Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC vs Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed: which needs more amplifier?

The Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC is 50Ω at 88.0 dB/mW; the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed is 13Ω at 90.0 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC needs 2.0 dB more than the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed to reach the same loudness — 16 mW against 10 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationAbyss AB-1266 Phi TCDan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed
Impedance50 Ω13 Ω
Sensitivity88.0 dB/mW90.0 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)101.0 dB/V108.9 dB/V
Power for 100 dB16 mW10 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.89 V0.36 V
Current for 100 dB17.8 mA27.7 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
6.25 Ω1.62 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
275272

Where the two part company

4 of the 280 sources have the power for the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC but not for the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed — Audient EVO 4, Roland Rubix22, Audient EVO 8, 1 more.

1 of the 280 sources has the power for the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed but not for the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC — Sony NW-A306.

6 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC under the one-eighth rule but not for the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed (FiiO KA13, Schiit Vali 2+, Astell&Kern HC3, 3 more).

271 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC and Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed. Every figure on this page comes from what Abyss and Dan Clark Audio published, or is derived from it — what Abyss publishes and what Dan Clark Audio publishes, both counted.