[Jonathan Crouch]

That’s what got me thinking too. From doing some reading it seems the SC cables were made to address some shortcomings of the previous Dianas. The MR is warm, has very beautiful mids and bass. I fear that the SC cable might make it too warm and dark. And believe me it has more than enough bass as it is

Since the drivers different the effect the cable could have on the headphone itself could be completely different. There really is no way to know how it will effect the MR until you try the cable out. I know back when I started using Silver on the 2nd gen Arya I had at the time I was afraid it would effect the treble too much and weirdly enough it did not, instead it tightened the bass up. So the best thing you can do is try them, you never know what kind of impact it will have until you do.

 

[akukula]

Since the drivers different the effect the cable could have on the headphone itself could be completely different. There really is no way to know how it will effect the MR until you try the cable out. I know back when I started using Silver on the 2nd gen Arya I had at the time I was afraid it would effect the treble too much and weirdly enough it did not, instead it tightened the bass up. So the best thing you can do is try them, you never know what kind of impact it will have until you do.

Agreed. The stock cable that came is actually making the MR sing very well. Excellent bass, mids, vocals. I can’t really complain. But of course, like many of us, we always wonder what if lol. This is my first ABYSS and its connector is something new to me. I unfortunately can’t try my other cables. Based on the description of the SC, my fear is it might make the MR too warm and dark. And with the price of the SC, kinda worried it might be a very expensive demo.

 

[Pingisbord]

How does the Diana mr compare to zmf Caldera? I found the soundstage on the Caldera to be to small and i would like a little more treble.

 

[akukula]

How does the Diana mr compare to zmf Caldera? I found the soundstage on the Caldera to be to small and i would like a little more treble.

I am sorry I never owned a ZMF Caldera not even had a chance to demo one so can not make a comment. Hopefully someone who did can pitch in and share their experience

 

[Rhodey]

How does the Diana mr compare to zmf Caldera? I found the soundstage on the Caldera to be to small and i would like a little more treble.

Pretty sure someone mentioned the Caldera and MR comparison in this thread a few pages back.

 

[Abyss Headphones]

We compared the stock cable to the Superconductor HP cable on the new Diana MR with stock lambskin pads. First listening impressions with a few well known tracks are greater clarity through the mids and highs, not brightness, as in a step up in resolution. The vocals slightly relax and you can hear more of the space around them. Same with instruments, strings and cymbals have a long clear decay with better harmonic structure. Bass is not accentuated, yet sounds more tactile, impact MR is so good at remains and fills out into the extreme lows.

Should note that the Diana stock cable and the AB1266 stock cable do not have the same conductor materials. Diana stock is a cooper alloy, all the rest are various topologies of JPS's Alumiloy conductors. Changes from stock AB1266 cable to AB1266 Superconductor HP cable are primarily due to much larger conductor size. Changes heard from stock Diana cable to Diana SC cable are primarily from completely different conductor and dielectric materials in play. Also note that JPS Superconductor HP cable does not act like a tone control, it simply offers greater clarity to the source from the bottom on up.

 

[akukula]

We compared the stock cable to the Superconductor HP cable on the new Diana MR with stock lambskin pads. First listening impressions with a few well known tracks are greater clarity through the mids and highs, not brightness, as in a step up in resolution. The vocals slightly relax and you can hear more of the space around them. Same with instruments, strings and cymbals have a long clear decay with better harmonic structure. Bass is not accentuated, yet sounds more tactile, impact MR is so good at remains and fills out into the extreme lows.

Should note that the Diana stock cable and the AB1266 stock cable do not have the same conductor materials. Diana stock is a cooper alloy, all the rest are various topologies of JPS's Alumiloy conductors. Changes from stock AB1266 cable to AB1266 Superconductor HP cable are primarily due to much larger conductor size. Changes heard from stock Diana cable to Diana SC cable are primarily from completely different conductor and dielectric materials in play. Also note that JPS Superconductor HP cable does not act like a tone control, it simply offers greater clarity to the source from the bottom on up.

Thank you! Been waiting for this. Even emailed you guys! First impressions sound quite positive! Will definitely have to try this

 

[Abyss Headphones]

No problem. We jump back and forth between these cables during the deign phase of the headphone to gauge tonality range but haven't had time do an A/B with final production.

 

[Pingisbord]

Pretty sure someone mentioned the Caldera and MR comparison in this thread a few pages back.

I have read the thread and theres alot of good information but not much about the soundstage.
I loved the presentation and clearness of the Caldera but the soundstage felt smal and right/left.
Then i found out about Diana mr; detailed, warm with good middle register. So now i have more options
Not many reviews or owner opinions yet tho.

 

[akukula]

I have read the thread and theres alot of good information but not much about the soundstage.
I loved the presentation and clearness of the Caldera but the soundstage felt smal and right/left.
Then i found out about Diana mr; detailed, warm with good middle register. So now i have more options
Not many reviews or owner opinions yet tho.

