[trellus]

Ok, I've had my Piety for close to a week now and I'm wondering if someone can help provide some perspective with this. My chain is: tablet streaming (Quboz) to Bluesound Node 2i connected by USB to Gungnir A1. Gungnir connected to Piety. Piety powering a ZMF Auteur classic (blackwood). I set the piety to play continuously for 3 days before sitting to listen (on high gain initially and then low gain). After writing down impressions switched back to usual amp. and listened again.

I listened for 2 hours to music (pop, folk, yacht rock, R&B) on the Piety. I noticed it did sound slightly more open and seemed to place a little more emphasis on background details than my normal amp (SW51+) does. However, I noticed that my ears felt uncomfortable after 30 minutes or so and I could not figure out why (speculation is that I may have been listening to music slightly louder trying get the impact from the vocals). I was listening at around 9:00 on the amp and my tablet volume was around 40-50%. To me, it sounded better than my usual amp on a couple of songs (more energetic and open, bass perhaps somewhat better), but on most, I did not like the sound. Two impressions stuck with me.

One was that the edges of the songs sounded rougher (more jagged?) and two, many songs that I am very familiar with sounded like I would expect to hear them on my radio as opposed to my system (sound was more like listening to a reproduction of the song rather than the song). I also tried the low gain option and it did not fatigue my ears as quickly (but still did), but it sounded somewhat less open and more closed in.

Given the reviews (and how my impressions are in the minority), is it possible I did something not optimal? Could my piety be defective? Any suggestions?

Generally, you want to set your source to in the digital domain to 100% volume and control volume with the amp, but if you were at 9 o’clock on low gain, I can see why you needed to reduce the volume on the tablet.

Are you connected to your normal amp in the same manner? Is the only difference Piety versus the other amp?

 

[JerrinSt]

I did need to turn up the volume on the tablet up to around 65-80% while in low mode, as there was a significant difference in volume between the two.

As far as the connection to my SW51+, I had it connected in the same way, using the same cables (after I disconnected the Piety) and headphone.

Thank you for the suggestion, I may go back to the SW51+ and try setting the volume to 100%, using the amp for overall volume.

 

[drmmr]

Anybody getting occasional clicks while the amp is on and music isn't playing? It's happened a few times now and I'm really hoping it's not the amp itself, but I haven't ever noticed it on my WA7.

EDIT: There's also audible feedback when I change volume. This is especially apparent right at the top end and happens any time I adjust the knob, but when I'm not touching it everything is silent. Would love if somebody could check this on their unit.

 

[EagleWings]

Ok, I've had my Piety for close to a week now and I'm wondering if someone can help provide some perspective with this. My chain is: tablet streaming (Quboz) to Bluesound Node 2i connected by USB to Gungnir A1. Gungnir connected to Piety. Piety powering a ZMF Auteur classic (blackwood). I set the piety to play continuously for 3 days before sitting to listen (on high gain initially and then low gain). After writing down impressions switched back to usual amp. and listened again.

I listened for 2 hours to music (pop, folk, yacht rock, R&B) on the Piety. I noticed it did sound slightly more open and seemed to place a little more emphasis on background details than my normal amp (SW51+) does. However, I noticed that my ears felt uncomfortable after 30 minutes or so and I could not figure out why (speculation is that I may have been listening to music slightly louder trying get the impact from the vocals). I was listening at around 9:00 on the amp and my tablet volume was around 40-50%. To me, it sounded better than my usual amp on a couple of songs (more energetic and open, bass perhaps somewhat better), but on most, I did not like the sound. Two impressions stuck with me.

One was that the edges of the songs sounded rougher (more jagged?) and two, many songs that I am very familiar with sounded like I would expect to hear them on my radio as opposed to my system (sound was more like listening to a reproduction of the song rather than the song). I also tried the low gain option and it did not fatigue my ears as quickly (but still did), but it sounded somewhat less open and more closed in.

Given the reviews (and how my impressions are in the minority), is it possible I did something not optimal? Could my piety be defective? Any suggestions?

