Headphones

I've been using a pair of Sennheiser HD 800 for probably 13 years now. I'd rave about them all day if I could, but they have such a great soundstage and also have let me dabble into a lot of different random creator hobbies because they are a great reference for mixing. Comfortable to wear for hours and no phyiscal / listening fatigue.

There is a decent aftermarket available for replacement ear pads, cables, etc. as well and I was able to refresh various bits from constant daily wear over the years at a low cost. I've seen the newer variants and just can't seem to justify moving away from these yet. If you can get a used pair in good condition then I think the price point is incredible.

Unpopular opinion - I think there's almost no audible difference between DACs once they are shielded properly. I used to route through a Schiit Bifrost Multibit into a Valhalla 2 with some rolled tubes but now I basically do everything through one Scarlett Focusrite 18i20. There is a difference in the initial volume the amp would push out and the distortion from the tubes, but there's no way I could describe any difference between the two DACs at the same volume and it is way more convenient to have it all in one place. Yes, I have the Thriller SACD ; ).