Try fi, Buy fi, Cry fi, Bye fi
Another fabulous year of audio gear has passed by, and yet again across the board improvements in build, sound quality and performance continue unabated.
Whether its at the TOTL high end, pricey or budget and reasonable we have the right recommendation for you.
Whether it be the snazziest multi driver BAs, or If its DD you are into or even a hybrid.
Do i look like a google machine?
🎶who killed bambi? Who killed bambi? 🎶
These aren`t the buyers guide recommendations you are looking for....
Head pie Bias Guide. TM. 2017 #headpiesucks
Head pie gives you the low down.
Do i look like a google machine?
Baaawwwllzzzz
Daps, dacs and cables have rained down upon the heads of the fortunate budding and seasoned audiophiles in this or Lords year of 2017AD. Cough 2022AD - zarjaz.
So many choices for the budget minded, and also for those with gold plated wallets.
Which to choose? Rest assured the Head pie Bias guide will guide your skeptical buyers hand towards the correct decision.
Headphones, earphones and earbuds galore! We cover them all in this years Head pie Holiday and end of year audio buyers guide.
And here we have it, without further adieu...the best of the best of the best of the best of .......2017! Cough cough 2022…i suck…but hey, so do the audio show and website so called ‘awards’ usually.
2022 - i rarely review now, but still i drink at the audio trough as the twilight pandemic years come to eclipse. There is less gear coming out and less frequent releases. Companies have pared back their releases. The swarms of ‘all reviewers are sucky scammers so i am going to make my own review website’ circle jerk of woe seems to have reached its apex and slowly faded to obscurity after milking young fans of their dollars whilst all sitting around their compooters. Paypal me! Join my patroen! Onlyfans audio!
But it endures. Shows have made a return. Daps are finally getting up to where they should be, still a little more to go. A base of 3-4GB ram should be standard. Bluetooth is coming of age just as it seems to be fading out - who's got time to charge the suckers!?!
The stalwart models of headphones seem to continue. A few brands come and gone, a few budget brands created their own high end sister companies which seem to not offer much more than a higher price from their budget offerings. Nice packaging though.
All in all, the pandemic slowing down the world gave the audio world a good opportunity to slow down and take stock. It was off the rails with too many releases, not enough R&D or qc.
Its been whittled down a bit and although there are less releases the better quality ones are still coming out - slowly. And the deluge of garbage masquerading as mid fi as dropped out as the drum beaters leave university and enter the workforce and their late twenties.
As always its been a fun ride.
I’m here, but i am a ghost. A spirit, a watcher halfway between dusk and dawn….
🎶who killed bambi? Who killed bambi? 🎶
.....2022 budget be like?......
Well in 2022 food prices did go through the roof and also rents and utilities in some parts of the world. No days one can get something pretty good and recent for a decent buck on the used market.
Daps - virtually anything by a well known company thats been splattered all across Facebook in 2017…2022. Choose your budget - If money is lacking offer oneself up for paid experiments at the local university, then make sure the dap has all the functions you need, and doesn't have any functions you may not use. Make sure If has enough driving power under the hood. Check it has enough ram and the most recent bluetooth capabilities. Each company seems to have their own house sound, but volume matched they come airly close to one another. But still those subtle differences are there. Also check up on their customer service history. Read as many reviews and impressions as you can find until your eyeballs melt.
Also pretty and smexy is a plus.
Dacs, dac/amps - Choose a price, then whether or not you want an internal battery. Check the various functions it has to offer. Once again, read the reviews, see If any have a particular signature. Also check how well they adapt to iOS and Android updates. The dac dongles have really come of age these last few years in twrms of power and sound quality.. One can get a few and use em as amp modules with something small like a hidizs ap80 which usually connects to them with minimal fuss. Shop around, have some fun.
Multi driver IEMs/BAs earphone thingys - decide on a budget, sell a kidney, choose from one of the reliable companies then choose a sonic preference xXX, XxX, XXx, XXX, Xxx, xxX. Preferably match it with a dap with a low output impedance. The higher you go up the chain the greater the reward. You can some pretty good used deals of units from 1-3 years use. Get something for $500-$800 that would have cost $1000-$15000 new. Splash down some cash.
Hybrid - Mostly for fans of an energetic V sound. Some have gotten pretty spectacular in their mixing of various dd ba est and other drivers. Just make aure they are a reputable company that connects all the. Drivers or does not have a wide range of earphones that all measure the same in different shells. LOL. Jump, jump...party til you drop within your budget.
Earphones - DD. Fairly reliable across the board and less likely to disappoint. Developments in DD tech have gotten better in the last five years, usually a reliable and safe buy. Explore budget, build and sound.
Headphones- yes.
Cables - Whether a believer or a science freak, aftermarket cables give most audiophiles a woody. Most well known brands are...well known. Budget, choose copper, silver or unobtanium for best results...or a mix of the three. Audio cable jewelry pron.
Cables - Whether a believer or a science freak, aftermarket cables give most audiophiles a woody. Most well known brands are...well known. Budget, choose copper, silver or unobtanium for best results...or a mix of the three. Audio cable jewelry pron.
Earbuds - budget, choose your poison,
read some reviews, click purchase. Clean your earwax.
Enjoy.
Tips - Probably the dark horse within this conversation, but don't underestimate the power of a good tip, just the tip. The sonics of an earphone can be greatly changed, for the better or worse. Nowadays there are a wide range of quality tips, pairing the right tip can make or break an iems sound. Also the correct fit cannot be underestimated. Sometimes you need a different size in each ear. May the power of tips be with you, ...always.
Tips - Probably the dark horse within this conversation, but don't underestimate the power of a good tip, just the tip. The sonics of an earphone can be greatly changed, for the better or worse. Nowadays there are a wide range of quality tips, pairing the right tip can make or break an iems sound. Also the correct fit cannot be underestimated. Sometimes you need a different size in each ear. May the power of tips be with you, ...always.
‘And now for something completely different..’
...But seriously folks...
...But seriously folks...
Most of all first decide your budget, then wait and save a little more.
Read reviews, contrasting reviews from different reviewers you love and love to hate. Gather as much information as you can about the audio gear you are shopping for.
Take your time.
Sometimes companies or vendors have sales, either for A stock, or B stock items with a slight blemish.
Shop around.
Even the used market can yield some bargains, but of course its always good to try before you buy where possible, both used and new items.
Even the used market can yield some bargains, but of course its always good to try before you buy where possible, both used and new items.
Some say start with a decent pair of earphones or headphones and work your way up from there to a decent dap, others recommend the opposite way.
There are so many options on the market now and it can be confusing. Take your time, gather a decent budget so you will be making one good purchase, instead of several regrettable purchases.
There are many great devices at reasonable prices especially in the earphone and dap market now days. In the sub $200 market the sonic quality has improved to what the $500 market was five years ago. one can gather a quite decent complete rig without breaking the bank.
Its a good time to be enjoying audio gear for all wallet sizes.
and have a
and have a
If you want to see what products Head pie awarded awards to to in 2017:
Kind regards, expatinjapan.
These aren`t the buyers guide recommendations you are looking for....
Head pie Bias Guide. TM. 2017 #headpiesucks
HE DIDN’T EVEN BOTHER TO CHANGE THE DATES!!! OMG!!
No, no i didn’t
Just added some more text as usual
Head pie awards 2020:
Merry Xmas all and may 2021 be a brighter year for all <3 (it was not - stoopid pandemic. Lucky i like staying home).
Love
Head pie
Crappy copy and paste continues as too lazy to delete eidt…..
Its over, rover…but the memes remain….