We thank Meze for this opportunity. High-End Headphone Roundup: Meze Empyrean, Focal Utopia, Abyss AB-1266 Phi CC By austinpop. These are drop-dead gorgeous headphones. Winner: The Empyrean, followed closely by the Abyss, and then the Utopia and the HD800. Also, it is probably no coincidence that two of the three headphones I shortlisted above gave me the opportunity to listen in a quieter listening room. The Utopia is known for its dynamics, and boy, it does not disappoint! I should mention that the stock cables themselves retail for $999/8ft, so kudos to Abyss for including high-quality cables as standard equipment. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the HeadphoneAdvice community. there's also one analogue phono input, as well as digital inputs on the BB). For each headphone, I listened to the stock cable, Cardas Clear, and in the case of the Abyss and the Empyrean, the manufacturer’s own upgrade cable. These days that quality is becoming even more salient, as we live, work and exist ever closer in proximity to one another. They have all the muscle of the stock cable, but sound cleaner, more resolving and more expansive. Some reviewers laud the Sony’s powerful bass, while others say it leans toward ‘boomy’. And here’s the other thing – the Stellia, to me, is the perfect headphone for someone who’s … I also can’t deny the hype for the Empyrean and how it apparently works for almost all genres. All in all, there was much to like in the Utopia, and it’s easy to understand its popularity. The Abyss, more than any of the other headphones, reminded me of listening to loudspeakers. Instruments sound “right.” I was hearing all kinds of new micro-details in recordings I thought I knew well. In terms of sonic signature, the stock cables are really excellent. Just because, my favorite Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan story (and one of those moments that makes you believe in a connecting force that ties all together). I heard them at a friend’s, and I was hooked. And the image is as expansive as the HD800. Did any increase the lower bass without over-taming the high end? Meze’s balanced silver-plated PCUHD (Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability) cable is a case in point. Kudos Antonio Meze! So if these headphones have been around so long, what drew me to them now? Over time, I really came to appreciate how resolving and clean these headphones sound. For all other genres, I find myself on the horns of a delightful dilemma: buy the Abyss Phi TC for its precision, accuracy, and balance, or the Empyrean because they’re so damn comfortable and fun to listen to? Tonality just seems spot on across the spectrum. Despite being only half the price, it came very close to the performance of the Abyss Phi CC/Signature cable combo. I have also yet to hear the NEW supposedly much improved over the old ones,Jecklin Floats but I have an old pair still back home. Simple - I had never heard them at their best. I’ve long admired their loudspeakers, and more recently, their headphones. Winner: The Abyss just nailed this, followed closely by  the Empyrean, the Utopia, and the HD800. Using the Mahler 3rd as an example: imaging and soundstage was excellent on the Empyrean. For this review, Cardas graciously sent me multiple samples of 3m Clear cables, terminated for the appropriate connectors for each of these headphones. Both the Cavalli Liquid Gold and the TT2 elevated the sound quality tremendously. Yes, it has the famous 6kHz hump. Having tried all of those headphones, I broadly agree with your findings, although I'd mark the Utopia down a bit more because I couldn't get on with it's smaller soundstage and a touch of brightness/hardness somewhere in the upper mid/lower treble - at another time, these aspects were improved by a better cable, so maybe my first reaction was too harsh. A Curious Accessory: High Fidelity Cables Trinity Helix. Not to my complete satisfaction. Another example of how reviews should be written, though I can only imagine how much time and effort you put into it. Due to its 104dB (1mW/1kHz) sensitivity and 80Ω impedance, it’s quite easy to drive, and was equally comfortable with my Cavalli Liquid Gold and the Chord Hugo TT 2. If you’re scratching your head deciphering these numbers, don’t fret. See my comments in the article about the mythical Acme Aural Exciter Mk II. Sony MDR Z1R vs Focal Stellia vs Meze Empyrean. Of course I’ll keep my ears open for any other interesting headphones I hear about. To me they sounded better than the Stax SR L300 Limited. There is still some sizzle on the cymbals, suggesting an upper treble peak. It plays back everything you throw at it with fidelity and accuracy. Of course most of these systems are approaching/over an electrostat setup. This is an unusual but very welcome touch! It's easy! While some might find it ironic to call something costing $3499 an outstanding value, that is exactly what I consider the Empyrean/PCUHD cable combo to be. This is a fairly mellow track, so all the headphones rendered it beautifully. It excelled with all genres, even classical, although I preferred the HD800 occasionally. The TC upgrade was announced after I had already received my review sample, so this review will talk about the Phi CC. While I didn’t think so - and spoiler, it doesn’t! Call this one a draw. Meet its demands, and it will deliver a sublime listening experience. I’ve done a lot to improve my digital streaming chain while I’ve owned these headphones, and I will say they have responded very well to these improvements. However, the balanced Cardas Clear cable was a significant improvement. Finally, the Utopia portrays a detailed and textured soundstage that is rock solid and dimensional, but certainly more intimate than the HD800. A matter of taste, I suppose. Meze Audio Empyrean. Meze have managed to build a flagship that delivers outstanding sound quality and is both refined and sparks joy in the listener. I would imagine they are well suited to this genre. I’m having a difficult time choosing my next pair of high-end headphones. The Meze Empyrean is the company's brand new flagship isodynamic hybrid array open-back full-sized headphone. I tried several amps before settling on the Cavalli Liquid Gold, and this particular pairing works very well. Over the next few months, I tried a couple of DIY mods, popularized by Tyll Hertsens at InnerFidelity. It depends on what’s in your music library. Great