# Flux Lab Acoustics Dual Mono Headphone Amplifier, VOLOT - Mythical Giant or Giant Killer ? News, Speculation, Impressions, reviews and discussion



## teknorob23 (Jan 22, 2021)

If like me you've been impressed with Flux Lab Acoustics FA range, then i suspect you might be being equally tantalised by the hopefully imminent launch of their new TOTL headphone Amplifier, the VOLOT.

So far the VOLOT living up to it's name sakes Mythical billing, but if rumours are to be believed, it is now a reality and in the hands of some lucky reviewers, so hopefully we'll hear more soon, but i thought in the meantime we could perhaps do with a place speculate while we wait patiently for it's arrival.

Hopefully this will quickly turn into impressions and reviews but here what i know so far and look forward to hearing from anyone who can add to this (taken from Flux's own social):

_At first thank 👍 you for feedbacks for our last post about the new amplifier, but we guess It's time to disclose the cards🃏. Meet, a new ultimate headphones amplifier FLUX VOLOT. Let's deal about the main features which it provides 👀 * dual mono design, with separated toroidal transformer for each chanel * output stage is based using Toshiba bipolar transistors with a supply voltage of 80 volts * output power is 16 Watt on 32 Ohm load, that fact is provides absolute control and dynamics even for most hard to drive headphones on market like HIFIMAN SUSVARA or ABYSS 1266 * 4 GAIN modes provides excellent flexibility and matching not only for low sensitive or high impedance headphones but also could be used with high sensitivity IEMs * Premium Swiss reley from TE Connectivity with PdRu+Au contact material in addition to TAKMAN REY series resistors are used at volume control part.




_


To be continued....


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

continuing...


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## Terriero

Is the Volot the same amplifier that Flux uses inside the Atlas? I thought I read that somewhere.


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## sahmen

Terriero said:


> Is the Volot the same amplifier that Flux uses inside the Atlas? I thought I read that somewhere.




I don't think so. According to the _*Headfonia review*_, "The Atlas puts out 2600mW RMS per channel at 32Ohm, 1700mW RMS per channel at 50Ohm and 360mW RMS per channel at 300Ohm." The opening post above specifies "_output power" of the VOLOT at "16 Watt on 32 Ohm load", _so I'd say the Volot  differs quite a bit from the amp in the ATLAS.


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## rmsanger (Jan 24, 2021)

Excited for the Volot... I've been saving for quite some time now and am down to likely either a Volot or a Formula S + Powerman for my next amp.

I was considering the Wells amp, Mini GSX, Audio-gd master 9 / he9, and Moon 430 but I just don't think those will be able to keep up with the other options.  Niimbus US4+ would be an ultimate dream but it's pricing is way way too high.


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## Terriero

Any news about? I hope the price don't go too far from 2000 $...


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## svmusa

I recently enquired and had no firm answer, may be others have some more insight and ended up putting in an order for FA-10.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Terriero said:


> Any news about? I hope the price don't go too far from 2000 $...



I am afraid its more than that... In a post in FB, they were saying at $4K...


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## Fegefeuer

really dig the layout


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## rmsanger (Feb 11, 2021)

Last September I had an email exchange with Vitaly

“About VOLOT project, it on the final lap of engineering, and might be presented in one month or so. That is another level of technical implementation of high power headphones amplifier, which consists of many strong points what were discussed at head-fi thread talking about FA-10. VOLOT expected price is about 2.5-2.6k USD, not deal about that yet”

however I don’t know if that target price before they decided to include it as a preamp functionality.

We as a consumer may be seeing a bit of this:


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## driftingbunnies

Price is around 2.5k-2.6k per my conversation with them on FB in September.


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## svmusa

rmsanger said:


> Last September I had an email exchange with Vitaly
> 
> “About VOLOT project, it on the final lap of engineering, and might be presented in one month or so. That is another level of technical implementation of high power headphones amplifier, which consists of many strong points what were discussed at head-fi thread talking about FA-10. VOLOT expected price is about 2.5-2.6k USD, not deal about that yet”
> 
> ...


4k pushes it way out of range for me and sure for lot others...quite a bit to gulp!


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## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> Last September I had an email exchange with Vitaly
> 
> “About VOLOT project, it on the final lap of engineering, and might be presented in one month or so. That is another level of technical implementation of high power headphones amplifier, which consists of many strong points what were discussed at head-fi thread talking about FA-10. VOLOT expected price is about 2.5-2.6k USD, not deal about that yet”
> 
> ...


If it will be 4K, I prefer to buy Atlas to have more options and also a DAC included (the only thing I don't like about Atlas, aside from it's price, is the tactile screen that I don't know if will be durable).

I hope it will be 2 K or 2,5 at most... Thank you for the answers.


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## rmsanger

Terriero said:


> If it will be 4K, I prefer to buy Atlas to have more options and also a DAC included (the only thing I don't like about Atlas, aside from it's price, is the tactile screen that I don't know if will be durable).
> 
> I hope it will be 2 K or 2,5 at most... Thank you for the answers.



I hear ya... If the price is $4k I'm immediately going with a Xi Audio Formula S + Powerman combo (used).   I'd also be very careful on the Atlas and their prior gen stuff as it may not have the same technical capabilities and sound signature that the FA-10 / FA-12 have been getting.


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## sahmen

Guys, please chill : i asked Vitaly on FB about a possible price increase of the Volot yesterday,  and this is the exact response I have received from him just this morning, warts and all:

"Thank you for asking, mess with pricing was caused when the unit were announced, but for now because of production optimisation so for now the expected price point is 2550 USD"

My translation : There's really no substantial price increase envisaged for the Volot because of production optimization.


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## Terriero (Feb 12, 2021)

sahmen said:


> Guys, please chill : i asked Vitaly on FB about a possible price increase of the Volot yesterday,  and this is the exact response I have received from him just this morning, warts and all:
> 
> "Thank you for asking, mess with pricing was caused when the unit were announced, but for now because of production optimisation so for now the expected price point is 2550 USD"
> 
> My translation : There's really no substantial price increase envisaged for the Volot because of production optimization.


Time to ask COVID to let me save for the Volot... (or better, ask to the people where I live that don't follow the recommendations and do whatever they want...)


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## PhazeCrive

Really been waiting to try my first set of actual headphones. Going right for the 1266 TC. I was gonna just get the FCN-10 dac/amp as an all in one for the TC but now after hearing the Volot may be under 3k with a potential preorder discount...man. I might have to go with this.


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## PhazeCrive

More volot news as of a few days ago:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=901584007049281&id=175723716301984

The gaint killer is under mass production.


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## Terriero

PhazeCrive said:


> More volot news as of a few days ago:
> https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=901584007049281&id=175723716301984
> 
> The gaint killer is under mass production.


Thank you very much for the news    For the people worried about size... It seems that will be same as "Atlas", enormous...


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## A Jedi

So....a headamp that costs several thousand dollars is a giant killer? It’s a giant. Does it commit suicide?


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## PhazeCrive

A Jedi said:


> So....a headamp that costs several thousand dollars is a giant killer? It’s a giant. Does it commit suicide?


Lmao quite literally a giant too. But I say this because the FA-10 got you hifi sound at mid-fi price. But the Volot is going to be a TOTL model, so it could be a titan killer instead.


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## rmsanger

PhazeCrive said:


> More volot news as of a few days ago:
> https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=901584007049281&id=175723716301984
> 
> The gaint killer is under mass production.



best news Ive heard all day... I have the funds ready to go once they are ready to ship!  That thing looks like an absolute beast and the bigger the better.


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## sahmen

"Giant" is just about right, but only in size and performance, I hope.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Is that a speaker amp??


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## rmsanger

sahmen said:


> "Giant" is just about right, but only in size and performance, I hope.



Funny I always see posters complaining and wanting something small and a form factor where I see this and think damn that could power a submarine.   I can only imagine what this thing will sound like with the 1266 Phi TC and HE6 SEv2!  Here's to hoping that is has a great synergy with R2R dacs!  I also wonder if it will be available later on in the various colors the FA-10 has.   The Champagne/Gold color was quite nice.


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## PhazeCrive

This + May KTE + Phi TC? Ultimate soundstage and bass.


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## Khronos

I believe someone mentioned on Reddit this would have about 40 watts at the output, enough to drive Susvara to full potential but don't quote me, instead, ask FLA. The fact the looks somewhat match with the upcoming PowerDAC R from the Dutch ECDesigns might be fate. https://www.ecdesigns.nl/en/blog/rd-powerdac

Looks that also match both the AB1266 and the Snorry NM-1.

https://abyss-headphones.com/products/abyss-ab-1266-phi-headphone

https://headmusic.ru/snorry/naushniki-snorry-nm-1/

Hmmmm....


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## rmsanger

We've had a Viva Egoista 845 + Wells Headtrip 2 + Wells Milo Reference all been posted on headfi classifieds in the past 5 days... It has been so hard avoiding the urge to send a offer to the postings.   But holding strong and keeping faith the Volot is coming soon and will be everything we hope for it to be.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

I feel for you bro. At the end I succomed to temptation. Couldn't pass a good deal and bought myself a Pathos Inpol Ear.
So Volot has "volato" (flew away).


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## jonathan c

rmsanger said:


> We've had a Viva Egoista 845 + Wells Headtrip 2 + Wells Milo Reference all been posted on headfi classifieds in the past 5 days... It has been so hard avoiding the urge to send a offer to the postings.   But holding strong and keeping faith the Volot is coming soon and will be everything we hope for it to be.


Estragon, Lucky, Pozzo, and Vladimir would appreciate this “Waiting for Volot”...


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## rmsanger (Mar 5, 2021)

Flux you guys are killing me with this delay!  The volot better be a giant killer and better be near the price point discussed... I missed out on 3 great TOTL amps over the past 10 days and it killed me to watch them go on the HF classifieds.   I hope I don't regret this wait...

The Egoista for $5k and the Wells Headtrip 2 for $3.5k were hellueva good deals and amazing amps.  There is currently a Formula S + Powerman combo listed for an attractive price as well.   I just prefer a fully balanced amp with balanced inputs where the Egoista and Formula S are SE only and the Headtrip has a balanced input but is SE topology.


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## Fafner

According to a recent fb post they "hope to present it in a few weeks".


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## sahmen

Black box on the left :


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## Slim1970

sahmen said:


> Black box on the left :


That‘s one large amp!


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## sahmen

Yeah, and it has the photo of the Susvara again.  I wonder whether the Susvara is what they're using to tune the amp--officially speaking, if that makes any sense at all.


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## rmsanger

sahmen said:


> Yeah, and it has the photo of the Susvara again.  I wonder whether the Susvara is what they're using to tune the amp--officially speaking, if that makes any sense at all.



I hope they are using 1266 Phi TC + Susvara + HE6SE ... That would make sense as the target group for "hard to drive" TOTL target segment.  I also wonder about noise floor of the Volot based upon gain settings if you will be able to have a successful pairing with a more sensitive setup.


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## teknorob23

rmsanger said:


> I hope they are using 1266 Phi TC + Susvara + HE6SE ... That would make sense as the target group for "hard to drive" TOTL target segment.  I also wonder about noise floor of the Volot based upon gain settings if you will be able to have a successful pairing with a more sensitive setup.



I did ask Vitaly about this a while back as i'm using Focal Stellias he was confident they'd good match.


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## sahmen

I can't help noticing that the Volot seems to be bigger than the Atlas that it is standing next to (i.e. assuming that is indeed the Atlas)... The flagship Class amp/pre amp unit seems therefore to be larger than the flagship AIO (Class-A Head-Amplifier / DAC / Pre-Amp / Streamer).  Without meaning to sound too naive, might I ask what the engineering reasons might be for such an outcome in design choices that seem to contradict what one might normally be inclined to expect?
​.


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## A Jedi

sahmen said:


> I can't help noticing that the Volot seems to be bigger than the Atlas that it is standing next to (i.e. assuming that is indeed the Atlas)... The flagship Class amp/pre amp unit seems therefore to be larger than the flagship AIO (Class-A Head-Amplifier / DAC / Pre-Amp / Streamer).  Without meaning to sound too naive, might I ask what the engineering reasons might be for such an outcome in design choices that seem to contradict what one might normally be inclined to expect?
> ​.


More power = bigger power supply, more heatsinking, more output devices = more space needed. At the power it puts out it’s basically a small speaker amp.


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## sahmen (Mar 9, 2021)

A Jedi said:


> More power = bigger power supply, more heatsinking, more output devices = more space needed. At the power it puts out it’s basically a small speaker amp.


That sounds about right... the emphasis seems to be on the "more,  more" part...  It makes you wonder whether that is why it is taking forever to hit the market...  Sometimes it almost sounds as if the Volot is a new Sputnik in the works, with the delays and all


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## rmsanger (Mar 9, 2021)

I was very close to making an offer on the Wells Headtrip 2  in the classifieds.  These flagship headphone amps look to be built like a tanks and the heatsinks required to cool an amp pushing 15-20 watts @ 50 ohms is quite extensive.  I'm no audio engineer but the layout of the Volot seems to be more impressive than the Headtrip and that it's a fully balanced class a topology for the price point where the HT2 is SE is even more impressive.


sahmen said:


> I can't help noticing that the Volot seems to be bigger than the Atlas that it is standing next to (i.e. assuming that is indeed the Atlas)... The flagship Class amp/pre amp unit seems therefore to be larger than the flagship AIO (Class-A Head-Amplifier / DAC / Pre-Amp / Streamer).  Without meaning to sound too naive, might I ask what the engineering reasons might be for such an outcome in design choices that seem to contradict what one might normally be inclined to expect?
> ​.


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## Slim1970

sahmen said:


> Yeah, and it has the photo of the Susvara again.  I wonder whether the Susvara is what they're using to tune the amp--officially speaking, if that makes any sense at all.


That’s not a bad place to start. It could be why the FA-10 works so well with the Susvara’s.


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## Terriero (Mar 11, 2021)

sahmen said:


> I can't help noticing that the Volot seems to be bigger than the Atlas that it is standing next to (i.e. assuming that is indeed the Atlas)... The flagship Class amp/pre amp unit seems therefore to be larger than the flagship AIO (Class-A Head-Amplifier / DAC / Pre-Amp / Streamer).  Without meaning to sound too naive, might I ask what the engineering reasons might be for such an outcome in design choices that seem to contradict what one might normally be inclined to expect?
> ​.


I look clearly that they use the same Atlas carcass for the Volot. From the pics, is exactly the same layout and size (without the screen and the left pot, and moving the headphone jacks to the right near the volume pot, where is the "DSD" label in Atlas, and putting the "gain" and "source" indicators in the left). Also the ventilation grids on the top change it's location due to the different internal layout of the Volot.

It's so obvius in the image where the Volot is stack on Atlas.

Edit: now, seeing the pics again, I miss the IR receiver in the Volot (I think is the red light near the screen in the Atlas). I thought that Volot will come with a remote


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## Khronos

sahmen said:


> Black box on the left :



That's gorgeous. 

The actual amplifying element seems to be small, the capacitors alone being larger. Guess that implies this beast will be a monster at wrangling out dynamics off headphones. And class A! This would probably be damn amazing at driving speakers if only it had speaker taps.


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## A Jedi (Mar 12, 2021)

Khronos said:


> The actual amplifying element seems to be small



Transistors are small. It's the amount of heat they generate that takes up the space - see how big the heatsinks are. The separate torroids obviously add to the space requirements. This is basically a low power class A speaker amp.


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## manishex

Is this going to be like the fa-12, fully balanced where the 4 pin xlr can only be used if there's balanced input?


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## Terriero

When will be Volot released?   

http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/709071/26276864/1433174762453/total+recall+two+weeks.gif?token=64Z2XFeZieN7UWhupXTZvsOYk/Q=


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## sahmen

Terriero said:


> When will be Volot released?
> 
> http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/709071/26276864/1433174762453/total+recall+two+weeks.gif?token=64Z2XFeZieN7UWhupXTZvsOYk/Q=


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## rmsanger

Vitaly should troll us with a Volot April fools release joke.  Just for poops and giggles


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## paradoxper

Ah. This amp is actually interesting.


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## Terriero

sahmen said:


>


I said that because when Flux lab post in Facebook any info about Volot, they say that will be available in a few weeks... Then, I remembered the funny bucle of "Total Recall"


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## sahmen (Mar 25, 2021)

Terriero said:


> I said that because when Flux lab post in Facebook any info about Volot, they say that will be available in a few weeks... Then, I remembered the funny bucle of "Total Recall"


You really didn't have to explain that... I got the humor in your post and thought I'll have some fun running with it...  

It seemed like one good way to make a little less unbearable this interminable wait for the godot... errr the volot :


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## GU1DO

rmsanger said:


> I was very close to making an offer on the Wells Headtrip 2  in the classifieds.  These flagship headphone amps look to be built like a tanks and the heatsinks required to cool an amp pushing 15-20 watts @ 50 ohms is quite extensive.  I'm no audio engineer but the layout of the Volot seems to be more impressive than the Headtrip and that it's a fully balanced class a topology for the price point where the HT2 is SE is even more impressive.


Man i cant wait for this amp


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## minionas

It seams, it will never come


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## rmsanger

This Volot delay has me feeling like the Ghostbusters 3 sequel we were always promised but never delivered until the woke SJW cesspool film was released mocking the original(s).  I'm leaning toward mythical unicorn at this point....


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## Rebel Chris

Haha, really? I'm more concerned when it's ready I have to wait for a couple of months for it to arrive at my doorstep. In the mean time reading here all kind of lovely things about it.

But will the Volot be overkill for my grado's?


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## GU1DO

rmsanger said:


> I was very close to making an offer on the Wells Headtrip 2  in the classifieds.  These flagship headphone amps look to be built like a tanks and the heatsinks required to cool an amp pushing 15-20 watts @ 50 ohms is quite extensive.  I'm no audio engineer but the layout of the Volot seems to be more impressive than the Headtrip and that it's a fully balanced class a topology for the price point where the HT2 is SE is even more impressive.


isn't  the transformers very close to each other ?


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## rmsanger




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## Terriero

_Dear people from Flux lab, now that your Kennerton friends have finally released the Rögnir is your turn to launch Volot to proper amp them!!!_


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## rmsanger

Terriero said:


> _Dear people from Flux lab, now that your Kennerton friends have finally released the Rögnir is your turn to launch Volot to proper amp them!!!_


Link?


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## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> Link?


https://kennerton.org/shop/rognir-bog-oak/


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## sahmen

Speaking of giant killers







am I the only one getting anxious about the possibility that this particular giant (whether he is the mythical one, or the one to be killed) is spending entirely too much time on Vaporware road?, 







A long winding, dizzyingly tortuous  road, one which can run on and on and on for hundreds and hundreds of miles

With no end in sight?






C'mon Flux Lab! Free the Volot, and let it land. Let a thousand Volots rain down on us!  I'm sure there are enough fans  out there who can take them.    

.


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## Spektrograf

I'm as excited as anyone else about the Volot, but I can also put myself in the shoes of any small business building a highly niche electronics product in the current environment.

Demand uncertainty on a super-premium product with low target market size
Supply chain issues with unpredictable lead times on parts
Order quantities at a size where most major parts suppliers don't even want to work with you
I can actually understand why there might be many different reasons for the delay, and definitely don't hold it against the Flux team.

On the upside, there's plenty of amps to catch and release on the used market to keep growing our own first-hand knowledge of product variety while we wait. 🍻


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## rmsanger

I'll be honest the next TOTL SS amp or if a great tube amp deal comes through in the classifieds I won't baulk again.   I've done it 4 times now to a Moon 430, Xi Formula S + Powerman, and twice to Wells on a headtrip 2 and Milo Reference.  Hell I even had a viva egoista 845 in my sights and I passed on all of them for the potential that the Volot may offer.


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## Spektrograf

rmsanger said:


> I'll be honest the next TOTL SS amp or if a great tube amp deal comes through in the classifieds I won't baulk again.   I've done it 4 times now to a Moon 430, Xi Formula S + Powerman, and twice to Wells on a headtrip 2 and Milo Reference.  Hell I even had a viva egoista 845 in my sights and I passed on all of them for the potential that the Volot may offer.


Do it! There's a lot of fun to be had with just trying, and on the used market, it can be had with pretty little net cost. Good luck with landing that next catch!


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## Terriero

Spektrograf said:


> I'm as excited as anyone else about the Volot, but I can also put myself in the shoes of any small business building a highly niche electronics product in the current environment.
> 
> Demand uncertainty on a super-premium product with low target market size
> Supply chain issues with unpredictable lead times on parts
> ...


