Josh has that bow to the left of his desk because I keep trying to seal stuff off it. I got hit with 3 arrows so far but I stole a half eaten crunch-bar and photo collage book full of Randy's face. Feels like a victory to me.
*Minimalist* is a bit buzz-wordy... sorry about that lol. But! It help with the *ALGORITHM* :) Anyways, I will make the first joke.... Doesn't seem like this has a minimalist price tag....
Yo I used the word minimalist wrong for years! I thought it meant minimizing the amount of space taken. Very embarrassing when your co-workers explain how you’re the opposite of it 😅😎
Your reviews sold me on the Diana V2 and the Topping A90/D90 stack. I took the jump from a pair of KPH30i's out of an SMSL-AD18. I have to say, I cannot imagine a better sounding setup for me. I've tried a few other high-end headphones since getting my set-up, and each time I find myself coming back to my V2/A90/D90. The initial listen was completely different from anything I'd heard before. So the first few hours was getting used to this new level of detail and quality. So it wasn't until a few days after that I was settled in and understanding what I was hearing. Sitting down with my eyes closed listening to things like 747, I'm absolutely transported. It's as if the instruments are all around me, and when the sound of propellers and shrapnel are spiraling and shooting past you, it actually feels as if I'm falling through the air and things are just barely avoiding me. Basically, I wasn't used to feeling immersed in the music. Now I can let the music happen around me and it's amazing. With other headphones I've owned, it always sounded like music happening on my right or left ear. Now, it's as if I'm in a sphere of sound. In 747 at the 3:30 mark its like everything opens up and you're just out there with everything happening around you. Thanks for the great reviews and recommendations.
Exactly lol. I do a lot of DIY and like more timeless/classic designs. I also pay more for the highest quality materials (since I'm saving money on the construction part). The desk I built would cost $3k to buy outright (I called and asked several shops -- it's what prompted me to DIY). Then I built my own PC, headphone amp, keyboard, keyboard tray, and so on... It's rewarding. :)
The best part is that the headphones will still be amazing. Good audio equipment never goes out of style. If it was good then, it will be good now, and it will remain good going forward.
Yoo Genelecs! Suomi mainittu, torille and all that jazz. Genelec makes some greatest active speakers for studio usage and for consumers. Pricers are ofc high, but damn do they sound nice. Genelec G Three are some of the most enjoyable speakers I have ever listened to. I suggest you to take a look at them.
+1 to this, how ever G-series speakers are actually not their professional monitor lineup, there is a different lineup with by-default XLR connectors and such, even tho starting from G3 and upwards the G-series also have xlr+rca connectors.
Yes they are! I have a pair hooked up to my 2i2 and it sounds extremely good, for music production and even blasting tunes. The sweet spot is also forgiving, like the reason Josh uses his Genelecs
Bought the iLoud and they are trash... Lot's of bummy bass that make them rattle with low bass tunes... and not so low too... They lack spark.... sound is not open at all. I didn't feel any coherence on the sound. I had to return them since they were annoying me deeply... Then I bought the small Genelecs (XLR version in my case), and I am since happy. They are phenomenal. Sound is accurate and strong enough for a 5x4m room. I do not need the big guys since I do not produce music. When I want something more accurate or precise, even detailed... I pick some of my headphones and I am good to go...
I'm fairly new to all of this. My computer room is small just 15ft L x 10ft W. my set up is a pair of Martin Logan Motion 4i powered by a cheap infi hybrid 40w x2 tube amp and a SVS pro 1000 sub all connected to my PC. So far I've been very happy, its about 2 years old now and I'm ready to upgrade!! Great video
My ultra clean end game setup would be a Phonitor X amp, with a Adi 2-DAC, Focal Clear for open headphones and ZMF Veritee for closed, but I might look into the new Stealth headphone by Dan Clark.
Elephant in the room …. The Bow lol. I’m used to seeing fake plants or Rubiks cube or something ‘cool’ for product placement but… a bow. Colour me impressed Josh!
