Abyss DIANA MR Review

Sound – Amplification

As said earlier, Abyss really tuned the MR driver for the best drivability possible. The MR according to Abyss sounds great on everything you connect it to, though it will still scale up nicely with the better amplification.

DIANA® MR maximizes listening enjoyment with any level of electronics, from a simple USB dongle through high-end tube and solid state headphone amplifiers, this headphone has a universal sound character that sounds amazing with them all.

Based on this fact I have selected the following portable “sources”: The Astell & Kern SP3000, the Cayin N8ii, the Chord Electronics Mojo 2 and the Woo Audio Tube-Mini. The desktop amplifiers I selected are the SAEQ PDA-1b, the Feliks Audio Envy and the JDS Labs Amp+. Except for with the Mojo 2 and Amp+, the DIANA MR was always used in balanced mode. Don’t forget to also check out Abyss’ video on the MR tuning.

The AK SP3000 is a neutral portable player with a very high technical level. I has a more typical solid state tuning with high liveliness, excellent speed and a very high technical level. With the DIANA MR that results in a neutral amount of body from top to bottom and a lighter but precise, fast and tight bass rendering. The sound stage is good in all direction and the layering is well-executed. I absolutely love the dynamics, mid timbre, top end energy and overall note extension. My listening volume here is between 80 and 90, and it’s a really nice combo especially if you prefer technical excellence with a somewhat softer and musical delivery.

Switching to the more powerful Cayin N8ii, with tube mode, solid state mode , Class A/AB and P+ power mode, we get a different story. While the MR perfectly works in the general power mode, I do like it more on the P+ mode as the dynamics get an impressive boost. I prefer the solid state most because it has a bit of extra treble energy which the vegan pads can use. With the normal pads, you might prefer the softer tube mode. P+ mode is only available for Class AB amplification but it results in a fast, precise MR with a good technical level and a musical delivery. The sound stage and precision here is good, but it’s not at the same level of the SP3000. If you prefer a warmer and softer presentation you can switch to the solid state mode. Overall the MR has a good amount of body, a bit more than in the SP3000. The bass impact here is not as big and you get a looser and softer, more relaxed kind of bass. Honestly it is a good combo and it offers a lot of tuning options but the synergy with the AK is a bit better to me as it’s more energetic, controlled and lively.

The Mojo 2 (in SE mode) and DIANA MR combo is probably the best one so far. It has the precision, resolution, speed, control, liveliness and tightness of the SP3000 but it mixes that with the body, impact, mid timbre and softer yet very musical delivery of the Cayin. Technical precision, a dynamic rendering, excellent layering and control are other keywords here. Fully recommended but wait as there is better.

The Woo Audio Tube-Mini is one of the sources that Abyss recommends, and luckily I have with me here. I have to agree with Joe and the team on this one, as the MR’s synergy with the Woo is magical. You get a full bodied MR, with full, controlled bass and top level mid-layering. The bass is impactful and controlled, and the tube flavour here works much better than with the Cayin. The MR and Tube-mini brings you the perfect marriage between technicalities, musicality, dynamics and tube romance. What a lovely combo. This combo is the one for me and when I need a transportable DAC/AMP for the DIANA MR, the Woo is my to go to unit. It to me also is the one that comes closest to a full desktop experience, so let’s proceed with that.

The SAEQ PDA-1b certainly is one of my favorite amps of the moment. With its neutrality, high technical level and transparency it really shows you what your headphone is all about. And in this case there’s nothing but good to say. The energy and dynamics levels here are exemplary and the combo perfectly controls everything. Overall body is neutrally good and bass impact is tight and punchy. You get a great sound stage, impressive layering, a high resolution and a musical engaging delivery with sublime vocals. Absolutely recommended.

