Listening to music is, first and foremost, fun. That being said, just like any hobby, when you want to really get into it, the whole process might be a bit intimidating. There are things you seemingly need to buy, a lot of theory you need to keep in mind. To top it all off, you seemingly need to spend thousands of dollars just to start listening properly.
Of course, none of these statements are true. Honestly, you don’t have to spend a dollar to get really hooked on audio, everything you need are your ears and a little bit of care and attention to the gear. That being said, there are certain parts of a music setup that will make the whole experience much smoother. Contrary to popular belief though, such a setup doesn’t have to be extremely expensive.
Fortunately, audio gear is living through its revival thanks to the return to physical media. That means getting great gear is not only easier than ever, it’s also much more affordable. To prove that, I’ve compiled a list of gear that will elevate your listening experience and make you feel like a proper audiophile. And the best part? Each item here costs less than $100.
There are some things to keep in mind
Don’t get caught up in spending
Before I start with the list, there are a few things that need to be mentioned. It’s true that, once you get deep into the hobby, audiophile gear does get expensive. However, just as with many hobbies, you can get 95% of the experience for a tiny fraction of the cost. It’s only when you want to squeeze out the last few drops of performance that it becomes incredibly expensive, with all the golden cables and separate power sources.
What’s more, there are a few things to keep in mind. In general, cables are your friend, so picking wired headphones or choosing a wired connection over Bluetooth streaming are no-brainers. You also don’t need to buy everything all at once. A decent portable player, or a standalone DAC are great improvements, but you only need headphones and something to play music from to start your audio journey. Don’t get into a trap of having to buy everything at the very start and upgrade your gear as you go — that way you will also be able to find bottlenecks at your own pace.
Get your IEMs out
As I was saying above, it’s best to dip your toes in the audio world first. In order to do that, getting a decent pair of IEMs (in-ear monitors) is a great first step. This style of headphones is very versatile, compact, and, thanks to its size, costs less than bigger headphones.
IEMs are a great choice for your first purpose-picked headphones. They can get really detailed, letting you experience even minute details, and the range of sound they offer is huge.
Overall pick: TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero: Red
Truthear x Crinacle Zero: Red is another result of a collaboration between well-known IEM tuning expert Crinacle and Chi-Fi wonder Truthear. It features dual dynamic drivers and well-balanced, neutral tuning. All of that makes the sound extremely detailed along the whole sound spectrum, with adequately accentuated but not muddy bass and detailed but not harsh treble. Additionally, it costs around $50-60 and punches much above its price.
Design king: Moondrop Aria 2
Moondrop Aria 2 is another Chi-Fi wonder (something that will keep repeating on this list). It distinguishes itself by utilizing a unibody design, which compliments its neutral, slightly warmer sound. Higher frequencies could be a bit more pronounced, but this makes it an ideal pair for more bassy tracks. For around $90 it’s a marvelous proposition that combines great sound with fantastic design.
Budget pick: KZ ZSN Pro 2
If you’re totally on a budget, the KZ ZSN Pro 2 is the way to go. For around $25, you get an amazing pair of headphones offering dynamic, V-shaped sound. The detail is marvelous considering the price of these headphones, and both high and low frequencies have been much improved compared to the first generation.
Open-back headphones scale up the experience
When you want to go a step further into the world of audio, another, much different pair of headphones is probably the best way to go about it. That’s where open-back headphones come into play. Contrary to small IEMs, these are over-ear constructions that emphasize the spatial aspects of your music. Thanks to their construction, they make every piece feel spacious, making you feel as if you were listening in a huge concert hall, placing every instrument in its own plane.
Overall pick: Philips SHP9500
Philips SHP9500 has been the unquestioned king in the open-back space for quite some time now. For around $90–100, you can pick up a pair of headphones that offer sound more spacious than rivals several orders of magnitude more expensive. Add to that detailed, balanced sound (with a bit of a bass roll-off, as you’d expect from the open-back design) and you get a deal that’s too hot to pass on.
Budget wonder: Samson SR850/Superlux HD681 EVO
Both the Samson SR850 and Superlux HD681 EVO are essentially the same headphones, building upon the success of the legendary AKG K240. However, they come on their own with a bit more V-shaped sound that is more fun and works better with the most popular music genres. However, they still maintain good balance without sounding overly harsh or muddy. What’s more, you can get them for around $40.
Cool and still sound great: Koss Porta Pro
Koss Porta Pro is the staple of stylish listening. Its retro looks shouldn’t deceive you, as the headphones offer a surprisingly modern, spacious soundstage and a well-balanced sound profile. What’s more, you can listen in style for just around $60, making it a great accessory that works great with virtually any genre of music.
DACs galore
At some point, headphones are not enough to squeeze more performance from your setup. The next logical step, then, is getting a DAC. Digital to analog converters are machines that help translate the digital music files from your source into analog sound that headphones and speakers can understand. External DACs allow you to stop relying on your built-in option, and offer more detailed sound that you can further hone to your liking with built-in EQ options. There are also models that focus on different tunings, so whether you prefer balanced sound for critical listening, or a more “fun”, V-shaped sound profile, you can match a DAC to your preferences. What’s more, these DACs also allow you to use a bit more exotic headphones that require more power to drive, as they are capable of delivering much more power than a built-in option in your phone or PC.
Overall pick: SMSL SU-1
The SMSL SU-1, despite its extremely generic name, is the DAC to go for within the $100 budget. It provides great quality, balanced sound output and combines it with an extremely high bitrate up to 768 kHz/32bit. Add to that support for the MQA codec, and you get a fantastic DAC that will prove sufficient even for seasoned audiophiles. And you can get all that for around $90–100.
Punching well above its price: Fosi Audio Q4
Fosi Audio is well known for its budget-conscious Chi-Fi lineup, and its Q4 DAC/AMP combo is one of its headline products. It’s a small desktop DAC/AMP with physical EQ knobs. It features a rather neutral sound profile, and can drive even relatively demanding headphones, which, combined with the ability to quickly change your tuning, makes for a great budget-oriented pick for just $60–70.
Best on the go: Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle
Quite surprisingly, the best decent option for your DAC, that is also excellent on the go, is Apple’s USB-C headphone dongle. It costs barely $10 on Apple’s website, and lets you connect headphones to any device using USB-C. The small DAC inside is surprisingly capable and delivers nice, balanced and crisp output that puts to shame other, more expensive USB-C DACs.
