This is easily the most useful review, and series of individual reviews, I have read or seen. As a former mastering engineer, the Diana TC sounds like the slam dunk for me, and you can be sure I'll check out the review of it separate from the others for your informaion on its amplifier requirements. Thank you.
@@grantdillon3420 Sorry, just saw your comment. I would suggest Bob Katz' book "Mastering Audio" to give you an idea what's entailed. As with any field in engineering, there is a lot to learn and know, and a lot of experience required. The work is really fun and rewarding, so worth it to me.
Interesting how different people interpret sound production differently. I tried Meze Elite after i listened to Lcd5s It took 30s for me to say, no way to the Elites,i found them profoundly lifeless, thats why i suppose there are so many choices
I owned all three and still have the Diana TC and Elites. The LCD5 clamping is ridiculous. The Diana are technically better. The Elites are too warm and don’t sound real but some noobs will like it because it has bass and can play well with any amp. The Diana’s require a good amp.
Hi Josh, your main issue with the LCD-5 review it's not to mention the new headband, available for free for the first batches and - I think - fitted as standard on future ones. It is extremely more comfortable and with less clamping force.
I can only hope Josh would see this and answer my quick question... If I own the Diana V2, in your opinion, would I enjoy the sound signature of the TC? And, would it be a worthwhile upgrade from the V2 to the TC?
This was an interesting comparison. I owned the LCD-5 and Diana TC sequentially, but never compared them side by side. I wasn't sure if the LCD-5 was faster and more detailed than the DTC, or if it was just more forward and dynamic in the midrange, esp in areas where the DTC is scooped. I'm still not totally sure, but I found the Abyss ultimately better for bass and more musical for my listening. Of course the Meze headphones are great because zero ear fatigue and really big soundstage.
Q&A - If you plan on owning multiple pairs of headphones, what are some complementary combinations you can go with? For example, if you wanted one headphone for analytical listening and a second one for pure casual/enjoyment, what would they be?
I feel that I have a great combination of headphones and equipment right now. I have the ZMF Verite Closed, lcd x, and Arya. I also have a Wa22 tube amp and Soloist GT solid state. Each headphone sounds better in different ways to. I like the VC with just WA22 and lcd x and Arya with WA22 preamp into the Soloist GT so it's a mixture if both amps. Equipment matters and can change a headphone too.
Josh, I know you've recently cooled off on all the high end stuff, but I think you did a very good job here. We know you like the DTC's best of all, but I think you did a great job trying hard to be honest and fair in this comparison, and I truly appreciate that about you, it's rare among audiophiles. Edit: I think I understand better part of the reason why you don't doing enjoy high end reviews as much, after reading the comment section. FFS, have people forgot what subjectivity is? Jeez
Great comparison. As you said you’re not buying at this price point, I’m curious what you do daily drive. I counted three occasions where you referred to the Elite as Empyrean, so perhaps that’s the one. 😉
was looking forward to this video. don't know why, but i feel you are slightly biased towards Abyss headphones....the comparison to the 1266 gave it away :). i take it from your video that the diana is fatiguing over longer listening sessions? unfortunately, i cannot test the diana :(, only the other 2, but i am more inclined towards the meze due to comfort and smoother sound plus the audeze seems to lack what i look for. I like to forget i am listening to a headphone. Also, did you notice any difference when switching to tube amps for the diana and the meze?
He literally posted a video two months ago (January 5 2022) calling the Diana TC "the best headphone on the planet" and "the headphone to beat for the next decade". Abyss followed up on January 7th with a video of their own praising his review, claiming "he did a great job" in his review. The Diana TC may be great, but saying he's 'slightly biased' is really an understatement.
@@nicklittle2413 Very true, in which case either it should be part of the disclaimer in the beginning of this video, or it the title could something like "My favorite pair of cans compared to other flagships" 🙂
Thanks for the great videos Josh! I have a question for your Q&A: what would be your pick among these three headphones specifically for metal genre? much appreciated!
I actually did listen to all three of these headphones on very good setup and in a very nice environment, not trade shows that are noisy. I really agree to what josh says. Althogh it might sound complicated to show who are not experienced in this hobby. But all the comments are actually very accurate description of the sound signature and characteristic of each headphone. Really appreciate it.
The Diana TC has the same driver 1266 has. This means changing to a pair of pads that push the driver further could provide more bass. (I did try to accomplish it using my hands...lol) I LOVE the sound of the standard TC, but having different pads would be fun though.
I definitely need to hear the Diana TC when I get the chance, just because you mentioned it's technically "clearly better and faster than LCD5". I can't say that for any of the headphones I've heard, including Susvara, 009 and X9000
Josh is in the minority here, most people who have listened to both headphones say the LCD-5 the more detailed. But, everyone's ears are different, so he could just be an outlier. Always try before you buy!
Thanks for sharing. My main question will have to be, which of the three presents the spoken and singing voice most naturally? It’s my experience that with instruments I can tolerate much more deviation from true neutrality than with voices (particularly spoken voices)
I have realized that my preferences match that of JV's. I own the dtc and have listened to all 3 of these headphones. I would put dtc 1, elite 2, and lcd5 a distant 3. Just as he said, the dtc doesn't really have major faults - it has strong and broad bass, very resolving, fast, beautiful mids and super clear highs. The Elite is just smooth to listen to (feels like a smoother but less resolving Focal Utopia), non-fatiguing, and just so super comfortable, like you are wearing fluffy clouds; it also looks and feels terrific. The LCD5... well JV didn't even talk about its bass, because it's pretty lacking compared to the other 2 on the low end. It's way too mid-forward and bass basically feels missing when you are playing at a comfortable volume. I listen to a lot of modern pop and they sound pretty shitty without bass.
