Are headphones tech?
I finally broke down and bought a
HFM Edition XS, questionable headband and all (although the
Ananda Stealth is only a few dollars more on their discount store if that's your thing).
Those used to be ~$500 and ($1000, then $700 iirc) up headphones (considered a value at their original prices), so the current deals are pretty good if that's something you're into IMHO.
At $279+FS and after doing that thing (I think we all do) of going back and staring at them several times and thinking about it, I couldn't say no. I've spent more on crap I knew I would appreciate much less.
I'm now waffling between a
BTR15 and
Qudelix-5k. Probably going to end up with the 5k, just because it appears to me more my type of unique gadget (
rather than janky, populist, glass-covered POS).
I really like AutoEQ: not just the use of it (which I already use for all my cans on PC), but the thought of it (a user-contributed repository of downloadable profiles for pretty much every headphone) is neat AF.
I just hope it has enough power (as the dongle on my OG DEVA is rated 2/3 of it's power and poops out around ~70%), and I don't end up having to ALSO buy the aforementioned other thing (w/ more power).
Thing is, now I probably have to use a 3.5mm->4.4mm->2.5mm adapter for this setup that I really just wanted to be a short wire from the cups to the amp; which might get super ugly.
Whatever: it was never about making a fashion statement, more of a "This is who I am: chaining together all kinds of well-made niche stuff to hopefully make something great(er)" thing...I just hope it works.
It truly does feel like any-day-now Qudelix will release a 4.4mm model w/ more power, or HFM will make a better-than-deva-cheaper-than-ananda-bt set, and at that point I'll throw my fists up angrily into the sky...
...But...you know...until then...at least it's something to do.
. And a bended tube with straight fittings is not looking nice as you can see in the picture.
, but it all worked out and no leaks.
)
