HeadAmp CFA3 Headphone Amp - The Official Thread

[Tchoupitoulas]

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...
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.

Great first impressions, thank you. I'd be interested in hearing what you think about it with the Abyss and your Caldera Closed!

 

[Exekuhtor]

1 1/2h of listening time later...

The Imaging is laser focused and there is so much blackness between the instruments. The Speed is so fast it's almost the difference from a planar to a Ribbon when comparing the Envy (with not Elrogs) to the CFA3. The Envy is only somewhat on par in technicalities with the Elrog TM's. Even then i think the CFA3 is faster. Maybe the Brimar CV1988 are also a limiting factor enough, but they are my best sounding tubes, and i don't want to test the Envy with super neutral and boring, but technical capable sounding tubes.
Texture is incredible. The Envy has more body and more warmth. The CFA3 has so much punch and slam, the Envy also. Which ones punches harder?
I'm gonna say that the Envy punches a bit harder but the CFA3 is snappier. So bigger (drum) hits are bit better on the Envy, but small, reccuring micro"hits" are better on the CFA3.
The CFA3 is more aggressive sounding and not as smooth, 100%. It is more immediate and that also makes voices sound a bit more closer to you, which has the benefit of my notorious "laid-back" vocal problem with the Immanis.
The texture of (electric)guitars is sublime. In general the microdetail clarity surpasses that of the Envy, especially in the treble. The Immanis is the perfect headphone for such a beast.
The Envy doesn't focus as much on the treble and the (ultra)lows, it makes the midrange more musical. The CFA3 does not, but the resolution is just spectacular because nothing gets clouded anywhere.
It's like the Envy with TM tubes is already a 4k screen but the CFA comes in and shows everything on an 8k screen. But the colours are more spectacular on the Envy, most likely not as true to life, but more saturated and more enjoyable most of the time. Until you can't look away from the 8k screen because you see every single hair of the grizzly bear straying through the wilderness.
Soundstage: The Envy wins, no contest. But since the Immanis already has a giant stage i don't care for it with that headphone.
The best thing is that the CFA does not sound thinn, cold or analytical while having those insane technicalities. On very fast songs like "Dragonforce - Through the Fire and Flames" the Envy can't keep up in comparison with every single notehit - the CFA3 can. Here the Envy sounds like it is lagging behind. I'm sure with more technical sounding 6SN7's (Apos Ray PSVanes) it will be better, but then you lose the warmth and body you gained from the Envy.
Let's jump to the part where the Envy is clearly ahead, but is it? Midrange and vocals. The CFA3 is not bad in this aspect, but the Envy just sounds more natural. That's just the best way to describe it, in comparison vocals on the CFA3 are a tiny bit harsh, and overly aggressive sounding, particular the "S" and "T" sibilants.

What do i think about it besides the sound? I ordered the semi-deluxe model.
It's a big box, some say it's on the smaller side for a TOTL SS amp, maybe it is, but it's still a big heavy box that thankfully can sit next to the Dave on top of the Serene. The volume knob is extremely satisfying, it's very clicky. The unit gets toasty, but not extremely hot. It consumes ~70W. HOLY MOLY! I will not use IEM's with it. It's completely dead silent up until now, if that changes with any headphone i'll let you know. I said it before, i say it again: I really dislike that the volume jumps up several db's when activating the feedback mode. BUT: That is only the case in low gain! In high gain there is no volume difference! So with the Immanis i have it on high gain anyway and now i can easily compare the two modes! Let's talk about it.
I now turn the Serene and Envy off and compare the CFA in SS mode versus feedback mode!
Actually, maybe the Zero Feedback mode does increase the volume even in high gain - by a single step. It's hard to tell. What i can tell is: The sound is less flat. The mids pop out more, but also the bass. Imagine the music like a plain with various objects, a big stone, a house, a mountain, a deep crevice in the earth etc. Now i turn on ZF mode. The difference between the sea level and above / below are enhanced, sometimes more drastically. The big stone is now a small mountain, the house is now a skyscraper, the sinkhole is now a chasm.
It's a fascinating effect. Sometimes the effect is only barely foreseeable, especially in the treble (female vocals and above). Already loud things tend to get a bit louder and pop out more, while nuanced microdetails in the background may be pushed slightly more into the background. It adds more depth to the music. For me it does not add warmth, so it's not really a "tube mode". I don't think it has a more negative impact in the technical side of things than maybe the perceived loss of micro details in the background. With the Immanis vocals get even pushed more forward - OH BOY. It's like everything i ever wanted and more. But i don't know if it's worth giving up the nuanced small background details. Maybe for less analytical listening and just leaning back. Well, it's a fact that with that Zero Feedback mode on, vocals are much more forward with the Immanis than i've ever heard them. Needless to say, it's a truly fantastic pairing.

