[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The specific needs to drive a variety of headphones ranging from 25-600 ohms exceptionally well are not addressed in the Onkyo, which is primarily intended to drive speakers with different requirements and properties - and adapting the Onkyo to also drive headphones is not the main focus of Onkyo's development team. Quality of internal components will also play a role, as does the actual circuit layout - we know the sound changes with the slightest change in layout or components, so don't expect two similarly "busy looking" circuit designs to sound the same.

That was not my point at all. Although the Onkyo is far from bad for headphone use too. I am specifically addressing cost of parts and features vs price charged. And the only ignorant ones here are those that think a headphone amp is actually worth $1700.00+. I'll leave it at that so that those with nothing of value to add besides personal attacks can feel free to make more personal attacks because I won't be replying to any more posts in this thread, except the one below. Hostile people are not my kind of people.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by woof07 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Massive economies of scale in every aspect. Ask Jan who else works on design, R&D, and prototyping of his stuff. Ask Jan how many products he has to sell in order to support himself for a year. Onkyo is a large corporation in which your receiver is just one product, and they make tons of them.

I don't know where he sources his parts from but I expect Asia just like any other audio manufacturer does. He also uses cheap Chinese labor so his cost is no more there either. I will concede that his product is niche and research costs are higher due to length of time required considering he is a small team. I expect if Onkyo did make the exact same product it would be the exact same quality but cost far less.

 

[GUINNE55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkweg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know where he sources his parts from but I expect Asia just like any other audio manufacturer does. He also uses cheap Chinese labor so his cost is no more there either. I will concede that his product is niche and research costs are higher due to length of time required considering he is a small team. I expect if Onkyo did make the exact same product it would be the exact same quality but cost far less.

I seriously find you distasteful on a personal level. The last 5 pages in this thread have been filled with your personal attacks on someone's livelihood for the soul purpose of instigating an argument with others.

 

[luukas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkweg /img/forum/go_quote.gif And the only ignorant ones here are those that think a headphone amp is actually worth $1700.00+.

Perhaps. But this particular amp seems to cost $1310, and it includes a formidable DAC and preamp. While DAC's can be had for anything between $50 and $5000, a simple stereo preamp can easily cost $400.

For me, the Symphony is worth its asking price. And I'm not even using the headphone outputs (yet).

 

[NajoBB]

milkweg, there are some famous manufacturer(s) here that deserve bashing for their price/quality ratio (do a little research and you'll find portables that cost 30-50$ to made and cost ~450$, not to talk about home amps) and Jan is certainly not one of them. If i ever buy one of the more expensive amps or a portable he is one of the few guys i could give my money. I don't have much experience in amps but I'm a electronic technician and i can see if someone's ripping me off or not. So go after those others if you want to achieve something useful.

 

[nuclearpoweredpenguin]

This thread has gone way off track, but if possible I would love to hear some more actual reviews and opinions of this amp as I was seriously considering purchasing one.

 

[tyrion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkweg /img/forum/go_quote.gif That was not my point at all. Although the Onkyo is far from bad for headphone use too. I am specifically addressing cost of parts and features vs price charged. And the only ignorant ones here are those that think a headphone amp is actually worth $1700.00+. I'll leave it at that so that those with nothing of value to add besides personal attacks can feel free to make more personal attacks because I won't be replying to any more posts in this thread, except the one below. Hostile people are not my kind of people.

So are you now going to go into every thread that discusses an expensive amplifier and explain to the rest of us how stupid we are for buying these overpriced pieces of gear because you believe you know what's good for us? Your posts sound a lot like that of a troll to me. You made your point, now please move on. You are adding nothing to the discussion. I think we get it, please do not continue.

 

[Richter Di]

After hearing now several weeks with the Symphony (mainly as headphone amplifier only), the Symphony marks in my experience the cleanest and most transparent headphone amplifier I have ever heard. This said, not everyone will welcome this as
A) you immedeately hear low production quality and distortions of CDs. (very unfortunate if you like this CD)
B) if you use listening to music direcly before sleeping and maybe even falling asleep while you were listening to music e.g. via the Corda Opera headphone amplifier, you will find yourself now lying in your bed completely awake. As the Symphony presents music so honestly I keep attached to the emotionality of the music.
C) using music as background noise (like in an elevator) is not possible for me anymore. The musical presentation really involves and takes the complete attention.

