While there are premium levels to all things, audio, especially Hi-Fi or audiophile audio, seems dauntingly expensive to getgood-sounding headphones orspeakers. There’s no denying that these exorbitantly expensive headphones and speakers sound phenomenal, but don’t count yourself out from getting good sound if you can’t fit these options into your budget.
As we have explored in the past, there are ways viasoftware to get a better PC sound experience. In this guide, we are going to demystify some audio marketing words and specs that are not always the most significant selling point, but can make a big difference when it comes to delivering quality Hi-Fi audio on a budget.
3 Ways To Get Hi-Fi Audio Without Paying High Prices
Don’t Be Afraid of Lower-Priced Headphones
Just because a pair of headphones has a reasonable price tag doesn’t mean they can’t sound good. Plenty of budget-friendly headphones meet the Hi-Fi standards, whether just listening to music, playing games, or watching movies. These lower-cost headphones won’t stack up in every field compared to the more premium headphones, but if you like to live in your headphones, who wants to run around all day with a pair of $500 headphones on your head?
Not all budget headphones are built the same, though; you have to look for pairs that prioritize audio quality over everything else. This means you won’t get the best creature comfort features like ANC or even a wireless connection, but if you are willing to sacrifice these things for better audio quality, you’re able to get them for a very affordable price.
The Koss Porta Pros are a great example. They cost a very reasonable $40 and, despite that, these small and unassuming headphones deliver surprisingly fantastic sound quality. The reasonably flat frequency response will not blow anyone away compared to other open-back headphones with a higher price tag, but these headphones are a ton of fun to listen to. Plus, if you are willing to mod your headphones, you can get a pair of ear pads that effectively make this on-ear headphone an over-ear model, and make the sound stage much wider, adding to the already excellent sound quality.
Koss Porta Pro
The acclaimed Koss Porta Pro has captivated audiophiles and music enthusiasts for decades and is one of the most popular headphones worldwide. Its distinctive retro aesthetic, lightweight design, and adjustable headband ensure a snug fit, while the foam ear cushions provide long-lasting comfort during extended listening sessions.
Grado SR80x
Part of a long lineage of amazing headphones, the Grado SR80X offers amazing sound for a very reasonable price. Using Grado Lab’s newest 44mm drivers, these headphones improve efficiency, reduce distortion, and preserve the harmonic integrity of your music, no matter the genre you are listening to.
KZ ZSN Pro X
The KZ ZSN Pro X is an underrated budget IEM that will blow most audiophiles away. Using 10mm dynamic drivers, these earbuds have fantastic sound quality with robust lows, crystal clear mids, and sparkling highs. Plus, unlike many audiophile IEMs, these have inline controls and a mic.
Portable DACs Go A Long Way
Everything we listen to digitally is compressed in some way, even if it comes from high-fidelity streaming services. That is where DACs, and especially for budget-conscious shoppers, portable DACs, come into play. DACs, or digital-to-analog converters, take the digital signals from our phones or computers and unpack them into analog signals so you’re able to hear them through your headphones.
Most products with a headphone jack have a DAC built into them, but because phones have recently eliminated them, they are no longer guaranteed. Even the little rinky-dink USB-C or lighting to headphone jack has some DAC in it, but compared to something like the Fiio KA1, it doesn’t offer nearly the same performance, and they have pretty similar price points. Dedicated portable DACs like the KA1 are a great way to instantly improve the sound from your phone or most portable devices, even if you are using the same pair of headphones with and without the DAC.
Not only are DACs a good practical investment to add a headphone jack to all of your USB-C devices, but they are also a great way to boost their audio quality, making songs, movies, and games much more precise and powerful. If you want to take a step further, you can also look for a DAC/Amp combo that can drive headphones with more power, providing even more performance gains.
iFi GO link
The GO link from iFi’s USB-C to 3.5mm headphone out provides a simple way to get the most out of your smart device’s audio. The GO link’s onboard DAC circuit provides a superior audio outlet than your device’s stock equipment, ensuring clean, enhanced sound even from connected devices with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
FiiO JadeAudio KA1
The small but mighty Fiio KA1 packs a high-quality DAC and an impressively powerful amp, turning any portable listening experience into an excellent one. Plus, it supports up to 32bit/384kHz PCM and DSD512 decoding, so no matter what you are listening to, the KA1 can handle it.
Fiio K10
The Fiio EK10 is an affordable compact sound card DAC amplifier. It can deliver improved performance without too much tweaking and has a simple user interface. It has an output power of 200mW at 32Ω as well as a potentiometer-based volume dial.
Hi-Fi Streaming Services
Finally, if you want to hear a noticeable difference in your music quickly and easily, you need to switch to a streaming service that offers Hi-Fi resolutions. Spotify is great for general listening, but jumping to a streaming service like Tidal or Deezer will make a huge difference if you want to get into the more detailed world of music listening.
These two options don’t have nearly as extensive a library as Spotify does, but when you consider that Tidal and Deezer offer 1411 kbps FLAC streaming, whileSpotify tops out at 320 kbps, the smaller libraries become way less of an issue. Of course, this does mean more strain on internet speed and data usage, but not to the point where you will run over your data limit or be contained to your home Wi-Fi to listen at these higher fidelity bit rates.
FAQ
Q: What does Hi-Fi mean?
Hi-Fi or High-Fidelity audio is sound that focuses on producing the best and most accurate sound to the recording it is playing. Short of being at a live show, Hi-Fi sound is the most accurate way you’re able to experience sound design and music.
Q: Is CD quality better than lossless?
Lossless audio and Hi-Res audio are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Because the audio world is the way that it is, there’s no official standard for Hi-Res Audio, but it basically means the tracks are better than CD quality.
