The JPS Labs: Abyss AB-1266 Impressions Thread

[BlakeT]

I think much of this has to do with the source chain. I've heard some amps lift the mids, in some cases doing so to the detriment to the lightning fast transient attacks and the exhilarating quality of the headphones, in others keeping those qualities. I recently heard a glorious 300b-tube amp with my 1266 Phi and loved the way it filled in the mids. I'll post some impressions of it in a bit.

Very, very true. With this level of headphone, everything matters upstream.

Just for a reality check/sonic palate cleanser, I pulled out my tube DAC and installed a cheap and cheerful $99 Modi, still connected with the same top end cabling, same amp, everything, only the DAC changed. I then listened for a day. The sound? Thoroughly, deeply depressing. Similar to watching standard def content on a high resolution monitor.

 

[krude]

Very, very true. With this level of headphone, everything matters upstream.

Just for a reality check/sonic palate cleanser, I pulled out my tube DAC and installed a cheap and cheerful $99 Modi, still connected with the same top end cabling, same amp, everything, only the DAC changed. I then listened for a day. The sound? Thoroughly, deeply depressing. Similar to watching standard def content on a high resolution monitor.

Lampizator dacs are beasts. Swapping dacs like this is like taking out a v12 from a Lambo and putting in a 1.4 diesel

 

[jlbrach]

For planars, they might. And you figure, a planar is the least compromising of the 3 main types of drivers.

Dynamic: Great sub bass extension but lose the speed race.

Electrostat: Sizzling speed but lack bass.

Planar: Pretty high levels of both speed and bass if engineered correctly. No significant tradeoff.

It'd be cool to have a e-stat with bass but it's not likely. Even in 2 channel you'll see people with stuff like this if they have e-stats: So obviously the panels are going to outresolve the subwoofer in terms of detail. The same thing would happen in a headphone setting with 2 driver types. Having just one uniform driver do it all is better for resolution, and planar will leave more boxes checked than the other types **imo**.

Other than that, you'd probably have to have some type of bass ported e-stat.

perhaps they are leaving money on the table for you lol...I would think 6k which is recently up from 5k is expensive enough...at least it is for me

 

[paradoxper]

perhaps they are leaving money on the table for you lol...I would think 6k which is recently up from 5k is expensive enough...at least it is for me

We're not unnecessarily paying for things that don't matter. The product cycles can be hacky.

Go listen to Orpheus or SGL with DIY T2 and compare to the TC, there is a meaningful ceiling we've hit.

It's unfortunate we're not able to see advances and efficiencies bring prices and costs down, but I'm glad there isn't a gimmicky 1266 update.

In the meantime, plenty of time losing sanity upgrading and stockpiling tubes. It's a fun way to...

 

[number1sixerfan]

Step 1 is utilizing either 300B or 845 amplification
Step 2 is compounding either 300B or 45 DAC
It's possible a 6SN7 could work at a much cheaper entry but won't be fully realized.

If you can, either pursue TM300B or the older mesh 45. Budget ER300B to start avoid everything else.

You're going to hear how underwhelming DACs such as dCS or DAVE or some other R2R are and raise the performance of TC dramatically.

It's much more about equipment that leans heavily in forward midranges and prominence that overcompensates for the TC's deficiencies in that region--tube or not. Far less about DACs or the original source. The same amps that help bolster the TC's performance in this regard will be potentially less optimal for other headphones that are originally more well balanced.

This would all be simply solved by a successor with a better midrange lol--which again I am super hopeful the next Abyss offering has.

 

[krude]

It's much more about equipment that leans heavily in forward midranges and prominence that overcompensates for the TC's deficiencies in that region--tube or not. Far less about DACs or the original source. The same amps that help bolster the TC's performance in this regard will be potentially less optimal for other headphones that are originally more well balanced.

This would all be simply solved by a successor with a better midrange lol--which again I am super hopeful the next Abyss offering has.

Its not about forward midrange or compensation at all, its about having a very refined and natural treble (and rest of the FR as well). 3 best amps I've heard TC on (Bliss, HA300MK2 on Elrog ER, and AN Vindicator on WE275B) do not have a forward or otherwise "filled in" midrange ... on the contrary actually, but they all have a natural and refined sound signature. And actually most headphones should sound great on these. For me TC just requires a very very refined amplification (and source) to sound its best, but that's true for any high class gear.

Everything has a cost, making TC more forgiving could be good for many users, but it will most certainly come at some cost (probably speed / layering / stage).

