[simorag]

Sunday playlist for an emotional rollercoaster ... live-sounding, bigger than life, energetic, even disturbing recordings, perfect for the 1266

 

[rangerid]

I made a minute yet profound adjustment to the TC's tuning through pad positioning this weekend.

Had the Abyss for about 6 months and during that time I've primarily kept the pad seem aligned at 11 o'clock as suggested by Abyss. I tried other positions, such as 10, 1, even 6 o'clock for craps and gigs. I also played around with how/where the headphone sit on my head, the frame angle and what not but I tbh I felt the changes were insignificant and opted to keep it at the default 11 o'clock. They were not uncomfortable but I never got them to the level of 'floating' on your head. Yesterday, as I was listening to a new found favourite artist, Haliene, the midrange, vocals in particular, and soundstage really bugged me, like a lot more than usual. The midrange were never the strength of the 1266 and I always found the soundstage, while large in scale and out of head, had an uneven distribution across front where the NE and NW, or front left and front right were 'missing' and had 'gaps'. I am not sure why it was bugging me so much but it got to the point that I even started EQ'ing these, and this is coming from somebody that never EQs. These headphones either don't take well to EQ or I wasn't doing it right because nothing really worked.

Then I remembered tuning with pads and strangely, I never tried aligning the pads at noon. At every other position, the pads sit asymmetrically on the headphone but at 12 o'clock it's symmetrical straight across if that makes sense. Next thing I had to do was push the frame in because the pads were almost free floating and not in contact with any part of my face at this point. However, when it was done, the TCs were like a new pair of headphones, both in sound and fit.

For the first time ever, they were fitting as if 'floating' on my head, with the pads lightly touching my face in an even fashion. In every other position I tried, the widest part of the pad always clamped down harder than the other parts which were barely in contact and on my right side, I can literally fit 3 fingers in the gap behind my ear. Now there's no weird gaps and strange pressure in odd areas. The pads almost contour perfectly to my face. I hit play and I immediately noticed the gaps in the soundstage had completely disappeared - I am presented with an even and incredibly deep stage, deeper than I had ever heard the Abyss. Next, the nasally, boxy vocals I tolerated have almost completely subsided. Vocalists have a much more lifelike timbre and presence in the mix. Interestingly, the bass has also become better controlled and less 'boomy'. Overall, I feel the frequency response has shifted from a severe w/v-shape to closer to the 2018 Harman with the elevated bass response. I literally listening to songs on the TC like I've never heard before.

It's actually shocking how big of a difference such a small change, shifting pad position from 11 to 12 o'clock has done to the tuning. I feel now I am finally getting the max potential out of these bad boys. At the same time I wish the design of the headphone were such pad/frame changes were not so profound because I have a feeling a lot of people like me during the first 6 months, had not found the optimal position for their head.

 

[paradoxper]

I made a minute yet profound adjustment to the TC's tuning through pad positioning this weekend.

Had the Abyss for about 6 months and during that time I've primarily kept the pad seem aligned at 11 o'clock as suggested by Abyss. I tried other positions, such as 10, 1, even 6 o'clock for craps and gigs. I also played around with how/where the headphone sit on my head, the frame angle and what not but I tbh I felt the changes were insignificant and opted to keep it at the default 11 o'clock. They were not uncomfortable but I never got them to the level of 'floating' on your head. Yesterday, as I was listening to a new found favourite artist, Haliene, the midrange, vocals in particular, and soundstage really bugged me, like a lot more than usual. The midrange were never the strength of the 1266 and I always found the soundstage, while large in scale and out of head, had an uneven distribution across front where the NE and NW, or front left and front right were 'missing' and had 'gaps'. I am not sure why it was bugging me so much but it got to the point that I even started EQ'ing these, and this is coming from somebody that never EQs. These headphones either don't take well to EQ or I wasn't doing it right because nothing really worked.

Then I remembered tuning with pads and strangely, I never tried aligning the pads at noon. At every other position, the pads sit asymmetrically on the headphone but at 12 o'clock it's symmetrical straight across if that makes sense. Next thing I had to do was push the frame in because the pads were almost free floating and not in contact with any part of my face at this point. However, when it was done, the TCs were like a new pair of headphones, both in sound and fit.

