Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones, Black, Professional Grade, Critically Acclaimed, With Detachable Cable

Tried to disagree this but... yeah this guy’s definitely right. I’ve used a couple of “Gaming” headphones from the company also sells mouse and keyboard, they are all not as good as what I’m using.

My recommendation/current headphones : Audio Technica M50X

It’s made for a monitoring music purpose tho I see A lot of streamers(Gamers) use these.

I have these and enjoy them. Was recommended to me by the drummer of Isis.

If you've the type of person who spends quite some time at home (hey lockdown) in front of the computer and likes music, I'd like to invite you to consider getting a good pair of headphones.

More than 10 of my friends (really) have ended up buying a pair of ATH M-50x ($150) after having tried them at my place. It seems like most people don't even really know how good the music they like can sound.

I find them a bit too bulky for bringing outside but other than that they're absolutely fantastic. The response curve is pretty flat, and isn't the kind that overboosts basses (which your ears never recover once you lose them btw). The highs are super detailed, very sparkly.

And they're comfy.

$150 can may seem a lot for some but consider that you'll still have them in 10 years. If you enjoy music at home but don't want to invest in a sound system, this is the choice.

(I'm not affiliated with them but have 2 pairs in the studio)

Try checking out audiotechnica, my husband bought some recently and he loves them

Link below vvv

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabt1_nx8VFbS4WJ8PD

I hated this. Happened at least once a year where I would ruin a pair of overpriced gaming headphones. Then I bought some ATH-M50x's and it came with a straight cable and a coiled cable. I have been using the same headset and coiled cable for 5+ years now.

I had the ATH-M50s for literally 9 years. After nearly a decade of daily use with both my PC and phone, I was a little too rough taking them off and broke one of the hinges... I could have fixed it with readily available online parts for $15, but instead opted to upgrade to a slightly nicer headset.

In comparison, every ~gaming~ headset I've bought lasted a year at most, had worse quality sound, and didn't have readily available replacement parts.

ATH-M50X

ATH-M50xThese are good, lower on the budget, closed back. Whatever you get, get wired headphones. Tip: no matter what headphones/speakers you use, check your mix on multiple headphones and speakers

#1 Best Seller in Recording Headphone Audio Monitors on Amazon

Looks like I’m buying new headphones.

Great pair of starter Hi-Fi headphones ar the Audio Technica ATH-M50. Built like a tank and sounds awesome.

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86

Check these out. They're a fantastic first pair of studio headphones and are super popular for good reason.

I own a pair and couldn't believe the difference in music quality when I first listened to music with them. From there, check out r/audiophiles for some beginner setups, they know their shit. I haven't gotten around to getting more for my own setup besides the headphones but eventually I'm going to get a better DAC or something since I produce music as a side hobby so accurate sound is important

These are great. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_tslUEbM10J03S

I have been blown away by the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x's. They're super comfy and closed back, giving you pretty good passive noise isolation.

Jabras are awesome, I love my pair. I also have a set of ATH-M50x BTs and I recommend them highly.

When I'm wearing headphones, I normally wear my Audio Technicas. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_OJ8qEbN26DSKD

They only problem is these dont have a mic, but they sound great

I've used these for five years and don't regret a single second. Gaming, editing, listening to vinyls. You name it.

Audio Technica Ath M50, with some new white wicked cushion earpads

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86

ATH-M50X

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is my fav metal headphone pair. ATH-M50xBT is same thing with bluetooth, also fantastic

I dont think you'll find the latency to be acceptable for playing over bluetooth. It works for backing tracks, but not the actual bass sound itself. One option would be a bluetooth receiver like the TaoTronics Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter and Receiver plugged into the Vox, but the latency will be pretty bad.

As far as wired headphones, I find the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x to be affordable and very enjoyable to use for bass practice. You can usually find them for \~150 bucks or less. They come with a couple cables, and are overall very high quality for the price. I personally think they perform as good, or better, than most headphones under 300.

Although, it might be easier to recommend a set of cans if you specify a budget.

M50X have a replaceable cable: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ See the photos that Amazon has for the product.

