[Bhk1004]

I don't think anyone has heard it except dukei

 

[MN8372]

Hi all - a very brief mini review on the CFA3 (built by Dukei). I will keep this short because the more I say probably the more confusing I will sound. In a nutshell - it’s a 10/10 for me. Incredible.

My background is softer/easier sounding amplifiers (Moon 430HAD/Studio 6). But with good reason. I’m sensitive to harsh treble and artificial sounding midrange in particular. I love natural timbre and a lot of the music I listen to is vocal heavy. But I was intrigued by the CFA3 after reading this thread. For me, it manages to bring much needed detail, transparency, punch and a huge soundstage but without sounding harsh. The micro details and spatial clues that are now revealed on familiar tracks is amazing. With my Susvaras it’s almost “speaker like”. And pulls the same trick with my LCD5 (surprising to me). Speaker like is really the main takeaway for me. A huge soundstage with a wonderful balance throughout the full range (with a really strong bass foundation). Still headphones of course with all the pros and cons that brings but definitely more speaker like than I’ve heard before.

It’s a dead neutral amplifier - not bright and not harsh. But can be a little unforgiving with poorly recorded material. But still very listenable with poor recordings and flat out amazing with better quality recordings. Maybe helped a bit by the combo with the Holo May - a Chord Dave or similar might be too much of a good thing?

I tried the LCD5 out of my valve amp last night and they just sounded congested with much less detail and transparency. Previously I had been running a bass shelf on the LCD5 as well as boosting the treble and lowering the upper mids (with Roon EQ). Not necessary any more.

And with the Susvara - this just scales so well. Although the LCD5 benefits from the CFA3, the Susvara (to my ears) pulls ahead with the new amp.. I’ve upgraded my system quite a bit this past 6 months and the CFA3 is the best value upgrade I’ve made in that time.

I’m intrigued about what a tube pre-amp will do. But very happy with the amp as is. Next step will probably be new headphones - SR1A or TC’s. Not sure which…

 

[fiiom11pro]

Hi all - a very brief mini review on the CFA3 (built by Dukei). I will keep this short because the more I say probably the more confusing I will sound. In a nutshell - it’s a 10/10 for me. Incredible.

My background is softer/easier sounding amplifiers (Moon 430HAD/Studio 6). But with good reason. I’m sensitive to harsh treble and artificial sounding midrange in particular. I love natural timbre and a lot of the music I listen to is vocal heavy. But I was intrigued by the CFA3 after reading this thread. For me, it manages to bring much needed detail, transparency, punch and a huge soundstage but without sounding harsh. The micro details and spatial clues that are now revealed on familiar tracks is amazing. With my Susvaras it’s almost “speaker like”. And pulls the same trick with my LCD5 (surprising to me). Speaker like is really the main takeaway for me. A huge soundstage with a wonderful balance throughout the full range (with a really strong bass foundation). Still headphones of course with all the pros and cons that brings but definitely more speaker like than I’ve heard before.

It’s a dead neutral amplifier - not bright and not harsh. But can be a little unforgiving with poorly recorded material. But still very listenable with poor recordings and flat out amazing with better quality recordings. Maybe helped a bit by the combo with the Holo May - a Chord Dave or similar might be too much of a good thing?

I tried the LCD5 out of my valve amp last night and they just sounded congested with much less detail and transparency. Previously I had been running a bass shelf on the LCD5 as well as boosting the treble and lowering the upper mids (with Roon EQ). Not necessary any more.

And with the Susvara - this just scales so well. Although the LCD5 benefits from the CFA3, the Susvara (to my ears) pulls ahead with the new amp.. I’ve upgraded my system quite a bit this past 6 months and the CFA3 is the best value upgrade I’ve made in that time.

I’m intrigued about what a tube pre-amp will do. But very happy with the amp as is. Next step will probably be new headphones - SR1A or TC’s. Not sure which…

where is volume pot stays at on listening level for the susvara? what kind of pot does it have? what level/steps is the too much volume level already (ear-piercing level) starts at?

thanks

 

[MN8372]

I have it at about 8.30pm (on high gain). To put that in context - min volume is at about 7pm. So very low. Max volume goes all the way around to 5pm. It’s a TKD 10k pot on my one. Never tried it at ear-piercing level but suspect that is anything above 9/10pm (not even half way). I get the sense it is capable of blowing the doors off the Susvara..

