[jlbrach]

hey,i owned the 800s and own the abyss phi and i can say with certainty that the abyss is dramatically better...others may differ but i do not think it is close and i think the 800 is a fine HP

 

[mt-hifidelity]

Look, sometimes expensive boutique items are great, and not just because they're expensive and hyped.
And the people that think they're superior are not necessarily duped into it. it really comes down to what aspects are most meaningful to you.

 

[mulder01]

The entire hobby is subjective.
HD800 is not an enjoyable headphone for me. Despite how 'correct' it measures
I have a $99 pair of Sennheiser's that I would rather listen to.
If the fun police were a headphone, they would be the HD800.

 

[Nik74]

The entire hobby is subjective.
HD800 is not an enjoyable headphone for me. Despite how 'correct' it measures
I have a $99 pair of Sennheiser's that I would rather listen to.
If the fun police were a headphone, they would be the HD800.

That’s the beauty of this hobby. I for example love the HD800 partly because I find it’s sometimes austere presentation very appealing. It suits the way I engage with music but not for all genres.
But I know that I d easily choose the Abyss over it, if I could afford it ! It is the only headphone that made my jaw drop to the floor at London canjam

 

[Joe Skubinski]

Calling the AB-1266 a 'party trick' is a bit of a slap in the face to the designers. I suppose it could be perceived as magic.

Having a huge budget, dozens of engineers, or lab facilities full of measurement gear does not necessarily mean 'building a better mouse trap' is any easier, or successful. We did the research to develop that sound, just as any other reputable company. It's sound as we like it to be, a reflection of the designers, and we appreciate the fact that so many feell the same way. I can tell you with absolute certainty we've spent a relatively high percentage of our income on R&D, tooling, and crazy ways of doing things most would never pursue.

IMO since being on the market the last 5 years or so we've certainly up'ed the ante. No tricks, just an ongoing science experiment with verifiable results The real world response this last weekend at CanJam and RMAF show was tremendous. People would take the headphones off their heads and tell us how amazing an experience it was. Many could never afford it, but at least they were able to hear musical playback in a way that touches them. It verifies we are on the right track, as are the electronics evolving around our products.

 

[joseph69]

Just got the call that I'll be receiving the 1266 Phi CC loaner Friday to demo for +/- 12 days. I'm also receiving the HE1000v2 this afternoon as well.

 

[m17xr2b]

Agree in large part, I had the original abyss for one year and listened to the phi at meets. While I do know it's absolutely stunning there are other headphones that in certain areas perform better. I prefer the mids of my HD650 to the abyss and anything else for that matter and I've heard better high end than the abyss can reproduce, K1K beats it in soundstage and of course the abyss beats them in other areas.
The "party trick" of the abyss in my opinion is indeed the low end and I don't know of any other headphone where you can say it's the absolute best in a certain aspect and most of the community agrees. That doesn't mean if you have a perfect 10 in one aspect and 8.5-9 in others it doesn't deserve respect and applause for the designers.

 

[mt-hifidelity]

After years of pursuing the end-game headphone that can do everything perfectly I've come to believe that high performance in one area might work against performance in others. Meaning, trade-offs might be part of the equation for any headphone.

That said, I recently got an Abyss after admiring its sound for years. I couldn't be happier with it. When I want a floatey soundstage then I'll opt for a hifiman or hd800.

 

[bfreedma]

Just got the call that I'll be receiving the 1266 Phi CC loaner Friday to demo for +/- 12 days. I'm also receiving the HE1000v2 this afternoon as well.

Interested in your feedback. I'm assuming this is from the Cable Company - they should be offering you a share of the profits by now

I'll have to ask if they make appointments at their physical location - I'm only an hour away and would love to be a kid in that candy store for an afternoon.

 

[Thenewguy007]

Just got the call that I'll be receiving the 1266 Phi CC loaner Friday to demo for +/- 12 days. I'm also receiving the HE1000v2 this afternoon as well.

Make sure to update us with your impressions & comparisons with your other cans.
It's always good to hear from somebody who has a TOTL system throughout.

 

[llamaluv]

Just got the call that I'll be receiving the 1266 Phi CC loaner Friday to demo for +/- 12 days. I'm also receiving the HE1000v2 this afternoon as well.

Make sure to update us with your impressions & comparisons with your other cans.
It's always good to hear from somebody who has a TOTL system throughout.

Agreed, I'd be interested to compare notes on how you like the Phi on the WA33.

 

[joseph69]

Make sure to update us with your impressions & comparisons with your other cans.

It's always good to hear from somebody who has a TOTL system throughout.

Agreed, I'd be interested to compare notes on how you like the Phi on the WA33.

Sure will.
I have to say that I've been enjoying the Utopia/WA33 immensely, and it just keeps getting better and better.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

I listened to AC/DC 'Thunderstruck' on ABYSS Phi and the sound was BIG, dynamic, alive. I have never heard AC/DC sounded that amazing on a set of headphones or loudspeakers. It was like I was in the sound engineer's seat of the live concert.

The ABYSS team are passionate about what they do and are diehard audiophiles. Last Friday night (weekend of RMAF show), I spent a few hours in the ABYSS room with the team after dinner. We were up till 1 AM listening to music and talking about the gear we saw and auditioned at the show. Listening to ABYSS 1266 and Diana Phi, you can easily lose track of time. My sleeping room was at the show hotel but theirs isn't. It was a 15 min walk for them to their hotel to hit the hay. Even with that inconvenience, they still stayed up to listen to music with me. Not many people in the biz would stay up that late during a show just to listen to music and get up at 8 AM to work a full show day.

 

[Xecuter]

Calling the AB-1266 a 'party trick' is a bit of a slap in the face to the designers. I suppose it could be perceived as magic.

Was not intended as an insult to you or your team Joe. I bought the Abyss early after its initial release, after auditioning basically every headphone I could get my hands on and found them to be more enjoyable to my ears. At a time when objectivists were saying how bad it measured I chose Abyss over everything else. Putting my money into your products means I definitely respect and value the product and the creators.

I never ever said I don't respect Joe or his engineers. I simply said:

People need to realise that Sennheiser spent considerably more money and time on research and development and have access to far better technology.

I am happy that Joe and his team have pushed headphone technology in new directions with unique frame, adjustable driver angulation and advanced driver technology.

 

[Joe Skubinski]

@HiFiGuy528
That was a damn good concert!

@Xecuter
We're cool, and of course appreciate you as a customer, just needed to clarify for the casual reader.