 

[number1sixerfan]

Its not about forward midrange or compensation at all, its about having a very refined and natural treble (and rest of the FR as well). 3 best amps I've heard TC on (Bliss, HA300MK2 on Elrog ER, and AN Vindicator on WE275B) do not have a forward or otherwise "filled in" midrange ... on the contrary actually, but they all have a natural and refined sound signature. And actually most headphones should sound great on these. For me TC just requires a very very refined amplification (and source) to sound its best, but that's true for any high class gear.

Everything has a cost, making TC more forgiving could be good for many users, but it will most certainly come at some cost (probably speed / layering / stage).

If that's the case for you, it's totally fine. But there is a very long history in this thread of people looking to compensate for the midrange issues, which have nothing to do with treble. I have been one of them. The person I sold the TC has been one of them, and again, of many. The midrange could and should be more prominent, it is the only and sole weakness of the TC, and that's ok.

Improved gear synergy can help (and again, this is where tubes come into play for most because midrange thickness and prominence is something they're known for), but it's not about the issue being with the gear, nor the treble. It's an innate issue most are looking to improve.

Having a flaw isn't unique to the TC, but exists with every single pair of headphones on the planet just about. One simply has to decide what they value most and figure out which tradeoffs make the most sense for them.

 

[Abyss Headphones]

If that's the case for you, it's totally fine. But there is a very long history in this thread of people looking to compensate for the midrange issues, which have nothing to do with treble. I have been one of them. The person I sold the TC has been one of them, and again, of many. The midrange could and should be more prominent, it is the only and sole weakness of the TC, and that's ok.

Improved gear synergy can help (and again, this is where tubes come into play for most because midrange thickness and prominence is something they're known for), but it's not about the issue being with the gear, nor the treble. It's an innate issue most are looking to improve.

Having a flaw isn't unique to the TC, but exists with every single pair of headphones on the planet just about. One simply has to decide what they value most and figure out which tradeoffs make the most sense for them.

This midrange thing is quite misunderstood as to cause. I think Tyll started this U shape thing with our first 1266 model 10 years ago.

It's not a frequency response phenomena, on the contrary the driver is faithfully producing the range. What's not in the mix or should I say 'missing' are reflections from the backside of the planar driver most headphone listeners are accustomed to hearing. Reflections off the magnet structure, dynamic drivers can't avoid this. Reflections of internal components, plastics, internal and external meshes, absorptive materials. What you hear particularly well in the midrange region in most headphones is the reflective acoustic character of the materials its made of.

By design, AB1266 has an acoustically invisible backside, no rear reflections; and its frame is non-resonant, not adding to the sound. We designed it this way.

Speaker guys do everything in their power to create this added depth to the soundstage within a room, space the speakers out from the front wall by many feet, diffuse or absorb reflections off the front wall, very difficult to eliminate the wall yet maintain proper imaging and soundstage. Those who have experience in setting up planar loudspeakers in a room know all about this exercise, teaches you what reflections off walls, ceilings, windows, and corners sound like.

So... if you would like to 'affect the mids' on the AB1266, cut out a few plastic shapes and hang them on the backside. Or mount a wood cutout if you prefer the reflective sound of wood. Simple test, move the palms of your hands toward the sides of the headphone while listening and hear the acoustic reflective sound of skin.

We need to do a video on this...

 

[squashi]

This midrange thing is quite misunderstood as to cause. I think Tyll started this U shape thing with our first 1266 model 10 years ago.

It's not a frequency response phenomena, on the contrary the driver is faithfully producing the range. What's not in the mix or should I say 'missing' are reflections from the backside of the planar driver most headphone listeners are accustomed to hearing. Reflections off the magnet structure, dynamic drivers can't avoid this. Reflections of internal components, plastics, internal and external meshes, absorptive materials. What you hear particularly well in the midrange region in most headphones is the reflective acoustic character of the materials its made of.

By design, AB1266 has an acoustically invisible backside, no rear reflections; and its frame is non-resonant, not adding to the sound. We designed it this way.

Speaker guys do everything in their power to create this added depth to the soundstage within a room, space the speakers out from the rear wall by many feet, diffuse or absorb reflections off the rear wall, very difficult to eliminate the rear wall yet maintain proper imaging and soundstage. Those who have experience in setting up planar loudspeakers in a room know all about this exercise, teaches you what reflections off walls, ceilings, windows, and corners sound like.

