[Lakerfreak]

Hi, i am expecting a brand new TC to arrive by tomorrow. How is the standard stock cable (non-SC one)? I use Lavricables Grand Silver cable for the Utopia 2022, and I wonder if I need to get one for the TC.

Thanks.

 

[Lucikun]

Hi, i am expecting a brand new TC to arrive by tomorrow. How is the standard stock cable (non-SC one)? I use Lavricables Grand Silver cable for the Utopia 2022, and I wonder if I need to get one for the TC.

Thanks.

It’s fine, sounds good. Ergonomics aren’t the best on the stock, but it’s not terrible either.

It’s just…fine. lol

 

[Metalingus]

Can anyone compare Diana MR to similar prices products from sound perspective only.

What would be the jump from something like Arya to Diana MR.

Thanks.

 

[Barone Birra]

Can anyone compare Diana MR to similar prices products from sound perspective only.

What would be the jump from something like Arya to Diana MR.

Thanks.

If you like Audeze or are a... metal fan: Diana all the way.

 

[Metalingus]

If you like Audeze or are a... metal fan: Diana all the way.

Big Audeze fan, not listening to metal anymore but more interested in hiphop, instrumental, r&b.

I stopped buying Audeze products because i live overseas and had 2 lcd driver failures. My 3.5K went to trash.

How is MR with bass heavy content, is treble harsh?

 

[admiralnorman]

Can anyone compare Diana MR to similar prices products from sound perspective only.

What would be the jump from something like Arya to Diana MR.

Thanks.

I like the tune of the LCD-4, but even though it's $1000 more than the MR, they are easily outclassed by the MR. The LCD-5 is much closer to catching the MR, but I hate the tune so much on the LCD-5 that the MR is a clear winner to me across the Audeze board regardless of price.

The meze empyrean mk2 has been a natural comparison. Most people have been favorable to both, and while the emp2 is a big move for Meze, it still sounds like an easy listening meze headphone to me and just isn't even close on the technicalities of the MR. If i liked the Meze house sound, I'd rather save money and get a used Elite or OG emp and just enjoy the experience. Or maybe even the Meze 99 Classics with pad swap.

MR > used focal utopia. easy clap

i think the stax sr007mk2 gives it a run, it's cheaper but it's an e-stat so that's a whole other purchase to be used.

Modhouse Tungsten DS maybe? A few people i trust have said they run toe to toe. I still haven't heard the tungsten though as i'm waiting to listen on my own pair when it arrives. One thing is sure, the MR runs on anything and the tungsten needs a small selection of amps, so they get priced similar to me on the need of the amp.

The ZMF caldera should compete, but it reminds me of the LCD-4 in the comparison between the two. Plus I love the Atrium so much more than the caldera that i could never recommend it. The Atrium though just does this very cool tamber that is great, but doesn't keep up technically even a little with the MR. Looking at all the ZMF stuff, I would think owning the Bokeh at the same time as the MR would actually make a lot of sense.

The final d8k pro is nothing compared to the MR, so i would guess from reviews that the d7k is probably in the same boat, but now at the same price.

HiFiMan doesn't have anything in line. The Susvara is great though.

I have not heard any raal, or summit fi DCA or warrwick acuostics or heedphone, or austiran audio. so there is a bit out there to be checked into.

 

[vcoheda]

i have no issues with DTC stock cable. it is one of the few stock cables that i am not eager to upgrade. i'll add that i have the opposite impression of the 1266 stock cable. that cable is so bulky and awkward that i purchased a different cable for it almost right away.

 

[tjkohli]

So I just received my Diana MR and have been doing critical listening for a few hours side-by-side with my Utopia (both via TT2) with the intent to choose one over the other. Here are a few thoughts:

• Diana MR bass is amazing— rumbles and deep compared to Utopia, which I could describe as more calculated and precise
• Diana MR seems to have a slight veil on the music compared to the Utopia, which force-feeds my ears with clarity
  • Could this because of the break-in period for the Diana? Utopia is fully broken-in with hundreds of hours on it.
• Overall— notes seem to blend together with the MR while the Utopia keeps them all entirely separate
• The Utopia is much, much louder at the same volume settings. I suppose that's the DD vs. Planar efficiency.
• Diana is comfortable and light, but it puts the weight on top of my head whereas the Utopia spreads it across my head and ears
• Diana build quality/feel in hand is leagues ahead of Utopia
• Diana looks better on my head, while Utopia looks kind of goofy. This is important to me because I like to often take work calls with my headphones on!

