Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC Review (Headphone)

[sweetchaos]

To import this PEQ profile into 'Equalizer APO', use:

Preamp: -4.9 dB
Filter 1: ON LS Fc 60 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 1.0
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 310 Hz Gain -3.0 dB Q 2.0
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 900 Hz Gain -4.0 dB Q 2.0
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 3283 Hz Gain 5.0 dB Q 2.0
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 13300 Hz Gain -11.0 dB Q 3.5

Otherwise, see my PEQ guide.
..................................................................................................................
For those who don't have PEQ-capable app, and want to use GEQs instead.

Spoiler: 10-band GEQ

Preamp: -4.3db
32 3.1
64 0.8
125 0.7
250 -1.8
500 -0.4
1000 -3.2
2000 1.7
4000 4.2
8000 -1.5
16000 -7.3

Spoiler: 31-band GEQ

Preamp: -6.1db
20 1.4
25 2.4
32 2.4
40 2.0
50 1.3
63 1.0
80 0.6
100 0.4
125 0.3
160 0.2
200 -0.0
250 -1.0
315 -2.7
400 -0.8
500 -0.2
630 -0.4
800 -2.7
1000 -2.8
1250 -0.3
1600 0.2
2000 0.5
2500 1.5
3150 5.2
4000 2.8
5000 0.8
6300 0.5
8000 0.2
10000 -0.3
12500 -12.0
16000 -5.0
20000 -4.5

If you want to import into "Wavelet" (Android App):

Spoiler: 127-band GEQ

GraphicEQ: 20 -2.6; 21 -2.6; 22 -2.6; 23 -2.6; 24 -2.7; 26 -2.7; 27 -2.7; 29 -2.7; 30 -2.8; 32 -2.8; 34 -2.9; 36 -2.9; 38 -3.0; 40 -3.0; 43 -3.1; 45 -3.2; 48 -3.3; 50 -3.4; 53 -3.6; 56 -3.7; 59 -3.8; 63 -3.9; 66 -4.1; 70 -4.2; 74 -4.3; 78 -4.4; 83 -4.5; 87 -4.6; 92 -4.7; 97 -4.8; 103 -4.8; 109 -4.9; 115 -5.0; 121 -5.0; 128 -5.1; 136 -5.1; 143 -5.2; 151 -5.3; 160 -5.3; 169 -5.4; 178 -5.5; 188 -5.6; 199 -5.7; 210 -5.9; 222 -6.1; 235 -6.4; 248 -6.8; 262 -7.2; 277 -7.6; 292 -8.0; 309 -8.2; 326 -8.1; 345 -7.7; 364 -7.4; 385 -7.0; 406 -6.7; 429 -6.5; 453 -6.3; 479 -6.2; 506 -6.2; 534 -6.2; 565 -6.3; 596 -6.4; 630 -6.6; 665 -6.8; 703 -7.2; 743 -7.7; 784 -8.2; 829 -8.7; 875 -9.0; 924 -9.0; 977 -8.6; 1032 -8.0; 1090 -7.4; 1151 -6.9; 1216 -6.5; 1284 -6.1; 1357 -5.8; 1433 -5.6; 1514 -5.4; 1599 -5.2; 1689 -5.0; 1784 -4.8; 1885 -4.6; 1991 -4.4; 2103 -4.2; 2221 -3.9; 2347 -3.5; 2479 -3.1; 2618 -2.5; 2766 -1.9; 2921 -1.1; 3086 -0.5; 3260 -0.2; 3443 -0.4; 3637 -1.0; 3842 -1.7; 4058 -2.4; 4287 -2.9; 4528 -3.4; 4783 -3.8; 5052 -4.1; 5337 -4.3; 5637 -4.5; 5955 -4.7; 6290 -4.8; 6644 -5.0; 7018 -5.1; 7414 -5.3; 7831 -5.5; 8272 -5.7; 8738 -5.9; 9230 -6.3; 9749 -6.7; 10298 -7.4; 10878 -8.3; 11490 -9.8; 12137 -12.1; 12821 -15.0; 13543 -15.6; 14305 -12.9; 15110 -10.3; 15961 -8.5; 16860 -7.5; 17809 -6.7; 18812 -7.1; 19871 -8.3

 

[Tachyon88]

Users report that in order to "fix" the scooped out mids of this headphone you have to use the SC/tow cable.....I dunno about that..

In one of their videos they talk about how they have their own "abyss flat" target response.

 

[MDT]

Users report that in order to "fix" the scooped out mids of this headphone you have to use the SC/toe cable.....I dunno about that..

In one of their videos they talk about how they have their own "abyss flat" target response.

"Compared to stock cables (which are very good).. Greater inner clarity and fullness through upper bass and mids without brightness, soundstage and room boundries open up way outside your head, musically detailed from the bottom on up. Did we mention you have to hear these cables..."

I wonder if audiophiles have ever wondered why pretty much every expensive "upgrade" always seems to open up/increase "soundstage". If you bought all of them, where would the music appear to be coming from? The moon?

 

[MayaTlab]

In one of their videos they talk about how they have their own "abyss flat" target response.

