[rasmushorn]

Thanks for a nice review. I have both the Quickstep and the discontinued Classic ff and your review almost makes me want to add the Jazz ff to the collection even though I have no need for another amplifier.

 

[Ichos]

Thanks for a nice review. I have both the Quickstep and the discontinued Classic ff and your review almost makes me want to add the Jazz ff to the collection even though I have no need for another amplifier.

Thank you very much for your kind words.
I haven't experienced the other models but truth is that I can't find something seriously negative for the Jazz ff.
Very enjoyable and musical experience.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I also like this little amp. It does a great job with Sennheiser HD 600s and it is amazing with LCD-2C. Very versatile.

The crossfeed is a great feature for some closed cans and some recordings.

 

[wantan]

I've recently read a comment claiming the JAZZ FF would hum with lower impedance headphones (it was about a Focal Clear) and audible clicks when using the volume control. It was also claimed that Ian Meier said per email the JAZZ FF is not suitable for headphones like Focal and Denon because of their low impedance.

This totaly puzzled me because my experience with this amp is different and measurements seem to confirm it's excellent with easy to drive headphones. The volume control does click but it's very very slight and I'd say inaudible when music is running. I find the volume control very smooth and it runs like a regular analog poti.

Since I don't use iems I'd be curious to know if the JAZZ FF hums with very sensitive iems?

 

[Jan Meier]

Hello Headphone friends,

" I've recently read a comment claiming the JAZZ FF would hum with lower impedance headphones "

Well, if you cranck up volume to max (without a source connected, thus open inputs) and use high gain then yes, you will hear some hum with low impedance headphones. But with a source connected you would blow your ears off at these volume settings. It's not whether you can produce hum, but at what levels. It's the SNR that counts. Most amplifiers with a built-in transformer will be able to produce hum.

An no, I've never said to anyone that the amp would be unsuitable for low impedance headphones. But probably somebody misinterpreted my text.

Actually, due to it's amplification concept, the amp still has a high SNR at low/normal volume levels.

And it's true that clicks can be heard when the volume is changed. The amp uses a discrete volume control and what you hear is the action of the electronic switches that set volume level. Nothing serious, just normal behaviour.

Cheers

Jan

 

[wantan]

Thanks for clearing this up! It mirrors my experience with the JAZZ FF which has performed very well over the years with many headphones and compared to many other amps.

 

[MRC001]

I've recently read a comment claiming the JAZZ FF would hum with lower impedance headphones (it was about a Focal Clear) and audible clicks when using the volume control. It was also claimed that Ian Meier said per email the JAZZ FF is not suitable for headphones like Focal and Denon because of their low impedance. ...

... An no, I've never said to anyone that the amp would be unsuitable for low impedance headphones. But probably somebody misinterpreted my text. ...

Sounds like they got it backward. The Jazz is voltage limited to about 3.7 V (though the FF can output higher voltages at low frequencies), but it has plenty of current capability. So it's not a good match for headphones having very low voltage sensitivity, like the HiFiMan HE-6. But it does produce 10x the power at 30 ohms, compared to 300 ohms, so it has plenty of current to handle low impedance loads.

Commenters and even reviewers don't always understand the difference between voltage sensitivity and efficiency. And as mentioned in detail earlier in this thread, the Jazz is a unique design, so some of of the assumptions they make based on conventional amps, don't apply to the Jazz.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

The Jazz-ff specs say 15V at 200 Hz, so yeah higher voltages. But, 4X higher, not just *higher*. It hits the sweet spot to make 300 ohm Sennheisers sing.

https://meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/jazz.html

 

[MRC001]

The Jazz-ff specs say 15V at 200 Hz, so yeah higher voltages. But, 4X higher, not just *higher*. It hits the sweet spot to make 300 ohm Sennheisers sing.

https://meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/jazz.html

The Jazz has enough voltage to make 300 ohm Sennheisers sing even without the FF. For example, the old HD-600 hits 90 dB SPL with 0.23 V. 3.7 V is 24 dB louder, 90 + 24 = 114 dB SPL. That is more than my ears can take!

At the far end of the spectrum, consider the HE-6 which hits 94 dB SPL with 1.25 V. 3.7 V is 9.4 dB louder, 94 + 9.4 = 103.4 dB SPL. That is still very loud. But if you're listening to high dynamic range music that spends most of its time at -30 to -40 dB, for example uncompressed symphonic recordings, it might not be enough. Here, the Jazz-FF would mostly likely be enough, so long as the music has typical frequency spectrum with most of its energy/amplitude at low frequencies.

