ECP DSHA3F Ravenswood 3F

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by purr1n, Jan 22, 2019.

  1. 9suns

    9suns [insert unearned title here]

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    Any update on those absolutely epic news?
    Is there any chance of it having a preamp output (so it can be also used in a desktop as a preamp of some active speakers)? Or would that make the price go up too much (or be detrimental to the sound quality of the 3F)?
     
  2. dsavitsk

    dsavitsk Friend

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    The price would go up. A lot.

    I'll let @CEE TEE comment on his progress.
     
  3. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    Updates: Just shipped final part from my end to the factory. Next up is factory prototype!

    Planning to share the overview and top down view of the new NITSCH version while in Texas. Site should be up during the show: www.nitschsound.com

    I won't have a prototype there without casework (safety issues and all that) but I will be bringing my O.G. DSHA-3F. The parts and circuit remain the same, with the amorphous cobalt Lundahls.
     
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  4. neo_the_one

    neo_the_one Acquaintance

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    Wanted to confirm, these amps are mainly suited for Dynamic Headphones and not hard to drive planars?
     
  5. Failed Engineer

    Failed Engineer Friend

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    Correct. I don't think it's that good with easy to drive planars either. At least very low impedance ones, I'm trying the Trion now with it 25ohm/100dB and it's listenable but not anywhere near how good it can be properly driven.

    It is cost irrespective one of the best amps for dynamic headphones of any impedance. It does Focals, Grados, Senns, and ZMFs all equally well.

    Edit: Forgot to mention that the planar I thought sounded closest to it's optimal performance out of the 3F was the D8000 Pro. That's 60 ohm/98dB and that is a pairing that I could live with.
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2022
  6. ckhirnigs

    ckhirnigs Friend

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    Will the nickel transformers be an option to swap in the amp this time around?
     
  7. Souldriver

    Souldriver Almost "Made"

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    So are the new units going to be all factory made or is it just certain parts? Circuit board, chassis etc?

    I know it was mentioned the new amps may ne a little more compact. Will that mean the circuit is the same but made smaller, or just a more compact chassis. I am also assuming the cobalts are what were used in the past for amorphous.

    Thanks in advance for the insight. Been looking forward to these.
     
  8. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    Hi @ckhirnigs , These will not have swappable transformers. Most people purchased the Amorphous Cobalt version per Doug and that is what this run will be. We'll see about a possible Nickel version in the future.

    Hi @Souldriver , The PCB was designed and prototyped/tested by Doug. The factory will make the PCBs to our specs. I procured all the parts for the boards as well as had chassis side panels custom-made in the U.S. (Amorphous steel is used for power supply transformers. Lundahl uses amorphous cobalt for input transformers and as far as we know, they are the only manufacturer who makes one.) The factory wil make the metalwork to NITSCH design. You'll see lots of cues from the ecp Audio original, with a spin.

    Yes, the circuit and parts will be the same...but we also added something for convenience. I'll share dimensions, new feature, and a top down illustration next week. Thanks for your interest!
     
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    Last edited: Jul 12, 2022
  9. MisterRogers

    MisterRogers Ethernet Nervosa

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  10. Aklegal

    Aklegal Friend

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    Will there be two versions (3F and 3)? Or maybe a hi-z low-z switch?
     
  11. Souldriver

    Souldriver Almost "Made"

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  12. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    I didn't take to the 3F but that was with the HD600, would love to hear it with the Focal Clear which is my main headphone now, seeing as how the amp was designed for the Focal line.
     
  13. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    Sorry, not doing a 3 at this time.
     
  14. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I've had @Ksorota's old unit in for a few weeks and am really enjoying it with all my headphones. Busy with a 3 month old, so will post these streamofconsciousness impressions. All listening done with Bifrost 2 OG for now to reduce variables.

    Stellia compared to LCv1:
    • Clear, blackground, detailed, reverb trails, grippy/tight/meaty bass.
    • Lively and punchy macrodynamics, subtle gradations in volume (microdynamics) more apparent.
    • Smooth and textured plucked/bowed strings (violin, acoustic guitar),
    • brushes on drum heads sound tactile.
    • Excellent separation, layering.
    • Pleasant wetness to vocals and other mids.
    • Visceral slam, bass separation, sense of air.
    I've stopped doing pseudo A/B with familiar test tracks, and have just been listening to music. I'm pretty certain I'm hearing the "driver control" everyone raves about with the 3F. The slight midbass resonance of Stellia has been reined in.

    I thought maybe I should have started with Clear as it would definitely lose out to Stellia in technicalities, but Clear still sounds good after switching over, and I hear all the same improvements from 3F over LCv1.

    Voldemort (Verum 1) also sounds better out of 3F than LCv1, which was my best matching amp previously. No problems driving the low Z load.

    My BP800 compared to SW51+:
    Similar but less obvious improvements as above. I think I could happily use this amp alone for all my headphones.

    Will swap in SFD-1 to find specific synergies later over time.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 9, 2022
  15. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I found a set of used nickel trafos, but the single pin on both are broken and need replacing.

    These are the pins on my current amorphous trafos. They look fancier (round, thicker base, gold plated?) than generic 2.54mm pitch pin header pins.

    signal-2022-08-11-18-47-17-415.jpg

    Nervosa aside, is it worth sourcing the original pins? Or would generic ones pretty much sound the same?

    Edit: I looked at the pinout and the single pin goes to what's labelled "can & core". So I assume it's just to ground the transformer and doesn't carry any audio signal?
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2022
  16. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I checked with Doug and he said,
    After measuring the pins I found a couple of possible compatible parts. Doug got back to me and it turns out the first one I found was the identical part: Mill-Max 800-10-0XX-10-001000

    https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/575-80010012
     
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  17. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I'm pretty sure I ran the volume pot to max when I first got the 3F and didn't hear any noise from the headphone output. But I'm now hearing some 60Hz +overtones starting at 12 o'clock and increasing to max volume. It's worse with nothing connected to the inputs, and better when connected to the balanced outputs of BF2. I tried powering it from a different circuit in the house with no inputs and it sounds the same. Since getting it I've rolled the amorphous transformers to nickel and back again. I'll check it with the nickels tomorrow.

    Anyone have any ideas?
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2022
  18. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    My amorphous 3F is dead silent through the whole range, with or without inputs.
     
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  19. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    I can't even imagine turning my 3f up that far... anything beyond 10p is deafening with my cans. In any case, mine is also dead silent
     
  20. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    Does it get better if you touch its chassis?
     

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