[Kiats]

Agreed.  Abyss is on a whole other level imo

Indeed.... I own the TH900 and LCD 3 as well, and they do not come close to the Abyss.

 

[bmichels]

   
stock TH900 is unlistenable compared to Abyss. Stock TH900 is harsh on the treble and very sibilant....

 
Respectfully, I must disagree: I have TH900 since 3 years and still enjoy them.  
 
I have tried HD800s, HE1000, Dhrama...and none of them could justifiy being purchased to replace my TH900.  For me, after listening carefully, Only BHSE+SR009 could justify the replacement !   
 
So, as we all say, different people, different ears... 

 
 
This said, I will be happy to try the "Denon D7000 ear pads" mod.   What can I expect from this mod ? 

 

[up late]

^ i like the abyss sonically but i can't agree with his comparison with the th900 either, which strikes me as a gross exaggeration.

 

[Beolab]

I'd like to hear them on a more powerful set up. Joe from JPS Labs said the Taurus would drive them just fine, just it might be a bit clinical and that I would ultimately seek better. Im guessing nothing is wrong with the headphones as at lower volumes they play absolutely fine, so the drivers are not blown, so the distortion issue is weird. Must be my amp

The Taurus II is no monster it deliver under 0,7 watts @ 46 Ohm if you are using balanced output which is way to little power for the Abyss, but more sutiable for the He1k.

It then deliver 3.1 watt in SE mode so it is no problem do have the amp clip if you using EQ with like +3 db in the 20-100Hz band the current dips and the Amp max out= Clip

I have tested my Abyss with many Amps and for example the Pathos with a Stated output of 3,3 Watt @ 32 Ohms clipped when you played heavy dynamic music, so i dont see it as a unusual thing.

You need a Amp that outputs 7 watts in 46 Ohm at minimum.

My Audio GD NFB-1 had about 6,8 watt balanced in 46Ohm and it was impossible to make it clip at all even if played at Max volume.

Sim Audio Moon outputs almost the same power as the NFB-1 and sounds the same almost.

My Headtrip deliver 17 watt in 46 Ohm so here it is impossible to make it clip and you have plenty power on tap.

And you have the Enigma that is a more economic Headtrip with the same power.

 

[ufospls2]

Any thoughts on the Schiit Ragnarok and the Abyss together? The Ragnarok seems to be a beast power wise, but I have never heard it. I have heard the Simaudio Moon Neo 430 HAD and really liked it, but it is a good $2000 more than the Ragnarok. 

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  Any thoughts on the Schiit Ragnarok and the Abyss together? The Ragnarok seems to be a beast power wise, but I have never heard it. I have heard the Simaudio Moon Neo 430 HAD and really liked it, but it is a good $2000 more than the Ragnarok. 

 
You are probably better off going vintage at that point.  I suspect that the Rag would be more of a side-step than an upgrade vs your Taurus.  You bought a big money headphone.  Get ready to pony up for a big money amp...  

  Otherwise you are driving a sports car with crummy tires - money well wasted.

 

[ufospls2]

   
You are probably better off going vintage at that point.  I suspect that the Rag would be more of a side-step than an upgrade vs your Taurus.  You bought a big money headphone.  Get ready to pony up for a big money amp...  

  Otherwise you are driving a sports car with crummy tires - money well wasted.

I was thinking of the more than double the power from the ragnarok vs. the taurus, and it has even more power than the 430 HA. I'm not against a big money amp. I just want to make sure that if I go down that road, I get something with enough juice to get the best out of the Abyss. 
 
Edit: I also don't think more expensive= necessarily better. Maybe the Ragnarok+Abyss is a good pairing, thats why I asked. 

