[Litlgi74]

Greetings! Newbie here and I've been a long-time lurker but finally decided I should join and get acquainted with all who provide such helpful info and insights from fellow enthusiasts. Just got the word from Abyss my TC should leave in about a week so, obviously, quite excited. I have the Chord stack with the SR1a and LCD-4. I also have the LCDi4 and JH Audio Layla custom IEM for mobile usage. Hoping and feeling fairly confident that the TC will fit right in and even become my main "axe", so to speak. I'm a guitar player of 40+ years and run a small high-end electric guitar company so I am rather picky about tone, sound and gear. Here are a few shots of my current setup.

Having read about how "power hungry" the TC is, I ordered adapters to use the TT2's XLR outs and the TToby's speaker taps as well. I'm hoping that these options will be sufficient enough so I don't feel like I need to get a separate headphone amp like the Formula S and Powerman combo - at least until sometime next year as I've splurged enough for this year!

Welcome to the Abyss family... You are going to love the TCs!

I see you have the A500s... I ordered a pair as well.. won't be delivered till the middle of May.

 

[Orlok]

Welcome to the Abyss family... You are going to love the TCs!

I see you have the A500s... I ordered a pair as well.. won't be delivered till the middle of May.

Thank you! Obviously, very excited. Reminds me of a few decades ago when I ordered a high-end tricked-out custom electric guitar and was waiting in agonizing anticipation. Haha.

Actually, those speakers are the passive S400 and driven by the Chord TToby when it's not driving the SR1a. Sounds great and huge for their size. Every now and then, "a speaker break" from headphones is a good thing.

 

[Litlgi74]

Thank you! Obviously, very excited. Reminds me of a few decades ago when I ordered a high-end tricked-out custom electric guitar and was waiting in agonizing anticipation. Haha.

Actually, those speakers are the passive S400 and driven by the Chord TToby when it's not driving the SR1a. Sounds great and huge for their size. Every now and then, "a speaker break" from headphones is a good thing.

I stand corrected...

Did you splurge and get the super conductor cable as well?

 

[Shahrose]

Greetings! Newbie here and I've been a long-time lurker but finally decided I should join and get acquainted with fellow enthusiasts who provide such helpful info and insights. Just got the word from Abyss my TC should leave in about a week so, obviously, quite excited. I have the Chord stack with the SR1a and LCD-4. I also have the LCDi4 and JH Audio Layla custom IEM for mobile usage. Hoping and feeling fairly confident that the TC will fit right in and even become my main "axe", so to speak. I'm a guitar player of 40+ years and run a small high-end electric guitar company so I am rather picky about tone, sound and gear. Here are a few shots of my current setup.

Having read about how "power hungry" the TC is, I ordered adapters to use the TT2's XLR outs and the TToby's speaker taps as well. I'm hoping that these options will be sufficient enough so I don't feel like I need to get a separate headphone amp like the Formula S and Powerman combo - at least not until sometime next year as I've splurged enough for this year!

A lot to like about this setup. Nice.

 

[DJJEZ]

Greetings! Newbie here and I've been a long-time lurker but finally decided I should join and get acquainted with fellow enthusiasts who provide such helpful info and insights. Just got the word from Abyss my TC should leave in about a week so, obviously, quite excited. I have the Chord stack with the SR1a and LCD-4. I also have the LCDi4 and JH Audio Layla custom IEM for mobile usage. Hoping and feeling fairly confident that the TC will fit right in and even become my main "axe", so to speak. I'm a guitar player of 40+ years and run a small high-end electric guitar company so I am rather picky about tone, sound and gear. Here are a few shots of my current setup.

Having read about how "power hungry" the TC is, I ordered adapters to use the TT2's XLR outs and the TToby's speaker taps as well. I'm hoping that these options will be sufficient enough so I don't feel like I need to get a separate headphone amp like the Formula S and Powerman combo - at least not until sometime next year as I've splurged enough for this year!

Welcome. I'm sure I've seen your setup on Facebook. I'm also awaiting my 1266TC to be made and will use the rear xlrs of the TT2/M-scaler as well until the upgrade itch strikes again

 

[JLoud]

I owned all three you mentioned, TC, Raal, LCD4, at the same time. I would say you will have all your bases covered. Wonderfully complimentary trio.

 

[Orlok]

I owned all three you mentioned, TC, Raal, LCD4, at the same time. I would say you will have all your bases covered. Wonderfully complimentary trio.

Hey, thanks for the feedback. This is very reassuring to know from someone who has owned all three at the same time. Based on all the research I've done, these three did seem perfectly complementary with a smooth overlap between them in some areas. I already have an itch for the ZMF Vérité closed to make it a primo quartet but it seems totally "unnecessary" at the moment.

 

[Orlok]

I stand corrected...

Did you splurge and get the super conductor cable as well?

Nah, just couldn't get myself to get the SC and wouldn't have even if I had the funds. Going with the Moon Audio Silver Dragon with adapters for TT2's XLR outs and the TToby's speaker taps so I can try both. I've had pretty good experiences with the Dragon cables and they are reasonably priced so I just go with their cables by default for upgrades over stock cables. I have this rule for myself to not spend more than 15 to 20% max (depending on the length) on cables of the value of the headphones or major components like DACs and amps, etc. Spending 60% of the value of the headphone on a set of cables seems outrageous. If I had that money to spend, I'd use it towards the Formula S or get another headphone like the ZMF Vérité.

