Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This Diana DZ unit was a loan from a friend of the channel. Thanks!
Buy from Audio46 (affiliate link): audio46.com/products/abyss-diana-dz?ref=reviewsbywavetheory
Buy from Abyss: abyss-headphones.com/collections/abyss-headphones/products/abyss-diana-dz-luxury-audiophile-headphone
Want to support the channel? Consider becoming a member! Or you can join my Patreon here:
patreon.com/wavetheory1
Or make a 1-time donation through PayPal here:
paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=7N7Z8WRLWQ36E
My Other Abyss Reviews…
AB-1266 Phi TC: youtu.be/TrKxdX_CkSk
Diana Phi: head-fi.org/showcase/abyss-headphones-diana.22827/reviews
Diana TC: youtu.be/r5ebdUUYt4g
Diana MR: youtu.be/LBTFGWJSVds
JOAL: youtu.be/lFPrprM36CE
Test Gear…
All music was lossless or hi-rez FLAC or DSD files played locally, or in the case of FLAC files also streamed from Qobuz, all through Roon.
Chain 1…
Chord 2Go + 2Yu (youtu.be/S3O7JNOJIqI) streamer USB output into Ferrum WANDLA GSE (youtu.be/Qh1b-XFH7R8) XLR output into Ferrum Oor amp (review 1: youtu.be/Nr3sT6raMPM; review 2: youtu.be/xUsRyoBPdyk).
Chain 2…
Sonore opticalRendu (review coming!) USB output into Berkeley Alpha USB (youtu.be/94AvDeeRjHA) then AES into Berkeley Alpha Series 2 DAC (youtu.be/JY3c4HEyH0s) then into either LTA Z10e ((youtu.be/Bft6HUsYDhE) or Niimbus HPA US5 Pro (youtu.be/lLlPJyvGSIQ) amplifiers.
Chain 3…
MacMini running HQPlayer (review coming!) USB output into Lampizator Baltic 3 DAC (youtu.be/QShvh2rqETc) then XLR output into either the Z10e or US5 Pro from Chain 2.
Compared Headphones…
Focal Utopia (OG) (1): youtu.be/sqHjnH6EdM4
(2): youtu.be/tb3le-TwGnQ
HiFiMan HE1000 Unveiled: youtu.be/pSXKdoYg0Tc
Timestamps...
00:00 Intro, Pricing, Disclaimer
01:10 Shameless Self Promotion
01:37 Use Timestamps & Short Answer
02:51 Important Context & Bias Declarations
11:57 About the Diana DZ
16:58 Sound
24:04 Comparisons with HE1000 Unveiled & Utopia
27:30 Synthesis
29:00 Are Signal Chains the Issue?
33:52 Wrap-Up
This Diana DZ unit was a loan from a friend of the channel. Thanks!
Buy from Audio46 (affiliate link): audio46.com/products/abyss-diana-dz?ref=reviewsbywavetheory
Buy from Abyss: abyss-headphones.com/collections/abyss-headphones/products/abyss-diana-dz-luxury-audiophile-headphone
Want to support the channel? Consider becoming a member! Or you can join my Patreon here:
patreon.com/wavetheory1
Or make a 1-time donation through PayPal here:
paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=7N7Z8WRLWQ36E
My Other Abyss Reviews…
AB-1266 Phi TC: youtu.be/TrKxdX_CkSk
Diana Phi: head-fi.org/showcase/abyss-headphones-diana.22827/reviews
Diana TC: youtu.be/r5ebdUUYt4g
Diana MR: youtu.be/LBTFGWJSVds
JOAL: youtu.be/lFPrprM36CE
Test Gear…
All music was lossless or hi-rez FLAC or DSD files played locally, or in the case of FLAC files also streamed from Qobuz, all through Roon.
Chain 1…
Chord 2Go + 2Yu (youtu.be/S3O7JNOJIqI) streamer USB output into Ferrum WANDLA GSE (youtu.be/Qh1b-XFH7R8) XLR output into Ferrum Oor amp (review 1: youtu.be/Nr3sT6raMPM; review 2: youtu.be/xUsRyoBPdyk).
Chain 2…
Sonore opticalRendu (review coming!) USB output into Berkeley Alpha USB (youtu.be/94AvDeeRjHA) then AES into Berkeley Alpha Series 2 DAC (youtu.be/JY3c4HEyH0s) then into either LTA Z10e ((youtu.be/Bft6HUsYDhE) or Niimbus HPA US5 Pro (youtu.be/lLlPJyvGSIQ) amplifiers.
Chain 3…
MacMini running HQPlayer (review coming!) USB output into Lampizator Baltic 3 DAC (youtu.be/QShvh2rqETc) then XLR output into either the Z10e or US5 Pro from Chain 2.
Compared Headphones…
Focal Utopia (OG) (1): youtu.be/sqHjnH6EdM4
(2): youtu.be/tb3le-TwGnQ
HiFiMan HE1000 Unveiled: youtu.be/pSXKdoYg0Tc
Timestamps...
00:00 Intro, Pricing, Disclaimer
01:10 Shameless Self Promotion
01:37 Use Timestamps & Short Answer
02:51 Important Context & Bias Declarations
11:57 About the Diana DZ
16:58 Sound
24:04 Comparisons with HE1000 Unveiled & Utopia
27:30 Synthesis
29:00 Are Signal Chains the Issue?
33:52 Wrap-Up
