Which of us feels up to the task of holding Mon triumphantly up in the air at the top of a cliff while the rest of us do a celebratory song and dance number?
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For sure. I’m really glad I can go for one extremely optimzed setup and be happy 99% of the time, but it’s both a blessing and a curse IMO.
On one hand, you don’t really have a reason to pick up other headphones, or even amps if what you have already works great (like in my case). As such, as you said, I can only progress forward while focusing my funds on 1 single headphone, 1 single amp and 1 single dac.
On the other hand, there’s the “social” side of it. Because I listen to 1 genre, I find much harder to talk to music with friends or relatives.
Sometimes I really wish I liked other things aside from the more extreme side of metal, just so that I could share my findings and/or thoughts about the other genres of music my friends listen to, like pop/rap, electronic or jazz.
I have tried multiple times to try and find something in those genres, but nope.I either straight up dislike what I’m hearing or, if I do like it, I would listen to it like 3 times and then switch back to metal, basically never touching that album again.
The thing I like the most in this hobby is sharing, whether it be the music or the gear. I can share the gear, sure, but the music? I’ve made my friends listen to some of my favourite songs, but they are just so far from their tastes that it’s basically impossible to share anything with them, flip the roles and the situation is still the same: when they try to share something with me 90% of the time I straight up don’t like it, and the other 10% of the time I’m like “yeah not bad but I would normally never listen to something like that”.
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There is no end to the possibilities, combinations, performance parameters, styles, and character of music reproduction you can cobble together in this hobby. Satiation and satisfaction is purely your ability to put your wallet down, step back from the never ending realm of possibilities and simply enjoy what you have on hand while suppressing the urges and cravings that pop into your mind 
Happy listening to all, I’m having an early morning Sunday moment 
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been reading too much about cables again lately when I saw this
first made me laugh, then made me think, lol
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That’s just a meme assuming people don’t do both, you can do both, I do both, a lot of people I know do both, it doesn’t mean squat if you’re a HP only audiophile. It’s a meme I know but it’s used by a lot of dumb asses to poke fun at things they can’t grasp. lol We need that meme.
I’ve spent the last year getting to know my room and optimizing placement. I deserve a treat 
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TOTL headphones don’t always mean “your” best headphone. What really matters is finding your favorite audio chain combo with your favorite headphone. I spent a couple of grand only to realize later that my favorite headphone only cost $400. The chain still cost a couple of grand though 
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What headphones did you try and which one did you end up going back to? And with what chain? Don’t leave us hanging like that!
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This is awesome. 
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Or if it is true…
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You’ll probably be disappointed with the headphone I always go back to. The headphone I always go back to was the Onkyo A800 and the ATH-L3000. Technically, the L3000 isn’t a flagship, it was more of a statement headphone, but it was expensive… The Onkyo A800 only retail for like $400.
I gotten into the headphone game pretty new around 2020 (I’m still pretty new compared to a lot of you guys). My 1st wow factor was the Sennheiser HD600 and the cobalt (probably a bad combo, but for some reason, I remember it blew my mind). Then I was too lazy to do my own research and blindly followed the reviewer’s hype when every reviewer was calling the newest flagship “the best headphone ever”. So I would buy the “hottest” and return in 2 weeks if I didn’t really like them. If I did like them I would keep them for like a month and the next big thing shows up and I would instantly sell my headphone to get the “latest” best headphones in the market bull crap. I even bought a new audio chain like the Musician DACs (still pretty cheap and probably bad chain), but I still couldn’t find that wow factor I had with the Sennheiser HD600 with the cobalt combo. There was 1 more wow factor when I tried Audeze for the 1st time. The clarity on it blew my mind, but for some reason I got bored of it when I got used to the clarity. And to be fair, my old chain wasn’t that great back then, so I’ll probably like a lot of them more now if I go back, especially the Hifiman planar.