Q&A: Do you think Diana V2 or HE1000SE could do a better job as a headphone for music production than DT1990 or LCD-X? Thank you again for this high video quality and for your reviews! I always like to know your point of view since you have so much experience trying many different audio gear.
Id go for arya instead, arya se is nearly identical to he1000se, except that he1000 se has more ringing. Tried a couple abyss at canjam and they were for sure not what i expected. The regular headphones were behind edition xs in just about every aspect, where as the 1266 was just a tiny bit ahead of xs sonically but the comfort still made them worse all round lol. Im sure arya would make a great mastering headphone tho, got a friend that uses 1990 and arya v2 to master.
Which one would be better if you are a audio enthusiast who also PC games for hours? Big soundstage and comfort would be the bonus qualities I am looking for right behind sounding awesome for music.
Question for the Q&A - At what price would you say you reach the point of diminishing returns for headphones (so the price doesn't scale well with the cost increase)?
Im pretty novice to this space but from all the videos and stuff ive watched it seems like around $800 is where people start really nitpicking small things. The amp and dac have a huge part to play too
Question: how do you know that you have gotten the most out of a flag ship headphone ? Do I need a 4000 dollar amp or will a 1000$ be good enough for flag ships same with dac, high-end music streamer,cables etc.... because we know it's one of the best headphones to say it's not the weaklink the stress ends up on the rest of the system
No you don't need a $4000 amp. With some flagship headphones you can drive them with a phone. Some you do need a powerful amp. A great Amp in the $1000 price range is the Burson Soloist 3xp. It will drive pretty much anything. Also even if a headphone can be driven easily it doesn't mean it won't get better with a better amp. My lcd x were driven by chord mojo and dx300 but when I bought the Soloist 3xp the lcd x were taken to another level.
Elite has very fluent and smooth presentation of music. Everything comes very comfortably and easy. The tonal balance is perfect. However the sound is too flat and tends to be lean. It’s a lack of texture. The musical presentation is too plain. LCD5 prevails in this regard. It’s like the differences between human and robot playing piano. You can feel the music in lcd5.
A question for the q&a. How do you feel about using an interface as a dac instead of having a dedicated dac? I just got into this space and spent about $600 on everything, and i went xlr for the mic which means i needed an interface. Also got a headphone amp as i plan on buying some hd6xxs. I got the audiobox 96 for my interface
I was interested in the Diana for its simplicity and wanted to use it as a travel headphone but can my phone drive the TC? Your review would suggest not.
Audeze have to up their game. Weight has been a consistent complaint and when they finally make a lighter headphone they make it $4,500. And for that money you can’t swap ear pads? Oh well you can but you have to tear them off, clean the surface, purchase a ring sticker and then put on the new ear pads. I have LCD-X headphones and while I love both the sound and the efficiency of them, I can’t wear them for very long. When one of the stock ear pads finally fell off from use and age I put Dekoni hybrid Elites on them. Another temporary permanent solution. I like the new pads but no pad rolling for these cans. I’m thinking that Audeze wants to be a boutique headphone company and has no interest in large scale production. Everything tells me that Audeze wants to produce less and charge more. So that’s why I’ve just purchased my second pair of Hifiman headphones.
Hey Josh, thanks for the comparison! After a long time in this hobby and listening to each, I find all of these headphones flawed, especially for their asking prices. Do you feel this way too? While each are beautiful and have some merits, even something like the OG Focal Clear is much more well rounded to my ears than any of these headphones. As a side note, I bought the Diana TC based on your review and had them for about 3 weeks before unfortunately returning them. The design and pads lead to an uncomfortable fit with a wonky seal that made bass and highs a mixed bag. This, along with an overall claustrophobic sound, made them feel like semi closed cans instead of open backs. I know we all hear different but it's hard to justify your take if we're that far apart on sound. Regardless, I appreciate you taking the time to release these videos and give your thoughts and opinions. Looks like your Patreon has been removed; let us know other ways we can support you.
My Empys with the silver upgrade cable are unimaginably good. Was low key thinking about Susvaras but I can’t imagine how music can be more enjoyable than on my empy setup. It’s like having a custom made pagani on your head pumping out glorious sound. It’s life changing.
Maaaan, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought of how much the elites remind me of a pagani. Sure, it might not be the fastest car ever built technically, but the luxury quality and sound is an incredible experience. Loved the elites when I demoed them, getting my pair this week!
The new Camerton Audio BINOM-ER Headphones Matched with the Mal Valve Head Amp Five will blow your mind ! Best-Kept Secret on the Planet ! Yes they sell them in the USA now ! Please Review these !
Hi there I have been recently looking forward to step up my headphone game but I am mostly into classical music and I was wandering which one of these headphones perform best with the genre .
Can't go wrong with either, from experience I would say Susvara is also worth a look for anything acoustic. When you spend this much make sure to audition all of them somehow.
So what you're saying is that all three compliment each other rather well and we should get everyone of them. Got it. Gonna have to let a few kids go but, hey, audiophilia comes first.