Will it be better for the Immanis than the Envy in the long run? Only time can tell.

This is already a very long post so i'm gonna just press the "reply" button while i grab a snack and cycle through my other headphones.

 

[jlbrach]

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.

my CFA3 which was built by Dukeii has quite a bit of attenuation so I need to turn the volume know quite aggressively even in high gain out of my chord dave/blu2

 

[Sajid Amit]

1 1/2h of listening time later...

The Imaging is laser focused and there is so much blackness between the instruments. The Speed is so fast it's almost the difference from a planar to a Ribbon when comparing the Envy (with not Elrogs) to the CFA3. The Envy is only somewhat on par in technicalities with the Elrog TM's. Even then i think the CFA3 is faster. Maybe the Brimar CV1988 are also a limiting factor enough, but they are my best sounding tubes, and i don't want to test the Envy with super neutral and boring, but technical capable sounding tubes.
Texture is incredible. The Envy has more body and more warmth. The CFA3 has so much punch and slam, the Envy also. Which ones punches harder?
I'm gonna say that the Envy punches a bit harder but the CFA3 is snappier. So bigger (drum) hits are bit better on the Envy, but small, reccuring micro"hits" are better on the CFA3.
The CFA3 is more aggressive sounding and not as smooth, 100%. It is more immediate and that also makes voices sound a bit more closer to you, which has the benefit of my notorious "laid-back" vocal problem with the Immanis.
The texture of (electric)guitars is sublime. In general the microdetail clarity surpasses that of the Envy, especially in the treble. The Immanis is the perfect headphone for such a beast.
The Envy doesn't focus as much on the treble and the (ultra)lows, it makes the midrange more musical. The CFA3 does not, but the resolution is just spectacular because nothing gets clouded anywhere.
It's like the Envy with TM tubes is already a 4k screen but the CFA comes in and shows everything on an 8k screen. But the colours are more spectacular on the Envy, most likely not as true to life, but more saturated and more enjoyable most of the time. Until you can't look away from the 8k screen because you see every single hair of the grizzly bear straying through the wilderness.
Soundstage: The Envy wins, no contest. But since the Immanis already has a giant stage i don't care for it with that headphone.
The best thing is that the CFA does not sound thinn, cold or analytical while having those insane technicalities. On very fast songs like "Dragonforce - Through the Fire and Flames" the Envy can't keep up in comparison with every single notehit - the CFA3 can. Here the Envy sounds like it is lagging behind. I'm sure with more technical sounding 6SN7's (Apos Ray PSVanes) it will be better, but then you lose the warmth and body you gained from the Envy.
Let's jump to the part where the Envy is clearly ahead, but is it? Midrange and vocals. The CFA3 is not bad in this aspect, but the Envy just sounds more natural. That's just the best way to describe it, in comparison vocals on the CFA3 are a tiny bit harsh, and overly aggressive sounding, particular the "S" and "T" sibilants.

