[alxw0w]

Well have heard most of the amp and heard some pretty expensive one this Canjam but holographic staging that I get from ECP DSHA-3F(Nickel transformer) with ZMF is second to none.

What about pairing it with hd800?

 

[George Hincapie]

To each their own — I think this looks better than 90% of headphone amps out there.

Of course. It's subjective.

 

[raindownthunda]

I'd love to own one of these someday — how does it compare to TT2? And what's a good DAC pairing?

I really like the DSHA-3FN with the Schiit Yggy+ MIB. I wasn’t a fan with the Yggy GS/A1, where the sound was a little too lean. With the MIB the tonal density / weight is perfect to my ears with ZMF AC and VC.

 

[kumar402]

I used mine with Metrum Onyx at first then Pavane and now plan to use with Sonnet Pasithea

 

[ClicketEKlack]

It sounds stellar with a $500 Topping DAC too.

 

[Marutks]

Does anyone know how to convert this amp to 240V? Only these two pins and fuse need to be changed?

 

[tjkohli]

What about with a Qutest? How does it pair?

Also on a side note, how well does this drive Susvara?

 

[kumar402]

What about with a Qutest? How does it pair?

Also on a side note, how well does this drive Susvara?

I don’t think this amp is for Susvara.

 

[purk]

Ask Doug for a DSHA-4 or Ravenswood if you want to drive the Susvara.

 

[Atriya]

How would this amp compare to a Mass Kobo 433?

My only headphones are in fact Focal Utopias, and I do understand that the Nitsch was designed for Focals. But, I don't want to read too much into the "with Focal in mind" slogan, to the point of not considering alternative amps just because I use Utopias.

I am looking for a detailed and neutral sound, and I don't mind a somewhat lean signature.

 

[heliosphann]

How would this amp compare to a Mass Kobo 433?

My only headphones are in fact Focal Utopias, and I do understand that the Nitsch was designed for Focals. But, I don't want to read too much into the "with Focal in mind" slogan, to the point of not considering alternative amps just because I use Utopias.

I am looking for a detailed and neutral sound, and I don't mind a somewhat lean signature.

As great as the DSHA-3FN is, even with non-Focal dynamics, I just sold mine because the 433 made it redundant. IMO, it's a better overall amp, cheaper and the same form factor. Bar none one of the best amps I've hear as far as performance/price/footprint. I think it unfortunately gets overshadowed by the 394II and 465.

However, if you're just using a Utopia, the DSHA-3FN is probably the way to go.

 

[Atriya]

As great as the DSHA-3FN is, even with non-Focal dynamics, I just sold mine because the 433 made it redundant. IMO, it's a better overall amp, cheaper and the same form factor. Bar none one of the best amps I've hear as far as performance/price/footprint. I think it unfortunately gets overshadowed by the 394II and 465.

However, if you're just using a Utopia, the DSHA-3FN is probably the way to go.

The Utopia is indeed my only headphone, but I don't see why I should get a DSHA-3FN over the 433, unless it actually performs better with the Utopia than the 433.

And if the 433 is a better overall amp, that seems unlikely.

P.S. The 394II seems discontinued, and the 465 is of course in a totally different price category.

 

[Atriya]

As great as the DSHA-3FN is, even with non-Focal dynamics, I just sold mine because the 433 made it redundant. IMO, it's a better overall amp, cheaper and the same form factor. Bar none one of the best amps I've hear as far as performance/price/footprint. I think it unfortunately gets overshadowed by the 394II and 465.

However, if you're just using a Utopia, the DSHA-3FN is probably the way to go.

I got a Mass Kobo 433.

I like it a lot, though a tiny bit of resolution seems lost when directly compared to the headphone output on my DAC (Weiss 501-Mk2). It's like a very slight reverb-effect added to the sound, which takes away a bit of the crispness from it.

I'm not even sure this is possible to avoid: I had noticed the same thing back when I had a Burson Soloist. I am using high-end XLR interconnects, so that's not the issue.

 

[heliosphann]

I got a Mass Kobo 433.

I like it a lot, though a tiny bit of resolution seems lost when directly compared to the headphone output on my DAC (Weiss 501-Mk2). It's like a very slight reverb-effect added to the sound, which takes away a bit of the crispness from it.

I'm not even sure this is possible to avoid: I had noticed the same thing back when I had a Burson Soloist. I am using high-end XLR interconnects, so that's not the issue.

Interesting. Compared to a few of my other SS amps, the 433 does have a slight analog warmth to it. I like pairing it with a brighter DS DAC, which helps balance it out to my ears.

I've heard the 394ii is more linear than the 433, but it's of course more than x2 as much and discontinued.

 

[Atriya]

Interesting. Compared to a few of my other SS amps, the 433 does have a slight analog warmth to it. I like pairing it with a brighter DS DAC, which helps balance it out to my ears.

I've heard the 394ii is more linear than the 433, but it's of course more than x2 as much and discontinued.

Yes, my Weiss is quite an incisive and highly resolving DS DAC.

I have yet to try any amp though - tube or solid state - that retains the eerie transparency I hear from the headphone output directly on the DAC.

I'm beginning to the subscribe to the idea that whenever you add any component to the signal chain (in this case an amp), something might well be gained, but something is also necessarily lost.

My Focal Utopia from the 433 has a much "meatier" sound, with a fleshier bass with more slam, than from the DAC directly. The soundstage might be deeper and more holographic as well. But, that immense clarity is somewhat diminished: switching to the DAC output is like cleaning the "window" through which I'm "looking" at the sound.