[m17xr2b]

I am excited, I am finally fully in line for the Abyss Phi!
Just sent 'em off today.

Wow that was fast. I think you decided to upgrade after me and interesting that you sent them already and I still have weeks and weeks to wait. What gives Joe?

 

[mulder01]

He may have put his name down ages ago but been unsure about whether or not to go through with it?

 

[m17xr2b]

Could be, man 20 weeks is a long time.

 

[mulder01]

wow yeah that's a while.
Don't know what the going rate for a used abyss is (depends on condition of course) US $2.5k for lite?? Dunno haven't looked. But if you sold for that and just bought new, then you're out of pocket $2k instead of $1.5k for just the upgrade, but it's all new and warranty starts again and no waiting. Worth the extra outlay maybe?

 

[m17xr2b]

Yes in the US, but in the UK a new lite abyss is over 6K USD

 

[JohanGao]

What? the waiting time for upgrade from old abyss to abyss phi is 20 weeks? I think they do that just because they haven't any interesting to do an upgrade, so they just saying 20 weeks to make abyss user frustrated in waiting and think twice to take the upgrade path.
Rather than waiting for 20 weeks (I mean, hey that is almost half of year), better waiting for the 2nd hand abyss phi, I am sure in that 20 weeks must be a few abyss phi in 2nd hand market...

 

[FLTWS]

Playing cable roulette is about different, whether that difference is better or not each listener has to decide for themselves.
I happen to like how the Dana Lazuli changed the sound of my HD800 compared to its stock cable so I could enjoy it more.
My satisfaction with it had me order the Lazuli Reference for my Utopia, I was happy with the results again, but the amount of different wasn't as dramatic, but worthwhile to me..
At some point early next year I will try the Lazuli Reference with my Phi (tube rollers syndrome) and if I can get a SC demo I definitely will give it a listen.
They already make a LR for the original Abyss, I'd be surprised if there is a different model for the Phi (same connector, right? Same all copper design?)
They (DanaCable) come with 30 day return policy (last I heard).
They come standard at 3 meters (my preferred length), the cable is extremely flexible, dresses without much twisting, the jacketing is very low in microphonics,
and the drag of it's weight was negligible and perhaps less than in the case of my Utopia's stock cable, (but I speculate that it may be more than the stock Phi cable).

But, listening to the Phi with the stock cable is what convinced me to buy the Phi. I don't think the Phi cable "needs" replacing. It sounds right.
Alternate cabling is an optional "gilding of the lily" that one may like the result of, or not, for any number of reasons.

Some "gild the lily" definitions; to try to improve what is already beautiful or excellent / To apply unnecessary ornament - to over embellish / to improve or decorate something that is already perfect and therefore spoil it / to coat with gold, gold leaf, or a gold-colored substance / to add unnecessary ornamentation, a special feature, etc., in an attempt to improve something that is already complete, satisfactory, or ideal.

 

[FLTWS]

My Abyss 1266 Phi Demo Evaluation SN01300733; 10/31/17 to 11/12/17
vs my HD800 (owned 14 mos.) vs. my Utopia (owned 8 mos.)

For those interested in or considering purchase of the Abyss 1266 Phi and who are most likely following this thread, this is my comparison experience with my other two TOTL phones. I make no claim to being “the answer”, what follow is just my subjective thoughts and can only be 100% true and correct for myself. Rather than make it a formal review (and regurgitate spec sheets and discuss matters of build quality, pictures, etc., I thought I’d try something different, instead of a formal review (not sure how anyway with this new platform) and using the {spoiler} so as to not take up a lot of space and place it in this thread. I put a list of all the equipment used during the evaluation as well as recordings used at the end of my comments. I kept notes daily as I went through this gauntlet; hopefully I’ve corrected all my cut and paste errors and re-proofed it enough times. I could have spent more time reviewing it but it was time to stop cutting bait and start fishing.

Reading impressions in a vacuum never helped me much so that’s why I draw listening comparisons with my other two TOTL headphones and three primary headphone amps.

All my gear is purchased by me. I do this for fun and my own pleasure. I am not out to sell anything to anybody. I don’t (can’t) do measurements and post fancy graphs. I listen to music not test signal sweeps. I don’t need validation, and I’m pretty sure I’m nobody’s fanboy, but I do like getting great sound performance and features at a fair price, or better, LOL.

