[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Nice review. I also think peter you will like the D7000 better with the SS amp. I use audioquest samba interconnects which are copper with great results. The T 1as I have also said sound good on the Matrix but better on the tube amp. My Matrix really tightens the bass and defined the sound stage and the amp will be used for them. Also keep in mind that low impedance cans can really be hard on the OTL amps and your tubes. I can play the SS amp loud without clipping it. I really only have to leave the setting at about 8-9 oclock to make them sing. Good luck and enjoy the Concerto.

 
Thanks Frank.

I agree, with my MAD Ear+HD, the T1s sound more "organic", while on the Concerto, the bass is equally deep, but better defined. If the kids went to bed on time, I would have enough time to plug in the D7000s.
 
But with Grados....the MAD tube amp is my absolute favourite of all time (and I've A-B'd my RS1s with the Melos Gold and the Mapletree amps...and still came away liking the MAD amp...not by much, but enough). But I'm fairly sure that the Denons will be better on the Concerto as they do seem a better match for SS amps.

 

[rasmushorn]

Quote:

But with Grados....the MAD tube amp is my absolute favourite of all time (and I've A-B'd my RS1s with the Melos Gold and the Mapletree amps...and still came away liking the MAD amp...not by much, but enough). But I'm fairly sure that the Denons will be better on the Concerto as they do seem a better match for SS amps.

I am looking forward to read your impressions on Concerto --> HD800.

 

[jr41]

 
Quote:

[...]
 
Overall the Concerto seems to be a great pairing for the T1s. So I think can confirm what others have heard. It can drive them very well. [...] 

 
Nice impressions MacedonianHero. It's good to read more comments supporting the view that the Concerto is a great amp which pairs well with the T1. It makes buying decisions all the easier for propsective purchasers (though you may have a few angry wallets chasing after you!). Thanks.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I am looking forward to read your impressions on Concerto --> HD800.

That should be tonight! And if time permits (and the kids go to bed on time), I'll give the D7000s a run too.

 
Quote:

 
 
Nice impressions MacedonianHero. It's good to read more comments supporting the view that the Concerto is a great amp which pairs well with the T1. It makes buying decisions all the easier for propsective purchasers (though you may have a few angry wallets chasing after you!). Thanks.

Thanks! Yeah my wallet is not a fan of mine right now either.

But the pairing Concerto and T1 is a winner. But then again, so is the MAD Ear+HD and the T1s.

 

[baka1969]

Good job as always MH. The Concerto vs GLite showdown is next!

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Good job as always MH. The Concerto vs GLite showdown is next!

 
Thanks Ross...means a lot coming from you!
 
Hopefully by late Saturday I should have it done. Both amps are fully burned in and ready to go. Thanks to my co-worker (a non-Head-fier...just lurker) for lending me his!

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

 
Thanks Ross...means a lot coming from you!
 
Hopefully by late Saturday I should have it done. Both amps are fully burned in and ready to go. Thanks to my co-worker (a non-Head-fier...just lurker) for lending me his!

Remember buy buy buy. The new Denons will be out shortly
 

 

[Kurt]

Quote:

 
Hmmm.... At the moment I am using my Grados on the Concerto because I sold the T1 and while I am waiting on the HD800 the SR325 is doing what they were made for. But I have to say that as with most other Meier amps Grados do sound all right - but for me there is no Grado+Meier magic. I have heard Grados synergise better with the LISA III or the Sugden Headmaster for instance. I just think Jan Meier tunes his amps with higher impedance headphones or maybe it is something else??? My SR325 does not sound bad on the Concerto - they just do not sing and elevate the music like I have heard them on other solid state amplifiers (Sugden Headmaster in particular). 

I don't know the SR325 or the Sudgen Headmaster, sorry.
But I can tell you this much: With the PS-1, GS- and PS1000, I much prefer the Concerto over a maxed out Mapletree. Which is a wonderful amp but just not on the same level as the Concerto.
The Concerto is the least SS sounding SS amp I heard, so far. Others were close but always gave up some transparency in return.
It's also very transparent, the closest to a direct connection to the source that I know.
As to why it works so well with my Grados, my guess would be the very low output impedance of 0.1 ohm.
Would I mind a little additional tube magic? Why not? But with this phones I would not like to give up some bass control or transparency for it. That leaves monster tube amps. Which happen to cost a lot more than the Concerto.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I don't know the SR325 or the Sudgen Headmaster, sorry.
But I can tell you this much: With the PS-1, GS- and PS1000, I much prefer the Concerto over a maxed out Mapletree. Which is a wonderful amp but just not on the same level as the Concerto.
The Concerto is the least SS sounding SS amp I heard, so far. Others were close but always gave up some transparency in return.
It's also very transparent, the closest to a direct connection to the source that I know.
As to why it works so well with my Grados, my guess would be the very low output impedance of 0.1 ohm.
Would I mind a little additional tube magic? Why not? But with this phones I would not like to give up some bass control or transparency for it. That leaves monster tube amps. Which happen to cost a lot more than the Concerto.

