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RenSong

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Ohh, yes that'd be interesting. I'm sure Abyss were just about to send those too.
Amazing thank you, going to try posting them on there. Recovering anything helps than just letting them sit around.

@amirm on a second thought, would you be interested in reviewing any of the following?

- XIAUDIO K DAC
- XIAUDIO Broadway
- JPS Labs Superconductor V USB Cable
- JPS Labs Digital Filtered Power Cable
- JPS Labs Superconductor 2 XLR cables
 

Koeitje

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@gallionetech I just wanted to say that I respect your response to all this. Many people feel personally attacked if you say that something they bought might not have been the best way to go. But many of us here have fallen for the trap of fantastic reviews and snake-oil claims. I have had multibit and R2R DACs, but after comparing a bunch I realised I couldn't hear the difference. Well I could, the noise floor on some of those snake-oil DACs was clearly higher (doesn't have to be the case for the one you have). Also bought speakers based on raving reviews, but when I had listened to them at home for a couple of weeks I realised my old loudspeakers were just better. Years later I saw some measurements of the same model and those showed exactly what I heard all those years back.

If I can suggest something? You should still try different headphones. With transducers we still have different preferences, so its worth testing some. As for electronics, it might actually not be a bad idea to do some casual testing yourself. The Topping 90 series is already overkill, a cheap €200 DAC will sound exactly the same. And for the amplifier its basically mostly about how much power your headphones need (I'm ignoring super sensitive IEMs that need a low noise floor).

So maybe don't just order the 90 series, but also get a cheaper option next to it and listen if you can notice a difference. Of course it wont be a perfect test if you don't do a double blind level matched ABX, but even if you have the unconscious bias that the more expensive one should be better I doubt you will hear major differences. If the XIAUDIO is properly designed it will likely measure worse than the Topping, due to the XIAUDIO being R2R, but in practice it will sound the same. But the same can be said for the 90 series versus cheaper options. It all comes down to having performance that has no errors (distortion, noise, imbalance, etc) that you can hear in a form factor that you like with all the functionality you need.
 

MayaTlab

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I'd look at the DCA Stealth

I think we should be quite hesitant to recommend the DCA Stealth, at least if the idea is to be able to experience what the Harman target is meant to sound like (on the basis that it's likely to be the preferred target by most people). It might measure well on ear simulators, but I suspect that at the very least the variance across listeners (if not other factors) makes it a completely moot point.

Variance across listeners, measured at the blocked ear canal entrance (glasses wearers were asked to remove their glasses) :
Screenshot 2023-01-20 at 12.15.46.png
Screenshot 2023-01-20 at 12.15.53.png

I am not expecting Sean Olive to publicly confirm that the headphones on the right above are indeed the Stealth but it's quite reasonable to think so : https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...ean-olive-in-november-2022.39572/post-1394108
Screenshot 2023-01-20 at 12.20.38.png

If confirmed it means that the DCA Stealth should be considered not much better designed and engineered than anything Abyss ever made - and it's difficult to predict whether or not it will truly be an improvement for @gallionetech over his current situation.

The Expanse might behave differently (even if it still relies on a sealed-ish front volume).
 

ugur38

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The Expanse might behave differently (even if it still relies on a sealed-ish front volume).
From what I saw from Rtings' reviews consistency is like this:
Closed back: Very bad consistency.
ANC & closed back: Good consistency.
Open back: Good consistency.
Small & open back: Best consistency (e.g. Audeze LCD-1)

Since Expanse is open back I assume it has better consistency than Stealth. I also saw this tip on Head-Fi and Stealth owner said this seal is better.
DCA-Stealth-Seal.png
 

majingotan

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From what I saw from Rtings' reviews consistency is like this:
Closed back: Very bad consistency.
ANC & closed back: Good consistency.
Open back: Good consistency.
Small & open back: Best consistency (e.g. Audeze LCD-1)

Since Expanse is open back I assume it has better consistency than Stealth. I also saw this tip on Head-Fi and Stealth owner said this seal is better.

If you have ever worn the Expanse, you might be surprised that it feels like a semi-closed headphone than an open one like those from Ether O, DCA Aeon Open or other openback headphones due to the rubber atms inserted between drivers and pad cover
 

ugur38

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If you have ever worn the Expanse, you might be surprised that it feels like a semi-closed headphone than an open one like those from Ether O, DCA Aeon Open or other openback headphones due to the rubber atms inserted between drivers and pad cover
I did not worn Expanse but I came across some reviewers said "Stealth is most open sounding closed back headphones but Expanse is most closed sounding open back headphones" which supports what you say. This headphones has extraordinary measurements but seems like seal is a problem.
 

Koeitje

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- Contacted Abyss and asked if they would accept cable returns if I return in original packages, pay for shipping, and pay a huge restocking fee. Request was denied.
I think that says enough about them as a company. This wouldn't even be legal in the EU.
 

MayaTlab

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- Contacted Abyss and asked if they would accept cable returns if I return in original packages, pay for shipping, and pay a huge restocking fee. Request was denied.

Are you out of the 14 days return window they seem to advertise on their own website ?