Fast forward, when I got tired of spending a lot of money on headphones 2 years later, I started doing my own research. I came across the history of Audio Technica thread in another forum. They mention headphones like the W10VTG, so I bought one. I’m not going to lie, it didn’t wow me, but the sound signature was somewhat addicting. So, I wanted to explore old headphones since the new ones isn’t wowing me. I use to think old headphones equal outdated and bad. But, after the W10VTG, I realized if it sounds good back then, it probably most likely still sounds good to today standard. Then, after reading the entire thread of the history the Master Wood ATH, the L3000 just so happen to be in the classified the next day. I bought it instantly, even though I was saving money for my next headphone the Caldera, didn’t blink twice, I told the guy, “just tell me the total, I got you”. Spent my entire Caldera funds to get the L3000 I got them after a week of waiting (they were from Canada, I’m from the south eastern part of the US). Unbox it, look at the headphone and was awe. I kinda liked the focal design and was a little awe when I had it, but the L3000 was on another level. That fresh leather conditioner smell (I think it was honey), that leather shine, holding feels way more luxurious than any other headphone I ever held even to this day. I put them on and mind was blown! I was in shock, thinking how can this be real. The L3000 doesn’t really have the technicalities and clarity of today standard of TOTL, but man the sound was just sweet and addicting. I wanted to talk to the guy more and was wondering why on earth did he sold it. He gave me a history listen on all the headphones he ever owned including the Sony R10, L5000, HP1000 version 1, Stax Omega. I learned all about all thr old school legends and he sold most of them LOL. I ask him why, he said he is quitting the hobby and will be keeping a “small” collection. Then he told me about the Onkyo A800.
This legend told about the harman target and to be honest I never really cared about the Harman target (I still don’t care too much, the Onkyo A800 changed my mind a little bit). I read his thread about the Onkyo A800 and he compare it to being “the Sennheiser HD600, but on steroids”. I heard that line before with the HE90 and HE60, but for the Onkyo A800? This man had basically every headphone in history, so everything he said had some credibility. I am a little bias on what he said since he did gave me a history lesson on all the legends and sold me the L3000. So, like 2 or 3 weeks later, the rare Onkyo A800 appeared! Again, my typically sell my collection to fund for the new headphone, it only cost me like $500 since he was from Thailand and it was a discontinue headphone.
1 month later, I put on the Onkyo A800… it shook my world. Shook my world than any of headphone ever did, even more so than the L3000. It reminded me of that feeling I was always chasing. That feeling when I first put on the Sennheiser HD600. The Onkyo A800 was able to give me my 1st wow and honestly even surpass it. It may be a bit bias because I spent 1 month rereading his thread and review on the Onkyo A800. He also had confidence and was fighting everyone on that thread telling him he is nuts thinking the Onkyo A800 is better than headphones like the Abyss headphones and the Susvara. The reason he had confidence is that, unlike me and most people, he own legends and heard them from great sources (I don’t remember his DAC, but I remember he had the Studio 300B). Back on my 1st impression on the Onkyo A800, it shook my core and I was using the Lotoo Gold Touch because I was tired from work and felt too lazy to the music room. Instantly woke up I think was an Tori no Uta, Air opening song. I was so used to headphones not having any strong sub/bass/ bass presence, it just caught me off, guard. Then, my tiredness miraculously went away and I started exploring music on my chain, which I think I had the Musician Pegasus and Cayin HA-3A at that time. The Lotoo Gold Touch DAP hit a little harder in the sub-bass region, but the tubes clean it up and the sub-bass was more controlled. Clarity got a lot better and even the soundstage expanded. The best part was hearing the different instruments. The instruments felt more “real” to me and I don’t know why. So I went to a live concert and listen to Beethoven Pastoral Symphony live. After the live concert, I listen to Pastoral Symphony using via Qobuz and it felt thin. Then I got home and tried the Onkyo A800 and with the same recording, every sound felt like it had more weight and soul into them. I had to tell the guy, he was right, the Onkyo A800 is the best thing I ever heard in my life. He told me to write my 1st impression in the thread. And, again, what he said was the truth, I haven’t really seen him since then. He shows a little bit just to add some contribution in the thread, but I think he really did retire on the hobby.