What do i think about it besides the sound? I ordered the semi-deluxe model.
It's a big box, some say it's on the smaller side for a TOTL SS amp, maybe it is, but it's still a big heavy box that thankfully can sit next to the Dave on top of the Serene. The volume knob is extremely satisfying, it's very clicky. The unit gets toasty, but not extremely hot. It consumes ~70W. HOLY MOLY! I will not use IEM's with it. It's completely dead silent up until now, if that changes with any headphone i'll let you know. I said it before, i say it again: I really dislike that the volume jumps up several db's when activating the feedback mode. BUT: That is only the case in low gain! In high gain there is no volume difference! So with the Immanis i have it on high gain anyway and now i can easily compare the two modes! Let's talk about it.
I now turn the Serene and Envy off and compare the CFA in SS mode versus feedback mode!
Actually, maybe the Zero Feedback mode does increase the volume even in high gain - by a single step. It's hard to tell. What i can tell is: The sound is less flat. The mids pop out more, but also the bass. Imagine the music like a plain with various objects, a big stone, a house, a mountain, a deep crevice in the earth etc. Now i turn on ZF mode. The difference between the sea level and above / below are enhanced, sometimes more drastically. The big stone is now a small mountain, the house is now a skyscraper, the sinkhole is now a chasm.
It's a fascinating effect. Sometimes the effect is only barely foreseeable, especially in the treble (female vocals and above). Already loud things tend to get a bit louder and pop out more, while nuanced microdetails in the background may be pushed slightly more into the background. It adds more depth to the music. For me it does not add warmth, so it's not really a "tube mode". I don't think it has a more negative impact in the technical side of things than maybe the perceived loss of micro details in the background. With the Immanis vocals get even pushed more forward - OH BOY. It's like everything i ever wanted and more. But i don't know if it's worth giving up the nuanced small background details. Maybe for less analytical listening and just leaning back. Well, it's a fact that with that Zero Feedback mode on, vocals are much more forward with the Immanis than i've ever heard them. Needless to say, it's a truly fantastic pairing.

Will it be better for the Immanis than the Envy in the long run? Only time can tell.

This is already a very long post so i'm gonna just press the "reply" button while i grab a snack and cycle through my other headphones.

What a solid set of impressions. I agree with everything you wrote.

The CFA3 is a ridiculously good piece of kit for the price. Ridiculously good. And I agree, that the Immanis vocals sound damn near intimate on my Euforia AE + CFA3 chain, like the singer is singing directly for me, close up, and all that.

I was A/Bing it with the $10,000 Audma Maestro HPA1 and while I do overall prefer the Audma, and it does have more bass slam, overall greater tonal density, stage and even resolution, at 40% of the price, the CFA does come within biting distance in terms of technical performance.

I also really appreciate the ability to switch between SS and ZF mode.

All that being said, I'll likely let mine go soon. Mine is 230V, suitable for Europe and Asia-based audiophiles.

Also happy to ship directly to Justin Wilson if you would like to change it to 110V. Can offer a good deal.

 

[yellowblue]

Someone who has heard both the CFA3 and the cen.grand Silver Fox and can comment?

 

[Exekuhtor]

What a solid set of impressions. I agree with everything you wrote.

I still think It's a game of power, maybe not that much for dynamic drivers, but certainly for planars or ribbons.
Envy has 5W @ 16 Ohm and the CFA3 has 15W @ 50 Ohm. That's insane. And it is high quality power, not the cheap Topping stuff. Even the Riviera AIC-10 does only deliver a bit more, 20W @ 40 Ohm. It must mean something. But then the Mass Kobo 465 only delivers 4.5W @ 32 Ohm and is said to be one of the very best Solid State amps that exist. Maybe i'm not 100% correct.
In the end, i'm really happy with the CFA3, super highly recommended, especially for its price and if you have multiple very hard to drive headphones. It sounds even better if you use a warm tube preamp in front of it. Never heard the Immanis that good with the Envy as a pre into the CFA3.
There are impressions of that setup in the Immanis / Envy thread if you're interested.

 

[justin w.]

I have some updates on the upcoming CFA3 Deluxe and CFA-T (w/ tube/hybrid pre-amp). I say CFA-T and not CFA3-T because it's still not clear if the '3' should be part of it.