Screenshot 2023-01-20 at 20.18.16.png

Or am I misunderstanding their own return policies ?
 

FrantzM

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@gallionetech :

Do you still have the Sennheiser HD-6XX?
You still have the Topping Stack or will have it soon?
Do you use/have a Windows PC or laptop?

If "yes" to all 3 questions, please do the following:
Download Equalizer APO HERE, click here.
Download (click on the link)

Peace Equalizer, interface Equalizer APO



Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. Report here on this thread; people will guide you how to setup these software... and input the EQ settings for the Senheiser.

Listen and you'll understand..


Peace.
 

MayaTlab

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I bought through Abyss not the JPS Labs website. They are claiming I am outside the return window when my email was sent 13 days in and they responded on the 15th day :(

13 days vs. purchase date or when your received the delivery ? You're in North America ?

Looking at Abyss's EU website, I see some mentions that are in direct contradiction with EU law, so it's rather clear to me that they don't seem to take the return procedure seriously.
 

phrwn

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I’m looking for the best sounding setup I can get.
You haven't said what your budget is, at least not on the first page, but you could just skip the entire miserable process of cycling through many options and get the HE-1, which is a complete set-up, and then never worry too much about whether or not there might be something better out there.
 

Killingbeans

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Expanse + A90 = $4500

HE-1 = $59000

No matter how good they sound, they can't possibly sound $54500 better :D
 

steabert

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Having no budget is not crazy, it's a luxury, one I don't have. My entire system costs much less than what you spent on cables. But that means you should be even more careful where you spend your money. I feel for you dealing with that horrible company.

Basic rules:
- get well measuring electronics that have all features you will need
- get some Truthear Crinacle Zero in-ear, they are truly amazing for 50$ and great to have laying around
- experiment with headphones, they will differ a lot in how comfortable they are to wear, not only about the sound. Tryopen, closed, etc.

Audio show:
- always tell people you have a very limited budget
- most people there will swear their music sound like a veil was lifted after they tweaked x or y, just nod
- try to listen to stuff without listening to someone else raving or dissing it before hand
- many will make claims that to us don't (or no longer) make sense, sine it's proven to be placebo, all listening there is sighted with someone next to you telling you what you're hearing

Good luck
 
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Galliardist

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Having no budget is not crazy, it's a luxury, one I don't have. My entire system costs much less than what you spent on cables. But that means you should be even more careful where you spend your money. I feel for you dealing with that horrible company.

Basic rules:
- get well measuring electronics that have all features you will need
- get some Truthear Crinacle Zero in-ear, they are truly amazing for 50$ and great to have laying around
- experiment with headphones, they will differ a lot in how comfortable they are to wear, not only about the sound. Tryopen, closed, etc.

Audio show:
- always tell people you have a very limited budget
- most people there will swear their music sound like a veil was lifted after they tweaked x or y, just nod
- try to listen to stuff without listening to someone else raving or dissing it before hand
- many will make claims that to us don't (or no longer) make sense, sine it's proven to be placebo, all listening there is sighted with someone next to you telling you what you're hearing

Good luck
A couple of things to consider re shows:

I found it best to tell people I would just be able to stretch to the product in a few weeks. For some reason that gets a better response.

When listening to headphones in particular, make absolutely certain of the other products in the chain. I've been caught out thinking I was listening to headphones with a basic amp, only to find that the cable went to a fancy tube job behind a screen. (in fact this worked against them, because the tube amp was pretty awful and I was blaming the sound on the phones!)

Watch out if someone tries to demonstrate cables and suchlike. They have a few tricks they can use, like playing different music files to make an expensive cable sound better, or using a very high RF source in the area to make a heavily screened cable sound better, when in normal use you'll get no difference.

Take your own music along (USB, CDs if you have them) and if you find something you are interested in, ask to hear them with that music. That way you know you aren't getting confused with a different master or something.

Only buy from a show if you are getting a good discount, and make sure you understand the terms of sale - and don't buy something refurbished with a 90 day warranty by mistake. A purchase where you can return the product and buy with a bit more leisure is better.
 

Killingbeans

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100% agree, definitely a learning lesson for me as a beginner in this hobby. there’s many more useless products being pushed by everyone in every direction you look at than other fields I’ve been exposed to. Glad to have found a source that flushes out the good from the bad.

It's really crazy how much the high-end audio industry is focused on exploiting ignorance and spreading misinformation.

I wrote down some of my personal observations in this thread:
 

usern

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Contacted Abyss and asked if they would accept cable returns if I return in original packages, pay for shipping, and pay a huge restocking fee. Request was denied.
I bought through Abyss not the JPS Labs website. They are claiming I am outside the return window when my email was sent 13 days in and they responded on the 15th day :(
Mmm it seems that they explicitly mention "purchase date" on their website, not the date when you receive it - I don't know much about US customers protection laws, other than that they suck. I wish you good luck with them :/.
Wow. They know exactly what they are doing and what their "superconductor" cables are worth.

Actual superconductors require cosmically low temperatures and are cooled with expensive technologies. This is nuclear reactor and maglev level tech, but in audio it would not make any difference.
 
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