You sensationalized the Diana TC, and here, it sounds like you are slightly back tracking from that initial impression. I mean it sounds like the Diana's are lacking in natural tone...
A really good comparison or review of the three headphones. ❤ There is also the other type of "reviewer" who talks about 80% of the video only about EQ. 😂
i have a question about this price point headphone, my plan for this year is to get a hd800s and call it a day and move to monitor speaker after hd800s. does this 3-5k headphone better or close in terms of sound quality than a pair of genelec 8050 or 8341 that pair with a 7050c subwoofer. still thinking about weather i should make the jump to speaker world and give up headphones
the hd800 on pair with high end speakers in resolution. Also for speakers you need a correct room to enjoy the full spectrum of sound. I had HD800 sold it and bought a Harbeth P3ESR 40th with accuphase amp ovearl like 5x the price of the hd800 but the hd800 gave me better sound , I regret the speaker system and i am back again at headphones, but i now have kef ls50 meta as a side sound if i do not want to listen headphones.
@@sebanambrus9265 i heard 8361 once in a properly treated room with basically no echo. it just something i never heard before. plan to put a lot of isolation pad on my room and get a studio monitor to get 90% of that experience
Strangest comparison I have ever seen. Happen to own these headphones and his comparison of how they sound and there technical performance is bizarre. Very confusing🤔
Was at Canjam NYC and had the pleasure of trying out the Valkyria from Spirit Torino. To be honest they blew me away, even in comparison to the flagships you have here. If you ever get the opportunity, you should definitely try them. The price will make you want to die though.
Q&A: with all 3 headphones featured in this video being of the upper end, and having a price tag to match. At what point would you consider the cost to performance gain to be highly diminishing, if at all? I'm sure this is subjective to some degree, but is there a point where you can say your 500$ headphone is 95% of what your 3000$ is for example. At least in terms of sound quality. We all know if these companies wanted to, they could use outrageous build materials to really inflate the cost of a "high end" headphone. Thanks
My two cents having listened and owned a wide variety of headphones including several thousand $ TOTLs - you can often find Focal Elex for under $600 new, sometimes even under $500 if you’re willing to buy used. I have yet to encounter anything better than the Elex anywhere near this price range. The stuff that’s better costs several times more money and the differences are super marginal. I think that this is a clear point of hugely diminishing returns in headphones. Imo the best way for most people to increase their enjoyment of music isn’t to throw more money at gear but to improve as a listener. Developing a better understanding of what you like and don’t like, and learning how to use EQ well to match those preferences will probably make a bigger impact to your experience than just throwing thousands of dollars on the “best” headphones.
I'll put it to you this way: I had the Arya and the LCD-5 at the same time. I spent several days only listening to the LCD-5s. When I tried to listen to the Arya again, they almost sounded broken; the sound was flat, unengaging, and lacking in detail. After going to a dynamic, fast, and detailed headphone, the Arya just sounded wrong in comparison. So I wouldn't say its a "95%" of the way thing, its an yes - or - no kind of thing. The headphone will either give you the technical performance you are looking for, or it won't.
Anybody tried EQing the Empys or Elite? Oratory1990s Harman EQ made my Empys transcend space and time. I have stopped using my Focal Clears, probably going to sell them.
I haven't EQ'd my Empys, but going to a Burson Conductor 3XP, Alcantara pads and an upgraded cable resolved a lot of my issues with the headphones...a little faster, a tad more detail up top (those Burson vivid opamps are as advertised, in my experience), tighter, better controlled bass. I've also tried the Elite pads, less boomy than the Empyrean leather pads, a little more focused than the Alcantaras. I have a set of "Dark Mystery" Elites coming from Germany. Can't wait!
Guy's These reviews are OPINIONS. For me Josh does his homework and presents solid honest reviews and notes his Opinions on the equipment. What's would you expect? I have the LCD-5 and the TC's. Past couple of months I go back and forth loving one than the other. Its hard, source material, Amp fit etc all effect the listeners experience. At the end of they day we sometimes get "all Technical" on something that is about the music after all. I struggle as many do trying to find what I think sounds perfect for me. After months Im still changing my mind. My conclusion is whatever you can put on your head and enjoy for hours through all types of music may be the answer. You can drive your self crazy searching for the "perfect" sound. My next pair is going back to Utopia as they did that for me as an all around. No they clearly were not the Technical best best I kept going back to them for enjoyment. Sorry I sold them off now I will sell one of these to be able to buy them back. PS yes expensive hobby, most years I could only afford two Dixie cups and a string so no guilt in trying threes level at this stage in life...long time coming. Very enjoyable discussion, I don't like when we start shooting the messengers. Thanks Josh for the time and effort you put into your reviews, they are helpful!
I'm a simple guy. Whenever i see joshua uploads a video, i just click like before watching it as the overall quality of the video content is dope. Good job as usual bro.
Thanks for giving tips on budget friendly options. I got Blon Bl03 from your recommendation and enjoying the experience. Question: comparing budget headphones AKG K612 pro, Sennheiser HD 6XX/650, and Hifiman Sundara, how would you rank them according to overall hifi experience. Thanks again. Looking to go for a headphone purchase soon
I know Abyss makes an incredible product but if I knew nothing about headphones and I saw them sitting there (especially next to the Meze's) they just look cheap lol
Could you not use a knowingly less resolving dac to tame the Diana? Great Video Josh. It's always fascinating to 'see' what the flagships are up to, just like with anything else.