You aren't doing anything wrong, nor is the Piety defective. Some folks are more sensitive to treble issues than others. In most cases the treble roughness originate from the digital side (DAC or streamer) and some amps let it through more than others. Gumby does have some treble roughness and some amps (particularly tube amps) can retain the details while taking that edge off and some amps not so much. In your case, it is just a combination of all these things.

As for the difference in the volume between the 2 amps, the Piety just has more gain than the SW51+.

 

[BS5711]

Anybody getting occasional clicks while the amp is on and music isn't playing? It's happened a few times now and I'm really hoping it's not the amp itself, but I haven't ever noticed it on my WA7.

EDIT: There's also audible feedback when I change volume. This is especially apparent right at the top end and happens any time I adjust the knob, but when I'm not touching it everything is silent. Would love if somebody could check this on their unit.

I don’t hear any clicks except for the occasional noise from Tidal at the start of some songs, seems to be an app related issue as the DAC establishes the correct playback frequency etc. Maybe you are hearing something like that, seems more likely than noise from the amp itself.

The “audible feedback” when adjusting the knob is just standard Magni scratchy volume pot.

My Piety does moderately, I had a Heresy that I must have got lucky on since it was silent, another Magni 3 was somewhere in between. It is normal and nothing to worry about but apparently can be fixed or reduced with some volume potentiometer cleaner. I don’t care so I have never bothered looking into that. I guess the cheap pot is part of how they keep the price down and sound performance up.

 

[AstronomerXI]

The “audible feedback” when adjusting the knob is just standard Magni scratchy volume pot..

Pull the knob out ever-so-slightly. That will make the problem go away. My Magni 3+ needed this and now all is fine.

 

[adydula]

Ok, I've had my Piety for close to a week now and I'm wondering if someone can help provide some perspective with this. My chain is: tablet streaming (Quboz) to Bluesound Node 2i connected by USB to Gungnir A1. Gungnir connected to Piety. Piety powering a ZMF Auteur classic (blackwood). I set the piety to play continuously for 3 days before sitting to listen (on high gain initially and then low gain). After writing down impressions switched back to usual amp. and listened again.

I listened for 2 hours to music (pop, folk, yacht rock, R&B) on the Piety. I noticed it did sound slightly more open and seemed to place a little more emphasis on background details than my normal amp (SW51+) does. However, I noticed that my ears felt uncomfortable after 30 minutes or so and I could not figure out why (speculation is that I may have been listening to music slightly louder trying get the impact from the vocals). I was listening at around 9:00 on the amp and my tablet volume was around 40-50%. To me, it sounded better than my usual amp on a couple of songs (more energetic and open, bass perhaps somewhat better), but on most, I did not like the sound. Two impressions stuck with me.

One was that the edges of the songs sounded rougher (more jagged?) and two, many songs that I am very familiar with sounded like I would expect to hear them on my radio as opposed to my system (sound was more like listening to a reproduction of the song rather than the song). I also tried the low gain option and it did not fatigue my ears as quickly (but still did), but it sounded somewhat less open and more closed in.

Given the reviews (and how my impressions are in the minority), is it possible I did something not optimal? Could my piety be defective? Any suggestions?

Hello,

I would try playing your quboz directly from the tablet, with the volume set at 100% in your player.
Direct to the gugnir and to the Piety.

 

[adydula]

The Piety I have and used in my review, had its knob pushed on all the way and was just touching the case, I took it off to take apart for photos. When I put it back on I did
not push it all the way on, just a tad forward of the full on position. This here was a real audible or "feel" mechanically without anything turned on etc.

In several Magnis I have and have had, one did have a really annoying noisy pot that I did send back to Schiit to get replaced. They will often use some pot contact cleaner put down the pot shaft and let it flow into the pot assembly itself. This with many rotations gets the scratchiness out. But depending on the design of the amp wiper noise that you will hear with an amp on still may be heard (dc stuff)...etc.

Depending on the gain and design these are at times well....just part of the amp.

I use Deoxit D100L Contact cleaner with the long needle tip to apply to my gear when needed, if needed. Over the years this is done here on several amps and pots as they age.

Sometimes the pot just needs to be replaced.

I have used even WD40 at times, yes WD40...worked very well here!