I know the subject of expensive cables can get controversial but my thought is that there's a limit to how much the cables can improve the sound. I totally understand the law of diminishing returns. Heck, I work in the high-end "boutique" guitar industry and have been in it for 30+ years now. I owned a retail boutique shop selling custom electric guitars that ranged from $2K to well over $5K and the same for high-end tube amplifiers. I also sold guitar effects pedals and effects processors that start at $200 and go up to $3~4K. I have a pretty good idea of how the high-end business works.

I also sold instrument cables that range from $50 to well over $1K and did a lot of A/B shootouts. My favorite was around $200 for a 15' guitar cable from a company called Evidence Audio. Most cables that guitar players buy at Guitar Center are in the $20~25 range and the "high-end" there would be the Mogami Gold in the $50 range. I know that there are differences but it's always a crap shoot and the value/performance proposition is always all over the place. I go for a fairly neutral sound and don't want cables coloring the guitar's sound.

But some players like it a little dark and some players like it bright based on what types of guitars and pickups they use, ex. Fender Strat type of guitar with single-coil pickups and the Gibson Les Paul type with humbucker pickups. I prefer something very neutral to let the guitar's natural sound come through as clearly and purely as possible and then tweak the tone and overdrive controls on the amps. I found that I didn't really care for any of the cables that cost many hundreds or over $1K but some guitar players (usually the doctor and lawyer types playing in their special soundproofed guitar rooms or garages) swore by them.

Now I see that this high-end cable thing is exponentially greater in the audiophile world - which I suspected, of course, before delving into it over the last few years. I'm just not going to spend thousands on a set of cables. I know there are good cables and there are bad and that cables also color the sound but, in my opinion and in the big scheme of things, I feel the overall effect of what they contribute is sometimes overblown and overrated when compared to the major components like DACs, amps, headphones and speakers. I'll spend $200 on a good quality power cable like the Audioquest NRG-Z3 and another $200 on a Furman power conditioner but I just don't see myself spending $5~10K on stuff like that either, even if I won the lottery and had money to burn. Of course, as usual, YMMV and I'm not going to make fun of people who do spend that kind of money on cables. More power to them if that makes them happy. It's what I learned in the guitar industry: "All that matters is that it works for you."

 

[Orlok]

Welcome. I'm sure I've seen your setup on Facebook. I'm also awaiting my 1266TC to be made and will use the rear xlrs of the TT2/M-scaler as well until the upgrade itch strikes again

Thanks! Really happy to join the Abyss family. Yeah, you know that itch will come again and this forum will only expedite that process!

 

[Litlgi74]

Thanks! Really happy to join the Abyss family. Yeah, you know that itch will come again and this forum will only expedite that process!

If you ever need help or just someone to listen... We have an AA program here on Head-Fi.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audiophiles-anonymous.955274/

 

[Tachyon88]

@Orlok Buchardt S400 ! I'm listening to mine now. I got the black ones. Nice setup.

 

[Orlok]

If you ever need help or just someone to listen... We have an AA program here on Head-Fi.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audiophiles-anonymous.955274/

Ah, I'll be attending this weekly meeting for sure and share my struggles. I dealt with it for decades with high-end electric guitars, amps and related gizmos. Here are photos of my past addiction. You can clearly see that I've traded this addiction for the severe addiction I have now. My wife has resigned to the fact that it's hopeless. Yes, I need help!

 

[SalR406]

You know, it makes me think... I would trade all of my stereo gear for a little actual musical talent!

 

[Orlok]

You know, it makes me think... I would trade all of my stereo gear for a little actual musical talent!

Playing a musical instrument is hard. There were times when I practiced 6~8 hours per day while going to music school. I wasn't a casual hobbyist or player and the standards I shot for were high back in the 80's: Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and all these natural monster guitar players. Then I got into jazz and fusion masters like Pat Metheny and Allan Holdsworth and the bar was even higher. I realized that I can practice for 10 hours per day for a thousand years and I would still never get anywhere near their level of proficiency on the instrument and musicianship. So I gave up my hope of becoming a full-time musician and got into the business of making and selling guitars. Glad I did or I'd be divorced and in a ghetto apartment using some $200 headphone right now!

 

[MacedonianHero]

I spoke to the head designer at bryston and he said the bha1 has plenty of power for the tcs. That's not the issue, just my preference in headphone sound signatures. I enjoy the tcs, but they're just not my favorite.

This is from Mike Pickett at Bryston to me:
"The combination of low impedance and low sensitivity will make the Abyss 'phones difficult to drive, but should have enough power to do so without stress. You may need to switch the unit to high gain mode to avoid having to turn it all the way up. The BHA1 still has power to spare at 3:00 on the dial, but that is definitely working it pretty hard."

Sorry, definitely my experience with the BHA-1 and its 2 W into 32 ohms isn't ideally enough to power these amazing headphones to sound close to their best. I'd suggest some A-B comparisons with more capable amplifiers and the differences are quite apparent almost immediately. Then there's the brighter/thinner sound signature of the BHA-1 that doesn't work well with these headphones. Much better amplifier for say the Meze Empyreans (tonally and power wise).