Do you have a team that helps you make videos? I love the production value and just wonder if you've got editors or other people who help set things up. Keep up the AMAZING videos ☺️
with respect to preamps, Topping really is awesome equipment. Still amazed that they offer their product at such low prices. But I am not complaining;)
Hello guys, just wanted to let you know I followed Josh’s advice regarding the Genelec speakers ( G one B model) and wow It’s the best decision I made!! I bought two speakers, yes expensive but for me it’s the optimal desk speaker (near field), and what I mean by that even if you get the best high-end hifi $$$$$ speakers it won’t give you the same performance on the desk, most hifi speakers that I know require a considerable distance and spacious Room to perform in it’s full potential, but this speaker has been designed for small desk setup. And surprisingly the Genelec is so forgiving the low quality records, so it’s perfect for daily use like youtube, movies casual gaming…etc the Vocal performance to my ears is very close to my Hd650, its just buttery smooth😍 Now I’m using it directly from my Ipad and pc but I’m waiting to receive the “ifi zen air blue” as it’s well suited with powered (active) speakers. If you have the budget And want a perfect desk speakers then I definitely recommend it , but if you want a speaker for a spacious room and distant listening experience then I believe you could find bigger speakers for more affordable price and perhaps better performance 😎
@@harisshaukat4780 well honestly I do not know them, so far I’m using them without subwoofer, I managed to get them from a local online store in Turkey
@@harisshaukat4780 I’m still happy with my G one model, I doubt there are any noticeable sound quality differences between the models, but the power most likely where the difference can be pointed out, for a desk setup this is more than enough, I never go more than 40% volume, so I believe you should only consider the bigger models if you really need that extra power.
@@awabyassin4851 I am torn between G One and 8010A. I read they are the same essentially and ASR called 8010A warm sounding. Would you say G One is also warm sounding in your setup?
I tested the Sony SA-Z1 but i prefer headphones. I have no room that is quiet enough to make use of such near-field speakers. The isolations the MDR-Z1R give me are the absolute minimum
@@Vamp898 You definitely need a well-treated room to get the most out of studio monitors. However I will say that the studio I was in was terribly treated around the mixing console, yet the Genelecs were still a joy (the high-end Genelecs of course have the ability to DSP correct to the room).
I use a D90SE with a A90 myself. I'm not sure what cables you're using for interconnects but I switched over from the Fanmusic C0006 to Moon Audio's Silver Dragon interconnects there is a very noticeable difference AB'ing them on the D90SE/A90. I was using both a Focal Elex and Hifiman Arya except I recently sold the Elex after hearing the Arya on a Silver Dragon headphone cable. It had a extremely strange effect on the Arya which boosted the bass extension on the Arya (which I was not expecting, I expected a shift in treble more so.) It's something you might want to try Josh if you haven't already. Try AB'ing some Silver cables on this equipment (I recommend interconnects first as they make the biggest difference that I've heard.)
My system is quite minimalist and much cheaper; well under $1000 to be exactly. This is good for me and I think this is good for entry into audiophile world. - Fiio K5 Pro (dac amp combo) $150 - Hifiman Deva $250 - Hivi Swans D100 (active speaker with ribbon tweeter) $200 A good thing about Fiio K5 Pro: not expensive yet very useful to any situation. They have usb audio in (for my Macbook or android phone), optical in (connecting the headphone and speaker to my smart TV), and the line out (for the active speaker).
I'm using the Topping D90se and the A90 as well. I really enjoy them and have been through tons of DACs and AMPs until I found them. I listen to IEMs, speakers and over ear headphones so the A90 is perfect.
@@blejzerosamigos6115 I disagree. I love mine for all the reasons I posted. It crapped all over my Jot2 and Bifrost 2. Sold them both as soon as I received the A90.