 

[fiiom11pro]

I have it at about 8.30pm (on high gain). To put that in context - min volume is at about 7pm. So very low. Max volume goes all the way around to 5pm. It’s a TKD 10k pot on my one. Never tried it at ear-piercing level but suspect that is anything above 9/10pm (not even half way). I get the sense it is capable of blowing the doors off the Susvara..

nice to hear that. thanks

 

[paradoxper]

Hi all - a very brief mini review on the CFA3 (built by Dukei). I will keep this short because the more I say probably the more confusing I will sound. In a nutshell - it’s a 10/10 for me. Incredible.

My background is softer/easier sounding amplifiers (Moon 430HAD/Studio 6). But with good reason. I’m sensitive to harsh treble and artificial sounding midrange in particular. I love natural timbre and a lot of the music I listen to is vocal heavy. But I was intrigued by the CFA3 after reading this thread. For me, it manages to bring much needed detail, transparency, punch and a huge soundstage but without sounding harsh. The micro details and spatial clues that are now revealed on familiar tracks is amazing. With my Susvaras it’s almost “speaker like”. And pulls the same trick with my LCD5 (surprising to me). Speaker like is really the main takeaway for me. A huge soundstage with a wonderful balance throughout the full range (with a really strong bass foundation). Still headphones of course with all the pros and cons that brings but definitely more speaker like than I’ve heard before.

It’s a dead neutral amplifier - not bright and not harsh. But can be a little unforgiving with poorly recorded material. But still very listenable with poor recordings and flat out amazing with better quality recordings. Maybe helped a bit by the combo with the Holo May - a Chord Dave or similar might be too much of a good thing?

I tried the LCD5 out of my valve amp last night and they just sounded congested with much less detail and transparency. Previously I had been running a bass shelf on the LCD5 as well as boosting the treble and lowering the upper mids (with Roon EQ). Not necessary any more.

And with the Susvara - this just scales so well. Although the LCD5 benefits from the CFA3, the Susvara (to my ears) pulls ahead with the new amp.. I’ve upgraded my system quite a bit this past 6 months and the CFA3 is the best value upgrade I’ve made in that time.

I’m intrigued about what a tube pre-amp will do. But very happy with the amp as is. Next step will probably be new headphones - SR1A or TC’s. Not sure which…

Introduce a tube pre immediately. Don't think I've ever been happier than what I heard the last week with the MELZ 1578.
Quenched any desire for the hybrid, makes me consider selling my Primavera, it's on a line of revelatory and is just plain bringing me such immense listening enjoyment.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Introduce a tube pre immediately. Don't think I've ever been happier than what I heard the last week with the MELZ 1578.
Quenched any desire for the hybrid, makes me consider selling my Primavera, it's on a line of revelatory and is just plain bringing me such immense listening enjoyment.

Isn't the MELZ 1578 a tube rather than a pre-amp?

 

[paradoxper]

Isn't the MELZ 1578 a tube rather than a pre-amp?

Indeed. I am using a tube pre, but rather focused on the MELZ 1578 because I've heard numerous and it has me flying.

 

[EstrangedBaron]

Indeed. I am using a tube pre, but rather focused on the MELZ 1578 because I've heard numerous and it has me flying.

Out of curiosity, what pre-amplifier are you using those MELZ 1578 tubes in?

 

[paradoxper]

Out of curiosity, what pre-amplifier are you using those MELZ 1578 tubes in?

That was using the Freya+.

 

[Failed Engineer]

I've been borrowing an SR1a from a friend and putting it through it's paces with an HSA-1b and through the CFA3. To my surprise, I like it better through the CFA3 and SR1a interface, and it's pretty much a KO in favor of the CFA3.

 

[rsbrsvp]

That was using the Freya+.

I thought you sold the Freya +???

 

[normie610]

I've been borrowing an SR1a from a friend and putting it through it's paces with an HSA-1b and through the CFA3. To my surprise, I like it better through the CFA3 and SR1a interface, and it's pretty much a KO in favor of the CFA3.

Yes CFA3 is amazing with SR1a. It really is The One Amp for me as it sounds incredible with TC and Susvara as well.

 

[Jmm722]

Is there a build guide/parts list for this? I went through the first 15 pages or so, but couldn’t find anything. I may have missed it.

 

[rsbrsvp]

What feature(s) do I need to have built into my CFA-3 to use the SR1a and the interface box? I assume just XLR outs? Is this correct?