So it depends on one's purpose for FF. If the purpose is higher output, you won't need it except for a few unusual headphones like the HE-6. If the purpose is sound quality, you might enjoy it with any headphone.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

The Jazz has enough voltage to make 300 ohm Sennheisers sing even without the FF. For example, the old HD-600 hits 90 dB SPL with 0.23 V. 3.7 V is 24 dB louder, 90 + 24 = 114 dB SPL. That is more than my ears can take!

At the far end of the spectrum, consider the HE-6 which hits 94 dB SPL with 1.25 V. 3.7 V is 9.4 dB louder, 94 + 9.4 = 103.4 dB SPL. That is still very loud. But if you're listening to high dynamic range music that spends most of its time at -30 to -40 dB, for example uncompressed symphonic recordings, it might not be enough. Here, the Jazz-FF would mostly likely be enough, so long as the music has typical frequency spectrum with most of its energy/amplitude at low frequencies.

So it depends on one's purpose for FF. If the purpose is higher output, you won't need it except for a few unusual headphones like the HE-6. If the purpose is sound quality, you might enjoy it with any headphone.

No, 3.7V is not enough for 300 ohm Sennheisers and also not enough for most anything except some IEMs.

Steady state volume is essentially meaningless. What we need is enough voltage to follow transients, supplied fast enough. Also, your numbers are projections, not observed values. This is just a guess, and it's based on everything being linear and the ability of the amp to drive any load, both of which are false assumptions.

The comments I make are based on my own observations. I have the jazz-ff and I have listened to HD 600s out of at least 15 devices. I conclude an amp that can swing 15V is the magic minimum for these cans to show what they're capable of.

 

[MRC001]

No, 3.7V is not enough for 300 ohm Sennheisers and also not enough for most anything except some IEMs.

Steady state volume is essentially meaningless. What we need is enough voltage to follow transients, supplied fast enough. Also, your numbers are projections, not observed values. This is just a guess, and it's based on everything being linear and the ability of the amp to drive any load, both of which are false assumptions.

The max outputs I computed above are peak values. A peak value of 114 dB SPL is plenty high enough for almost any music, even high dynamic range orchestral recordings. If average levels are 34 dB lower (which is rare), that's 80 dB in the quietest parts. I also speak from experience. I used the Corda Jazz (non-FF) with original Sennheiser HD-580 and HD-600 for years. Even with high dynamic range classical music, I rarely got them past 1:00 on the volume knob on low gain, let alone high gain. The only time I used high gain was when using DSP in front with -6 dB overall level cut.

... The comments I make are based on my own observations. I have the jazz-ff and I have listened to HD 600s out of at least 15 devices. I conclude an amp that can swing 15V is the magic minimum for these cans to show what they're capable of.

You must be listening at very high levels, or perhaps you have DSP in front of the Jazz that is reducing the overall level. That (DSP with level cut) is another good reason for the FF.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I don't use DSP and I don't listen at high levels. What I do listen to is jazz, which has very high dynamic range i.e. very soft parts and sudden peaks.

 

[geoffalter11]

I finally finished my review of the Soul. I hope you all enjoy and feel it portrays the Soul's brilliance. Thank you, Jan!

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/meier-audio-corda-soul.23528/reviews

 

[rasmushorn]

I finally finished my review of the Soul. I hope you all enjoy and feel it portrays the Soul's brilliance. Thank you, Jan!

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/meier-audio-corda-soul.23528/reviews

Thanks for a very good review... I really wish I could spend that kind of money on an all in one device like that. No doubt that it is ultra high end.

I sold my Corda Classic just recently and now I regret it and I am considering getting the Corda Jazz to comfort myself with some crossfeed. In the meantime I still use my Meier Quickstep powered by a 15V PSU and it is fully capable little amplifier.

 

[geoffalter11]

Thanks for a very good review... I really wish I could spend that kind of money on an all in one device like that. No doubt that it is ultra high end.

I sold my Corda Classic just recently and now I regret it and I am considering getting the Corda Jazz to comfort myself with some crossfeed. In the meantime I still use my Meier Quickstep powered by a 15V PSU and it is fully capable little amplifier.

All of his stuff sounds great. Enjoy your Quickstep and hopefully the Corda Jazz.

Thank you for the kind words.