review @austinpop and it firmly and fully reminded me that the my HD800 headphones stay on the stand on my desk hooked to my LYR3. That said, the HD800 paired very well with the Chord TT 2 driving them. These really are alluring- sounding headphones. When the HD800S came out, I compared my SD-modded HD800 with the HD800S, and found I was quite happy with my modded unit. “But @austinpop,” you cry, “how come you didn’t pick the Acme Aural Exciter Mk II? But if you can get over that, I think you'll find it has all the qualities of your HD800 (large soundstage, comfort, great with classical music, easy to drive), but without that dreadful (IMO)  6khz peak that utterly spoils an unmodded HD800 for me. My personal favorite was the fenestrated sheepskin. Winner: To my ears, this track embodies the raison d'être of the HD800, and indeed it was the winner, followed by the Abyss, the Empyrean, and the Utopia. Headphones:                 Sennheiser HD800 (Super DuPont Mod), Focal Utopia, USB Regenerator:          SOtM tX-USBultra, Ethernet Switch:            The Linear Solution OCXO switch, Reference Clock:           Mutec Ref 10 10MHz clock driving the tX-USBultra, Power supplies:             Utpone LPS-1.2 for switch & tX-USBultra, Paul Hynes SR-4 for DS-1, Power Details:               Dedicated 30A 6 AWG AC circuit, PS Audio P5 PerfectWave Regenerator. They really work, as I felt no downward pressure on my head at all. @austinpop I look forward to you reviewing the RAAL SR1a headphones. To be clear, I liked the Empyrean— full/lush sound sig with a surprising amount of detail from an overall warmer tonality. TOTL Headphone Advice Needed - Focal Stellia vs Meze Empyrean vs ZMF Verite Open/Closed. This recording, on Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records, is decent, but can sound strident on the wrong system. As I found, these earpads have different sound signatures, so add to the customizability. ), due to their brighter signature. It is an open-backed dynamic design that has benefited from Focal’s long history with loudspeakers. The music is contagious, and once again, the HD800 is in its element, leading the pack on tonality and imaging. I just prefer a more neutral signature. The Empyrean pads have distinct sound signatures. I’m a big fan of Focal. Certainly with the HD800, even with the SD mod, this can sound “hot,” and I don’t mean sexy. I chatted with Tal Kocen of Dekoni at RMAF about my project, and he sent over a sample of each of their replacement earpads for the HD800. Most importantly, you need to experiment with the earpad orientation. The relaxed and smooth tonal balance can initially deceive you into thinking these headphones lack resolution, or are recessed. The HD800 was already venerable when I bought mine. At it's launch it is priced at $2999. I Talk to the Wind, In the Court of the Crimson King (40th Anniversary Steven Wilson Remix) (24/96, Panegyric/DMG): I was in a progressive rock mood during this evaluation, starting with this classic Greg Lake ballad from King Crimson’s debut album. Headphones - Open Back. Thanks for another great and very informative review! I’ve barely had any head time with them, so can’t offer an opinion. Review System: Here is a diagram of the system used for evaluating the headphones in this review. A quick word about my listening setup. I’m having a difficult time choosing my next pair of high-end headphones. Utopia. This is the dilemma with highly-resolving gear - do you want fidelity or do you want forgiveness? Since the price is daunting,  I would not for a moment suggest this is a necessary accessory. Hello! And like the AKG1000 they deliver some the most open "out of the head" headphone listening available. I do realize the Stellia are closed-backed and the Empyrean are open-backed. Would love to read comments on that one. A case cognac and mocha faux-leather . The Abyss came closest to that ideal. Very open and very different to most other headphones except the newer Myspheres and the old and NEW Jecklin Float electrostatic headphones. Improving the HD800 with accessories: Dekoni replacement earpads. The earcups of the Focal Stellia and Focal Clear, like the headbands, are equal in size and shape. There is a helpful video on the Abyss website that guides you through the process, and it’s well worth doing this patiently and methodically. The HD800 did an excellent job with this song, although the harmonium verged on brightness. The Empyrean really excelled on this track. Your preferences may be, and very likely are, different. For my closed back I've settled on a Focal Elegia with Resolve's EQ profile - they sound unreal, and for only $400, it's … Designed for headphone cables, and like their other cables, the Helix uses a strong magnet to concentrate signal flow to the center of the cable, with claimed improvements in SQ. That brightness I hear with the HD800 and the Utopia is completely absent, and Adele’s voice is beautifully rendered. Without further ado then, let’s dig in to this roundup! It’s the one I reached for, when I wanted to sink into my chair, close my eyes, and just enjoy the music. All this came in incredibly handy! In my experience, this position is when you hear the “holy $h!t” deep bass these headphones are capable of. Looking for TOTL headphone advice from all you knowledgeable folks here. In addition to the Chord Hugo M Scaler and TT 2 combo shown, an Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC was also used. Finally, and most importantly, these are engaging and fun headphones, which are attributes that don’t often go together with resolving and refined. Could these be the best high-end headphones of 2019? The very resolving but a bit too bright,Utopias sound  too upfront and to "small" soundstage-wise with classical symphonic material, in comparison to the AKG1000 imho. The Abyss headphones have been around for several years now, starting with the original AB-1266, followed by the improved Phi drivers, the CC (ceramic coated) upgrade, and their most recent upgrade, TC (Total Consciousness). I did enjoy tubing the Stellia, spending a few enjoyable albums’ worth of time with them paired to the Hagerman Audio Tuba, which I reviewed last year. Suffice it to say that after these adjustments, these headphones were extremely comfortable. I currently own the Campfire Cascade so I definitely love warm/bassy with a detailed/forward/fast sound signature. 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