[SoundJedi]

Jesus...should not have clicked on this post...my Abyss DP is perfectly fine for me...repeat after me...

DP is amazing! One the best HP's I've heard and I take it over the 1266 TC anyday. Thin vocals ain't for me.

 

[ken6217]

DP is amazing! One the best HP's I've heard and I take it over the 1266 TC anyday. Thin vocals ain't for

Thin vocals on the Phi or TC?

 

[SoundJedi]

Thin vocals on the Phi or TC?

TC. Absolutely loved the incredible bass and the stage but vocals were not my favourite on it.

 

[ken6217]

TC. Absolutely loved the incredible bass and the stage but vocals were not my favourite on it.

I felt the same way about the 1266 TC

 

[MasterZen]

That's why you get multiple headphones

 

[ken6217]

That's why you get multiple headphones

Every time I have multiple headphones I end up listening to only one sell the other. Same thing with motorcycles. The same one always remains in the garage.

 

[MasterZen]

Every time I have multiple headphones I end up listening to only one sell the other. Same thing with motorcycles. The same one always remains in the garage.

Can't deny that, I have to actively pick and choose what headphones to listen to. Which is ok, it makes you appreciate each headphones individual characteristics

 

[Ficcion2]

Since the Diana/Abyss sound is a reference point for most of us in this thread I’d thought I’d ask rather make a new thread in the questions and suggestions section.

My current DAC/streamer is the Matrix Element M which I bought back in June/July of 2020.
It’s been a mostly positive experience with this product. Great functionality, build, and sound.
The software has improved a lot but I bypass that since it’s also Roon ready and I’m signed up for a year.

I have no real reason to change it up rather than the curiosity of what another DAC can do for my V2s and my rig in general.

What would you guys get around the $2k mark used? Keeping Diana sound in mind.

Also it can’t be too large. Ideally no bigger than my Matrix DAC (275x281x60mm)

 

[eskamobob1]

Since the Diana/Abyss sound is a reference point for most of us in this thread I’d thought I’d ask rather make a new thread in the questions and suggestions section.

My current DAC/streamer is the Matrix Element M which I bought back in June/July of 2020.
It’s been a mostly positive experience with this product. Great functionality, build, and sound.
The software has improved a lot but I bypass that since it’s also Roon ready and I’m signed up for a year.

I have no real reason to change it up rather than the curiosity of what another DAC can do for my V2s and my rig in general.

What would you guys get around the $2k mark used? Keeping Diana sound in mind.

Also it can’t be too large. Ideally no bigger than my Matrix DAC (275x281x60mm)

2k is a very weird dac market. I would see if you can bump yourself to 2.5k so you can get something like a used sagra or morpheus. Unfortunately there is just less and less small stuff as you go up in price. Ive had the same issues on my hunt as well :/

 

[Ficcion2]

2k is a very weird dac market. I would see if you can bump yourself to 2.5k so you can get something like a used sagra or morpheus. Unfortunately there is just less and less small stuff as you go up in price. Ive had the same issues on my hunt as well :/

I haven't really looked into DACs past the $2k mark so Im in the dark, so to speak.

I can stretch my budget if warranted but the size will remain an issue. Why are there so many large DACs/components (I know amps need to dissipate heat?) but are large DACs just because theyre mostly found in 2 channel systems? Or is its cause they just look cool so they make the chassis appealing?

I have a little rack that I plan on keeping in my set up and would like to see something around the size of my Matrix DAC which for reference is about the same size as the popular iFi iDSD Pro but I see Im not alone in this search.

 

[eskamobob1]

I haven't really looked into DACs past the $2k mark so Im in the dark, so to speak.

I can stretch my budget if warranted but the size will remain an issue. Why are there so many large DACs/components (I know amps need to dissipate heat?) but are large DACs just because theyre mostly found in 2 channel systems? Or is its cause they just look cool so they make the chassis appealing?

I have a little rack that I plan on keeping in my set up and would like to see something around the size of my Matrix DAC which for reference is about the same size as the popular iFi iDSD Pro but I see Im not alone in this search.

SO as you get higher up the ladder there are more componants to fit, but I still feel like there are inordinantly few small dacs tbh. Some other ones to look into (that I havent heard but came up in my own search, so take with a grain of salt) ranging from 2-10k used are the Cos C2, Ayre BQ-9 Twenty, MSB Analogue, iDSD Pro Sig (as you mentioned), Holo cyan (new version should be out sometime late this year), Weiss 501, Nagra classic or HD, Bricasti M3, Merason Ferat, SWX and Audio Note Dacs in general, Waversa, Hibiki, and MHDT stuff. Again I have heard none of these and dont know much about most of them. They are just all under full size. Just may be a decent list to start your search with

 

[chargedcapacitor]

I haven't really looked into DACs past the $2k mark so Im in the dark, so to speak.

I can stretch my budget if warranted but the size will remain an issue. Why are there so many large DACs/components (I know amps need to dissipate heat?) but are large DACs just because theyre mostly found in 2 channel systems? Or is its cause they just look cool so they make the chassis appealing?

I have a little rack that I plan on keeping in my set up and would like to see something around the size of my Matrix DAC which for reference is about the same size as the popular iFi iDSD Pro but I see Im not alone in this search.

Many higher end R2R dacs have a large chassis size due to the large number of resistors they use.

 

[buke9]

You need the Superconductor HP cable on Diana if you want to compare apples to apples with AB1266. The Diana stock cable is not the same as the AB1266 stock cable.

Will you have a Superconductor HP cable for the Diana TC be at CanJam NYC to try out with my Diana TC’s ?

 

[TDinCali]

The stage is startling smaller (comparable to Utopia, LCD-5, etc)

This comment caught me by surprise. So I pulled out all three and listened to them. The Diana TC has a smaller soundstage for you, even to a Utopia??

 

[up late]

i interpreted that as "startingly smaller" than the abyss 1266 phi tc's 'headstage' but comparable to the utopia and lcd-5.

it aligns with my impression of the diana v2's (not the diana tc's) 'headstage' compared to the utopia.