[GarryH]

Practitioner,

Thanks for the kind words.

Quote:

My mains cans are the HD650+Equinox, would you say the more SS GHCA suits it or the Opera? I'am feeling that it might bit abit too sweet with the HD650+Opera?

Haven't heard the 650s with the Equinox. From my research, a lot of people tend to favour the Equinox and cite that it is smoother vis a vis the Cardas and this might alter the relative synergy for better or worse. My guess is that you would likely have better results with the GCHA than I've experienced.

Accordingly; yes, I believe that the HD650 has, on the whole, better synergy with the GHCA. In my opinion, a significant reason for this would be due the relatively better grip the GCHA has on the 650s which, I believe, goes a long way of taming the 650s' more prominent bass.

Cheers,
Garry

 

[GarryH]

Shiosia,

Quote:

Thanks Garry for your input, it sounds like from GCHA to Opera is not a significant upgrade Great write-up anyway

You're welcome.

Assuming the GCHA would be primarly used with the 650's or cans with a similar sonic signature, I would agree.

Cheers,
Garry

 

[JaZZ]

Gary...

Thanks for your interesting comparison! It seems as if your Opera had not much more than 30 hours of burn-in when you did it, right? It may improve further the next 200-400 hours.

As to the synergy with the HD 650: Since I have the Opera, my HD 650 gets about the same listening time as my K 701. Whereas before (with the Aria) I had a preference for the K 701.

However, I'm sure the GCHA is a fine amp as well.
.

 

[Anders]

Gary, your comparison of Opera and GCHA was very valuable to me. I changed from a Prehead Mk II SE from Meier Audio and felt that the GCHA was clearly better. I have been a little reluctant to test the Opera as I also owned Prehead Mk I and have thrown much money on Meier gear that has rather low resale value. Your comparison makes the Opera more interesting!

From my experience of listening to GCHA, I tend to regard it as very neutral and doubt if it is especially suitable for specific headphones. I also find that it matches very well with HD650 but that has also been much dependent on the combination with cables, the source and the CD-player I use with my DAC. For example, the GCHA sounds clearly more natural and transparent with my current DAC than it did with my previous CDP. Sometimes hard to know what should be attributable to the source and the amp and I still feel uncertain of it. One problem is that I get better performance if I also switch the IC when I switch between HD650 and K701. Anyway, your impressions are very interesting and worth consideration. Of course, the GCHA is not perfect but there is also an option of modifying it.

 

[GarryH]

Jazz,

You're certainly welcome and, yes, I do expect the Opera's sound to change for the better over time.

With the Opera, no problems handling the 650's and 701's. In an earlier post on this thread, I noted something of the sort that while listening to the Opera / 650 combo a few weeks back, I slipped into an " '80's big hair moment" listening to Def Lep. Needless to say, my head was shaking back like a

rag doll

. . . not very scientific, but surely a sign of good synergy I think

.

Cheers,
Garry

 

[GarryH]

Anders,

Quote:

Gary, your comparison of Opera and GCHA was very valuable to me. I changed from a Prehead Mk II SE from Meier Audio and felt that the GCHA was clearly better. I have been a little reluctant to test the Opera as I also owned Prehead Mk I and have thrown much money on Meier gear that has rather low resale value. Your comparison makes the Opera more interesting!

So glad to be of assistance.

I've not heard any other of the Meier Audio products; however, judging from other users here who've heard other models in the range, without exception, it seems that the Opera is a significant improvement.

Quote:

From my experience of listening to GCHA, I tend to regard it as very neutral and doubt if it is especially suitable for specific headphones.

Agree 100% and, in fact, I find it so neutral as to be almost unforgiving. More and more, I am coming to believe that synergy and/or system matching, for lack of a better term, is crucial to getting the best out of each component in the mix and the system as a whole.

BTW, very impressive sytem you've got there with the Lindemann CD1 SE & Reimyo DAP-777

. Do me a favour, next time I'm in Sweden, please leave your back door open and go out for a few hours . . . super components like yours do very well in warm weather climates like HK

.

Cheers,
Garry

 

[Anders]

I think that system synergy and personal preferences may be most important at this high level of sound quality. I try to avoid to rank order components - although it is difficult. I am happy that Jan Meier has made an excellent amplifier that seems to be a clear improvement over previous models.

