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Audiophile Starter Gear: Hi-Fi Headphones, DACs & Desktop Speakers
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items I caught the audiophile bug a few years ago, and the right entry level gear opened my ears to details I never heard before. Good headphones, a small DAC, and a pair of desktop speakers transformed how my music sounds. These are the hi fi starter piec...
Sections
3
Hi-Fi Headphones
DACs, Amps & Streamers
Desktop Speakers & Turntables
Hi-Fi Headphones
Headphones with detailed, natural sound.
These Sennheiser headphones are the classic I recommend to anyone starting their audiophile journey. Voices sound natural, instruments have real space around them, and they stay comfortable for hours. I have owned mine for years, and they still make ...
Sennheiser HD 600 Open Back Audiophile Headphones
These Sennheiser headphones add deeper bass and more energy than the classic model I started with, which suits my rock and electronic playlists. They are easy to drive from a small DAC, and the build feels premium. I upgraded to them after a year wit...
Sennheiser HD 660S2 Wired Over-the-Ear Headphones
These affordable Sennheiser headphones are my favorite budget friendly open back pair, with a wide soundstage that makes music feel spacious. They are light, comfortable, and easy to power. I gave a pair to my brother for his first hi fi setup, and h...
Sennheiser HD 560S Audiophile Headphones
These beyerdynamic headphones are detailed and comfortable, with soft velour pads that I barely notice after hours of listening. They work well straight from my laptop, and the detachable cable is a nice touch. I use them for critical listening and m...
beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Open Back Studio Headphones
These Focal Clear MG headphones are my dream pair, delivering stunning detail and punch with gorgeous craftsmanship. Every listening session feels like an event, and they reveal layers I never noticed in familiar songs. They are a splurge that I save...
Focal Clear MG Open Back Headphones
These Philips headphones are the best value I have found in open back audio, with a natural sound and very comfortable fit. They are easy to drive from a phone or laptop, and the price makes them an easy first step. I recommend them to my friends cur...
Philips SHP9600 Open Back Headphones
These Sony reference headphones are incredibly light and accurate, which makes them my choice for long editing and listening sessions. The open back design sounds spacious, and they stay comfortable for hours. I use them to check our home recordings,...
Sony MDR-MV1 Open Back Reference Monitor Headphones
These flagship Sennheiser headphones have the widest soundstage I have ever heard, as if the band is playing around me. Classical and jazz recordings sound breathtakingly real. They are an investment, but for my long listening nights they are worth e...
Sennheiser HD 800 S Reference Headphones
DACs, Amps & Streamers
Small boxes that make digital music sound better.
This iFi Zen DAC was the first upgrade I made after buying good headphones, and the difference over my laptop's output was immediate. It adds clarity, more power, and a handy bass boost button. It sits neatly on my desk, and I recommend it to every f...
iFi Audio Zen DAC V3 Headphone Amplifier
This WiiM Pro streamer turned our old stereo into a modern streaming system that plays from every app we use. It supports high resolution streaming, works with voice assistants, and the remote is handy. It is an affordable upgrade I recommend to frie...
WiiM Pro Wireless Music Streamer
This Cambridge Audio streamer is the heart of my living room hi fi, with a reference grade DAC that makes streaming sound remarkably rich. The screen shows album art, and the app is easy to use. It is a serious upgrade that I think made our music col...
Cambridge Audio CXN100 Network Audio Streamer
This portable iFi DAC goes with me everywhere, so my headphones sound great on trains, flights, and in hotel rooms. It has plenty of power for demanding headphones, and the battery lasts for hours. I love having my home listening experience in my poc...
iFi Audio hip-dac 3 Portable Balanced DAC Amp
This FiiO dongle DAC plugs into my phone or laptop and delivers clean, powerful sound for my favorite headphones. It is tiny, has a desktop mode for extra power, and the screen shows the settings. It is the compact upgrade I recommend to my friends w...
FiiO KA17 Portable USB DAC Headphone Amplifier
Desktop Speakers & Turntables
Speakers and turntables for listening at home.
These larger Audioengine speakers have enough power to fill our living room with rich, room filling music. The bass is surprisingly deep, Bluetooth makes streaming easy, and the remote is handy. They are the speakers I chose for our family room, and ...
Audioengine A5+ Wireless Bookshelf Speakers
These Kanto speakers have a built in phono preamp, so I connected my turntable directly without any extra boxes. They sound warm and full, the matte blue finish looks lovely, and Bluetooth handles streaming. They made setting up our first vinyl syste...
Kanto YU4 Powered Speakers with Phono Preamp
These Klipsch speakers connect to our TV and turntable and sound fantastic for movies and music alike. They have a dedicated phono input, plenty of power, and a timeless look. They replaced our soundbar, and I think our living room has never sounded ...
Klipsch The Fives II Powered Bookshelf Speakers
This Audio-Technica turntable is the reliable workhorse I recommend to friends getting serious about vinyl. It has a sturdy direct drive motor, adjustable settings, and a built in preamp. I digitize old family records with its connection to my comput...
Audio-Technica AT-LP120X USB Turntable
These Edifier studio monitors give my desk accurate, balanced sound for mixing and casual listening. They are affordable, have a headphone jack on the front, and look sharp in black. I use them for editing our home videos, and they make everything so...
Edifier MR4 Studio Monitor Speakers
This Audio-Technica automatic turntable is the simplest way I know to start a vinyl collection. One button starts and stops the record, and the built in preamp connects to any powered speakers. I gave one to my parents, and they now spin their old al...
Audio-Technica AT-LP60X Automatic Turntable
This Sonos Five fills our living room with rich, detailed sound from a single speaker, and it connects straight to my turntable through the line input. I stream high resolution albums to it from my phone, and setup took me only minutes. It is the spe...
Sonos Five High Fidelity Wireless Speaker
These Edifier speakers were my first real upgrade from laptop sound, and the warm walnut cabinets still look great on my desk. They connect to my computer and my phone, and the side dials let me tune bass and treble by ear. I recommend them to friend...
Edifier R1700BT Powered Bookshelf Speakers
These PreSonus monitors give me an honest, detailed sound that makes flaws in a recording easy to hear, which is exactly why I love them. They fit on a small desk, and the front volume knob and headphone jack are handy. I use them daily for music and...
PreSonus Eris 3.5 Studio Monitors