[Game] If you had $250 to spend on Audio equipment (Listening), what would you pick?

[BoltActionWaffle]

Hello users of LTT forums! Just curious about what you would choose. I don't whether to consider this a game or not, but I'm going to anyway. 

 

Rules: 

1. $250 USD (give or take a few) or equivalent, for example $275 CAD, £155 GPB, and €190 Euros.

2. Audio equipment consists of products you use to listen to audio, such as headphones, speakers and Amp/DAC combos.

3. You can only have ONE product of a specific "class" such as headphones and amps. (You may not have a speaker + headphone or headphone + IEM combo etc.)

4. The $250 USD budget includes shipping, any tax, and price of the product.

5. Products must be purchased as "NEW" from a reputable site, such as amazon. 

 

These headphones, IEMS or speakers are basically the only product you can use to hear audio from your phone or PC. Some people don't listen to music when out of the house, and others may really need portable headphones or IEMs.

 

Let me start this off, 

 

This is hard for me, because I really enjoy listening to music when out of th house, but I have specific wants for home-use headphones haha. 

 

I'm going to choose the AD700x + Syba Amp/DAC = $241 USD for me. 

Well, this game flopped hard. Haha

[helping]

A few orders of enhancing audio pebbles.

 

http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina31.htm

[brownninja97]

Then id have two option, buy the klipsch 2.1 speakers or save up for the edifier s730

[BoltActionWaffle]

A few orders of enhancing audio pebbles.

 

http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina31.htm

How much better does it your audio experience improve percentage wise?  :rolleyes:

[elecxonica]

Using PC Case Gear, an Audio Engine D1 DAC and a set of Sennheiser HD429 headphones totaling $267 AUD, or $241 USD.

[SeanBond]

How much better does it your audio experience improve percentage wise?  :rolleyes:

I am thinking a ball park estimate of 0%. But I would spend all of it on a headset because any recent motherboard will have to quality to properly drive even some pretty serious headphones. In fact I already spent 250 on sennheiser 363ds that have an in line sound card and I regret nothing. Much better than any other lower quality headset with a good DAC because the lowest common denominator will just about always fall on the headset nowadays. 

[Thebman712]

custom one pros with somthing like a fiio e7 and a mic of sorts

[helping]

How much better does it your audio experience improve percentage wise?  :rolleyes:

I have a really nice oscope and multimeter, I measured it to about a 23.7% (+/- .2%) increase in audio fidelity.

[BoltActionWaffle]

I have a really nice oscope and multimeter, I measured it to about a 23.7% (+/- .2%) increase in audio fidelity.

That's fantastic!

[creatip123]

A few orders of enhancing audio pebbles.

 

http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina31.htm

 

First thought: Okay, a new thing, might or might not work. Perhaps it's a new trick nobody thought of before.

Second thought: large pebble $99 each, wth?? Those are regular aquarium pebbles

Third thought: after seeing it's used by taping it to the RCA connectors: completely lost it......

[SSL]

I would buy a Razur Kreken Prew.

[BoltActionWaffle]

I would buy a Razur Kreken Prew.

100% agree, Razer audio products all the way. 

[Stagea]

Depending on the onboard audio, I may or may not need a separate DAC. For a maximum of $250, I'd catch these deals:

 

Stereo Amplifier: $149

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX8020-TX-8020-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00EE18O7W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-4&keywords=pioneer+amplifier+stereo

 

A Pair of Bookshelf Speakers: $35 x 2 = $70

http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Two-way-Bookshelf-Satellite/dp/B0044D3R7M/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-3&keywords=primus

 

The remaining $31 can be used for interconnects (or maybe a cheap DAC if the onboard audio is terrible).

[BoltActionWaffle]

Depending on the onboard audio, I may or may not need a separate DAC. For a maximum of $250, I'd catch these deals:

 

Stereo Amplifier: $149

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX8020-TX-8020-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00EE18O7W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-4&keywords=pioneer+amplifier+stereo

 

A Pair of Bookshelf Speakers: $35 x 2 = $70

http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Two-way-Bookshelf-Satellite/dp/B0044D3R7M/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-3&keywords=primus

 

The remaining $31 can be used for interconnects (or maybe a cheap DAC if the onboard audio is terrible).

