I spent over $10,000 on audio gear, and I regret nothing

After years of buying audio gear that’s “better” than what I have, the concept of “better” no longer makes sense. What does better really mean? Was I getting something because it was a technical improvement, or was I following a trend, seeking status, or the approval of others? Did I actually want to get the best-sounding headphones ever created? Whether it is the newest Pixel Buds, the Focal Bathys, the Apple AirPods Pro 3, or the ultra-expensive Campfire Audio Andromeda 10, I have collected a wide range of audio gear for various purposes. While I don’t regret spending nearly half a year’s worth of rent on sound equipment over the years, I have gathered some key insights that might help you on your journey.

Expectation vs reality

When purchasing the “latest and greatest,” it’s easy to assume that it is better than what we already have. While this is usually technically true, there are exceptions, and not all improvements make a meaningful difference. Sure, there will always be something better on the horizon. But how much better is it really? Yes, there are new products that reduce noise a few percentiles more effectively than before, but will most people even be able to notice?

The question is not “Is it better?” but “Is it better for you?”.

After investing in audio gear for over a decade, I’ve noticed something. I kept chasing the better product year after year. I would enjoy it for a couple of weeks, and then it just blended into the background, becoming no different from the wall of many other headphones I own. The realization hit me the hardest after purchasing an expensive set of headphones for over $2000 Canadian ducks. I realised I couldn’t really tell them apart from my cheaper ones. In fact, if I am being honest, I didn’t even like how they sounded.

Of course, I was a little confused. Something that costs that much money should sound better, right?. At least that’s what I thought at the time. I loved getting a new headset year after year. Now that I was finally able to afford an expensive pair, I found that I didn’t know what I wanted. But I knew that there must be someone who knows how to explain what the headphones I bought sounded like. That’s when I started exploring and watching reviews.

What I Didn’t Know About Reviews

There were so many audio product reviews at the time I seriously entered the hobby. Every review included a variety of descriptors. Some of which can be interchanged from reviewer to reviewer. There are words such as “warm,” “bright,” “mid-focused,” “balanced sound,” “rich,” “incredible soundstage,” or “sparkly highs.” I later learned that many of these terms don’t have a clear meaning because they aren’t technical descriptors of sound. The descriptions weren’t consistent from reviewer to reviewer either. However, they do indicate how the said product sounds makes a reviewer feel.

What every reviewer feels is subjective to them. They tend to listen to different music, have different preferences, and have their own expectations. I’ve hit this many times watching reviews. However, I’ve come to realize, I’ve been blindly trusting a reviewer’s subjective take. When some reviewers mention that there was too much bass, I found it to be better for me. While a few say there isn’t any painful sibilance, I found it painfully annoying. What is going on? How could these reviewers with years of experience be incorrect?

Mental models is where what a reviewer believes about a product and what they experience feel wildly different. Mental models are just a stretch between expectation and reality, creating distaste. There’s also the placebo effect, where there is no real performance difference, but it still feels like an upgrade. Another is brand loyalty, where people derive satisfaction from staying connected to a brand. Sometimes, brand loyalty can mean that it’s the only brand that works for them. None of them are bad per se, but when you don’t know why you’re buying something, it’s harder to be satisfied with your purchase.

What is the alternative? Assume every reviewer is lying to get a sale? No. You can start to trust your own judgement over the reviewer. When a reviewer I know says it’s a little too bassy, I now know to expect that it’s just right for my preference. If another reviewer I recognise says it’s painfully sibilant at times, I know to avoid it like the plague. The unfortunate part is that this takes time and experience. While reviewers like me can point out that something is overemphasized in specific sections, I cannot guarantee that you’ll have the exact same experience. All I can do is report what I can hear. After all, it’s not like I have an easily detachable skull. That’s what the mannequin head testing rigs are for.

There are lots of people with opinions, including our own. Here at SoundGuys, we have our own preference curve, our own testing equipment, and testing standards that differ from other reviewers. Please don’t blindly take our recommendations. There are many reasons it can sound bad to us and good to you, and vice versa.

That’s why, aside from subjective impressions, we also include a range of objective data, such as those frequency response graphs, noise isolation charts, target preference curves, or MDAQS charts you might have seen on our site. Still, while they are easier to use as reference points, they don’t fully indicate whether they’ll sound good to you. The reference points indicate how likely the average person is to enjoy the sound of a product. Ultimately, to determine the best product for you, you need to identify what you like most about a product.

How to buy without regret

To avoid regretting your purchase, here’s what I’ve learned from buying audio gear over the past decade. I can’t guarantee you satisfaction, but I can say that you’re less likely to regret your purchase if you ask yourself these questions before buying:

• Does it solve a particular problem? What is the problem, and how does it solve it?
• Do I need to solve the problem right now? Can it wait?
• Can I afford it right now? Will it lead me to spend more on a problem I will face in the future?
• Is it worth the effort to solve the problem?

Wait, none of those questions mentions audio at all?! What gives? They are generalised because I lack the context of why you’re making a purchase. Is the problem that you have no audio? Or is it that you have a working product, but you find the sibince painfully unbearable? Is it something you’ve been dealing with for a long time, but think you can fix now? Or are you getting the itch from the fear of missing out on the new thing?

For example, I would like to own the Campfire Audio Fathom. They are wired earbuds that I’ve had my eye on since the beginning of the year. It makes it on my short list of IEMs to buy, but not necessarily purchase.

• Does it solve a particular problem? How does it solve it?
  • The problem is, I’m looking for an interesting IEM to buy. The Fathom is said to be so sensitive that it can pick up static noise even from high-end DACs.
• Do I need to solve the problem right now? Can it wait?
  • Not really, I can take my time before my yearly purchase. It can wait till December.
• Can I afford it right now? Will it cause me to spend more on a problem I will face in the future?
  • Hell no! It’s over $800 USD! However, it would be useful when reviewing DACs and AMPs in the future. Which means I’ll want to buy new DACs and AMPs, which becomes another problem.
• Is it worth the effort to solve the problem?
  • Not at all.

Just by going past the first question, I know it’s not worth the purchase. It doesn’t mean it’s no longer on my list of IEMs to buy, or that I’m searching for something else. I’m fairly content with what I have, but I still want to buy them. Until the answer to the questions changes, I know I can wait until I have enough cash in the bank to buy them. I used to buy headphones as soon as I could afford them. These days, I browse to check out the IEMs I want, then create an ever-revolving list of products I would like to purchase. So, how do I know what to put on the list, and if I will like them?

What I wish I knew before spending over $10,000

Unfortunately, the information from my years of experience takes some time to learn. My ears are also going to be different from yours, which means I can’t just tell you what to buy. However, here are a few starting points I wish I knew before I kept buying audio gear:

• Learn to identify Bass, mids, and treble.
• Take the time to listen and identify what you like and dislike about the sound of your current gear.
• Learn to read a frequency response graph.
• Learn how a reviewer’s preferences compare to your own.
• Trust your sense of taste first.

Generally, the first two are all that most people need. For those diving into the audio hobby, welcome. Second, the last piece of advice is what you’ll need going forward. Everybody hears things differently. Trusting your own sense of taste and knowing what you like will make it easier to find what you enjoy. There are even times when I intentionally buy something that I’m fairly certain I won’t like. Those are the times when I want to satisfy my own curiosity.

I’m not looking for the best headphones, IEMs, microphone, or speakers. I’m looking for something that sounds interesting or solves a problem for me.