[paradoxper]

I’ve had mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I feel like complex metal songs with their blindingly fast drums, distorted guitars, loud bass and various singing/growling/screeching vocals is probably a great test for how good your system is. Listening to metal out of some cheap headphones and gear is definitely different than listening to it with TOTL headphones and gear.

However, with simpler songs, you get to focus on singular items in the soundstage. It’s easier to fully appreciate specific aspects (such as vocals and bass). When you have these simpler songs playing, it’s much easier to hear flaws in your equipment. With complex arrangements, some specific flaws can be overlooked because the other 75% of the sounds can drown the flaws out. With less complex songs, nothing is there to obfuscate the flaws. Everything has to be perfect. So, that “simple” song test is just as important as the “complex” song test.

Nods.

Still, metal > ALL

\m/

 

[cangle]

Still waiting for my 1266 to arrive, been about 3 weeks since I ordered from Abyss. I've enjoyed listening to some of the tracks that everyone mentioned for testing bass. Thought I would add some that I enjoy myself with my current headphone, the LCD-4z, and hope to try out on the 1266 once that gets here.

Nextra - Deadmau5
In Degreees [Purple Disco Machine Remix] - Foals
So in Love - Document One
Journey (Upwellings Remix) - Luss
Warmth in the Coldest Acre - Photay

 

[mammal]

So I managed to organise a couple of hours audition of Hifiman Shangri-la Sr (with the amp and everything, 50k setup). Will be auditioning it sometimes next week. I am trying to get the same opportunity for Sennheiser HE-1, so that I can compare Bartók + AB-1266 vs Shangri-la Sr vs Sennheiser HE-1, but HE-1 won't be ready until June. Is there anything you want me to look for in my comparison? I guess most people do not have access to shops that own these systems, so trying to share my findings with my fellow head-fi friends. If things go well, I may get a chance to listen to Spirit Torino Valkyria (12k headphone) on Bartók sometimes in June/July as well.

 

[MaggotBrain]

As a former Stax-009 owner, I would caution you that if you’re a bass-loving EDM fan, electrostats may not be for you. I am sure the Hifiman and Sennheiser flagships are in a class of their own, but you do have to factor in your tastes with with the tech. That is a wonderful opportunity to hear some fantastic gear though.

I did make a playlist of the past fifteen or so songs mentioned in the past day, and you folks have incredible taste. Here’s my favorite dance/EDM tracks for Abyss:
Only Time Makes It Human - King Princess
Commes des Garcones - Rina Sawayama
Foolproof - Gorgon City/Hayden James/Nat Dunn
Angie (I’ve Been Lost) - Fred Again
Purple Hat - Sofi Tukker
Love of Your Life - RAYE
Pull Me Closer - Dimitri Vegas
Tessellate - Baynk/Tei Shi

And for some old school jams
808 State of Mind - Honey Dijon
Born Slippy (Nuxx) - Underworld
Move Any Mountain - Shamen
I Feel Love - Donna Summer
YMCA - Village People - okay don’t laugh but it brings back memories of one of my first concerts. I went to see the Village People and was at the bar before the main act and I ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri for my girlfriend and wife-to-be and I was wearing a Hawaiian shirt as to impress my girl who happens to be from Hawaii and The Construction Worker (or maybe it was just A construction worker) comes up to me and holds a measuring tape up to my inner thigh inseam area because I am, after all, wearing a Hawaiian shirt holding a virgin strawberry daiquiris at a Village People concert and I can kinda get the impression. Well apparently his measurement wasn’t to snuff cause he started to laugh and I nervously laugh because what else was I going to do?!? Anyway they put on a great show and I didn’t didn’t have the guts to tell my wife about it until decades later for fear of embarrassment and she laughed her ass off and I am a glutton for punishment and that’s why the Village People make the list.

 

[mammal]

As a former Stax-009 owner, I would caution you that if you’re a bass-loving EDM fan, electrostats may not be for you. I am sure the Hifiman and Sennheiser flagships are in a class of their own, but you do have to factor in your tastes with with the tech. That is a wonderful opportunity to hear some fantastic gear though.

Thank you for your input. I did audition 009 on Blue Hawai, as well as Sennheiser HE-1 in the past at CanJams, but this was years ago, so my ears weren't as "tuned" as they are now, haha. So interested in what I will hear now.

 

[JLoud]

So I managed to organise a couple of hours audition of Hifiman Shangri-la Sr (with the amp and everything, 50k setup). Will be auditioning it sometimes next week. I am trying to get the same opportunity for Sennheiser HE-1, so that I can compare Bartók + AB-1266 vs Shangri-la Sr vs Sennheiser HE-1, but HE-1 won't be ready until June. Is there anything you want me to look for in my comparison? I guess most people do not have access to shops that own these systems, so trying to share my findings with my fellow head-fi friends. If things go well, I may get a chance to listen to Spirit Torino Valkyria (12k headphone) on Bartók sometimes in June/July as well.

While the Shangri-la is out of my budget I would be curious how the Jr compares to it. If you get a chance to compare the two I would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[BPED]

Listening to classical piano music: Abyss TC vs Focal Utopia

Last night I had to chance to hear Arcadi Volodos in concert playing Schubert and Brahms. A fantastic experience that triggered many reflections as a hi-fi and headphones lover. Since he played Brahms op.118, which he also recorded on this beautiful record, I thought it was a good opportunity to compare my headphones to what I recalled from the concert.

