[up late]

do those same folks think that speakers have an unrealistic soundstage?

 

[Music Alchemist]

do those same folks think that speakers have an unrealistic soundstage?

 
Couldn't tell ya. Speakers have more going on to make it sound natural, though.
 
All I know is that I once bought a $50 headphone that sounded so tinny and distant I couldn't listen at all, so I returned them. I'm assuming the HD 800's soundstage wouldn't be anything like that.

 

[up late]

i don't buy into the unrealistic soundstage malarkey. thought it sounded pretty impressive for a can. it worked well with jazz and acoustic music too imo.

 

[Music Alchemist]

i don't buy into the unrealistic soundstage malarkey. thought it sounded pretty impressive for a can. it worked well with jazz and acoustic music too imo.

 
I'm sure it's great. If I got one other headphone with the Abyss, it would be the HD 800. Some people think its soundstage is no larger than any other headphone, most are at least impressed by it, while others think it's too large and distant. It could be a system synergy issue or all in their head - I don't claim to know.

 

[up late]

only been talking soundstage. personally i like the abyss sound more than the hd800 overall fwiw.

 

[Music Alchemist]

only been talking soundstage. personally i like the abyss sound more than the hd800 overall fwiw.

 
Most do. ^_^

 

[Kiats]

I think that the HD800 has impressive width in terms of soundstage. Works fantastically with acoustic vocals, jazz and classical music. Not so great with rock and pop.

The Abyss has more depth in its soundstage and therefore has more layers. Of course, it's soundstage is not as wide as the HD800.

Which one prefers really depends on what one's perception of what music should sound like and perhaps the genre one is listening to.

Just my views.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I think that the HD800 has impressive width in terms of soundstage. Works fantastically with acoustic vocals, jazz and classical music. Not so great with rock and pop.

The Abyss has more depth in its soundstage and therefore has more layers. Of course, it's soundstage is not as wide as the HD800.

Which one prefers really depends on what one's perception of what music should sound like and perhaps the genre one is listening to.

Just my views.

 
The depth part was exactly my point. People often don't specify which aspects of the soundstage they are referring to.

 

[Kiats]

The depth part was exactly my point. People often don't specify which aspects of the soundstage they are referring to.

Indeed...

 

[Music Alchemist]

Indeed...

 
I would like to see someone write an article comparing soundstage width/depth/height, imaging, and separation, as they are all related. I consider separation to be the same thing as imaging (or at least an aspect of it), since if you have a sense of where the instruments are, you also have a sense of the distance between them.

 

[Eide]

Today I finally got to listen to the Abyss. (I listen to them in a quiet room at Oslo Hifi Center.) The setup was Auralic Taurus MKII amp and a Aurelic Vega Dac. My transport was Astell & Kern AK120 via optical output. 

I have a pair of Fostex TH900 and a Chord Hugo, so I wantet to check out other headphones for my Hupo. Particular headphones with a larger soundstage as I listen to a lot of jazz and classical music. I first tried every Audeze can, Hifiman, Oppo and Sennheiser before I tried the Abyss. It was really interesting to hear almost every big flagship headphone in one sitting. I'm not going to compare them all now, but I can say my TH900 hold their ground pretty good... until I heard the Abyss AB-1266. 

It was quite a revelation. In my opinion every other flagship headphone are playing more or less in the same league, just with different flavours. Abyss is certainly in a different league.

I played a variety of jazz trios, big Mahler symphonies, string quartets and some Pink Floyd. The first thing that struck me was that I soon forgot that I was wearing enourmous headphones. The music came from way beyond my head. And with such clarity that I felt that the musicians was in the same room. It was like a live, acoustic music experience. I would characterize them as the first "bright" headphone I'v truly enjoyed. They was also surpicingly comfortable to wear. The Abyss are not as bass heavy as my TH900. So for Pink Floyds The Wall I actually prefered the sound of my TH900, but for jazz and classical Abyss was pure magic. I think that the extreme detailed highs made them feel a bit on the bright side. But for me that is just perfect. If I'm going to buy another headphone Abyss and TH900 is so different that it's great to own both. 

I tried Abyss directly from my Chord Hugo as well. Hugo was able to play them loud enough, but they sounded loose and much worse than from the Auralic Taurus. So I definatley have to buy a good amp for them as well. 

Abyss is on top of my wish list now. Only problem is that they cost 8.800 $ in Norway. I was told that the price was negotiable, but it's certainly a big chunk of my sadly average income.

Eide

 

[Music Alchemist]

Today I finally got to listen to the Abyss. (I listen to them in a quiet room at Oslo Hifi Center.) The setup was Auralic Taurus MKII amp and a Aurelic Vega Dac. My transport was Astell & Kern AK120 via optical output. 

I have a pair of Fostex TH900 and a Chord Hugo, so I wantet to check out other headphones for my Hupo. Particular headphones with a larger soundstage as I listen to a lot of jazz and classical music. I first tried every Audeze can, Hifiman, Oppo and Sennheiser before I tried the Abyss. It was really interesting to hear almost every big flagship headphone in one sitting. I'm not going to compare them all now, but I can say my TH900 hold their ground pretty good... until I heard the Abyss AB-1266. 

It was quite a revelation. In my opinion every other flagship headphone are playing more or less in the same league, just with different flavours. Abyss is certainly in a different league.

I played a variety of jazz trios, big Mahler symphonies, string quartets and some Pink Floyd. The first thing that struck me was that I soon forgot that I was wearing enourmous headphones. The music came from way beyond my head. And with such clarity that I felt that the musicians was in the same room. It was like a live, acoustic music experience. I would characterize them as the first "bright" headphone I'v truly enjoyed. They was also surpicingly comfortable to wear. The Abyss are not as bass heavy as my TH900. So for Pink Floyds The Wall I actually prefered the sound of my TH900, but for jazz and classical Abyss was pure magic. I think that the extreme detailed highs made them feel a bit on the bright side. But for me that is just perfect. If I'm going to buy another headphone Abyss and TH900 is so different that it's great to own both. 

I tried Abyss directly from my Chord Hugo as well. Hugo was able to play them loud enough, but they sounded loose and much worse than from the Auralic Taurus. So I definatley have to buy a good amp for them as well. 

Abyss is on top of my wish list now. Only problem is that they cost 8.800 $ in Norway. I was told that the price was negotiable, but it's certainly a big chunk of my sadly average income.

Eide

 
Love your review! Are you able to import it from a dealer in the USA?

 

[Eide]

Love your review! Are you able to import it from a dealer in the USA?

Maybe. I told my Norwegian dealer about the huge difference in pricing. And they told me I could maybe get American price + norwegian tax and transportation cost. That would make it cost around 7000$... In Norway we automatically get 5 years warranty. That and higher taxing makes everything more expensive.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Maybe. I told my Norwegian dealer about the huge difference in pricing. And they told me I could maybe get American price + norwegian tax and transportation cost. That would make it cost around 7000$... In Norway we automatically get 5 years warranty. That and higher taxing makes everything more expensive.

 
Do you automatically get a five year warranty on everything you buy, or are there conditions to be met?
 
Are you required to pay the Norwegian tax on products imported from other countries?
 
If you decide to import it, you can order online from US dealers like Woo Audio and The Cable Company.

 

[Eide]

Yes. Norwegian tax is required when buying anything valued more than 35$. And laws that protects the consumers states that every thing you buy that is expected to last at least 5 years has a 5 year warranty against production failure. (Even mobile phones...)

I'm strongly considering to buy the Abyss from an US dealer, but the norwegian guaranties are also nice to have...