[TonyTripleA]

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. =)

I appreciate your point… and I can say average amps give less than average results with the 1266. But some spectacular amps can not suit it as well too. I didn’t want to be controversial but I don’t find for instance that the chord TT2 amp is equal to the other amps I have tried when used for the 1266. It’s not in any way bad but the clinical, resolving, transparency of the TT2 amp may be too much for the V shaped frequency response of the 1266 for my ears. It doesn’t fill that mid range gap… with the Nirvana I don’t know there is something “better” happening. Not saying one is more accurate than the other of course, it’s just personal taste.

I may be a strange listener however as I had an ampsandsound biggger Ben for a while and enjoyed it with dynamic headphones like Utopia… but it wasn’t what I call audiophile great. Musical yes, resolving not especially. And resolving, that’s part of what I love with the 1266, so for me amps that do that shine. And this bias shapes what I’m trying in new amps as well.

It is a never ending journey and I’m part way there, but for sure the 1266 is there for the long haup, it’s special.

T

 

[TheAbyss2022]

I only heard the 1266 at Canjam but it was with the DCS Lina stack and it was incredible. It sounded like each instrument was on its own light wave because it was so fast and resolving and the bass was unlike anything I had heard before. I think the LCD 4 gets me close to that with the Cayin HA-3A with some tube rolling which is why I am contemplating getting the 1266 to use with that amp.

 

[Zielarz]

Anyone tried the 1266 on any Cayin tube amps?

I have Cayin HA-300 MkI and 1266. For me it's a mixed bag. On some tracks it's good, Cayin gives more life to midrange. But the problem is the bigger soundstage that Cayin gives. For headphones like Audeze it's great but 1266 have big soundstage out of the box. Because of that there are tracks that sound like everything is too far away. Especially orchestra and live music (tracks with big space). Also the treble is sometimes at the edge of being harsh. I can say some negative things about Enleum Amp-23R but with Abyss it's fantastic though. That's why I know that HA-300 is not a good match with 1266.

 

[Bonddam]

Once my house gets sold I'll get my 7th and final 1266 I had to sell them each time for never being happy with what I have. Finally I'm loving it. Got Diana TC ported pads in custom cloro and I cannot not sell it I tried. I sold my 4 other Diana's one being V2. Synergy
Woo WA33 Elite or Standard had both, WA5 LE upgraded parts, WA234
Wells Audio Dragon level 3
Cayin IHA-6. Best value for people wanting to own 1266 but can not buy equivalent amp at the same time.

I found joy in limiting summit fi prices. My Diana TC's are my most expensive then Aeon Noire 2 followed by headphones from $300-$600. My HE6-SEV2 was $399 not the normal $1700 price. So I focus on improving my midrange priced headphones to give me that high value sound.

Okay 1266 TC custom color and the one high end amp must likely would end up being Wells Dragon Level 3 again.

 

[vonBaron]

I have Cayin HA-300 MkI and 1266. For me it's a mixed bag. On some tracks it's good, Cayin gives more life to midrange. But the problem is the bigger soundstage that Cayin gives. For headphones like Audeze it's great but 1266 have big soundstage out of the box. Because of that there are tracks that sound like everything is too far away. Especially orchestra and live music (tracks with big space). Also the treble is sometimes at the edge of being harsh. I can say some negative things about Enleum Amp-23R but with Abyss it's fantastic though. That's why I know that HA-300 is not a good match with 1266.

IMO Niimbus is better for 1266 than Enleum, 23R is too much colorued amp.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Once my house gets sold I'll get my 7th and final 1266 I had to sell them each time for never being happy with what I have. Finally I'm loving it. Got Diana TC ported pads in custom cloro and I cannot not sell it I tried. I sold my 4 other Diana's one being V2. Synergy
Woo WA33 Elite or Standard had both, WA5 LE upgraded parts, WA234
Wells Audio Dragon level 3
Cayin IHA-6. Best value for people wanting to own 1266 but can not buy equivalent amp at the same time.

I found joy in limiting summit fi prices. My Diana TC's are my most expensive then Aeon Noire 2 followed by headphones from $300-$600. My HE6-SEV2 was $399 not the normal $1700 price. So I focus on improving my midrange priced headphones to give me that high value sound.

Okay 1266 TC custom color and the one high end amp must likely would end up being Wells Dragon Level 3 again.

Did anyone mention that your crazy? haha

 

[paradoxper]

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.

Depends on whom is responsible for the idea of the 1266 design for gone crazed. But it ticks my box hard.

 

[Zielarz]

IMO Niimbus is better for 1266 than Enleum, 23R is too much colorued amp.

It might be I never heard Niimbus, though it was on my list about a year ago. I might try it someday, though I’m thinking more about Holo Audio Bliss or Zahl HM1.

 

[Bonddam]

Did anyone mention that your crazy? haha

Too many times lmao

 

[Bonddam]

Audio is my childhood friend. My parents though unplugging the TV would stop a 4 year old to figure how to plug it back in. You never take away my Saturday morning cartoons. So my craziness makes me go through equipment like no other. It was also bad really bad when I got great at cost. I had more crap than zeos I had all this car audio gear.

The 1266 is just magic that I can never let go of.

 

[Chronos]

what is this voodoo? how come my skull shakes with bass when I pull the TC away from my ears???

 

[MacedonianHero]

IMO Niimbus is better for 1266 than Enleum, 23R is too much colorued amp.

I really disliked the soft-sounding Niimbus. Not as dynamic or energetic as the Enleum 23R. I'd take the latter all day and any day. YMMV.

 

[Chronos]

Once my house gets sold I'll get my 7th and final 1266 I had to sell them each time for never being happy with what I have. Finally I'm loving it. Got Diana TC ported pads in custom cloro and I cannot not sell it I tried. I sold my 4 other Diana's one being V2. Synergy
Woo WA33 Elite or Standard had both, WA5 LE upgraded parts, WA234
Wells Audio Dragon level 3
Cayin IHA-6. Best value for people wanting to own 1266 but can not buy equivalent amp at the same time.

I found joy in limiting summit fi prices. My Diana TC's are my most expensive then Aeon Noire 2 followed by headphones from $300-$600. My HE6-SEV2 was $399 not the normal $1700 price. So I focus on improving my midrange priced headphones to give me that high value sound.

Okay 1266 TC custom color and the one high end amp must likely would end up being Wells Dragon Level 3 again.

How much of a jump in sound can I expect going from a Cayin iHA-6 to an Enleum 23-R, WA33, and WA5 with the 1266 TC?

 

[donato]

what is this voodoo? how come my skull shakes with bass when I pull the TC away from my ears???

Haha, I told you that you need to experiment with the fit and setup and make sure it’s not sealed. Now you understand!

 

[Chronos]

Haha, I told you that you need to experiment with the fit and setup and make sure it’s not sealed. Now you understand!

Lol, I didn’t get when you said break the seal, you actually meant break the seal (wide open!). It literally went against everything I’ve ever know about headphones, bass, and a good seal!