I spent a week with the original 1266 in November 2016 (did not own my Utopia at that time) and wrestled with getting a good fit and came to the conclusion the phones primary colorations or flavorings were too dark sounding for me. But it’s a new year, with a new model, and a new attitude. My dealer (The Cable Company) indicated that this demo unit had over 200 hours on it when I picked it up.

My Standard Disclaimer

I’ve made peace with the fact that headphones do not duplicate the in-room speaker experience, and vice-versa. Each is its own unique way of presenting and enjoying recorded music. And neither comes close to the sound of live music in the concert hall and I seriously doubt they ever will, so I don’t stress over it. And, YMWV, because, no two people hear exactly the same things in the exactly the same way.

I also want to note that what follows is based on spending only 2 weeks with the Phi primarily listening to classical music, some Jazz, a little Rock. I listened in roughly 2 x 2 to 3 hour shifts a day for most of 13 straight days for this evaluation. This is nowhere near adequate time to juggle 3 pair of headphones plus 3 different headphone amps with all the different combinations possible.

All 3 phones partnered well with my Rogue RH-5 with 12AU7’s (HD800 benefited a lot), Mjolnir 2 with 6DJ8’s and Ragnarok. I run all my equipment balanced in and out and use AES/EBU from my ERC-3 (as transport) to my Yggdrasil DAC. Different equipment could / should give different results.

Spoiler alert, my tale has a happy ending.

Spoiler

General Impressions of the 3 Headphones

HD800: Overall sound profile is slightly tilted up in frequency response from bottom to top, it is unforgiving, and bright as of a result of a peak in the highs (which doesn’t affect me as much as it does others with my old ears). My choices in HP amps (as well as tubes) and HP cabling make a noticeable difference in the sound quality of the HD800 adding some richness to the lower bass through midbass as well as helping the highs with this headphone. In addition to replacement HP cable I run mine without the felt liners (maybe a smidge clearer but also gives me a bit more room inside the ear cup cavity for my ears). No other mods or EQ.

Utopia: A beautiful, rich sounding HP overall that sounds relatively flat, frequency response wise, with great dynamic punch from bottom to top but with a bit of forwardness which tends to flatten the sound field. It is also unforgiving but more as a result of its accuracy than any frequency anomalies that I can identify. My choice of replacement HP cabling made a more modest improvement in the sound, not as dramatic a change as with the HD800 but was still a worthwhile upgrade to my ears. The Utopia sounds very good with all of my amps and the better the source quality the better it sounds. Aside from the cable I run mine stock and with no EQ.

Abyss Phi: The overall profile sounds slightly tilted down from bottom to top (maybe as a result of its extraordinary bass reproduction which outclasses every other phone I’ve heard, I’m not use to this type of bass in a headphone.). I heard no missing high frequency information in comparison with the HD800 and Utopia. The bass range is not over-blown just incredibly deep ranging, dynamic, and stress free at all volume levels. Highs are relaxed and smooth. I haven’t heard an ugly sound out of it yet. While not a forgiving headphone I find it tends not to make some or my more problematic recordings sound worse. I have only used it with the stock dual 3-pin cables and ¼ inch adapter so far. The separated L/R cable strands keep getting tangled up in my feet. (Note: Based on my past experience dual 3-Pin vs. 4-Pin / negligible difference, balanced vs SE / notable difference. I also employed ¼ inch adapters on the 3 phones during some sessions for complete uniformity in listening to the 3 amps).

Specific Impressions of HD800 and Utopia and Initial Impressions to the Phi’s

Highs: (Advisory: I’m 70 and my audiologist tells me I don’t hear very much above 8khz).
The Phi has changed my stance towards all planar magnetics being dark or dull to my ears compared to my dynamic transducers. Massed strings at the top of the scale are particularly beautiful, smooth and extended. Highs, as I remember them, are not as reticent as the original 1266 (which I auditioned a year ago) but they never get as bright as the other two phones can sound at times with my average recordings. Highs are well behaved, relaxed, all there with the Phi. The Phi initially sounded “un-bright” compared to the other two but over time it just sounds clean, especially at higher volume peaks, and it doesn’t comes un-glued under stress. The Phi highs do not stand out or grab attention like they sometimes do with my HD800 and Utopia.