I consider attending concerts and listening to my gear two complementary experiences, both enjoyable in different ways. Soundstage, volume, physical impact of the music of a live performance are hardly comparable between the two. But a live performance can be a benchmark for headphones regarding the tonal accuracy acoustic of instruments and the ability to reproduce the sound of different materials being plucked, hit etc.

So I listened to op.118 with these configurations:

• Dave MScaler as amp + Utopia (LR cable)
• Dave MScaler + AIC-10 + Utopia (LR cable)
• Dave MScaler + AIC-10 + Abyss TC (SC cable)
• I tried the AIC-10 with a sharp tube (fivre), balanced tune (RT) and warm (Mullard)

TC (via speakers taps): larger image, clear delineation of the notes and, more convincing reproduction of lower octaves compared to the Utopia. I miss some body.

Utopia: tonal accuracy is better, I cannot explain but with the concert fresh in my mind I can say this is how a piano sounds. Mids are fuller, the image is closer, smaller, with more physical presence.

Dave + Utopia has the most well defined, leaner sound, the percussive nature of the piano is particularly evident. Overall a great pair.

Utopia + AIC-10 and a balanced tube improves marginally on Dave: better send of space, slightly larger image, a touch warmer, chords seems richer. The notes have more weight. This is my preferred configuration and the most realistic.

With a Mullard I get a nice larger image but lose some definition and the overall signature - while very pleasant - is not very realistic (too dark).

Conclusion: for this type of music the Utopia is surprisingly better than the TC in my opinion. Passages with thundering low notes will be better on the TC but overall I can say that the Utopia brings me closer to the concert experience.

As usual: these are the personal opinions of one man: don’t shoot on the pianist

 

[iDesign]

Listening to classical piano music: Abyss TC vs Focal Utopia

Last night I had to chance to hear Arcadi Volodos in concert playing Schubert and Brahms. A fantastic experience that triggered many reflections as a hi-fi and headphones lover. Since he played Brahms op.118, which he also recorded on this beautiful record, I thought it was a good opportunity to compare my headphones to what I recalled from the concert.



I consider attending concerts and listening to my gear two complementary experiences, both enjoyable in different ways. Soundstage, volume, physical impact of the music of a live performance are hardly comparable between the two. But a live performance can be a benchmark for headphones regarding the tonal accuracy acoustic of instruments and the ability to reproduce the sound of different materials being plucked, hit etc.

So I listened to op.118 with these configurations:

• Dave MScaler as amp + Utopia (LR cable)
• Dave MScaler + AIC-10 + Utopia (LR cable)
• Dave MScaler + AIC-10 + Abyss TC (SC cable)
• I tried the AIC-10 with a sharp tube (fivre), balanced tune (RT) and warm (Mullard)

TC (via speakers taps): larger image, clear delineation of the notes and, more convincing reproduction of lower octaves compared to the Utopia. I miss some body.

Utopia: tonal accuracy is better, I cannot explain but with the concert fresh in my mind I can say this is how a piano sounds. Mids are fuller, the image is closer, smaller, with more physical presence.

Dave + Utopia has the most well defined, leaner sound, the percussive nature of the piano is particularly evident. Overall a great pair.

Utopia + AIC-10 and a balanced tube improves marginally on Dave: better send of space, slightly larger image, a touch warmer, chords seems richer. The notes have more weight. This is my preferred configuration and the most realistic.

With a Mullard I get a nice larger image but lose some definition and the overall signature - while very pleasant - is not very realistic (too dark).

Conclusion: for this type of music the Utopia is surprisingly better than the TC in my opinion. Passages with thundering low notes will be better on the TC but overall I can say that the Utopia brings me closer to the concert experience.

As usual: these are the personal opinions of one man: don’t shoot on the pianist

Completely agree, the Utopia is exemplary in the reproduction of a piano and the best I have heard from any headphone to date. Its significantly better than the Abyss 1266 Phi TC in that regard and why I sold mine.

 

[Trance_Gott]

Utopia is technically superior to TC which has recessed mids and is tonally not accurate. And the distortions >100dB kills it for me with metal.

 

[ken6217]

Utopia is technically superior to TC which has recessed mids and is tonally not accurate. And the distortions >100dB kills it for me with metal.

I'll take recessed mids over no bass any day. (aka Utopia).

 

[Trance_Gott]

Utopia no bass? Sorry complete disagree.

 

[ken6217]

Utopia no bass? Sorry complete disagree.

Really? They are known as bass lite. I guess your opinion of the 1266 has to be qualified as well then.

 

[vonBaron]

Really? They are known as bass lite. I guess your opinion of the 1266 has to be qualified as well then.

With Niimbus they have pretty strong bass.

 

[ken6217]

With Niimbus they have pretty strong bass.

Yeah and when I wear 12” stilts I’m a foot taller.

 

[JLoud]

All depends on the type of music you listen to and preference. I had the SR1A, and with some music its bass was the best I had ever heard. With other types of music, no where near enough for my taste.