Have you even enjoyed doing this review? It doesn't show too much... You have in your hands the Ferraris of the Headphones, and you seem concerned that they are just no available for everyone... I am never going to buy something like this, or a Porsche, but I like to view reviews about them
@@theodorezurla496 Yeah, that's the best I've found for my preferences so far. HD800s, Clear MG, Arya etc don't EQ as well. I had an LCD-4, but it suited mainly acoustic music.
Very interesting, thank you. All of these are outside of what I think is reasonable to pay for headphones, and, IMHO, they all look kinna ridiculous, except for Diana. But also, I keep going back to my old Bose QC 35II (w a cable), because they are so light (under 300 grams!) and easy to wear all day long. Thank you for the review.
Your the only reviewer who loves the TC others are 💩💩💩 it saying it's a overpriced mess yea maybe DMS has a gun to your head 🤣😂. The mids on the TC sounds hallow and very small for a $4500 headphone that's a very big no no when a something cheaper like a Ananda has better mids for way cheaper plus the cohesiveness of any music on the TC sounds like a mess oh n btw the Utopia are better than the TC lol 😂🤣 and I hope your not just using the A90 or thx 789 to test these out with man what a joke. ,🤡 Give me the lcd-5 over it all day everyday
@@Josh-os2px your whole comment and extremely rude tangent is off of one other reviewer‘s opinion give it some time let other people get their hands on it before jumping to conclusions Joshua is a good dude and great reviewer he’s been doing it for years have a little more respect
Never gonna own these. Never going to want these. If I want good audio Id go with speakers like Fluid Audio FX 80 cause I want to have something that stays somewhat to its original intended sound. Headphones I use are Neumann NDH20, Sony MDR M1ST which is a tinnitus increasing headphone with its faked space, perceived volume decreases and KPH30i. Need something like 800s or DT1990pro but less aggressive treble e.g. EQ because I do not have a good open sounding headphone with full sound but also sound stage. My max if it is the "hear what is possible" price is 1500€ including used headphones and that would be the ONLY one time Id buy something this expensive.
This is easily the most useful review, and series of individual reviews, I have read or seen. As a former mastering engineer, the Diana TC sounds like the slam dunk for me, and you can be sure I'll check out the review of it separate from the others for your informaion on its amplifier requirements. Thank you.
Just curious, I'm looking into mastering engineering. What's needed to break into that industry?
@@grantdillon3420 Sorry, just saw your comment. I would suggest Bob Katz' book "Mastering Audio" to give you an idea what's entailed. As with any field in engineering, there is a lot to learn and know, and a lot of experience required. The work is really fun and rewarding, so worth it to me.
the meze elite looking real good now
Time for a new flagship comparison video? We've had a few new ones in this price range within the past 2 years!
Meze Elite all day (and night) 😁👍
Interesting how different people interpret sound production differently.
I tried Meze Elite after i listened to Lcd5s
It took 30s for me to say, no way to the Elites,i found them profoundly lifeless, thats why i suppose there are so many choices
I have them more than half a year now, trust me they are no lifeless..
I owned all three and still have the Diana TC and Elites. The LCD5 clamping is ridiculous. The Diana are technically better. The Elites are too warm and don’t sound real but some noobs will like it because it has bass and can play well with any amp. The Diana’s require a good amp.
@@SkywhiteChannel noob because someone is not as experienced with expensive equipement? Or is not a buffon that has to have to "audiophile" sound?
Hi Josh, your main issue with the LCD-5 review it's not to mention the new headband, available for free for the first batches and - I think - fitted as standard on future ones. It is extremely more comfortable and with less clamping force.
I can only hope Josh would see this and answer my quick question...
If I own the Diana V2, in your opinion, would I enjoy the sound signature of the TC?
And, would it be a worthwhile upgrade from the V2 to the TC?
4:57 Elite, not Empyrean )
somewhere I saw it was called empyrean elite as upgraded version so both are correct
Hopefully I will soon have the opportunity to test all three headphones. Would be really interesting how close Diana TC comes to the AB1266 PHI TC.
Not even close . Watch wave theory
@@x32i77 That's good news, it will save me a lot of money. 😄
@@vancybergoth yeah me too . The true star of the show could be Warwick acoustics bravura headphone system though
This was an interesting comparison. I owned the LCD-5 and Diana TC sequentially, but never compared them side by side. I wasn't sure if the LCD-5 was faster and more detailed than the DTC, or if it was just more forward and dynamic in the midrange, esp in areas where the DTC is scooped. I'm still not totally sure, but I found the Abyss ultimately better for bass and more musical for my listening. Of course the Meze headphones are great because zero ear fatigue and really big soundstage.
true vision ears kind of semi ciem
Just eq the lcd
@@mistafizz5195 I don't listen off my laptop, so don't have an EQ. You also lose audio quality that way. Now I just use Susvara.
Great review, please make more comparison reviews like this.
0:21 there is more money on that table than in my bank account
Q&A - If you plan on owning multiple pairs of headphones, what are some complementary combinations you can go with? For example, if you wanted one headphone for analytical listening and a second one for pure casual/enjoyment, what would they be?
I feel that I have a great combination of headphones and equipment right now. I have the ZMF Verite Closed, lcd x, and Arya. I also have a Wa22 tube amp and Soloist GT solid state. Each headphone sounds better in different ways to. I like the VC with just WA22 and lcd x and Arya with WA22 preamp into the Soloist GT so it's a mixture if both amps. Equipment matters and can change a headphone too.
