[Ciggavelli]

@PeteSTRADAMUS isn't lying... It sounded great!

Interesting. I guess another bonus would be that the WA11 is supposed to be a great portable solid state amp too. I'm curious now. If I end up getting an easier to drive closed back for portable use, the WA11 will be on my short list

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I totally agree... But makes you wonder about the importance of DACs... or is the WA11 just that good?

PS... I also found it very interesting just how many people were using Michael Jackson's music as their demo material... I had to see at least 10 people playing a track from the Thriller album.

I honestly can’t hear how special dacs sound. But I do hear the difference in amps. And the wa11/wa33 was better than the formula-s/powerman and the sagra dac. I listened to the dCS Bartok and I wasn’t impressed with that either. Maybe I don’t know what to look/hear for. I’m just glad I don’t have to spend big money on a dac. A proper amp will keep me smiling for days.

 

[ken6217]

I love you. XLR interconnects that cost more than your headphones and your amp :~)

Tell me your take on those vs. others you've had? I've always been interested in MIT Cables with the mystery box inline, but the nice looking ones are crazy expensive.

What I've really been interested in trying is using an adapter to convert the full-size XLR termination to mini-XLR and using these kind of interconnects directly feeding the Abyss...

I would need to buy a couple of pairs to equal the cost of my amp and headphones.

These are the best interconnects I've ever had. I have tried Kimber, Audience, Wireworld, Transparent, Synergistc Research, to name a few. Any interconnects I've tried would maybe give more treble, and resolutions, or more bass, and then the highs would suffer. These are the only cables where there is no sacrifice. Plus the detail, resolution and soundstage is amazing.

You can set the impedance switch to match your amp, and you can adjust the articulation.

I am using a speaker amp as well and using the Superconductor banana plug to XLR adapter to my TC.

 

[ahossam]

Listening this album with TC is SOOO GUD!

 

[Benny-x]

I would need to buy a couple of pairs to equal the cost of my amp and headphones.

These are the best interconnects I've ever had. I have tried Kimber, Audience, Wireworld, Transparent, Synergistc Research, to name a few. Any interconnects I've tried would maybe give more treble, and resolutions, or more bass, and then the highs would suffer. These are the only cables where there is no sacrifice. Plus the detail, resolution and soundstage is amazing.

You can set the impedance switch to match your amp, and you can adjust the articulation.

I am using a speaker amp as well and using the Superconductor banana plug to XLR adapter to my TC.

I thought those Mk2 cables were ~$9000 MSRP and ~$5000-7000 used?

And I think your TCs would be $5000 new and the 600i Mk2 is ~$5000 used, isn't it? I'm playing a bit loosey-goosey there for sure, but just for my own understanding now, those are the right ballparks, right?

That's good info on the MIT cable, though. Sadly, it helps continue my interest in them. That'll be a few years off for sure, I've got to get a new pair of speakers before that and convince myself not to get lost in anything else in the mean time.

 

[ken6217]

I thought those Mk2 cables were ~$9000 MSRP and ~$5000-7000 used?

And I think your TCs would be $5000 new and the 600i Mk2 is ~$5000 used, isn't it? I'm playing a bit loosey-goosey there for sure, but just for my own understanding now, those are the right ballparks, right?

That's good info on the MIT cable, though. Sadly, it helps continue my interest in them. That'll be a few years off for sure, I've got to get a new pair of speakers before that and convince myself not to get lost in anything else in the mean time.

Thank God you're not my wife with all of the detective work. LOL.

The TC's were more because of the Superconductor cable and box. The amp was new and so that's $9k, but I got it for $7k as I've done business with this dealer for many years.

The MIT cables were new, but mark up is through the roof (and evidently through the clouds too), and so I got a great deal on them from another dealer that I've done a lot of business over the years.

Oh, not to make you feel worse, I also have the MIT Oracle MA-X AES/EBU digital cable.

If you are interested in MIT, drop me a PM, maybe I can think of something for you.

 

[jlbrach]

sagra d

everyone hears things differently...to me the DAC is the most important thing...I have the wa11 topaz and think it is great but the DAC portion isnt as good as the hugo 2 IMHO....

