HeadAmp CFA3 Headphone Amp - The Official Thread

[HeadAmpTeam]

HeadAmp CFA3 CFA3 Headphone Amp
​

We are excited to introduce our take on the CFA3 amplifier; here at HeadAmp, we have been manufacturing and building upon Kevin Gilmore's outstanding designs for over two decades, starting with the original Gilmore Dynamic Amplifier in 2002.

From there, we built and developed a few other designs, and in 2009, we launched our Blue Hawaii Special Edition. With each new model, we improved further, perfecting our process and refining our house sound. The results of which have culminated first in the launch of this brand new flagship amplifier for non-electrostatic headphones, and with over two decades of experience, we're confident our take on the CFA3 will transform this fantastic design into something genuinely world-class, an amplifier unlike anything else on the market.

Desktop Friendly - A Giant in Power, Not in Size​

Unlike other designs of the CFA3, HeadAmp's version can easily be placed on a desktop due to its compact size. Our CFA3 is designed to bring as much power as you'll ever need in a conveniently small footprint. Truly take advantage of the HIFIMAN Susvara's sound while working on your latest project, or relax while effortlessly powering every detail of Focal's Utopia 2022 against a dead silent noise floor. Shown here next to our renowned GS-X mk2 desktop amplifier to give a sense of scale - there's no other dynamic/planar headphone amplifier out there like it!

​

What's Under the Hood​

HeadAmp brings you the best sound by choosing the best components and testing our designs to the strictest standards. We started with the end in mind: the absolute best sound from the hardest-to-drive headphones. By building our CFA3 from the ground up, we here at HeadAmp could focus on getting the full performance out of the best planar & dynamic headphones out there. From its specially designed heat sink that ensures the most power available to a custom volume control that allows you to fine-tune your listening experience, no compromises were made on our CFA3.

​

Our re-imagined production of Kevin Gilmore's best solid-state balanced headphone amp, the CFA3, is nearly ready for you! We've spent the last 2 years designing our CFA3 from the ground up with all-new surface mount circuit boards that are mixed with the best new old stock transistors famously found in Gilmore's designs. Plus, our innovative, compact chassis design is very desktop-friendly.​

Place your pre-order now on our website!


​

 

[HeadAmpTeam]

​

 

[ThanatosVI]

Looks really good, probably sounds even better

 

[Ken G]

Have you determined the final price?

 

[newToAudio100]

I have it preordered. I'm hoping this amp outperforms the bliss and doesn't have the treble slightly rolled off like the bliss. I sold bliss kte and I'm using mjolnir3 currently.

 

[JooLoo]

I have it preordered. I'm hoping this amp outperforms the bliss and doesn't have the treble slightly rolled off like the bliss. I sold bliss kte and I'm using mjolnir3 currently.

hows that in comparison? was hoping itd give 8wpc like the mjolnirs before it

 

[newToAudio100]

hows that in comparison? was hoping itd give 8wpc like the mjolnirs before it

Mjolnir3 to bliss? I have made some posts about it in the mjolnir3 thread but to summarize the mjolnir3 greatly exceeded my expectations. Despite being lower watt than its predecessors it still has a lot of low end impact. Bass is solid and volume can get louder than you will ever use. I use mj3 with susvara and abyss ab 1266 phi tc.

Mj3 is way more resolving, defined, higher resolution, and tighter bass than mjolnir2 despite mjolnir2 having more power. Mjolnir2 was an amazing amp for hd800s it added an addictive liquid sound to the hd800s that was very easy to listen to and still felt highly detailed. Then I moved to the susvara. The susvara exposed the mjolnir2 as being very soft and lower resolution than I originally thought with the hd800s. Bliss has some of the tube like characteristics of mjolnir 2 but tightens everything up, adds way more resolution, and is all around better than mjolnir2.

Now for comparing bliss to mj3, to me bliss kte has longer decay on notes where mj3 has more separation inbetween. Bliss is very smooth and undistorted to the point you can turn up the volume much louder than you normally would listen and it isn't bothersome. With mj3 there is more texture and edge to some notes than with bliss. Bliss has slightly more bass than mj3 (~1%) and the bass decays slightly longer by a few miliseconds. To me the bliss has slightly rolled off treble compared to hdva600 and mj3. All the resolution is still in the treble with the bliss but it just feels slightly soft compared to mj3. Mj3 has around 1-2% more treble but doesn't feel fatiguing.

To summarize the bliss is more smooth and has more power while mj3 sounds slightly more detailed with less decay between notes. Bliss is almost slightly tube like for a solid state. If you listen to the bliss all the detail is there but when you listen to mj3 it just feels slightly more defined at times. Bass with mj3 is still present and sounds great even on susvara.

What I'm looking for out of my next amp is something I can feel is true endgame and there is no question about it. I haven't tried speaker amps yet, but I'm hoping the cfa3 can provide all the detail and speed mj3 can while elevating things to the next level and not being fatiguing.

To me yggy og a2 -> mj3 -> susvara/ab 1266 phi tc is the best I've ever heard music sound (I often thought the same about the bliss). The main thing that made me sell the bliss is after A/B testing many songs over many hours with bliss and hdva600 (a weaker amp I bought used) I heard what I perceived as slightly more treble detail. For the bliss to cost so much more I just decided I pefered the treble detail. Maybe this was from me going from hd800s to susvara.. the bliss had longer decay to notes, the quiet separation between fast notes with the hdva600 made me perceive it as having a "quieter" background (between notes) even though the bliss is the quieter and better measuring amp. The mjolnir3 makes the hdva600 sound smooth. Mjolnir3 has more detail is faster than hdva600.

I have a t+a dac 200 on the way. I'm just curious to try what is supposed to be more "endgame" amps. Hopefully the cfa3 doesn't disappoint for its price point. It has a lot of competition.

 

[nonamerat]

I've been watching this for a little bit now, but haven't pre-ordered. Is this going to be a regular production unit or limited? I'm wondering if a pre-order is necessary or if it's safe to wait to hear more listening impressions. So far there's only a few comments from CanJam.

 

[CT007]

Mytek stuff is so gorgeous... This don't look bad, either, but much less stylish.

 

[justin w.]

Not a limited edition, it is a new model

We were super busy trying to get 2 near production cfa3 amps to CanJam, didn't know if we were going to make it so we didn't have it included in the CanJam video preview or anything like that. For NYC, definitely, and also Capital Audiofest and CanJam Dallas next month. Both shows are the same weekend, but we'll have 1 cfa3 at each show.

 

[Chefguru]

@justin w. What will the price range be within. Considering a pre-order but won’t without it.

 

[purk]

This is going to sound so awesome. 47 steps attenuator is a dream.

 

[vcoheda]

What will the price range be within. Considering a pre-order but won’t without it.

i assume cheaper than the MASS-Kobo Model 465 which is $17,000.

 

[iamoneagain]

I briefly heard the Susvara on the gs-x mk2 and this new amp at CanJam. I also heard the Susvara on numerous other amps at the show and it was all too bass lite for my taste. The cfa3 completely transformed the bass. It hit hard and had plenty of it. Wish I got to try it with some tracks I knew. Also wish I got to try my Caldera on this setup for comparison. But for the most part, the Caldera performs well on most setups and doesn’t change dramatically. The cfa3 and Susvar deserves a much longer listen.

 

[purk]

i assume cheaper than the MASS-Kobo Model 465 which is $17,000.

Nothing should cost that much for dynamic or plannar amps. Sorry to say that.