How does the Meier Opera compare to other high end amps such as Singlepower, etc.

Mar 21, 2007 at 3:49 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 19

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For a long time now I have wanted to buy a Singlepower amp.

Now that I have the money... there is the Opera.

Is it even in the same league as the Singlepower amps?

The features, the price and the DAC are way too attractive to overlook.

Headphones: Sennheiser HD-580/HD-650, BeyerDynamic DT-770/80, Grado SR-225 and AKG K701.

Thanks
580smile.gif
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 4:25 AM Post #2 of 19
It's not in the same league as the popular Singlepower amps, as it's not a tube amp. Tube vs. Solid State is its' own issue, but would make a decision between the two much easier.

That said, I found the Opera as a headphone amp performs very close to a high-end balanced solid-state amp, unlike any other unbalanced amp I've heard at length.

Why were you attracted to the Singlepowers in the past? If you're a tube guy, then it is simple, get the SP. The Opera is about at smooth as solid-state gets, but tube guys want tubes, period. If you're not bent one way or the other on that issue, I'd imagine there is a SP amp that can perform as good as the Opera, but I'm pretty certain it would cost a lot more (though I've not heard the Extreme). Other than sound, you've got the issues of looks, options, size, etc. Think about which one better fits your environment and usage pattern.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 4:39 AM Post #3 of 19
good advice above. if you want solid state, an Opera seems to be up there with the best. a GS1 would be another ss amp to consider. if you want tubes, the SP models are highly regarded, as is a RSA Raptor or MAD Ear+ Purist.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 5:09 AM Post #4 of 19
I haven't heard the Opera, but its circuit is rather innovative in the sense that it works like a balanced amp, without the need for a balanced connection between the amp and the headphones. You can see more details about that in Meier's Opera page, this image from that page says it all:

potentials.gif


The key feature is in the fact that L and R channels are not simply V(L), and V(R) with respect to a zero volts, "flat" ground (as in the image on the left). In the Opera, the left channel gets V(L)+G, and the right channel gets V(R)+G, and the ground has G, a value that can be different from zero over time (blue line on image to the right above). With that scheme, in the end the differential between each channel and ground will still be what it should be: V(L) for the left channel, and V(R) for the right channel. What value that G has (what function defines that signal in G with respect to L and R over time) I have no idea, but I guess it's important in the performance of this amp.

I'm not sure how different this is from an M3 or PPA, which have (as I understand) an "amplified" ground channel, so I guess in those the ground is not always zero either. (Maybe it is though, I'm really not sure). In any case, the Opera seems to have a very interesting balanced approach for a non-balanced amp-to-headphone connection.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 5:21 AM Post #5 of 19
Quote:

Originally Posted by rsaavedra /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm not sure how different this is from an M3 or PPA, which have (as I understand) an amplified ground channel, so I guess in those the ground is not always zero either.


The difference is that the M3, PPA, and other similar designs always have zero voltage on the ground channel, it is merely used as a conduit for sinking current to ground. The Opera's approach of making the ground channel a non-zero voltage, to decrease stray fields is so far unique, and from what I can discern, very effective.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 5:39 AM Post #6 of 19
this three channel thing is starting to catch on... although meier's method seems a little more unique. i wonder how it compares to what was in the Larocco triad.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 8:34 AM Post #7 of 19
And I wonder how it compares to Xin's approach, which supposedly uses "4-channel technology".
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 12:23 PM Post #8 of 19
My purchase of the Opera has been stalled for the time being... finances a headache and a blessing at times.

Anyway, I'am curious how the Opera would fare against the Headroom Desktop Balance?

They seem the closest in terms of features & cost - amp+dac, inputs etc. Headroom have gone balanced, squeezed so much into a small form factor. Meier Audio with active ground giving most of the balanced gains single ended, again in a nice form factor.

I suppose alot of it would boil down to preferences in house sounds?
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 1:20 PM Post #9 of 19
I only have the entry-level Singlepower, the PPX-3, but I agree that it's not really an apples-apples comparison. And while I love the PPX3, if I could only have one headphone amp, it would be the Opera. No doubt about it. It has that amazing combination of truth and beauty in sound that is what high-end equipment is all about for me.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 1:28 PM Post #10 of 19
Anybody knows how it compares against the GS1. I was for a while leaning toward the GS1 for my next purchase, now, I'm thinking Opera.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 4:13 PM Post #11 of 19
Quote:

Originally Posted by rsaavedra /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What value that G has (what function defines that signal in G with respect to L and R over time) I have no idea, but I guess it's important in the performance of this amp.


Actually I do have an idea now. Reading a bit more carefully the Opera's page, Dr. Meier included the following formulas:

V1 = V(L) + G
V2 = G
V3 = V(R) + G
V4 = G

From which:
V1 - V2 = V(L)
V3 - V4 = V(R)

But also he indicates the following important feature of his amp:
V1 + V2 + V3 + V4 = 0 (as opposed to V1+V2+V3+V4 = V(L)+V(R) in the typical amp)

Because that sum equals zero, then in the Opera:
V(L) + V(R) + 4*G = 0

So G = -[V(L) + V(R)] / 4 at all times.

A verbal way to describe that: G is minus half the average of both (original) channel signals, V(L) and V(R), at all times.

Therefore, G is only zero in the Opera exactly when V(L) = -V(R), i.e. when the two channels are either zero or have exactly opposite voltages.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 7:10 PM Post #12 of 19
Quote:

Originally Posted by j24 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anybody knows how it compares against the GS1. I was for a while leaning toward the GS1 for my next purchase, now, I'm thinking Opera.


The Opera definitely has the edge with features: DAC (USB and SPDIF), high and low output impedance, crossfeed filter, and balanced ground.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 8:58 PM Post #13 of 19
Thanks Jazzist. Your signature reflects what I'm thinking (though I have not ordered a GS1). One more thing, can the Opera be used as a preamp like the GS1?
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 9:56 PM Post #14 of 19
Quote:

Originally Posted by j24 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks Jazzist. Your signature reflects what I'm thinking (though I have not ordered a GS1). One more thing, can the Opera be used as a preamp like the GS1?


Yes I believe it can. Analogue audio outputted internally by the DAC is also (as well as from the analogue inputs) directed via the preamp to the preamp output so you can also use the Opera as you would a standalone DAC.
 
Mar 21, 2007 at 10:59 PM Post #15 of 19
I just looked at the spec's on Dr. Meier's web site. It has two source in and 1 preamp out connectors. The specs also state that the preamp out is volume controlled. So you can use the Opera as a line-source preamp (i.e. it won't support a phono input) if having two source inputs is enough for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by j24 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks Jazzist. Your signature reflects what I'm thinking (though I have not ordered a GS1). One more thing, can the Opera be used as a preamp like the GS1?


 

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