NITSCH Sound Pietus Maximus Optimus Prime Review - The Touch

Any one here has had the chance to compare the Jotunheim 2 with MultiBit card to the Pietus Maximus with MultiBit card — or perhaps someone more experienced might be able to guide me in terms of what I might expect? Thanks

 

I didn't have a multibit card, but taking that out of the equation, I came from a Jot2 to Pietus Max (using a BF2/64). From my standpoint, the punch and slam that the Jot2 has, well it takes a big backseat, and mids and treble are in full display with the Pietus Max. Pietus Max is probably THE most resolving amp at this price point and will carve out details and serve it to you on a silver platter. P.Max is simply the much more refined and resolving amp - provides a presentation unlike probably anything you've ever heard in this price range. Jot 2 is more balanced, it's got clarity and details for sure, but the punch and slam is about at the same level and its definitely more dynamic and energetic sounding (in contract to its Asgard siblings, for example). This is just my take on it though, so take that for what you will.

 

Seconding Slade01's descriptions. My experience is using the ESS card and moving from Jot 2 to the Pietus. To oversimplify way too much, it is Macro vs Micro. Not that either is bad at the other at all, but that is how I would put the difference. You want both? Mjolnir 3 I am currently reorganizing my house after some renovation so it might be a bit, but I am going to do my first comparison write up of the 3 with the SW51 added in.

I will also add that the ESS card sounds so good with the Pietus that I am probably going to order the Modius E to test with the Mjolnir 3.

Oh, and the Pietus with the ESS card is in an entirely different league from the Piety with an MMB1(2156).

 

This is helpful

I look forward to your impressions if you do

 

I wish you hadn't said that... my BR rig is piety with modded MMB1 and I've been trying to tame the desire for a pietus upgrade. Can you elaborate on the improvement?

 

Thanks a lot, this is very useful.

It seems that, should I want to retain a smooth, not too revealing, sound, I'd be best served sticking to my Jot2 (with MultiBit DAC) — glad I asked.

 

I hope you are not misunderstanding the Pietus. The Pietus is a revealing, but smooth amp - and I believe especially with the ESS and Multibit cards, they give this amp a great balance of these two aspects. The resolution does not lend to any etch or glare especially with the ESS or Multibit cards. On the whole, its just a purely organic and effortless presentation. I hate using such terms, but it's really the only way I can describe the experience.

As I was like you, triangulating where the Pietus falls in respect to the Jot 2 (per my post #48) and Marv's response.

Aside from knowing this, actually hearing how the amp really sounds does not do these descriptions any real justice.

If the macrodynamics is a big priority for you, then stick with the Jot 2. If you want an amp that can deliver next level resolving capabilities and that is your thing, go with the Pietus.

As @fraggler said, if you really want both probably go with the Mjolnir 3.

 

There is a noticeable resolution difference, which I wasn't necessarily looking for in my desktop rig, but now that I have heard it, it would be hard to let it go. Also, for me, something about the Piety/MMB1 combo sounded a little harsh and tiny bit thin in the upper mid, lower treble range. The Pietus is smoother and easier to listen to. These factors together made a really big difference in enjoyment for me. I am also willing to pay extra for convenience, and I love that this provides a nice single box solution for my desk, even though I have had small Schiit stacks in my life for over half a decade.

 

I'm not as demanding on resolution because as a bedside rig, I'm afraid more detail could keep me up longer...

But smoother is definitely on the wish list for me... definitely want to improve the high mid/treble of the piety with my Ollo S4R

I would love the single box, but I just realized that the dac card is USB only and this will get fed from a Pi2AES. So I'll still need a separate dac... or feed from Rpi USB (not ideal)

 

I put a ess card in pietus more out of curiosity as I usually feed my dacs with PI2AES as well. However using UAPP and feeding the ess DAC with my s20 5g (lossless files loaded on micro SD card) it's been absolutely flawless. It's almost like Pietus is more DAC agnostic than a lot of other amps. I don't use it as a bedside rig but if I didn't have hip dac 3 and S12pro IEMs I certainly would.

 

So, with this in mind and adding "relaxed", which of the two is the most organic, effortless and relaxed (and with which headphones to get an even better idea) to you?

 

It probably depends on what type of sound reproduction relaxes you. For me, strong macrodynamics are the opposite of relaxed, so based on what others have said in this thread I would go for the Pietus Maximus. It might help you to check out this thread about various terms commonly used on SBAF to describe sound. Then you can more easily determine what you think will work with your preferences based on how other people describe things.

 

That… is… a very good point.

Yeah… I guess I'll have to and will do so.

In the meantime, for what it's worth, what I had in mind by "organic" is natural in opposition to artificial sounding. "Effortless" is a sound which isn't forced/exaggerated, it is fluid and has a distinct relationship with the notion of a relaxed sound. "Relaxed" is in opposition to an overly dynamic/punchy, in your face, sound.

As an example, the Focal Elex are, to me, slightly artificial sounding, have an exaggerated sound which is overly dynamic/punchy.

In comparison, the Grado SR325x are, to me, more organic, effortless and relaxed.

 

Based on your standard of "Relaxed" as in contrast and in opposition to overly dynamic/punchy, then I would say Pietus Maximus. I've stated pretty clearly that this area takes a step back and trades off for more refinement and resolution.

Headphones I tested them on were the HD650 and the Sash Tres SE.

And personally, even as I would call the the Pietus more relaxed by this definition, does not infer that I mean this to be a more passive amp, in the sense where you can play it in the background. I feel the Pietus to be just as engaging and really captures your attention, its just doing so from a different approach.

 

Clear and useful, thanks!

 

I wanted to check in and see how everything got resolved. I had the low level hum too when touching my knob (insert Beavis and Butthead chuckling here). Christian helped me resolve this quickly and easily with a little copper strap.

 

All good, and for the public record: Christian is an exceptional human being who helped despite some other problems along the way that were totally my fault. Great guy, great company, great products. What more can you ask for?

 

the best kind of research is when you do it after the fact to validate your purchase and not feel bad.

 

Lol. I lost money buying a b stock modi e and then selling it for dirt cheap. But you do you.

 

I can give my 2c on the Multibit DAC. The dac sounds "digital", diffused, grainy, lacking macro and micro dynamics, lacking resolution, soundstage shape, placement and depth, lacking weight. So I guess I am in the same ballpark as Purr1n. Compared to my other dacs, this one sounded like AM radio and a hard pass for me. I ran the internal dac from MBP M2 USBC output.

I need more time to assess the amp - which is a good thing. I can however confirm it's not in the same performance bracket as GSX mk2 with upgraded PSU or CFA3 but it's not as far as the price would suggest - actually I realized I don't really know how much this thing is. If I had to guess I would say it's about $800-1k (sure sounds better than $1k to me).