New MEIER AUDIO headphone amp "CORDA CLASSIC" - Page 9

Yes, I would say the classic has a blacker background than the Lyr.  attack, not sure.

Thanks Skylab, good review! Great to see that the Classic is selling for the same price as the Concerto did.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab 

Yes, I would say the classic has a blacker background than the Lyr.

Nice to know, but the way I see it, the sound either has a totally black background (as far as the human ear can resolve), or not at all. There is no in between, regardless of how faint the hum/hiss/noise may be. If the difference is audible, one amp is not "blacker" or less black than the other, it's simply not dead silent at all (and the deal-breaker for stubborn people like me). And I love how Meier's amps can be used as a reference for testing silence 

Ok so would you prefer "closer to black"? As that's what I mean.  There is no totally silent amp. It's just how close to that you get.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RazorJack 

Thanks Skylab, good review! Great to see that the Classic is selling for the same price as the Concerto did.
 

Nice to know, but the way I see it, the sound either has a totally black background (as far as the human ear can resolve), or not at all. There is no in between, regardless of how faint the hum/hiss/noise may be. If the difference is audible, one amp is not "blacker" or less black than the other, it's simply not dead silent at all (and the deal-breaker for stubborn people like me). And I love how Meier's amps can be used as a reference for testing silence 

 

I agree.  My Cantate2 is as black as the Ace of spades- dead silent.  If it makes a noise, then that noise is simply not audible, even with low impedance headphones.  For me, an amp has to be dead silent.  Why would one pursue "better" presentation for their desired music for it to be impeded by any additional hum, hiss, background noise of any description.  It is a deal breaker for me as well.  However I am willing to bet that the Classic has no "audible" noise whatsoever, and that for me is dead silent.
 

Thanks Rob for the reply. I think I may just have to try this new amp for myself!

Off topic, @RazorJack I will put up some brief (Meier, Schiit) x T1 comments in the next 2-4 days.

^ Sweet! 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac 

For me, an amp has to be dead silent.  Why would one pursue "better" presentation for their desired music for it to be impeded by any additional hum, hiss, background noise of any description.  It is a deal breaker for me as well.  

 

Exactly. And yet, it turns out, as far as my understanding goes from posts on head-fi, that so many highly regarded tube amps are not silent at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab 

Ok so would you prefer "closer to black"? As that's what I mean.  There is no totally silent amp. It's just how close to that you get.

In absolute terms no, but as far as undamaged human ears can hear, there is, and that's what matters to me.

Sorry I keep bringing this "blackground" discussion up in so many threads, it's just the one aspect I find most important when choosing/buying my gear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AiDee 

Thanks Rob for the reply. I think I may just have to try this new amp for myself!

 

Off topic, @RazorJack I will put up some brief (Meier, Schiit) x T1 comments in the next 2-4 days.

I do own the Concerto and the Lyr as well.  Both are great amps. Sure, the Concerto has a nearly black background while the Lyr do have some ground noise even with low impedance phones. But the Lyr is an amazing amp and you don't hear any kind of noise while listening to the music.

Both amps are a great match for the LCD2 / LCD3

Cheers!

perfect-pitch

Per the Meier Classic web page, the gain in the low setting is -2dB not 4dB reported in the review.

I hope the -2dB is the correct number since I want to upgrade from an old Meier amp and don't need/want even 4dB of gain.

Anyone know if these are actually shipping yet ??

Todd

Quote:

Originally Posted by todd95008 

Per the Meier Classic web page, the gain in the low setting is -2dB not 4dB reported in the review.

I hope the -2dB is the correct number since I want to upgrade from an old Meier amp and don't need/want even 4dB of gain.

 

Anyone know if these are actually shipping yet ??

 

Todd

My order is shipping Monday! Can't wait!

Quote:

Originally Posted by todd95008 

Per the Meier Classic web page, the gain in the low setting is -2dB not 4dB reported in the review.

I hope the -2dB is the correct number since I want to upgrade from an old Meier amp and don't need/want even 4dB of gain.