Then, I felt a strong urge to continue the Onkyo A800 thread, just because. I think he was trolling before he retire on the hobby, I think its still bold to call every headphone obsolete while singing praises to the Onlyo A800. I wouldn’t say he’s wrong, but I can’t agree with him. I’ll agree with him if I’m still in the headphone game for at least 10 years and I own and heard a couple of legends myself.
Unlike him, I still want to try more audio gear to see what I’ve been missing out, but I always go back to the Onkyo A800 and L3000 at the end of the day. I still have that honey moon feeling with newer headphones and then I go back to the A800 and L3000. The last flagship I had was the Kingwood Caldera. I think the Kingwood Caldera is a very good headphone and probably one of the best headphone in the market for most people because it has TOTL clarity, but still retain that fun factor. Its too bad I have the L3000 for that. And the Caldera is an all-rounder headphone IMO, its great for all genres, but a master of none. I have the Onkyo A800 which I like more as a great all-rounder headphone. The Caldera has better clarity and soundstage. But I learned that I don’t really care about clarity and soundstage too much when remembering that sweet W10VTG sound signature. I think the Onkyo does it best with timbre, vocal reproduction, and had a better sub bass slam. I think bass sounded better which seem outrageous since Caldera is a planar and planar typically do bass better, but when I remember how bass guitars sounded and harps on the Onkyo A800, I just like the Onkyo A800 over the Caldera on everything except clarity, soundstage, and instrumental seperation. But honestly, I think my brain is just rotten at this point. I also ask Zach what genre he had in mind while making the Caldera and he answer me saying he just use Itunes algorithm while making his headphones. That explains why the Caldera goes great with everything you throw at it. I really wanted to like the Caldera, I know its better than the Onkyo A800, but my brain is just too rotten and I’m stuck only liking the A800. I like listening to other headphones for like a week to reset my earbuds, just so I can get another wow factor from the A800 because after listening to another headphone for like a week. Its like eating salad for like a week and when having that steak at the end of the week, it just taste so much better. My next flagship headphone to try is the Yamaha, but after that I think I’m going to just work on my speaker setup after that.
My current end gear chain is: Roon > Mojo Audio Mystique EVO (basic) > Allnic HPA-5000XL (Tube Amp) / B22 Amp (Solid State Amp) > 
Onkyo A800
I know its kinda weird since Im a total stranger, but I appreciate that Shit tier list (that’s how I found this forum). It kinda helps me find what kind of DAC/Amp I was looking for. Without that shit tier list, I would have gotten the Holo May and a 300B tube amp. I probably would have liked that setup, but I want to say wouldn’t be happy compared to the setup I have right now which is the Mystique EVO > Allnic HPA-5000XL chain.
I will probably get a DDC sometime in the future and upgrade the basic Mystique EVO to a pro or maybe try other DACs to see if I like them. After that, Imma just work on 2 channels speaker setup.
Sorry if I wrote it too long, but TLDR I always go back to Onkyo A800 and ATH-L3000, but Imma still buy headphones just to “experience” them, not keep them because I have a problem. Also, the post might be a little bit of a mess as I kinda stopped thinking half way through and its like 12:11 AM right now.
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Hell yeah, Allnic gang! I’m very curious what you think of the 5000xl. If you have time, leave some impressions in the Allnic thread if you’d like.
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I’ll probably post something there. Waiting on my new tubes to arrive, right now 1 of the tubes ain’t working right, but dang it still sounds amazing lol. When the new tube arrives, I’ll post something in this forum.
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This is a simple one, don’t neglect it, it’s cheap.
When you buy used cables, clean them. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol and a little patience. This was just a A side of a USB cable, really happy with the cable but think about what this would do to the signal. Two toothpicks one of each end, the A and B sides. Dip the toothpick in the alcohol and clean all four of the USB pins. Clean, quarter turn, then move to the next pin, quarter turn and so on until you do all four. Do it again with a clean toothpick until you see no more gunk.
