In this video I review the new ABYSS JOAL planar—basically the “little brother” to the Diana line—and I still can’t quite believe what it costs. After living with Diana V2, Phi, TC, MR, and DZ over the years, I walk you through where the JOAL fits, what you get in the box, and why I think it’s one of the most competitive open-back planars under $2,000 (check your local pricing, but it’s been sitting around $1899). I also cover the updated stock cable and the included adapters, plus my thoughts on ABYSS’s superconductor cable and when it’s actually worth buying. Sound-wise, I’m very clear: JOAL is warm, fun, and unapologetically colored—in the best way. It’s the most euphonic and musical headphone ABYSS has made in my opinion, with elevated midbass/subbass, a tall and wide midrange, and a bigger stage than Diana MR on my reference rigs. It’s also forgiving with rough masters (metal lovers, take note), and it does EDM with real impact and decay. I compare it directly to Diana MR and Diana DZ, talk scalability and drivability (it’s a bit harder to drive than MR), and I wrap with my “tigers” ratings—because for 2025, JOAL might be the price-to-performance king.