 

[Beolab]

Then go for the Wells Audio Enigma $4000 17 watts @ 46 Ohms (50watts @ 8 Ohms), or the Cavalli Liquid Gold with 10 watts @ 46 Ohms, these amps are made with the Abyss in mind if you like SS amps.



http://www.wellsaudio.com/products/headphone-amplifiers/enigma



Sold Out

http://www.cavalliaudio.com/index.php?p=product_details&pId=9

The Moon 430 with 9 watts @ 46 Ohms have great flow and sounds great, but i think it laks in sub bass capability and little warmth combined with the Abyss sadly.
It is to neutral in my opinion.
You need more current drive from the first 1-4 watt like the big boys got. With the 430 i find to be a slow starter and even if you set the volume at 70-80 there is not enough bass where it should be if i compare it to a reference. But the feeling in the volume control nob is world class nevertheless

Otherwise as mentioned before, you have the highly regarded Sim Audio Moon 600i speaker amp with 22 watts @ 46Ohms or 125watts @ 8 Ohms.
You can find it used one in mint condition for about $3500-5000 , but you will need banana - 4 pin adapter cable to connect it.

Or If you want a Tube amp then the the
Woo Audio WA5 is an good alternative.

 

[mulder01]

  Any thoughts on the Schiit Ragnarok and the Abyss together? The Ragnarok seems to be a beast power wise, but I have never heard it. I have heard the Simaudio Moon Neo 430 HAD and really liked it, but it is a good $2000 more than the Ragnarok. 

 
I think it all depends who you talk to - a friend of mine has just bought an Abyss + Ragnarok because he is convinced that it's the best amp for them, but some people say it's a bit so-so.  One thing I did notice about the Ragnarok is that it gets very hot and on a hot day in a small room, well, you would want to have air conditioning.
 
The Moon has it's fans but I was having a bit of a read through the thread for my amp (v281) and a couple of v281 owners had owned the Moon 430 and sold it because they liked the vio better - and it's more like ragnarok pricing.  Also has a nice compact footprint and barely gets warm but it doesn't do speakers so I guess it depends what you want.
 
I don't think massive amounts of power are an absolute necessity - if you type the Abyss specs into a headphone power calculator, (below) you need 1 watt to listen very loud and 3 watts if you want to listen on the threshold of pain.  Though a bit of headroom is probably a good thing for great bass at very high volumes, maybe a '7 watt minimum' is a little bit of an exaggeration.  
 
 

 

[mulder01]

Well, if a liquid gold was ever on your shortlist, you might be out of luck - Cavalli has just announced their next run of liquid golds will be the last ones ever...

 

[Beolab]

I think it all depends who you talk to - a friend of mine has just bought an Abyss + Ragnarok because he is convinced that it's the best amp for them, but some people say it's a bit so-so.  One thing I did notice about the Ragnarok is that it gets very hot and on a hot day in a small room, well, you would want to have air conditioning.

The Moon has it's fans but I was having a bit of a read through the thread for my amp (v281) and a couple of v281 owners had owned the Moon 430 and sold it because they liked the vio better - and it's more like ragnarok pricing.  Also has a nice compact footprint and barely gets warm but it doesn't do speakers so I guess it depends what you want.

I don't think massive amounts of power are an absolute necessity - if you type the Abyss specs into a headphone power calculator, (below) you need 1 watt to listen very loud and 3 watts if you want to listen on the threshold of pain.  Though a bit of headroom is probably a good thing for great bass at very high volumes, maybe a '7 watt minimum' is a little bit of an exaggeration.  

Moulder, feel free to buy a 1-3 watt amp and connect it with the Abyss, and see if you are going to be happy, i don't think so, because the Abyss is a too heavy load unfortunately, thats why i listed a couple of amps thats is made for the Abyss, so please don't give any miss leading believes here, because i have gone the same amp road, and the headphones needs power, more than the Moon 430 can deliver.

Its not that you are going to play high on a high powered amp, it is the opposite, you hear all register more balanced with more control and drive earlier in the volume ladder.

 

[aphex27]

  So here are some initial impressions of the Abyss and some quick comparisons to other headphones. I like them, a lot. They are my favourite headphones I have heard, tied with the SR-009. Tied because they are so different, and I’m not sure I could say one is better than the other, it is totally personal preference. You might love the SR-009, you might love the Abyss, you might love both for different reasons. I think some of the poor reviews and impressions of the Abyss may come from meets where people haven’t been able to, or had time, to get the fit right. When I first put them on my head my reaction was…”uwotm8.” However, after a bit fiddling, extending, and toe’ing outwards, I have gotten a great, comfy fit. I would say they are similar to the LCD-3 in terms of feeling on the head. I’m not sure what the weight differences are, but they feel similar. I think once you get to this level of headphone, quite a lot of liking them or disliking them will be personal preference. You may prefer such and such headphone, while I may prefer another. “They” are all good (within reason.)
 
