[khaos974]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noumenon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, my sound driver control panel and software player (including iTunes vol adjustment for each song) is at maxed volume, naturally. I get relatively the same volume from my CDP --> Symphony --> HD600. Perhaps I'm a little deaf or not used to zero distortion at max volume; in any case as I indicated I am overall pleased with the Symphony, and would buy again,... but I listen at max volume at the higher gain setting (lower gain is right out) with the Senn HD600'.

Have a friend or several listen to your rig at your comfort volume, use another headphone (another HD600/650 or just a high impedance low sensitivity headphone), the problem could be your listening habits

If you have a portable source and a minijack <-> rca cable, try it, it could be both sources.

Verify that the cable you use are not broken, clean the contacts.

If you still have a problem, it's time to use the warranty and send it back for repair.

 

[doctorcilantro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoReMi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm almost ready to buy the Symphony but I have a couple o things I really need an answer for: 1. Will the Symphony properly drive any Beyer 600 homs. 2. After reading Skylab excellent review on Concerto, and now knowing that the T1 can be driven no problem by this amp, I wonder if that has to do with the new design (amp) of Concerto or I can assume would be the same for the Symphony ? 3. will I have any problem with the gain power of the Symphony with the T1? Thanks for your time

I'm in the same boat. The Concerto is pictured but no details on i/o/. I assume it does not have a DAC?

I don't really need a DAC but an extra would be handy. Hopefully we can get a little more info as the price is right.

DC

 

[kenta]

What is the status of the Symphony when the concerto comes out? Is it still the top model from Meier-Audio?

Judging from that the Concerto has similar but improved sonic than the Symphony and the Meier-best StageDAC, this combination can be presumed to be the best thing Meier-Audio is going to offer. I feel this combination is attractive and may consider moving to this path as well.

Jan, could you comment a bit on your product line-up?

 

[Noumenon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by khaos974 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have a friend or several listen to your rig at your comfort volume, use another headphone (another HD600/650 or just a high impedance low sensitivity headphone), the problem could be your listening habits If you have a portable source and a minijack <-> rca cable, try it, it could be both sources. Verify that the cable you use are not broken, clean the contacts. If you still have a problem, it's time to use the warranty and send it back for repair.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I never meant to imply that something was wrong with the amp. I posted to offer DoReMi a gauge on volume level with the HD600.

I indicated that I listen at max volume with high gain and still wish for "a little more", which does not imply that the volume is low.

 

[Noumenon]

@Kenta, What volume do you do serious listening at with the Symphony, say with the Senns. Do you use low gain or high gain?

 

[kenta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noumenon /img/forum/go_quote.gif @Kenta, What volume do you do serious listening at with the Symphony, say with the Senns. Do you use low gain or high gain?

I always use high-gain. Low-gain is not at all possible to drive a Sennheiser. It is ok for my Shure though.

With high-gain and HD800/650, I found the volume at 10 O'clock to 2 O'clock can drive both Sennheisers at a proper level for serious listening.

 

[DoReMi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenta /img/forum/go_quote.gif What is the status of the Symphony when the concerto comes out? Is it still the top model from Meier-Audio? Judging from that the Concerto has similar but improved sonic than the Symphony and the Meier-best StageDAC, this combination can be presumed to be the best thing Meier-Audio is going to offer. I feel this combination is attractive and may consider moving to this path as well. Jan, could you comment a bit on your product line-up?

I'm very interested too in finding out what the sonic differences really are.
Anyone at this one?

 

[XLR1]

I am seriously thinking about getting a Meier Corda Concerto as my primary headphone amp and keeping my Travagans Red as a meditation or bedroom amp. Does anyone have an opinion how the Beyer 600 Ohm T1 would work with the new Corda Concerto? (Mine T1 is due to arrive day after tomorrow.)

I really like everything I read about the Concerto, especially Skylab's excellent review, and the price for the quality seems like a relative bargain. However, I am concerned about the complaints by a few Meier amps owners about a lack of ability to produce high volume with 600 ohm headphones. Occasionally, I do like my rock loud. Or is the volume issue only that the volume knob must be at high levels to get loud volume? If Noumenon has volume issues with a Senn 650, the T1 might have even more constrained.
Thanks

 

[Skylab]

There are two gain settings on the Concerto. If you listen to the T1 at more than 12:00 on the volume control in the high-gain mode, you won't have to worry about how either of them sound - you will be deaf before very long

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XLR1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I am concerned about the complaints by a few Meier amps owners about a lack of ability to produce high volume with 600 ohm headphones.