This is a really tough decision, but I'm feeling the Diana cannot compete with the Utopia. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone with a TC instead?

 

[Lakerfreak]

So I just received my Diana MR and have been doing critical listening for a few hours side-by-side with my Utopia (both via TT2) with the intent to choose one over the other. Here are a few thoughts:

• Diana MR bass is amazing— rumbles and deep compared to Utopia, which I could describe as more calculated and precise
• Diana MR seems to have a slight veil on the music compared to the Utopia, which force-feeds my ears with clarity
  • Could this because of the break-in period for the Diana? Utopia is fully broken-in with hundreds of hours on it.
• Overall— notes seem to blend together with the MR while the Utopia keeps them all entirely separate
• The Utopia is much, much louder at the same volume settings. I suppose that's the DD vs. Planar efficiency.
• Diana is comfortable and light, but it puts the weight on top of my head whereas the Utopia spreads it across my head and ears
• Diana build quality/feel in hand is leagues ahead of Utopia
• Diana looks better on my head, while Utopia looks kind of goofy. This is important to me because I like to often take work calls with my headphones on!

This is a really tough decision, but I'm feeling the Diana cannot compete with the Utopia. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone with a TC instead?

I debated the same and went with a custom color TC on sale. Will see how it sounds when I receive it tomorrow.

 

[admiralnorman]

So I just received my Diana MR and have been doing critical listening for a few hours side-by-side with my Utopia (both via TT2) with the intent to choose one over the other. Here are a few thoughts:

• Diana MR bass is amazing— rumbles and deep compared to Utopia, which I could describe as more calculated and precise
• Diana MR seems to have a slight veil on the music compared to the Utopia, which force-feeds my ears with clarity
  • Could this because of the break-in period for the Diana? Utopia is fully broken-in with hundreds of hours on it.
• Overall— notes seem to blend together with the MR while the Utopia keeps them all entirely separate
• The Utopia is much, much louder at the same volume settings. I suppose that's the DD vs. Planar efficiency.
• Diana is comfortable and light, but it puts the weight on top of my head whereas the Utopia spreads it across my head and ears
• Diana build quality/feel in hand is leagues ahead of Utopia
• Diana looks better on my head, while Utopia looks kind of goofy. This is important to me because I like to often take work calls with my headphones on!

This is a really tough decision, but I'm feeling the Diana cannot compete with the Utopia. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone with a TC instead?

It sounds like you are brain burned into the utopia. The same thing happened to me with the Diana TC. I'd recommend using only the MR for a couple weeks and then switching back and taking new impressions.

 

[Lucikun]

So I just received my Diana MR and have been doing critical listening for a few hours side-by-side with my Utopia (both via TT2) with the intent to choose one over the other. Here are a few thoughts:

• Diana MR bass is amazing— rumbles and deep compared to Utopia, which I could describe as more calculated and precise
• Diana MR seems to have a slight veil on the music compared to the Utopia, which force-feeds my ears with clarity
  • Could this because of the break-in period for the Diana? Utopia is fully broken-in with hundreds of hours on it.
• Overall— notes seem to blend together with the MR while the Utopia keeps them all entirely separate
• The Utopia is much, much louder at the same volume settings. I suppose that's the DD vs. Planar efficiency.
• Diana is comfortable and light, but it puts the weight on top of my head whereas the Utopia spreads it across my head and ears
• Diana build quality/feel in hand is leagues ahead of Utopia
• Diana looks better on my head, while Utopia looks kind of goofy. This is important to me because I like to often take work calls with my headphones on!

This is a really tough decision, but I'm feeling the Diana cannot compete with the Utopia. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone with a TC instead?

The MR is a very detailed headphone, just not there in comparison to the Utopia. The TC might have been a better bet if you value detail above all else as it’s a monster in the department.

