[customcoco]

Come on, Home Headphones are not fashion accessories. These are not HPs you use for mobile use. These are for stationary use. They may be ugly. But if they do the job: details almost as good Stax 009, imaging as good as HD800 and LCD-3's bass and fun listening, who gives a damn if it is UGLY.

This is Head-Fi, it's all about the sound. Do your ears like what they hear?

By the way, there is 1-2 month wait on these "ugly" HPs.

It's not only about the way they look to other people, but the way the feel in the hands of the beholder too.
 
When I buy expensive things I don't only look after their functions, form has its importance too.
 
You wouldn't buy an ugly expensive car, would you ? Why then ? It might get you from A to B just as fine as a good looking one (it might even drive better...) .
 
The same goes for a house, it's only a shelter after all, who cares about the way it looks ?
 
More specifically, my problem comes from the fact that the Abyss' performances (whether you like it or not, that's not the matter) wouldn't suffer from subjectively "better" (or should I say, conventional) looks.
 
Those aesthetic details don't seem to participate in a quest of ultimate technical perfection, like they might, to some extent, on a HD800 or a Qualia.
 
My ears don't like them, neither do my eyes and hands, but that's another matter entirely.
 
I don't understand your last point, the fact that many people buy them doesn't make them more desirable. It just makes them "succesful" as a commercial product.

 

[sathyam]

  It's not only about the way they look to other people, but the way the feel in the hands of the beholder too.
 
When I buy expensive things I don't only look after their functions, form has its importance too.
 
You wouldn't buy an ugly expensive car, would you ? Why then ? It might get you from A to B just as fine as a good looking one (it might even drive better...) .
 
The same goes for a house, it's only a shelter after all, who cares about the way it looks ?
 
More specifically, my problem comes from the fact that the Abyss' performances (whether you like it or not, that's not the matter) wouldn't suffer from subjectively "better" (or should I say, conventional) looks.
 
Those aesthetic details don't seem to participate in a quest of ultimate technical perfection, like they might, to some extent, on a HD800 or a Qualia.
 
My ears don't like them, neither do my eyes and hands, but that's another matter entirely.
 
I don't understand your last point, the fact that many people buy them doesn't make them more desirable. It just makes them "succesful" as a commercial product.

 
Your comparisons are oranges to apples. This is not a HP that I would parade around outside, because it is not a mobile HP. I don't want to repeat myself. I don't care about the looks. You seem to care. Lets leave it at that. 
 
Its a commercial success and that proves people don't much care for its looks. Personally, I like the geeky, biker like look.
 
When you say your ears don't like them, can you elaborate your experience? The setup you listened on?

 

[Hun7er]

Hi there,
 
I bought an JPS Abyss 6 months ago. At the beginning I was not impressed about the sound quality. The confort was better than my expectations, I can wear it for hours even I wear glasses. 
 
This headphone need clean power although it can sounds rough on the medium and treble.
 
I use an Balancing Act with stock tube and prefer it to my previous Woo WA5 maxed with EML 300b. The BA are smoother and liquid than the WA5. 
 
The Abyss is become one of my favorite headphone with the SR007MKI. IMO it outperforms on every aspect the HD800 even on the soundstage. The sound is more on the front of your head and cohesivness. Thought the soundstage is bigger as the HD800, instruments and voices have more physical presence.
 
Instruments and voices are more palpable, natural and organic. Bass have more slam and can shake your head. Each notes have more weight and relief. It has an ability to carry into the music with his fleshed presentation and grand soundstage.
 
IMO there is an huge gap between the HD800 and Abyss.
 
Versus the SR009, Abyss sounds bigger with more slam bass. But I prefer the SR007MKI over the SR009. In fact I like so much the SR007. It is more intimate and thickening each note more than the Abyss. Moreover there is a cohesivness all accross the entire bandwith than I didn't listening on other headphone.

 

[customcoco]

   
Your comparisons are oranges to apples. This is not a HP that I would parade around outside, because it is not a mobile HP. I don't want to repeat myself. I don't care about the looks. You seem to care. Lets leave it at that. 
 
Its a commercial success and that proves people don't much care for its looks. Personally, I like the geeky, biker like look.
 
When you say your ears don't like them, can you elaborate your experience? The setup you listened on?

Ok you don't care about the looks, that's fine ! In fact, you even seem to like the way the abyss looks and that's fine, too.
 
My comparisons still stand though. I don't use my stuff to "parade", I just feel the need to get some pleasure while looking / touching (at) it.
 
You're right though, let's agree to disagree.
 
Thanks for your consideration of my opinion, I appreciate that.
 
I don't want to start a flamewar, though.
 
While it may be possible to debate here about the general importance of looks on audio gear and its influence on the way people consider it, e.g. me rejecting the Abyss partly because of its physical appearance, I don't think that my opinion on the Abyss' sound quality would be tolerated on those boards.
 