During these last days, I was thinking exactly the same... But they should comment something about, for example something similar like what you've posted.


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## minionas

I think they must be honest and state real situation, not tell N times "in a few weeks". We will understand.
But now it kinda feels....


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## Fafner

minionas said:


> I think they must be honest and state real situation, not tell N times "in a few weeks". We will understand.
> But now it kinda feels....



I fully agree with this. When was the first time they stated it was supposed to get released "very soon"? It may well be 2 years now.


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## rmsanger

Should I spend the volot money I've been saving on this?

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/wts-cayin-ha-6a-tube-amp-lowered.241/

seems like a decent deal on a great looking tube amp... The thread is full of noise floor issues but I'll primarily use it with planars so should be fine.


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## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> Should I spend the volot money I've been saving on this?
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/wts-cayin-ha-6a-tube-amp-lowered.241/
> 
> seems like a decent deal on a great looking tube amp... The thread is full of noise floor issues but I'll primarily use it with planars so should be fine.


I'm saving for Volot, but I'm considering other options,as well. If Volot won't be released this year, my options, around same hypotetic Volot price are (I need DAC an AMP):

Option 1: FA Volot + a cheap DAC (400-500 €).

Option 2: Violectric DHA V590 (with it's integrated DAC): if the AK chips issues are solved soon...

Option 3: SPL Phonitor 2 + Denafrips Pontus 2.

I have time to wait, because I've just started saving.

I have seen a little info about Cayin he 6a, but seems to be a very good option. And about those noise floor issues, I think all amps have their issues (little annoying sounds when changing volume are reported for the Violectric and you have to stop Phonitor -mute it- when changing headphones to don't break them)...


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## Relaxasaurus

rmsanger said:


> Should I spend the volot money I've been saving on this?
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/wts-cayin-ha-6a-tube-amp-lowered.241/
> 
> seems like a decent deal on a great looking tube amp... The thread is full of noise floor issues but I'll primarily use it with planars so should be fine.







Currently reviewing some Flux amps now and although I love both brands, I think you'll be really happy with the HA-6A. I was the one who originally reported the (minor) noise floor issues with dynamics but I still have the amp, if that's any indication of how much I love its sound.


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## rmsanger

Terriero said:


> I'm saving for Volot, but I'm considering other options,as well. If Volot won't be released this year, my options, around same hypotetic Volot price are (I need DAC an AMP):
> 
> Option 1: FA Volot + a cheap DAC (400-500 €).
> 
> ...



Thanks I forgot about the new Violectric lineup that is another alternatives to the Volot that I should be looking at... I would be interested in the V550 / pro model though!  IMO I'm always concerned with amps that have built in dacs as typically this is the "weak" point and you can always do be per $ with external.


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## Rebel Chris

Schiit Folkfangr or McIntosh mha200 (tubes) or the Flux FA 12 with a badass DAC.


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## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> Should I spend the volot money I've been saving on this?
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/wts-cayin-ha-6a-tube-amp-lowered.241/
> 
> seems like a decent deal on a great looking tube amp... The thread is full of noise floor issues but I'll primarily use it with planars so should be fine.


Maybe next month Volot will be released. Flux lab answered that to a guy in the new facebook FA22 announcement... I hope so...


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

here it is...


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## DuncanDirkDick

I had the same conversation in January .. so take it with a grain of salt. I don't think you will go wrong with the cayin, they build solid amps


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## cfranchi

Terriero said:


> I'm saving for Volot, but I'm considering other options,as well. If Volot won't be released this year, my options, around same hypotetic Volot price are (I need DAC an AMP):
> 
> Option 1: FA Volot + a cheap DAC (400-500 €).
> 
> ...



Violectric seems a very good combo, I would consider it closely if I was ready to spend such money, I have Flux FCN-10.


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## Terriero

cfranchi said:


> Violectric seems a very good combo, I would consider it closely if I was ready to spend such money, I have Flux FCN-10.


I'm worried about the Violectric noises when you change the volume with the pot. From what I've read in Violectric DHA V590 thread those problems have been reported with the "Pro" and the "Standart" versions. I have that issue with my current Asus Xonar Essence One and hate it.

But the Phonitor also has this issue: if you unplug your headphones when playing music you could damage them. Have to mute and put volume at minimum to stay away from problems.

With Flux lab products -FA 10 and 12, I would like to know someone that has the Atlas to read impressions about- there have been little issues. I think that I have read a guy with pot issues (that have posted this week about the un-solved issue) and I don't know if was you with the FCN-10 that has a problem with the streamer). I pray for a "free from issues" Volot.


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## cfranchi

Terriero said:


> I'm worried about the Violectric noises when you change the volume with the pot. From what I've read in Violectric DHA V590 thread those problems have been reported with the "Pro" and the "Standart" versions. I have that issue with my current Asus Xonar Essence One and hate it.
> 
> But the Phonitor also has this issue: if you unplug your headphones when playing music you could damage them. Have to mute and put volume at minimum to stay away from problems.
> 
> With Flux lab products -FA 10 and 12, I would like to know someone that has the Atlas to read impressions about- there have been little issues. I think that I have read a guy with pot issues (that have posted this week about the un-solved issue) and I don't know if was you with the FCN-10 that has a problem with the streamer). I pray for a "free from issues" Volot.



Yes its me, my FCN-10 is not able to do airplay even if it is seen as an airplay device by my iphone, except of that fcn10 is superb.

The volume pot sometime make some clicks, it was same with my FA10, I just turn the volume knob a bit and the clicks disappear.


----------



## cfranchi (Apr 24, 2021)

Deleted.


----------



## Fafner

Latest statement is that they're waiting for some last parts and they're hoping for a may release...


----------



## rmsanger (Apr 26, 2021)

Fafner said:


> Latest statement is that they're waiting for some last parts and they're hoping for a may release...



I wonder if this is related to PCB parts supporting the pre amp?   When I was chatting with Vitaly in February that was the holdup in terms of development and product release.


----------



## OHBH

I hope volot will be released in May... 

I am curious about the difference between Volot and fa10


----------



## sahmen

Fafner said:


> Latest statement is that they're waiting for some last parts and they're hoping for a may release...



Yeah, I got this note from Vitally in my FB e-mail :

"Hello .... To complete the Volot, we are awaiting the arrival of some of the parts. The entire amplifier is assembled from rather expensive and rare parts, which are very difficult to find a replacement for. We look forward to completion in May. We hope to complete the amplifier in May."

Since tomorrow is May 1st, it is safe to say that someone or something is knocking on the proverbial door... I hope it is indeed, and, finally, the Volot, and not just another round of our mind (and Flux Lab) playing tricks on us.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

_" The entire amplifier is assembled from rather expensive and rare parts, which are very difficult to find a replacement for."_

For this testament, supply/production hiccups (delay) for the manufacturer. And repair/maintenance problems for the consumer later on.

Just an opinion.


----------



## OHBH (Apr 30, 2021)

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> expensive and rare parts, which are very difficult to find a replacement for... I am also worried


----------



## sahmen (Apr 30, 2021)

*Soooo... does this mean the Volot glass should be considered half-full or half-empty?






Personally, I am not too concerned with the reference to "rather expensive and rare parts," because I am not necessarily assuming the sources for these "rare parts" are any different from those that supplied the electronic ingredients for previous Flux Lab "hits," such as the Atlas, or even the FA-10s, the FA-10 pros, the FA-12s, and the FC-10/FCN-10s which have already become known staples for many enthusiasts on head-fi...

I am not forgetting that in this Covid-19 pandemic era, most components from practically all "boutique" shops are now being assembled from "parts" that would qualify as "rather expensive and rare."  This is valid for most, from makers of boutique cables to relative "Heavy hitters" such as Lake People and Violectric. Ask Fried Reims about orders for the Niimbus that were meant to be shipped in January, that remain delayed till May or even beyond...

Hey, this is also speculation, and I could be wrong, but this uncertainty itself counts among the disorienting and "twilight-zone" effects of pandemic conditions and circumstances... So to come back to my question, 

Should the glass count as half full or half empty?   




*


----------



## rmsanger

Dunno. it's 50/50 on what to expect but the rumors of Volot go back to when last June/July or was it earlier?   I know they have had massive scope creep in the design phase with adding pre-amp functionality and PCBs as well as sourcing them.   I don't care about pre-amp functionality so it adds $0 of benefit for me but I get it's a customer feature that some have desired.  I appreciate that they want to please customers and get the product right one time but all I care about is will it push very difficult to drive planars (1266 Phi TC, HE6 SEv2, Susvara, plus upcoming product releases) to insane levels of performance (I'm talking Wells Headtrip 2 and beyond).   

I want a fully balanced and Class A topology with tons of headroom and no low noise floor.  I want something that is warm, that has great dynamics/bass impact, something with the technical details that are class leading.   If it can that and be reliable for ~ $2500 I am a customer.

I am nervous that the delays and added complexity mean there is more to go wrong or that it's good at many things but not great at any of them (e.g. audiovalve solaris).  This also likely means any customer service/reliability issues will take forever to rectify for US based customers given shipping back to Ukraine and the rarity of the sourced parts.  Something to consider in the evaluation of this product...

I'm at the point if I can get a Cayin HA-300, Wells Audio Headtrip 2, XI Formula S + Powerman, or Viva Egoista 845 that comes up in the used section for a deal I'm going away from Volot.


----------



## Rebel Chris

Viva Egoista 845 for 2.5k is not realistic. Just wait patiently. Eventually it will arrive.


----------



## Slim1970

rmsanger said:


> Dunno. it's 50/50 on what to expect but the rumors of Volot go back to when last June/July or was it earlier?   I know they have had massive scope creep in the design phase with adding pre-amp functionality and PCBs as well as sourcing them.   I don't care about pre-amp functionality so it adds $0 of benefit for me but I get it's a customer feature that some have desired.  I appreciate that they want to please customers and get the product right one time but all I care about is will it push very difficult to drive planars (1266 Phi TC, HE6 SEv2, Susvara, plus upcoming product releases) to insane levels of performance (I'm talking Wells Headtrip 2 and beyond).
> 
> I want a fully balanced and Class A topology with tons of headroom and no low noise floor.  I want something that is warm, that has great dynamics/bass impact, something with the technical details that are class leading.   If it can that and be reliable for ~ $2500 I am a customer.
> 
> ...


As much as I want to hear a Volot or hear people thoughts and comparisons on it the facts are there is a lot of different options to choose from. I ended up with a Luxman P-750u that has exactly the sound you just described. What’s better is I got it for same price as the Volot. Some deals are just to good to pass up. In this game, you see something you like you have to pounce on it. Especially in these uncertain times when parts are scarce.


----------



## jonathan c

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> _" The entire amplifier is assembled from rather expensive and rare parts, which are very difficult to find a replacement for."_
> 
> For this testament, supply/production hiccups (delay) for the manufacturer. And repair/maintenance problems for the consumer later on.
> 
> Just an opinion.


Another consideration for a prospective Volot buyer. Assuming that Flux Lab is aware of the growing impatience within the demand for Volot, as parts come in, how is expeditious manufacture/assembly going to occur while maintaining high quality control?

From a psychological viewpoint, anticipation can be exciting but if too prolonged it becomes a burden, gets discarded, and people move on. In my mind, a real risk for Flux Lab.


----------



## rmsanger

Rebel Chris said:


> Viva Egoista 845 for 2.5k is not realistic. Just wait patiently. Eventually it will arrive.



I had a shot at buying one for $4500.  Not exactly the same price bracket as Volot but it was a helluva deal.  The headtrip 2 I had a shot for $3750 and the HA-300s get listed for $3k.


----------



## sahmen

All I can say is that I hope some Flux Lab rep is reading this forum regularly and assessing the enthusiasm and degree of posters' anticipation as the days roll by.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Apr 30, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> I had a shot at buying one for $4500.  Not exactly the same price bracket as Volot but it was a helluva deal.  The headtrip 2 I had a shot for $3750 and the HA-300s get listed for $3k.



For me, I was not that strong enough to resist. So grabbed a Pathos Inpol Ear that was listed at 3.5K Eur.


----------



## rmsanger (Apr 30, 2021)

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For me, I was not that strong enough to resist. So grabbed a Pathos Inpol Ear that was listed at 3.5K Eur.


You made the right call.


----------



## sahmen (May 2, 2021)

*For the record, I fully comprehend and appreciate the impatience and frustration of former Volot enthusiasts who have now either jumped off the Volot "hype-train" or are seriously considering jumping off it.  I "comprehend and appreciate" them because I have been feeling the same impatience and frustration.  The only difference that has kept me from going over the edge or jumping off lies perhaps in my modded FA-10 which is playing a fantastic role as a hold-over in driving my Susvara.  I have to also mention that the Susvara is the only reason why I am seeking any amp upgrade at all at this moment, as I have been wondering how much more performance the Volot can squeeze out of it, beyond the already fantastic job the FA-10 is doing.

If you have already jumped off the hype train, this may not be of much interest, but this recent review of the Burson Soloist 3X by Sandu Vitalie has added a little more juice to my stamina for playing the Volot waiting game:*



*His accompanying write-up is even more enticing, because after comparing the Soloist, which he loves, with the FA-10 and other contenders in a roughly similar price range of Susvara matching performers, he still winds up recommending the Volot as the better upgrade of them all for driving the Susvara.  Again this is not for those who have already jumped off the hype train.  I am just trying to explain why I am still on it for what it's worth, in spite of my frustration and impatience.

>> Write-up link <<*


----------



## rmsanger

So I was watching an episode of the Abyss YT channel and they mentioned a problem with the Viva Egoista 845 tube amp where they basically left out a very inexpensive component that would have provided protection.   It was blowing up some of the 1266 Phi TCs that they were seeing come back with driver damage.  They said they reached out to Viva to report the issue and pretty much got a shrug response.

There were also a few reports on the Phonitor X where people were getting driver damage when removing the HP from the SE output jack and it being powered on.  They were having to power down the amp to protect the HPs.

I guess my question is with little understanding both Viva and SPL may have taken some shortcuts when it comes to HP amplifier design for safety related issues to protect our cans.  I have no idea if the issue in the Phonitor and Egoista are the same or separate.  But would be curious if the Volot has proper protections on both the balanced and SE outputs so we can remove and input (hot swap) Hps while powered on and music is playing (say low or matched volumes).


----------



## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> So I was watching an episode of the Abyss YT channel and they mentioned a problem with the Viva Egoista 845 tube amp where they basically left out a very inexpensive component that would have provided protection.   It was blowing up some of the 1266 Phi TCs that they were seeing come back with driver damage.  They said they reached out to Viva to report the issue and pretty much got a shrug response.
> 
> There were also a few reports on the Phonitor X where people were getting driver damage when removing the HP from the SE output jack and it being powered on.  They were having to power down the amp to protect the HPs.
> 
> I guess my question is with little understanding both Viva and SPL may have taken some shortcuts when it comes to HP amplifier design for safety related issues to protect our cans.  I have no idea if the issue in the Phonitor and Egoista are the same or separate.  But would be curious if the Volot has proper protections on both the balanced and SE outputs so we can remove and input (hot swap) Hps while powered on and music is playing (say low or matched volumes).


I suppose that you have already seen this in the classifieds. (XI Audio Formula S)


----------



## sahmen

Terriero said:


> I suppose that you have already seen this in the classifieds. (XI Audio Formula S)


Why don't I ever see the version of the Formula S with XLR inputs in the classifieds?


----------



## Slim1970

sahmen said:


> Why don't I ever see the version of the Formula S with XLR inputs in the classifieds?


They are pretty rare, but I have them on mine. My guess would be since the Formula S is a single-ended design the need for XLR inputs is minimized somewhat. The thing to know about amp is although the Formula S is single-ended it’s still has dual mono amps in it.


----------



## dcguy73

sahmen said:


> Why don't I ever see the version of the Formula S with XLR inputs in the classifieds?


THIS -- for the Formula S and every other nice amp that pops up in the classifieds.


----------



## PhazeCrive

dcguy73 said:


> THIS -- for the Formula S and every other nice amp that pops up in the classifieds.


Because the formula S performs better on single ended. I've been reading that a lot on the 1266's thread, and on the Formula's product description page.


----------



## sahmen

PhazeCrive said:


> Because the formula S performs better on single ended. I've been reading that a lot on the 1266's thread, and on the Formula's product description page.


I guess this means that if someone has DACs that output superior signals out of their balanced XLR outputs than they do through their SE outputs, the Formula S without XLR inputs would should be considered a definite no-no.  It is simply too expensive for any idea of feeding it signals that are not optimal to make sense, especially if it is paired with a comparably expensive DAC that produces far superior/optimal signals through its XLR outputs.


----------



## rmsanger

Terriero said:


> I suppose that you have already seen this in the classifieds. (XI Audio Formula S)


Thanks for posting this! Yes I've had my eye on this and the other listing...

Question for those with experience with the Formula S... Does the Powerman + Formula S combo make a significant difference?   Lets say there are two ads on for $2600 and the combo for $3500.   is the Powerman synergy "worth" an extra $1k for any step up in performance?


----------



## rmsanger

sahmen said:


> I guess this means that if someone has DACs that output superior signals out of their balanced XLR outputs than they do through their SE outputs, the Formula S without XLR inputs would should be considered a definite no-no.  It is simply too expensive for any idea of feeding it signals that are not optimal to make sense, especially if it is paired with a comparably expensive DAC that produces far superior/optimal signals through its XLR outputs.



That is exactly the concern with my Holo Spring KTE Dac as it's single end outputs are inferior to xlr.


----------



## rmsanger (May 14, 2021)

.


----------



## Ckro

Do we know if the Volot can be used as preamp?


----------



## rmsanger

Ckro said:


> Do we know if the Volot can be used as preamp?


Vitalie told me previously delays were due to pcbs to make the pre amp.

we won’t know for sure until product release.


----------



## rmsanger

Thoughts on niimbus us4 vs Volot ?
Let’s say you could get this for 3500 my bet with shipping Volot will be pushing 3k.  Volot should have more power impressive specs a pre a remote and fully balanced.  This is the baby niimbus with alps pot.

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/niimbus-us4.4481/#hfc-comment-5253


----------



## Terriero (May 16, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> Thoughts on niimbus us4 vs Volot ?
> Let’s say you could get this for 3500 my bet with shipping Volot will be pushing 3k.  Volot should have more power impressive specs a pre a remote and fully balanced.  This is the baby niimbus with alps pot.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/niimbus-us4.4481/#hfc-comment-5253


I hope to save around 2500/3000 € by the end of the year and then I will decide one of my candidates -in order of preference- (Volot, Violectric V550 and SPL Phonitor 2 or X) and depending of my budget I will go with a 500 € DAC or around 1K, like Denafrips Pontus 2... So, I'm not hurry with the release, but the sooner it releases, the sooner we have some reviews, and I prefer the reviews from the forum and not the specialized ones.

By the way, the procces of saving is killing me... Because now that I have better headphones, I'm starting to hate my Asus Xonar Essence One, aside from it's own bad characteristics: lack of gain selector, annoying sounds when move the pot, cut the beginning of the songs, when I use my Denon AH-D9200s if I move the volume pot one point the sound is too high, but at one point less is too soft (same happened to me with Beyer T 1.3), and also you notice that the headphones don't develope it's full potential, that's more evident with the Senn HD 800. I even thought in buying a cheap stack, like the Topping D90 and A90 offering.

From the PC forums I come, the Asus Xonar Essence One is considered a TOTL offering... You know, they use integrated PC sound cards...


----------



## manishex

Sound news posted a teaser for an upcoming flux labs amp review on YouTube an hour ago. He's has the Volot for some time and said he'll only come around to uploading the review once flux chooses to list the Volot.


----------



## rmsanger

manishex said:


> Sound news posted a teaser for an upcoming flux labs amp review on YouTube an hour ago. He's has the Volot for some time and said he'll only come around to uploading the review once flux chooses to list the Volot.



yeah I've messaged back and forth with Sandu previously and he has to wait for Vitalie to release the product before he can post his review (similar to press blackout on cars).   His teaser was this was replacing the HPA4 as his new "benchmark" amp and just wait for his review.   I'm excited for it but unfortunately the end of May is staring us in the face and still no release.


