[EvanK]

Thanks for the excellent write-up!
 
Does anyone have any comparison experience between a Corda JAZZ and a HeadRoom amplifier? I'm hooked on cross feed, and would love to upgrade to a more potent desktop amp.
 
Oh, this is to be paired with HD650s.
 
Thanks,

Evan

 

[ryder78]

Anybody knows how frequent Jan Meier checks his emails? I have sent him an email yesterday and he hasn't replied yet.
 
Does anybody know the differences between the Rock, Jazz and Classic? Is there a substantial difference going up from the Rock to the Jazz on the Beyerdynamic T1? Similarly, is there a lot between the Jazz and Classic when used with the T1?
 
Any information appreciated.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Anybody knows how frequent Jan Meier checks his emails? I have sent him an email yesterday and he hasn't replied yet.
 
Does anybody know the differences between the Rock, Jazz and Classic? Is there a substantial difference going up from the Rock to the Jazz on the Beyerdynamic T1? Similarly, is there a lot between the Jazz and Classic when used with the T1?
 
Any information appreciated.

 
Yesterday? Give Jan a chance. I have always found him to be very responsive.
 
The Rock hasn't been released yet.

 

[Focker]

Unless he's away on vacation or something, he's very quick about responding to emails. I'm sure he checks it less often on the weekends, though.
 
I asked Jan about the differences between the Jazz and the Classic and he said that they were pretty subtle. The Classic has a bit more robust crossfeed feature, and it's a better amp, but it's not a night and day difference. I haven't spoken to him about the Rock since I ended up purchasing the Jazz to go with my T1s, but I believe it's also very similar except with no crossfeed controls.
 
I'm very happy with my purchase and I love the way it drives the T1s. The crossfeed on the Jazz is very subtle, so for me I'd say it's worth it to move up to the classic if that feature appeals to you. I like the effect and will probably upgrade to the Classic myself later this year.

 

[Focker]

By the way, if you don't already own the T1, Jan offers a very generous package deal when you buy a pair with one of his amps. That's what I did and I saved a lot of money that way.

 

[ryder78]

Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.
 
I do not have the T1 yet and am planning to get the T1/Jazz from Meier. From Meier's website it appears that the Rock will work equally well with the T1 or HD800 as Jan has bundled the Rock with the HD800/T1 free in his bundle pre-order special. Not too sure how much of an improvement the Jazz will have over the Rock. From what I know the T1 requires a reasonably powerful amp to shine, so the Jazz *might* just work better than the Rock. ditto the Classic vs. Jazz though differences may be subtle.  Anyway I am still waiting for Jan's reply.

Out of curiosity, may I ask your reason of choosing the T1 over the HD800? I've read so many comments on the T1 vs HD800 comparison and still feel the T1s may work better for my listening preference and patterns.
 
Thanks.

 

[Focker]

I have never heard the 800s, I just have not cared for the other two Sennheiser models that I recently listened to, whereas I really enjoyed the BeyerD DT880s. I tend to be very tenacious when it comes to researching purchases - particularly audio ones - since I don't have the resources to try everything before buying. The T1s just fared better as a result of the research I put into it, and I've truly enjoyed them since I pulled the trigger. The 800s have a huge following, though, so I doubt you could go wrong with either. I would encourage you to speak with Jan about it, as he's very familiar with both headphones, as well. You can also find a lot of people here on head-fi who have spent time with both.
 
If crossfeed isn't important to you, I'd probably go with the Rock/T1 combo if Jan says it's a good match. Otherwise I can highly recommend the Jazz...it's a great little amp and it looks much nicer in person than it does in pics. It drives them very well and I still have plenty of headroom.

 

[ryder78]

I just received a reply from Jan Meier. Certainly a helpful guy.
 
Below is his response on the Rock vs Jazz vs Classic.
 
The CLASSIC simply has a slightly better sound and a better crossfeed filter. The differences are not very large but noticeable. The ROCK does not have the ultimate refinement of the JAZZ or CLASSIC and does not have crossfeed. However, it is a nice dynamic sounding amp that provides a lot of fun.
 
I still need some clarification from Jan before I proceed with the reservation. I asked him whether he preferred the HD800 or T1 more with his amps. It will be interesting to hear his impressions though I suspect he will cite listening preferences as the basis for headphone selection.

 

[Focker]

Quote:

I just received a reply from Jan Meier. Certainly a helpful guy.
 
Below is his response on the Rock vs Jazz vs Classic.
 