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My ramblings are my own and based on MY personal experiences, listening style and most importantly the qualities I alone find most important and prioritize in my listening sessions.
Everyone has an opinion on where you should spend your hard earned dollars heaviest, and here is mine. It all depends…
Having 4 fairly pricey systems in different locations each w/ enough space to fiddle around and be able to swap components with relative ease, continues to give me insights i would not otherwise have gleaned or picked up on as obvious as they seem to me now.
I have very much enjoyed cleaning up the source. I have found that getting the absolute blackest and most jitter free, noise free, cleanest signal from the internet itself has offered a considerable and worthwhile improvement to my most sensitive components.
As the quality of the back end increases I find the expenditure on Ethernet regeneration, USB clean-up, power supply upgrades and possibly the cabling itself all lends to helping even my least expensive amplifiers, headphones and speakers really sound great and it seems to maximize their performance.
I’ll be completely honest, despite my love of fancy amplifiers, beautiful headphones and wacky speakers I don’t often feel wanting, or better yet desiring, the newest most expensive pieces on the back end, I am finding extreme satisfaction, pleasure and most importantly musical gratification with “somewhat affordable” back end components the more I upgrade the very front end and sources😳
I know there are pieces well more expensive than mine but I have found that even a well constructed Pie hat streamer is hands down superior to use than a direct output from any PC, Laptop or phone. The more costly streaming units are even nicer and if you can afford one, in my opinion they are absolutely worthwhile if you use any sort of “pay to rent” streaming service. If you own your music, there are worthwhile options as long as they are relative in cost to the quality of the recordings you own. My experience though is much more limited in personally owned files.
Lastly, I believe there is a point where once the cost of your components exceeds a certain dollar amount, on the upper end where extreme detail and sensitive components combine to make for very finely constructed pieces which are beyond average and are built to enhance or maximize every little nuance and technical ability possible, you simply can’t hold back and you have to spend in excess across the board. 
I do not pretend to understand why some components matter when dealing with digital but to my senses and in my PERSONAL experience they simply do. It may be all placebo effects from the cost associated with some of these pieces, my mind may be playing tricks on me, I honestly do not know. I swear that during listening sessions every upgrade to the very front of the chain seems to have been towards a quality improvement in the fine details in the back end.
Take your time and think about how far you want to take this hobby, especially what your wallet can realistically afford. I do suggest maximizing your digital source, power and the quality of your music when you can. There are extremely good HP’s and speakers that can provide excellent value that don’t need to break the bank, if you can get the material to them really clean you will maximize their performance. Happy listening to all, these are my rambling thoughts, opinions and various experiences for the moment. 
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@NickMimi So many quotable lines here. I do take mental and often physical notes from this thread…indeed the whole forum, and apply and prioritize them
at my “level” of gear.
Yet another thank you to all you thoughtful contributors!
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Every time I sit and listen to music in my car and cant hear details in the same song, same file that I hear sitting at home on my 2 CH system I know it’s not placebo. The stupid thing (pointing and laughing allowed here) that I have spent considerably more on my 2 CH system than in the car. Sigh.
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This on so many levels. I think the community subscribes to the “upgrade all of your components to higher/better tiers before investing in power/cables” but IMO, this approach doesn’t allow one to hear a component at their best. I understand that there’s value propositions involved, but in my experience some components just do much better and can compete with higher price bracket stuff when things like power and cabling are addressed.
I’ve been having some great conversations with the buyer of an item I sold who has been experiencing this, so I know for this particular item it’s not ‘placebo’.
Noise and jitter can cripple any system regardless of price.
