GOODBYE

This is it

Six years later, this is goodbye and, admittedly, also a bit of a friendly finger to the hobby 🖕🏼

May what follows help some see the light.

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Sources

— 16-bit CD-quality is the gold standard

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Source files matter and 16-bit CD-quality is the gold standard. Do try “Hi-Res” audio however.

‘Hear a difference and can afford it? Good.

‘Can’t hear a difference or want to save money? Good.

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Music player

— If you can afford it, consider a mature music player from a recognised brand such as Astell & Kern or Sony

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An iPhone with Apple’s then-bundled dongle is perfectly fine.

With that said, a good music player is a nice thing to have and can sound better as well as offer options.

If you can afford it, consider a mature music player from a recognised brand such as Astell & Kern or Sony and stick to it.

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Cables

— If you’re mainly going to use a portable music player … balanced can be an interesting option

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Whether copper, silver-plated copper, etc., they can make subtle differences.

Single-ended versus balanced is more a question of power but single-ended is perfectly fine.

If you’re mainly going to use a portable music player and your earbuds, in-ear monitors or headphones benefit from a little more power, balanced can be an interesting option.

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Earbuds, “in-ear monitors” and headphones

— Cost, comfort and tuning are key

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Cost, comfort and tuning are key.

If one is a problem at one point, it’ll always be a problem.

Boutique audiophiles brands can be enticing but you better stick to a well-established brand who knows what they’re doing and have been doing it for a while.

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Other useful tips

— Don’t compare too much, believe what you hear, not what you read

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It’s all mainly about money.

Don’t compare too much, believe what you hear, not what you read.

You can have a quality product without the “in-ear monitor” and over-ear cable shenanigans.

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So, what am I walking out with?

— Astell & Kern × Sony

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Music player: Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 MKII

Headphones: Sony MDR-Z1R with Sony × Kimber cable

Earbuds: Sony XBA-3AP with Sony × Kimber cable

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Anything else?

A heartfelt thank you to all whom helped me along the way. Enjoy your continued trip down the rabbit hole!

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(oO)
c(“)(“)