[batracom]

Thanks to all, I am veering towards a Meier amp now, and the Corda Jazz is well within my budget. I am also debating if stretching it to the Classic would be worthwhile. My music is almost exclusive orchestral classical and non electronic jazz. What I am looking for is a clear step up, in both power and quality, from the O2 I am currently using with the T1. Would anyone recommend going straight for the Classic?

 

[Youth]

Thanks to all, I am veering towards a Meier amp now, and the Corda Jazz is well within my budget. I am also debating if stretching it to the Classic would be worthwhile. My music is almost exclusive orchestral classical and non electronic jazz. What I am looking for is a clear step up, in both power and quality, from the O2 I am currently using with the T1. Would anyone recommend going straight for the Classic?

 
I think the Meier Classic/Daccord is perfect for you since you listen to classic and jazz - which to my understanding is well mastered and not compressed? The Meier will show you everything in the music, so it's bad for compressed music. I've not tried it myself, this is what I've been told by the owner of Headfonia

 

[batracom]

Many thanks. The music is strictly not compressed (FLAC 16bit/44.1 Khz or higher), but mastering is all over the place. I listed to older classical recordings a lot, from the mono era and bad stereo recordings, such as the Soviet ones of the 1960s/1970s, and this is why I ruled out the HD800, it made listening to some of these a real chore. Would the Jazz "attenuate" some of the imperfections in the recording more than the Classic?

 

[RazorJack]

I have not heard the Meier CLASSIC, but I do own its predecessor CONCERTO. And also the JAZZ. They're both dead silent and super neutral.
 
The JAZZ would be my recommendation for the T1.
 
But I don't see why you think the HD800 made listening to old (presumably low quality) recordings a real chore. Any Meier gear will expose all little details in the music it's being fed and most certainly not attenuate any imprefections. Maybe I misinterpret you, but it would seem that the problem here is a bad source, not the HD800, or T1 for that matter as it would most certainly do the same.

 

[technobear]

I have my T1 since some weeks now and I am absolutely impressed by this one in combination with my Oppo HA-1. Just waiting for my Bottlehead Crack to be delivered to check out the tube camp. However I am considering to buy another headphone right now, which is less neutral than the T1. Maybe with a little bit more amount and punch of the bass, not a basshead though. Maybe a little bit more musical or forgiving.

Any ideas?

I've looked into the Audeze LCD2 or Fostex 600 maybe (doesn't have to be open). I liked the T90s also, however maybe another brand would be some good alternative.

Don't buy another headphone. Buy an iFi Audio micro iCAN.

Seriously, iCAN + T1 is a match made in heaven and when you need a little more bass you just engage one of the two levels of XBASS.

The full rig of iDSD + iCAN + T1 is beyond amazing. The iCAN is one of the biggest bargains out there.

 

[Youth]

How does the T1 fare with compressed music? I listen to alot of music on Spotify Premium (320 kbps) and to my ears alot of it sounds compressed, unfortunately. The reason I'm asking is because at some point I'm gonna upgrade from my DT990 600 ohm's. I've read on some reviews that people who dislike the fatiguing sound from DT880 and DT990 will like the T1 - which makes me think that I would have no problem with it. People aslo say it's more warm/musical than the HD800. I just don't know how it compares to DT990 600 ohm. I mean from reviews I gather it's better in every aspect except maybe in bass quantity but I'm not really sure about toneality (if that's even a term). Like if it's more pleasant and less fatiguing to listen to than DT990. I don't know if fatiguing means cold and musical/pleasant means warm?
 
I currently use the A20 with my DT990's and are also gonna use that with the T1 if I end up buying them. Unless I at some point upgrade to A2.

 

[marshallmole]

  How does the T1 fare with compressed music? I listen to alot of music on Spotify Premium (320 kbps) and to my ears alot of it sounds compressed, unfortunately. The reason I'm asking is because at some point I'm gonna upgrade from my DT990 600 ohm's. I've read on some reviews that people who dislike the fatiguing sound from DT880 and DT990 will like the T1 - which makes me think that I would have no problem with it. People aslo say it's more warm/musical than the HD800. I just don't know how it compares to DT990 600 ohm. I mean from reviews I gather it's better in every aspect except maybe in bass quantity but I'm not really sure about toneality (if that's even a term). Like if it's more pleasant and less fatiguing to listen to than DT990. I don't know if fatiguing means cold and musical/pleasant means warm?
 
