Most of us love to listen to songs, and we seldom care about the source playing the music. If you deny what I just said, you belong to a rare human breed known as ‘Audiophiles’. As much as music is necessary, the source is the key and for an audiophile, this relationship costs a lot of money. So is it possible to be a Budget Audiophile?
Finding the right music is easy for the most part unless you are looking for something super rare. On the other hand, getting the correct chain of equipment is quite a difficult task. Not to forget the constant urge to get the latest or move to a higher pedigree.
So are you one of those contemplating if there is something called a ‘Budget Audiophile,’ who can gather an audiophile kit and yet not spend too much? In this article, We have collaborated with All Personal Feed to help you to get your audiophile kit without breaking the bank. Let’s delve deeper.
Who is an Audiophile?
An Audiophile is a person who uses music to test his latest music-related acquisitions. On the other hand, the rest of the world uses accessories to listen to their favorite music.
For the layman, an audiophile is someone who cares to listen to music in its original form using his gizmos and takes pleasure in trying to understand what the artist decided to convey. He has the knack of comparing sibilance, thin bass, bass bleeding, and so many other issues that a commoner doesn’t even realize while listening.
There are several kinds of audiophiles you may come across; some like a neutral sound, others prefer a bass-heavy sound typically in a U-shaped curve or a V-shaped curve. The list can go on and on, but the gist of the matter is we cannot bifurcate audiophiles due to their sound preferences.
Points to Remember while Building your Budget Audiophile Kit
What should you look for and understand before you begin your quest to be a successful budget audiophile? If you didn’t have a budget to cater to, most of the decisions would have been much more relaxed. Since we know that you are strictly following a budget diet, there are some points that we think are important for you to understand. Once you know what we are trying to convey, you are ready to jump on the bandwagon.
Here are the points that we would like you to know
Embark your Budget Audiophile Journey with Headphone/ IEM/ Speakers
We all have an affinity towards a particular output accessory. I love headphones over IEMs or speakers; you may love speakers. There is no right or wrong in the choice, but we suggest you acquire it before you gather others in your desired chain.
The reason being pretty simple – each of these is the final output device, and these are the ones serving you sound. What it will ensure is that even if your chain is incomplete, you have the gear that sounds good and can run the show alone for the time being.
If you desire to acquire more than one of such gear, weigh the importance and accordingly decide which one to get first. Once you get the end one, you will also know which source will suit it best, rather than having to go the other way.
Buy Used or Refurbished Products to be the Budget Audiophile you want
We know that there is a different emotion attached to unboxing a sealed, unused product. Even I do have it, and it’s pretty obvious. More often than not, we pay a whole lot more for a new product when we compare to refurbished/ unboxed/ used pieces.
A thing about the audiophile profession is that most of the people involved in it practice it as a hobby. They love their gears and try their best to preserve it from the adverse environment. It gives you a chance to grab a refurbished deal, which is as good as new. Plus, not to forget the fact that most of the audiophiles are plagued by upgraditis (our word for unnecessary/early minor upgrades). It will give you a higher chance of striking an almost-new product at almost half the price.
Why not let our default thoughts be sidelined for some time and try a refurbished product for yourself? We are pretty sure that if you know what you are dealing with and apply necessary caution, you will not be disappointed. Go ahead and look for an unboxed deal on your favorite pair of IEMs right now!
Give Chi-Fi s a try
Most of us are reluctant about buying a Chinese gadget. Their reputation has taken such a hit that most of the Chinese brands mention “Made in PRC” instead of “Made in China”.
The truth of the matter is, this fact no longer holds any truth. Most of the Chinese brands have upped their game and are providing similar or better value at the same price point when compared to others.
Trying a chi-fi will help you to manage your budget better without losing out on quality. There are several Chinese brands that are leading innovators in the Audiophile industry and you can trust them to add value to your armory too.
Learn to DIY
Every mechanic will charge you his share of profit (which he should) along with the actual charges when you go to him to get something repaired. What if you can do some research and give it a try to fix it yourself? It can help you to attain your goal of being a budget audiophile quickly.
We understand that not everyone excels in repairing products. But, if there is a minor cable issue that will take five minutes and some drops of patience to heal, why will you opt for a mechanic. If you can work out a way yourself, it will ensure that the cost is significantly less. When you are on a budget, pennies are like gold dust, and there is no reason why you should not save them.
Play the Waiting Game
When we have limited funds to deal with, you must pair it up with ample patience. Do not expect to acquire everything in a few days. You may not have sales running throughout the year, or there can be other reasons for the delay.
Taking hasty decisions means you are calling danger upon yourself, and you must use patience to save yourself. Being a budget audiophile is a difficult task; you have to grind hard to save $50. Howsoever hard it may be, you will be satisfied with your efforts at the end of the day. Make sure you are willing to wait and hit the hardest when it is hot!
Upgrade one product at a time
An audiophile chain consists of four to 5 different accessories, and none of them come cheap. It means you will have to save a hell lot of money to upgrade the entire chain together. What if you upgrade one at a time?
Suppose you start with the headphone itself and gift yourself a new shiny piece. Won’t it be easy on your pockets and less demanding a task? Not only that, but it will also ensure that you get better individual products as the budget constraint is relatively lower when you decide to upgrade one at a time. There can be some wealthy friends of yours who may suggest you update the entire chain for a more wholesome experience; we agree to it as well. But it is the pocket here which is the bottleneck, and nothing else matters.
The Ending ‘Notes’
Audiophile products are getting expensive as time progresses. If there is a lack of funds at your disposal, it becomes tough to manage your budget and audiophile wants together. At times it can be so frustrating that you may even vow to leave this hobby behind. Instead of taking unwanted decisions, we suggest that you adopt the above mentioned points in your life. These are not the only ones that you can select; if you have better ideas, you can also utilize them to move ahead. While on the journey you may not be as fast as others, but your audiophile journey will be more satisfying nevertheless!
Graphic Designer by Profession, and Music is my hobby. Can’t recall when I had started digging the Audiophile rabbit hole, but this Website was created in 2019 to showcase my passion for music. I am not an Audiophile, I call myself a Music Enthusiasts and my goal is to pass that enthusiasm to my readers.