----------



## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> yeah I've messaged back and forth with Sandu previously and he has to wait for Vitalie to release the product before he can post his review (similar to press blackout on cars).   His teaser was this was replacing the HPA4 as his new "benchmark" amp and just wait for his review.   I'm excited for it but unfortunately the end of May is staring us in the face and still no release.


I can't find the teaser at Sound news  . By the way, Sandu Vitalie is Sound News owner and another "Vitalie" is one engineer from Flux Lab?


----------



## rmsanger

Terriero said:


> I can't find the teaser at Sound news  . By the way, Sandu Vitalie is Sound News owner and another "Vitalie" is one engineer from Flux Lab?


Yes Sandu Vitalie is the reviewer/founder of SoundNews youtube channel and site and Vitaliy Barchan is the owner/operator of Flux Labs accoustics.   Sandu is in Romania I believe and Vataliy is in Ukraine.

I couldn't find the teaser on youtube either.

Also to answer your other question.. I actually bought this exact amp from midfiguy (Relaxasauras) and I think his review does a pretty solid overview of the unit:


----------



## pinkpiglet

rmsanger said:


> Yes Sandu Vitalie is the reviewer/founder of SoundNews youtube channel and site and Vitaliy Barchan is the owner/operator of Flux Labs accoustics.   Sandu is in Romania I believe and Vataliy is in Ukraine.
> 
> I couldn't find the teaser on youtube either.
> 
> Also to answer your other question.. I actually bought this exact amp from midfiguy (Relaxasauras) and I think his review does a pretty solid overview of the unit:



The teaser is on his community post.


----------



## Namtar

I poked at their Facebook post and they say they're still trying to make the VOLOT release before the end of the month. 
Hopefully they 1) make it & 2) Pre-order will be nicely discounted.


----------



## sahmen (May 27, 2021)

Namtar said:


> I poked at their Facebook post and they say they're still trying to make the VOLOT release before the end of the month.
> Hopefully they 1) make it & 2) Pre-order will be nicely discounted.


Given that it is already May 27th, and the "before" part is fast diminishing in scope and relevance, I hope they do not mind these games with countdown clocks    :


----------



## Terriero

@sahmen they said may, but not the year


----------



## manishex

4 more days before we assume May 2022!


----------



## rmsanger

The early adopters better hope there are no warranty issues or it may be years before you get a functioning unit back.


----------



## Namtar (May 28, 2021)

https://fluxlab-acoustics.com/produ...OSnkrIYpIwqbWTq_w5bYjxO-299mr0YSlrPCbb8Ev0yJk

Announced

Sadly no Pre-Outs.   

$2549 USD


----------



## rmsanger (May 28, 2021)

Woohoo finally!  now awaits Sandu review


----------



## sahmen

So no pre amp stage? That's almost a deal-breaker for me, unless it sounds truly extraordinary for the price. That remains to be seen.


----------



## Relaxasaurus

The internals & construction look insane for the price:


----------



## Namtar

I'm wondering if this is the Pre-Order discount price they mentioned a long long time ago (in a galaxy far far away).


----------



## Spektrograf

Relaxasaurus said:


> The internals & construction look insane for the price:


Agreed! It's a beast of a design. Will you be reviewing it?


----------



## cangle

I'm very close to purchasing one of these as I have a 1266 on the way too and need a more beefy amp to power them. I sent an email to Vitaliy inquiring about the time to ship as its listed as available on backorder at the moment. Has anyone else heard about when these will ship?


----------



## cangle

Well I ordered one anyways because I saw the Facebook post saying quantity was limited and that stressed me out. So Volot incoming and I'll update with any info I hear back from Flux.


----------



## Namtar

I'm hoping that the review of VOLOT will be out today since the product is announced.  That's what I'm curious about prior to me hitting Confirm on my Paypal XD  (This is my early early early and only xmas gift this year if I buy it)


----------



## Relaxasaurus

Spektrograf said:


> Agreed! It's a beast of a design. Will you be reviewing it?



If @cangle will let me visit. I'll bring the V550


----------



## Fafner

cangle said:


> Well I ordered one anyways because I saw the Facebook post saying quantity was limited and that stressed me out. So Volot incoming and I'll update with any info I hear back from Flux.


Ordered one as well. So far, just got Paypal's transaction confirmation, nothing from Flux Lab.


----------



## rmsanger

Formula S vs. V550 Vs. Volot vs. Niimbus US4 vs. Soloist 3XP vs. GSX Mini vs. Headtrip 2 = one helluva shootout

Pending the review from soundnews I'll pre-order this and possibly take an L for a couple hundred bucks if it doesn't fit.   A preamp would have been nice but my assumption is those damn PCBs have been giving them fits and caused the delay since last October.


----------



## rmsanger

Fafner said:


> Ordered one as well. So far, just got Paypal's transaction confirmation, nothing from Flux Lab.



How much was shipping and taxes to US or was that included in the list price?


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> Ordered one as well. So far, just got Paypal's transaction confirmation, nothing from Flux Lab.


Same this is how it was when I ordered my FA-12 too. Eventually as in no more than 24 hours later they reached out confirming the order.


----------



## cangle

rmsanger said:


> How much was shipping and taxes to US or was that included in the list price?


----------



## Namtar (May 28, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> Formula S vs. V550 Vs. Volot vs. Niimbus US4 vs. Soloist 3XP vs. GSX Mini vs. Headtrip 2 = one helluva shootout
> 
> Pending the review from soundnews I'll pre-order this and possibly take an L for a couple hundred bucks if it doesn't fit.   A preamp would have been nice but my assumption is those damn PCBs have been giving them fits and caused the delay since last October.



I'm hitting refresh every 5-15 minutes on Soundnews right now waiting for that review to pop up (hoping that it was pre-made before todays announcement).   I figure if worse comes to worse I can get one secondhand later on, or wait for a revision to come along (VOLOT-Pro anyone?)

@cangle   For me to order it is the same for the fees.   $150 UPS / $121.46 Paypal fee.


----------



## Fafner

Paid 2742usd, shipping to Switzerland for me.


----------



## Flextreme

Fafner said:


> Ordered one as well. So far, just got Paypal's transaction confirmation, nothing from Flux Lab.



Same, opted for the bank transfer. No payment instructions and no email confirmation. Should be easily fixed.


----------



## Spektrograf

Relaxasaurus said:


> If @cangle will let me visit. I'll bring the V550


If you guys were closer, I'd bring a GSX mk2.


----------



## Fafner

Just got a Flux mail, it's a 3 weeks wait.


----------



## rmsanger

cangle said:


>


Thank you!


----------



## cangle (May 28, 2021)

Fafner said:


> Just got a Flux mail, it's a 3 weeks wait.


That's not bad at all. Same amount of time I waited for the FA-12. I'm still waiting on an email from them

Edit: Got a confirmation with the same 3 week wait


----------



## Rebel Chris (May 28, 2021)

Almost end of month....and Fluxlabs delivers.
Beautiful amp. Good to see a lot of inputs on the back. Enjoy guys, I'm waiting for the reviews and impressions.

I'm tempted by the volot, but I think am more a tube guy.


----------



## rmsanger

sahmen said:


> So no pre amp stage? That's almost a deal-breaker for me, unless it sounds truly extraordinary for the price. That remains to be seen.



Really a pre is that big a deal for your hp amplifier?  Do you not have other preamps in your chain now or are you looking for an all in one?

I guess I viewed it as a nice to have but I'd rather they drop the pre-amp so we could get the product than continue to wait for PCBs to get this functionality.


----------



## Namtar

I've 2 questions out to them directly in FB about the VOLOT.   They may be answered when the Soundnews review comes out, but we'll see what FLA says directly.

Did you design its sound signature to be closer to the FA10 or the FA10-Pro?
For the VOLOT is there still Pre-Amp functionality or due to supply constraints did you have to remove that option?

I'll reply back when I get a response with their answer.


----------



## sahmen (May 30, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> Really a pre is that big a deal for your hp amplifier?  Do you not have other preamps in your chain now or are you looking for an all in one?
> 
> I guess I viewed it as a nice to have but I'd rather they drop the pre-amp so we could get the product than continue to wait for PCBs to get this functionality.


It is clearly not an indispensable requirement, obviously, but a good pre amp in this case, can play quite an invaluable role in driving a secondary speaker system, and that is where its potential importance lies for me.  *That is the short version of my answer*.

*Now here comes the longer version:*
For me, whether the pre amp on an HP-amp is useful or not depends on where it is likely to be installed or deployed in relation to other components in my listening systems. I use my FA-10 as a transportable hp amp for near-field listening. In that role, a pre amp is really not a requirement.  I have DACs which come with pre-amp functionalities when needed, or sometimes, I prefer them connected directly to an amp without the interference of any pre amp, and the FA-10 works great in that context.

I envisage a different role for the Volot, particularly, given its massive size, as I do not see it as an easily transportable solution.  I want to use it as a replacement for my Violectric V281 which is currently installed in my main 2-Channel stereo/Multichannel HT speaker system, where it doubles as a pre amp for the two front towers for 2-channel stereo listening on speakers..  It shares that role with the processor which runs the entire HT system, which also works great as a pre amp, of course.  However, for strictly 2-channel stereo music playing/listening functionality on this speaker system, I normally prefer the V281 serving pre amp duties. In summary, the Volot is likely to be installed in a larger 2-channel/HT Cinema system, in which I would ideally like it double as a pre amp for my stereo speakers, if it sounds better for music than the main dedicated pre amp/processor.

In other words, this is all a matter of personal preference.  Even so, the devil is going to be in the details. In the end, it is all going to depend on how the Volot performs.  If it turns out to be the demonstrably best sounding amp I can afford for my Susvara and LCD-4, I am still going to buy it, with or without the pre amp.

*If, on the other hand, its performance places it on a par with, say, the Violectric V550, for example, the V550 which sports a nice pre amp stage, and sells at a price point that makes it very competitive with the Volot, then opting for the V550 would be a no-brainer (although, in such a scenario, I might consider  upping the ante and going for a pre-owned Niimbus US4 (+) on the used amp market instead). It is in this sense that I thought the added pre amp would make the Volot a lot more competitive.   Either way, I welcome the Volot as its presence makes the amp market more interesting*

 That is where things stand now.  Everything remains to be proven, and I am heartened to see so many early buyers, which almost assures a fairly good number of early reviews.

PS: Vitally just posted this response to my inquiry about the missing pre amp in FB/PMs:

"A pre-amp version should be available later."

So nothing is really lost... It is just going to take some more waiting, which I can live with, especially now that my new InPol Ear is keeping my cans and my ears in almost constant 24/7 dialogue.


----------



## decur

Remote control??


----------



## sahmen (May 29, 2021)

*Well, it has been a long time coming, but it has finally made it, and even beaten its own end-of-May deadline (well, sorta), so credit where it is due, as well as my personal "welcome" to Lady Volot :*










*And yes, there are Voloty of the femaie kind too, in case you're wondering... And Madame Volot is a Mythical sexy slavic giant(ess)*


----------



## Namtar

Namtar said:


> I've 2 questions out to them directly in FB about the VOLOT.   They may be answered when the Soundnews review comes out, but we'll see what FLA says directly.
> 
> Did you design its sound signature to be closer to the FA10 or the FA10-Pro?
> For the VOLOT is there still Pre-Amp functionality or due to supply constraints did you have to remove that option?
> ...


This was the response I received:

The circuitry at Volot is closer to the FA-10 (not Pro). But the sound level is much higher in all aspects. A pre-amp version should be available later. Basic remote control available without additional charge, just leave a request while order confirmation.  @decur I'll tag you as it answers your question also


----------



## rmsanger

Namtar said:


> This was the response I received:
> 
> The circuitry at Volot is closer to the FA-10 (not Pro). But the sound level is much higher in all aspects. A pre-amp version should be available later. Basic remote control available without additional charge, just leave a request while order confirmation.  @decur I'll tag you as it answers your question also


I asked if the Volot was fully balanced and not just a balanced input and output.  I was looking at the Formula S but is not balanced and would degrade my R2R Dac performance.  So want to ensure Volot is fully balanced before I consider it.


----------



## A Jedi

rmsanger said:


> I asked if the Volot was fully balanced and not just a balanced input and output.  I was looking at the Formula S but is not balanced and would degrade my R2R Dac performance.  So want to ensure Volot is fully balanced before I consider it.



Looking at the circuit board it does not appear differentially (fully) balanced. But I could be wrong since the only internal pic doesn't fully show everything.


----------



## paradoxper (May 29, 2021)

A Jedi said:


> Looking at the circuit board it does not appear differentially (fully) balanced. But I could be wrong since the only internal pic doesn't fully show everything.


Nods. Looks dual-mono balanced. Unsure if it may be differential though.

Peak-to-peak voltage implies fully differential.


----------



## Namtar

Hopefully the Soundnews review comes out soon.   According to a few other places I read - the VOLOT review could have dropped as early as late February this year so I'm assuming it's done and just awaiting to be uploaded / released.   I figure that review will answer many of the questions we have (above and beyond what we're directly asking FLA)


----------



## sahmen (May 29, 2021)

*Balanced VS Dual Mono topologies or circuitries*

For the record, *the product page* at the Flux Lab site list the unit as "
VOLOT Dual Mono Class-A Headphone Amplifier​and includes this statement :

"The amplifier uses a dual-mono circuit, where two separate power supplies are used, individually for each channel. Two high-quality toroidal transformers with a total power of 160W, together with high-speed rectifier diodes and a capacitive filter with the increased current, allow the amplifier to remain unperturbed in any dynamically loaded moments in a piece of music."

The expression "balanced," does not appear anywhere on the page, nor do such commonly related ones as "differential," "dual-differential,"  or "quad differential."

The important question for me is how all of this translates into the quality of performance.  I have owned speaker amps that have been touted as "balanced"/"dual," or even "quad differential."  I have also owned others that I initially  considered to be "balanced," only to find out that they were only "dual mono."

I have, however, to add the ironic fact of personally enjoying the performance abilities of at least one of the "dual mono" amps a lot more than one of the balanced ones, which is not to say that the balanced, quad differential amps necessarily sound bad... It is just that there seems to be some "voodoo" in the tuning and implementation of this one dual mono unit I am referring to that makes me enjoy it  better. Still my favorite one of all is a hyprid with a "discrete fully-balanced Class A solid-state" section working closely with bells and whistles of a complimentary tube section that I am not qualified to describe.

The bottomline is that I am still interested in knowing the exact difference between "balanced" and "dual mono" circuitries, and whether the difference has any important bearing on sound quality, a difference that  cannot be superseded by the artistry, craftsmanship or implementation of their respective designers or engineers.

I welcome the input of anyone with the requisite expertise to sort these issues out,


----------



## drc73rp

I asked Flux about this and their reply is:
"Volot's circuitry is not balanced, it contains two amplification channels. But at the same time, the amplifier is dual mono, that is, it contains two separate power supplies. It should also be noted that the balanced inputs are based on an active differential line receiver and are capable of fully working with a balanced signal."


----------



## Relaxasaurus

^ Thanks for posting. I'm not too concerned with it. The FA-10 is also not balanced but sounds so alive, clean, and powerful, and that's with just one power supply.


----------



## A Jedi (May 29, 2021)

sahmen said:


> The bottomline is that I am still interested in knowing the exact difference between "balanced" and "dual mono" circuitries


It's pretty simple. Dual mono means two separate mono amps each with its own power supply. The only difference between a dual mono amp and true mono amps is that the former are in the same chassis while the latter are in separate chassis. This is different from the traditional amplifier where you have two mono amps that share the same power supply and are in a single chassis.

A balanced differential amplifier contains four separate mono amps - two for each channel (one for the plus and one for the minus). Each channel pair cancels out the noise of each other (the noise that's picked up on the positive and negative signal wires). That's the main benefit.


----------



## rmsanger (May 29, 2021)

A Jedi said:


> It's pretty simple. Dual mono means two separate mono amps each with its own power supply. The only difference between a dual mono amp and true mono amps is that the former are in the same chassis while the latter are in separate chassis. This is different from the traditional amplifier where you have two mono amps that share the same power supply and are in a single chassis.
> 
> A balanced differential amplifier contains four separate mono amps - two for each channel (one for the plus and one for the minus). Each channel pair cancels out the noise of each other (the noise that's picked up on the positive and negative signal wires). That's the main benefit.



To clarify I think my initial post on Single Ended vs. Balanced was alike what Sahmen had for his pre-amp scenario (use case specific).   For me using the Holo Audio Spring KTE Dac I've been told that it's critical that I connect it with a balanced amp to get it's optimal performance.   When discussing paring the Spring with the XI Formula S amp I was told:



> So you can, but the xlr inputs on the formula are not transformer based or actively convert bal to se, all they do is drop the negative pin on the xlr, ignoring half the dac, just like using single ended would. If you wanted to preserve more quality you could use a balanced to single ended transformer like an ampsandsound black box, but that will add coloration
> You want to have it run fully balanced through the chain due to how it’s designed. It has a ladder for the positive and negative for each channel, if you run it single ended, you now only use 1/2 the dac. You really want to have an internally balanced amp or one that has transformers or active bal to se conversion on the input to more effectively preserve the sound quality when moving so se. Simply dropping the pin will basically only treat it as single ended out of the dac, only using 1/2. With transformers or active conversion at least you are getting the full quality from the dac coming in, and then that is being converted to single ended, reducing quality loss compared to just dropping a pin



So my concern with Volot not being fully balanced was reflected above.   But based upon Flux's response it likely will be a good pairing due to :



> It says that it has an active differential line receiver, which would handle balanced signals and actively convert them to single ended internally, this likely would make it so it could take advantage of the spring when used balanced.



Likelly not an issue for you with different Dacs in your chain but wanted to clarify the perspective I was coming from.  I really don't care if it's SE or Fully balanced as long as the HP amp and chain sound good.   I'd hate to spend $3k on the amp only to find out it kneecapped my Dac.


----------



## Terriero

sahmen said:


> It is clearly not an indispensable requirement, obviously, but a good pre amp in this case, can play quite an invaluable role in driving a secondary speaker system, and that is where its potential importance lies for me.  *That is the short version of my answer*.
> 
> *Now here comes the longer version:*
> For me, whether the pre amp on an HP-amp is useful or not depends on where it is likely to be installed or deployed in relation to other components in my listening systems. I use my FA-10 as a transportable hp amp for near-field listening. In that role, a pre amp is really not a requirement.  I have DACs which come with pre-amp functionalities when needed, or sometimes, I prefer them connected directly to an amp without the interference of any pre amp, and the FA-10 works great in that context.
> ...


Thanks for asking them about the "pre-amp" function, that you know I'm also interested. I hope that the price won't increase a lot... Also, one guy asked them about "remote control" and they will include for free if it's requested (indispensable if you use it as a pre-amp).

So... Finally is here, now wait for "personal" reviews. Congratulations to the first lucky ones that got one... I'm still in the process of save money for it (the pre-amp Volot) and a Denafrips DAC.


----------



## decur (May 29, 2021)

Namtar said:


> This was the response I received:
> 
> The circuitry at Volot is closer to the FA-10 (not Pro). But the sound level is much higher in all aspects. A pre-amp version should be available later. Basic remote control available without additional charge, just leave a request while order confirmation.  @decur I'll tag you as it answers your question also





Namtar said:


> This was the response I received:
> 
> The circuitry at Volot is closer to the FA-10 (not Pro). But the sound level is much higher in all aspects. A pre-amp version should be available later. Basic remote control available without additional charge, just leave a request while order confirmation.  @decur I'll tag you as it answers your question also


Its good to know,that it “can” come with a remote,i wonder why they do not list it on their website?


----------



## cangle

Terriero said:


> So... Finally is here, now wait for "personal" reviews. Congratulations to the first lucky ones that got one... I'm still in the process of save money for it (the pre-amp Volot) and a Denafrips DAC.


Interesting to read that this is not quite a balanced amp but hopefully should not degrade an incoming balanced signal due to how it's implemented. I will be using this with a Denafrips Pontus II which is a balanced dac. I suppose once the Volot arrives I can connect over single ended and balanced to see if there's much of a difference in sound. If I understand this correctly then the balanced output of the Pontus II should sound better into the Volot than the single ended output assuming the Volot can make use of the balanced input and not just drop part of the signal. Will definitely be an interesting test but please correct me if I am not understanding this correctly.


----------



## cangle

Also the Volot looks similar in construction (internally) and power output specs (at least from 32 - 600 ohms) to the Wells Audio Headtrip II. http://www.wellsaudio.com/headtrip. I wonder if anyone has that amp that has ordered the Volot and will be able to do a comparison.


