[Abyss Headphones]

New video on our Youtube channel... Diana Phi and AB-1266

 

[Roasty]

Am on the TC, listening to "Jazz Variants" by O-zone Percussion Group on Tidal, from the HPA4 fed by the DAC3b.

This track really shows off what the 1266 TC can do. And what other headphones can't do.. Utopia and Empy, so sorry guys, nice try though..

 

[jlbrach]

the TC is pretty much in its own league...I am a fan of the LCD-4 as well as the Hifiman offerings

 

[Hoegaardener70]

quick question guys:

after burn-in, does the sound signature of the TC + stock cable still lean towards a little bright?

reason i am asking is because if that is the case, then i'm going to be leaning towards a danacable in hopes that it will do the same for the abyss as what it did for the utopia.

Hey Roasty, I have the same impression. I got the danacable ultra, no difference In this regards, imho. What really changes this is ... choosing hi-res and the right type of music

 

[tholt]

I got the danacable ultra, no difference In this regards, imho

Good to know

What really changes this is ... choosing hi-res and the right type of music

Not really the case for me. What improved the thinness, brightness etc most drastically for me was changing to a tubed amp.

 

[Roasty]

I ended up ordering a danacable lazuli reference for the 1266. Am hoping it will mellow down the highs a bit. I loved the utopia with the lazuli reference.

 

[Litlgi74]

Do you hear what I hear?



The more music I listen to with the 1266s... The more flaws are noticed... Bummer.

Check out this track around the 47 second mark... Don't hear it at all with my Sony
wh1000mx3.

https://tidal.com/track/36403707

From my Google Drive

The new Tool album is loaded with similar quality control problems.

 

[simorag]

I ended up ordering a danacable lazuli reference for the 1266. Am hoping it will mellow down the highs a bit. I loved the utopia with the lazuli reference.

When I tried the Lazuli Reference, I found it made most of its effect in the midrange area, providing a warmer, meatier sound. Treble was silkier with the DHC Prion4, which provided a tighter bass and the most transparent presentation I have heard out of the AB-1266. I ended up getting the Prion4.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ressions-thread.666765/page-444#post-14261937

Later on, I decided to try the Superconductor which brought me to sell the Prion4, as the SC gave me the best of both worlds (warmth / transparency).
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ressions-thread.666765/page-510#post-14797813

The more music I listen to with the 1266s... The more flaws are noticed... Bummer.

The AB-1266 TC are pretty ruthless when it comes to expose recording flaws, actually.

In my case, while I still consider the AB-1266 Phi TC a brighter-than-neutral headphone (less so than the CC, much less so than the original), I have found that investing in the source (adding the M Scaler to the DAVE), then in RF noise reduction (OPTO DX, battery powered equipment), and finally in better DAC and streamer power cables and interconnects has paid significant dividends.
I recently auditioned the Susvara and SR1a and - once fixed the source issues - I found the TC nearly as smooth in the treble as these two.

I am enjoying most of my music collection with little to no listening fatigue or treble quirks (e.g. sibilance) now, and rewarded by all those unique things the AB-1266 is so good at in the same time.
Of course, problematic recordings still sound … problematic

A complementary headphone like some Audeze or ZMF offerings could be a good investment for a more relaxed, midrange-centric and forgiving listening experience, when in the mood for it, or when the recording itself calls for it.

Another option is to look into power amp matching (tubes or warmer-than-neutral SS). Best pairing I tried so far in terms of tone and timbre is with the Riviera AIC-10.

As a last resort, there is EQ, but personally I have never been able to really fix a specific area of the sound presentation without affecting for the worse the overall sound signature and / or the transparency of the AB-1266, but this is possibly due to my lack of skill in doing EQ properly.

 

[cj3209]

Do you hear what I hear?



The more music I listen to with the 1266s... The more flaws are noticed... Bummer.

Check out this track around the 47 second mark... Don't hear it at all with my Sony
wh1000mx3.

https://tidal.com/track/36403707

The new Tool album is loaded with similar quality control problems.

I don't hear anything that sticks out. Good music though.

 

[Litlgi74]

I don't hear anything that sticks out. Good music though.

Really... Give the volume a good crank... You will hear it... It's an obvious digital faux pas.

Edit... Maybe not so obvious

It lasts for more than two seconds.

 

[Tekunda]

Am on the TC, listening to "Jazz Variants" by O-zone Percussion Group on Tidal, from the HPA4 fed by the DAC3b.

This track really shows off what the 1266 TC can do. And what other headphones can't do.. Utopia and Empy, so sorry guys, nice try though..

Wait for the release in November of the new Heddphones with ATM technology. I have auditioned both, the Abyss as well as the Heddphones driven by the Air Motion transformer technology and IMHO the Heddphones have potential to surpass the Abyss on the way to the headphone summit.

 

[cj3209]

Really... Give the volume a good crank... You will hear it... It's an obvious digital faux pas.

Edit... Maybe not so obvious

It lasts for more than two seconds.

I still don't hear it, even at high volume. Maybe it's a good thing or I'm listening to a different recording. I have been experimenting with different RCA cables so it may be masking some sound. Cables include an older noble soundlab cyprium, dh labs silver sonic, and a solid silver core cable. Dont hear too many differences but did hear vast changes with my xlr cables.

Oh well...this may be one of the benefits of getting older...lol

 

[Litlgi74]

Thanks for trying... I'd be curious if anyone else hears it... Like I said earlier... The "blunder" is found in quite a few tracks of the new Tool album as well.

I did a quick Google search... There are a few posts speaking about what I think I am hearing. So I am fairly confident there is not a problem with my 1266s.

PS... I am using stock cables.

Thanks

 

[Joe Skubinski]

Wait for the release in November of the new Heddphones with ATM technology. I have auditioned both, the Abyss as well as the Heddphones driven by the Air Motion transformer technology and IMHO the Heddphones have potential to surpass the Abyss on the way to the headphone summit.

I worked with a man who worked with Oscar Heil. He produced modern AMT divers that sounded very good in loudspeakers, this was 20 years ago. Our initial R&D began with such a driver, but it had too much 'self-generated noise' for nearfield use an inch or so from your ear, so we moved to prototyping with flat planar diaphragms.

 

[mulder01]

Thanks for trying... I'd be curious if anyone else hears it... Like I said earlier... The "blunder" is found in quite a few tracks of the new Tool album as well.

I did a quick Google search... There are a few posts speaking about what I think I am hearing. So I am fairly confident there is not a problem with my 1266s.

PS... I am using stock cables.

Thanks

Probably because Tool put their album out in such a rush...