Alex

 

[drmmr]

Thanks all. Never owned a Magni so wasn’t aware this was common. Will have to yank my knob even harder I guess…

 

[Jimmyblues1959]

Ok, I've had my Piety for close to a week now and I'm wondering if someone can help provide some perspective with this. My chain is: tablet streaming (Quboz) to Bluesound Node 2i connected by USB to Gungnir A1. Gungnir connected to Piety. Piety powering a ZMF Auteur classic (blackwood). I set the piety to play continuously for 3 days before sitting to listen (on high gain initially and then low gain). After writing down impressions switched back to usual amp. and listened again.

I listened for 2 hours to music (pop, folk, yacht rock, R&B) on the Piety. I noticed it did sound slightly more open and seemed to place a little more emphasis on background details than my normal amp (SW51+) does. However, I noticed that my ears felt uncomfortable after 30 minutes or so and I could not figure out why (speculation is that I may have been listening to music slightly louder trying get the impact from the vocals). I was listening at around 9:00 on the amp and my tablet volume was around 40-50%. To me, it sounded better than my usual amp on a couple of songs (more energetic and open, bass perhaps somewhat better), but on most, I did not like the sound. Two impressions stuck with me.

One was that the edges of the songs sounded rougher (more jagged?) and two, many songs that I am very familiar with sounded like I would expect to hear them on my radio as opposed to my system (sound was more like listening to a reproduction of the song rather than the song). I also tried the low gain option and it did not fatigue my ears as quickly (but still did), but it sounded somewhat less open and more closed in.

Given the reviews (and how my impressions are in the minority), is it possible I did something not optimal? Could my piety be defective? Any suggestions?

Update: Second day listening to the Piety and there is just something so musical about this headphone amplifier. Listening to it with my HD6XX is really enjoyable. I have never seen a headphone amplifier at anywhere near this price that just gets out of the way and allows you to just groove with the music the way that the Piety does. It's non fatiguing. I can now see why Jason and CEE TEE love this little headphone amplifier.

Earlier ..

Finally got around to hooking my Piety up and I'm breaking it in now. The most logical comparison for me is how the Piety compares to my original Schiit Magni 3, since based on practicality, the Piety lost out to the Magni 3. Based on a brief listen I'd have to say that the Piety is clearly more refined, and avoids the wall of sound that the OG Magni 3 is known for.

IMHO, the Piety is also darker and wetter sounding.

Surprised at how nicely it plays with the Hifiman HE4XX planar. I'll be trying the Piety with my HD600 and HD6XX when time allows.

Thus far, very pleased with this little headphone amplifier.


Earlier...

Got my Piety yesterday and still haven't even had time to plug it in. Looking forward to giving it a good audition when time allows. It's been my experience over the years in this hobby that new equipment does need a certain amount of break in time to sound its best, and I have no doubt that this is indeed the case with the Piety.

 

[adydula]

Thanks all. Never owned a Magni so wasn’t aware this was common. Will have to yank my knob even harder I guess…

Out of the thousands of Magni's I would think this is not a common problem. Its just one that does creep up at times with these smaller pots.
I and many others have Magnis that never exhibit this type of issue.

This would not stop me from buying a Magni...

I have had this occur with other vendors products as well.

 

[drmmr]

Just to clarify, what I'm hearing as electrical noise in my headphones (while turning the volume knob) is just scratchy pot syndrome? I can't tell if some of you are talking about the physical scratchiness of the knob or not.

 

[adydula]

Just to clarify, what I'm hearing as electrical noise in my headphones (while turning the volume knob) is just scratchy pot syndrome? I can't tell if some of you are talking about the physical scratchiness of the knob or not.

Two things here.
One is a mechanical issue where the knob is pushed on far enough to rub on the cover.

Second is a noisy or scratchy pot where when u rotate the vol knob u here a "staticy" noise or what some of us call "scratchy". (Usually from how the pots wiper contacts the resistive structure. Could be tension or crap on the wiper or internals). This is with the amp on u hear this thru ur cans.

Using a cleaner will often alleviate the second issue.

 

[drmmr]

Roger that, thanks for the rundown. So used to big, smooth knobs this tiny one is proving to be a nuisance (not that size matters, of course). Welp, back to listening!

 

[Festive56]

My Piety is FINALLY out for delivery today!