top of page
Search

Honest Audiophile Reference Chain: Built for Honesty, Not Prestige

  • Writer: dbstechtalk
    dbstechtalk
  • Apr 24, 2022
  • 6 min read

Updated: Jan 3

Reference isn’t about price — it’s about performance.


Every so often, someone will comment that my reference gear looks “entry‑level” or “pedestrian.” And honestly, I understand why it might appear that way at first glance. I’m not surrounding myself with $10,000 DACs or exotic boutique amps. I’m not chasing prestige pieces or building a chain meant to impress.


But here’s the truth:

Price doesn’t determine reference quality — performance does.


What matters in reference gear isn’t how fancy it looks or how expensive it is. What matters is whether it is:

  • Resolving — able to reveal differences between products

  • Neutral — not adding its own flavor or coloration

  • Natural — presenting music in a believable, lifelike way

  • Consistent — performing the same way every time

  • Well‑understood — gear I know inside and out


A reference chain should be a tool, not a trophy.


I choose equipment that helps me evaluate honestly, not equipment that helps me flex. If a piece of gear is stable, predictable, revealing, and natural, then it’s reference‑grade — regardless of the price tag or the brand name.


And that’s the point of The Honest Audiophile:to show that great listening doesn’t require great expense.


My reference setup reflects the same values I bring to every review: clarity, accessibility, and a focus on the music itself. If something new earns a place on this list, it’s because it performs — not because it’s expensive or exclusive.


Benchmark Gear

(Most purchased with personal funds, some gifted by vendors or manufacturers)

DACs

  • Mytek Liberty DAC II

  • Fiio K19

Amplifiers

  • Mytek Liberty THX AAA HPA

  • DROP + SMSL HO150x

  • DROP THX AAA One

USB Dongles

  • Kiwi Ears Allegro Mini

  • Hiby FC3

  • Fosi Audio DS2

DAP

  • Hiby R5 Gen2

Headphones

  • Audeze LCD‑5

  • MrSpeakers Ether C

  • Sennheiser HD580 Pro

  • Audio‑Technica R70x

  • Audeze LCD‑2 Closed

  • Austrian Audio Hi‑X60

In‑Ear Monitors

  • SoftEars RSV mk2

  • ThieAudio Oracle mk3

  • Westone Mach60


Alternate Gear

(Some purchased, most gifted)

DACs

  • xDuoo XA‑02

  • Burson Playmate 3

  • SMSL RAW DAC 1

  • AKM K9 AKM

Amplifiers

  • Tor Audio Roger

  • xDuoo TA‑26s

  • Aune N7

Dongles

  • NiceHCK Octave

  • Tanchjim Luna

  • TRI TK1

  • Cayin RU3

DAP

  • Sony NW‑A105

Headphones

  • Hifiman Arya Stealth

  • Moondrop Para

  • Sennheiser HD660S2

  • Hifiman Sundara

  • Fosi Audio i5

  • DROP + Sennheiser HD8xx

  • Audio‑Technica R50x

  • Fiio JT7

In‑Ear Monitors

  • Tin Hifi T2

  • Kotori Zephyr

  • Tangzu Nezha

  • Kiwi Ears Astral

  • Tanchjim Origin

  • Moondrop Kadenz


Reference Music

These are the tracks I use in every review to evaluate tone, timbre, staging, dynamics, detail retrieval, and overall technical performance. Each selection highlights specific sonic attributes and helps me maintain consistency across all gear evaluations.


For more on how music preference shapes impressions:


Jazz, Acoustic & Vocal

(Examples)Tingvall Trio – “Beat” • Sinne Eeg – “We’ve Just Begun” • Molly Johnson – “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” • Leslie Odom Jr. – “Under Pressure” • Yo‑Yo Ma – “Ecstasy of Gold” • Adam Bałdych – “Spem in Alium” • Michael Bublé – “When I Fall in Love” • Patricia Barber – “Code Cool” • Christian Scott – “New New Orleans” • Dave Holland Quartet – “Conference of the Birds” • Houston Person – “You Are My Sunshine” • Diana Krall – “Singing in the Rain” • 40 Fingers – “Last of the Mohicans” • Eva Cassidy – “It Don’t Mean a Thing…” • Charlotte Church – “A Bit of Earth” • Norah Jones – “Come Away With Me” • Sarah Brightman – “Angel”


