[vid]

Quote:

Who stands in the abyss then, making those?

 
"A highly optimized Ultrathin planar diaphragm produces fast deep bass and extended smooth highs. Near zero distortion, extreme dynamics, speed, and clarity" is a good exercise in how to fluff up nothingness to sound like many good things. Highly is a subjective word, same with optimized (as no reference is provided). Ultrathin is capitalized and is thus the name they gave the diaphragm and means absolutely nothing. Fast deep bass is an oxymoron to start with, and again fast is used without a reference. Extended and smooth - subjective with no basis given. Near zero could mean they have 1 % THD, or -1 % for that matter. Extreme is again used without an explanation of which of its billions of subjective meanings is used in this case. Blech.

 

[TiEx]

Quote:

 
Plain sintered as far as I can see.
 
Uh Oh, a new contender has entered the arena: http://www.abyss-headphones.com/

5000$ for headphones no better than LCD-2 or HE-500 is just silly

 

[MDR30]

Quote:

Who stands in the abyss then, making those?

 
"A highly optimized Ultrathin planar diaphragm produces fast deep bass and extended smooth highs. Near zero distortion, extreme dynamics, speed, and clarity" is a good exercise in how to fluff up nothingness to sound like many good things. Highly is a subjective word, same with optimized (as no reference is provided). Ultrathin is capitalized and is thus the name they gave the diaphragm and means absolutely nothing. Fast deep bass is an oxymoron to start with, and again fast is used without a reference. Extended and smooth - subjective with no basis given. Near zero could mean they have 1 % THD, or -1 % for that matter. Extreme is again used without an explanation of which of its billions of subjective meanings is used in this case. Blech.

Quote:

5000$ for headphones no better than LCD-2 or HE-500 is just silly

 
Calm down, gentlemen, calm down - pour some cable snake oil on the water. Where's the price coming from? Listening reports? The best argument in a debate like this is a skilfully modified HP50, bought for 20 bucks or less. Or a good K400/K500 which, in a favourable circumstances, pulls you into the music like nothin' else.

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

 
I'm just afraid they spent way too much time and money on that wooden fretwork and that the sound will be abysmal as a result.

 
It's fitting. Halloween is approaching. Scary look! ... scary sound? (abyss-mal sound?)
 

5000$ for headphones no better than LCD-2 or HE-500 is just silly

 
... and with a scary price?
 
But, if I got a chance to have a listen, I'd gladly try them on of course. Perhaps there would be a nice surprise.

 

[wualta]

Quote:

well yes, it's not that i meant K400 were an unworthy cans...


 

 
Of course not. I was just saying you'd be a kickass Audio Dad either way, with or without all my rantings about orthos. And I should have thanked you for your kind words.
 
After all, what better way to prepare the next generation than to make them intolerant of bad (not to say fraudulent or cynical) sound reproduction? and why stop there? 
 
 
Quote:

     ...(abyss-mal sound?)

 
You have caught my meaning exactly, sir.

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

After all, what better way to prepare the next generation than to make them intolerant of bad (not to say fraudulent or cynical) sound reproduction? and why stop there? 

 
Yes indeed, why stop there. We could implant high precision transducers directly to the bones in the ear. Or better yet, a modular dac unit (for future upgrades of course) directly to the nerve endings for the shortest signal path possible!

 

[khbaur330162]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Technica-ATH-M2-/251169115801?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item3a7ad88e99&nma=true&si=gHo679ED%2BD33DMHVHbOJpc3JjwQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
 

'Nother ATH-2 clone it looks like. English and French litter the box so possibly the Euro/French version? Or maybe they got a negative reaction towards the color scheme so they went with the somewhat safer Black/Orange combo instead? Regardless, another source for SFI drivers and this time they're in a very Halloween-ish package!
 
These sold for $10 + $8 shipping. I believe I got my first ATH-2 for $22, or something, so this is similarly quite the steal, imo. 

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

$5000 for headphones no better than LCD-2 or HE-500 is just silly

 
where did you read that it would cost that much?