 
FYI...I just popped my RS1i 's in my Concerto and while I do agree that they are a really good pairing....I doubt I will do that much with a high frequency as I find the Mapletree just works so much better with them. It really refines the treble and makes the mids quite a bit more "real and organic". I would spend some time rolling tubes (my favourites: 5751 - Sylvania NOS, GE 5 Star, 12AX7: Sylvania NOS, Electro-Harmonix Gold).
 
The Concerto is a great match with the T1s (from last night's listening) and my initial HD800 listening (Pink Floyd's The Wall) with it is also really positive. I would strongly recommend using good copper interconnects with the Concerto though. My Kimber Silver Streaks were a bit too forward in the treble. But using the silver interconnects with the Mapletree...let's just say they were the final piece to the optimization puzzle.
 
So, my initial findings...great synergy with both my T1s and HD800s (but not ideal with silver interconnects) and good with Grados (although I definitely prefer my Mapletree amp with them by a good margin still). So using my SS rig (SACD Player -- PS Audio DLIII -- Concerto) with the HD800s tonight is a winner! Still can't understand how some can consider them "bright" with "forward treble". Initially I thought my tube amp was compensating for them, and while they are a bit warmer on the tube amp, all I hear is neutral with a neutral SS amp.

 
As well, I haven't heard the PS1000/GS1000s with my (or any) Mapletree amp (only SS amps), but I have heard SR225/SR325is/RS1/RS1i with them and the result was magical. Don't get me wrong, the RS1i's are really good with the Concerto on Low Gain, but that synergy/magic that I find with the Mapletree is not there.
 
P.S. Kurt: Love the avatar (been married for 14 years and I dig it!)

 

[baka1969]

Keep up the great work MH.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Keep up the great work MH.

Thanks!
 
Comparing the Concerto to the Micro Amp...."juice" wise they were both able to push them to very similar volume levels. The crossfeed on the Headroom Amp did muddy the mids (which you also found), but on the Concerto there is no muddiness that I can hear.
 
Sonically I did like the Micro Amp too, but next to my Mapletree and Concerto, the sonic differences do become apparent. The Concerto (from my listening to The Wall which you know I have listened to many, many times over the years) sounds phenomenally balanced. There certainly was some colouration with the Micro Amp in the bass (a bit muddy with the HD800s and T1s), but on the Concerto...the bass certainly tightened up on both. The sound stage also did open up with the Concerto. Also I find the Concerto very balanced; while I found the Micro Amp a bit warm with less bass control and less air in the treble. Is the Concerto 2x better than the Micro Amp? Maybe...more like 30% ish.
 
But I can also confirm that BOTH the T1s and HD800s do scale quite nicely with better gear!

 

[kool bubba ice]

I contacted Meier, & he's not even sure if the Concerto is a good fit for my 5-8ohm headphones.. How can my Yamaha receiver drive them so well, but when it comes to finding a dedicated headphone amp I run into problems.. & ohm adapters are not a option.. I'd rather use my receiever then listen to my DT48 with a 50ohm adapter on my GP amp..

 

[Solude]

I guarantee your Yamaha receiver is nothing more than a CMoY class jack.  Any dedicated amp will handle the same load.  But the Concerto is limited to 500mA so into 5Ohm so 1.25W cap which is still a monster.

 

[MacedonianHero]

So I've just popped in the D7000s into the Concerto and I must say that this amp continues to impress me on Day 3 (Day 1 --> T1, Day 2 --> HD800). So far, I'm 3 for 3. Likely the best SS amp I've heard the D7000s on and I think I prefer it to my Mapletree tube amp.
 
The bass is just better controlled and deeper and they are less "U" shaped than on the Micro Amp. The mids don't seem as distant and the treble has just the right amount of sparkle. The other amazing thing is the sound stage for closed headphones is very impressive. They seemed closed in with the Micro Amp, but not with the Concerto (Low Gain).
 
Very nice and I'm quite happy with this combination....actually my favourite to date for the D7000s.
 
Jan Meier has created one amazing amp for under $1K. It can successfully power the T1s (600 ohms), HD800s (300 ohms), and D7000s (25 ohms) to incredible heights.

 

[rasmushorn]

Quote:

Jan Meier has created one amazing amp for under $1K. It can successfully power the T1s (600 ohms), HD800s (300 ohms), and D7000s (25 ohms) to incredible heights.

For the T1 and HD800 it was my impression too. My future rig will be build based on Concerto --> HD800....and probably a StageDac too.