[F208Frank]

Checking in with my fellow Abyss owners...

I have my server in for repair and am "forced" to use my dac/amp without a server and music still sounds prettttty damn good.

What are your own personal experiences with servers, for users who have had them in and out of their chain?

 

[Smallpie]

If anyone is looking to unload a 4 pin xlr upgrade cable for the TC lmk. I’ve owned the superconductor and may be willing to get their back, but I’m intrigued to try something new (prion 4, etc). Also have a moon audio silver dragon I would trade plus cash.

You could always re-terminate the silver dragon or buy an adapter for it.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

You know how you see some older people who are afraid of certain "changes" because they are stuck in their old ways?

I can't believe it but this is me regarding filters/EQ/etc.

This is exactly my case

For the past year, I've only listened to bit-perfect, unaltered music (often spinning CDs) through a NOS DAC. I have always believed that the less digital processing, the better. At some point, I realized that this is no longer my objective opinion that DSP has a bad effect on sound, but has become some kind of prejudice. Prejudice is bad, because it limits our ability to experience different pleasures. I don’t want my brain to grow old and loose flexibility, so I try to check everything, even if I think it's already clear. So I ripped some CDs, bought an HQPlayer license and started listening. Just listening to music as usual. After two weeks, I returned to the old method to check the impressions and... Well, long story short - I'm now feeding my Holo May with convolution and DSD256 upsampling

I cannot say that the EQ is the answer to all questions and that everyone should use it. I don't think so. However, I believe that progress has not stood still all these years and today advanced software like HQPlayer does more good than harm. At least I listen to more music and have more fun with the new digital setup than with the old one. Will everyone like it? Hard to tell. However, trying new things is always good - that's for sure.

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

I can't believe it but this is me regarding filters/EQ/etc.

Maybe one day I will see the light, for now

FWIW, my understanding is that Mitch makes the filters available for a free 14-day trial, so you can give them a whirl for the fun of it.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

What are your own personal experiences with servers, for users who have had them in and out of their chain?

Depends on DAC and its interfaces. I use Rockna Wavedream NET as an i2s source for my May. Despite the high price of Rockna, I am very pleased with its effect and believe that it is worth the money spent. No USB source (I tried many) was even close to being as good, regardless of insulation, cables, etc. I don't know if it's because of the i2s itself or because of the high quality of Rockna (I think both matters), but the DAC just grows in quality very distinctly. And that's audible either with Roon or HQPlayer or CDs. I also listened to MolaMola Tambaqi at home. It has an i2s input and there is also just a network input with a Roon endpoint inside. The difference was huge. After switching to MolaMola's onboard streamer at first I was scared that I broke something.

Yesterday I was playing with HQP settings. Rockna's i2s is limited to DSD256 and DXD. I wanted to try higher sample rates. Plugged May via USB into a Linux computer with LPSU. Sound was so much worse, that I wasn't able to understand if higher rates did anything at all.

All in all, I think digital source matters a lot, but it's not always obvious which DAC will perform best with which server/interface.

 

[karangovil]

Mitch makes the filters available for a free 14-day trial, so you can give them a whirl for the fun of it

He does but the trial version can not be used with Roon unfortunately, afaik. I took the plunge without the trial and haven't listened to the TCs without the filters since.

 

[leftside]

He does but the trial version can not be used with Roon unfortunately, afaik. I took the plunge without the trial and haven't listened to the TCs without the filters since.

Same

 

[F208Frank]

Depends on DAC and its interfaces. I use Rockna Wavedream NET as an i2s source for my May. Despite the high price of Rockna, I am very pleased with its effect and believe that it is worth the money spent. No USB source (I tried many) was even close to being as good, regardless of insulation, cables, etc. I don't know if it's because of the i2s itself or because of the high quality of Rockna (I think both matters), but the DAC just grows in quality very distinctly. And that's audible either with Roon or HQPlayer or CDs. I also listened to MolaMola Tambaqi at home. It has an i2s input and there is also just a network input with a Roon endpoint inside. The difference was huge. After switching to MolaMola's onboard streamer at first I was scared that I broke something.

