[MSA1133]

Thank you. Good to know that these two headphones are quite close. I was expecting a huge improvement from v2 to 1266.

Keep in mind that the Abyss 1266 require a lot of good & clean power to sound their best. It's a big improvement for me when running them on my Chord stack. I love the Diana V2 for its flexability and ease of use on the go.

The 1266s are more grand, with deep low rumbling bass, excellent mids and detailed highs without being sibilant.

 

[Ravatar]

Keep in mind that the Abyss 1266 require a lot of good & clean power to sound their best. It's a big improvement for me when running them on my Chord stack. I love the Diana V2 for its flexability and ease of use on the go.

The 1266s are more grand, with deep low rumbling bass, excellent mids and detailed highs without being sibilant.

Diana V2 is the best headphone so far I've heard. If there is any improvement I wish to have would be more bass, and that's also the reason 1266 appeals to me. By the way, how does the utopia compare to the Abyss (v2 and 1266)?

 

[ahossam]

To anyone who own Formula S + Powerman, what DACs did you guys use?

I was thinking about Denafrips Pontus II or Sagra, but I think Sagra resale value is not good when you want to sell it alone.

 

[E-norm]

My biggest issue with the Abyss vs the Empyrean is that the Abyss feels like it lacks emotion. It feels a bit cold, emotionally distant, etc.

May I just ask what you did to remedy this? I'm having the exact same impression after going from Empyrean and Stellia to the Abyss.

I've only had them for about a week and their technical abilities are tremendous, they're comfortable and I get the great bass response everyone's talking about. Yet, I'm missing the chills I would get from a good vocal on the Empyreans. Emotional distant is the perfect word for how they feel at the moment. I'm using a Hugo TT2 as DAC/amp and it doesn't sound like anything is missing per se but still...

 

[MSA1133]

Diana V2 is the best headphone so far I've heard. If there is any improvement I wish to have would be more bass, and that's also the reason 1266 appeals to me. By the way, how does the utopia compare to the Abyss (v2 and 1266)?

I've posted a quick subjective feedback some pages back regarding the Utopias vs the Diana V2, this while having them running on my Chord stack. I've added it below.

As for the Utopia comparison, the Utopias are definitely faster, has better transients and more detailed. The V2 have a much much better low end, wider Soundstage, similar imaging and less fatiguing treble! Oh and the build quality is definitely premium on both but I find myself loving the Dianas more.

The 1266 are bass kings with deep reaching low-end that the Utopias can't match, both of them might sound analytical or cold unless paired with a suitable AMP. For me, the Chord M-Scaler slightly alleviates this issue. The 1266 has a much larger soundstage than the Utopias. For me and my ears, once I got the 1266 and Diana V2s, I've shelved my Focal in storage. It's still a fantastic and technical headphone, but I'm a sucker for great low-end and wide soundstages.

 

[MSA1133]

May I just ask what you did to remedy this? I'm having the exact same impression after going from Empyrean and Stellia to the Abyss.

I've only had them for about a week and their technical abilities are tremendous, they're comfortable and I get the great bass response everyone's talking about. Yet, I'm missing the chills I would get from a good vocal on the Empyreans. Emotional distant is the perfect word for how they feel at the moment. I'm using a Hugo TT2 as DAC/amp and it doesn't sound like anything is missing per se but still...

If you don't have the M-Scaler for your TT2, try messing around with the filters and crossfeed (XFD). I'm sure you'll find something that would pair quite well with your TCs.

Also what are your sources? This also might give us some more info. Many of the members here are pairing their TCs with Tube amps such as the WooAudio WA33, in my case, the TCs sound lush when used on the Cayin HA-6A tube amp fed by Hugo 2 as a DAC.

 

[qboogie]

May I just ask what you did to remedy this? I'm having the exact same impression after going from Empyrean and Stellia to the Abyss.

I've only had them for about a week and their technical abilities are tremendous, they're comfortable and I get the great bass response everyone's talking about. Yet, I'm missing the chills I would get from a good vocal on the Empyreans. Emotional distant is the perfect word for how they feel at the moment. I'm using a Hugo TT2 as DAC/amp and it doesn't sound like anything is missing per se but still...

I'll take a bite. You should really consider getting the Superconductor cable then. It brings a richness and forwardness to the mids/vocals that is missing from the stock. The change in flavor reminds me a lot of the Empyrean actually. A few pages back I gave it a decent review, with comparisons to Norne Silvergarde S3 and Forza Noir Hybrid cables. Both had more fleshed out vocals than stock.

