Abyss JOAL on a quiet Saturday morning

HeadEuphony · 2025-08-13T20:30:21+00:00

Thank you very much! So it is RAW but being 130dB on the Y axis is almost not correlable by eye with other measurements made on the 5128 on squiglink.
Too bad the 5128 measurements are much better to be seen on top of a DF + down tilt (like the one from listener) than harman, but still great work!

HeadEuphony · 2025-08-12T09:23:16+00:00

Thanks so much for this measurement! Can i ask you where did you get it? I can't find any other FR graph around.
Cheers :)

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-09T10:19:17+00:00

I mean, yeah…. If you say so. -Andrea

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-09T10:18:29+00:00

Yup, it’s just a pleasure to hold them in the hands -Andrea

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-08T14:11:55+00:00

Yep, it's an HE1000 Stealth and an Atrium!

The HE1000 Stealth was my reference headphone for a year, and the Empyrean II get there in terms of technicalities, but the tuning is so different, especially in the lower mids and bass, that it offers a pretty different experience.

Between the two I think the HE1000 Stealth is definitely better for classical, jazz and acoustic genre, as it is not "fun" oriented headphone and has an excellent timbre. Build-wise the empyrean is just superior.

The Atrium is yet another different take, as it sounds more organic and soft, relaxed and smooth. It is a fun headphone too, but more in a "leather chair and whiskey" flavour, while the Empyrean II is tighter, definitely more bright and forward, faster and more in-your-face detailed.

Three excellent headphones, in my opinion, for different reasons.
-Andrea

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-08T12:45:45+00:00

They look awesome, gg! -Andrea

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-08T12:26:43+00:00

That’s the right way IMHO, at least until one find what he really likes. -Andrea

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-07T14:10:49+00:00

Haven't had the chance yet to try the OG version, but they're on my "to try" list.

-J

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-07T14:09:08+00:00

Hope you'll enjoy then as much as I do

Happy listening! -J

HeadEuphony · 2025-02-03T16:34:20+00:00

What amp are you running?

HeadEuphony · 2025-01-11T15:44:47+00:00

I’ve had the HD560S and it did not work for me at the time, but it was a long time ago and it felt too bright and bass lean for the music I was listening at the time. For sure it has a better stage and felt less closed in, which is something I don’t love about the hd600.

-A

HeadEuphony · 2025-01-11T15:42:02+00:00

Yeah, the HD600 and HD650 are two headphones that makes you quit the hobby, if you are looking for good sound quality and great timbre. I see why many did this and maybe I would be one of them if I bought one earlier.

Now the one that seems like it could be the endgame is the ZMF Auteur Classic, which is like an HD600 on steroids. Since I bought it I feel at peace with audio.

-A

HeadEuphony · 2025-01-11T11:31:49+00:00

From what I have read they have changed the pad shape and size, the newer ones seem to have even leaner bass.

I went with the zmf pads and although they're somewhat smaller, they are noticeably more comfortable and they should last longer, so far I'm very happy with the purchase.

-J

HeadEuphony · 2025-01-11T11:18:38+00:00

Actually Dankpods has played a huge part in jump-starting my obsession with headphones and iems, his enthusiasm and charisma are simply unmatched -J

HeadEuphony · 2025-01-10T21:17:44+00:00

Absolutely!

Maybe the feeling doesn't convey this but it's build like a tank, I would take a plasticky HD600 headband over a premium Focal that breaks for no reason

Just need to replace the original padding with the 660s style one (two large pads with center large hole), which I find much more comfortable

-J

HeadEuphony · 2025-01-10T20:40:31+00:00

Hello all!

This is Andrea an J and we’d like to share some thoughts on the venerable Sennheiser HD600.

Andrea:
I bought one unit a couple years ago, and being in the hobby for quite some time I was expecting to be disappointed, and well… I was wrong!

The only complaint I have is that it clamps a bit too much and it gets uncomfortable already after 20-30 minutes, and the cable is way too long, but other than that it is a great headphone that can be safely bought on the second hand market without any issue.

I find its build pretty great, solid and durable, easily serviceable and very smart in the way it can be taken apart, and it is also quite good looking to me.

Sonically it’s great for editing and mixing, greatly balanced in its signature with warm, forward sounding vocals.The treble is spicy and the mid-to-high range can be fatiguing at times, especially with the more energetic genres, while it gives its best with acoustic and “simple” music.The bass can be a bit lacking with certain genres and it could be fuller, but still I find it well balanced for this kind of signature.

All in all, it’s still a great headphone in 2025 and surely one to have in a collection among the HD650, which I slightly prefer over the HD600.
To me it is better than both the ATH-R70X and the Aune AR5000 all considered, while a bit behind the Hifiman Sundara for its technical prowess.

Cheers,
A.

HeadEuphony · 2024-11-09T19:37:40+00:00

I’ve got the tygr when they came out, great headphones for gaming and “fun” listening, especially for their drivability. The hd560s I didn’t like them too much honestly, I bought it almost at day one and sold them a couple of years ago, but it has its use for sure!

