[MRC001]

RCA/SE is more common, but XLR/Balanced is better quality, having higher SNR and isolating the ground from the audio. And the DAC chip's native output is balanced, so making the entire device fully balanced obviates the need for any conversions. That means a more direct, pure signal path.

Properly converting balanced to SE requires a differential circuit: take the difference between the "+" and "-" balanced signals. It doubles the signal (since + and - are mirror images of each other) and eliminates any noise that appears on both. But a "poor man's" way to convert is to use only the "+" balanced output and ignore the "-". This can be noisier, depending on how "clean" the balanced signals are.

 

[Richter Di]

Just in case you haven't seen it: https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews...-corda-soul-dsp-dac-and-headphone-amp-review/

 

[ujiko]

Thanks

Hadn't seen that. Too bad not enough people knew about it and that I had to sell it for so little.

Enjoy

 

[MRC001]

Nice to see this fine piece of equipment get some publicity.

 

[MRC001]

... Too bad not enough people knew about it and that I had to sell it for so little.

I'm not surprised. Audiophiles make up only a small % of the market, and the Soul is a niche beast even among audiophiles. I love mine, but it's not for everyone.

 

[FritzS]

....... I love mine, but it's not for everyone.

Why?
I use a previos device (bought at Jan Meier's Christmas promotion) the DAC Corda Daccord ff.
I like its sound very much! A touch better than the DAC in my somewhat aged CD / SACD player Marantz SA7001 KI. This I use only as a drive now.
I rip now so gradually parts of my extensive CD (SACD) collection with dBpoweramp, play this now from my M1 Mac Mini with Audirvana Studio (Fidelia, foobar2000). Imagination or not - to me the sound of the music played through the Mac seems a touch better. More detail, a touch more air between the performers.

I had Jan Meiers Headphone Amp Corda Classic ff to test there, unfortunately I returned this and I did not keep this immediately.

 

[MRC001]

Why?
...

The Soul lives in the no-man's-land between different audiophile camps.

The objectivist camp of audiophiles is into the cheapest gear that has the best measurements. JDS, Schiit, Topping, SMSL to name a few. The Soul also has excellent measurements but it's much too expensive for them. Sure the Soul has much higher build quality but they don't care about that. Sure it sounds better but they don't believe in subjective listening tests - they believe if it measures the same, then by definition it must sound the same and any difference you think you hear is just an illusion.

The subjectivist camp of audiophiles is into limited production boutique gear with unusual or signature sound (which ultimately is coloration). It may not follow traditional standards for good engineering, it may have only poor or average measurements. The Soul is certainly limited production, and it does have some unusual design aspects, but its dedication to neutrality and transparency doesn't allow it to have a colored signature sound. And subjectivists can find much more exclusive boutique gear than the Soul.

Add to this some of the Soul's limitations: no DSD, limited sample rates (no 176.4, nothing above 192), balanced only. It's for audiophiles who want something well engineered and built, with excellent measurements and build quality, but who also believe that while measurements are important, they are not 100% of the story, and who are willing to deal with some functional limitations to get the best sound quality possible, even if it's only a little bit better.

I think the Soul is great, but this is why I believe it's a unique beast that is not for everyone.

 

[FritzS]

Add to this some of the Soul's limitations: no DSD, limited sample rates (no 176.4, nothing above 192), balanced only. It's for audiophiles who want something well engineered and built, with excellent measurements and build quality, but who also believe that while measurements are important, they are not 100% of the story, and who are willing to deal with some functional limitations to get the best sound quality possible, even if it's only a little bit better.

The same DAC limits as in Daccord ff - Soul is a combination between Daccord and Classic - with additional features.

Both are similar in some basics
http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/daccord.html
http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/soul.html

And: «Therefore it is well possible to connect single ended headphones. An adapter is needed that we happily provide, if requested.»

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear Friends,

finally some time to respond to your questions/remarks.

Indeed, the review at hometheaterhifi.com is a fine one. The writer captures my own "impressions" on the SOUL very well. I hope you like the read.

"Too bad not enough people knew about it and that I had to sell it for so little."

Why sell??????

"I think the Soul is great, but this is why I believe it's a unique beast that is not for everyone."

Dear Mike, your arguments certainly make sense. However, there's one other aspect that makes the SOUL a niche-product.

For many people the many options to optimize sound are simply too difficult to understand. To benefit from all the controls requires a more than average understanding of the nature of sound. People who don't understand also don't want to fiddle around with so many dials/switches.

"Soul is a combination between Daccord and Classic - with additional features."

In many technical aspects that's true. However, sonically the SOUL is in a class of itself.