The rather inordinately high number of high Q peaks and nulls and weird aspects to the FR suggest that regardless of what their target is, they may not be able to reach it with any form of precision anyway, so it's a bit of a moot point...

 

[Tachyon88]

The rather inordinately high number of high Q peaks and nulls and weird aspects to the FR suggest that regardless of what their target is, they may not be able to reach it with any form of precision anyway, so it's a bit of a moot point...

Honestly, I dont think they have a target. In a video on cables Joe talks about tuning things by ears. That was cables, but I'm sure that philosphy applied to the headphone as well....who knows.

 

[BlackTalon]

@amirm , I appreciated the tow rope comments, very funny, but since when does the tow rope cost as much as a second hand car.....crazy times! I can't take a company seriously when they're selling $3000 tow ropes / headphone cables! In fact I feel quite a bit of disdain instead towards them & their product.....which is backed up by that seriously messed up treble where there are some god awful sharp uncorrectable dips and just a hella lot of peakiness. I suppose the redeeming factor was the spatial effects after EQ, but damn I can't justify liking this product for it's high cost, ridiculous rip off cables (and headphone actually, very expensive!)......me I'd shoot them down in flames the buggers!

They charge $3k for the cables so they will have enough $ to properly engineer the next headphone model.

 

[SRKRAM]

"Compared to stock cables (which are very good).. Greater inner clarity and fullness through upper bass and mids without brightness, soundstage and room boundries open up way outside your head, musically detailed from the bottom on up. Did we mention you have to hear these cables..."

I wonder if audiophiles have ever wondered why pretty much every expensive "upgrade" always seems to open up/increase "soundstage". If you bought all of them, where would the music appear to be coming from? The moon?

Perhaps it's because soundstage is something which can't be measured, so it would be difficult to challenge.

 

[Hoegaardener70]

It is almost 1:00am and I am going to go sleep. You all need to behave and not use this review as an excuse to create another riot in the street!

Thanks, Amir for this objective and well written review! I also really appreciate the eq settings. Replacing the rather drastic -11 with -2.5 on band 5 serves me better, but it is very inspiring!

 

[mkawa]

better review than i expected, but the dollar for dollar value is the worst yet and the vendors are encouraging people to spend 3k on a cable to try to fix their horrendously poor voicing out of the box.

 

[vkvedam]

I feel sorry for the owner who sent it across. I really hope that he/she has enough money not to feel the pinch of the Abysmal Abyss

 

[Bullwinkle J Moose]

Now can you review a pair of $1 headphones from the dollar store and compare the results to this mess ?

 

[gvl]

Why do they cost $4995 and not $5995? Seems like a missed opportunity for extra revenue, as the target buyer wouldn't care regardless.

 

[Chagall]

What demographic buys these ridiculously expensive headphones? Is it middle aged white men? It has to be people with more money than sense, right?

Sense or lack thereof is color-blind so let's keep it civil.

 

[dulljadedcat]

Sense or lack thereof is color-blind so let's keep it civil.

You're not a moderator, so I don't know why you're trying to police speech.

 

[Azathoth]

I heard the 1266 back in the day, years ago. Sounded okay because I was in a crowded auditorium with the sounds of people and music being blasted out in the open. If I had listened to it in a quiet room it would have shown me the abyss.

 

[u840903]

Company -- unusually so -- recommends to try wearing them with some gap between them and your ears. I avoided that and measured the headphone with the tightest fit I could, lest there be riots in the streets due to bass response.

According to the setup video for for Abyss AB-1266 TC it is not something you should try, it is something you should do.

The fronts should just about be touching your skin. They don't need to create a seal. You really want to break the seal. You set them up so some parts touch your head and the rest is a gap.

Did you measure them with a broken seal? Would you mind posting those graphs as well?

 

[amirm]

Did you measure them with a broken seal? Would you mind posting those graphs as well?

As I noted, I opted for a good seal -- as much as the asymmetrical cups allow. It took fair bit of effort to get it there, adjusting the angle of the cups, width, etc. My trials here are at real-time two frequencies so not a graph. As such they are not saved.

If I have time I will measure with a gap.

 

[amirm]

According to the setup video for for Abyss AB-1266 TC it is not something you should try, it is something you should do.

I watched their videos prior to testing and they show every conceivable way to wear them going as far as saying to change the style based on each piece of music.

 

[jinithin]

Forget $4995, why would anyone pay for any headphone over $1000? If you have that kind of disposable income, buying a speaker system is orders of magnitude wiser. What demographic buys these ridiculously expensive headphones? Is it middle aged white men? It has to be people with more money than sense, right?

You do realize that there are people on this earth not living in large American houses right?
Some of us want the best possible audio without bothering the neighbours in a small apartment late at night.

 

[Grotti]

According to the setup video for for Abyss AB-1266 TC it is not something you should try, it is something you should do.


Did you measure them with a broken seal? Would you mind posting those graphs as well?

Hmmm. Why do I want to intentionally break a seal? And if so: how much of a seal break is OK? And in general: what is the point in constructing a headphone, which depends on a seal break to work as intended? Possibly a "workaround" for a flawed design?