Yesterday I was playing with HQP settings. Rockna's i2s is limited to DSD256 and DXD. I wanted to try higher sample rates. Plugged May via USB into a Linux computer with LPSU. Sound was so much worse, that I wasn't able to understand if higher rates did anything at all.

All in all, I think digital source matters a lot, but it's not always obvious which DAC will perform best with which server/interface.

Very interesting you bring this up...

My server/streamer was in for repair and I received a new DAC meanwhile, while using new DAC without server/streamer I was feeling that servers/streamers not mattering as much as i remembered.

Once streamer/server thrown back in chain though.... WHOA.

Can not underestimate source components, though best bang for buck is always spent in headphones, then amp/dac in equal proportions imo.

Audio is always so amazing.

 

[F208Frank]

Depends on DAC and its interfaces. I use Rockna Wavedream NET as an i2s source for my May. Despite the high price of Rockna, I am very pleased with its effect and believe that it is worth the money spent. No USB source (I tried many) was even close to being as good, regardless of insulation, cables, etc. I don't know if it's because of the i2s itself or because of the high quality of Rockna (I think both matters), but the DAC just grows in quality very distinctly. And that's audible either with Roon or HQPlayer or CDs. I also listened to MolaMola Tambaqi at home. It has an i2s input and there is also just a network input with a Roon endpoint inside. The difference was huge. After switching to MolaMola's onboard streamer at first I was scared that I broke something.

Yesterday I was playing with HQP settings. Rockna's i2s is limited to DSD256 and DXD. I wanted to try higher sample rates. Plugged May via USB into a Linux computer with LPSU. Sound was so much worse, that I wasn't able to understand if higher rates did anything at all.

All in all, I think digital source matters a lot, but it's not always obvious which DAC will perform best with which server/interface.

Rockna Wavedream NET, awesome choice.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Anyone tried the 1266 on any Cayin tube amps? Recently got the Cayin HA-3A and its made my LCD 4 an absolute monster and that gives me some confidence it will drive the 1266 if I buy one.

 

[pofofo]

I bought my pair of 1266 from a guy who had the HA-300 (not shure which MK), And he said it where not a optimal pairing but liked the amp with other headphones he had, so in stead of getting an amp just for the 1266 he sold them instead.

 

[F208Frank]

Anyone tried the 1266 on any Cayin tube amps? Recently got the Cayin HA-3A and its made my LCD 4 an absolute monster and that gives me some confidence it will drive the 1266 if I buy one.

Some (key word some) popular amp pairings to 1266 in no particular order:

Woo Audio WA33
Formula S + Powerman
Riviera AIC-10
Enleum Amp 23-R
Headamp GS-X
Benchmark HPA4

Speaking of the TC, I am enjoying them right now over this short weekend, lots of smiles, smirks, and head bobbing. WhooOOoooOooooo!!!

I always think about Joe and how proud he is (as he should be) about his headphones, not to mention how wonderful it is that their family unit gets along well. You see the chemistry amongst themselves when they do their youtube videos. Too bad I missed CanJam this year, was planning to go by and give Joe a big ass fist bump!

Someone should make a statue of Joe holding his Aluminata cables on both hands above his head like a mad man gone crazy, that'll be pretty funny.

 

[TonyTripleA]

Some (key word some) popular amp pairings to 1266 in no particular order:

Woo Audio WA33
Formula S + Powerman
Riviera AIC-10
Enleum Amp 23-R
Headamp GS-X
Benchmark HPA4

Speaking of the TC, I am enjoying them right now over this short weekend, lots of smiles, smirks, and head bobbing. WhooOOoooOooooo!!!