There may be some options in your budget range with a detachable cable. Not sure. I don't keep up with <$100 headphones myself.

Some stuff that I've had delivered from USA:

Audio technica headphones: Really comfortable and affordable headphones. The ear pad fits comfortably outside the ear so you don't get that annoying ear cartilage pain after using it for a couple of hours.

Powerbanks: I got one a long time ago from New Trent but I don't see that one on amazon any more. Anker usually makes great power banks and this one seems like a good model.

High capacity micro sd cards (128GB etc) are also much cheaper in the US.

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86

I have the M40x and those are amazing on there own. Noise-cancelling and overall amazing sound quality in the lows mids and highs. If you have the extra money, I would pay the extra 30 dollars I think and get the M50x which I linked above.

Uhhh I'm not sure. It's just an Audio Technica ATH M50x with the tip that came with it. the tip just hand-screws ontop of the existing tip.

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86?ref_=ast_sto_dp

Open or closed back? The difference is; “Open-back headphones are designed so that the outer shell of the ear covering is perforated in some fashion, typically with horizontal cutouts. Closed-back headphones have a solid outer shell with no perforations of any sort such that the shell effectively cups the entire ear”

To paraphrase open back audio leaks(others can hear depending on volume). (Imo) better audio localization during FPS games. Good for surround sound feature.

Closed back; similar to skull candy in a sense your voice gets muffled when you talk (best description I can think of) sound barely escapes and depending on the pads u can’t hear anything not even ur voice.

It’s just preference neither are good or bad, I prefer open though.

Open back: Sennheiser HD 599 SE Around Ear Open Back Headphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RFNZYJZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CbKwFb5FSNXXP

That’s what I personally use, got it for ~$80 which is a pretty damn good deal. New for $200~ is still worth imo but u could look on the subreddit markets for a good deal.

Closed back: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones, Black, Professional Grade, Critically Acclaimed, With Detachable Cable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AeKwFbWK3692B

Solid reviews for closed back around that price range. Never personally used it, but the research shows it’s good.

Do you also want a mic? If so; Antlion Audio ModMic Uni Attachable Noise-Cancelling Microphone with Mute Switch Compatible with Mac, Windows PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One, and More https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YN25KWN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PgKwFbX7AXZS2

Good mic, better than most gaming combo headphones with mic imo. Can be attached to the headphones of your choice.

These are the bang for the buck IMO. There is possibly better ones out there for a higher price but I personally don’t find any use for them. If you want to get more out of these headphones if you decide to buy em. Check out GSX 1000, got it for ~$100 used and it’s the best ~$100 I spent all year tbh. Makes my headphones worth far more than they are. So I would recommend investing in good headphones that won’t rip through your budget and combining it with something like the gsx 1000.

Getting three years of use out of a pair of ~$50 headphones is actually pretty good - headphones in this price range are more likely to break or suffer from faulty wiring before the sound goes out.

Audio-Technica does have a repair center if you want to go that route. If you're really feeling up it you could try replacing the main cable - it shouldn't be too difficult and a 3.5mm cable and soldering gun kit should only set you back about $20. Any repairs beyond that would probably be best left to a technician...

I recommend just getting a new pair and upgrading to the ATH-M50x's. Though they are three times the price you'll be able to hear and feel the difference.

Yeah, should have mentioned it's my first ever build. I finally got everything up and running a few days ago so I wasn't too focused on cable management, just keeping things boiler plate for now. The actual chair is in the bottom right corner as I just use the other one for a footrest. As for the keyboard and headphones, I have found them both to be good quality and I'm not a fan of the RBG backlit ones. So could be just a difference of opinion there.

get a better cpu, for 3500$ you really should get a top of the line cpu, maybe a ryzen 3900x or a 9900k, and along with that, get a better cooler, preferably an aio liquid, this is a good one, i would also say upgrade your ram to 32 or 64gb, above 3200 speed, and if you’re only gaming and not recording any videos, buy a cheap mic and good headphones for better audio, like these and if you’re really going all out,

I use the Focusrite Scarlett Solo and have it taped under my desk (it’s really dark but you can see it on the right side under the headset with the red and green lights). The headset I use is the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x.