Stay healthy,

Jan

 

[jamesjames]

As someone who regards crossfeed as essential, I'm very interested in this. A Marantz SA10 is my digital source and I've been using the Moon 430HA and SPL Phonitor xe amps for some time now with excellent results. As for phones, I use the MySphere 3.2, HD800 and HE1000se. Am I right in thinking the Meier does accept balanced analogue inputs, and that crossfeed is digital? To date, I've preferred analogue crossfeed implementation, but would be interested to know whether others find the Meier crossfeed to be as good/better than the amps I've mentioned. Interested also in any comparisons between the amp sections. I listen to classical music.

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear James,

unfortunately for you the crossfeed (and all other "tone-controls") is done in the digital domain. The SOUL does have balanced analog inputs but with these you only have straight-line amplification. The "tone-controls" are not active on these inputs.

Sorry!

But as a preamplifier and headphone amplifier the SOUL is pretty good. Could well replace your MOON and SPL amps.

As a headamp your HD800 will strongly benefit from the notch filter that the SOUL offers. And when you slightly increase LF and LLF then this phone becomes pretty special. Even Axel Grell (designer of the HD800) once said, that he never has heard the HD800 sound that good.

If you send me an E-Mail, then I will provide you with the user-manual.

Cheers

Jan

 

[jamesjames]

Dear James,

unfortunately for you the crossfeed (and all other "tone-controls") is done in the digital domain. The SOUL does have balanced analog inputs but with these you only have straight-line amplification. The "tone-controls" are not active on these inputs.

Sorry!

But as a preamplifier and headphone amplifier the SOUL is pretty good. Could well replace your MOON and SPL amps.

As a headamp your HD800 will strongly benefit from the notch filter that the SOUL offers. And when you slightly increase LF and LLF then this phone becomes pretty special. Even Axel Grell (designer of the HD800) once said, that he never has heard the HD800 sound that good.

If you send me an E-Mail, then I will provide you with the user-manual.

Cheers

Jan

That's very kind Jan, and much appreciated. I will send my email.
Regards
James

 

[geoffalter11]

Dear James,

unfortunately for you the crossfeed (and all other "tone-controls") is done in the digital domain. The SOUL does have balanced analog inputs but with these you only have straight-line amplification. The "tone-controls" are not active on these inputs.

Sorry!

But as a preamplifier and headphone amplifier the SOUL is pretty good. Could well replace your MOON and SPL amps.

As a headamp your HD800 will strongly benefit from the notch filter that the SOUL offers. And when you slightly increase LF and LLF then this phone becomes pretty special. Even Axel Grell (designer of the HD800) once said, that he never has heard the HD800 sound that good.

If you send me an E-Mail, then I will provide you with the user-manual.

Cheers

Jan

I have also heard this. The HD800 sounds sublime on your Soul. I don't own an HD800, though.... But, plenty of headphones that would benefit from this unit. Admittedly, I would need to learn how how the controls work and benefit the sound. What digital output do you feel sounds best when using as an AIO? Currently, I have my MAC running as Roon Core, so my options are USB right now. I don't have a DDC to run other digital inputs.

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear Geoff,

sorry, but I never compared any of the digital inputs directly.

Using a different kind of input also implies using a different kind of source. And the quality of the source may well have an impact.

For any specific situation one should try and simply use the kind of connection that one likes best. Trust your own ears and be aware, everybody hears differently!

With Mac-systems be noted that their standard software does not allow bit-perfect data-transfer. One needs software like Audirvana or the like. And that really does make a very noticable difference!!



Jan

 

[geoffalter11]

Dear Geoff,

sorry, but I never compared any of the digital inputs directly.

Using a different kind of input also implies using a different kind of source. And the quality of the source may well have an impact.

For any specific situation one should try and simply use the kind of connection that one likes best. Trust your own ears and be aware, everybody hears differently!

With Mac-systems be noted that their standard software does not allow bit-perfect data-transfer. One needs software like Audirvana or the like. And that really does make a very noticable difference!!



Jan

Hi Jan,

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I use Roon out of my MAC. MACs are noisy but right now it is my Roon Core. I use a USBe Perfect (a sort of DDC type device into the MAC and then my USB cable from that contraption into my DAC. I am working on getting a NUC and streaming device so I can pull my Roon Core off of my MAC. And Yes, just the simple move of getting Roon and the USBe made significant improvements to the sound. I keep all my music on an external hard drive that I have attached to my MAC and I tell Roon to pull from there so I don't have anything on my MAC other than Roon and some of the basic softwares that come with the MAC. For being such a great computer it really is terrible for bit perfect music. So, I am doing my best to mitigate those issues. I have more to do, but feel comfortable that how it is currently set up sounds pretty dang good. I look forward to hopefully hearing a Corda Soul soon.

Best,
Geoff