----------



## Terriero

cangle said:


> Interesting to read that this is not quite a balanced amp but hopefully should not degrade an incoming balanced signal due to how it's implemented. I will be using this with a Denafrips Pontus II which is a balanced dac. I suppose once the Volot arrives I can connect over single ended and balanced to see if there's much of a difference in sound. If I understand this correctly then the balanced output of the Pontus II should sound better into the Volot than the single ended output assuming the Volot can make use of the balanced input and not just drop part of the signal. Will definitely be an interesting test but please correct me if I am not understanding this correctly.


Sorry, I don't know about that. Maybe other forum members would help (us), because I'm also interested in your question (you know, like you I will purchase a Pontus II).


----------



## sahmen

Those awaiting a *SoundNews* review of the Volot by Sandu Vitalie might be interested in this reply he posted about 4 hours ago to my query about his review :

"The final version is coming my way, it should be here in a few days. I didn't forget...once it is here, I'll start a non-stop burn-in and some long listening sessions."

That is his unfiltered reply, with no "spin" or interpretation on my part, and I shall leave it at that.


----------



## Flextreme

sahmen said:


> Those awaiting a *SoundNews* review of the Volot by Sandu Vitalie might be interested in this reply he posted about 4 hours ago to my query about his review :
> 
> "The final version is coming my way, it should be here in a few days. I didn't forget...once it is here, I'll start a non-stop burn-in and some long listening sessions."
> 
> That is his unfiltered reply, with no "spin" or interpretation on my part, and I shall leave it at that.



Thanks! I pre-ordered. Super curious for his opinion, love his reviews. Was F5-ing his website a couple times a day since Friday.


----------



## rmsanger

sahmen said:


> Those awaiting a *SoundNews* review of the Volot by Sandu Vitalie might be interested in this reply he posted about 4 hours ago to my query about his review :
> 
> "The final version is coming my way, it should be here in a few days. I didn't forget...once it is here, I'll start a non-stop burn-in and some long listening sessions."
> 
> That is his unfiltered reply, with no "spin" or interpretation on my part, and I shall leave it at that.


Sandu is great I’ve been on him weekly for this review.  How initial response to my comments in mArch was this replaced his hpa4 as his best preamp and more to come.

so obviously he got the pre production unit with preamp functionality.


----------



## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> Sandu is great I’ve been on him weekly for this review.  How initial response to my comments in mArch was this replaced his hpa4 as his best preamp and more to come.
> 
> so obviously he got the pre production unit with preamp functionality.


That say a lot about the pre-amp functionality. Thanks for sharing his early impressions


----------



## Fafner (Jun 2, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> so obviously he got the pre production unit with preamp functionality.



Wondering why it was left out at the end, considering they succeeded at implementing it with apparently great results. Parts shortage?


----------



## Fafner

Shipping costs look the have increased since I ordered mine. I paid 75usd for UPS shipping to Switzerland, yesterday after a quick check I noticed it's now twice as much at 150 for the same target address. DHL is now 250$!


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> Shipping costs look the have increased since I ordered mine. I paid 75usd for UPS shipping to Switzerland, yesterday after a quick check I noticed it's now twice as much at 150 for the same target address. DHL is now 250$!


Something weird happened when I checked out where I was initially quoted 250 for shipping to Boston, MA. However when I actually clicked through and paid, the amount for shipping decreased to 150. Maybe the shipping costs you see at first are just estimates, I'm not sure


----------



## Fafner (Jun 4, 2021)

I asked on Flux Labs FB page as well. Do you have any idea on what the L/R labels at the front single ended outputs could be?

Edit: nvm, they replied instantly. These are Neutrik combo connectors. A stereo output for a 6.3mm jack is available on each output (L and R XLR 3pin). You can connect two headphones at once equipped with a 6.3mm jack.

My bad, I didn't realize these were 3-pin xlrs.


----------



## drc73rp

Since we're all just waiting for the first batch to get to their owners I just realized the front styling of the Volot draws from Mcintosh (side fins) and classic Mark Levinson (curved front fascia). And while I appreciate the use of regular bent metal casing to keep the cost down, I kinda wish they used aluminum panels for this one.


----------



## sahmen (Jun 11, 2021)

*...Aaaand the eagle ...errr I mean the Volot just landed here!*







*No wait... Juuuuust kidding *  




*Only trying to lighten the mood a little for everyone who is waiting impatiently for "that moment."  I certainly hope  it comes soon *


----------



## cfranchi

Here is some questions I asked to Flux about Volot and their answers:

« Hello Vitaliy, I’m wondering about Volot : the specs of the Volot claims same watt and voltage than fa10, but the specs also said that the quiescent current value is 2.5x times higher than fa10 but we know that power = U x I, so if I understand well does it mean that Volot provide more current to headphones but then  less voltage ? I only have hifiman planar headphones (and fcn10) and they love current, second question: what would bring the Volot compared to fa10 / fcn10? Thank you! »

« Hello Christophe. Thank you so much for your questions. An important amendment, the Volot provides 2.5 times the quiescent current, and not the maximum output current. This provides lower distortion and the amplifier works in a deeper class A. The main advantage of Volot is that it immerses it deeper into music due to great nuances at all range. The difference in sound from the 10th is provided not only by increasing the current, there are a lot of nuances: board topology, separate channel power supply, element base. »


----------



## rmsanger (Jun 11, 2021)

Interesting I've not seen much data or information on distinctions between "deeper" Class A.  Most people regard older class A speaker amps as superior to current ones.  Many speaker amps tend to be mis-reprensented as pure class A and are really Class AB including both Accuphase and Luxman.    I would assume this mis-representation is due to energy/emissions restrictions coming from the EU but have no clue as to what is truth vs. reality.   It was very concerning on the market on trying to get data on what is marketing fluff and what really leads to sound improvement.   My hope is that with being a headphone amp the requirements for power are lower so it's truly a pure Class A and not a Class A section then switches to B when it hits a power threshold.


----------



## sahmen

cfranchi said:


> Here is some questions I asked to Flux about Volot and their answers:
> 
> « Hello Vitaliy, I’m wondering about Volot : the specs of the Volot claims same watt and voltage than fa10, but the specs also said that the quiescent current value is 2.5x times higher than fa10 but we know that power = U x I, so if I understand well does it mean that Volot provide more current to headphones but then  less voltage ? I only have hifiman planar headphones (and fcn10) and they love current, second question: what would bring the Volot compared to fa10 / fcn10? Thank you! »
> 
> « Hello Christophe. Thank you so much for your questions. An important amendment, the Volot provides 2.5 times the quiescent current, and not the maximum output current. This provides lower distortion and the amplifier works in a deeper class A. The main advantage of Volot is that it immerses it deeper into music due to great nuances at all range. The difference in sound from the 10th is provided not only by increasing the current, there are a lot of nuances: board topology, separate channel power supply, element base. »



*Now while the calculus of "quiescent current" and "Volot voltage" might sound like Greek to me, I'm always tickled by the feathery touch of a keyboard*,








*charmed by the twang of a lusty string,*









*or besieged by the spell of some saxy diva, the "deeper nuance" of her luscious gifts*









*All we want today is a bit of live Volot poetry, so just let the Volot sing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










out loud, and in person     *


----------



## cangle

cfranchi said:


> Here is some questions I asked to Flux about Volot and their answers:
> 
> « Hello Vitaliy, I’m wondering about Volot : the specs of the Volot claims same watt and voltage than fa10, but the specs also said that the quiescent current value is 2.5x times higher than fa10 but we know that power = U x I, so if I understand well does it mean that Volot provide more current to headphones but then  less voltage ? I only have hifiman planar headphones (and fcn10) and they love current, second question: what would bring the Volot compared to fa10 / fcn10? Thank you! »
> 
> « Hello Christophe. Thank you so much for your questions. An important amendment, the Volot provides 2.5 times the quiescent current, and not the maximum output current. This provides lower distortion and the amplifier works in a deeper class A. The main advantage of Volot is that it immerses it deeper into music due to great nuances at all range. The difference in sound from the 10th is provided not only by increasing the current, there are a lot of nuances: board topology, separate channel power supply, element base. »


I really don't understand the response you got. Did your voltage question get answered? Seems like they just repeated what you said but with different wording


----------



## cfranchi

cangle said:


> I really don't understand the response you got. Did your voltage question get answered? Seems like they just repeated what you said but with different wording



They said that quiescent current is not maximum output current, so as the power specs from fa10 and volot are the same then voltage and current provided by volot and fa10 should be the same, at least its my understanding…


----------



## naynay

decur said:


> Remote control??


"Any model could be equipped by the remote control"  That was Flux response when I asked.


----------



## cangle

Today marks three weeks since I ordered the Volot. I was told shipping would happen in three weeks so I'm crossing my fingers that I may get a shipping notification either late today or sometime next week. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being 4 or 5 weeks before shipping given the delays we have already experienced with this product.

Also I'm still eagerly awaiting the sound news review of the Volot. Thought it would be out by now. Has anyone heard anything about this?


----------



## Fafner (Jun 19, 2021)

cangle said:


> Today marks three weeks since I ordered the Volot. I was told shipping would happen in three weeks so I'm crossing my fingers that I may get a shipping notification either late today or sometime next week. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being 4 or 5 weeks before shipping given the delays we have already experienced with this product.
> 
> Also I'm still eagerly awaiting the sound news review of the Volot. Thought it would be out by now. Has anyone heard anything about this?



I wrote them yesterday and they replied me mine is set to be shipped by the end of next week, being it on "the final testing lap".
1 week delay so it seems, ordered at the release day just like you.
Concerning Soundnews, he was still waiting for the package to arrive last time I inquired him, that was 12 days ago.


----------



## Aibek

Fafner said:


> Concerning Soundnews ......



Is there any new information?


----------



## Fafner

Aibek said:


> Is there any new information?


Haven't asked anymore, nothing new so far on the site or on the FB page.


----------



## Aibek

There are no reviews. Now I think - is it worth buying blindly?


----------



## OHBH

I've been waiting for a Soundnews review since 3 weeks ago. 

I think a review will probably be posted this week, but I'm not expecting much 

Shipping starts next week. We may use it before the review.


----------



## Fafner

Aibek said:


> There are no reviews. Now I think - is it worth buying blindly?



Soundnews's reviewer could try a sort of beta version and was enthusiastic about it. One would think the end product should be at least as good. Ofc you never really know until you try, let's hope so.


----------



## Fafner

An update from Soundnews: unfortunately he hasn't received it yet. 😐


----------



## OHBH

Fafner said:


> An update from Soundnews: unfortunately he hasn't received it yet. 😐



Oh my god, it's becoming a reality that shipping is faster than reviews.


----------



## Aibek (Jun 22, 2021)

Are there customers: is there a track number?


----------



## Fafner

Aibek said:


> Are there customers: is there a track number?



Mine hasn't shipped yet, I guess I'll get an UPS tracking number.


----------



## Aibek

Fafner said:


> Mine hasn't shipped yet, I guess I'll get an UPS tracking number.


When did you pay? has it been 4 weeks?


----------



## Fafner

Aibek said:


> When did you pay? has it been 4 weeks?


Almost, 3 and one half, ordered at the release day. Estimated lead time was about 3 weeks.


----------



## VerloK

I asked Vitaly about the OpAmps on the board can be changed and which fuse was installed.

That was his answer:

No, it's forbidden to make any modifications in circuit design.
By default, the device already has a high quality fuse CREATE AUDIO Nano Alloy T Slow Blow Fuse Deluxe Edition 
Of course, we have no right to limit you in your desire to experiment, here modifications are allowed)

regards


----------



## rmsanger

Fafner said:


> An update from Soundnews: unfortunately he hasn't received it yet. 😐


yep that is what he told me as well...  he was expecting to see the new revision arrive ~30 days ago and still hasn't received it (as of 5 days ago).   He wouldn't just sit on a product so assume it's just global shipping delays or something at the Flux factory causing backlogs.


----------



## Fafner (Jun 25, 2021)

In the meantime everything is so quiet Flux-wise. Wonder if they're going to keep their already delayed timeline, it's 4 weeks now.


----------



## sahmen (Jun 26, 2021)

^^^Yeah, talk less of when/whether they're (ever) going to add that pre amp, the one which is now promised for a "later" date.


----------



## Fafner (Jun 25, 2021)

Just got the shipping notice, UPS tracking number following...
The beginning of the text, with all regrets for the delay, made me fear they were announcing me a further delay, but I was wrong. 
Let's see how long UPS takes from Ukr to Switzerland.


----------



## Aibek

Fafner said:


> Just got the shipping notice, UPS tracking number following...


I haven't paid for my order yet. I'm waiting for your feedback. I hope that you will write your impressions.


----------



## Fafner (Jun 25, 2021)

I'll certainly do, however I don't have a collection of amps to compare it to. I just have a Malvalve Headamp Three which didn't sound bad with my AB1266, its only problem was a lack of enough gain to cope with some classical recordings (Channel Classics's Fischer Mahler cycle for example). And in most recordings I had to push the loudness pretty much to the max.
To be truth I have a Ray Samuels B52 as well, but my Abyss aren't terminated in a way I can use them with it, and I haven't used it for some time now. The B52 isn't supposed to be a proper Abyss driver, that's why Samuels released the Dark Star.


----------



## cangle (Jun 25, 2021)

Fafner said:


> Just got the shipping notice, UPS tracking number following...
> The beginning of the text, with all regrets for the delay, made me fear they were announcing me a further delay, but I was wrong.
> Let's see how long UPS takes from Ukr to Switzerland.


Got the same email and had the same initial reaction. Glad to see the new 4 week estimate was accurate and a second delay would not happen

Also, last time I ordered from Flux it took about a week to ship from Ukraine to the east coast of the US. Most of the time was getting through customs so I'm hoping for a similar 1 week delivery time


----------



## Fafner (Jun 28, 2021)

cangle said:


> Got the same email and had the same initial reaction. Glad to see the new 4 week estimate was accurate and a second delay would not happen
> 
> Also, last time I ordered from Flux it took about a week to ship from Ukraine to the east coast of the US. Most of the time was getting through customs so I'm hoping for a similar 1 week delivery time



Did you get the promised UPS tracking? Or didn't you choose UPS?
Haven't got anything so far...

Edit: nvm, got it now


----------



## cangle (Jun 28, 2021)

Fafner said:


> Did you get the promised UPS tracking? Or didn't you choose UPS?
> Haven't got anything so far...
> 
> Edit: nvm, got it now


Glad you got it. I still haven't seen the tracking info sent from Flux but I have a UPS account and I see the amp tracking info there. It popped up this morning and I didn't see anything from UPS on Saturday or Sunday.

Edit: Flux sent the tracking info at 12 pm EST


----------



## OHBH

Has anyone ordered with DHL? 

I haven't received a tracking number yet.


----------



## cangle (Jun 28, 2021)

OHBH said:


> Has anyone ordered with DHL?
> 
> I haven't received a tracking number yet.


Hopefully you get your number soon. Don't know about DHL but when Vitaliy sent me my tracking info he mentioned that there is a holiday today in Ukraine, Constitution day. So that could be the source of some delays especially with getting your tracking info.


----------



## OHBH

cangle said:


> Hopefully you get your number soon. Don't know about DHL but when Vitaliy sent me my tracking info he mentioned that there is a holiday today in Ukraine, Constitution day. So that could be the source of some delays especially with getting your tracking info.


thank you  I got a tracking number. It's a holiday, so it's not tracked yet.


----------



## Fafner

Expected delivery tomorrow by the end of the day!


----------



## Aibek (Jun 30, 2021)

Fafner said:


> Expected delivery tomorrow by the end of the day!


excellent! waiting for feedback!


----------



## Fafner

One nice thing I just got informed of is that there will be a free high quality aluminium remote, it just won't be included in the delivery as they had not received them yet when they shipped the amp. It will come separately.
Amp must be run for 30 minutes to achieve its full potential.


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> Expected delivery tomorrow by the end of the day!


Wow that's fast. Is the remote only for those that asked for one or is everyone getting sent a remote?


----------



## Fafner (Jun 30, 2021)

cangle said:


> Wow that's fast. Is the remote only for those that asked for one or is everyone getting sent a remote?


"We always try to do everything as much as possible, that's why we decided to make a nice gift for our clients in the form of a high-quality aluminium remote control, but since not everything depends only on us, the courier service did not manage to deliver the remotes by the time the amplifiers were sent. We decided not to delay the main shipment and therefore will send the consoles in a separate parcel as soon as we receive them. We will inform you of the tracking number separately."



From the looks of it I'd say it's for all.

Concerning delivery, my guess is that customs may delay this or not, we'll see.


----------



## cangle (Jun 30, 2021)

Might have to reach out to them as I didn't ask about a remote in the first place

Edit: Got an email later today talking about the remote so sounds like it's for everyone even if you did not ask for a remote when you initially ordered


----------



## Fafner

And here it is!


----------



## Aibek

Fafner said:


> And here it is!


I look forward to your impressions and evaluation of the amplifier's quality.


----------



## OHBH

Fafner said:


> And here it is!


I'm really envious. 

Is the depth of the amp really 430mm?


----------



## Fafner (Jul 1, 2021)

OHBH said:


> I'm really envious.
> 
> Is the depth of the amp really 430mm?



Sadly won't have time till later this evening. Yes, it's about 43cm deep, that includes the protuding parts (volume pot at the front and jack at the back). It's built like a tank and the package was huge!


----------



## sahmen (Jul 1, 2021)

Fafner said:


> And here it is!


Yay!  Now we're talking. I am also eager to hear your first impressions, but then, if I'm not mistaken, for any impressions to be more reliable, it's probably going to be ideal to allow the Volot to "cook" for some time (days), while it makes its acquaintance and tests its synergy with the rest of your gear, as well as your listening practices and preferences.  Either way, those impressions would be really appreciated.


----------



## cangle

That looks huge in your pictures. Getting a little worried about how well I will be able to fit it on my desk. Definitely will have to get a rack sooner rather than later to handle my audio equipment better.

I look forward to some of your initial impressions and thoughts over the next few days / weeks. I think mine is going through customs at the moment so maybe I will have it some time next week. I hope the wait is worth it for all that ordered it and that it sounds great.


----------



## rmsanger

I ended up getting a Soloist 3XP for my main hp amp instead... Excited to hear impressions of the Volot (w/1266, Susvara, HE6) but likely I'll be a buyer on the used market in 1-2 years.   It does indeed look like a beast and I'm glad it's a massive tank and not a little piece of kit.  Impressive looking indeed!


----------



## Fafner (Jul 1, 2021)

Finally some listening time! It's soon, but I'm already liking what I'm hearing. Awesome spaciousness and precision, power seems not to have limits, high gain setting already plenty enough for the AB1266, Gain+ not needed, where my old Malvalve Headamp Three was at its limits. Volume apart I thought it sounded fine, but it's immediately evident how much more in control the Volot is with the Abyss. There's much more "meat" in the sound, the Malvalve sounded thin in comparison. Obviously not powerful enough.
One thing that I don't like it's that gain and input settings reset to lowest value every time the amp gets shut off. Being my preferred input "3" (XLR) and my gain setting "high" I have to set them each time I turn on the amp. A bit irritating.
EDIT: not true, see below


----------



## tholt

Fafner said:


> One thing that I don't like it's that gain and input settings reset to lowest value every time the amp gets shut off. Being my preferred input "3" (XLR) and my gain setting "high" I have to set them each time I turn on the amp. A bit irritating.


That sucks. You'd think something obvious like that would have been addressed in the build and testing.


----------



## Fafner (Jul 1, 2021)

Looks like Flux is monitoring the thread. Vitalyi just emailed me telling that presets should be kept, one just has to wait 10 seconds after setting them.
Indeed, today I turned it off immediately after having touched those settings, as I had no time to listen.
Will check later once I turn it off, haha.
I was scratching my head on such an omission.

Edit: and indeed it retained the settings this time, sry for the wrong information.

As expected, the amp doesn't stay cool after a while, but honestly I expected it to heat much more given its topology. My old Malvalve heated much more (tubes, of course).


----------



## Fafner

cangle said:


> That looks huge in your pictures. Getting a little worried about how well I will be able to fit it on my desk. Definitely will have to get a rack sooner rather than later to handle my audio equipment better.



This is not a desktop friendly amp for sure!
It may not look that big on my pictures, but that's because the T+A MP3000HV on the lower floor is mighty...


