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| Headphone Amps (full-size) Discussion of desktop headphone amps. |
01-05-2009, 08:00 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Europe
Posts: 88
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Cantate.2 or other amp?
Hello,
I've finally made the decision to get a stationary amp, currently thinking of the Meier Audio Cantate.2
Basically I'll use it for a HD650 (and just maybe my UE-11), and I definitely need the USB part of it.
So is there anything "better" in that price range (410€/~550$ in Germany)? I don't (neccessarily) need a tube amp, by the way.
I have a 2Move and like its "sound signature", so I guess I couldn't go too wrong with a Cantate.2?
Thanks.
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01-05-2009, 08:05 PM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Miami Beach
Posts: 1,127
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Try Duet Apogee if you have a MAC~I heard its pretty unbeatable in its price range.
__________________
"I built my staccato like the piano; low register with the warmth of the cello; lyrical melodies like the violin; running notes like the clarinet"-Maurice André
Headphones: Ultrasone Edition 9, Denon AH-D7000, Sennheiser HD650, UE4 pro, Westone 3, Sennheiser IE8, Audio Technica ESW10JPN, ESW9, ES7, Grado SR225, Klipsh Image x10, B&O A8...
AMP/DAC: Mustang P-51, ASL OTL MKIII, Duet by Apogee, Ibasso D2 boa and Little Dot MK1+
Source: Macbook Pro 17" Unibody 2.93GHz(2009), Ipod touch 2g 32gb and Sansa clip 4GB
My Feedback-HeadFi
My FeedBack-Ebay
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01-05-2009, 08:28 PM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Norman, OK
Posts: 1,426
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Are you just using the Apogee as a USB DAC? Or to drive headphone too? It looks like a computer peripheral rather than something specifically for headphone amplification, but it probably makes a darn good DAC.
I have been recommended the Cantate for HD650s as Jan Meier tuned the Cantate to work well with them, so they certainly are very compatible. I ended up getting an M3 though since I already have a standalone DAC, and I like it a lot.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by nickyboyo
Mate, you could buy yourself a ute, a sleeping bag, enough beer to drive around Australia and still have enough money left over to tune up at least 2 chicks in every major town in this great country for the price you would pay for this crazily overpriced cable.
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Source:
Denon DVD1900 SACD --> prototype coax --> Audio-GD DAC8
Macbook Pro 13" --> Amarra Mini --> "Metagenome" USB --> Sonicweld Diverter Gen3 --> Neotech/Furutech silver BNC --> Audio-GD DAC8 --> DIY CAST cables
Amplification: Audio-GD Phoenix with ERS paper
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800 balanced with Complement XLR cables, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica ATH-A700, iGrados, Beyer DT770, ER4P, Shure SRH840 with 4-pin miniXLR jack mod
To Buy: Reference One conversion board, Power Plant Premier, JH13, state and local taxes, tuition, VD Master LE 2.0 power cable, Stranded OCC silver when it exists + Bocchino BAXLRs sexytime
Sleepover at Kingwa's!
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01-05-2009, 08:36 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Europe
Posts: 88
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@Feather225
Ugh, that's definitely to appleish 
@scootermafia
ok, one opinion for the cantate. *count*
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01-05-2009, 10:48 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Buckingham, England
Posts: 217
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Make that two for the Cantate.
I'll be getting an Arietta once my Paypal account has some money in it.
Steven.
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01-05-2009, 11:26 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Germany (but right now USA)
Posts: 59
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Cool, I wanted to start a thread just like this one for a few days now.
I have my eyes on the Cantate.2 as well.
So far I saw a few other amps on here that seem good too but I also need USB, since PC will be the primary source and there is little info here in good usb dacs.
__________________
Cans: Sennheiser HD800, Sennheiser HD650, Denon AH-D7000, Denon AH-D2000, Beyerdynamic MMX 300, Ultrasone HFI-780
IEMs: Shure SE530
Amps: SPL Auditor, M³ & Sigma 11 (MisterX), Meier-Audio Corda Cantate.2, Corda 2Move
Sources: PC (foobar2000 WASAPI), PS Audio Digital Link III, Gamma 1 lite DAC (MisterX), Cowon S9 32GB, iPhone 16GB (1st gen.)
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01-06-2009, 08:39 AM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Buckingham, England
Posts: 217
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I've got an iBasso D3 which has USB DAC and a line out which I can feed into an Arietta.
That way I get a portable amp plus a desktop amp with the functionality of a Cantate.
I think it works out cheaper too.
Steven.
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01-06-2009, 10:47 AM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Norman, OK
Posts: 1,426
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iBasso D3: $219
Corda Arietta: $225
Shipped price for both: $444
Cost of Cantate: $470
Having a good portable and a good desk amp and winning at life: Priceless
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by nickyboyo
Mate, you could buy yourself a ute, a sleeping bag, enough beer to drive around Australia and still have enough money left over to tune up at least 2 chicks in every major town in this great country for the price you would pay for this crazily overpriced cable.
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Source:
Denon DVD1900 SACD --> prototype coax --> Audio-GD DAC8
Macbook Pro 13" --> Amarra Mini --> "Metagenome" USB --> Sonicweld Diverter Gen3 --> Neotech/Furutech silver BNC --> Audio-GD DAC8 --> DIY CAST cables
Amplification: Audio-GD Phoenix with ERS paper
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800 balanced with Complement XLR cables, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica ATH-A700, iGrados, Beyer DT770, ER4P, Shure SRH840 with 4-pin miniXLR jack mod
To Buy: Reference One conversion board, Power Plant Premier, JH13, state and local taxes, tuition, VD Master LE 2.0 power cable, Stranded OCC silver when it exists + Bocchino BAXLRs sexytime
Sleepover at Kingwa's!