For the first time ever, they were fitting as if 'floating' on my head, with the pads lightly touching my face in an even fashion. In every other position I tried, the widest part of the pad always clamped down harder than the other parts which were barely in contact and on my right side, I can literally fit 3 fingers in the gap behind my ear. Now there's no weird gaps and strange pressure in odd areas. I hit play and I immediately noticed the gaps in the soundstage had completely disappeared - I am presented with an even and incredibly deep stage, deeper than I had ever heard the Abyss. Next, the nasally, boxy vocals I tolerated have almost completely subsided. Vocalists have a much more lifelike timbre and presence in the mix. Interestingly, the bass has also become better controlled and less 'boomy'. Overall, I feel the frequency response has shifted from a severe w/v-shape to closer to the 2018 Harman with the elevated bass response. I literally listening to songs on the TC like I've never heard before.

It's actually shocking how big of a difference such a small change, shifting pad position from 11 to 12 o'clock has done to the tuning. I feel now I am finally getting the max potential out of these bad boys. At the same time I wish the design of the headphone were such pad/frame changes were not so profound because I have a feeling a lot of people like me during the first 6 months, had not found the optimal position for their head.

I don't know if there is really an optimal, just optionals.

Glad you found your joy spot.

 

[genefruit]

I made a minute yet profound adjustment to the TC's tuning through pad positioning this weekend.

Had the Abyss for about 6 months and during that time I've primarily kept the pad seem aligned at 11 o'clock as suggested by Abyss. I tried other positions, such as 10, 1, even 6 o'clock for craps and gigs. I also played around with how/where the headphone sit on my head, the frame angle and what not but I tbh I felt the changes were insignificant and opted to keep it at the default 11 o'clock. They were not uncomfortable but I never got them to the level of 'floating' on your head. Yesterday, as I was listening to a new found favourite artist, Haliene, the midrange, vocals in particular, and soundstage really bugged me, like a lot more than usual. The midrange were never the strength of the 1266 and I always found the soundstage, while large in scale and out of head, had an uneven distribution across front where the NE and NW, or front left and front right were 'missing' and had 'gaps'. I am not sure why it was bugging me so much but it got to the point that I even started EQ'ing these, and this is coming from somebody that never EQs. These headphones either don't take well to EQ or I wasn't doing it right because nothing really worked.

Then I remembered tuning with pads and strangely, I never tried aligning the pads at noon. At every other position, the pads sit asymmetrically on the headphone but at 12 o'clock it's symmetrical straight across if that makes sense. Next thing I had to do was push the frame in because the pads were almost free floating and not in contact with any part of my face at this point. However, when it was done, the TCs were like a new pair of headphones, both in sound and fit.

For the first time ever, they were fitting as if 'floating' on my head, with the pads lightly touching my face in an even fashion. In every other position I tried, the widest part of the pad always clamped down harder than the other parts which were barely in contact and on my right side, I can literally fit 3 fingers in the gap behind my ear. Now there's no weird gaps and strange pressure in odd areas. I hit play and I immediately noticed the gaps in the soundstage had completely disappeared - I am presented with an even and incredibly deep stage, deeper than I had ever heard the Abyss. Next, the nasally, boxy vocals I tolerated have almost completely subsided. Vocalists have a much more lifelike timbre and presence in the mix. Interestingly, the bass has also become better controlled and less 'boomy'. Overall, I feel the frequency response has shifted from a severe w/v-shape to closer to the 2018 Harman with the elevated bass response. I literally listening to songs on the TC like I've never heard before.

It's actually shocking how big of a difference such a small change, shifting pad position from 11 to 12 o'clock has done to the tuning. I feel now I am finally getting the max potential out of these bad boys. At the same time I wish the design of the headphone were such pad/frame changes were not so profound because I have a feeling a lot of people like me during the first 6 months, had not found the optimal position for their head.

