[SimpleAuricle]

Hello Head-Fi community,

I’m a long-time user of the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro (1st gen), but I recently became interested in wired audio gear. After doing some research, I made the following purchases with the goal of stretching my dollar and maximizing the price-to-performance ratio as much as possible:

• AKG N5005: $189.99
• Sennheiser HD 6XX: $161.1
• iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale: $299
• (Azla SednaEarfit MAX standard ear tips: $17 - not included in the total)

The total came out to $650.09 (plus taxes).

I’m thrilled with my new setup, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts. How did I do? Did I get a good deal? Could I have done better? Should I have bought a different setup for $650? Any tips and suggestions are welcome!

Also, if I had to return one of the three items (AKG N5005, Sennheiser HD 6XX, iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale), which one should it be and why?

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

 

[DigitalJust]

Hello Head-Fi community,

I’m a long-time user of the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro (1st gen), but I recently became interested in wired audio gear. After doing some research, I made the following purchases with the goal of stretching my dollar and maximizing the price-to-performance ratio as much as possible:

• AKG N5005: $189.99
• Sennheiser HD 6XX: $161.1
• iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale: $299
• (Azla SednaEarfit MAX standard ear tips: $17 - not included in the total)

The total came out to $650.09 (plus taxes).

I’m thrilled with my new setup, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts. How did I do? Did I get a good deal? Could I have done better? Should I have bought a different setup for $650? Any tips and suggestions are welcome!

Also, if I had to return one of the three items (AKG N5005, Sennheiser HD 6XX, iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale), which one should it be and why?

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

It's all subjective as everyone has different taste and different shaped ears. If you are thrilled, stay thrilled and enjoy your new setup!

The hd6xx or hd650 are a great place to start because it's solid and popular. If you love it, you may never NEED to upgrade.

Or if you find things about them that you want more of, or would like to be different, enough people have heard hd650 where suggestions on eq or upgrades wont be hard to come by.

Go have fun hearing all the music you love through your new setup. There will always be someone who wants to say "you should have bought this", or "i think this sounds better".

I say stay thrilled at your choices. If it sounds good, it is good. You have some great open back headphones, some in ears if you want to block out the world and an amp. Don't worry about about buying something else until one of those 3 items leaves you wanting more.

I am tempted to tell you what I'd buy for $650, but it would be a setup tailored for me, and that wouldnt take into consideration how you listen. You did good.

 

[baskingshark]

Hello Head-Fi community,

I’m a long-time user of the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro (1st gen), but I recently became interested in wired audio gear. After doing some research, I made the following purchases with the goal of stretching my dollar and maximizing the price-to-performance ratio as much as possible:

• AKG N5005: $189.99
• Sennheiser HD 6XX: $161.1
• iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale: $299
• (Azla SednaEarfit MAX standard ear tips: $17 - not included in the total)

The total came out to $650.09 (plus taxes).

I’m thrilled with my new setup, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts. How did I do? Did I get a good deal? Could I have done better? Should I have bought a different setup for $650? Any tips and suggestions are welcome!

Also, if I had to return one of the three items (AKG N5005, Sennheiser HD 6XX, iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale), which one should it be and why?

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Excellent deals! Congrats!

The HD6XX/650 is a legendary headphone that has been around for years, great lush midrange. Needs some power though due to the high impedance.

AKG N5005 was originally retailing near $1K where that was quite overpriced. the $190ish deal is a steal, has 4 tuning nozzles to change the sonics, great technical chops. A bit artificial in timbre, but it is certainly competitive against some $300 - 500ish IEMs in this day and age.

 

[SimpleAuricle]

I am tempted to tell you what I'd buy for $650, but it would be a setup tailored for me, and that wouldnt take into consideration how you listen. You did good.

Thanks so much! I’m pretty content with my current setup and don’t plan on making any changes, so just for kicks, what could you get for 650 bucks? You’ve piqued my interest!

AKG N5005 was originally retailing near $1K where that was quite overpriced.

Indeed, $1000 does seem steep. I agree with you that it seems like I managed to get something valued at around $400 for just half the price.

 

[HiFiWar]

Hello Head-Fi community,

I’m a long-time user of the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro (1st gen), but I recently became interested in wired audio gear. After doing some research, I made the following purchases with the goal of stretching my dollar and maximizing the price-to-performance ratio as much as possible:

• AKG N5005: $189.99
• Sennheiser HD 6XX: $161.1
• iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale: $299
• (Azla SednaEarfit MAX standard ear tips: $17 - not included in the total)

The total came out to $650.09 (plus taxes).

I’m thrilled with my new setup, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts. How did I do? Did I get a good deal? Could I have done better? Should I have bought a different setup for $650? Any tips and suggestions are welcome!