First on what both models share, a custom Eksonic relay attenuator that is controlled by a motorized pot. Turn the pot manually with a normal analog feel, or use the remote to turn the knob by motor. Since it's not an encoder, there's no need for a display, as the dot on the knob shows the volume level.



Here's the latest version of the balanced attenuator completed by Kerry of Eksonic that I just received, which will be in the CFA3 Deluxe for the first time at CanJam NYC this weekend. The relays we're using are the fastest available, with switching times of 2 milliseconds.



There's also the balance control which can be controlled on the remote. Since the CFA3 Deluxe doesnt have a display, you can press the BAL-0 button in the middle to re-center the left/right balance. The CFA-T shows the balance on the display plus you can change it through the front panel buttons in addition to the remote.

The board also has an output for an OLED display on it for use with the CFA-T. Pictured is the display in blue, also available in white, yellow and green which looks very cool behind the 30% tinted glass. On the CFA-T the remote will have additional buttons to control power on/off, input/output, gain, menu, and display brightness.



We built in at least 2 curves to the attenuator, there's a Sensitive mode and a Linear mode. Sensitive mode (SEN) is intended for easy to power headphones, the volume will ramp up very slowly and give much greater control. Push the button on the remote to switch modes. The volume must be returned to zero before switching modes, which will happen automatically if you hold the SEN or LIN taper buttons. For the CFA3 Deluxe we have enough remote buttons to do up to 6 modes. on the CFA-T, modes can be changed in the display menu.


In LIN mode, step 25 on the volume is at -35dB


In SEN mode, step 25 is very quiet at -65dB as the volume is coming up much slower. Pictured on the display for the CFA-T, but this feature is also on the CFA3 Deluxe

 

[Relaxasaurus]

Ok that's it, I'm calling it the C-FAT

Cheers for the update. Appreciate the custom job of top quality parts.

 

[ufospls2]

I still think It's a game of power, maybe not that much for dynamic drivers, but certainly for planars or ribbons.
Envy has 5W @ 16 Ohm and the CFA3 has 15W @ 50 Ohm. That's insane. And it is high quality power, not the cheap Topping stuff. Even the Riviera AIC-10 does only deliver a bit more, 20W @ 40 Ohm. It must mean something. But then the Mass Kobo 465 only delivers 4.5W @ 32 Ohm and is said to be one of the very best Solid State amps that exist. Maybe i'm not 100% correct.
In the end, i'm really happy with the CFA3, super highly recommended, especially for its price and if you have multiple very hard to drive headphones. It sounds even better if you use a warm tube preamp in front of it. Never heard the Immanis that good with the Envy as a pre into the CFA3.
There are impressions of that setup in the Immanis / Envy thread if you're interested.

Does the AIC-10 put more power into loads above 8ohms? I always figured it was a low power amp as its listed at 10w into 8ohms on their website, so I figured it was much less into 32ohms etc...Thats interesting if so, and good to know.

 

[genefruit]

Does the AIC-10 put more power into loads above 8ohms? I always figured it was a low power amp as its listed at 10w into 8ohms on their website, so I figured it was much less into 32ohms etc...Thats interesting if so, and good to know.

I think there is a typo somewhere along the life of that statement. 20w @ 4ohms could make sense based on the 8 ohm value. At 40 ohms, I don’t think it makes sense that it outs out 20w

 

[ufospls2]

I think there is a typo somewhere along the life of that statement. 20w @ 4ohms could make sense based on the 8 ohm value. At 40 ohms, I don’t think it makes sense that it outs out 20w

Yeah, it would be very unusual. There are some amps that do have more power into higher values but again, not common, which is why I was curious.

 

[pompon]

Got my CFA3 semi-deluxe few min ago.

I have to wait for temperature before turn-it on!
I will be able to compare to my GS-X Mini on my LCD-5 / HD650

Review a couple of post down!

 

[up late]

^ it's a brawny beast

 

[audio integrity]

Got my CFA3 semi-deluxe few min ago.

