HeadAmp CFA3 Headphone Amp - The Official Thread

[lydhenry]

Does Headamp attend London Canjams? Hearing it in person is what got me.

While I loved the AIC-10 and the Envy 25th, and if you include the MK865, those amps are ~$18k a pop. The Headamp CFA3 gave me that same excellent "summit" sound out of the Susvara. Top tier control, authority, clarity, and bass definition. The other amps had better texture, especially the AIC's midrange, but boy do you pay for it. I plan to mate it with an R2R dac to add some smoothness and flavor like others mentioned, but all things said when you consider the price the CFA3 excites me more than the other amps I listed.

+1
As an audiophile outside of North America, I'm really jealous that you guys get to experience this amp for yourselves!

Personally, I’m very interested in CFA3-T, but would like to test it with my headphones before preorder…

 

[killthrash]

Does anyone else hear a high noise floor when using the single-ended output on high gain? On mine, it's worse on SS, but audible on ZF as well. It's not volume-dependent, the noise is the same level no matter the volume.

 

[rayofsi]

Anyone get updates on the cfa3tube?

 

[M700LTR]

Anyone get updates on the cfa3tube?

No, the order email doesn't have any. Didn't show in CJ HK, so hopefully at CJ NY.

 

[JLoud]

Does anyone else hear a high noise floor when using the single-ended output on high gain? On mine, it's worse on SS, but audible on ZF as well. It's not volume-dependent, the noise is the same level no matter the volume.

What headphones are you using? I’ve used the Sony Z1R single ended but didn’t hear any anything. The Sony is pretty sensitive so it should have picked it up.

 

[pompon]

My semi-deluxe is on way ...
I will be able to compare to my lovely gs-x mini,.

 

[bifford]

My semi-deluxe is on way ...
I will be able to compare to my lovely gs-x mini,.

Very eager to hear your thoughts on this—especially for more sensitive headphones that don’t need buckets of power!

 

[Exekuhtor]

My semi-deluxe is also on the way!
I will compare it to the Violectric HPA V222 and the Envy of course, and i will test two different tube preamps with it (Envy & Valhalla 2), all with various TOTL headphones that i own (see signature).
It should arrive next week, i'm really looking forward to it!

 

[pompon]

Very eager to hear your thoughts on this—especially for more sensitive headphones that don’t need buckets of power!

I have LCD-5 and HD650.

 

[killthrash]

What headphones are you using? I’ve used the Sony Z1R single ended but didn’t hear any anything. The Sony is pretty sensitive so it should have picked it up.

HFA Dahlia (32 ohm dynamic) and HD800. It sounds like loud white noise static when nothing is playing.

 

[JLoud]

I hear very faint noise floor on high gain. Of course those 32 ohm dynamics probably don’t need high gain. How is it on low gain? Have you tried any hard to drive headphones with the CFA3?

 

[justin w.]

Does anyone else hear a high noise floor when using the single-ended output on high gain? On mine, it's worse on SS, but audible on ZF as well. It's not volume-dependent, the noise is the same level no matter the volume.

Like the GS-X mini, the noise floor is definitely lowest from the balanced output. This is a true balanced amp, and the 1/4" output is really just there for convenience.

The high gain is set around 12-13x so there is no reason to be using it for anything except the hardest to drive planars from a low output source.

 

[killthrash]

Like the GS-X mini, the noise floor is definitely lowest from the balanced output. This is a true balanced amp, and the 1/4" output is really just there for convenience.

The high gain is set around 12-13x so there is no reason to be using it for anything except the hardest to drive planars from a low output source.

Thanks so much for the clarification! This all makes sense to me. The balanced output is dead silent at normal listening levels, and beyond. And to your point, I'm never using high gain on any of my headphones as low gain has more than enough headroom.

 

[Exekuhtor]

My CFA3 arrived. I'm listening to it right now, straight out of the Dave versus the Serene -> Envy. Headphone is the Immanis. SS mode.
It definitely has the power the HPA V222 lacked. It's a different presentation than the Envy. I don't know if i prefer it yet, the impact and speed is on a higher level and the resolution it just top notch. The Envy has the body and warmth. Of course i need much more time with the unit.
The only thing i dislike is when i turn the feedback mode on, the sound gets much louder, so i have to adjust it and can't just instantly compare the two modes.
But yeah, i am very impressed with both the build quality and sonic performance.
I will post more impressions when i had more time with the unit. I also need to switch the tubes to my TM's since i think that the resolution is just higher of the CFA3 now with the current EML XLS 300B's.
This is my very first (really) expensive SS amp and the difference between the CFA3 and the Violectric HPA V222 (which i bought for IEM's) is gigantic. The CFA3 has endless power. I'm not even using high gain with the Immanis and i'm around 12-1 o'clock. It sounds effortless. I need to plug in my Susvara Unveiled later.

Edit:
On very quiet songs i need high gain, the CFA seems to start clipping at ~5 o'clock. No problem at 1 o'clock high gain and it sounds the same effortless as on low gain. I'm keeping it in high gain for the Immanis now.

 

[vsrrr]

For anyone interested, I'm downsizing my system significantly and will be selling my Supratek Chardonnay preamp. I used it exclusively in my speaker system (where it was a true revelation), but I gather it also pairs beautifully with the CFA3. I'd absolutely love to hear this combo for myself, but I just don't have the desk space. PM to discuss. I'll be listing it to the classifieds soon, but figured I'd give the CFA3 group a shot first.