Looking forward to the in-depth review of the latest Topping stack. I have the D70 DAC only with the Drop THX amp and a TA-20. So it's been a while. Not wanting to swap hardware as often as my underwear, I'm trying to figure out in which direction to go. Schiit, Denafrips, Topping, S.M.S.L etc etc. Yea I know that on the DAC side I'm mixing R2R, Sigma-Delta and multibit and I might want to have one of each, but still.
surprised you can go away from the Arya’s 🤔.. I bought them mainly cause of yours & resolves review on them & you both were spot on & now that I have them… what they do well I do not wanna go away from 😭
@@kwicksandz well what do you have currently? I have the focal elex & HD6XX & I haven’t wanted to go back for really any reason.. the speed, detail, staging, holographic, imaging & separationin a effortless sound delivery is jus soooo amazing.. they sound amazing without sounding like they’re even trying.
@@irun2sanaxox i have a pretty big collection q701, HD650, TH-X00, X2, and now HD800 but no planar phones yet. still looking at the arya or maybe the LCD-2C
Josh , great content. . Noone on here does it like you or is even educated as you are ...great job. I found you trying to find the best gaming Mobile headphones and started watching your videos. . By any chance any of headphones you think that are not gaming headphones that will be great for call of duty to hear footsteps and all. I just bought the Pi7 earbuds from bowers and wilkins I am about watch all your earbud content. I wonder if you think they are good ?
Great video as usual, Joshua! You said "newer soft-pads and extra headband". I am considering buying Diana v2. Will its stock version come with these "newer soft-pads", or I need to buy "Ear Pads for ABYSS Diana/Diana Phi Headphone- V2 New version" separately from the Abyss shop accessories section? Can you give the name or link to the extra headband you use? It looks really cool, minimalist and fitting Diana v2. But I don't see it in Abyss shop accessories section so I guess it is aftermarket.
Ah The abyss Diana V2, currently shooting the review for this, it’s divine 😎 The top in a 90 is an excellent amplifier, but bypassing the pot is a must, introducing a gold point stepped attenuator into the mix takes it from 7 to a 9. It gets rid of that Sheen ever so slight weird artefact in that the topping gives off, especially as a pre, fixes the channel in balance at absolute low volumes, and just makes it divine. But for headphones such as Diana V2, SUSVARA, this amplifier is only good enough for a short duration, you need to upgrade to the top end, it just doesn’t cut it to bring out all the performance😎 Get a hold of a HoloAudio dac then you’ll realise what an incredible DAC is
@@gamingfreak977 yes, when I put out my review they’ll be measurements, also, The difference is instantly audible instantly noticeable and it just sounds sweet and musical But only with the gold points stepped attenuator my experience is stated here, obviously, and it’s a set up I will not get rid of even with the inclusion of the benchmark ahb2 especially for IEM, a lot of them come through the channel But it takes a 90, to a very high performing level
@@gamingfreak977 as for implementing the gold point into the system chain, it’s very straightforward, maxing out the volume on the a 90, XLR input, into the amplifier, using the output on the gold point obviously, and the imprint of the gold point will be used for the DAC
Nice to se your setup. I am satisfied with my equipment. Topping d70s dac xlr out to active studio monitors from Kali audio In-8 2nd wave and rca out to headphone amplifier Topping a50s connected with Hifiman Sundara v2 headphones.
I believe he mentioned them in his 600$ audio system video, basically they are just from Amazon. When I went to get them late last year I couldn't find them though.
I recently got the Diana V2 and they're outstanding, running them with a huge EQ Bass boost (Xonar U3 USB DAC set to about +20dB @ 30Hz) and they take to it perfectly. As a side the right ear-cup rattles (which is funny as Abyss says there's no moving parts to rattle) but it doesn't seem to affect the sound (as I live in England and got them second hand I can't do much about trying to get Abyss to fix them). The Xonar U3 is the best EQ I've found so far, with other products that offer such things (like the Creative G6) being really poor at it, this just handles it like a champ and so do the headphones. I feed the Xonar U3 optical out to the Schiit Bifrost 2, and RCA out to the Schiit Loki (which is currently in passive mode), to a Topping A90 Amp.
Nice set-up! And keep up the good videos. What would be your Audio Interface recommendation for me to buy to get the best out of my 2 units of Genelec 8320A? In a 4x4 meters studio environment and connected directly to a Mac Mini M1 (Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 gen 2 available). For now I will only use it in post-production and need as neutral reference sound as possible. If the Audio Interface has a headphone jack and two microphone inputs as well, that would be great, but not necessary. Thanks in advance!