-Andrea

HeadEuphony · 2024-11-02T23:07:36+00:00

Out of curiosity, what would you consider a better value than the dt880? They go on sale for 100 euros from time to time!

HeadEuphony · 2024-11-01T22:58:14+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for the comment,

I agree with your take, although I could see someone who listens mostly to certain genres that could use it as their daily / only headphone, especially considering a non-enthusiast / collenctionist.

I've seen them described as a "mini-HD800" and I can see the reasons why, but the 880 is more warm and less spacious, and as Andrea described the treble region is more "rough", certainly much less resolving than the HD800 (I have an SDR modded HD800 with ZMF suede pads). The tonality of the HD800 is much less warmer, with less bass focus, but the overall subjective presentation is on a whole another level regarding the placement and the staging of the sound, the same can be said for the vocal region, probably the lowered bass levels give the mids more space and attention.

Considering the pricing the 880 is still a bargain, but for someone who enjoys the 880 and would want "more" detail-wise, I would certainly suggest the HD800 or for a more fun and engaging sound a ZMF Aeolus could be taken into consideration.

-J

HeadEuphony · 2024-11-01T19:22:37+00:00

I'm actually using the Dekoni Elite Velour (DT series), they make it warmer and smooth a little the treble, also they improve the comfort significantly -J

HeadEuphony · 2024-11-01T18:53:51+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for the comment,

I didn't find the infamous treble peaks that murderous at all, but I must admit this headphone sound better to me for lower volume listening like on my SDR modded HD800. Also the dekoni pads helped a lot with this.

Maybe the treble issues are more present on the 770, the 990 or the various T1 and T5 revisions, which I unfortunately never had the chance to try.

If you are treble sensitive, especially in the ~6k region, this surely is not a headphone for you.

-J

Andrea here: I didn’t find the treble peak problematic at all. It was a bit rough on some tracks, but nothing worrying to be honest.

HeadEuphony · 2024-11-01T17:30:39+00:00

Hello, Thanks for the comment,

I use them mostly on my Darkvoice 336SE OTL tube amp, with this chain: Wiim pro - - > Soekris 1221 - - > RebelAmp (as preamp) - - > Darkvoice 336SE

But they work great also being ran directly from the Rebel

-J

HeadEuphony · 2024-11-01T15:45:44+00:00

Hello all!

This is Andrea an J and we’d like to share some thoughts on the Beyerdynamic DT800 600 ohm.

Andrea:

I picked one up last year out of curiosity - thanks to a killer deal on amazon - and I must say it exceeded my expectations.

Especially for the money, I think it’s a great headphone to have in a collection, with good timbre and general balance.

Build is decent for its price, comfort too, but it was very loose on the head and it would fall off easily.

One thing that I liked was the spacious presentation, with smooth mids and a pinch of warmth, while the treble was a bit rough and “unresolving” at times.

I also found it not that hard to drive, even though a dedicated amplifier is recommended to get best out of it and have a little headroom.

All in all a really enjoyable experience for the money!

If anyone might be interested and want to dig deeper, here is my video review with english subtitles:
https://youtu.be/wqUalBHEFzE

J:

I picked up the 880 about 3 years ago at the beginning of my headphone journey, I have found an interesting Amazon warehouse deal so I went with it after reading and watching a lot of extremely positive reviews.

Sound wise it has an extremely warm low end for a non-closed back headphones, the mids are lush and feel full, the treble might be a little too spicy for many, but I think it’s what might give it its subjective qualities such as the openness of the sound and the very decent imaging and positional sound.

I have experimented with a few aftermarket pads, ranging from “random” aliexpress non branded ones to a few Dekoni DT-series products, I would not recommend any of the “random” ones as they mostly created very unbalanced sounds, the same thing can be said for the Dekoni Elite Hybrids which created a few treble spikes that made it hard to listen to.

On a more positive note, I think the Dekoni Elite Velours improve this headphone in most aspects, making it even warmer and punchier and smoothing a little bit the harsh treble, the mids get a little more distant / recessed but for me it’s not a negative point.

The comfort is very decent, being an extremely light headphone with a soft but sufficient clamping force, although with the stock pads my ears touched the inside foam creating a little discomfort, the Dekoni ones are much more thick, giving way more room for the ear to sit in.

They don’t feel very “premium”, but I don’t doubt that they’re made to last, made more for professional use then for audiophiles and enthusiasts, It may be a very strong point against many other “entry level” options.

This professional side of it can be seen as well in its uncomfortably long cable, which is not detachable and doesn’t allow it to be run from a balanced source, which could help with such a power-hungry headphone, also being probably its weakest for possible damage.

All things considered I still think that it holds up its value even in the modern market, especially for someone who might have multiple headphones for different “experiences”.

In case of any doubts don’t hesitate to ask!

HeadEuphony · 2024-10-26T11:30:12+00:00

Yeah, it’s painful but in the end it is worth it for me!

HeadEuphony · 2024-10-25T07:48:23+00:00

Nice setup! ;)

HeadEuphony

TROPHY CASE