I always think about Joe and how proud he is (as he should be) about his headphones, not to mention how wonderful it is that their family unit gets along well. You see the chemistry amongst themselves when they do their youtube videos. Too bad I missed CanJam this year, was planning to go by and give Joe a big ass fist bump!

Someone should make a statue of Joe holding his Aluminata cables on both hands above his head like a mad man gone crazy, that'll be pretty funny.

Amps I own and use with 1266 for their synergy include:

- sparkos labs Aries, plenty of power. Some things excel, classical, piano, jazz. If you want to experience something special tubular bells with this setup is it. Bass is excellent and non fatiguing listening, I stopped looking for a better solid state match, they are just great with the 1266 to my ears. I could live with this as my only setup if I had one choice.

- auris Nivana, yes tube power. This thing has so much power it’s almost the biggest issue, small changes in the volume potentiometer make significant changes in the sound level. That said any vocals are very well rendered, and maybe perfect for my taste. Not as super sharp as the Aries but for so much music this is my go to. Yes, upgraded tubes and that made a very significant difference. Treble sparkle being the most obvious. Just wonderful. I was using chord DACs with this amp and I think that is a great pairing but I’ve swapped over to a terminator lately and that seems to suit the 1266 by adding a marginal increase in mid range ‘tone’ for want of a better word. My go to pairing for most of my music tastes.

I can mention amps I didn‘t fancy as well but let’s keep with the positives!

T

 

[F208Frank]

Amps I own and use with 1266 for their synergy include:

- sparkos labs Aries, plenty of power. Some things excel, classical, piano, jazz. If you want to experience something special tubular bells with this setup is it. Bass is excellent and non fatiguing listening, I stopped looking for a better solid state match, they are just great with the 1266 to my ears. I could live with this as my only setup if I had one choice.

- auris Nivana, yes tube power. This thing has so much power it’s almost the biggest issue, small changes in the volume potentiometer make significant changes in the sound level. That said any vocals are very well rendered, and maybe perfect for my taste. Not as super sharp as the Aries but for so much music this is my go to. Yes, upgraded tubes and that made a very significant difference. Treble sparkle being the most obvious. Just wonderful. I was using chord DACs with this amp and I think that is a great pairing but I’ve swapped over to a terminator lately and that seems to suit the 1266 by adding a marginal increase in mid range ‘tone’ for want of a better word. My go to pairing for most of my music tastes.

I can mention amps I didn‘t fancy as well but let’s keep with the positives!

T

I was hoping you mention stuff you did not fancy.

I do not think it is negative at all, we all respect each other's opinions and that is what the community about... sharing.

If people have differences of opinions, that's ok too!

Sharing is caring bruv! See how all that was still positive. =)

 

[pofofo]

Amps I own and use with 1266 for their synergy include:

- sparkos labs Aries, plenty of power. Some things excel, classical, piano, jazz. If you want to experience something special tubular bells with this setup is it. Bass is excellent and non fatiguing listening, I stopped looking for a better solid state match, they are just great with the 1266 to my ears. I could live with this as my only setup if I had one choice.

- auris Nivana, yes tube power. This thing has so much power it’s almost the biggest issue, small changes in the volume potentiometer make significant changes in the sound level. That said any vocals are very well rendered, and maybe perfect for my taste. Not as super sharp as the Aries but for so much music this is my go to. Yes, upgraded tubes and that made a very significant difference. Treble sparkle being the most obvious. Just wonderful. I was using chord DACs with this amp and I think that is a great pairing but I’ve swapped over to a terminator lately and that seems to suit the 1266 by adding a marginal increase in mid range ‘tone’ for want of a better word. My go to pairing for most of my music tastes.

I can mention amps I didn‘t fancy as well but let’s keep with the positives!

T

I really liked them with the Sparkos Aries as well, with a balanced Buffalo dac hooked up. Initially I didn`t like the Ragnarok 2 (with Modi 3), but Rag 2 with Denafrips Ares 2 is very good IMHO. Best amp I got for the 1266 is the Lyngdorf TDAI-2170.