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Fred011235 t1_j28z5cy wrote

you're in trouble, this is where i started. seek help now!

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Warlord_Wiggles OP t1_j29cpul wrote

Oh no! I already have too many expensive hobbies let’s just pray this doesn’t turn into another one!

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Thuraash t1_j29n8mo wrote

I, too, started with this setup. It's great. It'll keep you happy for years.

Then you'll feel an itch on the end of your right pinky...

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PolarBearSequence t1_j2a3f54 wrote

Years? Damn, I got the itch after about six months…

Still, my HD 650 is the one headphone that I’d never sell.

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Thuraash t1_j2a41d6 wrote

My HD6XX, with the Magni-Modi, are still hooked up to the old PC one desk over from my new one. I stuck with the 6XX for I think three years largely because I could not figure out what would be a clear upgrade. I did not want to lose the natural timbre and richness of the HD6XX sound, and basically everything felt like a sidegrade rather than an upgrade for way more money. Better (and sometimes much better) in some respects, but often worse in respects I did not think it would be worthwhile to compromise.

And then there was ZMF. And my wallet was sad.

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PolarBearSequence t1_j2a4l0h wrote

To be fair, I did not upgrade, but instead side-grade (and bought some novelty headphones and vintage stuff for the fun of it). And that timbre/natural sound aspect is exactly why I’m never selling them. I’ve only heard one headphone in my (rather limited) experience that sounded better in that regard than the 650/6XX (or the 600 as well).

Well, and ZMF… they’re absolutely gorgeous, and if I ever get to try them, my wallet will be crying too.

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Thuraash t1_j2a5r16 wrote

The Auteur is probably the closest thing to a direct upgrade from the HD6XX/HD650, but it's hard to say the price bump justifies the quality increase unless dropping that amount of fun-money isn't a huge deal to you. I went with the Verite because it was both an upgrade in almost all respects, and different. But truth be told, I have barely used the 6XX since the Verite arrived.

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KawaiifuWorks t1_j2b022l wrote

Went with Clears myself after reading about it as an upgrade to the 6XX. Definitely felt that way after having them.

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Thuraash t1_j2b17lk wrote

They'd moved on to MGs by the time Clears were on my radar, or I might have gone with them as well.

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KawaiifuWorks t1_j2b91r1 wrote

Yeah I've heard the MGs are different. I was able to get a set of OGs from the headphones website, so the cheaper price ended up selling me on them. Can't say I'd go for them at the original price.

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PolarBearSequence t1_j2a7tcn wrote

Yeah, I’ll definitely have to try them out before. It’s too much money to buy them based on looks alone, and I’d want to try through different sets to see which one fits me best. Maybe I’ll make the journey to try them out next year.

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AnOldMoth t1_j2aps54 wrote

Meanwhile I bought Ananda, EQ'd it a little, realized how inferior the 6XX was in pretty much every way, and never really used them again. Well, I do sometimes out of curiosity, then I hear the extremely muddy bass with no control, the recessed treble, the completely closed-in soundstage, and go "Oh right, this is why I don't listen to these," and go back to my Ananda.

They are a beginner trap, because they sound better than the usual commercial garbage.

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Thuraash t1_j2as359 wrote

I mean... $200 vs. $700. I don't know why you'd expect equal technical capability. That's like trying to compare your Anandas head to head with a Focal Utopia or ZMF Verite. Roughly the same price ratio. The Anandas aren't on the same planet, but it doesn't make them crap.

And I think you're alone in calling the 6XX a trap. They do certain things incredibly well, and far better than anything in their price range for probably the better part of a decade. Bass is not one of those things, but if you're chasing natural timbre and mids the 6XX is very solid.

And whether you prefer the soundstage to be wide or narrow is as much personal preference as anything. Many people really like the "inside your head" sensation of the 6XX.

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AnOldMoth t1_j2atl5r wrote

I think the KSC75 sound far better and more natural than 6XX do, despite being 1/10 the cost and having no bass. 6XX are, as far as I'm concerned, mud-fi and a Reddit meme.

I know I'm alone in that opinion on Reddit, but this isn't just my opinion. I just think Reddit has fairly questionable taste and doesn't know any better.

