[Jan Meier]

Dear Geoff,

please be noted that the USB-port on the SOUL works asynchronous and has very stable clocks. As such it already does a fine job in preventing any jitter.

Also, the USB-port is electrically isolated from the rest of the circuitry (transformer for the digital signals, DC-DC converter for the powersupply), so any noise generated by the PC on its USB-output is not transferred to the SOUL.

Cheers

Jan

 

[geoffalter11]

Hello Soul users,

With the help of Arthur @ Power Holdings and Jan Meier, I have a beautiful Corda Soul sitting on my desk which I will break in, get to know, review and then most likely purchase. The Soul is incredible. The sound is extremely refined, subtle, powerful, dynamic and detailed. Top End Resolution has to be heard. There is absolutely no hint of etch, the bass is fast and tactile and the midrange just explodes in every direction. It is a true marvel of engineering. I am still learning to use all of the tone controls and functions in the digital domain. It is not fully broken in, but after 1 evening with it, I am blown away by how good it sounds. It has plenty of power, and as you go higher on the volume pot the sound keeps getting clearer. No distortion, clipping or issues of any kind.

Thank you Jan for the unit to review! I look forward to posting a review. In the meantime, I am going to keep listening and enjoying this incredible AIO. It is without question the best AIO I have heard, and that is before being fully broken in. I guess the addage if it sounds good out of the box, only better sound will come is true. I have never met an audio piece that sounded bad out of the box and break in fixed it. So, first test is an A+. It sounds phenomenal right out of the box.

 

[Slim1970]

I just got the Corda Soul in for a demo and I must say that I'm totally impressed. I was always interested in this all-in-one(AIO), but never had the chance to hear it until now. I'm not sure why I waited so long because Corda Soul is simply brilliant.

Right now, I'm listening to my Audio-Technica ADX5000's. They have a 420 Ohms impedance. I'm using the high Z output with the gain set to high. I've never heard them sound so full, musical while maintaining all the details and clarity I could ask for. This amp is just a masterpiece. The feature set is not a gimmick, but contributes considerably to overall sound and performance of headphones. From the crossfeed, filter settings, and EQ, I'm making use of them all. The Corda Soul is tailor made for someone like me. I love to tweak the sound to my preference and the Corda Soul lets me do just that.

 

[geoffalter11]

I just got the Corda Soul in for a demo and I must say that I'm totally impressed. I was always interested in this all-in-one(AIO), but never had the chance to hear it until now. I'm not sure why I waited so long because Corda Soul is simply brilliant.

Right now, I'm listening to my Audio-Technica ADX5000's. They have a 420 Ohms impedance. I'm using the high Z output with the gain set to high. I've never heard them sound so full, musical while maintaining all the details and clarity I could ask for. This amp is just a masterpiece. The feature set is not a gimmick, but contributes considerably to overall sound and performance of headphones. From the crossfeed, filter settings, and EQ, I'm making use of them all. The Corda Soul is tailor made for someone like me. I love to tweak the sound to my preference and the Corda Soul lets me do just that.

I echo these thoughts. The Corda Soul is without question the best AIO I have ever heard. I smile every time I turn it on and listen to the Soul. The sound is refined, powerful, balanced, detailed and has the most delicate shimmering treble with absolutely no hint of etch. Top End Resolution has to be heard, I am not sure I can accurately convey how good it is yet. The Soul has a reference quality AMP and a reference DAC and the tone controls all existing in the digital domain is brilliant. Although, I have no use for the preamp, it is supposed to be quite incredible as well. The Soul easily powers all of my headphones, and there is no one headphone it favors. They all sound exquisite. I am quite simply blown away by the sound, form and function. I can't wait to continue burning it in, I am not quite to 75 hrs on my new unit. I can tell you two things... 1) I am thrilled to have the opportunity to review the Corda Soul. 2) It will be staying here, as I will never return this unit.