Josh, I know you've recently cooled off on all the high end stuff, but I think you did a very good job here. We know you like the DTC's best of all, but I think you did a great job trying hard to be honest and fair in this comparison, and I truly appreciate that about you, it's rare among audiophiles.
Edit: I think I understand better part of the reason why you don't doing enjoy high end reviews as much, after reading the comment section. FFS, have people forgot what subjectivity is? Jeez
They're all for subjectivity as long as their perspectives are agreed with...
What about Utopia? I didn't audition any of the headphones in the video but listened to the Utopia and it was phenomenal.
Great comparison. As you said you’re not buying at this price point, I’m curious what you do daily drive. I counted three occasions where you referred to the Elite as Empyrean, so perhaps that’s the one. 😉
As a current empyrean owner, I want the elite headphones. Running them off a Chord Dave and Blu scaler, it's damn near perfect.
Dont bother, elite is a massive downgrade. It has more technical capabilities, but the tuning is absolutely cursed.
was looking forward to this video. don't know why, but i feel you are slightly biased towards Abyss headphones....the comparison to the 1266 gave it away :). i take it from your video that the diana is fatiguing over longer listening sessions? unfortunately, i cannot test the diana :(, only the other 2, but i am more inclined towards the meze due to comfort and smoother sound plus the audeze seems to lack what i look for. I like to forget i am listening to a headphone. Also, did you notice any difference when switching to tube amps for the diana and the meze?
He literally posted a video two months ago (January 5 2022) calling the Diana TC "the best headphone on the planet" and "the headphone to beat for the next decade". Abyss followed up on January 7th with a video of their own praising his review, claiming "he did a great job" in his review. The Diana TC may be great, but saying he's 'slightly biased' is really an understatement.
@@FormalPluto fair enough. Didn't know about this....
@@FormalPluto or it's just his his favorite Headphone
@@nicklittle2413 Very true, in which case either it should be part of the disclaimer in the beginning of this video, or it the title could something like "My favorite pair of cans compared to other flagships" 🙂
Thanks for the great videos Josh! I have a question for your Q&A: what would be your pick among these three headphones specifically for metal genre? much appreciated!
Hey! Did you get the answer to your question? I'm looking the flagship headphones for metal too.
I actually did listen to all three of these headphones on very good setup and in a very nice environment, not trade shows that are noisy. I really agree to what josh says. Althogh it might sound complicated to show who are not experienced in this hobby. But all the comments are actually very accurate description of the sound signature and characteristic of each headphone. Really appreciate it.
why not include Susvara in your comparision.
And the Abyss 1266TC
If the meze can be run from a simple laptop and give a satisfying experience, isn't it a fantastic value overall?
If you spend 4-5 grands on headphones, you should already have an amp that makes sense.
Please do more comparisons, its kinda untapped and gives a great purchasing guide or sees how similar players stack up against each other.
Cool review, these are the big boys 👍, thanks Josh.
From what I know, I think the tc would be the best for me.
Here I am thinking about which one I would buy when in reality it's never going to happen at those prices :D
ZMF Caldera
The Diana TC has the same driver 1266 has. This means changing to a pair of pads that push the driver further could provide more bass. (I did try to accomplish it using my hands...lol) I LOVE the sound of the standard TC, but having different pads would be fun though.
Can you review the dan Clark audio stealth. It sound like a good contender for these headphones
I definitely need to hear the Diana TC when I get the chance, just because you mentioned it's technically "clearly better and faster than LCD5". I can't say that for any of the headphones I've heard, including Susvara, 009 and X9000
I've had both, and I tend to think LCD-5 is faster, but I think the speed question is somewhat frequency dependent.
Josh is in the minority here, most people who have listened to both headphones say the LCD-5 the more detailed. But, everyone's ears are different, so he could just be an outlier. Always try before you buy!
@@ryansemplexyz Well Josh is also friends with someone who works at Abyss, so......
Your amazon affiliate links appear to be messed up.
When you survive into your 6th decade, your ageing ears appreciate hyper-detailed phones...Dianna for me...nuff said.
Thanks for sharing. My main question will have to be, which of the three presents the spoken and singing voice most naturally? It’s my experience that with instruments I can tolerate much more deviation from true neutrality than with voices (particularly spoken voices)
I have realized that my preferences match that of JV's. I own the dtc and have listened to all 3 of these headphones. I would put dtc 1, elite 2, and lcd5 a distant 3. Just as he said, the dtc doesn't really have major faults - it has strong and broad bass, very resolving, fast, beautiful mids and super clear highs. The Elite is just smooth to listen to (feels like a smoother but less resolving Focal Utopia), non-fatiguing, and just so super comfortable, like you are wearing fluffy clouds; it also looks and feels terrific. The LCD5... well JV didn't even talk about its bass, because it's pretty lacking compared to the other 2 on the low end. It's way too mid-forward and bass basically feels missing when you are playing at a comfortable volume. I listen to a lot of modern pop and they sound pretty shitty without bass.
Q&A: Do you think Diana V2 or HE1000SE could do a better job as a headphone for music production than DT1990 or LCD-X?
Thank you again for this high video quality and for your reviews! I always like to know your point of view since you have so much experience trying many different audio gear.
