My Favourite Headphone & DAC Setup for 2022

Listening to music with headphones is one of life’s simple pleasures. A perfect way to spend some quality alone time.

So rare is this fabled alone time that I don’t want to waste it listening to some naff pair of cans if I can avoid it. I want something a little bit special without spending a ton of cash.

To my ears, you need a proper set of headphones and a half decent DAC. My go to setup is the iFi Zen DAC and the Grado SR325x’s. I prefer using an iPad running Roon for bit perfect delivery of my ripped CD’s. I love the look and feel of Roon, especially for reading about your favourite artists or a bit of behind-the-scenes info on your favoured albums.

The iFi Zen DAC is an all round solid performer. At around £150/180EUR it can’t be beat. It puts out a full-bodied, very nicely balanced sound and thanks to the power match and true bass features it’s ready to go in a couple of button taps.

The Grado SR325x’s are easily my favourite headphones under £500/550EUR — their sound stage, separation and lower end authority are great. Contrary to popular opinion, they’re also a comfortable listen too.

The combo of the Grado’s and the iFi Zen is a lively listen, revealing stunning detail with even fairly lossy recordings (one of my favourite albums is a measly 96kbps mp3, but still sounds good). The real bass guitar and synth bass line of Genesis’ ‘Jesus He Knows Me’ races along with aplomb and definition, pulsing defiantly in the Graco’s earcups. The layered acoustic guitars on Radiohead’s ‘High and Dry’ are gorgeously spread and stacked up, like a lovely audible steel strung sandwich.

So sat back on my favourite armchair, awesome audiophile headphone and DAC combo for less than £400/450EUR — I’m one happy bunny.