A Beginner’s Guide to the Audio Hobby

Gavin Barrows

My collection of audio equipment, a JBL Flip 5 speaker, Sony WH1000XM4 headphones, and a random pair of earbuds from the dollar store.

Audio is a wonderfully wide world. There’s entry-level, mid-fi, and hi-fi. Over-ear headphones, In-ear headphones (IEM’s), and if you’re feeling frisky, speakers. All I’m trying to say is audio quality and preference are subjective. Here are my thoughts on differing audio hardware, and I hope they might help you as you decide which works best for the sound you are looking for!