Id go for arya instead, arya se is nearly identical to he1000se, except that he1000 se has more ringing. Tried a couple abyss at canjam and they were for sure not what i expected. The regular headphones were behind edition xs in just about every aspect, where as the 1266 was just a tiny bit ahead of xs sonically but the comfort still made them worse all round lol.
Im sure arya would make a great mastering headphone tho, got a friend that uses 1990 and arya v2 to master.
@@flazederg6800 Thank you for the reply! I will consider the Arya SE then! Thank you!
Faster sound? What does that mean 😭
what in those 2 words you dont understand?
Which one would be better if you are a audio enthusiast who also PC games for hours? Big soundstage and comfort would be the bonus qualities I am looking for right behind sounding awesome for music.
So buy them all and swap between them?
Question for the Q&A - At what price would you say you reach the point of diminishing returns for headphones (so the price doesn't scale well with the cost increase)?
Im pretty novice to this space but from all the videos and stuff ive watched it seems like around $800 is where people start really nitpicking small things. The amp and dac have a huge part to play too
In very interested in this aswell though
I imagine it somewhat depends on what you want out of the headphones too. What sound signature you want will probably affect the cost
Love to have you compare/relate the sound to speakers…
Wish you compared to Susvara!
Question: how do you know that you have gotten the most out of a flag ship headphone ? Do I need a 4000 dollar amp or will a 1000$ be good enough for flag ships same with dac, high-end music streamer,cables etc.... because we know it's one of the best headphones to say it's not the weaklink the stress ends up on the rest of the system
No you don't need a $4000 amp. With some flagship headphones you can drive them with a phone. Some you do need a powerful amp. A great Amp in the $1000 price range is the Burson Soloist 3xp. It will drive pretty much anything. Also even if a headphone can be driven easily it doesn't mean it won't get better with a better amp. My lcd x were driven by chord mojo and dx300 but when I bought the Soloist 3xp the lcd x were taken to another level.
Q&A: Which DAC ALL IN ONE AMP would you suggest if using diana tc? prices aboout 3000-6000 for the best or other suggestions, many thanks
Review blue ella ans final audio Sonorous x
Elite has very fluent and smooth presentation of music. Everything comes very comfortably and easy. The tonal balance is perfect. However the sound is too flat and tends to be lean. It’s a lack of texture. The musical presentation is too plain. LCD5 prevails in this regard. It’s like the differences between human and robot playing piano. You can feel the music in lcd5.
A question for the q&a. How do you feel about using an interface as a dac instead of having a dedicated dac? I just got into this space and spent about $600 on everything, and i went xlr for the mic which means i needed an interface. Also got a headphone amp as i plan on buying some hd6xxs. I got the audiobox 96 for my interface
Following this thread. I currently have a behringer umc22 and some he400se’s. Currently planning to buy some hd650/6xx.
I was interested in the Diana for its simplicity and wanted to use it as a travel headphone but can my phone drive the TC? Your review would suggest not.
Those mezes look sleek in silver 🥵
Audeze have to up their game. Weight has been a consistent complaint and when they finally make a lighter headphone they make it $4,500. And for that money you can’t swap ear pads? Oh well you can but you have to tear them off, clean the surface, purchase a ring sticker and then put on the new ear pads. I have LCD-X headphones and while I love both the sound and the efficiency of them, I can’t wear them for very long. When one of the stock ear pads finally fell off from use and age I put Dekoni hybrid Elites on them. Another temporary permanent solution. I like the new pads but no pad rolling for these cans. I’m thinking that Audeze wants to be a boutique headphone company and has no interest in large scale production. Everything tells me that Audeze wants to produce less and charge more. So that’s why I’ve just purchased my second pair of Hifiman headphones.
Cool story.
Love my LCD-5. Oh wait I am supposed to hate them because of glued pads. You Audeze haters are tiresome.
Hey Josh, thanks for the comparison! After a long time in this hobby and listening to each, I find all of these headphones flawed, especially for their asking prices. Do you feel this way too? While each are beautiful and have some merits, even something like the OG Focal Clear is much more well rounded to my ears than any of these headphones. As a side note, I bought the Diana TC based on your review and had them for about 3 weeks before unfortunately returning them. The design and pads lead to an uncomfortable fit with a wonky seal that made bass and highs a mixed bag. This, along with an overall claustrophobic sound, made them feel like semi closed cans instead of open backs. I know we all hear different but it's hard to justify your take if we're that far apart on sound. Regardless, I appreciate you taking the time to release these videos and give your thoughts and opinions. Looks like your Patreon has been removed; let us know other ways we can support you.
Another Question: What are some beliefs/myths in the audiophile community that you strongly disagree with or dismiss entirely?
My Empys with the silver upgrade cable are unimaginably good. Was low key thinking about Susvaras but I can’t imagine how music can be more enjoyable than on my empy setup. It’s like having a custom made pagani on your head pumping out glorious sound. It’s life changing.
I agree with silver cable. It’s, like, perfect.
Maaaan, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought of how much the elites remind me of a pagani. Sure, it might not be the fastest car ever built technically, but the luxury quality and sound is an incredible experience. Loved the elites when I demoed them, getting my pair this week!
You should have included the Sonoma acoustic bravura headphone system
The new Camerton Audio BINOM-ER Headphones Matched with the Mal Valve Head Amp Five will blow your mind ! Best-Kept Secret on the Planet ! Yes they sell them in the USA now ! Please Review these !