Joe Skubinski recommended burning the cable in for 75 hrs. I burned them for 85 hrs just to be sure. I am happy to report a noticeable and worthwhile change. The treble is more crisp than it was before, with more air. Even before burn-in, SC treble is still smoother compared to the stock treble.

As for the SC bass, there is more sub-bass rumble than before, which agrees with Joe's prediction of more extended bass response. As for the bass impact, I honestly can't tell if there is a change. I was really hoping the bass experience could match the visceral power of the other 3 cables but it still falls a little short. Bass detail and body with my ears in the correct position (I notice that when my ears are closer to the front of the earcup the impact is huge, but at the cost of bass timbre/detail/body) are satisfactory and well-heard, but not as well-felt.

I haven't learned any new electrophysics since my pre-med college days, but I'm wondering if the thicker alumiloy wire gauge on the SC is responsible for this reduced bass (to be fair, still far better than other headphones). Does anyone know if thicker wire gauges also reduce the perceived volume? Volume matching comparisons are a pain because my set up requires the use of XLR3 adapters for the TT2, and mini XLR3 Abyss adapters when using other 3rd party cables. Switching is laborious.

TL;DR version. For better tonality in the vocals range, try different cables. The SC achieves what I think you're looking for and does get slightly better after 75hr burn-in. The difference is slight but much appreciated. Added bonus for TT2 users, Filter 4 rolls off some treble and adds a smidge more lower mids.

 

[InstantSilence]

Switching from TC to lcd4z or so I think I am, got a 4z coming, looking for it to be more relaxing for my sensitivity issue. Will sure miss TC bass

 

[paradoxper]

Switching from TC to lcd4z or so I think I am, got a 4z coming, looking for it to be more relaxing for my sensitivity issue. Will sure miss TC bass

It's time you switch your system to better suite the TC.

 

[InstantSilence]

It's time you switch your system to better suite the TC.

Maybe so. I got a Milo amp coming, but that's as much as I'll go in -*testing* the TC further
My issue is ear sensitivity so it's why I'm having to get a warmer less transient punchy approach. But my God, I hate myself for even considering selling the TC
Maybe I won't, maybe I'll hear it all out and decide în a week. Definitely giving it a week

 

[paradoxper]

Maybe so. I got a Milo amp coming, but that's as much as I'll go in -*testing* the TC further
My issue is ear sensitivity so it's why I'm having to get a warmer less transient punchy approach. But my God, I hate myself for even considering selling the TC
Maybe I won't, maybe I'll hear it all out and decide în a week. Definitely giving it a week

I hope you'll find the cause to the ear sensitivity. And then, well, maybe you'll find your path.

 

[tkam]

To anyone who own Formula S + Powerman, what DACs did you guys use?

I was thinking about Denafrips Pontus II or Sagra, but I think Sagra resale value is not good when you want to sell it alone.

I haven't heard the Pontus II but the Venus II is a wonderful dac and is what I use with my Abyss rig.

 

[jlbrach]

I have been using the chord dave/blu2

 

[ken6217]

Switching from TC to lcd4z or so I think I am, got a 4z coming, looking for it to be more relaxing for my sensitivity issue. Will sure miss TC bass

Any difference in sound between the 4 and 4Z?

 

[InstantSilence]

Any difference in sound between the 4 and 4Z?

I've had just about 20 Mins with the lcd4. Keep in mind I also have sensitivity to upper mids lower treble.

I found the lcd4 to be hollow, even in that upper mid lower treble like I like. But too much, feels like a chunk of music is just not there, low presense and gets eaten up by lower mids and upper treble.
The 4z is similar (lol) but has more energy slight more elevation in that upper mid/low treble.
And while I find the TC relatively tolerable in comfort... The lcd4 weight distribution is way bulky and heavy. The 4z while still a heavy can, far more comfortable.
I prefer the 4z, more energy, somehow allows those annoying claps and snares (annoying to me as I'm sensitive to fast slamming transients) it allows them to come through with far less edge and bite.
Im gonna have to barely apply any soothing effects to the via vst3 as they just make things sound forgiving yet resolving.

Definitely not anywhere near as resolving as the TC (but not near as aggressive either)
Still it provides awesome resolution and somehow forgives recordings while pushing details, I feel to me, that's where it's specialty is. It also supposedly handles EQ very nicely so can't wait to gunk it up and see what it does.