He recommended those as a lower cost alternative. I have them and they sound almost as good many of the 5” monitors like the Yamaha HS5 or similar JBLs.
Josh has that bow to the left of his desk because I keep trying to seal stuff off it. I got hit with 3 arrows so far but I stole a half eaten crunch-bar and photo collage book full of Randy's face. Feels like a victory to me.
Not Gonna lie you had me on the first part lol
Did one of those 3 arrows hit you in the knee?
@@EdisonArias thank goodness you said "not gonna lie", instead of the strange ~ngl~ thing.
*Minimalist* is a bit buzz-wordy... sorry about that lol. But! It help with the *ALGORITHM* :)
Anyways, I will make the first joke.... Doesn't seem like this has a minimalist price tag....
Which monitor are you using right now?
@@TheRealRaijinX LG CX 48" OLED TV
Yo I used the word minimalist wrong for years! I thought it meant minimizing the amount of space taken. Very embarrassing when your co-workers explain how you’re the opposite of it 😅😎
Now can you teach me to declutter my room like that? Damn dude!
Your reviews sold me on the Diana V2 and the Topping A90/D90 stack. I took the jump from a pair of KPH30i's out of an SMSL-AD18. I have to say, I cannot imagine a better sounding setup for me. I've tried a few other high-end headphones since getting my set-up, and each time I find myself coming back to my V2/A90/D90.
The initial listen was completely different from anything I'd heard before. So the first few hours was getting used to this new level of detail and quality. So it wasn't until a few days after that I was settled in and understanding what I was hearing. Sitting down with my eyes closed listening to things like 747, I'm absolutely transported. It's as if the instruments are all around me, and when the sound of propellers and shrapnel are spiraling and shooting past you, it actually feels as if I'm falling through the air and things are just barely avoiding me. Basically, I wasn't used to feeling immersed in the music. Now I can let the music happen around me and it's amazing. With other headphones I've owned, it always sounded like music happening on my right or left ear. Now, it's as if I'm in a sphere of sound. In 747 at the 3:30 mark its like everything opens up and you're just out there with everything happening around you.
Thanks for the great reviews and recommendations.
That seiko watch is lovely ;)
I can just imagine looking back on this in 5 to 10 years time
Exactly lol. I do a lot of DIY and like more timeless/classic designs. I also pay more for the highest quality materials (since I'm saving money on the construction part). The desk I built would cost $3k to buy outright (I called and asked several shops -- it's what prompted me to DIY). Then I built my own PC, headphone amp, keyboard, keyboard tray, and so on... It's rewarding. :)
Top of the line headphones for only $3k?? That's how much a 6 pack of beer costs now!
The best part is that the headphones will still be amazing. Good audio equipment never goes out of style. If it was good then, it will be good now, and it will remain good going forward.
@@asplmn That's not fair, you're a genius. How tf did you build your own headphone Amp? Sounds very complicated and expensive
Whoa... You ride bro? And you have a compound bow? Damn. Hell yeah my dude.
Yoo Genelecs! Suomi mainittu, torille and all that jazz.
Genelec makes some greatest active speakers for studio usage and for consumers. Pricers are ofc high, but damn do they sound nice. Genelec G Three are some of the most enjoyable speakers I have ever listened to. I suggest you to take a look at them.
+1 to this, how ever G-series speakers are actually not their professional monitor lineup, there is a different lineup with by-default XLR connectors and such, even tho starting from G3 and upwards the G-series also have xlr+rca connectors.
iLoud Micro studio monitors are insanely impressive IMO.
Yes they are! I have a pair hooked up to my 2i2 and it sounds extremely good, for music production and even blasting tunes. The sweet spot is also forgiving, like the reason Josh uses his Genelecs
Bought the iLoud and they are trash... Lot's of bummy bass that make them rattle with low bass tunes... and not so low too... They lack spark.... sound is not open at all. I didn't feel any coherence on the sound. I had to return them since they were annoying me deeply... Then I bought the small Genelecs (XLR version in my case), and I am since happy. They are phenomenal. Sound is accurate and strong enough for a 5x4m room. I do not need the big guys since I do not produce music. When I want something more accurate or precise, even detailed... I pick some of my headphones and I am good to go...