----------



## Fafner

sahmen said:


> Yay!  Now we're talking. I am also eager to hear your first impressions, but then, if I'm not mistaken, for any impressions to be more reliable, it's probably going to be ideal to allow the Volot to "cook" for some time (days), while it makes its acquaintance and tests its synergy with the rest of your gear, as well as your listening practices and preferences.  Either way, those impressions would be really appreciated.



They recommend 100h burn in time, and to turn it on 30 minutes prior to music listening to reach its full potential.


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> This is not a desktop friendly amp for sure!


Yes I think it might look a bit silly on my desk once it arrives although I know I have plenty of space for it. I'll share pictures so those with desks can see what it looks like. With your Volot, does the top metal flex at all? It does a bit on my FA-12 but only with significant force. I'm hoping to stack my dac on top of it temporarily and want to make sure it won't do the amp much harm.


----------



## Fafner

cangle said:


> Yes I think it might look a bit silly on my desk once it arrives although I know I have plenty of space for it. I'll share pictures so those with desks can see what it looks like. With your Volot, does the top metal flex at all? It does a bit on my FA-12 but only with significant force. I'm hoping to stack my dac on top of it temporarily and want to make sure it won't do the amp much harm.



Yep, it does flex a bit, but nothing to worry about imho.


----------



## Terriero (Jul 2, 2021)

Fafner said:


> "We always try to do everything as much as possible, that's why we decided to make a nice gift for our clients in the form of a high-quality aluminium remote control, but since not everything depends only on us, the courier service did not manage to deliver the remotes by the time the amplifiers were sent. We decided not to delay the main shipment and therefore will send the consoles in a separate parcel as soon as we receive them. We will inform you of the tracking number separately."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Now we have to wait for the Volot "pre-amp" edition to take the full benefit of that aluminium remote 

By the way, @Fafner (and @cangle -when you receive yours, I hope soon  ), what was your final Volot price (including customs)? Thanks.


----------



## Aibek

Gentlemen, today I paid for the amplifier. Hopefully the remote will be included.


----------



## Fafner

Terriero said:


> Now we have to wait for the Volot "pre-amp" edition to take the full benefit of that aluminium remote
> 
> By the way, @Fafner (and @cangle -when you receive yours, I hope soon  ), what was your final Volot price (including customs)? Thanks.



Around 2820$, including PayPal fees, shipping and customs to Switzerland.


----------



## cangle

Yeah I paid 2820 USD too. I think there's a picture in this thread of my order total. My amp is currently processing through customs with no expected delivery date at this time. While I wait I ordered a rack to move my audio gear to given the large size of the Volot and my dac is pretty big too. Will be nice to have a dedicated place for my equipment with plenty of space so I don't have to worry about the amp or dac getting too warm.


----------



## rmsanger

Fafner said:


> Finally some listening time! It's soon, but I'm already liking what I'm hearing. Awesome spaciousness and precision, power seems not to have limits, high gain setting already plenty enough for the AB1266, Gain+ not needed, where my old Malvalve Headamp Three was at its limits. Volume apart I thought it sounded fine, but it's immediately evident how much more in control the Volot is with the Abyss. There's much more "meat" in the sound, the Malvalve sounded thin in comparison. Obviously not powerful enough.
> One thing that I don't like it's that gain and input settings reset to lowest value every time the amp gets shut off. Being my preferred input "3" (XLR) and my gain setting "high" I have to set them each time I turn on the amp. A bit irritating.
> EDIT: not true, see below


Sounds very promising so far based upon your initial impressions!  I think with the FA-10 most people that paired it with the Susvara/1266/HE6 got the punch & slam along with control and dynamics even at low listening volumes would say there were trade offs in reduced resolution and technical performance.   I think the hope or value prop with the volot is that you would get the  dynamics of the FA-10 with perhaps the technical performance of a Niimbus or V550.  

Do you still get the “meat” at low to moderate listening levels or do you have to turn up the volume to these dynamics?


----------



## tholt

Meat—good


----------



## rmsanger

Terriero said:


> Now we have to wait for the Volot "pre-amp" edition to take the full benefit of that aluminium remote
> 
> By the way, @Fafner (and @cangle -when you receive yours, I hope soon  ), what was your final Volot price (including customs)? Thanks.



The move to make is to buy the new Holo Spring 3 KTE + Preamp module and the Flux Volot ... Based upon the reviews of the Holo Serene and the feedback from Tim on the Spring 3's performance this thing is going to have one helluva great Dac and pre.


https://www.kitsunehifi.com/product...a_titanis-version=spring-v3-kte-preamp-module


----------



## GU1DO

Hi ,, any feedback withe the susvara ?


----------



## cangle

Looks like my Volot finally passed through some export clearance thing. Delivery is set for Wednesday but could be delayed by customs


----------



## VerloK

I got the message that my device will probably be shipped next week at the earliest because a few rare parts are missing  
Looks like they only have a few finished so far~

regards


----------



## cangle

VerloK said:


> I got the message that my device will probably be shipped next week at the earliest because a few rare parts are missing
> Looks like they only have a few finished so far~
> 
> regards


When did you order? Either way it's good that some are getting out there for impressions and reviews.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Jul 6, 2021)

VerloK said:


> I got the message that my device will probably be shipped next week at the earliest because a few rare parts are missing
> Looks like they only have a few finished so far~
> 
> regards


I hope they are considering a redesign for equivalents.
These "rare" parts will be a PITA for sure.

Bit OT: Checking for high powered balanced HP Amps and came across this. Think its bad ass.


----------



## VerloK

cangle said:


> When did you order?



1st July.


----------



## Fafner

VerloK said:


> 1st July.


Then it's not that bad. We waited 1 month to get it shipped, I think I'm the only one who got one already.
Just 5-6 hours into it, perhaps it's just me getting used, but I'm getting the impression sound is opening up nicely. Was just a tad more closed in at the very beginning.


----------



## VerloK

VerloK said:


> 1st July.


I'm an idiot.... 1st June not July 😒

regards


----------



## Fafner (Jul 7, 2021)

VerloK said:


> I'm an idiot.... 1st June not July 😒
> 
> regards


Ok, then I can see the disappointment. But they stated from the beginning there would have been limited quantities. Don't know what these rare parts are, guess it has to do with the known global chip shortage. The same day I received the Volot I received my much awaited Sony Alpha 1 camera, and that has been a 4 months wait since I ordered it. 

On a sidenote, I wonder what happened to Soundnews's Volot, there must have been some problems with shipping, as he was expecting to receive it several weeks ago


----------



## cangle

My Volot finally arrived in the mail. Here's a picture in my new rack that I'm glad I ordered as this thing is huge especially for a headphone amplifier.


----------



## Terriero

Take your time, @cangle... But don't forget to put your early impressions, a briefly FA12 comparison and the pairing with your Pontus... But, the most important: ENJOY IT A LOT


----------



## cangle

Positive impressions so far driving the 1266 out of the Volot. Bass sounds fuller, more textured, and has authority to it. Vocals have more presence and don't feel so distant as they did at times on the FA-12. It feels like music sounds more natural and I get more of a feeling like I'm just hearing the music and not listening to headphones. I guess this means that imaging and soundstage is a bit better too. Overall I would say that the Volot sounds natural. The tonality is similar to the FA-12 although I think the FA-12 had a bit more treble energy which was nice on some tracks. The Volot is to my ears an improvement over the FA-12 although it's definitely not a 3x improvement given the price difference. Maybe 1.5x or so. 

The buttons don't feel as nice as the switches on the FA-12 however I like the volume control better on the Volot than the FA-12. One thing I noticed is that at the beginning of the volume knob there is about 10 degrees of movement before the relays start clicking and the same at the end. I don't use the volume in that range but just something I noticed when I was playing with the knob before I plugged headphones in. The amp gets much hotter than the FA-12 so I wouldn't stack anything on top.

Going forward I want to try my other headphones and also test the single ended connection between the Pontus and Volot to see if there's any noticeable difference with that. I'm guessing my impressions will change over time especially once I go back to the FA-12 and see what I think of that after adjusting to the Volot.


----------



## drc73rp

I asked Flux which would be closest to the Volot in terms of sound and their reply was that "The circuitry at Volot is closer to the FA-10 (not Pro). But the sound level is much higher in all aspects.". Also on the balanced input they mentioned that "It should also be noted that the balanced inputs are based on an active differential line receiver and are capable of fully working with a balanced signal." When I asked if there would be a difference in sound using either inputs - "We set up so that there was no difference between the inputs."

Let's wait and see if these are validated by the first owners.


----------



## makarushka (Jul 8, 2021)

cangle said:


> Positive impressions so far driving the 1266 out of the Volot. Bass sounds fuller, more textured, and has authority to it. Vocals have more presence and don't feel so distant as they did at times on the FA-12. It feels like music sounds more natural and I get more of a feeling like I'm just hearing the music and not listening to headphones. I guess this means that imaging and soundstage is a bit better too. Overall I would say that the Volot sounds natural. The tonality is similar to the FA-12 although I think the FA-12 had a bit more treble energy which was nice on some tracks. The Volot is to my ears an improvement over the FA-12 although it's definitely not a 3x improvement given the price difference. Maybe 1.5x or so.



My Volot has been here for a week, powered on the whole time, and now approaching 75 hours or so of pushing signal into various dynamic headphones. Very interesting to read your impressions -- especially because mine are a bit different and I was actually starting to consider adding the FA-12 to the stable  Everything I read about the FA-12 as well as Vitaliy's own feedback on it as compared to Volot is almost opposite of yours -- in that it has a "darker" delivery with "fuller body" and "meatier mids".  Amazing how we all hear differently but also how component pairings come into play? I wonder if any of the below resonates with you.

Initially I found the amp way too bright for my taste, even with some of the softer-sounding cans I have. Coming back to it after 50 hours of play I found the character changed quite drastically and the sound signature became much more balanced and cohesive.

Below is how it sounds to me so far and the related thoughts I have. Most of the listening was done with a lot of (well -produced) electronic stuff of various genres, even though I am normally a jazz fanatic. I just can't for now peel myself away from the sheer fun that Volot's slam-factor brings to that music. All the cans are dynamic and closed (save for HD650), as such has been my general preference. It has yet to be seen how this amp does gentle finesse and delicacy of tone -- a lot more listening to do, and it'll be put through its paces.

- I agree very much that it has a natural character but it definitely has a very highly resolved top end; not to say harsh but definitely resolved and full of nuance. Or at least that's how I hear it  Detail freaks should be happy. I am not one, and would not want the highs any hotter.
- amazing grip in the bass. Took almost every headphone I tried to the next level in that department. If the cans are capable, this thing delivers bottomless, hard-slamming bass, with incredible control.
- the amp is incredibly fast all across the frequency range. Incisive edges to all transients. No exaggerated decays or overhang in the lows and just a sense of precision everywhere. Not clinical by any measure; maybe a hint of warmth if anything but not at all a "rosy" presentation if one were looking for that.
- it conveys the sense of volume and depth rather well. It's not the most 3D-like presentation I have heard from a headphone amp -- that would go to some tube units I heard and owned -- but it surely isn't flat and is very engaging, and can step quite a bit outside of your head in all directions -- strongly depending on the recording and the headphones probably. All in all I'd say that while undoubtedly solid-state, this is solid state at its best, and the kind that when it's good, it's real good. And I am a long-time tube fiend when it comes to music reproduction.
- the headphone pairings. I feel that this is where the rubber meets the road with this amp in a sense that it will, I think, squeeze the max out of all but the most hard-to-drive cans, enhancing their qualities to a degree that one might not have expected, possibly more so than with other amps due to the immense power reserve and headroom and high current. Depending on the pairing, the result may be amazing, or it may be too much of a good thing. There probably may also be too much of a bad thing, although I have not yet encountered that with my headphone stash. Some headphones will scale more than others no doubt. I love and have a bunch of Foster-based cans, and not just because I am indeed a basshead but also due to their quality of tone and their spatial presentation. The one that deserves a special mention in connection to Volot IME so far is EMU Teak. I do love the Teaks in general despite their various shortcomings in comparison to either the th900 or 9200, or the Phonon, for that matter but they generally have remained for me a bit of a guilty pleasure in light of having these other cans. Until the Volot. This amp makes the Teak into a convincing TH900 beater in just about every aspect: the bass and subbass firm up, the bleed into the low mids is all but eliminated, a whole new level of clarity and resolution is obtained through the mids and highs, etc. Interestingly -- or maybe expectedly so -- the TH900 seems to become almost too much of a good thing, in contrast, and does not seem to scale just as well here -- but that's more of gut feeling, as I have not yet listened enough with them. Another can that's a bit of a guilty pleasure for me is the Z1R, and so far I am also REALLY liking what Volot is doing with it. On a different note, plugged in the HD650s -- always been a fan of them -- expecting them to find a whole new bass foundation, lose the veil, etc. -- and found out that the Jot 2 is a much better pairing with them to my ears: both amps easily lift the proverbial veil but with the Jot they sound more expansive and organic. Volot did NOT make them into bass monsters -- Jot does better there, too -- and somehow the pairing just sounded constrained. Which brings us to the last point:
- Volot makes you understand just how much of a value something like a Jot 2 is at 5x+ less money but at the same time it also clearly presents to you that next level of sound quality where some will see nothing but strongly diminishing returns and others will feel is worth every penny. No doubt a great amp -- that's for sure.

It makes me curious indeed how some hard-to-drive planars would sound with this amp. If anyone here in SF Bay wants to bring over a Susvara or some such to hear with the Volot, I can accommodate that, and I'd love to hear the cans  Just shoot me a PM...


----------



## cangle

makarushka said:


> Everything I read about the FA-12 as well as Vitaliy's own feedback on it as compared to Volot is almost opposite of yours -- in that it has a "darker" delivery with "fuller body" and "meatier mids". Amazing how we all hear differently but also how component pairings come into play? I wonder if any of the below resonates with you.


Definitely interesting and maybe my thoughts of the FA-12 and Volot will change once I do a direct comparison. My impressions I posted so far were just immediate thoughts I had when listening to the Volot for the first time. The mids that I referred to as thin were more a quality of the 1266 and FA-12 pairing then it was of the FA-12. Moving to the Volot, the 1266 mids sounded closer and more real, with less of a distant feeling to them. The treble presentation could be a volume thing and am interested in what I think when I try the FA-12 again


----------



## Fafner

My impression is that treble improved quite a bit after some hours. Still far from the recommended 100h.


----------



## cangle

Had a problem with the Volot today unfortunately. I left it on from 10 am to 4 pm and then I smelled smoke. Turns out one of the transformers started smoking and melted a bit. I reached out to FLA and they are working on a solution. Not sure what caused it as there was nothing apparently wrong like shorting of wires or anything when I removed the lid. I hope this problem is only with my unit as I know FLA does extensive testing with each unit. I hope they will be able to find a fix or at least replace my unit. If not I may have to look elsewhere for an amp. Despite this problem the little that I did listen to the amp it sounded quite good. I hope I can listen to it again. Here's a pic of the melted part.


----------



## sahmen

cangle said:


> Had a problem with the Volot today unfortunately. I left it on from 10 am to 4 pm and then I smelled smoke. Turns out one of the transformers started smoking and melted a bit. I reached out to FLA and they are working on a solution. Not sure what caused it as there was nothing apparently wrong like shorting of wires or anything when I removed the lid. I hope this problem is only with my unit as I know FLA does extensive testing with each unit. I hope they will be able to find a fix or at least replace my unit. If not I may have to look elsewhere for an amp. Despite this problem the little that I did listen to the amp it sounded quite good. I hope I can listen to it again. Here's a pic of the melted part.


Sorry to hear that.  I hope the folks at Flux Lab resolve this issue ASAP.


----------



## Majors

cangle said:


> Had a problem with the Volot today unfortunately. I left it on from 10 am to 4 pm and then I smelled smoke. Turns out one of the transformers started smoking and melted a bit. I reached out to FLA and they are working on a solution. Not sure what caused it as there was nothing apparently wrong like shorting of wires or anything when I removed the lid. I hope this problem is only with my unit as I know FLA does extensive testing with each unit. I hope they will be able to find a fix or at least replace my unit. If not I may have to look elsewhere for an amp. Despite this problem the little that I did listen to the amp it sounded quite good. I hope I can listen to it again. Here's a pic of the melted part.


Man what a bummer. I hope for you a speedy replacement.


----------



## tholt

cangle said:


> Had a problem with the Volot today unfortunately. I left it on from 10 am to 4 pm and then I smelled smoke. Turns out one of the transformers started smoking and melted a bit. I reached out to FLA and they are working on a solution. Not sure what caused it as there was nothing apparently wrong like shorting of wires or anything when I removed the lid. I hope this problem is only with my unit as I know FLA does extensive testing with each unit. I hope they will be able to find a fix or at least replace my unit. If not I may have to look elsewhere for an amp. Despite this problem the little that I did listen to the amp it sounded quite good. I hope I can listen to it again. Here's a pic of the melted part.


Ugh, that sucks! Right after you got it too, can't imagine the disappointment. Hopefully Flux can help you with haste. Bummer. Feel for you


----------



## Aibek

Something the reviews are cautious. No delight in sound.


----------



## cangle

While I wait to hear from Flux about a fix for the Volot I have plugged back in the FA-12 to my system. The sound feels a little smaller and less dynamic. Also the 3d sense of the sound is much less than what I remember from before with the Volot. Bass is still punchy but feels a little loose and not as controlled as before.  Overall tonality is pretty much the same though but less natural sounding. The treble might be a little harsher on the FA-12. I think I was mistaking treble harshness for treble energy and the Volot treble presentation was actually better now that I've gone back and listened to the FA-12. Despite the differences the FA-12 is still a good amp and can drive the 1266 well enough.

Couple things about the transformer issue from earlier with my Volot. It was just sitting there powered on and nothing was connected to the output. Maybe I would have caught the issue sooner with headphones plugged in but I don't want to know what could have happened to my headphones especially the 1266 if the transformer had failed when it was connected. Also the rest of the amp does not appear to be damaged at least from a visual inspection so that's good too. Thanks for the kind words about my issue I experienced today and I too hope that FLA can provide a fix shortly.


----------



## tholt

You may have taken it a _bit_ too literally with the burn in thing... 

Interesting you went for the FA12 instead of the 10 for the Abyss? Flux would recommend the latter for that headphone. But having a Volot and the 12 makes for a nice selection to choose from. Hope it gets sorted quickly and professionally.


----------



## MWeston

cangle said:


> Had a problem with the Volot today unfortunately. I left it on from 10 am to 4 pm and then I smelled smoke. Turns out one of the transformers started smoking and melted a bit. I reached out to FLA and they are working on a solution. Not sure what caused it as there was nothing apparently wrong like shorting of wires or anything when I removed the lid. I hope this problem is only with my unit as I know FLA does extensive testing with each unit. I hope they will be able to find a fix or at least replace my unit. If not I may have to look elsewhere for an amp. Despite this problem the little that I did listen to the amp it sounded quite good. I hope I can listen to it again. Here's a pic of the melted part.


Does this amp have any CE certification labels on it?  This is the sort of thing that proper certification is created to prevent.  Not cool.


----------



## cangle

tholt said:


> You may have taken it a _bit_ too literally with the burn in thing...
> 
> Interesting you went for the FA12 instead of the 10 for the Abyss? Flux would recommend the latter for that headphone. But having a Volot and the 12 makes for a nice selection to choose from. Hope it gets sorted quickly and professionally.


Yeah haha I did. I got the 12 before the 1266 when my main headphone was the LCD-4z. If I did it all again I would start with the FA-10 Pro instead


----------



## cangle

MWeston said:


> Does this amp have any CE certification labels on it?  This is the sort of thing that proper certification is created to prevent.  Not cool.


I don't see any of those labels. Here's a picture of the back


----------



## MWeston

cangle said:


> I don't see any of those labels. Here's a picture of the back


Thanks for looking!  It was one reason why I stopped looking at Flux amps a while back.  I read that they don't do any certification testing.  I also sold a nice sounding Audio-gd amp for the same reasons.  I didn't want to be the guy that burnt down the office because I was running un-certified equipment at my desk and it caught on fire after everyone went home for the night.

Certifications create very specific rules about part changes, part qualifications and meeting safety standards.  I work for an OEM and we spend tens of thousands of dollars on each product, some of them over $100k when they go into explosion sensitive environments.  It has taken us years to begin shipping internationally for these reasons and to just throw something in a box and send it around the world is sketchy.  If you hadn't been home at 4pm... is the reason why I avoid stuff like this and already one has melted on the first batch.