So... if you would like to 'affect the mids' on the AB1266, cut out a few plastic shapes and hang them to the backside. Or mount a wood cutout if you prefer the reflective sound of wood. Simple test, move the palms of your hands toward the sides of the headphone while listening and hear the acoustic reflective sound of skin.

We need to do a video on this...

How would different materials affect the sound? Looking forward to a guide, or anyone else that has tried this!

I think the 1266 TC is very special, only out-resolved by estats and I generally prefer 2-channel over headphones. But the midrange is a bit low for my tastes, simply the U shape is not for me. I was planning on selling my TC (with SC) to be honest, but perhaps that mod might change my mind?

 

[TDHEAD]

dCS Lina isn't the best option for AB-1266 Phi TC despite Joe praising it.

I naturally respect everyone's opinion on here. Just want to add my voice in support of Joe at Abyss rave about Lina. I just spent some serious $$$$ traveling through the E-Stat + Tube ++++ world. I just went back to Lina for both my AB 1266 and Susvara shoot outs and am loving it. I agree with Joe even on the buffered/ unbuffered connection discussion with Lina AMP. Happy listening to all!!!!

 

[PhazeCrive]

Hey fwiw, I personally don't hear the scoop out. Midrange frequencies are some of the easiest things for the ear to hear. If anything I would want a mild boost in harder to hear frequencies like low bass and high treble.

And like Abyss said, a driver is a driver. It's going to reproduce what comes in, same as any other driver. There are no deficiencies with what it can do, and it only does what the signal tells it. There wouldn't be issues on that front.

The "scoop" is just what happens when you put a driver in a frame like this: sonically invisible back mesh, no damping, resonant controlled carbon steel front baffle. Copied from their website. It's a recipe for clear sound with no interference.

And a good indicator of how open a headphone can be is to just see how soon you start hearing reflections off of objects while listening to it. Because there is nothing in the way of the sound.

 

[squashi]

Hey fwiw, I personally don't hear the scoop out. Midrange frequencies are some of the easiest things for the ear to hear. If anything I would want a mild boost in harder to hear frequencies like low bass and high treble.

And like Abyss said, a driver is a driver. It's going to reproduce what comes in, same as any other driver. There are no deficiencies with what it can do, and it only does what the signal tells it. There wouldn't be issues on that front.

The "scoop" is just what happens when you put a driver in a frame like this: sonically invisible back mesh, no damping, resonant controlled carbon steel front baffle. Copied from their website. It's a recipe for clear sound with no interference.

And a good indicator of how open a headphone can be is to just see how soon you start hearing reflections off of objects while listening to it. Because there is nothing in the way of the sound.

As someone who owns and prefers 2-channel, I would say 1266 TC has "reduced midrange" compared to most 2-channel setups. However the "reduced midrange" is NOT a deficiency, it's simply how it is.

Some (including myself) prefer more midrange, and we simply move on to other headphones, please don't bash Abyss.

Will be trying Abyss's recommendation, to attach something reflective, and see if I might prefer it.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Some (including myself) prefer more midrange, and we simply move on to other headphones, please don't bash Abyss.

Talking about the nature of a headphone is not bashing. And we should all be more open to people expressing pros and cons, rather than to immediately try to invalidate issues that people bring up--and especially if a good number of people have experienced the same thing. Content in these threads are far more valuable when it isn't limited to only praise.

The TC is absolutely, still one of the greatest headphones available. And except the most premium/ultra expensive headphones are still widely regarded as top 2 with the Susvara (in whatever order you prefer).

 

[PhazeCrive]

please don't bash Abyss.

Not bashing. The TC is my favorite headphone. I prefer it how it is, and simply reworded what they just posted.

 

[TDHEAD]

Hey fwiw, I personally don't hear the scoop out. Midrange frequencies are some of the easiest things for the ear to hear. If anything I would want a mild boost in harder to hear frequencies like low bass and high treble.

And like Abyss said, a driver is a driver. It's going to reproduce what comes in, same as any other driver. There are no deficiencies with what it can do, and it only does what the signal tells it. There wouldn't be issues on that front.

The "scoop" is just what happens when you put a driver in a frame like this: sonically invisible back mesh, no damping, resonant controlled carbon steel front baffle. Copied from their website. It's a recipe for clear sound with no interference.

And a good indicator of how open a headphone can be is to just see how soon you start hearing reflections off of objects while listening to it. Because there is nothing in the way of the sound.

I agree