[cedboe]

Powered by the EF-6 zum Beispiel...

 

[toomainstream]

[size=medium]

1. Heavy leather man bag style carry case with extra room for a portable amp/DAC for a completely portable high resolution playback system.

[/size]  
 
... lol? man bag style

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

So few comparisons to the HE-6s. Everyone wants to compare to the 009 and 800s with some LCD-3 sprinkled. Am I overvaluing the HE-6s to compare to the Abyss?

You would be undervaluing the HE-6s if you went off objective measurements. 

 

[purrin]

Quote:

So few comparisons to the HE-6s. Everyone wants to compare to the 009 and 800s with some LCD-3 sprinkled. Am I overvaluing the HE-6s to compare to the Abyss?

 
The Abyss is in another league or two in terms of layering, separation, extraction of low level information, and expansiveness compared to the HE-6. I've always felt the HE-6 was too etched sounding in the treble, a little too zingy, although you may feel differently, especially with your setup.
 
Abyss overall bass quality is first rate - best I've ever heard (power, impact, cleanness, and articulation.) The HE-6 bass rendering is not as good, still ever so slightly blurry, although I know power amps will really tighten up much of the HE-6's bass. The overall tonal tilt is more HE-500 than HE-6, so that's something to consider too.
 
Comfort definitely goes the Abyss, although some have had fit issues.
 
It's worth an audition if you like the HE-6 as there are many similarities - and sonic improvements built upon that. The price of entry may be too stiff for what you get back if you are already happy with the HE-6.

 

[preproman]

Very interesting.  
 
I would love to get the Abyss here on my F1J / PWD rig and compare it to the HE-6.  If the overall tone tilts towards the HE-500s, that would mean less air, and more of a wooly bass response when compared to the HE-6 IMO.  
 
The F1J fixes any bass blur the HE-6 may have had and it competes toe to toe with the LCD-3.  Still not as present but the quality is a level up.  It also fixes the treble etch that some hear.  Or maybe it's because I've done stuff to my pair or I just like Hot treble.  Who knows.  
 
Anyway, it seems the Abyss has some of the same treble issues some people squawk about.
 
So has anyone heard the Abyss on a quality speaker amp yet?  

 

[Seamaster]

Quote:

The tone on the 009 doesn't suit me at all but I also never felt they were truly superior to the other Stax flagships.  More impressive, yes, but they never gave me anything new.  I'm long past being moved by impressive treble and associating it with better detail retrieval. 
 
I have way too many headphones but right now I'm listening to a Sennheiser HE90 with DIY drivers.  Sitting on the rack are two SR-Omegas, SR-X Mk3 Pro and a very early SR-1. 

Round 2, the hype of Stax 009:
First of all, Kingstyle told me his Eddie Current Electra is tubed on the warm side the factory setting. Eddie Current house sound is known (to me) as neutral with very small touch of warmth. Someone may say the 009 is bright, well, yes and no. Put aside the HF, the 009 is effortless, open, (very) transparent, organic, natural, great vocal, and with great believable bass. It is hard for a pair headphones to accomplish all of these at the same time. The 009 is technically superior to Fostex TH900, LCD3/2, HD800, and 007s by a large margin, salute to Stax

. Now count in the HF, for pop and most rock records (often badly recorded) the exteme HFof 009 is counter productive (to me) than help. The other part of frequencies of 009 are right on, but the HF is too "aggressive", again to me, Kingstyle is fine with the HF presentation. In the Pink Floyd " the Dark side of the Moon", the opening bells in the "time" is ear piercing bright, unbearable. Same song with the warm 007 V1. was fine, but also you will lose the openness and effortlessness of 009 when use the 007 v1. I switched to Enya and norah jones, the presentation of 009 is lovely with the extreme HF kicks in from time to time, especially with Norah Johns's at the beginning of each sentence of the lyric when she try to use her female HF magic, the 009 gave me a sharp pinch that remain me I am listening to a record not a real person. Like I said other frequencies of 009 is very beautiful that included vocal and bass. I can imagine this setup is good for classical music. I really wish this is a "L" pad device can adjust HF of 009, I would be a real happy man.

 

[dukeskd]

Sorry but the bass of the 009 is not believable in any way. It is deficient and definitely not neutral. It lacks what the record calls for, and I find that to be a glaring weakness.

 

[Seamaster]

Ofcourse, the bass of 009 is lacking compare to LCDs and 007MK1, but still (too me) is quality bass. Good proportion accompany with other frequencies. Maybe a hair more bass with 009 is fine, but too much will create a "U" shape presentation. "great believable bass" is  proportion with the whole presentation, not in absolute term. Too me , 009's tonal balance is tilt forward in HF, like "/".

 

[purrin]

Quote:

I would love to get the Abyss here on my F1J / PWD rig and compare it to the HE-6.  If the overall tone tilts towards the HE-500s, that would mean less air, and more of a wooly bass response when compared to the HE-6 IMO.  

 
Just to clarify: my statement of "overall tonal response more similar to the HE-500 than the HE-6" does not denote that the Abyss has less air and more woolly bass compared to the HE-6. If it did, I would have thrown the Abyss in the trash.

 

[preproman]

That's fine.  However, that's how I would describe the HE-500 compared to the HE-6.  HE-500 = less air and woolly bass.  Just IMO..

 

[purrin]

keyword: "overall tonal tilt"

 

[Radio_head]

If the tone tilts more towards the HE-500, there are pluses and minuses.  I love having something easier to drive than the HE-6, but then again I'm not sure the HE-500's attack and decay are something I'd be looking for.

 

[purrin]

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[ultrabike]

Quote:

That's fine.  However, that's how I would describe the HE-500 compared to the HE-6.  HE-500 = less air and woolly bass.  Just IMO..

I have not heard the HE-6, but I would not describe the HE-500 as a less air and woolly bass type of headphone. It may be a little bass emphasized and not perfect, but relatively clean. Air was pretty good IMO. If anything, I had some very minor issues with the mid-range. I wonder what your opinion of your T1 relative to the HE-500 is...
 
BTW, IMO the Abyss and the HE-500 are indeed similar sounding to me. With the Abyss having better bass quality.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

I have not heard the HE-6, but I would not describe the HE-500 as a less air and woolly bass type of headphone. It may be a little bass emphasized and not perfect, but relatively clean. Air was pretty good IMO. If anything, I had some very minor issues with the mid-range. I wonder what your opinion of your T1 relative to the HE-500 is...
 
BTW, IMO the Abyss and the HE-500 are indeed similar sounding to me. With the Abyss having better bass quality.

 
Please try to understand "compared to"  
 
If you have not heard the HE-6 how do you know what you would describe the HE-500s as being in comparisons to the HE-6?  Yes, I owned both at the same time and compared them with each other "many of times".