Gary, you are welcome through the front door if you can constrain yourself to listening! I was a little skeptical of how much improvement that was possible but the Reimyo made a big difference over the Lindemann (don't mix it up with the Lindemann SACD that is much more expensive). Highly recommended and I believe it is great also with the Opera.

 

[lerio]

I was searching archive here to find more info about balanced ground and i fond this: balanced ground make a small hissing ???

Anybody else ear that ?

My RS-1 is VERY sensible and if it's true i'll ear it......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richter Di /img/forum/go_quote.gif In this case the Opera is not the optimal choice due to his small hissing because of the balanced ground (which you won't hear with any other headphone, even not with the Sennheise HD-25, also a good closed phone for beeing on the road, but not high end)

 

[Morph201]

I've never heard a hissing noise with the Opera, it's dead silent. That's just my .02 cents.

 

[itsborken]

Quote:

Originally Posted by db597 /img/forum/go_quote.gif x2! Same here! I'd like an Opera without the DAC - never liked integrated DACs due to upgradability.

Have you gone to Jan Meier's site?--there's the Corda Opera Analog for $895 US. The DAC has been disabled in them so you'd just use the analog stage...

 

[orkney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsborken /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you gone to Jan Meier's site?--there's the Corda Opera Analog for $895 US. The DAC has been disabled in them so you'd just use the analog stage...

That's the one I have and it is superb, easily the best amp I've ever owned and makes a decent fist of the preamp job also. I do have one quibble and I know it's been addressed by some member's "custom" Operas: I find the gain on the Opera insufficient when a) driven by a portable source and b) when driving high-impedance/insensitive headphones. It's not a dealbreaker and I know most here will be using the Opera with a high-Q, 2+ VRMS source but my old Perreaux does a much better job of driving my 600 ohm Beyers via an iMod than does the Opera. The Perreaux doesn't sound as good, but it offers better drive. Just a quick head-up for those prospective Opera buyers planning on using a portable source and wondering whether to negotiate a custom unit. It is an absolutely stunning amp though. Truly hear-through.

best,

o

 

[Hi-Finthen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lerio /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was searching archive here to find more info about balanced ground and i fond this: balanced ground make a small hissing ??? Anybody else ear that ? My RS-1 is VERY sensible and if it's true i'll ear it......

With my Opera, I tested for this with my AL iM716 (IEM) and found nothing but blackground both without and with music playing. As well as with my other cans, I sold off my RS-2s before the arrival of my Opera...

Where is this quote (LINK), you refer to as, "in your research of balanced grounds"?

 

[Hi-Finthen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orkney /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's the one I have and it is superb, easily the best amp I've ever owned and makes a decent fist of the preamp job also. I do have one quibble and I know it's been addressed by some member's "custom" Operas: I find the gain on the Opera insufficient when a) driven by a portable source and b) when driving high-impedance/insensitive headphones. It's not a dealbreaker and I know most here will be using the Opera with a high-Q, 2+ VRMS source but my old Perreaux does a much better job of driving my 600 ohm Beyers via an iMod than does the Opera. The Perreaux doesn't sound as good, but it offers better drive. Just a quick head-up for those prospective Opera buyers planning on using a portable source and wondering whether to negotiate a custom unit. It is an absolutely stunning amp though. Truly hear-through. best, o

Good point. I would highly encourage the 50%/3db custom gain increase on the Opera as I had Jan do to mine for use of my AKGs with SB3 source of 1.8mv... This had no other sonic effects other than increased gain even when I pluged in my IEMs @ 100% volume with no music playing = silence on my Opera custom!

 

[lerio]

Post 75 of this thread http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...nd#post2610751

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi-Finthen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Where is this quote (LINK), you refer to as, "in your research of balanced grounds"?

 

[Hi-Finthen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lerio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Post 75 of this thread http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...nd#post2610751

Hi lerio,
Richter Di is speculating about the e500 IEMs in that post, as I read it, as I see in his profile no IEMs, but I do see RS-1s which he said amongst all his other phones no hiss was to be heard. Although, I do remember iron_Dreamer in his review of the Opera also made referance as to some background hiss with the use of IEM. I defer to him and his experience and you to his review, in that regard.

However, just now again, I tested my Corda Opera Custom, coax to SB3 source and again found nothing but blackness and silence to be heard... Perhaps the AL iM716 is not sufficiently sensitive enough to pick this up? I don't know...

But I believe its safe to say Grados do not pick it up, as we have read of several Opera users without this issue with their cans...

Best regards~