> That's like trying to compare your Anandas head to head with a Focal Utopia

Having heard them, the Utopia isn't anything to write home about. Cost isn't much of an indicator of sound quality after a certain point, and as we can see with the KSC75 versus 6XX, you can charge out the ass for very mid stuff.

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Thuraash t1_j2auryx wrote

You're pretty much in a minority of one, but audio is subjective like that. As long as you're happy, it's all good.

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flecom t1_j2ancbb wrote

I remember when headphones seemed like an expensive hobby... then I got older, and the hobbies became horrifyingly expensive

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LaVillaStrangiatoYYZ t1_j2bcxlg wrote

On the other hand he never needs to upgrade again

2

amorphous714 t1_j2c4mgl wrote

I told this to myself but now I have a pair of higher end cans coming and I'm thinking about getting a tube amp

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Warlord_Wiggles OP t1_j28pgva wrote

First impressions after moving from the Sennheiser RS120 to this setup: I'm blown away by the sound stage being so much wider. I owned a set of Sennheiser HD558 for years until they stopped working so I had completely forgotten what open back headphones sound like.

The Magni and Modi have been something I've wanted for a long time but I would never justify the price of both the stack and the headphones as a regular purchase so I asked my wife for them this Christmas and she came through!

I definitely am happy with all three products and will stick with them for a while, the next update will be a pair HD8xx most likely.

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ScrumpyTungus t1_j2chhxa wrote

Ah, I love my 558. They were the first nice headphones I ever bought, and I've had them for about 7 years now. I still listen to them all the time. I'm sorry yours broke, but I'm glad you're digging the 6XX with the stack.

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sverek t1_j28r35n wrote

Woow, I gonna need some help identifying this setup!

p.s. respect and RIP HD558. Back when Sennheiser had decent HD500 series.

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Shortyman17 t1_j29nosb wrote

I mean I am new to this hobby, but I had the impression that the HD599 are quite decent

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libeako t1_j2cug56 wrote

I could not listen to the 558, it sounds as a 560S, very thin. The 559 is a step-up. All equalized.

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mull_to_zero t1_j299ibg wrote

Hell yeah, I have a Modi too, insanely good for the price

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PutPineappleOnPizza t1_j2904lh wrote

yay, being basic is fun though

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Warlord_Wiggles OP t1_j29ckof wrote

Definitely! There’s much to be said for buying a popular gear setup. Most of the time it’s a good price to performance ratio!

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KendoClub t1_j29vfqz wrote

Glad you like the headphones, I ended up returning my 6XX, I couldn't get over the Sennheiser "veil" or the muffled sound the headphones had. Even after EQ, it feels like I'm listening with a bag over my head.

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AnOldMoth t1_j2aqbda wrote

EQ helps with the treble issues, but everything else I agree. It's has too many issues.

I bought a pair of KSC75 on a whim since they were on sale, and started to laugh when I realized that they sounded better, haha. No bass is really the only downside to their sound, but everything else is good.

Honestly, if you're going to get Sennies, just get HD600 Marble. Actually good headphone, though overpriced.

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Muggaraffin t1_j2b4msl wrote

I’ve been on a Koss binge since august (you could say I’ve been aKossted) and I’ve settled on KPH40 drivers on my 75’s clips. Incredible sound

1

Open-Inside7200 t1_j2armwd wrote

The only comment on my advice post in r/headphoneadvice was to go end game on an $1800 set of headphones, so thank you for posting this reasonable and apparently awesome setup.

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Warlord_Wiggles OP t1_j2ax3c8 wrote

That seems excessive. If it helps I tend to look into basic but high(ish) end equipment when venturing into new territory then buy in. Not everyone needs $3000 setups and the rate of return between this ~$500 setup and that $3000 one may be smaller than it looks.

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Open-Inside7200 t1_j2b1twc wrote

Yea I had listed a budget and mentioned the concept of diminishing returns after a certain price point , 80/20 rule etc. this thread and OP have already been way life helpful :)

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KawaiifuWorks t1_j2azwls wrote

You got awful advice. HD6XX with a schiit stack is really tough to beat on value.

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nebkelly t1_j2chne3 wrote

AD2000x, LCD-1 etc?

Why buy cheaper high impedance cans and cheap stacks to power them when you could put that $ into more expensive low impedance cans that can run off any source and sound better.

I would post a thread asking this but my account is too new.