----------



## VerloK

Oh no, not good  

I also have my worries about the lack of a CE certificate.
Perhaps the amplifier will be intercepted at customs and scrapped, or the apartment will burn, no good prospects.

Maybe I should cancel the amp before it has been shipped.


----------



## Fafner (Jul 9, 2021)

VerloK said:


> or the apartment will burn, no good prospects.
> 
> Maybe I should cancel the amp before it has been shipped.




I wouldn't overexagerate things. There are a lor of Flux amps around, none of them has that certification, but we haven't heard about burned apartments. There doesn't seem to have been many failure reports either.
Not minimizing a serious issue, ofc, but things sometimes just break, even the best ones. 
I agree on the fact they should seriously consider going through these certification if they want to sell stuff globally (CE is not mandatory for Switzerland).


----------



## artist777

It is sad, of course, that this happened. Unfortunately, no amount of certification will protect us from production nuances. This is neither good nor bad, it is a fact. Defects frequently meet in our lives. We know this from the sad stories of battery fires from A-brands like Tesla, Dell, Apple, Samsung, etc. The more important thing is the reaction and speed of the decision by brand. I hope Flux will solve the problem promptly


----------



## stemiki

However, the fact remains that such a thing is very serious. If it caught fire while you were not at home, who would compensate you for your home ???


----------



## cangle

I don't think this incident will stop me from purchasing from Flux but I understand that I was lucky being around to notice that something was going wrong. Flux did reach out again and said that they will be shipping a new transformer for me along with a manual to do the replacement myself. I was relieved by this as I did not want to deal with shipping costs to send it back to so I'm glad they are offering a simpler fix before just asking me to return the unit.


----------



## Aibek

And what was the reason for the burnout of the transformer?


----------



## cangle

It seems it might have been user error. Supposedly I'm not supposed to leave the amp on without a headphone connected as that can put the amp in an unsafe operating mode. However I've done this with amps in the past including my FA-12 without issue so I'm a little surprised that is the case but either way it's good to know what may have caused it and that it can be avoided in the future.


----------



## Fafner

Good to know. I don't use to turn on my amps without something attached. But I'm quite surprised there isn't some sort of protection for this (or a warning at least).


----------



## tholt

Fafner said:


> But I'm quite surprised there isn't some sort of protection for this


Agreed. There should be.

Is it stated in the manual at least that the amp should not be on without HP plugged in? If not, they need put that in ALL CAPS asap.


----------



## MWeston

cangle said:


> I don't think this incident will stop me from purchasing from Flux but I understand that I was lucky being around to notice that something was going wrong. Flux did reach out again and said that they will be shipping a new transformer for me along with a manual to do the replacement myself. I was relieved by this as I did not want to deal with shipping costs to send it back to so I'm glad they are offering a simpler fix before just asking me to return the unit.


Oh my goodness, that's a terrible idea!  No technician/engineer/troubleshooter would just plop a replacement part into a failed product without first diagnosing what caused the failure.  That's like replacing a blown fuse with a bigger fuse so that it doesn't happen again.

I wish you the best of luck and I'm not trying to ruin your day.  I just want you, and everyone, to stay aware of potential issues and be wary of things that could happen with a rushed and uncertified product.  I have no motives behind my words other than how I would behave if I bought this stuff.  It just makes me worry.


----------



## decur

MWeston said:


> Oh my goodness, that's a terrible idea!  No technician/engineer/troubleshooter would just plop a replacement part into a failed product without first diagnosing what caused the failure.  That's like replacing a blown fuse with a bigger fuse so that it doesn't happen again.
> 
> I wish you the best of luck and I'm not trying to ruin your day.  I just want you, and everyone, to stay aware of potential issues and be wary of things that could happen with a rushed and uncertified product.  I have no motives behind my words other than how I would behave if I bought this stuff.  It just makes me worry.


OMG! i completely agree,this blows my mind,that they would just ship you a transformer,without taking this back and re checking?????
this is crazy!!!!
i would never accept this


----------



## Fafner (Jul 9, 2021)

tholt said:


> Agreed. There should be.
> 
> Is it stated in the manual at least that the amp should not be on without HP plugged in? If not, they need put that in ALL CAPS asap.



There's no manual. Well, there's not much to explain, there are 3 self explanatory buttons at the front and one ground switch at the back, but a sticker on this would have been welcome if that was the problem.


----------



## decur

decur said:


> OMG! i completely agree,this blows my mind,that they would just ship you a transformer,without taking this back and re checking?????
> this is crazy!!!!
> i would never accept this


back in 2013,i purchased a brand new cavalli audio liquid glass headphone amplifier,it was a 6922 type hybrid amp that i had heard at a canjam
i was given a list of interchangeable tube variants of the 6922/ecc88. one of the cavalli reps/engineers at the show,recomended me the pcc88 variant,in which there are some great nos stock out there at cheaper prices.
as soon as i recieved the amp,i plugged in  a quad of these pcc88 nos mullards,and as i hit the on button,i heard a big "POP" and then smoke started pouring out of this amp like a gas fire. i quickly pulled the plug,and had to open all the windows in my house.
i called alex cavalli,and he emediately overnighted me next day air another brand new amp. the pcc88 is a 7volt variant of the ecc88,but they are interchangeable
i understand mistakes happen,i appreciated alex overnighting me a new amp,it scared me to death when that had happened....


----------



## stemiki

But are they kidding ??? Send a transformer and change by yourself?
In your place I would immediately make a return with a request for compensation of all the money you have spent. Good luck!


----------



## Majors

From my experience you should not leave on a heavily class A biased amp on for long periods of time with no load unless there is a standby. My Aragon Palladium amps get hot during listening but cook if I just leave them on. I have also had this experience with my other class A amps. I would recommended keeping a close eye on this after Transformer replacement. Good luck


----------



## cangle

As an update, FLA follows this forum and have decided to either offer a replacement amp or a refund instead of the transformer replacement. I am not sure what to do at the moment but continue to appreciate their support with this issue.


----------



## Majors

That`s awesome support, I would go for replacement with no hesitation.


----------



## tholt

cangle said:


> As an update, FLA follows this forum and have decided to either offer a replacement amp or a refund instead of the transformer replacement. I am not sure what to do at the moment but continue to appreciate their support with this issue.


The only professional thing to do. Asking you to replace a part is a head scratcher for sure. Sounds like they came to their senses. If you choose a new amp, hopefully they would expedite shipping as a courtesy. They can include a return label in the box for the defective one. They're definitely gonna want to take a look at it.


----------



## sahmen

But a clear warning about this danger would be nice, not to mention safer for the user, his household, and whatever he holds dear.

 When I had my FA-10, I remember at least a couple of times when I left it on and in high gain for several days on end with no headphone attached.  Nothing happened, obviously, but in retrospect, I am horrified to think I had unknowingly set up a potential fire hazard (not to mention a ticking time-bomb) running in my living room for days on end, and on two separate occasions!!!


----------



## sahmen

cangle said:


> As an update, FLA follows this forum and have decided to either offer a replacement amp or a refund instead of the transformer replacement. I am not sure what to do at the moment but continue to appreciate their support with this issue.


Sounds like a step in the right direction. I wouldn't know what to do either, if I were in your place.  I also loved my FA-10 enough to cut Flux Lab some slack in this particular case, but I think there might be some QC related issues and loopholes with the Volot that would require fixing. As unpleasant as it may seem now, such an incident might serve as a blessing in disguise if it helps them to be more careful, and take another look at their QC conditions.


----------



## Majors

I hope that`s not the case, but I`m guessing as long as they have been around and with so many out in the field I feel confident with their QC. I agree they should examine this one for faults.


----------



## Majors (Jul 9, 2021)

For a load during break-in I just leave my playlist on shuffle or run  Hi-Fi Choice System Tune-Up Disc on repeat. There are also some useful tools on there as well. Burn-in, Defrag-sweeps, etc.


----------



## Majors

Lastly, not trying to spam the forum but I thought I`d share that Sandu @Soundnwes replied the Volot review would be no later than this Tuesday.


----------



## decur

cangle said:


> As an update, FLA follows this forum and have decided to either offer a replacement amp or a refund instead of the transformer replacement. I am not sure what to do at the moment but continue to appreciate their support with this issue.


That is great that they are offering you replace or money back, it is the right thing for flux to do


----------



## vkenz

I would like to see a review of ATLAS + VOLOT stack.  it will be for sure a VOTLAS or a LASVOT.  Either way, great if soundnews can review both.


----------



## elira

I would definitely prefer to replace the transformer myself than ship it back to Ukraine, but that is assuming that the issue was indeed the transformer and there's no other faulty thing in the amp that melted the transformer.


----------



## drc73rp

The faulty unit definitely needs to go back to Flux if only for them to make sure it won't happen to the other units especially the ones that have been shipped already. They need to ascertain the cause and share the information with their customers. For this reason they should cover return shipping as well as that of the new unit to you. As a relatively new brand this is damage limitation and sending out the right message to the market.


----------



## cangle

A final update on all of this is that Flux provided me with shipping labels and I will be sending it off on Monday since shipping services are closed until then where I'm from. I've asked for a replacement Volot which should be here in a few weeks. I will update if anything changes or just when the amp gets here. Thanks for the advice and I'm looking forward to hearing the Volot again


----------



## Majors

My guess is you get a amp well burnt-in this time. FLA leaving on under cooking lamps LOL.


----------



## Fafner

Mine has been running continuously for the last 50h, with music playing during the day. Nothing burnt so far 🤣


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> Mine has been running continuously for the last 50h, with music playing during the day. Nothing burnt so far 🤣


Glad you're not having any problems with yours. Do you have any new impressions with the 1266?


----------



## Fafner

cangle said:


> Glad you're not having any problems with yours. Do you have any new impressions with the 1266?


Haven't really listened to it, I'm just letting the pair go for a while.
But just after a few hours I could notice the sound opened up and gained quite a bit more detail at the top. Eager to see at possible further improvements.


----------



## paradoxper

cangle said:


> As an update, FLA follows this forum and have decided to either offer a replacement amp or a refund instead of the transformer replacement. I am not sure what to do at the moment but continue to appreciate their support with this issue.


This is terrible optics. Flux is observing the thread:

Offer him a complete refund, and then overnight him a transformer and help him contact a licensed technician.

You'll only lose one customer sale...


----------



## decur

cangle said:


> A final update on all of this is that Flux provided me with shipping labels and I will be sending it off on Monday since shipping services are closed until then where I'm from. I've asked for a replacement Volot which should be here in a few weeks. I will update if anything changes or just when the amp gets here. Thanks for the advice and I'm looking forward to hearing the Volot again


Great news,i have been considering the volot,and looking forward to more impressions once you get your replacement.
wise move sending the original one back,and having it thoroughly checked out by them….


----------



## cangle

Dropped the amp off at the shipping service this morning. I'm looking forward to seeing if Flux can determine a more specific cause of failure so we can avoid that sort of problem in the future.


----------



## tholt (Jul 13, 2021)

Not to derail this thread in the least, but just saw on FB that Flux now has a FA-22? And it's on sale. Anyone know anything about this amp? Where does it fall power/sonically within the line up? The web write up is pretty cryptic.

https://fluxlab-acoustics.com/product/fa-22-balance-class-a-head-amplifier/


----------



## cangle

tholt said:


> Not to derail this thread in the least, but just saw on FB that Flux now has a FA-22? And it's on sale. Anyone know anything about this amp? Where does it fall power/sonically within the line up? The web write up is pretty cryptic.
> 
> https://fluxlab-acoustics.com/product/fa-22-balance-class-a-head-amplifier/


I think there are two people in the other Flux thread that ordered them. Not sure if there are any impressions yet though. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flu...eviews-impressions-discussion.930883/page-117


----------



## sahmen

tholt said:


> Not to derail this thread in the least, but just saw on FB that Flux now has a FA-22? And it's on sale. Anyone know anything about this amp? Where does it fall power/sonically within the line up? The web write up is pretty cryptic.
> 
> https://fluxlab-acoustics.com/product/fa-22-balance-class-a-head-amplifier/


Regarding its output power specs, did you look under "Additional information" on the page that you have linked?


Output power16Ohm : 5W RMS per channel, 32Ohm : 2.5W RMS per channel


----------



## Fafner (Jul 13, 2021)

Think I'm about 70h power on time, with about 50h music pushing into my AB1266. The sound keeps opening up and extending, expecially at the top. Now it's clear that when not burned-in, the sound is almost congested, closed in. I always had this with previous amps, but it never was so transformative.
Yesterday I listened to Salonen's Rite of Spring (DG, 96/24 Qobuz) and to Fischer's Mahler 2th (Channel Classics, 192/24 Qobuz) and it was magical. There was an absolute sense of music easily flowing, and finally the so well known speaker-like presentation of the Abyss was there in its full evidence. The Mahler was one of the recordings my Malvalve wasn't up to the task, the gain was just not enough for the Abyss and it used to loose full control on the most intricate passages. You think it's not bad but just realize it was in fact when you try something superior. Nothing similar with the Volot, you don't get the impression this thing is even approaching some kind of limits even in the most problematic moments. Clarity is untouched and dynamics seem to be limitless.
My only quibble is one which seem to be there on other Flux amps as well and to be a design choice. On the second half, the volume steps of the volume pot are just a bit too pronounced and it's not very easy to set the perfect desired volume.


----------



## Fafner

I was informed that remotes are in the house and will be shipped shortly. These will allow a finer volume adjustment.

Btw, wasn't today the supposed Soundnews review's day? Nothing so far.


----------



## OHBH

Fafner said:


> I was informed that remotes are in the house and will be shipped shortly. These will allow a finer volume adjustment.
> 
> Btw, wasn't today the supposed Soundnews review's day? Nothing so far.


Where the hell is the remote receiver? 

It is completely invisible on the front panel of volot.


----------



## Fafner (Jul 13, 2021)

OHBH said:


> Where the hell is the remote receiver?
> 
> It is completely invisible on the front panel of volot.



There's a jack on the rear, under the gnd switch, thus my assumption is that we may get an external receiver. Unless there's some built in receiver hidden behind the front plate.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flu...s-reviews-and-discussion.952903/post-16447017


----------



## tholt

sahmen said:


> Regarding its output power specs, did you look under "Additional information" on the page that you have linked?
> 
> 
> Output power16Ohm : 5W RMS per channel, 32Ohm : 2.5W RMS per channel


At first glance I thought it said 160 ohm and 320 ohm. But anyway, sorry for the segue. No worries, just had not heard of that amp before.


----------



## Aibek

Fafner said:


> Think I'm about 70h power on time, with about 50h music pushing into my AB1266.


Do you turn off the amplifier when you are not listening to music, for example at night? Or is the amplifier always on?


----------



## OHBH

Any news on Soundnews? 

I have received and listened to the Volot, but I am still waiting.


----------



## makarushka (Jul 14, 2021)

Aibek said:


> Do you turn off the amplifier when you are not listening to music, for example at night? Or is the amplifier always on?



Mine has been on for close to 250 hours by now, and over 200 of them playing music, gloriously and trouble-free.


----------



## vkenz

makarushka said:


> Mine has been on for close to 250 hours by now, and over 200 of them playing music, gloriously and trouble-free.


nice to know the quality problem is an outlier instead of the norm.


----------



## Fafner

OHBH said:


> Any news on Soundnews?
> 
> I have received and listened to the Volot, but I am still waiting.


  It was expected for yesterday, but nothing. Today there was a new dac review, thus I guess it won't happen. No idea on what's holding him back.


----------



## Majors

Sandu @soundnews replied to me


Fafner said:


> It was expected for yesterday, but nothing. Today there was a new dac review, thus I guess it won't happen. No idea on what's holding him back.



he had a review of a Musicians piece comming first and would have a review on the VOLOT by tuesday at the latest. I guess he got busy.


----------



## Fafner (Jul 14, 2021)

Majors said:


> Sandu @soundnews replied to me
> 
> 
> he had a review of a Musicians piece comming first and would have a review on the VOLOT by tuesday at the latest. I guess he got busy.



Well, he replied me on FB. In fact, he hasn't received it yet, he should this friday. Then burn-in, testing and writing, which won't start before 26th july. Still some long wait then.


----------



## Majors

Verry strange, his reply to me was 4 days ago. But anyway I'm sure it will be worth waiting for.


----------



## VerloK

still waiting for shipping


----------



## Rebel Chris

Majors said:


> Verry strange, his reply to me was 4 days ago. But anyway I'm sure it will be worth waiting for.


Here the same. I'm sending back my F22. No upgrade over the stock amp of my Chord TT2. 
Listing only to efficientGrado's has benefits I guess. Well the unit itself is beautiful, sounds only the same as my Chord.


----------



## Majors

Sorry it didnt work out but now you can invest elsewhere if you like.


----------



## rmsanger

If anybody else has reliability issues please post.


----------



## Majors

None so far after 65 or so hrs. But you do not want to turn off while source is still powered on. Even volume set to off you will get the death pop, I just got lucky. Are you having any issues with yours?


rmsanger said:


> If anybody else has reliability issues please post.


----------



## Fafner (Jul 18, 2021)

No issues so far.
What death pop? There's always a pop when turning off, and when turning on as well. Relay related things.
My old Malvalve used to make similar sounds when turning on or off, nothing to worry about.


----------



## VerloK

Deathpop? 

I'm getting closer and closer to canceling ... too many issues with this Device 
Hardly believe that customs will send the device on.
Then what about my money?


----------



## OHBH

It's not a pop, it's a relay dropping sound. 

There is no pop in the headphones.

Used about 60 hours. It doesn't play continuously. 

No problem

It's dense, heavy and fast  Resolution is excellent


----------



## Majors

Death pop, almost blew me off my chair. I'm used to a pop on my Aragon monoblocks. They make a pop on turn off but not like this. I have not had this with other amps. I do not hear a pop in the headphones on power up I can hear the soft-start working witch is normal. I did repeat the pop with a cheap pair of buds. However  if I use the routine of dac off first I see no reason to be worried. I would absolutely recommend this amp as a great buy.


----------



## Rebel Chris

VerloK said:


> Deathpop?
> 
> I'm getting closer and closer to canceling ... too many issues with this Device
> Hardly believe that customs will send the device on.
> Then what about my money?


Only one so far. Just wait for some more user reviews. 

Return policy for Flux Labs is good, contact by email is good. So no worries.


----------



## cangle

Hey everyone just wanted to provide a bit of an update. I decided to get a refund instead of a replacement so I no longer will be receiving a new Volot. After initially requesting the replacement I was getting a little concerned about using something that had failed on me and I decided to purchase another amplifier that meets certain certifications so that I don't have to worry about a failure like this again or at least I can be reassured that the testing was rigorous. Flux was very helpful throughout this return then refund process and let me change my mind a week after asking for the replacement.

The amp I decided on is the XI Audio Formula S and Powerman as it's intended for the 1266 and it has a similar design to the Volot being dual mono and class A. After my brief experience hearing the Volot I would say that it's a great value for money as I do think it competes with the Formula S. From my memory of the Volot both it and the Formula S do a good job with bass reproduction and texture as well as adding more body to the instruments. I'd be interested in someone who owns both amps to do a comparison at some point as I think they are closer than the price would imply and the Volot having more power is a more flexible amplifier.

I've seen some mention of this death pop and for the few hours that I used mine I did not hear anything like that. Although I removed my headphones before turning off the amp so I probably wouldn't hear it if it happened anyways.

Hope those who ordered one enjoy it. Despite my problem with the one I ordered I thought it sounded great for the short time I heard it and bet it sounds even better over time.


----------



## Era in Ear

cangle said:


> The amp I decided on is the XI Audio Formula S and Powerman as it's intended for the 1266 and it has a similar design to the Volot being dual mono and class A.


Formula S is not a dual mono design, dual mono has a separate power supply for each amp channel, and the Formula S has a common power supply. It would be interesting to compare, because real amplifiers with dual mono like Volot can have a more spacious soundstage.
I guess, the Formula will work in class A only with low output power. It has too small radiators to work in pure class A at the specified power. And external radiators are not connected.


----------



## Slim1970

Era in Ear said:


> Formula S is not a dual mono design, dual mono has a separate power supply for each amp channel, and the Formula S has a common power supply. It would be interesting to compare, because real amplifiers with dual mono like Volot can have a more spacious soundstage.
> I guess, the Formula will work in class A only with low output power. It has too small radiators to work in pure class A at the specified power. And external radiators are not connected.


