Thanks, mate, got it!

Strange, I can't find this on the linked page. How can I buy it?

Same here. Cables definitely make a subtle difference which can be in specific cases really beneficial. I'm not great at A/B testing as music effects me in present time so much I cannot fully recall a previous memory and compare the current experience to it. However, when looking for specific...

Do you happen to know a dealer in Switzerland that sells the Riviera AIC-10?

This was my initial impression but then Rob Watts told me to volume match it and listen again (the difference is 6dB), and boom, the big difference disappeared (although there is still some difference as the XLR outs are slightly less transparent). That's why I keep using the front panel jack...

I have a Poly and it seems to be working perfectly as a Roon endpoint. Based on this I would buy 2Yu/2Go for myself if they wouldn't be so expensive. Yes for both points! It's so much better keeping these things separate.

It's so beautiful I can't make myself stop listening to it, even though I should be asleep for quite some time :relieved:

:L3000: Since the introduction of the M1 chip Apple seems to have a pretty good price-to-value ratio, and they may unveil an even more powerful chip next week. What do you mean by "worse"? What were the differences?

Definitely, and please share what you experience. Never tried the Nucleus myself. Yes, would love to do it some day. (Probably once this pandemic became quieter here in Europe, and we will walk around and visit shops again.)

Yes, the M Scaler lets good recordings "breathe": the music is smooth and relaxed, and listening is unfatiguing. (Of course this may also depend on the genre; I usually listen to classical, jazz and electronica where this is beneficial.)

Unfortunately I have only tried some of the headphones from above (Empyrean, Susvara) but I'm currently using a pair of Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC, and you should definitely check these headphones out as they are amazing, especially if you are interested in bass, but not just that. Make an audition if...

When comparing the TT2's front SE and its XLR outs, you can check the volume on the display. The difference should be 6dB (e.g., if front SE is -5H then XLRs should be at -11H). This was also my experience when compared the TT2 front SE and the Formula S. The soundstage is just as good. The...

Wow, this video is eye-opening. :astonished: Worth watching if you're streaming from Tidal.

Just posted my findings over on the Abyss AB-1266 forum, maybe it's worth mentioning here:

I put a lot of energy into trying to compare the sound out of the TT2 directly with the sound while the XI AUDIO Formula S is in between, and in the end I didn’t find out much about the difference. Still, it’s all good news in the end. It was immediately clear that the Formula S sounded...

Yes, comparing headphones is relatively easy, very good point. I have the Sony MDR-Z1Rs for example and it's a huge contrast compared with the Abyss. However, comparing interconnect cables? I'm already going crazy comparing direct TT2 with TT2 + Formula S which should be a walk in the park.

I really suck at testing audio components. (And here I’m only interested in the human/psychological side, but I realize it’s also a challenge technically, for example, it takes about 15–30 seconds to switch between the TT2-only and the TT2 + Formula S setup.) Some obvious mistakes I tend to...

Yes, see Post #15,336 above

So I've been up quite late now, switching between direct TT2 and TT2 and Formula S, trying to avoid the volume bias trap (I was reminded by the earlier comments) and I am not sure anymore that I like the Formula S better. Was it a placebo? New gear, high expectations? Tried many different kinds...

Here I tried to collect the relevant comments from the past:

After volume matching them (6dB is the difference) I used the front SE because it's slightly more transparent (which I A/B tested only quickly myself, but I understand it's built like this from a comment by its designer @Rob Watts).

I am definitely buying a Formula S, and probably a Powerman too. I guess this also depends on the music you listen to but generally I guess a proper amp for these headphones is more important. For less hungry headphones I would rather avoid adding an amp to preserve the transparency of the...

Ever since I got the Abyss AB-1266 TC headphones last Christmas my question was whether my TT2 is enough to drive them. However, in this small country I haven't had an easy chance to try them with a recommended amp (see...

It's on Qobuz for example: https://www.qobuz.com/ch-de/album/stravinsky-le-sacre-du-printemps-bartok-the-miraculous-mandarin-suite-mussorgsky-a-night-on-the-bare-mountain-esa-pekka-salonen-los-angeles-philharmonic/0002894794194

As far as I know k55.ch has 1266 TC headphones, and you can at least try them in their shop in Zürich