I'm trying to follow along at home but the only way I can recreate the description of the pads touching effect you describe is to place them in what I've called 6 o'clock. That meaning, the seam of the pad is pointing downward, located at the 6 o'clock position. When I place them at 12, the wide part of the pads are at the very bottom and make the biggest seal. Please advise

 

[Womaz]

Yeah I think sometimes its good to hear a different kind of sound from our equipment, maybe the TCs are the headphones that will get some of you to trim your collections
Ok lets not go that far....but they do sound so so different with all of the pad and cup positioning options.

 

[paradoxper]

Yeah I think sometimes its good to hear a different kind of sound from our equipment, maybe the TCs are the headphones that will get some of you to trim your collections
Ok lets not go that far....but they do sound so so different with all of the pad and cup positioning options.

How long have you been around these parts?

There is always something newer, bettar, more shiny to lust after.

 

[rangerid]

I don't know if there is really an optimal, just optionals.

Glad you found your joy spot.

Totally, each spot has a different tuning and we each have our preferences

I'm trying to follow along at home but the only way I can recreate the description of the pads touching effect you describe is to place them in what I've called 6 o'clock. That meaning, the seam of the pad is pointing downward, located at the 6 o'clock position. When I place them at 12, the wide part of the pads are at the very bottom and make the biggest seal. Please advise

That's the tricky part since our faces are all different. I think for you it would be 6 o'clock. It should be at a position such that no part of the pad is applying more pressure than others and the pads are perfectly contoured to your face, no seal

 

[genefruit]

Totally, each spot has a different tuning and we each have our preferences



That's the tricky part since our faces are all different. I think for you it would be 6 o'clock. It should be at a position such that no part of the pad is applying more pressure than others and the pads are perfectly contoured to your face.

Thanks for the further explanation. For me, that feeling is at 11 (right) and 1 (left). For me, at 12 there's pressure on the lower jaw and at 6 there's a huge gap at the bottom. Experimenting with them, as expressed by others along the way, is the best way to find the sweet spot.

 

[ufospls2]

Thank you for that. I understand the HE9 is more dynamic than the Master 9. What would you regard as great for these headphones?

Depends on budget. Wells Audio amps work very well with the Abyss, the milo is warmer and musical, the Headtrip a bit more neutral, but still warm and musical.

Supposedly the XI Audio Stack is great, but I haven't personally heard it.

Simaudio Moon 430HA(d) is great, 600i supposedly builds on that, haven't heard it with the Abyss only speakers.

Boulder 866 is the best I've personally heard with them (there are always other sound signatures and other "better" options I just haven't heard them personally,) and I'm curious about the 812 which will be released soon.

The FluxLab FA-10 supposedly is a good cheaper option, but again, have not personally heard it.

iFi Pro iCAN is good too so I would assume the newly released signature is also good, very tweakable and has enough power. The Diablo is good for a transportable option.

 

[deuter]

This DAC looks great for the price. New to the idea of tubes in the DAC. How much of a difference does it make having tubes in the DAC vs amp if you have a SS amp?

This is my second tube DAC, I used to have a Lampizator Level 7 a while back.
Think of it like a single ended tube preamp at the analog stage of the dac.
You get all the benefits of the tubes- holographic image etc.
You do not loose on any slam and speed, at least that’s been my experience.
I currently use the Gold Lion 12au7 in the dac.

 

[DJJEZ]

I like my pads at 3pm and 9pm personally Gives the most amount of bass.

 

[mitchb]

I like my pads at 3pm and 9pm personally Gives the most amount of bass.

I agree

 

[dukeskd]

Used to like it at 3pm and 9pm however, the bass is too overwhelming and bloats up the frequency spectrum especially when there is a lot of impact.

1pm and 11am for me at this stage.

What's great is that we can adjust based on our moods!

 

[jlbrach]

I like my pads at 3pm and 9pm personally Gives the most amount of bass.

I ised to be at 11 and 1 , I am now at 3 and 9 and find it surprisingly better

 

[DJJEZ]

I ised to be at 11 and 1 , I am now at 3 and 9 and find it surprisingly better

Same for me. Used to be at 11 and 1 then changed to 3 and 9