Not necessarily the case. Transformers can have multiple primary windings, which would eliminate the need for separate single transformers. It’s just a design choice. The Formula S is a dual mono design, but built on a different theory than the Volot.


----------



## Terriero

cangle said:


> Hey everyone just wanted to provide a bit of an update. I decided to get a refund instead of a replacement so I no longer will be receiving a new Volot. After initially requesting the replacement I was getting a little concerned about using something that had failed on me and I decided to purchase another amplifier that meets certain certifications so that I don't have to worry about a failure like this again or at least I can be reassured that the testing was rigorous. Flux was very helpful throughout this return then refund process and let me change my mind a week after asking for the replacement.
> 
> The amp I decided on is the XI Audio Formula S and Powerman as it's intended for the 1266 and it has a similar design to the Volot being dual mono and class A. After my brief experience hearing the Volot I would say that it's a great value for money as I do think it competes with the Formula S. From my memory of the Volot both it and the Formula S do a good job with bass reproduction and texture as well as adding more body to the instruments. I'd be interested in someone who owns both amps to do a comparison at some point as I think they are closer than the price would imply and the Volot having more power is a more flexible amplifier.
> 
> ...


I'm worried because Denafrips and Musician DACs also lack the CE certification, althought those products are less than 20 Watts of power consumption, but the brands inisist in let them always powered on (or at least 4 hours before listening to music)...


----------



## cangle

Terriero said:


> I'm worried because Denafrips and Musician DACs also lack the CE certification, although those products are less than 20 Watts of power consumption, but the brands inssist in let them always powered on (or at least 4 hours before listening to music)...


My Pontus has not yet had any issues and I've left in on since I received it a few months ago, only turning it off or putting it in standby to rearrange my desk / audio rack and connecting new devices to it.


----------



## Majors

We should not worry. Denafrips and FLA are highly evolved products. Anomalies happen with even the most scrutinized companies, even NASA. I do regret using the word "death" in my description for a potential harmful pop to your headphones in certain circumstances i.e. source on at power down. It was only mentioned to help prevent this from happening to others. This is not a concern to me and simple to do. I also would like to say my Denafrips and FA-22 have been performing beautifully together for over 120hrs continuously.


----------



## Era in Ear

Slim1970 said:


> Not necessarily the case. Transformers can have multiple primary windings, which would eliminate the need for separate single transformers. It’s just a design choice. The Formula S is a dual mono design, but built on a different theory than the Volot.


As I understand, you meant multiple secondary windings. Since the primary winding is connected to the mains and always the only one for one transformer (it can have several taps to work with different mains voltages). But the secondary winding is also one here (with a midpoint for bipolar voltage). Thus, the power supply is common for the both channels. I tried to show it in the picture below:


----------



## Slim1970 (Jul 21, 2021)

Era in Ear said:


> As I understand, you meant multiple secondary windings. Since the primary winding is connected to the mains and always the only one for one transformer (it can have several taps to work with different mains voltages). But the secondary winding is also one here (with a midpoint for bipolar voltage). Thus, the power supply is common for the both channels. I tried to show it in the picture below:


Good stuff, thanks for sharing. The picture also shows separate left and right amp channels even though they share a single power supply. So maybe it's not a true dual mono in that sense.


----------



## Era in Ear

Slim1970 said:


> Good stuff, thanks for sharing. The picture also shows separate left and right amp channels even though they share a single power supply. So maybe it's not a true dual mono in that sense.


The amplifier channels will be separate in any case, it's just that here they are made on separate printed circuit boards and not on a common one. But this does not make the amplifier dual mono, dual mono is always an individual power supply.


----------



## cfranchi (Jul 21, 2021)

Era in Ear said:


> As I understand, you meant multiple secondary windings. Since the primary winding is connected to the mains and always the only one for one transformer (it can have several taps to work with different mains voltages). But the secondary winding is also one here (with a midpoint for bipolar voltage). Thus, the power supply is common for the both channels. I tried to show it in the picture below:



For the asking price, the internal view of the XI audio amp is a joke.

Another joke from Ultrasone, the Volcano amp:



Asking price is 20 000$


----------



## Slim1970

cfranchi said:


> For the asking price, the internal view of the XI audio amp is a joke.
> 
> Another joke from Ultrasone, the Volcano amp:
> 
> Asking price is 20 000$


Wow, I don't feel so bad now, $20K? For what it's worth, the Formula S does have new PCB boards. The one @Era in Ear is showing is an older design. It's still not as well built as the Volot, which parts of it looks to be done by hand.


----------



## cfranchi

Slim1970 said:


> Wow, I don't feel so bad now, $20K? For what it's worth, the Formula S does have new PCB boards. The one @Era in Ear is showing is an older design. It's still not as well built as the Volot, which parts of it looks to be done by hand.



Yep, at least with Flux amps, sound quality apart, you have the feeling to pay for something


----------



## OHBH

Over 70 hours...

The sound of my Susvara is all intact and natural.

that's all


----------



## vkenz (Jul 21, 2021)

cangle said:


> Hey everyone just wanted to provide a bit of an update. I decided to get a refund instead of a replacement so I no longer will be receiving a new Volot. After initially requesting the replacement I was getting a little concerned about using something that had failed on me and I decided to purchase another amplifier that meets certain certifications so that I don't have to worry about a failure like this again or at least I can be reassured that the testing was rigorous. Flux was very helpful throughout this return then refund process and let me change my mind a week after asking for the replacement.
> 
> The amp I decided on is the XI Audio Formula S and Powerman as it's intended for the 1266 and it has a similar design to the Volot being dual mono and class A. After my brief experience hearing the Volot I would say that it's a great value for money as I do think it competes with the Formula S. From my memory of the Volot both it and the Formula S do a good job with bass reproduction and texture as well as adding more body to the instruments. I'd be interested in someone who owns both amps to do a comparison at some point as I think they are closer than the price would imply and the Volot having more power is a more flexible amplifier.
> 
> ...


It seems like a wrong move… all electronics breaks down.  Sooner or later.  Some just sooner. That is why we have warranty.  Unless it is the sound…


----------



## drc73rp

vkenz said:


> It seems like a wrong move… all electronics breaks down.  Sooner or later.  Some just sooner. That is why we have warranty.  Unless it is the sound…


I would disagree, failure of this type is more an exception than the norm for products like these especially for a new product from a relatively new company. For me this is an indication that it may have been let out of the gates too soon or compromised by the abnormal situation given the pandemic. It's certainly the first time I've heard of a transformer burning up in a headphone amplifier, and if that's not a good reason to jump ship I don't know what is.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Ot it may be the transformer itself has QC issues...


----------



## GU1DO

cfranchi said:


> For the asking price, the internal view of the XI audio amp is a joke.
> 
> Another joke from Ultrasone, the Volcano amp:
> 
> Asking price is 20 000$


Just seeing that alps pot in the middle tells a lot ,,, what a rip offf


----------



## GU1DO

Era in Ear said:


> As I understand, you meant multiple secondary windings. Since the primary winding is connected to the mains and always the only one for one transformer (it can have several taps to work with different mains voltages). But the secondary winding is also one here (with a midpoint for bipolar voltage). Thus, the power supply is common for the both channels. I tried to show it in the picture below:


I owned the formula S ,, its nice amp but lack a lot for the price ,,, and that Alps pot agian ,,, what a jock


----------



## GU1DO

cangle said:


> Had a problem with the Volot today unfortunately. I left it on from 10 am to 4 pm and then I smelled smoke. Turns out one of the transformers started smoking and melted a bit. I reached out to FLA and they are working on a solution. Not sure what caused it as there was nothing apparently wrong like shorting of wires or anything when I removed the lid. I hope this problem is only with my unit as I know FLA does extensive testing with each unit. I hope they will be able to find a fix or at least replace my unit. If not I may have to look elsewhere for an amp. Despite this problem the little that I did listen to the amp it sounded quite good. I hope I can listen to it again. Here's a pic of the melted part.


Shiiiit i didnt expect that ,, was looking back in the pages ,, what a bummer , this amp was under my radar .... hopefully its a single indecent ,, and sending the transformers to you to fix by yourself was a noob step beside blaming you for the damege ,, wt f ?????


----------



## Majors

AnaKinDV8 said:


> I would disagree, failure of this type is more an exception than the norm for products like these especially for a new product from a relatively new company. For me this is an indication that it may have been let out of the gates too soon or compromised by the abnormal situation given the pandemic. It's certainly the first time I've heard of a transformer burning up in a headphone amplifier, and if that's not a good reason to jump ship I don't know what is.


The only indication I get is a whole lot of assuming going on.


----------



## Terriero

GU1DO said:


> Shiiiit i didnt expect that ,, was looking back in the pages ,, what a bummer , this amp was under my radar .... hopefully its a single indecent ,, and sending the transformers to you to fix by yourself was a noob step beside blaming you for the damege ,, wt f ?????


At first, Flux lab told him that, but (maybe after reading this thread) they reconsidered that and told him to send it back. At the end, he decided to get a refund and bought another AMP.


----------



## drc73rp

Majors said:


> The only indication I get is a whole lot of assuming going on.


You're right and Flux certainly needs to confirm what happened otherwise it will be left to different interpretations.


----------



## vkenz

GU1DO said:


> Just seeing that alps pot in the middle tells a lot ,,, what a rip offf


It lacks the refinement of a true workhorse like the V281.


----------



## VerloK

I don't like the silence here 🤔
Vatiliy told me my VOLOT will be shipped last week... It's so sad.


----------



## jonathan c

~ While I am not a Flux Lab amp owner and am only an observer of the Volot ‘saga’, I feel that FLA has a number of challenges / problems before it.
~ Beyond control: parts shortages and supply chain bottlenecks. Within control: quality assurance and management of customer expectations.
~ For a h/p/a with the price of and the demand for the Volot, there is no room for expedited production (with its risks of quality shortfalls) to meet / slate customer demand. Any instances of product malfunction, already reported, are dismaying at best and reputationally damaging to FLA at worst.
~ Silence, intransigence, indifference cannot be the hallmarks of relations with customers. Tell the (would be) buyers that you will deliver the _right_ product when that is _consistently_ possible. Keep the (would be) buyers in the know. Be proactive. Do not wait for inquiries from annoyed (would be) buyers. A sale lost here is unlikely to be recovered. There are plenty of excellent headphone amplifiers out there…


----------



## Aibek

Personally, I will wait until the amplifier is made from original components and with quality. It is wrong to speed up production by replacing components.


----------



## VerloK

For real? Replaced components?


----------



## jonathan c

Aibek said:


> Personally, I will wait until the amplifier is made from original components and with quality. It is wrong to speed up production by replacing components.


As a possible buyer, you should be getting regular communication from FLA, without prompts by you, as to the status of _consistent_ delivery of a problem-free Volot.


----------



## Aibek

VerloK said:


> For real? Replaced components?


This was not suggested by me, but by *jonathan c*: "Beyond control: parts shortages and supply chain bottlenecks".


----------



## Aibek

jonathan c said:


> As a possible buyer, you should be getting regular communication from FLA, without prompts by you, as to the status of _consistent_ delivery of a problem-free Volot.


I have not yet had 4 weeks - I ordered three weeks ago.


----------



## sahmen

Is Sandu Vitalie's review of the Volot out yet as SoundNews, or still MIA? To answer my own question, No!, at least not today, 7/27... For a product--a major one in the FLA line-up-- that was supposedly "released" or made available for pre-order on May 31, it does speak volumes that they have still not enabled SV to complete and publish his review, by sending him a finalized working model they can fully stand behind, to this day, apparently.


----------



## jonathan c

Aibek said:


> This was not suggested by me, but by *jonathan c*: "Beyond control: parts shortages and supply chain bottlenecks".


~ I did _not _suggest that FLA _actually_ replaced parts in the manufacture of the Volot.
~ What the issues are for FLA with “parts shortages and supply chain bottlenecks” include and may go beyond: (i) keep or change Volot design based on parts availability, (ii) communication of any changes _if _made, (iii) communication of likelihood and timing of Volot delivery.
~ How FLA responds to its operating environment and how it presents to its (actual / would be) customers that response will affect success for FLA.


----------



## Aibek

jonathan c said:


> ~ Проблемы с «нехваткой запчастей и узкими местами в цепочке поставок» для FLA включают и могут выходить за рамки: (i) сохранить или изменить конструкцию Volot в зависимости от наличия запчастей, (ii) сообщить о любых изменениях, _если они были _ внесены, (iii) сообщить вероятность и сроки доставки Волота.


Полностью поддерживаю это!


----------



## jonathan c

Aibek said:


> Полностью поддерживаю это!


Please translate your reply.


----------



## Aibek

jonathan c said:


> Please translate your reply.


_"~ What the issues are for FLA with “parts shortages and supply chain bottlenecks” include and may go beyond: (i) keep or change Volot design based on parts availability, (ii) communication of any changes if made, (iii) communication of likelihood and timing of Volot delivery."_

*I fully support it!*


----------



## Fafner

My remote was shipped today.


----------



## jonathan c (Jul 28, 2021)

Fafner said:


> My remote was shipped today.


I guess that is why it is a “remote” 😜


----------



## OHBH

My remote has also been shipped 

I'm curious how the volume control works.


----------



## tholt

It would behoove Flux to engage on this thread. A lot of passion here for the products, not to mention customers and potential customers. A few regular updates here from the company would sure go a long way. Not sure why they're so silent, especially in light of the recent defect and legitimate concerns over QA, and doubts creeping up in general. Doesn't do them any favors IMO.


----------



## Majors

OHBH said:


> My remote has also been shipped
> 
> I'm curious how the volume control works.


No different. It is just the same but aluminum. Straight from Vitali.


----------



## VerloK

VerloK said:


> I don't like the silence here 🤔
> Vatiliy told me my VOLOT will be shipped last week... It's so sad.



Now its shipped, lol. 
Yesterday I had my HE100SE upgraded, next month I'll get a SUSVARA 
The anticipation is huge!

regards


----------



## Terriero

jonathan c said:


> ~ While I am not a Flux Lab amp owner and am only an observer of the Volot ‘saga’, I feel that FLA has a number of challenges / problems before it.
> ~ Beyond control: parts shortages and supply chain bottlenecks. Within control: quality assurance and management of customer expectations.
> ~ For a h/p/a with the price of and the demand for the Volot, there is no room for expedited production (with its risks of quality shortfalls) to meet / slate customer demand. Any instances of product malfunction, already reported, are dismaying at best and reputationally damaging to FLA at worst.
> ~ Silence, intransigence, indifference cannot be the hallmarks of relations with customers. Tell the (would be) buyers that you will deliver the _right_ product when that is _consistently_ possible. Keep the (would be) buyers in the know. Be proactive. Do not wait for inquiries from annoyed (would be) buyers. A sale lost here is unlikely to be recovered. There are plenty of excellent headphone amplifiers out there…


When I was waiting for Volot, I thought the same that you wrote here... And now, when @cangle unit failed (and after realized that the people at Flux lab was reading this thread and didn't say nothing about) they have lost me as a customer. I will go for another AMP.


----------



## rmsanger

I think 1 report on here of a part melting is concerning but we should over emphasize it.  For example on the Burson soloist 3XP thread there are 100s of happy users on headfi but you head over to headphone.com forum and there are a few  guys where it ate their susvara.  so each sample conversation can over or under emphasize certain things.


----------



## OHBH

rmsanger said:


> I think 1 report on here of a part melting is concerning but we should over emphasize it.  For example on the Burson soloist 3XP thread there are 100s of happy users on headfi but you head over to headphone.com forum and there are a few  guys where it ate their susvara.  so each sample conversation can over or under emphasize certain things.


What does amp eat susvara mean?

Are you saying the headphones are damaged?

I don't really care about the fact that the melting of this volot is no-load operation.

It is common knowledge that no-load operation puts a strain on the amplifier


----------



## artist777

OHBH said:


> I don't really care about the fact that the melting of this volot is no-load operation.
> 
> It is common knowledge that no-load operation puts a strain on the amplifier



Flux says that Volot can be turned on without load for as long as necessary and it is fully designed for this. The transformer could burn out due to the presence of a latent defect. The transportation of the device could aggravate this as the device broke down almost immediately after receiving it.


----------



## Fafner

sahmen said:


> Is Sandu Vitalie's review of the Volot out yet as SoundNews, or still MIA? To answer my own question, No!, at least not today, 7/27... For a product--a major one in the FLA line-up-- that was supposedly "released" or made available for pre-order on May 31, it does speak volumes that they have still not enabled SV to complete and publish his review, by sending him a finalized working model they can fully stand behind, to this day, apparently.



There apparently were problems with shipping, not sure it was Flux's fault. He has been on a 10 days vacation as well, he was back this last weekend. He already told me he wouldn't have started writing his review till the 26th at least.


----------



## OHBH

Fafner said:


> There apparently were problems with shipping, not sure it was Flux's fault. He has been on a 10 days vacation as well, he was back this last weekend. He already told me he wouldn't have started writing his review till the 26th at least.


Considering the burn-in time, this month may be difficult 

Shipping errors seem to be the biggest cause of review delays.


----------



## cangle (Jul 28, 2021)

artist777 said:


> Flux says that Volot can be turned on without load for as long as necessary and it is fully designed for this. The transformer could burn out due to the presence of a latent defect. The transportation of the device could aggravate this as the device broke down almost immediately after receiving it.


Did Flux give you info about the failure of my device (the one with the melted transformer)? Sounds like you have new info that I haven't heard elsewhere about what may have caused the problem. I haven't even heard myself but would very much like to know.


----------



## Aibek

cangle said:


> Did Flux give you info about the failure of my device (the one with the melted transformer)?


Most likely - this is an isolated case.


----------



## elira

cangle said:


> Did Flux give you info about the failure of my device (the one with the melted transformer)? Sounds like you have new info that I haven't heard elsewhere about what may have caused the problem. I haven't even heard myself but would very much like to know.


Most likely a faulty part or a defective transformer, I would consider it an isolated case unless we start to see more people with the same issue.


----------



## rmsanger

OHBH said:


> What does amp eat susvara mean?
> 
> Are you saying the headphones are damaged?
> 
> ...


Two people in this thread lost their hps due faulty components 

https://forum.headphones.com/t/burs...ance-class-a-headphone-pre-amplifier/9115/297


----------



## VerloK

Like I said ...


----------



## Fafner

Is this for the amp or the remote? My remote has been stuck for 2 days at clearance now ("Clearance in Progress"). Surprising given how quick it was for the amp.


----------



## VerloK

For both.
I'm not surprised, I don't know why they sell it to Europe without CE cert.


----------



## teknorob23

VerloK said:


> For both.
> I'm not surprised, I don't know why they sell it to Europe without CE cert.


 CE certification wont make any difference to customs clearance times.


----------



## Fafner

Fafner said:


> Is this for the amp or the remote? My remote has been stuck for 2 days at clearance now ("Clearance in Progress"). Surprising given how quick it was for the amp.



Looks like it finally unstucked and is traveling.


----------



## VerloK

Same here.


----------



## vkenz (Jul 31, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> I think 1 report on here of a part melting is concerning but we should over emphasize it.  For example on the Burson soloist 3XP thread there are 100s of happy users on headfi but you head over to headphone.com forum and there are a few  guys where it ate their susvara.  so each sample conversation can over or under emphasize certain things.


ah this is true about the burson.  The amp is a beast that it ate my HE6V2. The only victim in  my collection but also one my favourite headphones.  Thankfully I bought 2 HE6V2 so the other one is still alive.  The lesson of the story is quality is life to a headphones.  I was expecting that my headphones would one day go kaput from my Tubes AMPs but yeah, it first got kaput from a solid state.


----------



## VerloK

And stuck again...😞


----------



## Fafner

Today I received the remote. It's of a good quality, but it isn't specifically created for the Volot, it does have many more buttons than those needed.
Not possible to set gain and input with it, it just controls volume and (nice!) mute.
The volume pot doesn't mechanically turn while setting volume with the remote, if you turn it you're immediately back to the volume you had set previously with it. 
I just added the commands to my Logitech Harmony and that does work as well, being an IR implementation. As supposed, there's a receiver which has to be attached to the jack at the back.


----------



## Infoseeker

Fafner said:


> Today I received the remote. It's of a good quality, but it isn't specifically created for the Volot, it does have many more buttons than those needed.
> Not possible to set gain and input with it, it just controls volume and (nice!) mute.
> The volume pot doesn't mechanically turn while setting volume with the remote, if you turn it you're immediately back to the volume you had set previously with it.
> I just added the commands to my Logitech Harmony and that does work as well, being an IR implementation. As supposed, there's a receiver which has to be attached to the jack at the back.