All 3 reproduce highs with the same level of information revealed, nothing is missing with the Phi, they just sounds less “sparkly”. I note here that in a concert hall “live” highs never sound as “bright” to my ears as when reproduced over speakers or headphones. Maybe a function of the volume of space the sound is generated in; headphone ear cup versus in room speakers versus the concert hall and microphone proximity versus member of the audience perspective. The more I listen to the Phi, however, the more I’m convinced the highs may be just right for me, only time will tell. Checking my listening notes on the original 1266 from last year indicates I did not care for the darker overall sound and the highs with the original. Good test discs for highs; Shchedrin: “Carmen Suite” / Pletnev DG471136 and Chesky’s Ultimate Headphone Demo Disc JD361.

Midrange: I enjoy all 3, even with their varying instrument and vocal presentations. But the Phi really commanded my attention (maybe new toy syndrome). Comparing some of my older (say 60’s and 70’s) recently remastered / remixed recordings on CD with their original issued CD releases, (that I purchased at the time of their original release), was a treat with the Phi. One example; Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas: Philips 422 485-2 (original release 1970) / (remixed & remastered 2016) on Pentatone PTC 5186 230. Remixing improvements I heard include; better ambience cues of the recording environment, better balancing of instrument groups and voices, better detail, smoother highs all around, improved intelligibility of words with soloists and chorus, deeper bass, and the harpsichord accompaniment is no longer a standout soloist. 46 years from the original mix to this one, but this one really gets it right. Want to talk night and day differences? It’s easy to get too focused on the hardware boxes and wires to the exclusion of the source quality which I always contend is “the” most important component in the chain. No DAC or amp or equalizer can fix any issues in the recording, obvious but not always easy to keep in mind when confronted with that new model smell and glow of the LEDs as we listen for expected improvement’s to the sound of a recording we know so well.

The improvements wrought by the remastering / remixing process were readily heard when listening with the Phi but were also noticeable on the other two as well. I also want to note that not all remastered recordings are equally successful.

The edge on the brass instruments with the Phi’s isn’t quite as aggressive as with the HD800 and Utopia, I’m not sure which I prefer at this point, or if it even matters that much as the difference was not large.

Bass: The Phi wins, hands down, and I’m no bass-head. No other phone I’ve heard yet does bass like the Phi with both the sensation of air movement and delineation of the notes and this is with every recording I used during the evaluation. With a bass drum for instance, I find the only difference between the Phi and a bass capable in-room speaker system is the Phi only affects the eardrums and head, speakers can sometimes involve the whole body, but headphones eliminate the room interphase issues speakers have to deal with usually providing lower coloration and better detail. “Live” always involves and moves the whole body to a much greater extent and it’s not a matter of how loudly the drum is struck. (I’m reminded of that old Hitachi ad with a man with his hair streaming behind him seated in front of a pair of speakers, I think one of our members uses that as an avatar). Listen to the first movement of Mahler 5 for dynamic gradations of bass drum and tympani “thwacks”, it’s not about the “loud”.

While it is capable of prodigiously deep, clean, and powerful bass with a 100+ piece orchestra going full out it still sounds right with a small ensemble like a string quartet, as in, never too much of a good thing. Following the lowest notes on cellos and double basses and horns in complex scoring revealed some subtler details I’d never quite been able to make out with the other phones as clearly as with the Phi. The “shuddery” sound quality of tympani and bass drum at ffff or pppp volume levels is reproduced with an amazing sense of realism, the illusion of air being moved in a volume of space. I’ve got a couple of discs/tracks that can quickly tell me the score on the bass in just a few minutes of listening. I notice some extra clarity on vocal groups too, sounding more like a group of individual voices. Bass response sounds best to me with the lightest possible clamping of the ear pads even though that may sound counter intuitive.

Sound Staging: The Phi and HD800 share the win jointly; a better sense of distance from the front of the stage to the back wall (even though it’s all in or over the head and not in front) with well recorded material, and maybe a little more side to side width. My Utopia sound stage is not so deep or wide (not by much) and the sound is more forward.