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01-07-2009, 12:26 AM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Germany (but right now USA)
Posts: 59
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OK I finally made up my mind and ordered a Cantate.2 today.
All the features for this price and the fact that Meier Audio simply has first class service made me choose it.
And it's a very good match for the HD650.
I can give you my opinion how much better than the 2Move it is, after I get it.
__________________
Cans: Sennheiser HD800, Sennheiser HD650, Denon AH-D7000, Denon AH-D2000, Beyerdynamic MMX 300, Ultrasone HFI-780
IEMs: Shure SE530
Amps: SPL Auditor, M³ & Sigma 11 (MisterX), Meier-Audio Corda Cantate.2, Corda 2Move
Sources: PC (foobar2000 WASAPI), PS Audio Digital Link III, Gamma 1 lite DAC (MisterX), Cowon S9 32GB, iPhone 16GB (1st gen.)
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01-07-2009, 06:31 AM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Salem, OR
Posts: 31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by king.mark
I can give you my opinion how much better than the 2Move it is, after I get it.
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I look forward to reading your comparison. I really like my 2Move, and I've been on the verge of ordering a Cantate for a few weeks. It'll be exactly the info I've been looking for.
And you're right about Dr. Meier's service. It truly is a pleasure doing business with him.
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01-07-2009, 11:12 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Europe
Posts: 88
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Quote:
Originally Posted by king.mark
OK I finally made up my mind and ordered a Cantate.2 today.
All the features for this price and the fact that Meier Audio simply has first class service made me choose it.
And it's a very good match for the HD650.
I can give you my opinion how much better than the 2Move it is, after I get it.
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So can I.
Cause I've also ordered a Cantate.2, should arrive on Thursday or Friday. 
And about the service: Absolutely. Jan Meier even trusted that I transfered the money and sent out the amp (this time as well as with the 2MOVE before) before he could register the reception of it.
Looking forward to receiving it.. *drools*
(btw, king mark: you're just copying me! you want to get the UE-11 (like I have), you own the 2MOVE (as I do), you own the HD650 (as I do), you've ordered the CANTATE.2 (as I did), you dislike overpronounced highs (as I do). I'm scared now! Or I got a dissociative identity disorder!
..oh, I see you got an iPhone. No, you're definitely different. Brr, apple.. *shudders* )
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01-07-2009, 11:59 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Germany (but right now USA)
Posts: 59
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Hihi, relax I got the HD650 long before you and I pulled back on the UE for now to buy the Cantate.2.
But my Cantate.2 will most likely arrive the same day as yours. 
__________________
Cans: Sennheiser HD800, Sennheiser HD650, Denon AH-D7000, Denon AH-D2000, Beyerdynamic MMX 300, Ultrasone HFI-780
IEMs: Shure SE530
Amps: SPL Auditor, M³ & Sigma 11 (MisterX), Meier-Audio Corda Cantate.2, Corda 2Move
Sources: PC (foobar2000 WASAPI), PS Audio Digital Link III, Gamma 1 lite DAC (MisterX), Cowon S9 32GB, iPhone 16GB (1st gen.)
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01-10-2009, 03:48 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Germany (but right now USA)
Posts: 59
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I got the Cantate.2 yesterday and it's absolutely fantastic.
When I ordered I was afraid that the improvements might be hard to detect but this baby makes my phones play on a whole new level.
I did most listening with the HD650 and the sound improved in every way. The first thing I noticed is that the clarity and detail went way up. Now that there is a large pool of power for the phone to use it just seems to play much more effortlessly. I always felt that the bass of the HD650 had a great sound to it but was sometimes push back too far behind the mids, that's over now. The bass is always there, it just sounds sooo great and never overpowers any other parts of the spectrum.
I don't have many reference points to compare sound with and when I got my 2Move half a year ago I was very happy and I still am. It's a great amp that far outshines the usual sources like sound cards or MP3 players and even my Yamaha receiver.
I simply spend too much time here on Head-Fi, so the wish for a desktop amp grew with even better sound than the 2Move.
So if you think about getting the Cantate.2, I can say with confidence, just do it, it's worth every cent.
__________________
Cans: Sennheiser HD800, Sennheiser HD650, Denon AH-D7000, Denon AH-D2000, Beyerdynamic MMX 300, Ultrasone HFI-780
IEMs: Shure SE530
Amps: SPL Auditor, M³ & Sigma 11 (MisterX), Meier-Audio Corda Cantate.2, Corda 2Move
Sources: PC (foobar2000 WASAPI), PS Audio Digital Link III, Gamma 1 lite DAC (MisterX), Cowon S9 32GB, iPhone 16GB (1st gen.)
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01-10-2009, 06:05 PM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,479
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thanks for the impressions king.mark. i've had good experiences with Meier amps myself.
__________________
View profile for equipment details
Feedback
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01-12-2009, 07:48 PM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Europe
Posts: 88
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Just got mine today, too. (German DHL doesn't deliver in some (industrial) areas on saturdays).
Initial impression: Woah! Even more detailed/transparent sound than before, but the biggest change seems to be a way more "punchy", "pronunced/clear" (not sure how to better express what I mean) bass. And that's with me being a "sceptic" when it comes to amp differences.
And the thing itself weighs way more than I expected ;)
Still, I have to compare this and my other outputs respectively 2Move and UA-25 with some songs "side by side", because it still might be just placebo-like. Will report back after some more critical listening :)
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