Are the Topping A90/D90 good enough to run the DTC?
My recommendation for a perfect allrounder, if you don't want to take any compromises that come with these 3 headphones is the Final Audio D8000 Pro.
There's always a drawback.
No d8000 pro od very boring
What's the difference soundwise between Meze Empyrean and The Elite?
Please review the skull candy crushers wireless
Hi there I have been recently looking forward to step up my headphone game but I am mostly into classical music and I was wandering which one of these headphones perform best with the genre .
Can't go wrong with either, from experience I would say Susvara is also worth a look for anything acoustic. When you spend this much make sure to audition all of them somehow.
So what you're saying is that all three compliment each other rather well and we should get everyone of them. Got it. Gonna have to let a few kids go but, hey, audiophilia comes first.
You sensationalized the Diana TC, and here, it sounds like you are slightly back tracking from that initial impression. I mean it sounds like the Diana's are lacking in natural tone...
Are the hiby r6 and new fiio ka3 enough for generating good sound on Diana TC?
A really good comparison or review of the three headphones. ❤ There is also the other type of "reviewer" who talks about 80% of the video only about EQ. 😂
i have a question about this price point headphone, my plan for this year is to get a hd800s and call it a day and move to monitor speaker after hd800s. does this 3-5k headphone better or close in terms of sound quality than a pair of genelec 8050 or 8341 that pair with a 7050c subwoofer. still thinking about weather i should make the jump to speaker world and give up headphones
the hd800 on pair with high end speakers in resolution. Also for speakers you need a correct room to enjoy the full spectrum of sound. I had HD800 sold it and bought a Harbeth P3ESR 40th with accuphase amp ovearl like 5x the price of the hd800 but the hd800 gave me better sound , I regret the speaker system and i am back again at headphones, but i now have kef ls50 meta as a side sound if i do not want to listen headphones.
@@sebanambrus9265 i heard 8361 once in a properly treated room with basically no echo. it just something i never heard before. plan to put a lot of isolation pad on my room and get a studio monitor to get 90% of that experience
Do you mind reviewing Edifier StaxSpirit S3 please?
I love my OG Empyreans more than any headphones I've heard. I guess I need some bass. So comfy & beautiful.
Josh this Is Amazing . Who knows at some point I'm a compulsive junkie and I'd buy one of these headphones . Very nice
Lol man do I want the TC so much!
Strangest comparison I have ever seen.
Happen to own these headphones and his comparison of how they sound and there technical performance is bizarre.
Very confusing🤔
You own all three?!
What do you value the most in a pair of headphones?
Comfort
@@h.hristov me 2
Meze's $500 less and doesn't need an amp. So while it's $2k more than I would consider spending, it's the obvious pick for me.
Meze doesn’t need an amp? U serious?
Was at Canjam NYC and had the pleasure of trying out the Valkyria from Spirit Torino. To be honest they blew me away, even in comparison to the flagships you have here.
If you ever get the opportunity, you should definitely try them.
The price will make you want to die though.
Q&A: with all 3 headphones featured in this video being of the upper end, and having a price tag to match. At what point would you consider the cost to performance gain to be highly diminishing, if at all? I'm sure this is subjective to some degree, but is there a point where you can say your 500$ headphone is 95% of what your 3000$ is for example. At least in terms of sound quality. We all know if these companies wanted to, they could use outrageous build materials to really inflate the cost of a "high end" headphone.
Thanks
My two cents having listened and owned a wide variety of headphones including several thousand $ TOTLs - you can often find Focal Elex for under $600 new, sometimes even under $500 if you’re willing to buy used. I have yet to encounter anything better than the Elex anywhere near this price range. The stuff that’s better costs several times more money and the differences are super marginal. I think that this is a clear point of hugely diminishing returns in headphones. Imo the best way for most people to increase their enjoyment of music isn’t to throw more money at gear but to improve as a listener. Developing a better understanding of what you like and don’t like, and learning how to use EQ well to match those preferences will probably make a bigger impact to your experience than just throwing thousands of dollars on the “best” headphones.
I'll put it to you this way: I had the Arya and the LCD-5 at the same time. I spent several days only listening to the LCD-5s. When I tried to listen to the Arya again, they almost sounded broken; the sound was flat, unengaging, and lacking in detail. After going to a dynamic, fast, and detailed headphone, the Arya just sounded wrong in comparison. So I wouldn't say its a "95%" of the way thing, its an yes - or - no kind of thing. The headphone will either give you the technical performance you are looking for, or it won't.
Absolutely top review, Josh. Nailed the detail and imagery. What do you think of EQ'ing in general, and specifically to high-end headphones?
Anybody tried EQing the Empys or Elite? Oratory1990s Harman EQ made my Empys transcend space and time. I have stopped using my Focal Clears, probably going to sell them.
I haven't EQ'd my Empys, but going to a Burson Conductor 3XP, Alcantara pads and an upgraded cable resolved a lot of my issues with the headphones...a little faster, a tad more detail up top (those Burson vivid opamps are as advertised, in my experience), tighter, better controlled bass. I've also tried the Elite pads, less boomy than the Empyrean leather pads, a little more focused than the Alcantaras. I have a set of "Dark Mystery" Elites coming from Germany. Can't wait!