Your macro shots is always something else!
I saw the bow behind Joshua. This just confirmed my suspicion: he's the Green Arrow.
I'm fairly new to all of this. My computer room is small just 15ft L x 10ft W. my set up is a pair of Martin Logan Motion 4i powered by a cheap infi hybrid 40w x2 tube amp and a SVS pro 1000 sub all connected to my PC. So far I've been very happy, its about 2 years old now and I'm ready to upgrade!! Great video
My ultra clean end game setup would be a Phonitor X amp, with a Adi 2-DAC, Focal Clear for open headphones and ZMF Veritee for closed, but I might look into the new Stealth headphone by Dan Clark.
Interesting, you would opt for the Focal over the HD800S for gaming? I'm about to pull the trigger on the HD800s myself.
There is a XLR version, 8010A.
Which is also cheaper, btw!
Elephant in the room …. The Bow lol. I’m used to seeing fake plants or Rubiks cube or something ‘cool’ for product placement but… a bow. Colour me impressed Josh!
Do you have a team that helps you make videos? I love the production value and just wonder if you've got editors or other people who help set things up. Keep up the AMAZING videos ☺️
Joshua Valour - the only RUclipsr I slow down from 1.5x to 1x
Hey Josh - what is that pad you’re using on the Diana headband? I’ve been looking everywhere for something like that!
Love the Turtle Josh. Nice choice.
That keyboard looks amazing. Just saying.
Badseed Tech has a video building the keyboard for Joshua. ruclips.net/video/D9puoK1YQGQ/видео.html
Hell ya it does. Brian did a great job. ruclips.net/video/DU6XyVGIbPU/видео.html
@@JoshuaValour ohhhhh ive seen it! Big fan of both of yall.
with respect to preamps, Topping really is awesome equipment. Still amazed that they offer their product at such low prices. But I am not complaining;)
thought we are gonna see lcd x as your *ULTRA CLEAN* setup MAIN headphone!
Hello guys, just wanted to let you know I followed Josh’s advice regarding the Genelec speakers ( G one B model) and wow It’s the best decision I made!! I bought two speakers, yes expensive but for me it’s the optimal desk speaker (near field), and what I mean by that even if you get the best high-end hifi $$$$$ speakers it won’t give you the same performance on the desk, most hifi speakers that I know require a considerable distance and spacious Room to perform in it’s full potential, but this speaker has been designed for small desk setup.
And surprisingly the Genelec is so forgiving the low quality records, so it’s perfect for daily use like youtube, movies casual gaming…etc the Vocal performance to my ears is very close to my Hd650, its just buttery smooth😍
Now I’m using it directly from my Ipad and pc but I’m waiting to receive the “ifi zen air blue” as it’s well suited with powered (active) speakers. If you have the budget And want a perfect desk speakers then I definitely recommend it , but if you want a speaker for a spacious room and distant listening experience then I believe you could find bigger speakers for more affordable price and perhaps better performance 😎
Did you consider Vanatoo T0? Have you added subwoofer to your Genelecs? Where did you get them from?
@@harisshaukat4780 well honestly I do not know them, so far I’m using them without subwoofer, I managed to get them from a local online store in Turkey
@@awabyassin4851 are you still happy with your purchase? Or you wish you had gotten G Two’s?
@@harisshaukat4780 I’m still happy with my G one model, I doubt there are any noticeable sound quality differences between the models, but the power most likely where the difference can be pointed out, for a desk setup this is more than enough, I never go more than 40% volume, so I believe you should only consider the bigger models if you really need that extra power.
@@awabyassin4851 I am torn between G One and 8010A. I read they are the same essentially and ASR called 8010A warm sounding. Would you say G One is also warm sounding in your setup?
great video dude. I would add device names on the video when you talk about them. just an idea if you care. Yeah moar work ugh. :D Good day!