The Feliks Audio Envy is a fuller and warmer sounding tube amplifier which usually gives your headphone more body and impact. With the DIANA MR it does exactly that but it also focuses a little more on the vocal, putting them a little more to the front. For the rest this combo is excellent with good body, control, speed, impact and smoothness. If you are willing to sacrifice a bit of body and bass impact for technical excellent and extension the Auris Audio Headonia also is a really good amp for the DIANA MR.

Finally I wanted to try the MR with the JDS Labs Amp+, as Abyss is recommending to use the Element III MK2. In this setup (single-ended) you get excellent dynamics, resolution and control but you get a lighter presentation with less body. The mid timbre here is excellent as well as the layering and note extension. The delivery is musical and engaging. It always surprises me that the budget friendly JDS Labs can deliver such great quality, and it’s all what this combo is about. Yes the SAEQ and Envy perform better, but you can’t beat the quality end fun of the Amp+.

Sound – Vs. DINA TC

For this section I used the transparent and neutral SAEQ PDA-1b as it has the possibility to connect up to 4 headphones without any loss of power and quality. This amp really is a reviewer’s best friend. The DAC used still is the Aquarius.

The most important headphone to look at of course is the MR’s big brother, the DIANA TC.

The TC is a high-end headphone that plays at a very high level when it comes to precision, resolution and transparency. It is the kind of headphone that is more demanding in regards to amplification, but it will show you how good or bad your setup is and it can easily tell you if there is a miniscule change in it. The DIANA MR is a much easier headphone to drive and it is more forgiving to your sources and the rest of your setup.

The DIANA MR is more mid centric in tuning, with an overall fuller presentation, smoothness and warmth. The MR still plays at a high technical level but it’s not at the TC’s level, which also explains the price difference. The MR is a lot more forgiving, and for some it will be much easier to listen to. The TC has a lighter, more neutral presentation from top to bottom and the vocals carry more energy and focus. Technically the TC is the king when it comes to (note) extension, resolution, decay and spaciousness/wideness. Though this also gets enhanced by the lighter mid weight and overall lower body. The TC’s PRaT, as well as control are impressive with a more extended and energetic top end. (but that’s also somewhat linked to the vegan pads I am using on the MR).

While the MR isn’t the most technical proficient compared to the TC, I actually is the DIANA headphone I listen most to. Unfortunately it was Linus who reviewed the DIANA V2 and the Phi, so I can’t compare them to the new MR.

Let us know in the comments section if you want to see the MR compared to a specific headphone and then we’ll see if we can make that happen for you. If you want more info on the sonic differences between the different DIANA headphones, you can check out Abyss’ video here.

Conclusion

The DIANA MR is a high-end headphone that not only looks great and offers good comfort, it also is a headphone that is easy to drive. The DIANA MR plays at a high technical level but it at the same time is easy to listen to.

The MR is very musical, forgiving and very engaging. You just want to play more and more of your favorite tracks and I on many occasions have found myself listening to my favourite albums till very late at night.

While the DIANA TC still is the resolution king, I think a lot of people might prefer the MR’s more engaging, full and softer/warmer tuning. It’s good that Abyss has different DIANA tunings, so you don’t have to choose just one. All of Abyss’ headphones are complementary, with the AB1266 PHI at the top of the tree.

It is very easy for me to give the Abyss DIANA MR our Recommended Buy Award, at it is now listed in our Headphone Buyer’s Guide where it is in very good company. The DIANA TC stays on the list as well as it’s a very different headphone. The DIANA MR is also a strong contender for our Headphone of the Year Award later in December. Stay tuned! 

Summary

Pro:

• Comfort
• Design
• Sound Quality
• Drivability
• Forgiving

Con:

• Price vs Accessories

Page 1: JPS Labs / Abyss, Diana MR, Comfort & Design & Isolation

Page 2: Build Quality & Connection, Price & Accessories, Full feature list.

Page 3: Sound: Intro, General, Classics Pads

Page 4: Sound amplification, Diana TC, Conclusion, Summary