It's meant to be what you would personally get, in your current situation and with your personal preferences, so if your on-board is terrible atm tell us what you would get etc.

[Stagea]

It's meant to be what you would personally get, in your current situation and with your personal preferences, so if your on-board is terrible atm tell us what you would get etc.

 

Sorry about that. I guess I missed the point originally. I will not get a DAC for my rig as I have a nice audio board in there. 

 

I'd stick with those two things if I am not to have my current setup.

[BoredErica]

How much better does it your audio experience improve percentage wise?  :rolleyes:

According to my calculations, approximately 35.99834%.

 

 

I would grab a $250 headphone. I wouldn't spend a dime on aftermarket dac/amps or pebbles (aww). There was a killer sale for HD600 at $260.

If you mean $250 on top of my current setup, then I would sell my O2/Odac and spend the money I got from selling them + 250 to buy the ODA/Odac. (Although... Don't think that's enough.)

 

Ok fine, an answer that actually fits in with the requirements of the thread... I'd grab some nice IEMs for work. Other than IEM and ODA, there's nothing audio-wise I really want for $250 and below. Maybe a nice ground loop isolator for my speakers, but one with extra short cables and female on one side and male on the other (so I can use my fancy Monoprice cables.)

[BoltActionWaffle]

According to my calculations, approximately 35.99834%.

I would grab a $250 headphone. I wouldn't spend a dime on aftermarket dac/amps or pebbles (aww). There was a killer sale for HD600 at $260.

If you mean $250 on top of my current setup, then I would sell my O2/Odac and spend the money I got from selling them + 250 to buy the ODA/Odac. (Although... Don't think that's enough.)

Ok fine, an answer that actually fits in with the requirements of the thread... I'd grab some nice IEMs for work. Other than IEM and ODA, there's nothing audio-wise I really want for $250 and below. Maybe a nice ground loop isolator for my speakers, but one with extra short cables and female on one side and male on the other (so I can use my fancy Monoprice cables.)

My clarity for this game was the biggest fail of all time. What I was trying to say is that anything not related to audio equipment for listening you already own. So the o2 would exist, but your PC with a decent onboard would. :mellow:

[BoredErica]

My clarity for this game was the biggest fail of all time. What I was trying to say is that anything not related to audio equipment for listening you already own. So the o2 would exist, but your PC with a decent onboard would. :mellow:

:huh:

*awkward silence*

A nice chair for listening to my music? Something as makeshift stands for my Rokits. The tweeters are not quite ear level yet. An audiofeelz blanket in case I start to cry from all the audiofeelz.

[BoltActionWaffle]

:huh:

*awkward silence*

A nice chair for listening to my music? Something as makeshift stands for my Rokits. The tweeters are not quite ear level yet. An audiofeelz blanket in case I start to cry from all the audiofeelz.

It's official. When I get 500 posts, my title will be "Unclear as F*ck"

[DigitalHermit]

If I was at a place where Amazon would deliver without extra charges...

http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-4&keywords=m50x

 

What I'd get now (from IRL shops):

Fiio E10K ~80USD

Superlux HD660 ~45USD

Put the rest of the money into a better system since I already have a badass speaker setup...

[BoltActionWaffle]

If I was at a place where Amazon would deliver without extra charges...

http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-4&keywords=m50x

What I'd get now (from IRL shops):

Fiio E10K ~80USD

Superlux HD660 ~45USD

Put the rest of the money into a better system since I already have a badass speaker setup...

Don't forgot the beyer velour pads, increases comfort by over 9000 comfort points.

[BoredErica]

increases comfort by over 9000 comfort points.

That's a lot of comfort points, mate. 

It's official. When I get 500 posts, my title will be "Unclear as F*ck"

I'm pretty tired and too lazy to re-read stuff, lolz.

[DigitalHermit]

Don't forgot the beyer velour pads, increases comfort by over 9000 comfort points.

 

If they're compatible with the 660s then why not...

 

I'd post how my setup looks like but I have a potato for a camera....

[BoltActionWaffle]

If they're compatible with the 660s then why not...

I'd post how my setup looks like but I have a potato for a camera....

I'm using them on my hd660s right now

[DigitalHermit]

I'm using them on my hd660s right now

 

Ooh nice! Any comment on the sound? I liked their build quality but I wasn't able to test the sound thoroughly....