I think we have the same TV mount, except I used the bottom side of the glass since it was a more matte look.
Mine too. The Hidizs S9 Pro noise floor is 10 db below audible sound. $119. I think my M-Audio BX5s were aound $200 and are okay for near field.
An aio budget option is the dx7 pro 👍🏼 pretty similar to the budget a30/d30 stack
The studio I was trained in had Genelec 8030's, absolutely the most resolving near-field speakers I've ever heard. The G One's are intriguing to me!
I tested the Sony SA-Z1 but i prefer headphones. I have no room that is quiet enough to make use of such near-field speakers. The isolations the MDR-Z1R give me are the absolute minimum
@@Vamp898 You definitely need a well-treated room to get the most out of studio monitors. However I will say that the studio I was in was terribly treated around the mixing console, yet the Genelecs were still a joy (the high-end Genelecs of course have the ability to DSP correct to the room).
Thoughts on the Dx7 Pro?
Is the A30 stack just better overall?
Woot! TRIUMPH Tee! Which motorcycle did you get? I luv the Bonneville myself.
Josh is hairy like a Henderson :P Great video!
I use a D90SE with a A90 myself. I'm not sure what cables you're using for interconnects but I switched over from the Fanmusic C0006 to Moon Audio's Silver Dragon interconnects there is a very noticeable difference AB'ing them on the D90SE/A90.
I was using both a Focal Elex and Hifiman Arya except I recently sold the Elex after hearing the Arya on a Silver Dragon headphone cable. It had a extremely strange effect on the Arya which boosted the bass extension on the Arya (which I was not expecting, I expected a shift in treble more so.)
It's something you might want to try Josh if you haven't already. Try AB'ing some Silver cables on this equipment (I recommend interconnects first as they make the biggest difference that I've heard.)
Josh is not intto that cable talk lol, not going to convince him there is a difference.
The LTT desk pad!
Greetings from a city 1 hour drive away from Genelec factory!
Hi Josh! Thank you for another great video! What is the extra padding that you used on the Diana V2?
You should consider t+a solitaire P with it's amp
My system is quite minimalist and much cheaper; well under $1000 to be exactly. This is good for me and I think this is good for entry into audiophile world.
- Fiio K5 Pro (dac amp combo) $150
- Hifiman Deva $250
- Hivi Swans D100 (active speaker with ribbon tweeter) $200
A good thing about Fiio K5 Pro: not expensive yet very useful to any situation. They have usb audio in (for my Macbook or android phone), optical in (connecting the headphone and speaker to my smart TV), and the line out (for the active speaker).
I'm using the Topping D90se and the A90 as well. I really enjoy them and have been through tons of DACs and AMPs until I found them. I listen to IEMs, speakers and over ear headphones so the A90 is perfect.
A90 is bad specifically for the money you can do so much better
@@blejzerosamigos6115 I disagree. I love mine for all the reasons I posted. It crapped all over my Jot2 and Bifrost 2. Sold them both as soon as I received the A90.
i didnt know you were into archery,
compound bow gang
similar size is EVE203. Fostex PM series
Thank you for sharing 🙏
Looking for headband inserts any recommendations for the V2 Diana’s
Looking forward to the in-depth review of the latest Topping stack. I have the D70 DAC only with the Drop THX amp and a TA-20. So it's been a while. Not wanting to swap hardware as often as my underwear, I'm trying to figure out in which direction to go. Schiit, Denafrips, Topping, S.M.S.L etc etc. Yea I know that on the DAC side I'm mixing R2R, Sigma-Delta and multibit and I might want to have one of each, but still.
rip Arya!
How does the Iloud micro monitor compare to the Vanatoo T0?
Wow, I'm early..... And i still waiting for does it suck segment for your next video🤣
Dude ... how about a review of that bow??
Looks like he's ditched his hifiman Arya as his favourite headphone.
Sad, now I have to sell my Arya and buy a V2.
[/kidding, in case that wasn't obvious]
you need to turn off the pre-amp function on that dac...