These are most excellent! https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86

I often work FOH sound and do very light audio/video editing work and I have tried a bunch of headphones in the price range and keep coming home to these which are a little above your price range but will occasionally drop to around 100 dollars. If you can't wait the m40s are a little cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86

>ASUS b350-f

So, I'm an IT guy (26 years and counting) and have been building PC's for over 23 years.

By what you sent me, you are using an AMD Chip with the ASUS b350-f MB and a SupremeEFX sound chip.

Your Sound Drivers are Realtek Audio Driver (that's what I have).

I would have to assume your sound is pretty damn good.

Motherboards have come a LONG way in sound. So-much-so, the audio card sector has diminished greatly.

So, to 'guess' at what a DAC/AMP could do for you: I would have to say a pretty decent amount.

You will lose about 10% of your volume with the DAC conversion but the sound will more than make up the difference.

Make sure the DAC\AMP you get can support whatever headphones you are using.

Now, gaming headphones will sound okay.

If you are going to go the route of a DAC\AMP (make sure the unit has BOTH) you need some headphones, IEM's, or Earbuds made for sound.

Getting a DAC\AMP and plugging in a crappy headset is like putting regular unleaded in a Ferarri. You just don't do it.

The BLONS will sound good, these will sound fantastic: - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IT0IHOY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (new model) or, these https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=headphones&qid=1579463854&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-10

Also, remember most of today's DAC\AMP are USB based so make sure you have an available USB port.

Good luck.

If I was starting again, this is what I would get.

New iPad or Android tablet They're nearly on par with desktop DAWs with free or very inexpensive software. Processor speed per core is most important. Also, they're portable which is nice.

Audio recorder to pull in vocals and instrumentation Tascam DR-40X Four-Track Digital Audio Recorder and USB Audio Interface https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N3FDT3M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DQVwEbF0P0B1T

Bluetooth MIDI controller midiplus, 32-Key Midi Controller, 32-Key (AKM320) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VHKMK64/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JRVwEbCH34EYZ

Solid headphones Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qTVwEb2GVE532

Depends on budget but...

around 150$ Audio Technica ATH-M50

around 550$ beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro

1500$ + Denon AH-D9200

Hi everyone, I'm making a Christmas / birthday google doc so my wife and family don't have to ask but mostly because I can never remember when they ask.

Budget - Soft limit: $500 USD. I just don't want my family spending more than that on me. You're more than welcome to give what you'd consider a reasonable "dream" pair, too.

Source - Creative Soundblaster ZXR MUST have quarter-inch plug.

Requirements for Isolation - Some... although I do not want active noise-cancelling.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No, they'll probably never leave my house.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Full-sized

Preferred tonal balance - Balanced. They will be used for listening to music, but also for gaming and the voice chat that comes with it. Open to your opinions based on my music preference, though (see below).

Past headphones - ATH-M50x -- these are what I'm currently using and I love them. They're just falling apart and are coming up on 10 years old. ~~For gym and travel I use Beats Studio3's.~~ For the purposes of this request ignore the Beats.

Preferred Music - Dance, EDM, Electronic, Techno... I don't even know how to classify that genre. I like Daft Punk and Tiesto, Deadmau5 and MSTRKRFT... Orchard Lounge. Claude von Stroke. I also LOVE "classic rock". The Beatles and the Eagles. Dolly Parton and Don McLean. Eric Clapton and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - I just want an upgrade from Audio-Technica's awesome but admittedly entry-level headphone.

Also interested in your opinions on separate microphones, if you have them.

Reposting an older comment, sorry for the spam.

Hey all,

I consume a lot of media on my PC, music, movies, games and I really want to start recording music.

My current setup is ATH M50X's with a Blue Snowball, no amp, no dac.

I'm looking to get something that could run my MXL V900 and something that I could plug my guitar into to record/play. I'm willing to consider selling the mxl and buy something else if it better fits what I'm trying to do.