 

[Arniesb]

everyone hears things differently...to me the DAC is the most important thing...I have the wa11 topaz and think it is great but the DAC portion isnt as good as the hugo 2 IMHO....

No matter the dac if the amp is bad it will sound anemic. Try very weak amp with totl dac and see how it goes.

 

[jlbrach]

and vice versa

 

[Benny-x]

I personally side with the approach "start from the transducer and work backwards" about what order to focus my funds in.

However, I have totally dropped the ball on that and bought more expensive components deeper in the chain and not in that order. From my findings in building smaller systems, making use of my extras, the opening statement holds true. You really can get a lot from the "bang for buck" components until then, and especially nowadays with all the great bargain components.

But nowadays I'm trying to put together a more capable complete system, so all the components are in play and on the chopping block. Not quite power cables or interconnects yet, I'm really struggling to hold off from those for now.

 

[deuter]

What are you currently using to drive the headphones, looking for some tube goodness but not expensive

 

[nicooo]

Hi guys, I just got myself a used AB 1266 Phi which came with the 4 pin XLR cable plus 1/4" adaptor. I currently use it with my Chord Hugo TT2 + M Scaler and recommended single ended output. Since I would like to try out the balanced output of the TT2 for more power I face two options: (a) add an adaptor to 2x3 pin XLR or (b) reterminate the cable to 2x3 pin XLR (and also reterminate the 1/4" adaptor). What do you think would be the best solution? I currently favour option (b) since I could do the soldering myself, its cheaper and there's no adaptor needed for the XLR output. Option (a) seems simpler but more expensive (600$ for the Abyss adaptor!) plus I wouldn't know what adaptor to get. (I compared the stock cable to a Moon Silver dragon which is readily available where I live but found it seriously inferior to the stock Abyss cable.)

 

[mat.1]

Hi guys, I just got myself a used AB 1266 Phi which came with the 4 pin XLR cable plus 1/4" adaptor. I currently use it with my Chord Hugo TT2 + M Scaler and recommended single ended output. Since I would like to try out the balanced output of the TT2 for more power I face two options: (a) add an adaptor to 2x3 pin XLR or (b) reterminate the cable to 2x3 pin XLR (and also reterminate the 1/4" adaptor). What do you think would be the best solution? I currently favour option (b) since I could do the soldering myself, its cheaper and there's no adaptor needed for the XLR output. Option (a) seems simpler but more expensive (600$ for the Abyss adaptor!) plus I wouldn't know what adaptor to get. (I compared the stock cable to a Moon Silver dragon which is readily available where I live but found it seriously inferior to the stock Abyss cable.)

For A : you need 2x3 pin female XLR to 4 pin female XLR .
For B : I don't know what do you mean , ( If you need reterminate, you only need to change 4 pin male XLR to 2x3 pin female XLR )
or you need to reterminate 1/4" adaptor to female 2x3pin XLR , so it will be the same as A ( but i don't know inside the jps cable is 3 wire or 4 wire for the adaptor, because the adaptor is only using single cable )
hope this help .

 

[F208Frank]

From my experience I also feel from the headphone and moving backwards is the way to go. But in the end everything matters.

 

[ken6217]

Hi guys, I just got myself a used AB 1266 Phi which came with the 4 pin XLR cable plus 1/4" adaptor. I currently use it with my Chord Hugo TT2 + M Scaler and recommended single ended output. Since I would like to try out the balanced output of the TT2 for more power I face two options: (a) add an adaptor to 2x3 pin XLR or (b) reterminate the cable to 2x3 pin XLR (and also reterminate the 1/4" adaptor). What do you think would be the best solution? I currently favour option (b) since I could do the soldering myself, its cheaper and there's no adaptor needed for the XLR output. Option (a) seems simpler but more expensive (600$ for the Abyss adaptor!) plus I wouldn't know what adaptor to get. (I compared the stock cable to a Moon Silver dragon which is readily available where I live but found it seriously inferior to the stock Abyss cable.)

I never understood the love for Moon cables. Over the years I have tried their silver, black, and blue headphone and IEM cables, and they all had one thing in common. None of them sounded any good.