(also no offense to OP, I'm sure your setup sound wicked)

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iRAPErapists t1_j2dtmw6 wrote

I guess that's fine, if you ignore planars and sensitivity

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cr0ft t1_j2d5l7f wrote

The difference between a $180 and $1800 pair is not that big. The $180 set gets you like 95%, the hyper expensive shit gets you 5% on top, or some such. Furthermore, high price doesn't have to mean anything except that it's priced high. It doesn't have to be that great just because it costs.

If you want a good set, pick up a FiiO K5 Pro, or a FiiO K7 for amp, and then a pair of Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee off Drop dot com. That will still run you over $300 for the set but I'd be shocked if you were displeased. Disclaimer: I have the HD58X myself so I'm biased af.

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Open-Inside7200 t1_j2f9fti wrote

Thank you, this is the exact sort of cost based quality ratio information i was looking for. There’s always a point with gear where the diminishing returns take a huge drop off and it’s nice to know where that is as an entry point to a high-end hobby.

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commandermik t1_j2c37vc wrote

It’s crazy you guys think these are basic pieces. The modi and magni are really well measuring pieces and in the top categories on ASR if I remember correctly. Price isn’t a spec y’all.

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Ticonderogue t1_j2dcm7i wrote

Strongly agree. Prices have come way down on great kit for a number of years. How they measure, power and hold up is very impressive. And that's the thing, it's so economical, so easy to put a great rig together it makes some people think they must be missing something. Na. With today's gear, we arrive at greatness from the start. It's wonderful. Where we may push beyond this setup may be towards a particular house sound, nuances, tubes, beyond zero inky black noise floor, or a particular amp for iems or super difficult to drive HPs. Or a plethora of other features, Bluetooth capable, displays, remotes, inputs/outputs, etc. If you're happy with this... Be happy. You're not behind the curve at all.

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cr0ft t1_j2d5do4 wrote

Yep, some "speed blindness" going on in this sub, this is solid upper mid range and vastly better than the vast majority of headphone listeners in the world has.

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Stevied1991 t1_j2aiqgm wrote

Same setup just 58x headphones instead. I love them and have no intentions on getting different ones.

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cr0ft t1_j2d5bao wrote

Same. From here, you're just chasing diminishing returns. I'm sure I could find something slightly nicer for like a thousand bucks, but I'd rather have the thousand bucks and enjoy the awesome sound quality.

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omarccx t1_j2bim33 wrote

I'm a tube slut so I'd recommend the Vali 2 over Magni, but congrats and remember it's all about the music.

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iRAPErapists t1_j2du13h wrote

I really, really doubt 90 percent of the people here can even hear the difference between a hybrid like vali 2 and a magni

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libeako t1_j2curzz wrote

This is not basic. This is end-game. This headphone is my dream but too expensive for me, let alone those devices under it. Enjoy it :-).

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Ok-Pop8065 t1_j29skr4 wrote

I kinda wish I stayed with my setup like this

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ourvoid t1_j2a2d6h wrote

Again you y'all killing me with these matching colors. I fucking love it

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BionicSammich t1_j2a7ric wrote

This, but with older silver Schiit, was literally my first decent setup.

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-Epyx- t1_j2ahn4e wrote

Wow. I thought I was being advanced with this setup. Now I feel basic :C

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Warlord_Wiggles OP t1_j2aicf0 wrote

Yup we basic AF! Doesn’t make the setup not advanced in comparison to other setups or not worth while though!

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Stevoman t1_j2anj59 wrote

Still rocking this setup and proud of it. Some day I’ll upgrade the headphone. But the electronics are fantastic; no need to change those.

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josvm t1_j2aqn90 wrote

Lol this is my exact setup except silver. I am happy with it though, my expenses tend to go more towards home theater.

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mirandanielcz t1_j2b6343 wrote

HD600 + Topping DX3 Pro+ more than enough, very happy

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cr0ft t1_j2d56pe wrote

Honestly, this isn't basic bitch anymore, this is way better than the vast majority of humanity does. This is pretty solid upper mid range.

I should upgrade my headphone amp. The FiiO K7 looks killer.

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PhoenixRisingtw t1_j2d5ifo wrote

I tried the HD 600 yesterday in a store. Nothing special for me, prefer my DT 770 a lot more.

Might have something to do with the fact that the guy only let me use Youtube 🤣

1