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Audigy-Performance-Headphone/dp/B00EO6X4XG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sound%2Bcard&qid=1577832739&sr=8-3&th=1 So this with the https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Audio-Technica+ATH-M50x.&qid=1577832755&sr=8-3 would work?

For the DAC/AMP stack you can buy the Topping D30 DAC (around 120 USD) alongside the JDS Labs Atom AMP (99 USD, shipping adds 10 USD, more if you are not from USA), for the headphones I reccomend the HIFIMAN HE-400I, AKG K702 or the AKG K712 if you can spend more, all of those are open back and are the best around the price (the HIFIMAN ones are known to have one of the best sound out there, but are also known to be fragile due to cheap materials, but if you are careful you don't have to worry), if you want closed back headphones you can go for the all-time famous Audio Technica ATH-M50X or later, those are the ones I know.

If you want you can look up for other brands such as Sennheiser, Beyerdynamics, Audeze, Focal, MrSpeakers, Shure and Sony, those are the best of the best so far I know and there are many more brands (like Stax and so on), I just named the most known ones (the cheapest Audeze and Focal headphones are too expensive for your budget, I wish I could buy those).

If I were in your shoes, I wouls use the money to buy the HIFIMAN or AKG K712 ones, those are the kind of headphones you want to use with a DAC/AMP stack, that way you can use them at their full potential, for example there is people who says "oh man the HIFIMAN are so shitty, my 20 USD headphones sound way better on my smartphone", but everything they need is that stack and those headphones will worth every penny.

You need a USB DAC, and an amp. You could get the Schiit Hel which would meet all your needs in one piece.

https://www.schiit.com/products/hel

The problem is, if your after quality sound in headphones they usually don't come with a microphone. So if you're after the best sound possible it would be better to get a Schiit Modi DAC and Schiit Magni headphone amp but these don't have a mic function

https://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1

https://www.schiit.com/products/modi-1

A lot of people, me included, use and love the Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphones.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.MlkFbSVQQXVK

Those three things are 350.

Oh wow, so let me bounce these two off of you then because of the enormous price point difference. I get that they are completely different beasts, down to open vs closed back but I'm not sure how to compare and contrast which would be more up my ally.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HVLUR86/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SY4H/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Case: Ghost S1 Ash
- Awaiting new CPU and GPU for a major overhaul of the internals but need it functioning still until then. Below are the PC specs

- GPU: Radeon RX-580 OC 8GB
- CPU: Ryzen 5 2600
- Cooler: Noctua NH-L12 Ghost S1 Edition
- Motherboard: AsRock b450 Gaming ITX/AC/WIFI
- RAM: 16GB DDR4-3000
- PSU: SF600 Corsair
- Storage: 1TB M.2 Drive, 2TB SSD x2

Monitor: G-Story 15.16 Inch 165 Hz 1ms HDR 1080p Portable Monitor
Keyboard:Pok3r with MX Blues
Mouse: Corsair Dark Core Pro (Bluetooth)
Headset: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
Carrying Case: Pelican Air 1615

***Edit: Spelling and adding of specs***

Budget: Under $150

Soruce: Into PC

Requirements for Isolation: Don't need too much isolation. Will be using at home.

Public? Nope

Preferred Type: Full-Sized

Preferred Tone: Overall balanced (maybe slight favor towards bass)

Past Headphones: Logitech G366

Preferred Music: HipHop/EDM. (However, will mostly use for gaming)

Details: Hey, I've been doing a fair amount of headphone research and I see many positive reviews and many negative reviews for each headphone I consider. These are the options I'm looking at right now and I wanted some opinions based on what I'm looking for. However, if you have other options, feel free to suggest.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, Creative Aurvana Live, AKG M220, AKG Pro Audio K361, ATH-AD500X, Phillips SHP9500S.