It is a brand new product. Came out just over a week ago. Give it some time. I am sure more people will be giving their thoughts soon enough

 

[TheMiddleSky]

I have read the thread and theres alot of good information but not much about the soundstage.
I loved the presentation and clearness of the Caldera but the soundstage felt smal and right/left.
Then i found out about Diana mr; detailed, warm with good middle register. So now i have more options
Not many reviews or owner opinions yet tho.

Note that I never listened to MR.

However, I used to had Diana V2 and Diana Phi, also got home demo Diana TC for a month. None of them projecting Soundstage as big as Caldera, at least in my system (that sound much better than XiAudio stacks to drive all Dianas). I think you should look at AB1266 instead.

 

[Schugar]

Note that I never listened to MR.

However, I used to had Diana V2 and Diana Phi, also got home demo Diana TC for a month. None of them projecting Soundstage as big as Caldera, at least in my system (that sound much better than XiAudio stacks to drive all Dianas). I think you should look at AB1266 instead.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge it until listening to it. Only reason I say that is I've seen mixed opinions on staging for it. I've seen some posts where some think the MR is an improvement over the V2 and maybe even the TC. I've seen some people say it may have some pad dependences. I've seen some that think that while it may be improved in some areas things like the Arya Organic are still better in that department. I've only ever listened regularly to the V2 and the Phi with a short time listening to the Caldera and if I were to judge it solely on that I'd agree with you, but I'm honestly not entertaining it in the same way since I haven't listened to the TC nor the MR. Also granted we're talking about TOTL bracket here to some degree, but really the 1266 is not only a leap in what you have to shell out it also varies wildly for use case than the MR or the Diana line in general just to get what is probably percentage margin in one area of performance that the person is looking for. Really if you're judging it on that it is easier to say just buy a Caldera right? Really it just depends on how they want to use it and speaking personally I've tried the 1266 and while it is very good I'd never entertain buying it over alternatives granted that is just my personal preference. All that said how that really compares to the Caldera I think the jury is still out at least until the MR is a bit more out there in the wild with more opinions coming in.

I've kind of searched high a low in multiple forums for ZMF comparisons to the MR in general and still feel left a little wanting for information. I only ever really post anything here unless there is just no or very little information to be had. I've actually been coming to head-fi for years to research things and only really felt it necessary to make an account last year to ask for information on a custom IEM I ended up purchasing primarily because the most starting information to be had was here and I trust the opinions here of people more so than else where. I posted in this thread in particular because I'm very much either going to buy a ZMF stabilized while the getting is good in November and saw good things about the MR that might drive me this direction instead that are worth considering. The only pitfall I suffer from is there really is no real option to properly demo the MR where I live if someone here I know doesn't already own it (which they don't). By comparison I've demoed the ZMF models I'm considering so kind of why I'm leaning more in that direction.

Of course don't take all my ramblings as a means to cast some sort of absolute doubt on your opinion I'd just be hesitant to make the assumption based on what I've been reading is all I'm really saying.

 

[K3cT]

Every Dianas I've tried seem to share a common DNA and I doubt the MR is going to be a radical departure. Caldera sounds completely different than the Diana anyhow.

 

[Pingisbord]

Every Dianas I've tried seem to share a common DNA and I doubt the MR is going to be a radical departure. Caldera sounds completely different than the Diana anyhow.

How would you describe the difference?

 

[Schugar]

How would you describe the difference?

Historically at least from my listening ZMF in general has its own sound versus Abyss that has its own. ZMF leans warmer and tonally rich to me which sounds a lot better versus Abyss where to me while it has the detail it tends to be more neutral in the best sense, but tonality to me at least for the V2 and Phi it has always been "off" and if I were to go further really almost sterile. My preference has been ZMF because I prefer the listening experience as a whole versus the detail. The Caldera for ZMF is kind of the addition of a lot of the missing details and removal of some of that veil while still staying close the ZMF sound you'd be accustomed to.

That said with the MR people have consistently whether it be here or else where keep throwing around the term "warm" or "warmer leaning" than what the Diana line has typically been and better tonally which is why I asked for more information on it. I still keep seeing mixed bag answers and I think the confusion is when people come here and ask about it in comparison with ZMF I think the feeling is the expectation that somehow the MR sounds the same as some of ZMF's offerings. In my position that isn't the case I just want to know if the MR for tonality and musicality for a listening experience has improved from previous Abyss offerings to justify a look. I don't necessarily need or have to have a lush ZMF experience I just don't want to listen to something that to me in previous models was more focused on the detail above all else. People said the V2 was supposed to be that and to me it wasn't. Abyss' tuning or what they are tuning for has not been my cup of tea historically, but I can respect what they offer and people's preferences for them. I'd like to think or hope though the MR is an improvement to those areas it lacks. If not than question answered I'll move on.

EDIT: I think the main thing is if you think an Abyss headphone is going to sound anything like a ZMF it won't is the short answer. ZMF really digs into the richness and timbre of the sound typically a lot more than other headphones. Abyss is more of the details and information you're extracting historically.