I don't believe there is a better AIO in existence. I think Jan Meier has made the holy grail of AIO's and I intend to shed as much light as possible on the brilliance of this unit. If you are someone looking for a space saving device that can provide you with state of the art sound, then look no further. You have found it! @Slim1970 is right, the controls are not a gimmick, but provide subtle nuance and balance for those who like to tweak the sound. The tone controls can move up or down 4db. As Jan aptly stated, "if you need to adjust a headphone in any one area by more than 4db then it isn't the right headphone for you". I couldn't agree more. While I tend to not use EQ, I am using it with the Soul and enjoying the subtle changes it imparts on my headphones and music. The best part is that I can change it with click of a dial and just move on to the next.

I look forward to learning more and getting the Soul up to 150-200 hrs to see how the sound continues to evolve. It took a leap at 25 hrs, and then a more significant step towards fully opening up around 60-70 hrs. However, I know there is another level or two still to go and I already fell the way I do. Giddy with anticipation for more...

 

[Slim1970]

I echo these thoughts. The Corda Soul is without question the best AIO I have ever heard. I smile every time I turn it on and listen to the Soul. The sound is refined, powerful, balanced, detailed and has the most delicate shimmering treble with absolutely no hint of etch. Top End Resolution has to be heard, I am not sure I can accurately convey how good it is yet. The Soul has a reference quality AMP and a reference DAC and the tone controls all existing in the digital domain is brilliant. Although, I have no use for the preamp, it is supposed to be quite incredible as well. The Soul easily powers all of my headphones, and there is no one headphone it favors. They all sound exquisite. I am quite simply blown away by the sound, form and function. I can't wait to continue burning it in, I am not quite to 75 hrs on my new unit. I can tell you two things... 1) I am thrilled to have the opportunity to review the Corda Soul. 2) It will be staying here, as I will never return this unit.

I don't believe there is a better AIO in existence. I think Jan Meier has made the holy grail of AIO's and I intend to shed as much light as possible on the brilliance of this unit. If you are someone looking for a space saving device that can provide you with state of the art sound, then look no further. You have found it! @Slim1970 is right, the controls are not a gimmick, but provide subtle nuance and balance for those who like to tweak the sound. The tone controls can move up or down 4db. As Jan aptly stated, "if you need to adjust a headphone in any one area by more than 4db then it isn't the right headphone for you". I couldn't agree more. While I tend to not use EQ, I am using it with the Soul and enjoying the subtle changes it imparts on my headphones and music. The best part is that I can change it with click of a dial and just move on to the next.

I look forward to learning more and getting the Soul up to 150-200 hrs to see how the sound continues to evolve. It took a leap at 25 hrs, and then a more significant step towards fully opening up around 60-70 hrs. However, I know there is another level or two still to go and I already fell the way I do. Giddy with anticipation for more...

Love what you said about the Corda Soul not favoring any one headphone. This is what I’m finding out as well as I’m cycling through my collection. Regardless of impedance and power needs, the Corda Soul is making my headphones sound their best.

It’s uncanny how the Corda Soul adapts to the difference impedances of my headphones and delivers power/current accordingly. I’ve only experienced this with one other amp and that’s the Cembalo Labs Spring 1. The Corda Soul has taken it a set further. As it’s able to deliver a level of refinement to the sound that I’m experiencing in my reference system.

Kudos to Jan for delivering the best AIO I’ve experienced to date. It just may be the best AIO on the market. When you take into account you’re getting a reference quality DAC with a reference quality amp and add on the unbelievable feature set the Corda Soul is an outstanding buy for new and old audiophiles. I don’t think I can let the Corda Soul go. It’s that’s good.

 

[alexdemaet]

I am the happy owner of a Meier Audio Corda Soul. I bought it last week on Headfi. This device rocks! Currently doing my 1st listening test. I have heard the 30K dcs stack on an Audio show in Brussels last year. This device is incredible!!

 

[Slim1970]

I am the happy owner of a Meier Audio Corda Soul. I bought it last week on Headfi. This device rocks! Currently doing my 1st listening test. I have heard the 30K dcs stack on an Audio show in Brussels last year. This device is incredible!!

Welcome to the club. The Corda Soul is absolutely amazing. It can compete very well with other TOTL offerings that cost thousands more. The best part is you never feel like you're losing out on performance to those devices.

 

[geoffalter11]

I am the happy owner of a Meier Audio Corda Soul. I bought it last week on Headfi. This device rocks! Currently doing my 1st listening test. I have heard the 30K dcs stack on an Audio show in Brussels last year. This device is incredible!!