I've spent way too much time trying to justify my opinions here, especially on something as superfluous as high-end headphones. 
 
Our argument was a mistake, even though it might have been worse.
 
(It doesn't anything to do with you, BTW.)

 

[sathyam]

 
Ok you don't care about the looks, that's fine ! In fact, you even seem to like the way the abyss looks and that's fine, too.
 
My comparisons still stand though. I don't use my stuff to "parade", I just feel the need to get some pleasure while looking / touching (at) it.
 
You're right though, let's agree to disagree.
 
Thanks for your consideration of my opinion, I appreciate that.
 
I don't want to start a flamewar, though.
 
While it may be possible to debate here about the general importance of looks on audio gear and its influence on the way people consider it, e.g. me rejecting the Abyss partly because of its physical appearance, I don't think that my opinion on the Abyss' sound quality would be tolerated on those boards.
 
I've spent way too much time trying to justify my opinions here, especially on something as superfluous as high-end headphones. 
 
Our argument was a mistake, even though it might have been worse.
 
(It doesn't anything to do with you, BTW.)

 

Peace!

 

[sathyam]

  Hi there,
 
I bought an JPS Abyss 6 months ago. At the beginning I was not impressed about the sound quality. The confort was better than my expectations, I can wear it for hours even I wear glasses. 
 
This headphone need clean power although it can sounds rough on the medium and treble.
 
I use an Balancing Act with stock tube and prefer it to my previous Woo WA5 maxed with EML 300b. The BA are smoother and liquid than the WA5. 
 
The Abyss is become one of my favorite headphone with the SR007MKI. IMO it outperforms on every aspect the HD800 even on the soundstage. The sound is more on the front of your head and cohesivness. Thought the soundstage is bigger as the HD800, instruments and voices have more physical presence.
 
Instruments and voices are more palpable, natural and organic. Bass have more slam and can shake your head. Each notes have more weight and relief. It has an ability to carry into the music with his fleshed presentation and grand soundstage.
 
IMO there is an huge gap between the HD800 and Abyss.
 
Versus the SR009, Abyss sounds bigger with more slam bass. But I prefer the SR007MKI over the SR009. In fact I like so much the SR007. It is more intimate and thickening each note more than the Abyss. Moreover there is a cohesivness all accross the entire bandwith than I didn't listening on other headphone.

 
I am really looking forward to my loaner . 

 

[customcoco]

   

Peace!

Yes indeed !
 
Thanks for your reaction (such a level of comprehensiveness is rare around here), and have fun with whatever pair of cans actually makes you feel good !
 

 

[Kiats]

I sure don't wear any of my headphones outside unless it's my Dr. Dre Beats..  

+1

 

[David1961]

I'm not knocking the Abyss for it's SQ because I've never heard one, and some may like it's looks, but I just don't want the headphone gear I have to sound amazing, but I also want it to look good as well.
I've mentioned before that I never liked the look of the 009's when I first saw them, this was because of their headband, but I did something about that which for me makes my 009's look very nice.
Anyway, I've had my say about the Abyss's looks so I'll leave it at that.

 

[up late]

definitely not cans for portable use. couldn't imagine anyone in their right mind wanting to be walking around in these.

not a fan of the look either but that became kinda irrelevant once i put them on and started listening.

 

[Kiats]

definitely not cans for portable use. couldn't imagine anyone in their right mind wanting to be walking around in these.

not a fan of the look either but that became kinda irrelevant once i put them on and started listening.

Agreed, Up Late. Properly driven, the Abyss is sublime.

 

[Fafner]

Has anyone tried these with a Ray Samuels B52? I'd think about getting the Abyss, but not if I'd have to switch amp as well....

 

[mulder01]

definitely not cans for portable use. couldn't imagine anyone in their right mind wanting to be walking around in these.

not a fan of the look either but that became kinda irrelevant once i put them on and started listening.

Yeah, I agree they look slightly ridiculous but after I heard them, man I wanted a pair

 

[pearljam50000]

I'm sure they sound great but i doubt that they are worth 4 times the price of HD800.

 

[mulder01]

I'm sure they sound great but i doubt that they are worth 4 times the price of HD800.

I guess it all depends on weather you have that sort of money to spend.  Once you get into the highest of the high end stuff, the whole diminishing law of returns kicks in.  If a $6000 pair of headphones is 25% better than a $1500 pair of headphones but 400% of the price, then does that mean they're not worth buying?  Not necessarily - if you have the money and you want the best then why not.  Someone moving over to head-fi from a speaker setup would probably happily spend $6000 because in terms of high end speakers, that's really quite reasonable.  People that are stretching their budget to get a pair of HD600's might be looking at you wondering why you spend 3 times the price of their cans to get something that's not 3 times better.  I think it's pretty clear Abyss are not catering for the 'most performance per dollar' market.