Have I missed the answer to the question about the the softpads and the softer headband? It seems like quiet a few are interested in those.
I see that Triumph shirt
surprised you can go away from the Arya’s 🤔.. I bought them mainly cause of yours & resolves review on them & you both were spot on & now that I have them… what they do well I do not wanna go away from 😭
and here i am about to get the aryas and find they have been replaced! well i wasnt gonna buy $3k headphones anyway but still stings a little.
@@kwicksandz well what do you have currently? I have the focal elex & HD6XX & I haven’t wanted to go back for really any reason.. the speed, detail, staging, holographic, imaging & separationin a effortless sound delivery is jus soooo amazing.. they sound amazing without sounding like they’re even trying.
@@kwicksandz did you buy them?! ;o
@@irun2sanaxox went with hd800s. Maybe I will get the Arya in the future
@@irun2sanaxox i have a pretty big collection q701, HD650, TH-X00, X2, and now HD800 but no planar phones yet. still looking at the arya or maybe the LCD-2C
thx still sounds cleaner to me
Is that a Samsung M7 monitor?
Josh, sorry to bother, but could you please steer me in the direction of good quality, non-braided, audio cables for my PC38X? I’m in North America.
Would love to hear some speaker recommendations :)
I'd love to see a review of the HarmonicDyne Zeus by you Josh. Maybe comparing it to headphones such as the 560S as well. 🙏🏻
Hey josh - are you planning to do a review of topping ex5? really curious to see what your thoughts are.
I saw the Triumph shirt? You got one of their bikes?
Josh , great content. . Noone on here does it like you or is even educated as you are ...great job. I found you trying to find the best gaming Mobile headphones and started watching your videos. . By any chance any of headphones you think that are not gaming headphones that will be great for call of duty to hear footsteps and all. I just bought the Pi7 earbuds from bowers and wilkins I am about watch all your earbud content. I wonder if you think they are good ?
Great video as usual, Joshua! You said "newer soft-pads and extra headband". I am considering buying Diana v2. Will its stock version come with these "newer soft-pads", or I need to buy "Ear Pads for ABYSS Diana/Diana Phi Headphone- V2 New version" separately from the Abyss shop accessories section? Can you give the name or link to the extra headband you use? It looks really cool, minimalist and fitting Diana v2. But I don't see it in Abyss shop accessories section so I guess it is aftermarket.
Ah The abyss Diana V2, currently shooting the review for this, it’s divine 😎
The top in a 90 is an excellent amplifier, but bypassing the pot is a must, introducing a gold point stepped attenuator into the mix takes it from 7 to a 9. It gets rid of that Sheen ever so slight weird artefact in that the topping gives off, especially as a pre, fixes the channel in balance at absolute low volumes, and just makes it divine.
But for headphones such as Diana V2, SUSVARA, this amplifier is only good enough for a short duration, you need to upgrade to the top end, it just doesn’t cut it to bring out all the performance😎
Get a hold of a HoloAudio dac then you’ll realise what an incredible DAC is
Is there any info you can point me to about bypassing the pot? Had mine for a while and never considered this.
@@gamingfreak977 yes, when I put out my review they’ll be measurements, also, The difference is instantly audible instantly noticeable and it just sounds sweet and musical
But only with the gold points stepped attenuator my experience is stated here, obviously, and it’s a set up I will not get rid of even with the inclusion of the benchmark ahb2 especially for IEM, a lot of them come through the channel
But it takes a 90, to a very high performing level
@@gamingfreak977 as for implementing the gold point into the system chain, it’s very straightforward, maxing out the volume on the a 90, XLR input, into the amplifier, using the output on the gold point obviously, and the imprint of the gold point will be used for the DAC
dude is buffed
Nice to se your setup. I am satisfied with my equipment. Topping d70s dac xlr out to active studio monitors from Kali audio In-8 2nd wave and rca out to headphone amplifier Topping a50s connected with Hifiman Sundara v2 headphones.
Compare the Abyss to the Sony MDR-7506? Not the same price range, but I'd bet a fair percentage of studio productions are mixed on 7506es....
