I got a piety in the first batch and it was the best impulse buy I ever did. Piety + Senn 560s is my favorite pairing with it. Awesome for just sitting and enjoying tunes. Only issue I have with mine is a scratchy pot, but I don’t adjust volume much so it’s not a huge deal.
The scratchy pot is a design issue. It is not caused by a faulty or dusty pot. It is actually quite normal behavior. I wrote to Nitsch; the Piety uses Bipolar transistors instead of JFETS; due to the circuit design it can have a little pot noise when turning.
It's a fun a little amp, I prefer the smoothness in its low gain setting to its more forward presentation in high gain. Very impressed with it for the price the more I listen with it.
I own it and like how it sounds. The low and high gain settings suit different music, moods, or headphones. In low gain, volume is linear up to 12 o’clock, increases slightly until 3 o’clock, then levels out again. In high gain, volume is linear throughout. The amp enhances bass and smooths upper treble for headphones lacking low end or sounding too bright, though this can also be addressed digitally or with a Schiit Loki for great results. If you prefer warm or dark headphones, the Schiit Modi Multibit might feel excessive; the ESS DAC variant or an external DAC like the Mojo2 could pair better. I have high-end Audeze and Hifiman headphones and don’t see a need for a “better” amplifier than the Piety or its bigger brother from Nitsch. I hope this comment is useful.
This will be my next amp and the only one i'll ever need. Absolutely love the idea of a solid state having tube-like characteristics. For me, it doesn't get any better than this.
Thanks for this! I was about to buy the Vali 2++, but it doesn’t sound what I’m looking for, I like more relaxed, musical listening. Would you say the Piety is more similar to the Vali 2 than the Vali 2++ in terms of “tubiness”?
The price difference is the problem. MMB is probably a better pairing, for soundstage, but i hear the modi delivers more detail treble. Piety would probably tame the treble better than Magnis.
Fantastic review as always! Would you happen to know If there are differences in components between the runs (1st run vs 2nd/current run)? Or are they completely identical?
I haven't heard of any. If there were any significant changes, then I'd think they'd be mentioned. That being said, it's not unusual for there to be component changes due to supply. It's more often less significant components.
When I ordered the Piety, I decided to also order a Modi Multibit 2. Such a great paring, very distinctive from my older Vali 2/Modi Multibit stack, which is also fantastic and one of my favorite for picky headphones.
Just had a piety for close to a month now after hearing about the restock. I have to say, it is indeed quite a coloured amp with quite a punch. While it is certainly way too powerful for IEM, I just lower the preamp of my amp whenever I feel the need to do so, just put them after a preamp. I really find it best with my planars, from the Hifiman Edition XS to Verum 1 Mk2. It even sounds more tube-like than my Xduoo MT-602.
Likewise I find pairing my Drop-Dan Clarke Aeon Closed with my Piety is very satisfying. The Piety seems to exert a control over the bass that even my class A Asgard 2 amp would leave softer. However easily driven phones like the Shure 1570 aren’t particularly well served by the Piety, IMHO.
One of the most concise, well-edited reviews I've seen. Thanks. Site says "some" available. I also really enjoy your chats with Brian and the gang!
I got a piety in the first batch and it was the best impulse buy I ever did. Piety + Senn 560s is my favorite pairing with it. Awesome for just sitting and enjoying tunes. Only issue I have with mine is a scratchy pot, but I don’t adjust volume much so it’s not a huge deal.
You can probably fix that by rotating it a few dozen times with no music playing.
The scratchy pot is a design issue. It is not caused by a faulty or dusty pot. It is actually quite normal behavior. I wrote to Nitsch; the Piety uses Bipolar transistors instead of JFETS; due to the circuit design it can have a little pot noise when turning.
It's a fun a little amp, I prefer the smoothness in its low gain setting to its more forward presentation in high gain. Very impressed with it for the price the more I listen with it.
I own it and like how it sounds. The low and high gain settings suit different music, moods, or headphones. In low gain, volume is linear up to 12 o’clock, increases slightly until 3 o’clock, then levels out again. In high gain, volume is linear throughout. The amp enhances bass and smooths upper treble for headphones lacking low end or sounding too bright, though this can also be addressed digitally or with a Schiit Loki for great results. If you prefer warm or dark headphones, the Schiit Modi Multibit might feel excessive; the ESS DAC variant or an external DAC like the Mojo2 could pair better. I have high-end Audeze and Hifiman headphones and don’t see a need for a “better” amplifier than the Piety or its bigger brother from Nitsch. I hope this comment is useful.
This will be my next amp and the only one i'll ever need. Absolutely love the idea of a solid state having tube-like characteristics. For me, it doesn't get any better than this.
I didn't know these were in production again. 👀 And well, now I have one on the way.
Same 😂
C, I always watch your videos, even out of my price range ones. [Or even "if" you ranted about EQing !]. Best, D.
I am listening to my Piety from the first run; it really is an interesting piece of kit.
Piety is a very good daily amp with fun sound. It's not better than Vali2++, but you don't want to run tubes everyday.
Thanks for this! I was about to buy the Vali 2++, but it doesn’t sound what I’m looking for, I like more relaxed, musical listening. Would you say the Piety is more similar to the Vali 2 than the Vali 2++ in terms of “tubiness”?
Pietus Maximus review incoming?
That's the plan.
Piety there isn’t a low gain function to accommodate listening on IEMS also, would make it a much easier purchase.
I run headphones and IEM's thru the Piety; great for hungry IEM's but sensitive IEM's are a disaster.
There is low gain settings, just that it's still too powerful for IEMs.
Do you think it is worth it to match the Piety with the Modi Muti-bit or just go with the Modi+?
The price difference is the problem. MMB is probably a better pairing, for soundstage, but i hear the modi delivers more detail treble. Piety would probably tame the treble better than Magnis.
Fantastic review as always! Would you happen to know If there are differences in components between the runs (1st run vs 2nd/current run)? Or are they completely identical?
I haven't heard of any. If there were any significant changes, then I'd think they'd be mentioned. That being said, it's not unusual for there to be component changes due to supply. It's more often less significant components.
@@Currawongthank you! This is really helpful to know!
Which version of the Heretic do you prefer, the Abomination or the Pariah? 🙂
When I ordered the Piety, I decided to also order a Modi Multibit 2. Such a great paring, very distinctive from my older Vali 2/Modi Multibit stack, which is also fantastic and one of my favorite for picky headphones.
Just had a piety for close to a month now after hearing about the restock. I have to say, it is indeed quite a coloured amp with quite a punch. While it is certainly way too powerful for IEM, I just lower the preamp of my amp whenever I feel the need to do so, just put them after a preamp. I really find it best with my planars, from the Hifiman Edition XS to Verum 1 Mk2. It even sounds more tube-like than my Xduoo MT-602.
Likewise I find pairing my Drop-Dan Clarke Aeon Closed with my Piety is very satisfying. The Piety seems to exert a control over the bass that even my class A Asgard 2 amp would leave softer. However easily driven phones like the Shure 1570 aren’t particularly well served by the Piety, IMHO.
So, this may still require attenuation when running IEMs. Interesting.
I really enjoy my piety
Interesting, but I think I'll be quite happy with my Vali 2++ until i can afford a Jotunheim 2.
It’s $164 so