I have to wait for temperature before turn-it on!
I will be able to compare to my GS-X Mini on my LCD-5 / HD650

VERY good on LCD-5.
Sub bass are fabulous.
Highs are smooth and not at all harsh.
Little on the warm side (good thing) and very musical.

SS or ZF, ... ZF seem to be more natural, more weight in the midrange. The gain is not the same, in SS gain is lower.

Low gain, 11 hrs for my listening level
High gain, about 9 hrs to "match"

Where on the volume dial on low gain are you with the LCD 5? Thanks!

 

[pompon]

Here my setup !

For the levels :
Low gain ZF : 9 hrs to 10 hrs for listening level with LCD-5
Low gain SS : About 1 hrs or 1.25 hrs higher
High gain ZF : About 8.5 hrs
High gain SS : About 8 hrs (ZF or SS is far more subtle in levels in high gain).

My short review
HeadAmp GS-X Mini vs HeadAmp CFA3 semi-deluxe:

Highs:

The GS-X Mini has more pronounced and raw highs. The plucking of the strings has greater impact.
The CFA3is definitely smoother in this regard—more refined, with greater extension. It captures finer details and nuances.
I notice the reverbs extending, while on the GS-X Mini, the plucking of the strings is more lively and i capture less the reverb cues.

The GS-X Mini is not aggressive at all in the highs. The CFA3 seems a bit more restrained in comparison, but with headphones, you don't want needles in your ears as it quickly becomes unbearable.

Bass:
The bass is firmer and better damped on the CFA3 compared to the GS-X Mini. It feels like moving from a 50WPC amplifier to a 200WPC one with speakers.

Soundstage:
The soundstage is something very important to me.
I don't want a rendering where you're stuck close to the music.
I want some distance so the illusion feels more realistic and less like hearing music on either side of the head.

The soundstage is wider / envelopping on the CFA3, and the music feels more distanced from the head.
It's not too distant to feel dull, nor too close.
The GS-X Mini is slightly closer to the head (not by much), but the soundstage doesn't extend as much as it does with the CFA3.

Listening experience:
The CFA3's rendering is organic, very fluid, and musical.
When listening, the focus isn't directed towards the high frequencies but rather towards the melody.

With complex music, one can appreciate the CFA3's ability to deliver all the nuances and micro details, whereas with the GS-X Mini, it might seem a bit grainier and harder to listen to.

Heat:
The CFA3 is hot! I can keep my hand on it, but it's uncomfortable.
The GS-X Mini is pleasantly warm to the touch, like a heated floor.

AC Cable:
I tested the stock power cord against my Aliexpress Nordost Odin II on furutech copper outlet.
The "nordost" is firmer, wider, more impact ... no question for me ... the "big stiff powercord" stay there.

Summary:
For me, it's clear that the CFA3 surpasses the GS-X Mini in every criterion, even with an easy-to-drive headphone like the Audeze LCD-5.

Update: 2025-03-10 : HD650 on CFA3
On my Sennheiser HD650 wired with the Stefan Audio Arts Equinox (XLR) balanced cable, it's truly excellent, as you would expect.

For criteria, it's pretty much the same as with my LCD5.

Is the GS-X MINI better with the LCD-5 or the CFA3 with the HD650? Hard pick !

I appreciate the HD650 for being able to handle everything without anything becoming irritating. It’s precise enough to delve into the mix and has enough soundstage to provide a great experience. The LCD-5 is more capable; it’s more precise, the bass is sharper, the soundstage is larger with more apparent spacing, but it’s more sensitive to recordings. With pop/rock, it can feel a bit too thin in the midrange, and the details can dominate a bit too much.

You either go for an all-rounder or choose something that can go further but might be less enjoyable on certain recordings.

The CFA3 brings very notable improvements to the HD650. For example, a broader and more immersive soundstage, more distance from the music, finer details with smoothness, and greater nuances.

For sure, HD650 will stay in my ultimate headphone station without hesitations and same for LCD-5 (not have the $$$ for susvara 8-/ )

I put a AC Infinity AIRCOM S7 to help for the heat.