[TylersEclectic]

I got my review up on @CEE TEE DSHA-3FN up! What a fantastic amp! It’s a nice compliment to my favorite amp the ECP T4 hmmm might have to see if a T4 remake could be done ha!

 

[theveterans]

Finally got my DSHA-3FN, after a bit of a journey. The unit was damaged during shipping, and Christian was AMAZING. He handled everything with such care and professionalism - always updating, explaining, taking accountability. Can't say enough good things about the Nitsch customer service experience.

The unit arrived finally arrived this week -- fixed and fantastic.

And the SOUND... Wow. I wasn't fully prepared to like it as much as I did.

Some background: I'd been using a Topping A90/D90 AKM stack with Focal OG Utopias and felt like there was something I wasn't quite getting from the sound. I tested a bunch of Summit-Fi equipment at a dealer: Chord Dave, Feliks Euforia, Pathos InPol, and NAIM Uniti HE. I was stunned by how uninspired the Chord and Feliks sounded after the buildup. The Chord sounded thin, the Feliks bloomy. I was expecting to hear magic, and found myself more impressed with my Shanling M8 DAP when I A/B-ed them.

The Pathos was the biggest improvement on my home system, but I just couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger. I ended up using the A90 as a pre-amp and plugging the Utopias into an X-Duoo MT-604, which got me 70-80% of the way to the Pathos tubeyness for under $200 bucks. (I still think that little hybrid wonder is one of the great audiophile bargains, and is not taken seriously only because it is TOO affordable.)

So the Nitsch was a big leap of faith and finance, and for the first time I experienced the audiophile cliche: "I heard things in my music I never heard before." Here's an example. In Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion," about two thirds of the way into the song, a new instrument is introduced. It sounds like the world's tiniest cymbal or someone gently striking a tambourine chime. I've listened to that song for the past 40 years, and this is the first time I've noticed that sound. Clearly I've always heard it, but the DSHA-3FN pulled it out of the mix, and I NOTICED it.

What's fascinating is that, in principle, I thought the ASR crowd had a point -- that something as transparent as an A90 should have revealed everything in the music and that any digression from that design philosophy was simply introducing pleasant distortion. So to hear ADDITIONAL detail, plus bigger soundstage, clearer bass/sub-bass separation, punchier bass, smoother treble, and overall, just a more enjoyable, immersive presentation... well, it's an awakening. (probably an expensive one, unfortunately)

Fortunately, I finally hear the sound I was hoping to get from my Utopias.

As for a DAC, after seeing the Mass-Kobo designer auditioning his new $17,000 amp with my exact same Topping D90 MQA DAC, I think I'm good.

Summit Fi has been reached with these cans. Thanks, Christian & Doug!

Sounds like you have amazing combo there. IIRC the D90 isn't as aggressive in its presentation while the DSHA3FN is a dynamics monster especially with Focals. I can imagine those two synergizes incredibly well with the Utopia. I also imagine Sonnet Morpheus (also a laid back DAC) would pair incredibly well with the 3F for Utopia OG (not the 2022) as well if you want to explore a more musical presentation of a NOS DAC . The Holo Audio NOS DAC might be too aggressive for the 3FN but I can see those two pairing with ZMF Atrium or Verite

 

[ClicketEKlack]

Sounds like you have amazing combo there. IIRC the D90 isn't as aggressive in its presentation while the DSHA3FN is a dynamics monster especially with Focals. I can imagine those two synergizes incredibly well with the Utopia. I also imagine Sonnet Morpheus (also a laid back DAC) would pair incredibly well with the 3F for Utopia OG (not the 2022) as well if you want to explore a more musical presentation of a NOS DAC . The Holo Audio NOS DAC might be too aggressive for the 3FN but I can see those two pairing with ZMF Atrium or Verite

Thanks! Yeah, the D90 is pretty smooth — and not lacking for detail. Somehow the DSHA-3FN arranges all the detail in its proper place. It was interesting going back to my AirPods Max after a long night of Nitsch. The absence of detail was apparent for the first time. Like listening through fabric or something. That is one special amp.

 

[ZoNtO]

For others that are familiar with the OG ECP DSHA-3F and/or the Nitsch DSHA-3FN, other than the Topping D90 mentioned above, what have others found to be good solid-state DAC pairings with the amp when used with Focal headphones? I'm beginning to think that the Yggdrasil A2/OG that I've used to great success with my Magnepan speakers for years in the same room is just too aggressive to use with Focal headphones, as I haven't been completely satisfied with any amp I've tried here at home.