It's a purely psychological phenomenon: People don't like to see the volume control near the maximum, even though there's a higher gain setting at their disposal if need be. E.g. the Symphony's low-gain mode is relatively low-gain, so the HD 800 needs a 2-4 o'clock position most of the time. In exchange the step to the high-gain mode is quite large. I never need the high-gain mode, though, and don't care for the volume-knob position.
.

 

[XLR1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's a purely psychological phenomenon: People don't like to see the volume control near the maximum, even though there's a higher gain setting at their disposal if need be. E.g. the Symphony's low-gain mode is relatively low-gain, so the HD 800 needs a 2-4 o'clock position most of the time. In exchange the step to the high-gain mode is quite large. I never need the high-gain mode, though, and don't care for the volume-knob position. .

Thanks Skylab and JaZZ. I misunderstood the earlier low vs. high gain aspect of the discussion. Got it. Thank you.

 

[Born2bwire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenta /img/forum/go_quote.gif I always use high-gain. Low-gain is not at all possible to drive a Sennheiser. It is ok for my Shure though. With high-gain and HD800/650, I found the volume at 10 O'clock to 2 O'clock can drive both Sennheisers at a proper level for serious listening.

I tried out the HD800 on the Symphony this past Saturday and I had the volume pot a few clicks below maximum on high gain....

 

[Noumenon]

I can't imagine listening with a Senn on low gain (at least with prog rock)! As I said I am at max volume on high gain, and for certain music want a little more. Zero to do with knob placement "psychological phenomenon".

I AM happy with the Corda Symphony however.

 

[stocklaz]

This is my second time to read this post, the first time I read this was last year when I was thinking to get my first desktop amp, and the one I picked is Symphony and it is still my main headphone amp as well as pre-amp in my home.

The symphony gave me countless excitement and enjoyment. This is a function-king monster for around $1300, I can do nearly everything that I need: push my headphone well, pre-amp for my active speaker A5, my iMac DAC and my PS3 digital out. That is a great news for everyone who cannot afford the space for separated DAC and amp, as well as one less power cable and inter-connector that may hurt your wallet even more.

I would like to share a bit of experiment after around 8 months of usage of this very amp.

My setting:
Source: iMac,
DAC / AMP: Apogee Duet 1394 connection -> RCA connect to Symphony. Symphony USB or Toslink connection to iMac
Headphone: ED8, M-pro, K702 with ALO cable
Speaker: Audioengine A5N

As you can see most of my headphones are low impedance headphone. So most of the time I am using low gain setting, sometime I even need to use the "left socket + low gain" to get a better volume control for my headphone. ED8 and K702 sound great in Symphony, the M-pro will be a bit bright but still acceptable for me.

Overall the experiment with Symphony is great without any problem. The only "weakness" of it is that cannot give your the tone of tube

. Even now I will going to pick Symphony rather than StageDAC + Concerto combo, because it save my space (living in Tokyo your house will never be BIG), save my power socket space, and save time to pick a right interconnector. Yes, I am a lazy but demanding user

 

[mountkailas]

Hi stocklaz,
 
I am a music-friend from germany/Munich.
 
I use also a Corda Symphony from Jan Meier as a pre-amp for earphones and I use like you this pre-amp for my active Loudspeakers (K+H O110). Only for information: My Earphone is a Sennheiser HD 800. My Computer is also an iMac.
 
So, why i am writing to you?. A Music-Seller told me about the Apogee Duett and his fantastic Audio-Quality. The first thing was to google about this Source. And I find you!. So, there are not so many User, who have the Corda Symphony - but you have this great thing also - and you have the apogee duett. Hit for me!.
 
What do you think?. Is the Apogee necessary for a better quality as the Symphony allonly already have?. I think, the Symphony has already an A/C Converter inside?.
 
Hm...., i am really interested about your equipment and I do not unterstand how you connect the sources. Is it so, that you connect the Apogee with Firewire to the mac an then you connect the Apogee via Cinch-Cable to the Symphony (which Inputs on the rear?) and then you connect the Symphony via toslink to the imac?. Have you plugged the loudspeakers directy in the Symphony or in the Apogee?. Many Questions, i know - but would you be so kindly an send me an exactly layout how i have to connect the sources and your experience with and without the Apogee Duett. 
 
I hope, you get my message and you have time an fun to answer me - this will be great!
 
Thanks a lot and greeting from germany, Johannes
 
P.S. For what do you use the M2tech HiFace?