Hey, guys I just need a little help with my setup, I'm pretty dumb with all the audio world stuff and can't seem to find a good help video because a lot of issues have similar symptoms so I'm hoping someone here may be willing to try to show me what I'm doing wrong. I have a super nice setup but no idea how to use it pretty much haha. Equipment Z390 Designare Motherboard Scarlett 6i6 2nd gen Rode NT1 Logitech Z906 5.1 AT M50x I just use my stuff to stream and game so I'm not doing any producing yet I just don't know how to have it all set up where I sound and hear the best I can and I don't think I have it set up properly. The issues I'm facing are;

• People all the time my microphone will just get choppy or staticky and the only way I've found to solve this is to disable the "Focusrite USB" under microphone in Sound Control Panel and re-enabling it after a second or two.
• The audio captured by my microphone is just coming out of the outputs left audio channel. I think the only way to fix this is by using mono on whatever software I'm outputting too. This is only an issue because if I stream and the software can't do that then viewers audio of me is too the left
• Would it be better to keep my Logitech sound system hooked up to my pc threw the fiber cable? or should I hook it up to the interface with I believe one of These (1/8 to dual 1/4 cable)
• I'm also lost on just the general settings for the Focusrite software, should I keep my sample rate at 48000? is 256 buffer size okay and should the clock source be internal. I find information on this stuff but its all for people producing music which I really don't need any of this stuff but I have it so id to like to set it up correctly.
• I just don't feel don't I sound that much different to be honest, like what would be a good guide to make sure I have the best settings for my mic, I keep it fairly close to my face and have the gain high enough where I sound clear but not too loud where it picks up everything

Equipment List:

As Pictured

1. Wheeldesk Executive Size Car Table. ($43)

2. GoPro Flat Adhesive Mounts ($20) [I already had a bunch of these I use with my GoPros]

3. GoPro Tripod Adapter Mounts ($15) [form mounting my cell phone and Zoom H6]

4. Table Mic Clamp Grip ($30) [upper right. I removed the clamp and just used the GoPro clip base built into the arm. The clamp has a GoPro mount, so I may use it other ways to attach a camera, lights, etc. to things other than the board. I used my existing mic holder, which screwed into the arm.]

5. Tripod Phone Mount Holder ($7) [Upper left, holding my phone].

6. Mini Laptop Stand ($9) [The foldable feet attached to the back of the desk]

The mobile desk setup, as pictured, minus the actual equipment, ran me approx. $125. Not bad. You could probably save a few dollars looking around for better prices - even used. A handy person with woodworking tools could build the desk itself themselves.

Hardware Pictured:

1. Cell Phone (use what you got). I use an iPhone Pro 11 Max because I love the photo and video capability and I already use a lot of Apple stuff. In the photo is actually an Apple iPod Touch (I was using my phone to take the photo).

2. Audio-Technica ATR2100 Mic ($64) [Use whatever mic you want. That said, the arm has limited usable movement with a heavier mic. I used it with my Rode Podmic, but couldn't get it in the position I wanted without it falling).

3. Zoom H6 Recorder ($330) [My personal favorite piece of equipment]

4. Audio-Technica ATH-MX50x Monitor Headphones ($150) [Use whatever you want. However, I'd make sure they are 'monitor headphones.']

5. Auxiwa Clip Selfie-Ring Light ($14) [Gives great light when doing FaceTime or photos videos where a flash would be too harsh]

6. iPad Pro 12.9" ($700-$1,800) [I prefer to work with a tablet that allows me to write as well as type. Mine is a 2nd generation, which you can find used]

&#x200B;

Additional:

1. I also bought some additional GoPro adjustable goose neck mounts (the posable mic mount) in different lengths for different applications (mics, GoPro cameras, etc.). $12-$30 each.

2. Other people have mention a portable power bank to power the cell phone, tablet, etc. I've considered this can could easily be adapter to mount to this desk using a GoPro mount or could just sit on the bottom lip of the desk.

3. I considered sealing the desk with something from the hardware store. But I was impatient and didn't do it.

4. I will probably drill a hole in the center of the bottom desk lip to allow a charging cable to reach the charging port of the iPad. I could just flip the iPad over so the port points toward the top, but my ADHD won't mentally allow me to do that!

ENJOY!