Imaging: all 3 are fine by me with respect to stability but the Utopia makes for a bit smaller images in a slightly smaller space, not really a big deal to me, not enough to deduct points. Center of the sound stage with the Phi’s is a bit more “there”, a very smooth, continuous panning image, but again, all inside or over the head. I keep listening for a seam of sorts but there’s none to be heard. Maybe it’s something to do with the dual 3 pin configuration of the stock cables or just the matching of the drivers.

One area that I found to be more problematic with the Phi, and this has been mentioned before by others, is with closely miked solo instruments like piano. Most piano recordings don’t come off too well on any type of transducer in my experience. I spent the first 2 decades of my life listening to my father play a grand piano almost daily. No matter where I stand listening to one the sound is just not as exaggerated, as big, as recordings make it sound. The live sound is always more mono-ish than the overdone stereo effect on most recordings. Can’t fault the Phi (or HD800 and Utopia for that matter) for accurately presenting the way the recording was miked.

Transient Attack and Decay: I initially had an impression that the HD800 and Utopia sounded quicker on transient attacks than the Phi. I carefully compared recordings specifically to listen for this. If clarity of detail is a hallmark of good transient response then the Phi is just as quick, but there is a subjective difference in listening I haven’t been able to put my finger on. The sound of the different driver materials? Planar membrane coloration versus cone driver colorations?

Air and Ambience: All 3 do a good job but again the Phi has a certain degree of clarity in conjunction with well recorded source material that really defines the air space of the recording venue. I’ve got a suspicion it’s got something to do with the quality of its bass, even when the music isn’t plumbing the depths all the way to the bottom of the scale.

Dynamic Capability: The Phi and Utopia share the win in this category. My HD800 doesn’t like being pushed as hard as the other two on peak volume levels (crescendos) with Late Romantic and many Modern compositions, but, I love my HD800 with baroque and early classical period music, especially on original instruments. With the HD800 (and especially RH-5), it’s hypnotic. But, on powerful dynamic material the Phi never yells “uncle”, the Utopia stresses at times but only slightly. (Probably shouldn't listen that loudly anyway from an ear safety standpoint)

Transparency / Colorations: In my experience every audio system I’ve ever heard composed of a source, wires, boxes, and transducer will have, at least, some subtle variations in transparency or coloration to give the overall sound a signature, no matter how slight. I’ll take a certain amount of coloration or personality in the sound over transparency to the point of sterility, but that’s just my personal preference. In a perfect world with perfect recordings…Well, that’s just not the case, and especially as I’m performance driven first over SQ I like a little forgiveness in my head phone system. I’m okay with the 3 different sound signatures of these three phones (and the lesser differences in my 3 amps). It’s up to each individual listener to determine what’s right for them. Ultimate tonal accuracy is in the ear of the listener who enjoys what they hear.

Summary: I found the Phi to be a unique and different listen compared to my other phones. I think it starts with the quality of the bass (not necessarily the quantity although it’s available in spades with the Phi) that sets a solid foundation to build the total sound experience on. There’s also something about that “there-ness” I referred to earlier that makes for involving listening sessions. But, it also requires one to get comfortable with a different type of headphone fit and feel compared to more traditional designs.

I’m looking forward to spending a lot more ear time with the Phi, so it looks like I’ll have to buy my own pair. “Ouch!” says my wallet, again! Oh well, but I wouldn’t spend another 5 grand with 2 world class headphones already in my inventory if there wasn’t a seriously compelling reason making the Phi worth the cost of admission to me. Make no mistake; I found this is a very special and different sounding headphone whose unique qualities don’t reveal themselves in a brief listen. But, that’s only the way I hear it, others may differ.

I should be taking delivery of my Phi sometime next month. I’m going to order the “Lite” version (kind of an ironic designation for a head phone that is larger than most, heavier than most, and has bass reproduction that outweighs any of the competition I’ve auditioned).

