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A Non-Audiophile’s Guide to Building an Audiophile Rig
The gear you need for superior sound
Hands up: I have a headphone addiction.
I’m lucky (or perhaps unfortunate, given my condition) that I get sent lots of free pairs of headphones to review for my YouTube channel. This has given me an appreciation for a wide range of consumer cans.
Whether you’re really into the quality of sound or just want a decent pair of over-the-ears that block out the world around you, there are some truly superb options out there: from the ludicrously priced yet buttery-smooth AirPods Max to Sony’s incredible WH-1000xm4. We’re living in possibly the most exciting headphone era ever.
But I’ve always had one nagging question at the back of my mind: What do audiophiles know that we mere regular consumers don’t?
Why do they invest in separate components and expensive cabling, and refuse, point-blank, to listen to Apple Music streams?
I decided to find out.