Edit. This is all listening with an Auralic Taurus and Resonessence Labs Concero HD. Opinions, sound, could all be different with different gear. Doing the best with what I have for the moment. 
 
Below are my opinions, yours may differ. That is why I recommend trying before buying if at all possible. I didn’t with the Abyss because I wasn’t able to, and it was a real gamble, but thankfully it has paid off and I like them.
 
The HD800 is more comfortable. It is light and airy on the head. After living with the HE1000 and now the Abyss, they lack bass to me. In all other areas they are awesome. The mids and treble are clean, and precise. I don’t find the treble on the HD800 a problem even unmodified. They have a “taller” soundstage than the Abyss, if that makes sense? The Abyss is almost as wide. I find the HD800 a bit cold and clinical, but it is an absolute bargain nowadays in terms of flagship headphones, especially used. Build quality is great on the HD800, it just needs thicker paint. Vs. the Abyss, the build quality is the same in terms of quality, just completely different in terms of materials used in construction etc..
 
The LCD-3 is similar to the Abyss in terms of comfort. The Abyss is like an LCD-3 +5-10% in all areas soundwise. Bigger soundstage, better imaging, better bass (both in quantity and quality,) more similar to the HD800 in terms of mids and treble. Less “warm,” but not cold and clinical like the HD800. I really like the LCD-3’s wood, and build quality. In terms of reliability, the LCD-3 seems to have had a lot of trouble lately, I never had trouble with mine, but there you go. I haven’t read of Abyss failures, but I have only had mine for a day, so fingers crossed for the future. 
 
The HE1000. In terms of comfort, the HE1000 probably edges out the Abyss a tiny bit, but not by much. The only area the HE1000 wins over the Abyss to me is the SUB bass presence. It has more physicality to it. If you are into bass, and bringing it up with EQ etc..the HE1000 has more room to play with. The Abyss distorts if you bring up the bass with EQ (even a little bit) and listen at a loud but comfortable level. I’m not sure if this is to do with the tuning of the headphones themselves, I’m not an expert. All I know is that I could push the HE1000’s bass till it shook my ears, and I can’t with the Abyss. However, the quality of bass on the Abyss is better.  It is punchier. The mids and treble are better, “faster” if that makes sense. Soundstage is wider and as tall, on the Abyss vs. the HE1000, but the sound has far more impact to it on the Abyss. Build quality wise, and quality of materials used in construction, the HE1000 is a joke, so lets just say the Abyss wins in that department and leave it there.
 
The Stax SR-009. As I said earlier, they are two completely different animals. I’ve read the Abyss is “faster” than the SR-009, but I disagree. The SR-009 is the fastest headphone I have heard. It is like the notes are tied together. The Abyss has more bass, but in terms of punch and quality of bass, I’d say they are tied. The SR-009 is light and airy and beautiful, the Abyss is hardcore and punchy. Two totally different headphones. I like both equally for different reasons. I bought my Abyss used, so the cost of a Price Japan SR-009 + alright amp was slightly more than my Abyss. If you are buying a new Abyss, or buying a GOOD amp to go with the SR-009, price could be more or less depending. Build quality, the Stax wins I think, but only by a little bit. It is also a bit comfier. 
 
What I would really like to compare the Abyss to is the LCD-4, but I don’t own one. Hopefully in the future? haha. I think the $4000 vs $4500 (Lite package) is interesting. Is the Abyss worth the extra $500? I don’t know yet. Im guessing it will be personal preference, and they will be similar, but that is just a guess. It seems like the Abyss’s most comparable competitor. 
 
The type of music used in these comparisons was mostly electronic bass heavy stuff, contrasted with jazz and film scores. I threw in a bit of the Police here and there, and some metal as well. 
 