Also, if I had to return one of the three items (AKG N5005, Sennheiser HD 6XX, iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale), which one should it be and why?

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Do you like it? That's all that really matters.

If you want opinions, and that's all you'll get on Head-Fi, then PERSONALLY I would return both sets of headphones as I am not particularly enamored with either. The iFi is excellent, but mostly as a desktop solution. I don't think you're really set up for IEM usage since your system isn't super portable. Personally, I'd take the TRUTHEAR HEXA or KZ ZEX Pro over the AKG and I'd take the Hifiman SUNDARA as a full-size, but really I'd pick one or the other since I'm guessing you're using these at your desk primarily and I'd grab a full-on DAP or at least a separate dongle like the TRUTHEAR SHIO to connect to my phone for IEM use at this price level. So, as always, figure out your usage and build your setup from there. Ask around for opinions, pick someone you trust, and have a good return policy as a backup. Again, if you like your setup, who cares what some rando's on he internet have to say?

 

[SimpleAuricle]

Personally, I'd take the TRUTHEAR HEXA or KZ ZEX Pro over the AKG and I'd take the Hifiman SUNDARA as a full-size

Thanks for your comment. As a newcomer to this hobby, I greatly appreciate hearing the preferences and opinions of other enthusiasts, which is precisely why I joined this forum. I anticipate that my own preferences will become more tailored over time. I’ve looked up the Hexa and Sundara + Shio, and found that they are priced lower than what I paid for my AKG and 6XX, even without any discounts. Although I’m still very satisfied with my current setup, this does make me pause and consider how I’ll approach my future purchases.

 

[HiFiWar]

Thanks for your comment. As a newcomer to this hobby, I greatly appreciate hearing the preferences and opinions of other enthusiasts, which is precisely why I joined this forum. I anticipate that my own preferences will become more tailored over time. I’ve looked up the Hexa and Sundara + Shio, and found that they are priced lower than what I paid for my AKG and 6XX, even without any discounts. Although I’m still very satisfied with my current setup, this does make me pause and consider how I’ll approach my future purchases.

Oof, yeah, this hobby can getcha. I'm guessing you saw some good sales on Drop.com? That's basically where my headphone journey began as well haha. Look around for people's rankings lists - they're not perfect and preferences change but they can help point you in the right direction. It doesn't help that all of the audio retailers have different companies they carry, so you can't just sort by price and see what's available everywhere, only what they carry. I like shopping around on Musicteck, Headphones.com, Audio46, and Bloom Audio to see what sales/open box stuff they have, then you can just look up reviews or ask around on here to get a feel for what they sound like.

 

[FuzzyLuck5550]

Really nice options! Everyone would do $650 differently, but these are all strong choices! Grats!

 

[AnamCeoil]

Looks super! I really love the IFI house sound, and the Sennheisers are a classic so don't think you can go tol wrong with those. Enjoy the music!

 

[monf3307]

Indeed, $1000 does seem steep. I agree with you that it seems like I managed to get something valued at around $400 for just half the price.

This thinking pops right into my head whenever I think about or explain my Focal Elegia. They are great and I love them, but introduced at $900, man i dunno. I think most of us got them at $400 and I got them for $300 (thanks again for that coupon! cannot remember your name at the moment LOL)

But yes I definitely think that cost paid and circumstances around obtaining plays a factor in our enjoyment and personal rating of gear, even if it objectively should not.

 

[monf3307]

Hello Head-Fi community,

I’m a long-time user of the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro (1st gen), but I recently became interested in wired audio gear. After doing some research, I made the following purchases with the goal of stretching my dollar and maximizing the price-to-performance ratio as much as possible:

• AKG N5005: $189.99
• Sennheiser HD 6XX: $161.1
• iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale: $299
• (Azla SednaEarfit MAX standard ear tips: $17 - not included in the total)

The total came out to $650.09 (plus taxes).

I’m thrilled with my new setup, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts. How did I do? Did I get a good deal? Could I have done better? Should I have bought a different setup for $650? Any tips and suggestions are welcome!

Also, if I had to return one of the three items (AKG N5005, Sennheiser HD 6XX, iFi Audio Micro iDSD Signature Finale), which one should it be and why?

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

How did you do?! You did great!!

FTR i did not love my HD650's until I hooked them up to a tube amp. But that is me and we have different ears. I am also somewhat hesitant to get drop-line products. I did get the ultrasones they did, but they are kind of a weird one-off. I guess with sennheisers I considered them a classic and I wanted to get the true classic, even if the Drop version was effectively identical. Anyway, I digress. I am sure they are great headphones and i am trying to convince my brother to get a pair and quit using all his damn gaming headsets for music LOL

Enjoy your gear!