Awesome cap Josh
Out of interest what to you use as your source?
Tomato
Cool equipment man, one day I'll get it too, lol. Thanks for sharing.
You are living the dream bro!
The headphones are cabled, right? Not Bluetooth...
the video reference is abit off, i run iem and monitors daily and i would describe in video terms as a vid shot in raw without color grading
Have you reviewed Kennerton yet?
Was it strictly the portability that made you switch from the Vanatoo T1Es to the Genelecs?
I want to buy my first DAC/AMP setup and im looking at the A90/D90. I cant seam to find where to buy the balanced XLR cables to connect them.
Joshua, Who makes the cables connecting the amp/dac?
Mr. Pete----->
aging hippie
I believe he mentioned them in his 600$ audio system video, basically they are just from Amazon. When I went to get them late last year I couldn't find them though.
what cables are you using between dac and amp ? link would be nice thx :)
What is that song you play near the beginning?
in a blind test would you be able to tell the difference between a magnius/modius stack and the a90/d90 stack with the Diana V2s?
I would guess the answer is probably yes, at least to his ears, otherwise he wouldn't do it, I mean the price difference is pretty significant.
Nice video. What do you think about gaming headphones? IE: Steelseries Artic Pro Wireless?
What mic are you using in this video? It sounds extremely smooth and I love it!
Yeah same I am curious too. The audio is crisp.
is there going to be a Topping A30 pro review?
I recently got the Diana V2 and they're outstanding, running them with a huge EQ Bass boost (Xonar U3 USB DAC set to about +20dB @ 30Hz) and they take to it perfectly. As a side the right ear-cup rattles (which is funny as Abyss says there's no moving parts to rattle) but it doesn't seem to affect the sound (as I live in England and got them second hand I can't do much about trying to get Abyss to fix them).
The Xonar U3 is the best EQ I've found so far, with other products that offer such things (like the Creative G6) being really poor at it, this just handles it like a champ and so do the headphones.
I feed the Xonar U3 optical out to the Schiit Bifrost 2, and RCA out to the Schiit Loki (which is currently in passive mode), to a Topping A90 Amp.
Whatsoever your thoughts on the best stereo system by Ken Fritz?
Nice set-up! And keep up the good videos.
What would be your Audio Interface recommendation for me to buy to get the best out of my 2 units of Genelec 8320A? In a 4x4 meters studio environment and connected directly to a Mac Mini M1 (Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 gen 2 available). For now I will only use it in post-production and need as neutral reference sound as possible. If the Audio Interface has a headphone jack and two microphone inputs as well, that would be great, but not necessary.
Thanks in advance!
I’m so confused. Aren’t the Genelecs powered speakers with an internal DAC? Why the need for the separate DAC and amp?
For his headphones
There’s no DAC in the Genelecs and no volume control either so you do need at least a preamp and DAC
What about the Topping DX7 Pro?
i noticed a compound bow in the background which one is it?
hey Josh, i was wondering if you could send me a link to the headphone headband for the diana's?
Thanks, Cliche.
Do you recommend the klipsch promedia 2.1thx greetings from México
have the dianna replaced the arya as your favourite phone?
the genelec probably the only close to audiophile thing in that setup lmao
Hi Josh, I notice the THX 788 Amp has dropped from your list this episode and moved the THX 789. Is there a reason for that?
what display are you using? i cant recognize it at all, what size is it?
How do you add a sub to the Genelec G3?
how do these compare to the Transparent Zero by Vanatoo?
Same question
Alright, now we need to see how his bow is setup
I would be interested what kind of music source you are using... Some specialized music player? A PC with a big lib? A phone with a streaming service?
Hi Joshua, I would like your word about the comparaison in between your setup and a Topping Dx7 Pro? Thanks in advance.
Why not Iloud micro monitors?
He recommended those as a lower cost alternative. I have them and they sound almost as good many of the 5” monitors like the Yamaha HS5 or similar JBLs.
who the hell travels will full-size speakers lol?
Title : ultra clean audio setup
Eraser : hold my dust
Anyone know what the monitor he is using on this video?