I don’t need the leather carrying bag (I won’t be taking these out of the house into the light of day or dark of night, the Phi is not a portable listening solution to my way of thinking, and for any number of reasons). The stand that comes with the “Delux” would be nice but I’ll figure something out. My preference would be to support/display it by the aluminum framing and not the leather headband (don’t know how much leather replacements are) so I’ll have to work on that. I’m going with the 4 pin balanced cable (which is the configuration I use on my other phones) to hopefully reduce the tangle factor; at least I won’t hesitate to use some tape or plastic cable ties to keep the 2 runs of cable together (at least it looks like 2 runs in the picture of the “Lite” on their website are only joined at the 4-pin connector), which I wouldn’t do with a demo unit. I did not find the stock cable wanting in any way, and it was obviously good enough in conjunction with the Phi to convince me I wanted to buy it. I’ll think about gilding the lily next year. Decadent? You bet.

I’m fortunate to be able to own all 3 of these world-class TOTL headphones. I enjoy them as much for their differences as for their similarities and so I will have phones for all occasions. But the Phi, given more time, may just be that special “one phone to rule them all” thus ending my quest, for the foreseeable future.

A note on setup / fitting:

Unlike other phones I’ve auditioned; I couldn’t just throw them on and listen. I spent a lot of my time fidgeting with fit a year ago when I auditioned the original 1266. This time I read the instructions and suggestions (!). And, I also picked up a lot of useful info on this dedicated thread here at Head-Fi. And it’s probable I’ve over-thought the process, but...

Unlike all the other phones I’ve experienced over the past 2 years the fitting process for the Abyss 1266 models entails some trial and error. And with my large-ish, moderately protruding ears almost every phone presents a challenge to me getting a comfortable fit without deforming some part of my outer ear, even if only slightly.

The aluminum headband width and angle adjustment had an effect on how the leather headband sits on top of my head and the ear cup pads vertical position on the side of my head. Throw in the angle of the aluminum frames horizontal and vertical parts and the rotational position of the ear cups pads with their D-shaped opening and how it all sits on the side of my head and jaw and that’s a lot of things that have an effect on comfort and sound. (I think I got all that right, LOL!)

I found experimenting with all the possible adjustments for fit and comfort easier with the HP cable(s) disconnected and not listening to music. Making adjustments in front of a mirror helped me to understand visually how the different pieces parts were interacting and affecting the fit as I made changes. I would have liked a ¼ to ½ inch more of adjustment to the horizontal part of the aluminum frame, would make it easier for me to even out the pressure all around my ear, it’s a bit higher above my ear than elsewhere, but I’ll keep working on it.

I kept trying different combinations of the adjustments until I had the lightest possible pressure that kept the phones in place. When I had it all dialed in the press of the leather headband support was barely noticeable on top of my head and the ear cup pads only a little more so and then only with head movement which didn't surprised me given the overall weight and centrifugal effect of the heavy outboard drivers. Strange as it sounds it is almost as comfortable as my HD800 except for that bulky centrifugal aspect when wearing combined with the lightness of ear cup pad clamping.

I found the Phi is not good for walking around with, head banging to “Queen” with Wayne and Garth, and by extension, probably not right for wearing while exercising. I only use them while sitting to listen to music or to view a movie. I’ve had no issues with the weight; no uncomfortable pressure points and no neck discomfort. I found that the closer I got to the right fit for me with the best weight distribution providing the best comfort, the better the sound.

With other phones the only adjustment is basically the length of the arms of the phone’s yokes and after that you either live with (or not) the results. While I found the fitting a more intensive process with the Abyss 1266 models, it’s kind of unique for a headphone to have so many interactive physical parameters that can be adjusted to suit comfort and sound, if one has the patience. It’s a process and it’s still ongoing for me, but I’m confident I’m very close to ideal at this time.

Epilogue

With the upcoming acquisition of the Phi (and Rogue RH-5 last month) I will be taking a break. My search for my ultimate headphone rig started 2 years ago this January. Not having room for a proper 2 channel set up, let alone dedicated listening room environment, and no longer satisfied using my home theater surround rig for music (which I had been doing since 2004), I got into headphones, After auditioning about 20 top HP contenders and about a dozen different amps to drive them with over that time, I need to get back to listening to the music instead of the hardware, of which I have more than enough. While, if the opportunity presents itself, I’d still like to hear what the TOTL Woo’s or Dave might have to offer, simply because they might be at opposite ends of the transparency/coloration spectrum, and it would be as much academic curiosity as anything else. But, I’m no longer driven to make the heroic effort or spend that much time or money, even though I could. However, anyone who feels their amp/dac would be a life enhancing improvement compared to any of my current amps/dac, please feel free to send it to me, I’ll be happy to evaluate it! My position is that the recording quality, mixing and mastering, and the headphones capabilities are responsible for better than 90% of what I end up hearing as long as the wires and boxes in between are of good design. While one still needs those wires and boxes in between the two, and while the right amp with the right headphone may synergize beyond the sum of the pieces, and while balance of the whole system is important (you wouldn’t combine a 3,000 pound 600hp Cummins ISX15 Diesel engine with a VW beetle), I believe in putting the lion’s share of my budget into the headphone, simply because I can’t do anything about the “true” front end as the recording is what it is.