Yeah, it is one amazing device. I have yet to hear anything combining DAC and Amp that compares. It compares favorably to my reference system as well. It is just incredible in every way. My only issue is that I have a cable with a Cutech XLR connector for my TH-900 and it is a very tight fit with the Soul. Other than that, I can't find a single thing I would complain about. And this isn't the Soul's fault. It is a tight fit with every device I own.

 

[jonathan c]

Yeah, it is one amazing device. I have yet to hear anything combining DAC and Amp that compares. It compares favorably to my reference system as well. It is just incredible in every way. My only issue is that I have a cable with a Cutech XLR connector for my TH-900 and it is a very tight fit with the Soul. Other than that, I can't find a single thing I would complain about. And this isn't the Soul's fault. It is a tight fit with every device I own.

I only wish that there were a 1/4” TRS headphone jack.

 

[FritzS]

I own only Jan Meiers Corda Daccord ff DAC - this is a very good DAC - and above all very cheap.

Some time ago I had the Corda Classic ff headphone amplifier here, which Jan Meier provided me with for testing. Unfortunately, I returned it and should have kept it.

Corda Soul is based on the experiences with Corda Classic ff and Corda Daccord ff.

Jan Meier started in the DIY scene and published a few things on Headwize.
https://web.archive.org/web/20150214030031/http://headwize.com/?page_id=5

 

[geoffalter11]

I only wish that there were a 1/4” TRS headphone jack.

Me too... And the ability to use as a Fixed DAC. But, it wasn't designed for that. But, the DAC gives up absolutely nothing in terms of refinement, detail, resolution and musicality and the amp is just about perfect. I have yet to find a headphone that it doesn't pair well with.

 

[FritzS]

I only wish that there were a 1/4” TRS headphone jack.

You need this?
https://www.meier-audio.com/soul.html -->

To keep signal paths short the symmetric output signals of the DAC-chips or nowhere desymmetrized. Most chips have a rather noisy common-mode signal and thus it was thought that single ended connections were not possible.
Surprisingly however testing revealed each single output of the SOUL to be very clean. Therefore it is well possible to connect single ended heaphones. An adapter is needed that we happily provide, if requested.

If interested in this very special amplifier, please do not hesitate and drop me a mail.
Cheers
Jan Meier

 

[jonathan c]

On a few h/p/a, such as Liquid Platinum, the use of a 4-pin XLR(m) —> 1/4” TRS(f) adapter creates an ‘electrical short’ condition in the h/p/a. Is the use of such an adapter problematic with Corda Soul?
EDIT: answered above, thank you.

 

[geoffalter11]

On a few h/p/a, such as Liquid Platinum, the use of a 4-pin XLR(m) —> 1/4” TRS(f) adapter creates an ‘electrical short’ condition in the h/p/a. Is the use of such an adapter problematic with Corda Soul?
EDIT: answered above, thank you.

I use a XLR to 1/4” for the HP8 all the time and have never had any noise or electrical issues. I have never gone the other way, though.

I didn’t think it was possible electrically to go 1/4” to XLR… But, I am certainly no engineer.

For me, it isn’t an issue as every headphone I own has an XLR cable.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I own only Jan Meiers Corda Daccord ff DAC - this is a very good DAC - and above all very cheap.

Some time ago I had the Corda Classic ff headphone amplifier here, which Jan Meier provided me with for testing. Unfortunately, I returned it and should have kept it.

Corda Soul is based on the experiences with Corda Classic ff and Corda Daccord ff.

Jan Meier started in the DIY scene and published a few things on Headwize.
https://web.archive.org/web/20150214030031/http://headwize.com/?page_id=5

Corda Classic was my first headamp ever.
Jan Meier is the guy who basically brought me into the Hobby.

Back then I had a AKG Q701 and inquired about a fitting amp.
He then asked why the Q701 and offered me to listen to some of his headphones and amplifiers.

In his listening room I could then audition some Hifiman models (He400, He500) and some of his amps. Corda Classic, Rock and maybe some others.

In the end I decided on the He400 with the Classic. And that's how it started.

Without him I would most likely have the Q701 returned and never started out in the Hobby.