 

[walterboss]

So I just received my Diana MR and have been doing critical listening for a few hours side-by-side with my Utopia (both via TT2) with the intent to choose one over the other. Here are a few thoughts:

• Diana MR bass is amazing— rumbles and deep compared to Utopia, which I could describe as more calculated and precise
• Diana MR seems to have a slight veil on the music compared to the Utopia, which force-feeds my ears with clarity
  • Could this because of the break-in period for the Diana? Utopia is fully broken-in with hundreds of hours on it.
• Overall— notes seem to blend together with the MR while the Utopia keeps them all entirely separate
• The Utopia is much, much louder at the same volume settings. I suppose that's the DD vs. Planar efficiency.
• Diana is comfortable and light, but it puts the weight on top of my head whereas the Utopia spreads it across my head and ears
• Diana build quality/feel in hand is leagues ahead of Utopia
• Diana looks better on my head, while Utopia looks kind of goofy. This is important to me because I like to often take work calls with my headphones on!

This is a really tough decision, but I'm feeling the Diana cannot compete with the Utopia. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone with a TC instead?

MR is a good halfway house in the Abyss lineup, but you need to go up to TC to compete with Utopia, imo. The technicalities of MR are very good. TC are stunning.

 

[Nakamura98]

So I just received my Diana MR and have been doing critical listening for a few hours side-by-side with my Utopia (both via TT2) with the intent to choose one over the other. Here are a few thoughts:

• Diana MR bass is amazing— rumbles and deep compared to Utopia, which I could describe as more calculated and precise
• Diana MR seems to have a slight veil on the music compared to the Utopia, which force-feeds my ears with clarity
  • Could this because of the break-in period for the Diana? Utopia is fully broken-in with hundreds of hours on it.
• Overall— notes seem to blend together with the MR while the Utopia keeps them all entirely separate
• The Utopia is much, much louder at the same volume settings. I suppose that's the DD vs. Planar efficiency.
• Diana is comfortable and light, but it puts the weight on top of my head whereas the Utopia spreads it across my head and ears
• Diana build quality/feel in hand is leagues ahead of Utopia
• Diana looks better on my head, while Utopia looks kind of goofy. This is important to me because I like to often take work calls with my headphones on!

This is a really tough decision, but I'm feeling the Diana cannot compete with the Utopia. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone with a TC instead?

Do you have the suede pads? For me the Diana MR's just sounded way too veiled on the leather bass ported pads, but as soon as I switched to the bass ported vegan suede pads they became an entirely different headphone(Vocals more intimate and the veil entirely lifted). Also got a beautiful audio headband and comfort went from a 6 to a 9.5/10. Personally didn't enjoy the TC as much as they did sound a bit U shaped, with the vocals and instruments sounding like they had no life. But this is all just personal opinion of course.

 

[tjkohli]

Do you have the suede pads? For me the Diana MR's just sounded way too veiled on the leather bass ported pads, but as soon as I switched to the bass ported vegan suede pads they became an entirely different headphone(Vocals more intimate and the veil entirely lifted). Also got a beautiful audio headband and comfort went from a 6 to a 9.5/10. Personally didn't enjoy the TC as much as they did sound a bit U shaped, with the vocals and instruments sounding like they had no life. But this is all just personal opinion of course.

I actually have the stock leather pads — which are supposed to be the most detailed. Detail isn't necessarily an issue for me. It's just the mids seem a bit recessed compared to Utopia, and the resolution isn't quite there. I'm still trying to evaluate what it is exactly.

By themselves, the MR sound amazing. It's only when A/B tested is when I see the differences.

 

[Nakamura98]

I actually have the stock leather pads — which are supposed to be the most detailed. Detail isn't necessarily an issue for me. It's just the mids seem a bit recessed compared to Utopia, and the resolution isn't quite there. I'm still trying to evaluate what it is exactly.

By themselves, the MR sound amazing. It's only when A/B tested is when I see the differences.

If you're able to you should really try the Suede pads at a local shop! It's crazy how much difference just pads can do. The TC is definitely more detailed but you might run into the exact same problem you're currently having.