My game plan now is to let all I already have sort itself out over time.

Trust your ears, decisions on audio gear “are” all about you, not someone else.

Associated Equipment Used in My Comparison

Balanced FTW: ERC-3 to Schiit YGG to RAG or MJ2 (tubes or LISST's) or Rogue Audio RH-5 > HD800 with DanaCable Lazuli / Utopia with DanaCable Lazuli Ref. > Sapphire Reference Balanced and SE IC's. > DHLabs AES/EBU and COAX > .Monster AVS 2000 & 5100MKII. I’m CD only & 90% Classical listening.


I listen to classical music from every period of time from Gregorian Chant to Einojuhani Rautavaara, and just about every composer in between although my specialties lie between the time of Wagner and that of Vaughn-Williams with an emphasis on Mahler. The “bleeding chunk” selections I use to evaluate from the list that follows are permanently burned into my memory, some dating back to their original vinyl releases. While well recorded music tends to sound very good on most competently designed gear, sometimes the not so good helps me to pinpoint sonic issues more quickly. I have a number of original issue CD’s and their K2, JVC, Mobile Fidelity, etc., remasters. While some are hybrid SACD I only listen to the standard stereo tracks on them. The CD recordings used:


Chesky’s Ultimate Headphone Demo Disc JD361

Chesky’s Ultimate Demo Disc UD95

Sheffield’s: “The Missing Linc”, Vol 2 CDS10

Sheffield’s: “Wagner and Prokofiev Selections”: CD 7/8

Bartok: Music for Strings Percussion & Celeste; Reiner/RCA Living Stereo Hybrid SACD 828766 139020 & Marriner/ASMF on Decca 448577-2; This work uses mirror imaged string orchestras with percussion instruments, great fun with some stark L/R channel contrasts. Do note however that the f holes of first and second violins face different directions and so could sound slightly different. Both are (relatively) recent remasters.

Bizet Carmen: Beecham/Warner 0825646994489 (1960 Re-mastered 2016), V.K./DG 410 088- 2 (1983?), Plasson/EMI 5 57434-2 (2003)

Gregorian Chants: Teldec 4509-96036-2 (original recording 1958 first CD issue 1994)

Beethoven 5th & 7th: Kleiber VPO/ single issues DG 28941 58612 (1975) DG 28941 58622 (1976)/ SACD including both DG471 6302 (2003)/ & K2 HD 480 864-4 Remastering of both (2013)

Beethoven 9th: London 430 438-2 Solti&Chicago (1972) / & K2 HD Remastering 480 411-2 (2010) and London 417 755-2 Schmidt-Isserstedt & VPO

Liszt: Les Preludes on BIS CD-1117 and Warner/Apex 2564 66586-1 and a few others as well.

Mahler: A lot, way too many to list! But okay; Solti CSO, London 414 321-2 (1970- AAD) and its “remastered reissue” London 430 443-2 (1991 – ADD). His 1990 CSO and 1997 Tonhalle recordings, both “Live”, are good too!

Prokofiev 5th Symphony: Jarvi / Telarc 60683 and Previn / Warner Classics 65181 (orig EMI remastered).

Puccini: Tosca: Philips 412 885-2 (1976) Davis and the R.O.H Covent Garden are magnificent.

Purcell: Dido & Aeneas: Davis & ASMF: Philips 422 485-2 (1970) / Remastered (2016) on Pentatone PTC 5186 230 and it is glorious all the way around for my tastes.

Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances: Johanos/Dallas Sym. O: Analogue Productions AACD 006. This is one of handful of AAD recordings in my collection. This was recorded in McFarland Auditorium at Southern Methodist University in 1967. Accordingly it has a very distinctive sound signature; very dry, very clean, very dynamic, very close up and on a compact stage. The original LP was on the Turnabout label.

Respighi: “Ancient Airs and Dances” Dorati/Philharmonia Hungarica on Mercury Living Presence 434 304-2 (this 1992 re-master is smoother in the highs with fuller, deeper bass than the first A to D transfer (early 80’s CD issue on Philips 416 496-2) - I have both. (I had the 58’ LP at one time). Along with the Rachmaninov above this was my ultimate sound stage and imaging reference, in either LP or CD format that I would drag to every loud speaker audition.

Shchedrin: “Carmen Suite” / Pletnev DG471136 (I recently re-discovered this, highly recommended for demo’ing if you’re into classical. It’s for a large string orchestra and percussion instruments, no horns, no woodwinds!)

Shostakovich / Shchedrin: Piano Concertos on Hyperion CDA 67425. The closing bars of the Shchedrin are skull crushing, LOL! But, the more I hear it the more it makes sense. No dying away to a whimper, it’s definitely “over” when it’s over.

Swedish Orchestral Favorites Vol 2 on Naxos 8.553715 Great music for spending a quiet, solo, rainy afternoon with some of my 21 year old Bushmills.

Wagner’s Ring Cycle: Solti & VPO: London 414 100-2 /Remastered on Decca 478 8370 (the 2012 remastering), and Bohm & Bayreuth Festival 66-67’ on Decca 478 2367.

Non Classical; Alan Parson’s Project, Santana, Steely Dan, Stanley Clarke, Grover Washington, Diana Krall, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Traffic.

Finis

 

[draytonklammer]

Also finally getting my cable replaced.

Wow that was fast. I think you decided to upgrade after me and interesting that you sent them already and I still have weeks and weeks to wait. What gives Joe?

I put my name on the list what feels like ages ago honestly.

 

[fredfung28]

run in the abyss phi for 20 hours, bass and imaging are better than 0 hrs a lot..
I just want to say again.. the strings are very close to reality.. so crazy..

 

[draytonklammer]

Almost considering a DHC and selling my Yggy/430HAD for a DAVE.

Decisions decisions...

My guess is I won't be able to convince myself to do it. I think the Yggy and 430HA shine together.

 

[mulder01]

What? the waiting time for upgrade from old abyss to abyss phi is 20 weeks? I think they do that just because they haven't any interesting to do an upgrade, so they just saying 20 weeks to make abyss user frustrated in waiting and think twice to take the upgrade path.
Rather than waiting for 20 weeks (I mean, hey that is almost half of year), better waiting for the 2nd hand abyss phi, I am sure in that 20 weeks must be a few abyss phi in 2nd hand market...

It's a small company so they can only do a certain number per week and the list is getting longer and longer... I think at the very beginning, the wait was only a couple of weeks.

 

[draytonklammer]

It's a small company so they can only do a certain number per week and the list is getting longer and longer... I think at the very beginning, the wait was only a couple of weeks.

This ^

I literally can't even remember when I originally asked to be put on the list for an upgrade.

It was awhile back to say the least. Many months.

Don't worry m17xr2b, I had a slightly longer wait time than you so in theory you should be coming up fairly soon. Maybe a month?

 

[jlbrach]

Almost considering a DHC and selling my Yggy/430HAD for a DAVE.

Decisions decisions...

My guess is I won't be able to convince myself to do it. I think the Yggy and 430HA shine together.

I had the yiggy/rag combo.....i sold the rag for the moon 430 and the combo was wonderful....i ultimately sold the Yiggy and got the dave and have never looked back.....the dave is simply better and of course it has its own amp section which is quite good....i have kept the 430 and use it with the dave sometimes depending on the music with the Phi...with the Utopia there is no need for an amp with the dave

 

[MacedonianHero]

I had the yiggy/rag combo.....i sold the rag for the moon 430 and the combo was wonderful....i ultimately sold the Yiggy and got the dave and have never looked back.....the dave is simply better and of course it has its own amp section which is quite good....i have kept the 430 and use it with the dave sometimes depending on the music with the Phi...with the Utopia there is no need for an amp with the dave

^ x2 for me wrt to the DAVE.