How to Become an Audiophile

An audiophile is someone who enjoys high-fidelity sound reproduction—essentially, an audio geek who loves great audio. If you can appreciate a good pair of headphones, you’re already on your way to becoming an audiophile. This guide will help you take the next steps.

You Need Decent Headphones or Speakers

Before you can become an audiophile, you need to have audiophile-grade equipment. While high-end speakers and headphones can cost north of $1,000, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should just go out and buy the most expensive gear available. Your first pair of headphones or set of speakers should be decent, as they’ll serve as your baseline for sound quality moving forward.

Your device of choice doesn’t necessarily have to use the term “audiophile” in its marketing, but if reviews on YouTube and Reddit describe it as such, it should be good enough for now. As a general rule of thumb, the more you spend, the better the sound quality. Some good entry-level options include the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones and KEF Q150 speakers.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Wired Headphones

The famous Audio-Technica ATH M50X headphones are beloved for their pro-level sound quality and relatively low price. And more notably, they have a detachable cable and several replaceable parts, so they last for a very long time.

Also, I recommend prioritizing established brands known for their quality audio equipment, though pay attention to specific product reviews. Popular brands for headphones include Sennheiser, Bose, Beyerdynamic, Sony, Audio-Technica, and HiFiMan. As for speakers, look for Edifier, KEF, Audioengine, MartinLogan, and Dynaudio. This is just the tip of the iceberg; there are many other excellent brands out there.

Whether you should get speakers or headphones depends on your budget and preferences. I give wired headphones the edge, as they tend to provide better sound quality at a lower price. Since they sit closer to your ears, it’ll be easier to catch all the details, making them more suitable for beginners. That said, if you don’t like using headphones, it’s perfectly fine to get a good set of speakers instead.

Learn a Few Basics About Audio

Even before you get your equipment, you should first learn a few essential audio terms and the basics of audio equipment. For instance, if you don’t know anything about impedance, you might mistakenly purchase high-impedance headphones without realizing you’ll need a headphone amplifier to power them properly.

You don’t have to learn everything, though; focus on terms that describe what you’re hearing, such as “treble,” “soundstage,” and “equalization.” Once you understand them, other related terms will be self-explanatory. For instance, you’ll intuitively understand that a sharp treble refers to a harsh, high-frequency sound.

Create a High-Resolution Audio Library

All right, so you got your headphones, and you know a few basics about audio now. It’s time to build a music collection made up of lossless/hi-res audio files. These files can carry significantly more detail than a standard MP3 file or Spotify, so you really need it if you want to experience next-level sound quality.

A great place to start is your CD collection, presuming you have one. CDs use a sample rate of 44.1kHz and a 16-bit bit depth. While these aren’t the highest specs by today’s standards, they still offer excellent quality, making them a good starting point for beginners.

If you don’t have any CDs, it’s a good idea to start collecting. Used CDs can be found for a few bucks a piece on online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. You can rip these CDs on both Windows and Mac to create a lossless digital copy and create your own streaming service.

Naturally, you don’t have to collect CDs to experience hi-res audio. Some streaming services, like Apple Music, Tidal, and Deezer, offer hi-res audio streaming. Archive.org has a small FLAC collection that you can test out for free. Bandcamp is a great place to purchase albums and gain access to lossless FLAC audio. There are many other options out there, so keep exploring.

Train Your Ears

This isn’t a single step but rather something that you’ll do continuously. Listening is a skill like any other— it can be trained and improved. Having good headphones or speakers makes it much easier to develop this skill. I’ve sharpened my own listening skills over the past few years and can now hear a clear distinction between different sounds and instruments in a song.

I find that the best way to train your ears is through short, frequent, and focused listening sessions. For example, choose a song you find interesting and repeat it a few times during the session, focusing on different elements each time. In one playthrough, only listen to the bassline. In another, pay attention to the vocals and subtle dynamic shifts in the chorus.

You could even focus on your left ear during one, and your right ear during the next session, as panning changes how your ears perceive spatial sound. Speaking of spatial sounds, don’t just listen to music to train your ears. Play different video game genres and watch movies, too.

Try Out Different Gear

Comparing different types and pieces of audio equipment is another great way to train your ears. Listen to the same song back-to-back on various devices, such as your wireless earbuds, TV soundbar, and audiophile headphones. You could also experiment with different playback sources, such as your phone, PC, or a dedicated headphone amp. Pay attention to the differences in sound quality. Are there specific sounds or details you notice on one device but not the others?

Another simple way to explore various sound flavors without changing equipment is by using an equalizer. An equalizer lets you adjust specific sound frequencies, allowing you to create a drastically different sound signature. For instance, you could tweak low frequencies to improve bass, or adjust the mid-range to get clearer vocals. The possibilities are near endless.

Avoid Common Audiophile Pitfalls

When you dive deep into the world of audio, it’s easy to get caught up in common audiophile pitfalls. While it’s tempting to invest in extra audio accessories, such as high-end gold-plated cables, exotic DACs, and audio-grade outlets, these often provide negligible improvements for the price. You could wind up spending hundreds of dollars for little to no benefit.

If you’re determined to spend money, focus on meaningful upgrades instead. For instance, consider building a headphones collection with various open- and closed-back models from different brands to learn your own preferences.

Avoid spending more than around $300 on a pair of headphones, as you’ll face diminishing returns. For instance, the ~$500 Sennheiser HD 660S2 don’t necessarily sound better than the ~$320 HD 600. And if you find yourself not using a pair of headphones or speakers anymore, sell them to recoup some of the cost.

Most Importantly, Enjoy the Sound

Congratulations, you’re now officially an audiophile! Remember, being an audiophile is all about enjoying sound, so don’t spend all your listening sessions thinking about your gear and how you can improve it. Instead, take a step back and enjoy the experience.

Music is often the main focus, but don’t overlook other types of content that can enrich your experience, such as games, movies, audiobooks, podcasts, and immersive audio experiences. Whether it’s a captivating narration or a movie with immersive surround effects, each offers a unique way to appreciate sound. So, sit back, press play, and have fun listening!