So for all those of you who are looking for their final headphone amplifier the Corda Symphony is IMHO a clear recommendation.

 

[Ben Diss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richter Di /img/forum/go_quote.gif After hearing now several weeks with the Symphony (mainly as headphone amplifier only), the Symphony marks in my experience the cleanest and most transparent headphone amplifier I have ever heard. This said, not everyone will welcome this as A) you immedeately hear low production quality and distortions of CDs. (very unfortunate if you like this CD) B) if you use listening to music direcly before sleeping and maybe even falling asleep while you were listening to music e.g. via the Corda Opera headphone amplifier, you will find yourself now lying in your bed completely awake. As the Symphony presents music so honestly I keep attached to the emotionality of the music. C) using music as background noise (like in an elevator) is not possible for me anymore. The musical presentation really involves and takes the complete attention. So for all those of you who are looking for their final headphone amplifier the Corda Symphony is IMHO a clear recommendation.

Have you listened to the Opera as well? If so, can you compare the two?

 

[Richter Di]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Diss /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you listened to the Opera as well? If so, can you compare the two?

Sure, happy to do so. I owned actually two of them. The prototype and serial-nr. 001. Both are now sold as the Symphony is IMHO clearly better.

Both amplifiers introduced the balanced ground technique to the Corda series and that makes them for those of us who actually do not want to recable their headphones an advantageous step.

Two main characteristics: The Opera has a certain smotheness which makes it very relaxing. On the other side the transparency of the Symphony is clearly unique.

If you take for example a female voice. With the Opera you hear the voice, sort of in a "normal" way. With the Symphony you are close to hear the vocal cords of the singer.

Hope that helps?

 

[Ben Diss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richter Di /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sure, happy to do so. I owned actually two of them. The prototype and serial-nr. 001. Both are now sold as the Symphony is IMHO clearly better. Both amplifiers introduced the balanced ground technique to the Corda series and that makes them for those of us who actually do not want to recable their headphones an advantageous step. Two main characteristics: The Opera has a certain smotheness which makes it very relaxing. On the other side the transparency of the Symphony is clearly unique. If you take for example a female voice. With the Opera you hear the voice, sort of in a "normal" way. With the Symphony you are close to hear the vocal cords of the singer. Hope that helps?

That helps a bunch. Thanks for the comparison.

 

[Audio-Omega]

Has anyone compared it to Rudistor RPX-33 ?

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richter Di /img/forum/go_quote.gif After hearing now several weeks with the Symphony (mainly as headphone amplifier only), the Symphony marks in my experience the cleanest and most transparent headphone amplifier I have ever heard.

I very much agree with this statement. Whereas the Opera was the best compromise among the best other amps I've heard so far (HeadCode DM, DynaMight, Prehead MkI and MkII, Aria), in some criteria one or the other amp was better. Now the Symphony is at least as good with every single criterion -- such as transparency, clarity, resolution, detail, soundstage, low-frequency extension and power... -- and as a whole clearly the best amp I've heard in my setup. Also it is sonically clearly closest to my all-time reference, the direct connection to the DAC2's line out, and even surpasses it in almost every regard. No other amp has managed this. For me it is a state-of-the-art product in terms of neutrality and accuracy. It doesn't offer particularly spectacular or euphonic or «analogue» sound, but its ability to convey the whole information from the source is nevertheless downright spectacular. At least to me. The chapter headphone amp is definitely closed to me -- at least as long as Jan doesn't launch a follower.

I wish I could find the energy to write a detailed review.
.

 

[nuclearpoweredpenguin]

I went ahead and sold my Aria, and my Opera and ordered a Symphony that shipped on Friday. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[nuclearpoweredpenguin]

A question for Jazz and Richter. You both seem to share very similar views on the sound of the Symphony. The impression I get from your comments is that the sound is almost clinical (which is what I'm looking for) without being sterile or boring, is that an accurate interpretation?

What type of music have you been listening to, and could you say if there are any situations where the transparency of the Symphony made a recording difficult to listen to, or a recording where you felt the Symphony truly shined.