Rock, Metal & Progressive

(Examples)Tool – “Chocolate Chip Trip” • Jethro Tull – “Aqualung” • Petra – “Jekyll & Hyde” • Meat Loaf – “Bat Out of Hell” • Megadeth – “This Was My Life” • Van Morrison – “Gloria” • ZZ Top – “Sharp Dressed Man” • Boston – “Foreplay/Long Time” • Metallica – “The Unforgiven” • AC/DC – “Hells Bells” • AC/DC – “Back in Black” • Metallica – “Nothing Else Matters” • Skillet – “Comatose” • Evanescence – “Bring Me to Life” • Rush – “Tom Sawyer”


Orchestral, Cinematic & Symphonic

(Examples)Ilhan Eshkeri – “47 Ronin” • Danish National Symphony Orchestra – “Game of Thrones Suite” • Hyperion Knight – “Rhapsody in Blue” • Jerry Goldsmith – “The Enterprise” • Jerry Goldsmith – “The Final Game” • Danish National Symphony Orchestra – “Welcome to Jurassic Park” • Bruce Rowland – “End Titles” • City of Prague Philharmonic – “The Untouchables” • Two Steps From Hell – “Cannon in D Minor” • Two Steps From Hell – “Victory” • Two Steps From Hell – “Impossible” • Two Steps From Hell – “Heart of Courage” • Hans Zimmer – “Ronin” • Hans Zimmer – “Lost But Won” • Gil Shaham – “Spring” • Yuja Wang – Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 • Bruce Broughton – “Final Credits” • Bruce Broughton – “End Titles” • Hans Zimmer – “Hard Lesson to Learn” • Bear McCreary – “Colonial Anthem / Black Market”


Country, Harmony & Americana

(Examples)David Phelps – “America the Beautiful / God Bless America Medley” • Sandi Patty – “Swingin’ Love Medley” • Steve Green – “He Holds the Key” • Brian Free & Assurance – “Medley…” • The Cathedrals – “Look for Me…” • The Cathedrals – “Champion of Love” • Otis Taylor – “Sunday Morning (A/B/C)” • Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – “Fishin’ in the Dark” • Reba McEntire – “Fancy” • Wynonna Judd – “Ain’t No Sunshine” • Oak Ridge Boys – “Elvira” • Reba McEntire – “You Lie” • Josh Groban – “You Raise Me Up” • Willie Nelson – “Midnight Rider”


Pop, Vocal & Contemporary

(Examples)Adele – “Set Fire to the Rain” • Renée Olstead – “Thanks for the Boogie Ride” • ABBA – “Chiquitita” • Caitlyn Smith – “Supernova (Voice Memo)”


TIDAL Playlist:


Closing Thoughts

That completes the full list of reference gear and reference tracks I use to evaluate every product. Most of my reference gear has been with me for a year or more — it takes a lot of performance for something new to earn a permanent spot. Consistency matters, and I don’t change my benchmarks lightly.


The playlist spans multiple genres, recording qualities, and bitrates. Some tracks are personal favorites, others are simply reliable tools — but every single one reveals something meaningful about how a piece of gear performs.


I hope this helps clarify why I choose the music I do, what I listen for, and what I value most in reference gear.


I’m Dave, The Honest Audiophile. Thanks for reading, and I’ll catch you in the next one.

Don’t forget to enjoy the music — and remember, honesty is the BEST policy.


Disclaimer

I’m not a professional sound engineer, producer, musician, or vocalist. I haven’t conducted scientific research, measurements, or lab‑grade testing. Everything I share comes from my own listening, comparing, and personal research.


My real‑world experience with recording, mixing, and mastering gear is limited, though I’ve spent years as an amateur sound booth technician in various churches since my teens.


Please take these thoughts, impressions, and reasonings for what they are:my honest audiophile opinions, shaped by experience, curiosity, and a love for music.


If you want more honest, no-hype audiophile videos every week, hit that Subscribe button and ring the notification bell so you don't miss the next one.

Also, hit the thumbs up if you enjoyed the video or thumbs down if you didn’t.


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




 
 
 

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page