The CLASSIC simply has a slightly better sound and a better crossfeed filter. The differences are not very large but noticeable. The ROCK does not have the ultimate refinement of the JAZZ or CLASSIC and does not have crossfeed. However, it is a nice dynamic sounding amp that provides a lot of fun.
 
I still need some clarification from Jan before I proceed with the reservation. I asked him whether he preferred the HD800 or T1 more with his amps. It will be interesting to hear his impressions though I suspect he will cite listening preferences as the basis for headphone selection.

 
 
He's a great guy....glad you heard back from him. And yeah, he will recommend based on your preferences. He knows a lot about the current headphone market. At first he was suggesting I go with the Senns since I told him I really liked the "airy" quality of my Grados. The HD800s supposedly are more airy and have a larger sound stage, but I was pretty set on the T1s. He recently added the Ultrasone Signature Pros, but I don't know anything about them. Either way, his package deal will save you some $$$.

 

[ryder78]

Yes, great guy. I sent him a barrage of emails and he answered all the questions articulately. Quick response as well.
 
Question :

 In your opinion or personal preference, do you prefer the T1 or the HD800 more when matched with the Corda Jazz? Which headphone do you think is a better all rounder for jazz, pop and rock?

 
Jan's Answer :

 In its standard form I personally prefer the T1. It has a warmer and more intimate sound. However, there is a relatively simply modification for the HD800 that improves significantly on its sound: [url=http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/diy-modification-sennheiser-hd-800-anaxilus-mod]http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/diy-modification-sennheiser-hd-800-anaxilus-mod[/url] With this modification I personally prefer the HD800. However, a lot depends on personal taste. Everybody hears differently. The HD800 is extremely comfortable. For very long hearing-sessions this is a big plus.

 
 
Needless to say, I've gone with the T1/Jazz. The T1 has been my top choice all the while despite all the rave reviews of the HD800.

 

[Focker]

Congrats! You'll love it...both pieces are excellent and you can't do better than you did for the money. If you can add an extra $20, tell Jan you want the better shipping option. He's very conscious about saving his customers the most money possible, but the regular DeutschePost service he uses is pretty slow. It's reliable, but slow. For the extra 20, he'll upgrade to DHL and send you a tracking number. I plan to remain his customer since I'm so thrilled with my purchase, but I don't ever want to use his basic shipping again lol.

 

[ryder78]

Thanks. I sure hope I will like it, and I think I would. This is my first headphone setup to complement the main loudspeaker system at home as some members in the household already hinted that they needed some peace when I was blasting the music away. LOL
The source for the T1 will be a CD player until I find a suitable USB DAC to connect the Corda Jazz to the PC.
 
The shipping service is DHL and it comes with tracking. Can't wait.

 

[Focker]

Quote:

Thanks. I sure hope I will like it, and I think I would. This is my first headphone setup to complement the main loudspeaker system at home as some members in the household already hinted that they needed some peace when I was blasting the music away. LOL
The source for the T1 will be a CD player until I find a suitable USB DAC to connect the Corda Jazz to the PC.
 
The shipping service is DHL and it comes with tracking. Can't wait.

 
I'm really psyched for you...and I admit, I'm always glad to see Jan getting more business since he's one of the good guys in audio for sure. Good luck with the search for a USB DAC...there are a lot of really great options out there.
 
I hope you'll let us know how things are going once you get the shipment...I think you'll find that the Jazz is a very sharp looking amp in addition to its excellent sonics.

 

[BeyerFan]

Thia Jazz amp is looking really neat. I have read that Jan designs/voices his amps around the Beyerdynamic T1. If that is true, I guess the T1/Meier combination must be a match made in heaven, that if Jan has good listening acumen.
 
So there is this HD800 tweak that raises the bar higher. Interesting. Though I wouldn't personally consider this tweak if I happen to own the HD800. (I may well do more harm than good with my clumsy fingers)

 

[Focker]

Quote:

Thia Jazz amp is looking really neat. I have read that Jan designs/voices his amps around the Beyerdynamic T1. If that is true, I guess the T1/Meier combination must be a match made in heaven, that if Jan has good listening acumen.
 
So there is this HD800 tweak that raises the bar higher. Interesting. Though I wouldn't personally consider this tweak if I happen to own the HD800. (I may well do more harm than good with my clumsy fingers)

 
I'm like you...I'm sure mods improve things from time to time, but I never mess with my gear.