• Monitor: Samsung CRG90
• Wall Mount
• Keyboard: Blackwidow Elite
• Mouse: Glorious Model D
• Mouse Bungee: Razer Bungee v2
• Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
• Speakers: Edifier R1280Ts
• Speaker Stand: Sound Addicted Studio Monitor Isolation Pads
• Desk: IKEA Karlby
• Legs: MBQQ Furniture Legs
• Center Leg: Amazon
• Nanoleaf Remote
• Nanoleaf Panels
• Nanoleaf Flexible Connectors

So this question has many answers to it. The one major thing I will agree is that it’s best to try it to see if you love it enough to invest serious money into it. So I would advice and recommend that you get a free/lite version of DAW or a trial of a full one and buy three things: a pair of headphones, an audio interface, and a microphone.

Here’s what I recommend for the setup:

Microphone: Samson Condenser Microphone (SAM C01) - This is the only microphone at this price range that I can vouch for as it is severely underpriced.

Audio-Technica AT2020 - awesome microphone, was my first and what a beauty.

Blue Ember - solid choice, nice and crispy.

AKG P120 - I own 4 of these. Love them.

Interface:
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen) - underpriced. This is just a beastly.

Presonus Studio 2|4 - solid choice.

Native Instruments Audio 1 - solid choice.

Rode A-1 - this one is bananas. Rode’a first interface and does it deliver.

Headphones: Audio-Technica M40x - I own 4 of these. Just pure awesome.

Audio-Technica M50x - I own 2. Use them everyday. I couldn’t mix without these.

AKG K240 - damn solid choice.

Sony MDR7506 - Studio Classic. Nothing says pro studio like these.

Hope this helps.

Gatz

P.S. if you have more questions then shoot me a DM or chat.

You're welcome! \^_\^

For audio output, I use a Fiio M3 portable player(newest version). I connect the player to a Fiio E12 headphone amp(newest version). I then connect my headphones to the E12 amp. I currently use Audio Technica ath-m50x. Setup looks similar to this. If you really feel like going down the rabbit hole, check out https://www.head-fi.org/

At home, I use my PC for playing any video/audio. I output audio from my PC using an optical audio cable to a Pioneer receiver. Connected to the receiver is 2 Pioneer Bookshelf speakers and an 8 inch Pioneer sub. I am a patient thrifter so I got the pioneer amp off of Craigslist for $30, the Pioneer bookshelves $50 during a Black Friday sale, and the Pioneer sub off FB marketplace for $40. I got the Fiio M3 for $20 from someone on head-fi.org The E12 amp was $50 during a Black Friday sale and the ath-m50x for $100 during Black Friday.

Yes, the additional kbps is lost when compressing to mp3. Just like a movie on dvd vs 4k. The movie is still there and watchable but you lose clarity of the scene and audio. Same with music, the singers and instruments are still there but the clarity and fullness of sound has been lost a bit.

I use DVD Audio Extractor to get a wav file of each night of TD(or any other bluray). I then use Free Audio Converter to convert the wav file to flac. For CD albums, I use Exact Audio Copy to get wav file of each song. I then use Free Audio Converter to convert wav file to flac.

Hope that helps!

Parts list:

Computer: MacBook Pro 15" Retina (I know)

2x Speakers: Adam Audio T7V

Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

Monitor: LG 34WN80C-B (USB-C on the back so everything connects to 1 cable)

Monitor Arm: AmazonBasics Premium Single Monitor Stand

Microphone: This thing

Microphone Pop Filter: This other thing

Keyboard: Keychron K4

Keyboard Palm rest: Walnut Wooden Keyboard Wrist Rest

LED Light Strip: DreamColor LED Strip Lights

Wall Art: Ceramic Wall Plant Holders Geometric Shapes

Desk: IKEA Karlby 74" Countertop Small Desk Risers 2 Alex Drawers

2x Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro Audio Technica ATHM50x

Fake Plants: Not from amazon, I can't remember.

Under Desk Computer Tray: VIVO Black Sliding Tray

Webcam: Logitech StreamCam