 

[nick n]

Quote:

'Nother ATH-2 clone it looks like. English and French litter the box so possibly the Euro/French version?

The odd thing about those is that the box says 150 ohms. Aren't the other versions essentially an SFI type driver with lower impedances?  Great find glad to see you posted pictures.

 

[kalbee]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Technica-ATH-M2-/251169115801?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item3a7ad88e99&nma=true&si=gHo679ED%2BD33DMHVHbOJpc3JjwQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


'Nother ATH-2 clone it looks like. English and French litter the box so possibly the Euro/French version? Or maybe they got a negative reaction towards the color scheme so they went with the somewhat safer Black/Orange combo instead? Regardless, another source for SFI drivers and this time they're in a very Halloween-ish package!

These sold for $10 + $8 shipping. I believe I got my first ATH-2 for $22, or something, so this is similarly quite the steal, imo. 

Wow >_< nice!
I was wondering where you went
Maybe it's the Canadian market version, hence requiring both English and French.
Yet found in the US and sold only to US.
And finally now I know the French translation for those audio terms lol

 

[dBel84]

Quote:

 

But, if I got a chance to have a listen, I'd gladly try them on of course. Perhaps there would be a nice surprise.

 
got to listen to them at RMAF , a small part of me wishes I really didn't like what I was hearing. These are really ultrathin, undamped and unipolar
 
They have a forge casting the cups for them , magnets are custom made , and membrane is made in house  - they bought all the tooling and ploughed through a ton of protos before coming up with what was presented at RMAF. If they did not carry the price tag that they have, I think that there would be a lot more excitement about the potential technical specs of these drivers. I know that there have not been rave reviews and opinions have varied some as to the ability of the drivers.
 
My personal take on them is that they have a lot to offer and JPS may just achieve what they set out to do - produce the most technically proficient planar magnetic, by the end of it.
 
..dB
 
 
 
EDIT:
 
price was anticipated to be $5K - this is for a "package"  : custom stand, cable and box along with headphone and several backing options for tuning.

 

[Magick Man]

5000$ for headphones no better than LCD-2 or HE-500 is just silly

Ditto. That's just awful.

where did you read that it would cost that much?

I think that's what MF was reporting.

 

[khbaur330162]

Quote:

Wow >_< nice!
I was wondering where you went
Maybe it's the Canadian market version, hence requiring both English and French.
Yet found in the US and sold only to US. 

And finally now I know the French translation for those audio terms lol

 

 I've been "around." For those in the know this means up to no good. Anyway, you're hypothesis makes more sense, they're probably Canadian. Good call.
 
 
And REALLY good eye, Nick! I didn't see the 150 Ohms printed on the box. Will have to see how easy my iRiver drives them once they arrive. And to semi-answer your question the ATH-2 (and friends) drivers are very similar to an SFI, but not exact, iirc. I don't believe they have the same honeycomb pleating that you can see on an SFI diaphragm, and imo the ATH-2 driver always sounded slightly better than any SFI variant I've had the pleasure of working with. Little less edgy. I can't imagine the magnets are identical in strength, either, although physically I think they are.

 

[wualta]

Quote:

The odd thing about those is that the box says 150 ohms. Aren't the other versions essentially an SFI type driver with lower impedances?  Great find glad to see you posted pictures.

Really really good eye. These are obviously not identical to the ATH-2. The subdued color scheme (facelvega would weep) speaks of sobriety and serious purpose. I'm with kalbee-- I smell Canada on this one. And the ATH-1 and 2 did have the honeycomb-pattern embossing. It'll be interesting to see if this one does.
 
Some of us will be very interested in your impressions, KHB.

 

[nick n]

Maybe they were the rare limited Canadian Audio Technica equivalent of the Avro Arrow.
 
Heck even these colours are the same on the museum example.

 
Here's a shot of the box front for future generation's droolage, and so it stays in here as well as what Mr Baur posted on the Wiki.
I can edit it out of existence if you deem to keep it "veiled"( or is this the "un-veiled" version

)   Had to be said.
Oh and first option dibs on any future resale of those!
"M" obviously standing for the ultra elite Studio "Monitor"