[Kurt]

First, use good software. CD or a well ripped CD as FLAC or with LAME to APX converted MP3.

Then, wrap the Headphone in a blanket, use the repeat function in foobar2000 and let it run for at least 300 hours.

When JaZZ talked about improvements of the Opera between 250 and 300 hours, I first thought he would imagine things. But when we compared the combo the second time to the XLR out of the Minidac I heard the Improvement. When I heard them before, the Minidac’s XLR out was better in almost every aspect. The second time they were on par with most things and I preferred the Opera for his overall more harmonic presentation.

Cheers
Kurt

 

[Skylab]

My Meier Opera really didn't change much after 100 hours, and sounded very good even right out of the box. I listen to it every day, so noticing changes now would be hard, but I really think 100 hours was enough to have it reach it's peak performance (Jan advises 150 hours, FWIW).

 

[Frihed89]

"The Sales"??? Email Jan Meier and ask him.

 

[M0T0XGUY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Chou /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had never tried headphones before...even I'm a fan of valve hi-end systems for years. Thus your input is appreciated... Once upon a chance I tried HD650 in a Sennheiser dealer 2 weeks ago, the sound is really moving me, maybe due to lack of sleep and judgement, also forget my wife may kill me afterwards, I bought HD650 plus Corda Opera. Here is the question, 1- the sound quality of the new Corda Opera I bought is much worse than the demo one in the dealer...I can understand new audio machine required certain period of "run in", however the difference is huge, which is just like you are listening to 2 different DAC made by 2 different level of chip set, the sales told me not to worry about, it takes 4 months to reach normal sound!!! Is that the case? 2- The sales suggests me to buy a damn expensive power cord, he said because Corda Opera is very sensitive to power quality...anyone got experience or suggestion that which cord will provide best improvement to Opera?

Hmmm... it definitly sounds like there's a bit of marketing ploy going on there, after all you were taking advice from a sales-men who may or may not be reliable. The "buy the expensive power cord" remark is definitly the biggest hint to that, but when you think about it so could be the 4 months break-in suggestion: you buy the amp, and then don't question the quality of the sound for 4 months, whereupon its too late to return it if you still don't see a difference. I could be completely off base here, but it's something to think about at the very least.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

FWIW the Opera I received to demo had about a week's worth of hours on it (i.e. >150), and it sounded great right out of the box. After two weeks, I heard no changes in the sound that I could fathom.

 

[practitioner]

Guys, David Chou bought brand new HD650 along with the Opera. That would definitely add a some hours when it comes to overal system burning in.

 

[David Chou]

Per 100 hrs+ opera and HD650 working, the whole system are changing conspicuously.

When I sit down and listen to Carol Kidd with Cabernet last night, I can easily tell much more details, more spacious with crystal cealr feeling, the shape & contour is getting more real...also sweeter, however the only blemish is my old friend, external 3.5 160GHD is dead, I should let my spare CD player with digital out to do it instead of overrun PC.

Anyone got suggestion, how to select hard drive what can support better sound? 3.5 or 2.5"? High rpm or low? Specific brand or power supply requirement? Or HD does not matter a lot to voice quality?

 

[ChickenGod]

你好!!

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Chou /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone got suggestion, how to select hard drive what can support better sound? 3.5 or 2.5"? High rpm or low? Specific brand or power supply requirement? Or HD does not matter a lot to voice quality?

I'm not an audio engineer, but I am 99% sure that the type of HD will make *no* difference. The more important thing, if you are ripping CDs to your HD, is to use a quality ripping program. I recommend using a program called EAC (Exact Audio Copy). Just make sure you go to the settings and select "Secure Mode" as the method of ripping.

 

[skai]

x 2 HD have nothing with the sound ..it just fast or slow speed of transfer depending on diff HD

 

[ManAtWork]

David, same as Skylab said, the Opera indeed sounds great when switched on the first time and it kept improvement in the first week. The sound became stable without too much change after 1 month. It is exactly one of the best head amps in the market. What I doubt your case was probably caused by the followings:
1. HD650, it sounds mess without thoroughly run-in.
2. Also, the source is also one of the key factor when compared with the first time you heard in shop, like CD, CD player and the interconnect cable.

With the high quality of Opera, any detail from the source can be magnified no matter it is good or bad. I suggest you pay more attention on the synergy between interconnect cable (CD to Opera) with the HD650.

 

[ManAtWork]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Chou /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone got suggestion, how to select hard drive what can support better sound? 3.5 or 2.5"? High rpm or low? Specific brand or power supply requirement? Or HD does not matter a lot to voice quality?

Forget about it, the HDD does nothing in sound quality, it just a computing component to storage digital format data in 0 and 1. If your music source is from you PC, then you have to look out the bad quality of output from the optical drive, noise interfere between components within the case etc. When you have invested so much to get the Opera and HD650, what you have to do is to provide a high quality music source for them or you are wasting your money.

 

[ManAtWork]

Quote:

Originally Posted by practitioner /img/forum/go_quote.gif Guys, David Chou bought brand new HD650 along with the Opera. That would definitely add a some hours when it comes to overal system burning in.

If you noticed, it is not surprised that the sound quality in David's combo cannot match the one in shop. He is using the PC as source. I can hear times difference compared the sound from PC with my low end Marantz CD player under the Opera.

 

[gswpete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManAtWork /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you noticed, it is not surprised that the sound quality in David's combo cannot match the one in shop. He is using the PC as source. I can hear times difference compared the sound from PC with my low end Marantz CD player under the Opera.

How does the Opera dac compare to the Marantz?