[mulder01]

Power isn't the only consideration.  My portable can drive them to above comfortable volumes, but that doesn't mean it sounds as good.

 

[up late]

we don't want amps that clip and distort if that's what you mean. doubt that would be an issue for the conductor driving the abyss.

 

[mulder01]

Are you saying that provided there's enough power that's all you need?

 

[up late]

you need a source as well

 

[mulder01]

Damn I guess I should have bought a $199 speaker amp that puts out 100w a channel instead of throwing away my money on a high end head amp.  Embarrassing.

 

[up late]

wasn't suggesting that but it's your money - do what you like with it and enjoy

 

[negura]

Thanks Joe for clarifying. I think that has answered any open questions for me.
 
I agree there are better amps on the market now and with some of them the SQ improvement is significant. An experienced reviewer should/would know how to quantify this. That said imo the Soloist (Conductor amp part) is a very decent, albeit not quite top of the crop amplifier. If, after buying the Abyss, I needed one amp urgently and that was all my money, it would get considered. The DAC in the Conductor is not very good though.

 

[Trance_Gott]

The conductor is not a balanced amp and only puts 2W in 16Ohm! I never came to the idea buying a power hungry headphone like HE6 or Abyss and connected it with 6,35mm plug.
Amps like 430HA and Liquid Gold are Fully Balanced amps with a lot more power and class above the Conductor.
Hope that Tyll use the 430HA for his next review and when he hear the same setup as mine currently then Halleluya! I think only the coming HE1000 maybe can beat the Abyss.

 

[negura]

The conductor is not a balanced amp and only puts 2W in 16Ohm! I never came to the idea buying a power hungry headphone like HE6 or Abyss and connected it with 6,35mm plug.
Amps like 430HA and Liquid Gold are Fully Balanced amps with a lot more power and class above the Conductor.
Hope that Tyll use the 430HA for his next review and when he hear the same setup as mine currently then Halleluya! I think only the coming HE1000 maybe can beat the Abyss.

 
I don't disagree with you, but the actual spec is 4w in 16ohm. To me it's more concerning that it is class AB with a tiny PSU and 96dB SNR. But I prefer class A amps. That said, I would not recommend buying the Abyss with a Soloist for an end-game amp, clearly. But also it does not cost what the overpriced 430HA does.
 
The Moon was not worth the money to me for the SQ it offers, so I have just returned it for refund. In solid states I preferred the Audio GD HE-9 by a significant margin, however it was plagued by QC issues. I also preferred a class A speaker amp to it. This was with the HE-6, LCD-3Fs, HD800s, not the Abyss though.
 
http://www.bursonaudio.com/products/soloist/

 

[up late]

yep - 2 watts per channel. ample power to drive the abyss and pretty much any other ortho maybe with the exception of the he-6

 

[Trance_Gott]

Ha ha ample power for the Abyss. Sorry man the Abyss is a little easier to drive than the HE6.

 

[Trance_Gott]

2 Watts @16Ohm.
And what about 46 Ohm? Ha ha clearly much lower.

 

[up late]

said that the he-6 might be the exception bro

 

[Trance_Gott]

Up late do you ever had Abyss or HE6?

 

[up late]

nope, don't own either but spent time with both cans and like 'em