[treebug]

I have the 1266 TC and Diana Phi. I'd say the Diana is close, and how close it is depends on your priorities. Tonality is nearly the same between them. Transient resolve and detail retrieval is slightly, but noticeably, better on the big 1266. Impact and physicality is suprisingly similar. Soundstaging is the big difference, with the 1266 having way bigger size of soundstage and noticeably better placement. I'd only get the Diana as a portable companion to the 1266, but your preference could vary if you really hate the 1266's unique fit.

Thanks for that info. It's the big soundstage that I love so maybe the 1266 would be the better option for me, even if I'm sacrificing some comfort not going for the Diana.

 

[lambdastorm]

I don't know if I want my 35 lb. tube amp next to my head at night...lol

lol I don’t know how far your headphone amp is away from your headphone, but with abyss’s long ass cables I can manage 8ft without the cables pulling me back.

 

[lambdastorm]

because not everyone wants to listen to their HP's out of the amp driving their loudspeakers...i personally have a Mcintosh 452 driving my loudspeakers and for so many reasons i wouldnt dream of using it to drive my susvars

If sus has an efficiency rating of 65db/mw you might actually reconsider that idea, just saying.

 

[jlbrach]

i have ZERO issue driving my susvara with my formula s/powerman combo and have ZERO intention of bringing my 200 pound mcintosh 452 into my bedroom

 

[lambdastorm]

I don’t want to start an argument, all I’m saying is that for low efficiency planars, power amps are a cheap yet effective alternative.

 

[SteveM324]

I’m thinking of getting a TC for my next headphone. My current amps are the Auris Nirvana and the Luxman P700u. I think the Auris Nirvana will be a good match for the TC. Has anyone tried this combination?

 

[SteveM324]

i have ZERO issue driving my susvara with my formula s/powerman combo and have ZERO intention of bringing my 200 pound mcintosh 452 into my bedroom

LOL, I also have the McIntosh MC452 and I also have no intentions of using it as a headphone amp. It does quite well powering my Harbeth M40.1 though.

 

[GU1DO]

From my perspective all amps are colored in various ways, it's more a question of what grouping of colors best suits your tastes.

From my experience I know I personally would not like the Audio-GD, been there, done that. Good to hear though that you found your fav.

I dont know if you got me right but when an amp overshadow the sound of cables , headphones , heck even music with its color , that's not a transparent amp, specially with your amazing headphones it got me the most ,, don't get me wrong its a very clean quality amp but its coloring the sound too much even the filters in my Hugo 2 DAC sound almost all the same , the Master 9 is more transparent amp , have better details retrieval , and with it everything is much clearer , that's why i said the Formula S is overpriced and i would never recommend it at that price and also not as a primary amp.

 

[treebug]

Anyone using the 1266 with Luxman P-750u?

 

[Zhanming057]

I’m thinking of getting a TC for my next headphone. My current amps are the Auris Nirvana and the Luxman P700u. I think the Auris Nirvana will be a good match for the TC. Has anyone tried this combination?

Nirvana is fine, the P700u might also work pretty well, it's not nominally that powerful but control is superlative. Tried it with the Phi and liked it.

I dont know if you got me right but when an amp overshadow the sound of cables , headphones , heck even music with its color , that's not a transparent amp, specially with your amazing headphones it got me the most ,, don't get me wrong its a very clean quality amp but its coloring the sound too much even the filters in my Hugo 2 DAC sound almost all the same , the Master 9 is more transparent amp , have better details retrieval , and with it everything is much clearer , that's why i said the Formula S is overpriced and i would never recommend it at that price and also not as a primary amp.

I have to agree with Joe here, extensively demo'd both, found the Master 9 far too heavily colored, the Formula S is a bit rough but the power base helps a bit.

 

[GU1DO]

Nirvana is fine, the P700u might also work pretty well, it's not nominally that powerful but control is superlative. Tried it with the Phi and liked it.



I have to agree with Joe here, extensively demo'd both, found the Master 9 far too heavily colored, the Formula S is a bit rough but the power base helps a bit.

Actually he said (all amps are colored) its just a matter of preference (it's more a question of what grouping of colors best suits your tastes.)

 

[Litlgi74]

This is what sound should sound like in everything you have.

Very, very well said.

 

[Litlgi74]

I've always hated the typical audiophile terms and phases that go along with the "best" audio gear... But I can now safely remove one of my most despised and overused phases from my list...

Yesterday while listening to one of my favorite tracks...


"I heard something I never heard before!"

At around 4:50... high above the music and voices... there is a voice singing backup... I've listen to this song hundreds of times... And I never heard it. I'm not sure if it's Ed or a female backup... But it is lovely.

And to make my experience even crazier... The voice is far left at around 10 o clock and about a foot over my head just barely coming into the right channel.

 

[Pastwa]

It is a male voice, you can hear it clearly (nicely separated) on a well-driven Beyerdynamic DT880.

 

[MacedonianHero]

and you used to be an abyss skeptic lol......

That was solely limited to the original version.

Thankfully the Phi CC and especially Phi TC have really knocked the ball out of the park!