Again, all of this stuff is so subjective in my opinion. The comfort of all these headphones will depend on your head, and your sound preference will dictate which you like more. I’m not sure what else to say. Is the price of the Abyss worth it? I'm not sure. If you want that extra 5-10% over the LCD-3, HE1000 etc.. then yes, I think it is. Any questions just ask I guess

Nice review!
However you are wearing your Abyss wrong.
The fit should be absolutely nothing like the LCD-3. Try to make them touch your ears as little as possible.
Then you will understand how immensely superior to the LCD-3 they are.

 

[bigfatpaulie]

   
I think it all depends who you talk to - a friend of mine has just bought an Abyss + Ragnarok because he is convinced that it's the best amp for them, but some people say it's a bit so-so. 
 

 
You read stuff like all the time.  Has he heard it with anything better than the Rag?  And if so, could he AFFORD something better than the Rag?  It could be a case of either ignorance or sour grapes.
 
Or that he just does prefer it....

 

[ufospls2]

Then go for the Wells Audio Enigma $4000 17 watts @ 46 Ohms (50watts @ 8 Ohms), or the Cavalli Liquid Gold with 10 watts @ 46 Ohms, these amps are made with the Abyss in mind if you like SS amps.



http://www.wellsaudio.com/products/headphone-amplifiers/enigma



Sold Out

http://www.cavalliaudio.com/index.php?p=product_details&pId=9

The Moon 430 with 9 watts @ 46 Ohms have great flow and sounds great, but i think it laks in sub bass capability and little warmth combined with the Abyss sadly.
It is to neutral in my opinion.
You need more current drive from the first 1-4 watt like the big boys got. With the 430 i find to be a slow starter and even if you set the volume at 70-80 there is not enough bass where it should be if i compare it to a reference. But the feeling in the volume control nob is world class nevertheless

Otherwise as mentioned before, you have the highly regarded Sim Audio Moon 600i speaker amp with 22 watts @ 46Ohms or 125watts @ 8 Ohms.
You can find it used one in mint condition for about $3500-5000 , but you will need banana - 4 pin adapter cable to connect it.

Or If you want a Tube amp then the the
Woo Audio WA5 is an good alternative.

 
 
Shows how subjective this hobby is as in the moon 430 ha thread it said that Joe from JPS Labs was using the 430 as one of the amps to showcase the abyss. *shrugs* I'll figure it out eventually. It seems like lots of people like the 430 with the abyss, and I liked it when I heard it with my HE1000's, so maybe I would like it with the abyss. Who knows. 

 

[ufospls2]

The Taurus II is no monster it deliver under 0,7 watts @ 46 Ohm if you are using balanced output which is way to little power for the Abyss, but more sutiable for the He1k.

It then deliver 3.1 watt in SE mode so it is no problem do have the amp clip if you using EQ with like +3 db in the 20-100Hz band the current dips and the Amp max out= Clip

I have tested my Abyss with many Amps and for example the Pathos with a Stated output of 3,3 Watt @ 32 Ohms clipped when you played heavy dynamic music, so i dont see it as a unusual thing.

You need a Amp that outputs 7 watts in 46 Ohm at minimum.

My Audio GD NFB-1 had about 6,8 watt balanced in 46Ohm and it was impossible to make it clip at all even if played at Max volume.

Sim Audio Moon outputs almost the same power as the NFB-1 and sounds the same almost.

My Headtrip deliver 17 watt in 46 Ohm so here it is impossible to make it clip and you have plenty power on tap.

And you have the Enigma that is a more economic Headtrip with the same power.

Beolab a few pages back you said 
 
"Go for the Abyss, you wont regret it in the long run, and you do not have to worry about the power from the Taurus.

It where among the best dedicated SS headamps for Abyss in 2013 when it was released, but there is just a few amps maybe that have surpassed it slightly, but it is a good combo with a slight cleanliness like the SR-009 tone to it, so you have the both of the to worlds.
"
 
Now you are saying it doesn't have enough power at all for the Abyss. Uwotm8. No worries, just curious why the switch of opinion?