[Jozurr]

Hey Everyone, 

I just wanted to provide a follow up post explaining the outcome of my "panic" outbreak earlier in this post.    

I went to my local dealer who is a really nice guy named Galen Carol.  He assisted me with trouble shooting my setup.  First we determined that the Headphone Drivers are not damaged and neither was the crimped cabling.  Next I was pretty convinced that it was the Amplifier.  However I picked up the Chordette 2Qute to replace it from my temporary Chord Mojo.. along with some upgraded Cables: Cardas USB Cable and a pair of better RCA connectors (compared to the $6 Amazon Basics Aux to RCA adapter).  After adding the 2Qute into the system with the additional cables, things have improved dramatically. I can now take the headphones to a much higher level prior to distortion kicking in on the drivers. 

Right now is the first time I'm really starting to gasp the power and beauty presented by the Abyss....   No more panicking over here.   Life is Good  Thanks again for everyone's help troubleshooting. 

 

So is the Mojo faulty or the cables?

 

[mulder01]

So is the Mojo faulty or the cables?

 
Neither - the Mojo's output was turned up too loud the Milo didn't like it

 

[Beolab]

Neither - the Mojo's output was turned up too loud the Milo didn't like it

It is the same on the Headtrip, the input stage does not like more than around 2 volt input signal feed, so DAVE with 6 volts output combined with HeadTrip, was not a great combo even if you lowered the output vol. to -30 db on DAVE the Headtrip did distort occationally, but it did not with a standard DAC with 2 volt output feed.

The Moon products for instance can handle input feeds up to 6v, so there is no distortion thank god.

 

[Xecuter]

Hi guys,
 
My new amplifier finally landed a few days ago. I am still getting my bearings and only just getting the first few hours on this ancient quad of RCAs. I'm not about to play with my fivre or avvt tubes until I've spent a few hundred hours with these RCA double black plate. I'm also curious to try Joe's effort with KR!
 
Early impressions are that the Eddie current studio is super detailed has astounding transients, massive stage, and is astonishingly fast. I've tried a lot of rigs from woo, egoistica, schiit, moon and wasn't afraid to go in deep to find my perfect amp for the Abyss.
 
My amp journey may end here. I'll come back with more detail when everything has settled in and I can collect my thoughts.
 

 

[cladane]

Hello,
 
Can you remember me what is 'Joe's effort with KR' ?

 

[Xecuter]

Joe has helped KR audio make some improvements.. They are called HP for high performance. They are apparently tuned exceptionally well for headphones.
This is one of the only 2a3 tubes I don't own!
https://www.thecableco.com/Product/2A3-HP
@cladane hope this helps. Also epic rig!

 

[cladane]

Thank you @Xecuter for those details.
 
I have ordered a VIVA Egoista 2A3 but would you say that changing/improving the power tubes has really a sonic benefit to the amp better than rolling the pre-amp tubes for ex ??

 

[Xecuter]

Rolling these DHT power tubes does result in subtle differences in tonality. Some Amps respond more than others.

Rolling preamp tubes will probably be a greater change, however I do not believe in using an active pre-amp in a headphone rig. I was only doing it because I had other issues in my system.

 

[cladane]

Reading Joe's comments I see that he promotes the WOO W5 which is built around 300B. Would those tubes suit more Abyss' character than the 2A3 ?? 300B are known to 'round' trebles, isn't it?

 

[Xecuter]

Depends on the rest of your rig. I don't like woos' stuff. A wa5 with maxed out tubes is pretty decent but the total cost is huge for a 'good amp'. The wa234 is only a smidge better and the topography is not ideal (as in the transformer is not designed to work with a single type of tube, they designed it to run with 3 types so it's not optimised for best from tube or transformer)
 
A 2a3 amp can sound warmer and more musical (see DN stratus/stellaris) or more clinical and precise like my studio. It depends on the topography/transformers much more than the tubes IMO.
Same goes for 300b/45 tubes.
 
I run a warmer dac from AES from pro-audio card, direct to SET 2a3. Without a slightly warm dac this system would probably be a bit fatiguing. But for me this is the best attack, most spacious, and most correct mid range I've heard from an Abyss. The Bass energy is toned down a smidgen.
 
Also the midrange harshness people complain about can be toned down by dampening the metal baffle slightly with some creatology foam and felt. This will help minimize the metallic harshness in the mid range and tends to improve the lower midrange detail (more profoundly than a cable switch). You can round the treble with a very warm amp or a gooey dac, but you will lose micro detail.
 
Just my 2 cents/YMMV etc

 

[cladane]

Are you sure about the midrange harshness ?
I would say from my point of vue that the mediums are a bit recessed which puts the trebles forward explaining the great openness of those headphones and the upper trebles making me uptight.
 
Do you think @Xecuter that the KR 2A3 HP could make the mediums more consistant ?? Thus making the Abyss more fleshly ?
 
Dampening the metal baffle, foam and felt  ? Some drawings as examples ?

 

[Joe Skubinski]

@cladane, what interconnect and AC cables do you use with your AB-1266?

 

[Kamb1ng]

Hi everyone,
 
I recently purchased the Focal Utopia, and really enjoying it... but as you all know and or can relate to curiosity certainly has the better of me.
Reading the majority of impressions here aren't helping either! I am floored by the Utopia's but feel they lack somewhat in Bass.
Most impressions here peg the bass on the 1266 to be quite good, and the improved sound stage is music to my ears.
 
May I ask for those of you that jumped ship from Utopia to 1266, why did you do so?
My gear is Yggy+Rag.
 
Thanks

 

[draytonklammer]

  Hi everyone,
 
I recently purchased the Focal Utopia, and really enjoying it... but as you all know and or can relate to curiosity certainly has the better of me.
Reading the majority of impressions here aren't helping either! I am floored by the Utopia's but feel they lack somewhat in Bass.
Most impressions here peg the bass on the 1266 to be quite good, and the improved sound stage is music to my ears.
 
May I ask for those of you that jumped ship from Utopia to 1266, why did you do so?
My gear is Yggy+Rag.
 
Thanks

I never jumped ship from the Utopia, I have only auditioned them for a bit on my own setup against my Abyss.
I felt like the Abyss was much more fun, and yes has that bass we crave.
 
I did however just buy a Utopia to keep and do much longer term comparisons with.
 
Another point from me, I found the Utopia and Abyss to be on the top of my list beating the STAX-009/LCD-4/STAX-007 FOR MY EARS -- your results may vary.

 

[mulder01]

There probably isn't going to be a lot of people that have gone from utopia to abyss for the simple fact that the abyss came out ages ago and the utopia is still the flavour of the month.

From what I have read, they are very different headphones so it will be personal preference as to which is 'better' or as you just saw above, some choose to own both because they are different enough to complement each other whilst both being flagship items.

When I read 'light on in the bass' and 'small soundstage' for utopia I was immediately put off because they are my two favorite things about the abyss. But I do like Focal's speakers and generally don't agree with most things I read on the internet so I'd still like to audition them given the chance.