 

[theveterans]

Either the LIM or the MIB would be a good candidate for a less aggressive and more even out dynamics. Another option is to go NOS such as the Holo May KTE or Sonnet Pasithea (less macrodynamic focused than KTE and more microdynamic emphasis)

 

[Failed Engineer]

Find a Walnut X DAC, also by ECP. Tremendous synergy.

 

[ZoNtO]

Either the LIM or the MIB would be a good candidate for a less aggressive and more even out dynamics. Another option is to go NOS such as the Holo May KTE or Sonnet Pasithea (less macrodynamic focused than KTE and more microdynamic emphasis)

Appreciate the response. Yes, I am seriously contemplating having Schiit port my old Yggdrasil into a new "+" chassis and upgrade the A2 cards to the MIB cards so I can compare them. I think I read in the main Schiit thread that someone who found their B&W speakers with diamond tweeters aggressive and tiring had the issue alleviated by moving to the MIB cards (edit: see here; see also here). I'll have to look more into Holo and Sonnet. I've heard of their products, but never really researched them.

Find a Walnut X DAC, also by ECP. Tremendous synergy.

Thanks! I think I recall reading about that DAC years ago. Isn't it USB-only though? That may not work for me as I currently use AES and S/PDIF inputs on the Yggdrasil.

 

[theveterans]

Appreciate the response. Yes, I am seriously contemplating having Schiit port my old Yggdrasil into a new "+" chassis and upgrade the A2 cards to the MIB cards so I can compare them. I think I read in the main Schiit thread that someone who found their B&W speakers with diamond tweeters aggressive and tiring had the issue alleviated by moving to the MIB cards. I'll have to look more into Holo and Sonnet. I've heard of their products, but never really researched them.

With the MIB, the final tonality seems to be highly system dependent. It could be a tad hot to your Focals with the 3FN but I think LIM would be a safer bet on the treble aspect (unless you're 100% satisfied with OG's highs and you don't want something that's darker than it then MIB would be a great match). The Holo and Sonnet (being NOS) will have an inherent treble roll-off and less macrodynamic focused, more so with the Pasithea. What you get in return with those is the very engaging midrange tonality particularly in voices and string instruments for being microdetail/microdynamic focused.

 

[ScornDefeat]

For others that are familiar with the OG ECP DSHA-3F and/or the Nitsch DSHA-3FN, other than the Topping D90 mentioned above, what have others found to be good solid-state DAC pairings with the amp when used with Focal headphones? I'm beginning to think that the Yggdrasil A2/OG that I've used to great success with my Magnepan speakers for years in the same room is just too aggressive to use with Focal headphones, as I haven't been completely satisfied with any amp I've tried here at home.

Soekris 2541 is a great option, have that currently feeding my DSHA-3FN.

 

[kendavis]

The Utopia/3F pairing is simply one of the best and most synergistic pairings in TOTL headphone sound. There is different sound, not better. I'm so glad Christian and Doug collaborated to bring this back to life.

The only amp that I ever heard that sounded as good as my Cavalli Liquid Gold with my Utopias.

 

[George Hincapie]

I’m absolutely loving mine! I was pleasantly surprised by the unboxing experience of Serial #4! Love the included flight case. Great idea!

Running it in my bedroom system through a Shunyata Denali 6000Tv2, Denafrips T2 12th, Lumin U2 and real Nordost cables driving my OG Utopia with Danacable Nirvana.

Sounds as good as I could have hoped. Dead quiet through the whole range via the volume pot with nothing playing. Great linearity and control with just a hint of sweetness.

I have been interested in this release for a while. I could learn to live with the wooden side panels, which aren't hugely to my taste, but the gold volume knob just looks awful. Couldn't they have made it the same colour as the face plate? Or at least offer it as an option? Grand CEN do that as well and I really can't jive with it.

Still waiting for the 240V release regardless...

 

[tamahome77]

The DSHA-3FN is such an amazing solid stage amp - it's right up there with the liquid crimson and even better with balanced inputs. Paired really well with efficient planar headphones! Scales so well with better upstream equipment (Dac & DDC). Feels almost like it removes all the blockage and allows your higher end DAC and other upstream equipment to shine through it.

 

[tjkohli]

I could learn to live with the wooden side panels, which aren't hugely to my taste, but the gold volume knob just looks awful

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

 

[kumar402]

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.

 

[tjkohli]

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