[deuter]

  Wish I could give the Abyss another try.
Been considering buying it and doing a long term comparison with the LCD-4.

Get it or no peace for you from the looks of it, just so you know there is life behind this whole headphone thing.
For one there is Music, may be listen to some and you will know what I'am talking about.
 
PS: Do get the Abyss though, its wonderful!

 

[STR-1]

I think if you are comparing all 3 headphones using the Dave then that's a fair comparison, right?  The power requirements of the 3 big planars aren't super different so if you're happy with the Dave's performance with the LCD-4 then I'd say it should be fine with the Abyss too.  

So no, I don't think it's a waste of time - I had my Abyss running from an ifi idsd micro and I wouldn't call that a waste of time and the Dave should be a few notches above that...

I have been testing the DAVE this morning, running the Abyss, single ended absolutely no problem, you would have to have zero value for your ears to drive it any harder, I couldn't listen to max volume with them on. So that sorts that issue out.

In fact I am listening to Mozart's Requiem DSD 128 through the Abyss/DAVE combo and its quite wonderful. Volume is at +0dB which is a little more than my ears will take and it will go up to +19dB.

Fear not, its actually a really good combo with plenty of impact. 

Thanks guys. I'm reassured that a demo is worth doing. Cheers

 

[isquirrel]

  Wish I could give the Abyss another try.
Been considering buying it and doing a long term comparison with the LCD-4.

Buy them, you will not regret it, I bought and sold a few pairs of Abyss before I just settled down and got on with it. I made myself listen to them for a couple of weeks during which I tweaked them in every which way, annoyed the crap out of everyone by asking how they had theirs adjusted. Eventually I got it. The Abyss does things that no other headphone can. Its that simple. Having owned a pair of the big WIlson's - I can tell you hand on heart they are the closest thing to a big 2 channel speaker rig you will get on your head until Joe comes up with something new.
 
I have watched friends on Head-Fi do the exact same thing as me, they have bought, sold, bought and come full circle. Yes the are not the most comfortable headphone, but the advantage they have over all other headphones is you can adjust them in so many ways. Toe in, toe out, close fit or extend all the way out, they are an adventure like nothing else you will put on your head (to listen to

) 
 
Their resale value is excellent, so just buy some and post photos on here when you get them please.

 

[potkettleblack]

 
The Abyss does things that no other headphone can. Its that simple. 
 

 
Yup.
 
Going to audition Stax at the weekend; simply because I'm a headphone fan and love how they sound. But as a stand alone headphone that has knocked me off my feet the most - the AB-1266 is at the top of the mountain.

 

[draytonklammer]

I'm almost considering selling my LCD-4 just to take a stab at the Abyss again.

 

[listen4joy]

if you have a chance to demo it in some store or headfi member that lives close to you and you can loan it or just do demo and see which headphone you prefer it will be the best choice.

 

[draytonklammer]

Someone travelling let me have a small demo but I doubt I got the right fit.

 

[mulder01]

I'm almost considering selling my LCD-4 just to take a stab at the Abyss again.

 
If it's at all possible to get them at the same time, even if it's just for a few days or a week, I think you'd be able to do a shootout a lot easier and be confident with your findings as you are not relying on memory if you have them side by side... Obviously a lot of money though...

 

[deuter]

He's done the shootout already

 

[ufospls2]

Someone travelling let me have a small demo but I doubt I got the right fit.

How did you enjoy it? The fit makes a difference for sure, there is no doubt, but you probably got a good idea of what the Abyss is all about. If I had to choose between the LCD-4 and Abyss I would be hard pressed to make a decision. The LCD-4 is sort of like a more intimate Abyss. Sort of. 

 

[draytonklammer]

  How did you enjoy it? The fit makes a difference for sure, there is no doubt, but you probably got a good idea of what the Abyss is all about. If I had to choose between the LCD-4 and Abyss I would be hard pressed to make a decision. The LCD-4 is sort of like a more intimate Abyss. Sort of. 

That's the one thing that stopped me from buying the Abyss. I have always loved intimacy over a wider farther soundstage.
Your description is almost exactly what I found. That and the LCD-4 reacts very well to EQ so if I want the Abyss bass (at least with the fits I tested with in my short time testing) I can do that, or very close to it.

 

[DocD]

In my time with both I also found the LCD4 more intimate - like in skullcrushingly / will-not-let-you-go-deathgrip intimate. Sounded very good but not Abyss level quality for the money asked. Could not live with that clamp force even if they sounded great.

So apart from SQ I (strange to say this) bought the Abyss for their comfort. I also find them better ventilated and not as heat retaining as my Ether C / TH600 / T1. Which is good for a warm climate like Oz.

I do wish they weighed 200g less.

 

[isquirrel]

In my time with both I also found the LCD4 more intimate - like in skullcrushingly / will-not-let-you-go-deathgrip intimate. Sounded very good but not Abyss level quality for the money asked. Could not live with that clamp force even if they sounded great.

So apart from SQ I (strange to say this) bought the Abyss for their comfort. I also find them better ventilated and not as heat retaining as my Ether C / TH600 / T1. Which is good for a warm climate like Oz.

I do wish they weighed 200g less.

I see some people such as yourself have really issues with the LCD-4, I don;t have any comfort issues with them, it must be down to differences in the shape of our heads and neck structure. I am in Ocas well and I do like the extra airflow on really hot days with the Abyss. I seem to have food a setting that makes the Abyss quite intimate while still having that wide soundstage. ITs doe stake time.
 
I don't believe you can rush the Abyss experience.

 

[isquirrel]

This may surprise some people but I am getting a better sound out of the Abyss using the DAVE directly than I am out of my Woo 234's, I have tried a number of different tubes and haven't finished yet with experimenting but thats how its looking. The DAVE and Abyss are a magical combination.

 

[isquirrel]

Does anyone on this forum use Woo 234's? 
 
Joe - when you use them for your demo's at shows what settings do you use on the amps: Plate Hi or Lo or do you use one of the Cathode settings?