pkelly500 t1_j8yd9sj wrote on February 17, 2023 at 8:52 PM

First, Abyss makes overrated, overpriced products. It would be one thing if one site or reviewer questioned their wonky measurements and distortion, but too many do to ignore it.

Second, you're taking a MASSIVE leap from a pair of $300 Momentums to a $3,000 pair of headphones. Way too big, to be frank.

Start smaller. It's cheaper, and it's a better way to discover what you really want.

There is no instant gratification, Goldilocks headphone unless you truly know what you want and have done the research to indicate the headphone matches that preference. You didn't, and that's OK, but you never would have bought the Diana TC if you did. Plus, the Diana TC are VERY hard to drive, so I bet your amp lacks the power to elicit peak fidelity and enough volume.

It sounds like you want more of a V-shaped, aggressive sound signature with more bass. I recommend these cans in the $500-$1,200 price range:

Meze 109 Pro (Rich bass, bright treble. Very comfortable and well built.)

Focal Clear (Original, not MG)

Focal Elex (Punchy, aggressive, detailed)

Audeze LCD-2C (Warm, rich bass, aggressive midrange that puts vocals front and center, rolled-off, less-detailed treble. Needs EQ to sound its best.)

Audeze LCD-X (My daily driver. Better, more balanced tuning than the LCD-2C, but still nice bass. Excellent detail throughout. Needs EQ to sound its best.)

Sorry if my words above come off harsh. But you did the headphone equivalent of jumping from a passenger car to a Formula One car with no in-between steps. That method is more likely to end in disappointment.

Feel free to ask ANY questions, dude. Good luck with your audiophile journey.

petethebeat14 OP t1_j8ygkod wrote on February 17, 2023 at 9:14 PM

Amazing response, thank you!

My issue is I come into headphones as a pop song producer and just a general enjoyer of music with clear dynamics.

It’s just so odd to me how flat these headphones sound. So much of music IS dynamics so I don’t understand what I’m missing here in the listening experience.

Is it clarity? My Momentums may have heavier bass but I really have to say, the detail is fantastic too.

To me, the Diana’s main issue is the flatness, lack of dynamic and general quietness (I’m not sure how else to describe it).

Is the real issue just not having a strong enough driver/amp? It seems INSANE to me that now I have to spend thousands more to get these to sound decent?

Jeez, what have I gotten myself into!! Haha

pkelly500 t1_j8yq3rv wrote on February 17, 2023 at 10:19 PM

You do not need to spend thousands in ANY area of headphones -- cans and source gear -- to get anything to sound decent.

My JDS Labs Atom+ DAC/amp stack was $220 new and has 1 watt of clean, uncolored power at 32 ohms, almost four times the 250mw your amp provides.

Understand this fact about audiophile gear: The connection between cost and quality is not proportional AT ALL. There is a SERIOUS amount of diminishing returns once you surpass the $1,000 level for cans and gear.

Sure, a $4,000 headphone will sound better than a $400 headphone. But 10 times better? No f*cking way.

spartaman64 t1_j8ympc5 wrote on February 17, 2023 at 9:55 PM

yeah i think its very possible your amp isnt enough. they have issues and do need EQ but i dont think they should sound like what you are describing? im not sure what sennheiser momentum you had but if its the momentum 3 then it does have a high bass hump. it could be possible that you are used to that and need some time to adjust.

pkelly500 t1_j8ypizz wrote on February 17, 2023 at 10:15 PM

Exactly. Anyone who says the Momentum 3 have a "slight bass lift" must masturbate at the altar of Beats nightly. The M3's have punchy, elevated, bloated bass -- without a doubt.

The OP is used to "excited," consumer-oriented sound signatures you get with wireless over-ear cans from Sony, Bose, Beats, Sennheiser and others. It's V-shaped, with booming, bloated bass, scooped-out mids and hot, crispy, sibilant treble.

That elevated bass creates the sensation of punchy dynamics, while the hot treble creates the sensation of "clarity" or "air." Neither is accurate, but it's a parlor trick of tuning that manufacturers of consumer-oriented headphones use, and the marketplace apparently loves it.

I sound critical of this sound signature. Yeah, it's not my preferred profile. I'm more of a "neutral with some Cajun spice lightly sprinkled on" kind of listener. But there's nothing wrong with a V-shaped signature if that's what you like.

Of the headphones I listed, I think the Audeze LCD-2C, the Focal Elex and the Meze 109 Pro are closest to the "dynamic, musical" signature you seek rather than pure neutrality or a microscope into all the tones of the song.

Those three headphones still all sound much better than a Sennheiser M3 because the mids actually are present and not muddied by the bass or deep-fried by the treble. But their sonic DNA shares strands with consumer-oriented headphones, while cans like the Diana TC and 800S do not.