Guy's These reviews are OPINIONS. For me Josh does his homework and presents solid honest reviews and notes his Opinions on the equipment. What's would you expect? I have the LCD-5 and the TC's. Past couple of months I go back and forth loving one than the other. Its hard, source material, Amp fit etc all effect the listeners experience. At the end of they day we sometimes get "all Technical" on something that is about the music after all. I struggle as many do trying to find what I think sounds perfect for me. After months Im still changing my mind. My conclusion is whatever you can put on your head and enjoy for hours through all types of music may be the answer. You can drive your self crazy searching for the "perfect" sound. My next pair is going back to Utopia as they did that for me as an all around. No they clearly were not the Technical best best I kept going back to them for enjoyment. Sorry I sold them off now I will sell one of these to be able to buy them back. PS yes expensive hobby, most years I could only afford two Dixie cups and a string so no guilt in trying threes level at this stage in life...long time coming. Very enjoyable discussion, I don't like when we start shooting the messengers. Thanks Josh for the time and effort you put into your reviews, they are helpful!
Never again audeze the Meze is my favourit 👍
"diana tc has no real faults"- high distortion.... nevermind
High quality video like this..😁
Id love to see you review something like the Thieaudio Monarch mk1 or 2.
How would you say the hifiman he1000se compares to these three?
If u EQ the se it's better than the Elites & TC not better than the LCD 5
Q&A:
Which HP is the most comfortable?: HD800S, Arya or Empyrean?
Empyrean
I'm a simple guy. Whenever i see joshua uploads a video, i just click like before watching it as the overall quality of the video content is dope. Good job as usual bro.
okay, so there is only one positive review about the Abys Diana TC so far on the net.
Yeah lol . But he said it wasn't sponsored ...
How many reviews are there?
@@nicklittle2413 3 reviews . 2 of which are not fairly positive
Thanks for giving tips on budget friendly options. I got Blon Bl03 from your recommendation and enjoying the experience.
Question: comparing budget headphones AKG K612 pro, Sennheiser HD 6XX/650, and Hifiman Sundara, how would you rank them according to overall hifi experience. Thanks again. Looking to go for a headphone purchase soon
I know Abyss makes an incredible product but if I knew nothing about headphones and I saw them sitting there (especially next to the Meze's) they just look cheap lol
The obvious answer to this dilemma is to buy all three of them! LOL
LTD Caldera over any of those
Could you not use a knowingly less resolving dac to tame the Diana?
Great Video Josh. It's always fascinating to 'see' what the flagships are up to, just like with anything else.
I like high end headphones. Could you review Mcintosh MHA200?
Have you even enjoyed doing this review? It doesn't show too much... You have in your hands the Ferraris of the Headphones, and you seem concerned that they are just no available for everyone... I am never going to buy something like this, or a Porsche, but I like to view reviews about them
Yeah…imma stick to my Sundaras
sundara for life !
a lot of echo in this one
How would you compare these to an LCD-X for example? With or without EQ I'd take that before the Elite for example.
Anything Meze is overpriced
@@Josh-os2px 99 Neo was $99 at one point so that was decent xD
LcdX is all you need my friend enjoy ☺️
@@theodorezurla496 Yeah, that's the best I've found for my preferences so far. HD800s, Clear MG, Arya etc don't EQ as well. I had an LCD-4, but it suited mainly acoustic music.
elite...?
To compare them in the same class, they are far behind in all aspects other than design and fit.
Sponsored by abyss
Very interesting, thank you. All of these are outside of what I think is reasonable to pay for headphones, and, IMHO, they all look kinna ridiculous, except for Diana. But also, I keep going back to my old Bose QC 35II (w a cable), because they are so light (under 300 grams!) and easy to wear all day long. Thank you for the review.
for me Diana look ugly it all depend on taste, best looking is anyway ZMF Atrium
Is this am USB-mic i Hear? There ist a high noice, sounds like usb
🙏🙏🙏
Your the only reviewer who loves the TC others are 💩💩💩 it saying it's a overpriced mess yea maybe DMS has a gun to your head 🤣😂. The mids on the TC sounds hallow and very small for a $4500 headphone that's a very big no no when a something cheaper like a Ananda has better mids for way cheaper plus the cohesiveness of any music on the TC sounds like a mess oh n btw the Utopia are better than the TC lol 😂🤣 and I hope your not just using the A90 or thx 789 to test these out with man what a joke. ,🤡
Give me the lcd-5 over it all day everyday
Delete this..
This was edited? The original must have been the shambles to end all shambles.
@@theodorezurla496 no why if your spending $4500 u shouldn't be lied to about a bad HP.
@@deistdean486 I was actually adding stuff on but yea I see you are a worishiper in the Church of Valor
@@Josh-os2px your whole comment and extremely rude tangent is off of one other reviewer‘s opinion give it some time let other people get their hands on it before jumping to conclusions Joshua is a good dude and great reviewer he’s been doing it for years have a little more respect
Mr piercing trebleman
fir....first?
Shu...shut up?
Never gonna own these. Never going to want these. If I want good audio Id go with speakers like Fluid Audio FX 80 cause I want to have something that stays somewhat to its original intended sound. Headphones I use are Neumann NDH20, Sony MDR M1ST which is a tinnitus increasing headphone with its faked space, perceived volume decreases and KPH30i. Need something like 800s or DT1990pro but less aggressive treble e.g. EQ because I do not have a good open sounding headphone with full sound but also sound stage. My max if it is the "hear what is possible" price is 1500€ including used headphones and that would be the ONLY one time Id buy something this expensive.