 

Anyone know if these are actually shipping yet ??

 

Todd

You may be able to ask Dr. Meier to integrate a voltage divider into one of your inputs on the Corda Classic... Or you could wire it yourself - even directly into an interconnect. As long as you use a network with high quality resistors it should be a simple signal reduction without coloration. The voltage divider is a simple linear circuit. Note however that this would certainly void your "try & return" guarantee. Personally, I have had such a great experience trying the Corda Jazz that this is of no concern for me - especially after seeing Skylab's review of the Classic.

The CLASSIC arrived a few days ago, and now it is paired with the STAGEDAC and the Beyerdynamic T1. I have to say that it is a wonderful experience listening to music with this combination. I don't really have anything else of this caliber to compare with, but I trust my ears!

Highly recommended!

Has anybody done any A/B comparisons between the Concerto and the Classic?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rasmushorn 

Has anybody done any A/B comparisons between the Concerto and the Classic?

Almost. All month (December and until yesterday) I listened to the Jazz. Today I got home from holidays and had a Corda Classic waiting for me in the mail.

I will write a review once I get more time on the Classic but initial impressions are... WOW. On vacation I listened exclusively with a Corda Jazz. I actually took my headphones, CD Player, and Brickwall surge protector with me on vacation so I can say the only change in my system is the Classic versus the Jazz.

Immediately wider sound stage than the Jazz, and an even more natural realistic sound, while being more detailed as well. It's unreal, & I don't say that easily or lightly. I attribute this to more power available at all levels versus the Jazz while retaining the neutral sophisticated volume pot and an extended crossfeed which goes from DC to 2000Hz versus the Jazz from DC to 800Hz.

The guy running from left to right, right to left in the gold CD of Pink Floyd Dark Side of the moon is downright scary with the Classic, for example. Crisp and detailed with the Jazz but more 'real' with the Classic while allowing me to practically feel the tread on the bottom of the phantom shoes.

This is however with low impedance fairly efficient PRO 2900 headphones. With high impedance headphones there will not be anywhere near as much power delivery, but I can say firmly that for low impedance headphones I don't think one can ask for more unless you have really low efficiency (like low 80's db) low impedance headphones. For that there is one perhaps competitive offering which is the Schiit Lyr. However, the Lyr lacks many of the advanced features and that the Corda Classic offers so it would be a trade-off of sorts. For efficient high-impedance headphones the Classic should also be very good. With relatively inefficient (HE-6 I'm looking at you) power hogs look elsewhere.

It's not all milk and honey however. The physical casing is not as solid as the Jazz, and there is a vibration and slight hum inherent from the top/side panel of the case. A very light weight placed on top of the panel on either side of the vents kills the vibration. I say kills the vibration, but with other things such as in the car audio world I'm probably not killing the vibration but just dampening it to a point I can't physically hear it. But who knows.

Edit: Problem above 99% solved. Dr. Meier gave me a tip & after implementation, there is no longer a problem. Will right more in my review. Didn't cost me anything but materials I already had on hand = a piece of left-over Lowes truck bed liner mat and some 3M super trim glue.

Also, while the Jazz volume pot offers double the steps of the Jazz, along with it comes a very distinct electromechanical clicking noise when the pot is turned as well as the electronic clicking noise from the Jazz volume pot. It doesn't effect anything but it is noticeable when changing volume. Overall, I love the added electronic steps of the Classic though, and would not trade it for anything else - especially those !*(#^@ stepped attenuators.

More to come in a few weeks. For now my Classic is going to get some good burn-in time with a modified Bink test CD (normalized tracks - very important).

Anyone try the classic + stagedac combo on the HD800s, wondering if they pair well, everyones talking about LCDs for some reason :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabrielisc 

Anyone try the classic + stagedac combo on the HD800s, wondering if they pair well, everyones talking about LCDs for some reason :)

LCDs, and other low impedance headphones are what the Classic can drive best simply because it puts out more Power at lower Z. Double the Z, half the power with this amp. Double Z again and half the power again. It is a stable relationship throughout the range.