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Just last week I was listening to and immensely enjoying an old Mapletree audio tube amp that had been collecting dust on a shelf for over a year. Best I would value the amp at is maybe $400, when I can get that much enjoyment out of a piece that old and affordable…well I gotta speak up. At worst, my least expensive or advanced front end is “really good”. IMO that lets me get much added value to otherwise mundane and often overlooked pieces. In my mind, that is proof positive based on actual sound quality. Traits appreciated will vary by individual but when the general presentation is good everything else is “nit picking” specific preferences, desires and quirks. I don’t know, this has been on my mind lately and I felt the desire to post about it
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So this one has a little story, just thought it was interesting to share as I’ve been thinking about it myself, in retrospect it’s always easier to rationalise the decision path. It started of as something for the ‘what did you buy’ thread but I’m not a regular visitor there and my rambling went beyond the quick, easy let’s show you what I bought so here I am, putting some life in this old thread again 
My current goal in audio is basically to spend nothing. I have a big renovation upcoming, I’m already wondering where I’m going to put all my gear, how to box it up and also how I’m going to pay that renovation that seems to get more expensive by the day. It’s pretty challenging, I’ve had my fingere a few times on the button and a little voice said just in time: do you really need that, you’re all cabled up, you already know the change is going to be marginal, …
Anyways, my quest started for a DC cable between my SMS-200 ultra neo and sps-500. I quickly ended up at ghent audio and was about to order a cable, transport and stuff included, about 100 EUR. Then I thought: 100 euro for a small dc cable and how big of a change will that be, wouldn’t I be better of buying a component?
I was going through my dealer sites and saw a Qutest for a good price, started diving in that route ( I want an alternative for my BF2 with my v280, something more clean, technical) but in the end realised I would also need again a good PSU and probably some DDC so I left that route.
Now, in my mind, I started out with a 80 EUR DC cable and I’m now deliberating about a 1k’ish purchase, so my ‘don’t spend on audio’ threshold had already changed. I thought, why don’t I just try to sell the Sotm gear and buy this Emmlabs NS1 on audio-markt. Then I came to my senses a bit and thought (I talk a lot to myself, apologies for being weird), you fool, you should be saving up and just be looking for a DC cable and now you’re actually thinking of buying an NS1 for 2.6k.
Ok, back to the LPS upgrade then, I came across this demo model of a farad 3 power supply, I thought, maybe I just better upgrade the PSU, move the SPS-500 to my etherRegen (which now had a cheap audiophonics LPS). Fine, alternative route, I came across some other alternatives, started reading some reviews and stuff and went through the PSU review on audiobacon, saw his work on digital cables an started to go through that.
When I got my Mutec I didn’t have anough budget for a fancy AES cable and I was pretty much in the dark which ones we’re worth spending on. So I bought a mogami 3080 AES with neutrik connectors. Solid choice and I don’t regret it but i’ve heard people say a good AES really adds and it’s been on my list of ‘things to improve’ and I was watching out for a good deal on the local used market.
Anwyays, back to the review of digital cables; the boomslang cable from snake river came out quite nice. When comparing the price against the other cables that came out good, the boomslang suddenly started to look like a solid deal, especialy when I saw it was on sale and shipping was included, even international.
Nevertheless I did some extra research, also here on SA, only to find out that it’s in mon good shit list and that a lot of forum member have participated in this deal as well. That’s definitely a plus and used prices seem to be close to this deal for a brand new one so I took advantage of the offer and am now happily awaiting a boomslang AES cable.
Apologies for this long thread but at one hand I’m exited I finally dialed in on my AES cable; on the other hand I’m still figuring out how I ended up from a 100’ish DC cable with a 450-500 (depending on import duties) cable. Not always ending up in a buy, but I find this pattern not to unusual, I’m often piqued by certain things that I read, either by the product itself or maybe the alternative path something might offer. I’m guessing this is that same for other audio enthusiasts browsing the web for their joy and enrichment. Or maybe not, I’m just weird, that’s also possible, apologies again for this rambling, there is some wine involved.
Next month I’ll probably be looking at that DC cable again, who knows what I’ll end up with.
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