I currently use the A20 with my DT990's and are also gonna use that with the T1 if I end up buying them. Unless I at some point upgrade to A2.

I've had them both but not simultaneously. In my impression, the 990s (600ohm) have a more 'bony' sound, so T1s have more 'meat' across the frequency. In the lowest hz DT990s may have a bit more punch than T1s. I don't listen to compressed music much, but it seems that T1 will be slightly better than 990 in this regard. 
 
That being said, I've always thought a good quality OTL is the way to go with DT990. If you're unsatisfied with the coldness of DT990, you could also try that route. 

 

[Youth]

  I've had them both but not simultaneously. In my impression, the 990s (600ohm) have a more 'bony' sound, so T1s have more 'meat' across the frequency. In the lowest hz DT990s may have a bit more punch than T1s. I don't listen to compressed music much, but it seems that T1 will be slightly better than 990 in this regard. 
 
That being said, I've always thought a good quality OTL is the way to go with DT990. If you're unsatisfied with the coldness of DT990, you could also try that route. 

 
It's not that I don't like the sound of the DT990, I like it very much. It's just that sometimes when I listen to alot of compressed music - where apperently there is alot of today - it can sometimes get a little fatiguing. If I listen to good mastered music I have zero problems at all. I don't really like using tubes but thanks for the suggestion though. To my understanding the A20 is already a pretty warm/dark sounding solid state amp - also with 100 ohm. 
 
So you're saying that the T1 to your memory is more pleasant sounding than DT990?

 

[marshallmole]

   
It's not that I don't like the sound of the DT990, I like it very much. It's just that sometimes when I listen to alot of compressed music - where apperently there is alot of today - it can sometimes get a little fatiguing. If I listen to good mastered music I have zero problems at all. I don't really like using tubes but thanks for the suggestion though. To my understanding the A20 is already a pretty warm/dark sounding solid state amp - also with 100 ohm. 
 
So you're saying that the T1 to your memory is more pleasant sounding than DT990?

T1s are like DT990s added with the right amount of musicality (probably still 'too neutral' to some people), taken out a bit of extreme high and low ends, while maintaining the overall resolution and perhaps better soundstage and imaging. 
I could still tell lossy music from loseless pretty easily with T1s, but they don't appear to be very displeasing. I listened to some lossy electronic music for the record. I can imagine DT990s sounding fatiguing with such music, but again this is based on memory and a different system. 

 

[Focker]

Thanks to all, I am veering towards a Meier amp now, and the Corda Jazz is well within my budget. I am also debating if stretching it to the Classic would be worthwhile. My music is almost exclusive orchestral classical and non electronic jazz. What I am looking for is a clear step up, in both power and quality, from the O2 I am currently using with the T1. Would anyone recommend going straight for the Classic?

 
Both the Jazz and the Classic are a great match for the T1s. One advantage of moving up to the classic is the more robust crossfeed circuit. Orchestral music is a perfect genre for Jan's crossfeed. It will very subtly take the music from your head and shift it slightly out in front in a way that just sounds like a more natural presentation. As others have pointed out, the T1 is the perfect headphone for the Meier amps, so you're making a great decision. My vote would be for the Classic

 

[Me x3]

  People aslo say it's more warm/musical than the HD800.

Yes, it is.
 
My T1 is definitely warm and 'musical' (No. 16.8xx)
I think a neutral amp is the way to go in order to preserve the detailed presentation.

 

[troymadison]

I don't know why but I love this headphone.

 

[Fungus]

Does anybody here feel the t1 bass lack impact despite going every deep and with good extension and body. The bass impact is equivalent to my akg 301 xtra which I've always considered extremely bass light. I don't use equalizers or bass boost. 

 

[mowglycdb]

My T1's have more bass impact than my LCD-3, it's just that the T1's highs are extended. I find that the bass impact is more than enough IMHO.

 

[Brooko]

How are you amping them? My T1 definitely aren't bass light.