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The Honest Audiophile Tier List — Built My Way

  • Writer: dbstechtalk
    dbstechtalk
  • Sep 28, 2021
  • 3 min read

Updated: Dec 26, 2025

I’ve been asked for a tier list for years, but I never wanted to create one until I could make it uniquely mine. I didn’t want another generic chart with the same recycled grading system everyone else uses. If I was going to build this, it needed to reflect my experience, my language, and my approach to evaluating audio gear.

This list is exactly that — honest, fun, and personal. It’s a living document that will continue to evolve as I revisit products, refine my thoughts, and learn more along the way.


My Ranking Grades

I designed this grading system to be simple, intuitive, and true to how I talk about gear. Each grade includes a clear meaning and purchase recommendation.

GRADE

MEANING

PURCHASE ADVICE

A

Awful

Stop

B

Bad

Risky

C

Capable

Worth Chance

D

Delicious

Value

E

Excellent

Above & Beyond

F

Flawless

Superior

A minus is the lowest within a letter, a plus is the highest.


What’s Inside the Tier List

To make this list genuinely useful, it includes dedicated tabs for:

  • Grade

  • IEMs

  • Headphones

  • DAC/Amps

  • Dongles / Portable DAC/Amps

  • DAPs

  • Speakers

  • CD Players

Each product also includes a quick note — a short, honest snapshot of my experience and why it earned its grade. Not a full review, not marketing fluff — just the essential takeaway.


You can sort the list by Manufacturer, Model, Price, Type, Driver, or Grade to explore the data however you prefer.


A Few Notes

  • This is my personal tier list — it will differ from other reviewers and from your own experiences.

  • For deeper context, check the full reviews linked throughout the site.

  • Grades may shift over time as I revisit gear and update my references.


Explore the List

Enjoy digging in, comparing, and discovering what stands out.That’s part of what makes this hobby so much fun.



I am Dave the Honest Audiophile. Thanks for reading, and I will catch you in the next one. Don't forget to enjoy the music and that honesty is the BEST policy!


I am not a professional sound engineer, producer, musician, or vocalist, etc. I have not done any scientific research, measurements, or in-depth testing of any kind; just my own listening, comparing and internet reading/research.  I have limited, real-life experience with recording, mixing and mastering gear.  I have been involved since my teenage years with various churches as an amateur sound booth technician.

Please take these thoughts, opinions and reasonings as just that, my honest audiophile thoughts, opinions and reasonings.


Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TalkDbs @TalkDbs


About Me:

Reference Music:

Ranking Tier List: 


Recommended Gear:

Audeze LCD 2 Closed: LCD-2 Closed Back (audeze.com)


If you like the content of this channel and want to see more like this in the future, please consider donating. All funds donated to the channel will be used to purchase headphones and audio gear for  the channel.

Venmo: @David-Sylvia-6 YouTube membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMj7xJ1SDxGqqxZ5l3g_jg/join

If you would like to contact the channel please send an email to: dbstechtalk@gmail.com


Affiliate links:

ADV-Sound: https://adv-sound.com/?mct=8ENJK5lB promo code: DavidS10


 
 
 

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