I know many folks, both pro and con, have strong feelings about the benefits and drawbacks of crossfeed. Has anyone tried the Corda Cross-1, which appears to be a well built and executed device? Any of your experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I have an original Corda Cross, and I think it's a pretty nice unit.
For me, crossfeed is one of those things that I don't feel like I need...unless I'm listening for a very long time. For example, I can't be without it at work, where I listen from 5-10 hours a day. So my home unit doesn't get much exposure to the Corda Cross...though I do break it out once in a while. Listening sessions of older Beatles tunes, for example....
I've been a crossfeed addict ever since my first Corda HA-2 MKI. For me it's more than just reducing the listening fatigue but I find that the soundstage becomes more coherent and focused. You give up soundstage width for a more uniform distribution of sound in front of your eyes (aka inside your head). Nevertheless, sometimes the crossfeed feature makes the music sound less uninvolving and lean because you basically take away the "headphone" effect. I use the crossfeed about 60% of the time.
Anyway, there's tons of information on crossfeed in general - how it works and why it works.
Since my main amp won't have an integrated crossfeed and because I know the particular Meier crossfeed very well, I bought a Cross-1 from another headfier and it's a type of product you would expect from Dr. Meier: extremely solid constrution and it's looks pretty neat as well.
Personally, I consider the Cross-1 to be an integral part of my system but I don't think that's the majority opinion here.
I use the crossfeed on my HA-2 all the time. It "narrows" the soundstage, as people above have said, but I consider this a good thing. The way I describe it is: it makes sounds panned left and right sound like they belong in the same space. I.e., it makes the auditory space sound continuous.
I'm in the same boat. Would like to buy one but I have so many sources that I'd actually need several units and a whole buncha extra cables.
I may just have to get another amp w/ buil-in CF. I have a Headroom amp with CF and use it at least half the time.
If I were to buy a stand alone unit, it would be the Corda for sure. I've heard the Meier CF in a Prehead and it sounded very good indeed.
CPW
I like it so much I incorporated one into my PPA. I have lots of 50's and early 60's vinyl were stereo meant instrument and voices hard left and hard right and a void in the middle. Listening to them on headphones is much better when using the Cross-1. If you don't want the crossfeed flip the switch and you are in bypass.
Extremely well built and very versatile piece of kit with high and low frequency adjustments, 3 levels of crossfeed and passthrough. I thought it was excellent. Does'nt work with balanced set ups though...so I sold mine to saint.panda ^^
Sounds like a useful, well built unit. I think I'll eventually want to get one. Thanks for all the posts and info. I'd be interesested in other opinions. Thanks.BBB
I'm considering picking up the Cross-1. Does having the Cross-1 in the signal path degrade the sound quality at all? Can anyone comment on how the treble and bass correction knobs tweak the sound?
There is a bypass switch on the unit that allows you to switch back to normal stereo. The output impedance of your source and the input impedance of your amp determine the switch positions for the Bass and Treble knobs. Set and forget. But you can try the other positions to tweak the sound a bit if you wish.
Proved that despite its huge size the CD3000 can be shoved down one's throat.
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I like it so much and I feel it must be an active part of any setup (personal opinion here to avoid flames) I rewired mine with silver wire and have it in my system since then, no plans of removing it from there, unles I got one inside the amp.....
My only issue with the Cross-1 is that the lowest crossfeed level is already a bit too high for me. For instance, the Foobar crossfeed is a more subtle although probably less sophisticated insofar as it just feels like a simple mono-lisation of both channels whereas the Corda according to the manual handles the mono-lisation depending on where the signal is coming from, that is the signal from the left channel is fed into the right channel more strongly if the signal is less existent in the right channel ("natural" crossfeed).
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