Added 'audio-setup' post

content/posts/audio-setup/index.md

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+---
+title: "Audio Setup"
+date: 2022-08-16
+---
+
+Over the years, I've invested in a (in my opinion) pretty good audio setup that
+I use very frequently (especially during the winter). I'm quite fond of it, so
+I'd like to show it off! And perhaps, someone out there might find the
+information interesting :)
+
+# Hardware
+
+The hardware consists of four main parts. I use a [Focusrite Scarlett
+2i2](https://focusrite.com/en/usb-audio-interface/scarlett/scarlett-2i2) both
+as a USB-connected DAC and an interface for my microphone. I'm quite satisified
+with the 2i2; it has served me well for a few years now. The fact that it can
+act both as a DAC and a mic input allows me to declutter my desk a bit.
+Otherwise, I'd have to buy a separate DAC and microphone receiver. Perhaps
+someday I'll find a use for the second microphone input ;p Before I had the
+2i2, I used a USB microphone and an AUX adapter that connected directly to my
+headphone amp, so this really was a big upgrade for me.
+
+The 2i2's line outputs connect to a [Schiit Magni
+Heresy](https://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1); the headphone amplifier.
+Besides the glorious name, this product really is amazing. It packs a serious
+punch for its size and price and I find it's a great match for my headphones.
+The only issue that I've had with them is that they can crackle when you change
+the volume, but luckily it goes away again once you stop moving the knob.
+Personally, I don't think it's that much of an issue, but I figured I should
+mention it anyways.
+
+Now for the stars of the show; the headphones. Perhaps I went a little
+overboard with this one, but I don't regret it at all. My main drivers are the
+[Sennheiser HD 660S](https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-US/p/hd-660s/). They
+sound absolutely amazing paired with my Magni head amp. I'm by no means an
+expert on audio, but I can definitely tell a major difference between these
+headphones and any other pair we have in the house. The audio is incredibly
+clear; I really can't get enough of it.
+
+Lastly, the microphone. During the pandemic, I bought myself a Devine BM-600
+XLR mic. The quality's quite good, especially for the price. Sadly I don't get
+to use it a lot anymore, as I rarely call people on the computer anymore.
+Before this however, I used the Devine M-Mic USB microphone. I mention this
+because it's probably one of the best budget microphones out there. Last I
+checked, it only cost around 30 euros and the voice quality is insanely good
+for the price.
+
+# Software
+
+While I get the appeal of LPs and CDs, they're just not very practical with the
+amount of music that I listen to every day. That's why I have a
+[Tidal](https://tidal.com/) HiFi subscription. Due to me being a student, I can
+get a 50% discount, meaning I only pay 5 euros per month for high-quality audio
+streaming. I highly recommend Tidal; it has served me well for months and will
+continue to do so.
+
+Due to me using Linux, I sadly can't use a native Tidal client, so I've had to
+resort to using
+[Mastermindzh/tidal-hifi](https://github.com/Mastermindzh/tidal-hifi),
+specifically installed using the
+[tidal-hifi-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages?O=0&K=tidal-hifi-git) AUR
+package. It runs the Tidal web player in an electron session, along with some
+wine magic to support HiFi playback. It even has a task bar icon and
+everything, so it works about as well as any other native client.
+
+Right, I have to finish this post. The goal was to describe my audio setup, and
+I think I accomplished that. I'm definitely not an expert on these things, so
+I'm not going to go more in depth than needed. All I am is an audiophile that
+cares a little too much about the quality of his music ;p
+
+Cheers