posts about your choice and interests on various equipment, be it analog or digital. You should be able to come to your own conclusions as to what would suit you best for your personal setup. https://www.soundguys.com/best-headphones-under-200-5489/

nottheseapples

Aug 13, 2021

Linsoul XDUOO MT-602 6J1 6xx wait for a dac 4xx - with a classic Class A speaker amp (your dad has one) or used like 40 bucks is SUPER value. then add on a decent dac 4xx takes EQ like a champ, and with a powerful amp the bass gets crazy.

(Edited)

Cliff_21

100

Aug 10, 2021

HiFiman Sundara and Topping L30. Add a dac later.

ryjarr

Aug 10, 2021

My personal setup, I run a Magni Heresy/Modi stack and drive Philips Fidelio X2HR. Altogether about 400. Paired with a pair of JBL 305p mkii monitors for when I want the room to thump. Incredible sound for a pretty low price overall. The Fidelio cans are a bit sibilant, but the overall clarity is impressive for the price, especially when driven right.

Innocent_Bystandr

Headphone/Amp setup for music creation?

I am looking for recommendations on a good headphone/amp setup for music creation. My son is making music on his pc and has just been using his gaming headphones. I want to get him a better setup. Budget is in the $200 - $400 range total. I personally like Sennheiser but I don't think he has any prefrences. The music is a mix of electronica, dubstep, and video game music. It seems very light on bass to me for dubstep, but hey, to each their own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJD1_KNeEhI this is one of his videos for reference. Thanks in advance for the help

Aug 31, 2024

Audiophile

Questions

Vote

alexrodas.gt

Good bass for a (not) bass-head

I already own the HD 58X Jubilee's. They're great for things with instrumentals and vocals, but the can definitely lag behind in genres that have more bass, say rock for example. I like bass as much as the next guy, but I'm not looking for Beats 😂. What do you recommend from what's on here today Aug 15/24? Meze 99? Ultrasone Signature X? HE-RD7X? Or, should I wait for some Beyerdynamics to come back in stock? I'd like to stay under ~$220. Thanks.

Aug 15, 2024

Audiophile

Questions

fakephonix

Why if i pay for a Shipping of 3 or 5 day my product it hasn't arrived yet ?

It's been 7 days since the purchase

Aug 11, 2024

Audiophile

Questions

Yeti96

Repair or Upgrade He4xx?

Hello there! tldr: he4xx kinda fell apart and I’m deciding if I should fix them (headband, rattle, ear pads) or upgrade to something with better build quality and a better planar experience? I got He4xx’s a couple years back and had some rattling and the pads were coming unglued. I ended up going back to my hd6xxs, which I adore. I recently wanted to get back into planar. I pulled them back out and really enjoy them (although initially something sounds off). I was going to get replacement pads and realize the head parts is shedding everywhere. Is it worth investing in repairing these with a new headband and pads, while seeing if I can fix the rattle, or should I just upgrade. If I upgrade I would probably want a plane around 500 or less. Is there a recommendation? I was looking at the dc aeon x or the edition xs (although I’ve seen those might not be comfortable. Is there any suggestions for how to proceed? I appreciate you taking the time!

Aug 2, 2024

Audiophile

Questions

Vote

Hypobolic

Recommends for 6XX replacement cable(s)?

The wires on the left channel plug, just before the socket are acting up and I need to replace the cable for my Sennheiser 6XX headphones. Looking at Amazon, I see actual Sennheiser cables but one of them does not have the removable 1/4 plug (I use a DAC with 1/8" jack), and I would rather not add even more connection unknowns by using an adapter down to 1/4", and the other Sennheiser cable is far too long for my usage (looking for around 2 meters or just a touch longer. The 6XX have been around for a while and I'm sure I'm not the first to need a replacement cable. I'm actually surprised that Drop doesn't offer them perpetually like they do with the ear pads, which ironically my stock pads are holding up just fine. I'm not looking for $100+ cables here, just a solid replacement for what the 6XX came with. Thanks!

Jun 23, 2024

Audiophile

Questions

Vote

mingkee27

Is there any possibility of HD66XS?

I tried to catch 660S but I missed it. 660S (not S2) is another smartphone friendly 600 series headphones besides 58X. I'd get 66XS instead of 6XX due to better sensitivity.

Jun 13, 2024

Audiophile

Questions

Vote