The remote similar behaved in my FA-10.


----------



## Majors

Could you post a pic of that remote please.


----------



## Fafner

Majors said:


> Could you post a pic of that remote please.


----------



## Majors

It seems strange to choose a generic remote with 13 buttons when only 3 operate. But having volume by remote is nice.


----------



## Infoseeker (Aug 3, 2021)

My FA-10 amp's remote is more generic. But I think it's more practical than Fafner's. Though Fafnir's definitely looks more special.

It also needs a receiver dongle that connects separately from the back of the amp.

Volume up/down & mute.


----------



## Fafner

I guess they wanted to include something with more premium feeling. Once you get used to the buttons you need, it's not really a problem.


----------



## Aibek (Aug 3, 2021)

My Amplifier is ready, being tested and will be shipped next week. Now waiting.


----------



## OHBH

Aibek said:


> My Amplifier is ready, being tested and will be shipped next week. Now waiting.


Temporarily out of stock now 

Hope you get good quality items. 

I'm also looking forward to the Soundnews review


----------



## Flextreme (Aug 6, 2021)

Mayby I'm wrong, but the Volot not being available does prohibit Soundnews posting his review a bit.

Anyways, I am an proud owner of the Volot for a couple of days, powering a Susvara. Now at 60 hours burn-in.

Will be posting my experience in detail in the upcoming weeks, it is clear that the Volot needs at least 50, but probably 100 minimum to sound at it best. The first few hours, it sounded horribly cold and way too aggressive.

After initial burn-in, compared to my Naim Supernait 2 and Hi-cap PSU combo (retails at 5-6k) it is very impressive. Although I need way more time to be sure, I can imagine selling my Naim gear in favor of the Volot.

The Susvara sounds extremely fast, detailed and open on the Volot. It is clearly fully extended on both frequency extremes. Of all things, the Volot is not a delicate or refined amp. But for my taste of music: melodic techno and electronic music: wow... So much speed, Prat, Detail, Energy... I need to recalibrate, mentally, but also my EQ and HQplayer preferences.

Will report back, after more burn-in time, to share more details of my experience.


----------



## VerloK

Thanks for the impression, mine is stuck since 7 days...


----------



## Kafé

*Flux Lab Acoustics Volot Review - A Giant Among Us*

https://soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/flux-lab-acoustics-volot-review-a-giant-among-us/

​


----------



## artist777

Video review also presented 



Volot received a Gold Award from Sandu


----------



## VerloK

Does the VOLOT really get that hot? My Old AudioValve RKV3/Solaris was a Nightmare...


----------



## Fafner (Aug 8, 2021)

VerloK said:


> Does the VOLOT really get that hot? My Old AudioValve RKV3/Solaris was a Nightmare...



Not that much in my opinion, but I'm coming from a tube amp as well (Malvalve Headamp Three). That one was producing much more heat. I was actually surprised on how "cooler" the Volot was in comparison.


----------



## rmsanger

The write up Sandu did was next level!


----------



## Fafner

Noticed this today.

_"Dear customers, we hasten to inform you that the first batch of amplifiers has been sold, thank you for your trust and appreciation of our work. Due to some delays in the delivery of rare components, preorders  for the new batch of amplifiers will be available by mid-August. For device reserve issues, please contact us by e-mail"_


----------



## jonathan c

This is from my Bloomberg terminal at work (investment management);


----------



## Fafner

Looks like it can be preordered again.


----------



## patatchod

Kafé said:


> *Flux Lab Acoustics Volot Review - A Giant Among Us*
> 
> https://soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/flux-lab-acoustics-volot-review-a-giant-among-us/
> 
> ​


I've rarely seen such a dythirambic review !
It seems a bit too good to be objective.
Can't wait for the next reviews.


----------



## Infoseeker

I wish we could be told straight up what it's current rating is? 2A? 10A? 18A?


----------



## Flextreme

patatchod said:


> I've rarely seen such a dythirambic review !
> It seems a bit too good to be objective.
> Can't wait for the next reviews.



I understand what your are saying: but I own a Volot powering a Susvara of a Holo Audio May KTE dac: IMHO his review comments are spot on. The only thing I tend to disagree with is that the higher gain modes sound better with the Susvara: but other than that he really nailed this review IMHO.


----------



## rmsanger

Flextreme said:


> I understand what your are saying: but I own a Volot powering a Susvara of a Holo Audio May KTE dac: IMHO his review comments are spot on. The only thing I tend to disagree with is that the higher gain modes sound better with the Susvara: but other than that he really nailed this review IMHO.


have you tried any of the other TOTL solid state amps with the Abyss and if so how does the Volot compare?   Niimbus US4, Vio V550/V590, Luxman P750, Wells Headtrip 2, etc..


----------



## Flextreme

rmsanger said:


> have you tried any of the other TOTL solid state amps with the Abyss and if so how does the Volot compare?   Niimbus US4, Vio V550/V590, Luxman P750, Wells Headtrip 2, etc..


I can only compare the Volot to my Supernait 2 and separate Hi-Cap DR PSU power amp (€6000,-), which works really well with the Sus. I prefer the Volot and it is way more affordable.

I am also looking forward to reviews where the Volot is compared to these excellent amps you suggested. It is easy to imagine the Volot being bettered by these amps in certain aspects of SQ, but my guess is that the Volot will be regarded to have immense value for a true high-end headphone amplifier.


----------



## VerloK

Has anyone already tested whether single ended orbalanced input sounds better?

AudioValve wrote for its SOLARIS Dual Mono amplifier that Balanced input is not used at all and would therefore be unnecessary because the amplifier runs Dual Mono and is not "balanced"

regards


----------



## Pashmeister

Sandu mentions that the volot reaches 90-93% of the performance of two Benchmark ahb2 amps in dual mono bridge mode. does anyone know how the Volot compares to just a single Benchmark ahb2?


----------



## patatchod

Pashmeister said:


> Sandu mentions that the volot reaches 90-93% of the performance of two Benchmark ahb2 amps in dual mono bridge mode. does anyone know how the Volot compares to just a single Benchmark ahb2?


180-186% 😁


----------



## Pashmeister

patatchod said:


> 180-186% 😁



🙄🙄🙄🥱🥱🥱


----------



## Infoseeker (Aug 19, 2021)

Pashmeister said:


> Sandu mentions that the volot reaches 90-93% of the performance of two Benchmark ahb2 amps in dual mono bridge mode. does anyone know how the Volot compares to just a single Benchmark ahb2?



There are people that own two ahb2 amps?! xD


----------



## artist777

As I understood from the review, the approximate percentages were indicated in the "output power" section and only concerns the dynamic swings. But in other aspects, such as liveliness, naturalness and soundstage, Volot was better. Again, keep in mind that connecting headphones to such powerful speaker units can end up badly for the headphone drivers. And Sandu calls it a highly-dangerous territory for this reason.


----------



## A Jedi

patatchod said:


> I've rarely seen such a dythirambic review !
> It seems a bit too good to be objective.
> Can't wait for the next reviews.



All his reviews are like that. Every product is really amazing at everything lol.


----------



## Pashmeister (Aug 19, 2021)

artist777 said:


> As I understood from the review, the approximate percentages were indicated in the "output power" section and only concerns the dynamic swings. But in other aspects, such as liveliness, naturalness and soundstage, Volot was better. Again, keep in mind that connecting headphones to such powerful speaker units can end up badly for the headphone drivers. And Sandu calls it a highly-dangerous territory for this reason.


The written review states that the Volot takes you 92-94% of the experience in using dual Mono AHB2’s bass slam and dynamics, and that it’s the best he’s heard the Susvara in. GoldenSound (one of the youtube reviewers I respect) has also mentioned that he heard the Susvara best on AHB2. Logically it would make sense then to wonder how the performance of a single AHB2 (not dual in bridged mono) will compare to Volot: if this means they are on par. For me, form factor is important and if AHB2 is on par with the Volot, it becomes harder to choose because the AHB2 has a desk-friendlier size.

The safety aspect is a different discussion from SQ altogether with a dedicated thread here in head-fi for more in-depth discussion (and debate) on power amp use.


----------



## Pashmeister

A Jedi said:


> All his reviews are like that. Every product is really amazing at everything lol.


I find myself having to tune out most of the poetic superlatives. It’s a scriptwriting style that can be entertaining but I personally would have preferred it toned down because he does offer some very good information.


----------



## Infoseeker (Aug 20, 2021)

Pashmeister said:


> The written review states that the Volot takes you 92-94% of the experience in using dual Mono AHB2’s bass slam and dynamics, and that it’s the best he’s heard the Susvara in. GoldenSound (one of the youtube reviewers I respect) has also mentioned that he heard the Susvara best on AHB2. Logically it would make sense then to wonder how the performance of a single AHB2 (not dual in bridged mono) will compare to Volot: if this means they are on par. For me, form factor is important and if AHB2 is on par with the Volot, it becomes harder to choose because the AHB2 has a desk-friendlier size.
> 
> The safety aspect is a different discussion from SQ altogether with a dedicated thread here in head-fi for more in-depth discussion (and debate) on power amp use.



Do note that ahb2 smaller, but you will need to stack it with a pre-amp for a volume control.

But still may be more reasonable if something can fit under it (or ontop.)


----------



## Pashmeister

Infoseeker said:


> Do note that ahb2 smaller, but you will need to stack it with a pre-amp for a volume control.
> 
> But still may be more reasonable if something can fit under it (or ontop.)


I do have a TT2 as a dac/preamp so it should be fine. I think it’s too early for me to ask the questions, I understand there’s still relatively few people who already have experience with the Volot. I look forward to reading people’s experiences with the amp.


----------



## VerloK

In the meantime my SUSVARA arrived after 3 days of shipping. 
The VOLOT is still in customs at UPS ...🙄

It's super quiet here...


----------



## Aibek

Received Volot. 
Who knows whether it is necessary to turn on the "GND on" lever? As I understand it, the lever should be put on the "On" position if there is grounding. Or I'm wrong?


----------



## OHBH

Aibek said:


> Received Volot.
> Who knows whether it is necessary to turn on the "GND on" lever? As I understand it, the lever should be put on the "On" position if there is grounding. Or I'm wrong?


FLA's answer) This switch allows you to turn the chassis ground ON or OFF. 

This can be useful for eliminating the ground loop in certain interconnects cable connections to other audio equipment.


----------



## Aibek

Is there a description of the remote somewhere? - assignment of buttons


----------



## Infoseeker

Aibek said:


> Is there a description of the remote somewhere? - assignment of buttons



https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flu...s-reviews-and-discussion.952903/post-16484956

It's just a simple volume control remote. No special programmed functions.


----------



## VerloK

Received my VOLOT! wuhu!

Now the Fun begins...


----------



## Slim1970

VerloK said:


> Received my VOLOT! wuhu!
> 
> Now the Fun begins...


Let us know what you think of the sound!


----------



## Aibek

How long after switching on can I listen to music? Working mode after 30 minutes or ...


----------



## patatchod

Aibek said:


> How long after switching on can I listen to music? Working mode after 30 minutes or ...


Immediatly !
And then your ears/brain will warm up and accomodate.


----------



## VerloK

has anyone already made experience with different fuses?


----------



## Aibek

What gain mode do you recommend setting for Volot - LOW, MID GAIN or High, High +?


----------



## OHBH

Aibek said:


> What gain mode do you recommend setting for Volot - LOW, MID GAIN or High, High +?


FLA) To eliminate the defect as soon as possible, we will send a module that is installed in the amplifier without soldering and does not require special skills. 
        We ask you to take this information extremely responsibly and *do not use *the amplifier at* low and mid gain modes!*

I prefer *high gain* for Susvara matching


----------



## Fafner

OHBH said:


> FLA) To eliminate the defect as soon as possible, we will send a module that is installed in the amplifier without soldering and does not require special skills.
> We ask you to take this information extremely responsibly and *do not use *the amplifier at* low and mid gain modes!*
> 
> I prefer *high gain* for Susvara matching



Aye, got that message as well. I've been using it at high gain with my AB1266 all the time.


----------



## VerloK

Dito in High.


----------



## rmsanger

Infoseeker said:


> There are people that own two ahb2 amps?! xD


I know a person that runs 2 mass Kobo 392s  as mono blocks.  There are all sorts out there.


----------



## Infoseeker

rmsanger said:


> I know a person that runs 2 mass Kobo 392s  as mono blocks.  There are all sorts out there.


Now that is a new level of over-engineering. XD


----------



## rmsanger

Infoseeker said:


> Now that is a new level of over-engineering. XD


Our guy MON goes hard in the paint.

https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/short-high-end-dac-comparison/25129


----------



## tholt

rmsanger said:


> Our guy MON goes hard in the paint.
> 
> https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/short-high-end-dac-comparison/25129


Damn, epic post. And he owns all of them??? 🤯


----------



## rmsanger (Sep 4, 2021)

tholt said:


> Damn, epic post. And he owns all of them??? 🤯


Yessir Mon has owned or demod almost every totl hifi device that is saught after.  Dude is a legend but never came here.    Niimbus, viva egoista, wa 33, trafomatic primavera,  mass Kobo , Oji g tuned, luxman p750, etc.

dude was the best reference for getting feedback on that type of gear.


----------



## Narayan23

rmsanger said:


> Yessir Mon has owned or demod almost every totl hifi device that is saught after.  Dude is a legend but never came here.    Niimbus, viva egoista, wa 33, trafomatic primavera,  mass Kobo , Oji g tuned, luxman p750, etc.
> 
> dude was the best reference for getting feedback on that type of gear.


When you say "was the best reference" does that mean he no longer is posting? That DAC thread was epic and his descriptions easy to follow, thanks for the link.


----------



## XVampireX

Kinda back in the game now, making a combo purchase very soon, Holo Audio May DAC KTE Edition together with the Volot.
Any idea how does the Volot pair with Focal Utopia?


----------



## rmsanger

Narayan23 said:


> When you say "was the best reference" does that mean he no longer is posting? That DAC thread was epic and his descriptions easy to follow, thanks for the link.



https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/call-for-some-active-moderators/13366/148


----------



## XLR2XLR

+1 Volot owner – I just placed an order. 
My FA-12 will make waiting a bit easier


----------



## Aibek

Inside the amplifier case, in the middle on the right side, clicks are heard after switching on. They are continuous, with pauses of several seconds. Music is not on yet. This is weird. Interestingly, this is only my Volot?


----------



## Infoseeker (Sep 12, 2021)

Aibek said:


> Inside the amplifier case, in the middle on the right side, clicks are heard after switching on. They are continuous, with pauses of several seconds. Music is not on yet. This is weird. Interestingly, this is only my Volot?



Is this is your amp reseting from the remote control's set volume until it reaches the knobs position? My FA-10 does this if I used the remote control.

Or is the clicking  never ending for you?


----------



## Deolum

Infoseeker said:


> Is this is your amp reseting from the remote control's set volume until it reaches the knobs position? My FA-10 does this if I used the remote control.
> 
> Or is the clicking  never ending for you?


Wait there is a remote control with the FA-10?


----------



## Aibek

The problem has been resolved. Flux Lab's answer:
_This can happen if the position of the volume knob is between two steps of the knob. This happens quite rarely. To remove it is enough to slightly turn the volume knob to either side to move to the next level of the regulator. It is absolutely not dangerous for the amplifier._


----------



## Infoseeker

Deolum said:


> Wait there is a remote control with the FA-10?


Yup, I think I shown a picture of it. If you search my name in this thread. (Using the website magnifying glass in the top right corner)(set it to "this thread" and then look down and put By member Infoseeker).

Oh wait I can just link it.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flu...s-reviews-and-discussion.952903/post-16486132


----------



## cangle

Aibek said:


> The problem has been resolved. Flux Lab's answer:
> _This can happen if the position of the volume knob is between two steps of the knob. This happens quite rarely. To remove it is enough to slightly turn the volume knob to either side to move to the next level of the regulator. It is absolutely not dangerous for the amplifier._


Glad your issue is fixed. This happened to me a bit with the FA-12 but the same solution works to get rid of the clicks. Was the volume knob at zero when the clicks happened or had you moved it a bit to get the clicks to happen? I'm curious because it would be weird if this happened at zero but would make more sense if it was happening when the volume was set to something other than zero.


----------



## Aibek

_Was the volume knob at zero when the clicks happened?_
No, about 12 hours
_it was happening when the volume was set to something other than zero?_
Yes.


----------



## thomasu

How long did it typically take for your units to ship out? I'm coming up on 4 weeks now


----------



## carlosgab

Delete


----------



## Aibek

OHBH said:


> FLA) To eliminate the defect as soon as possible, we will send a module that is installed in the amplifier without soldering and does not require special skills.


Who has the module been sent to?


----------



## Fafner (Sep 17, 2021)

Aibek said:


> Who has the module been sent to?


Haven't heard anything from them since this message. That was the 3 September.


----------



## cangle

They sent me an email about this replacement board too saying that it was developed using the Volot that I returned to them. Here's a quote from their email to me on the 3rd of September that might be helpful:

"The amplifier in low gain and mid gain modes could lose stability. This did not always happen, only under certain conditions. This problem led to a sharp increase in energy consumption, which ultimately led to the failure of the power transformer. At the same time, the amplifier itself was not damaged and after replacing the transformer it worked normally. There was no risk for the headphones either, and the amplifier is additionally equipped with headphone protection. At the moment, an upgrade kit will be sent to all buyers from the first batch, which will eliminate all risks. Installing it does not require soldering and does not require special skills."

So @Aibek the new protection circuit will be sent to everyone who ordered a Volot from the first batch (not sure how to tell who is in the first batch though)


----------



## Aibek

It is interesting to know what these are "certain conditions"?
I personally used Volot for over 100 hours in Low Gain mode. Everything was fine.


----------



## OHBH

cangle said:


> They sent me an email about this replacement board too saying that it was developed using the Volot that I returned to them. Here's a quote from their email to me on the 3rd of September that might be helpful:
> 
> "The amplifier in low gain and mid gain modes could lose stability. This did not always happen, only under certain conditions. This problem led to a sharp increase in energy consumption, which ultimately led to the failure of the power transformer. At the same time, the amplifier itself was not damaged and after replacing the transformer it worked normally. There was no risk for the headphones either, and the amplifier is additionally equipped with headphone protection. At the moment, an upgrade kit will be sent to all buyers from the first batch, which will eliminate all risks. Installing it does not require soldering and does not require special skills."
> 
> So @Aibek the new protection circuit will be sent to everyone who ordered a Volot from the first batch (not sure how to tell who is in the first batch though)


Thanks for sharing information 

I also often use low gain at burn-in time


----------



## rmsanger

Has anyone heard any timing on when Flux may offer the Volot with pre-amp capability?  Somebody has posted when Volot was being released that the initial delay last year was awaiting the PCBs for Preamps.  They went forward with product release with the plan that eventually the Volot will have an option for a pre-amp module as an upsell.

Is that still the case?
When will this be available?
What is the expected cost?

I ask this as I've been putting off selling my Holo Spring KTE dac to buy the new Spring 3 KTE w/preamp add in.    I really don't want sell my dac but do want a preamp. Holo's offering is supposedly pretty great in the Spring 3 as it's essentially the Holo Serene capability integrated in their midline dac offering which is unique.


----------



## tholt

rmsanger said:


> Has anyone heard any timing on when Flux may offer the Volot with pre-amp capability?


Seems like a question best posed to Flux directly.


----------



## rmsanger

tholt said:


> Seems like a question best posed to Flux directly.


Yep I’ll ask them.. i was just wondering here in case anybody else had heard But not posted.  Vitaly is a busy guy.


----------



## bemeurer

Does anyone know what happened to the Volot? The website just lists it as unavailable and doesn't even mention a possible return date.


----------



## mfgillia

rmsanger said:


> Yep I’ll ask them.. i was just wondering here in case anybody else had heard But not posted.  Vitaly is a busy guy.


I asked this question a few days ago on their Facebook page. Was told simply - very soon.


----------



## MikeLa

I have one on pre-order and spoke with Vitaliy via email on Monday.  He said the circuit improvements had caused the delay, and he was going to get back to me in a week.  I would guess once they clear the backlog, it will be up for sale again.


----------



## Aibek

MikeLa said:


> He said the circuit improvements had caused the delay, and he was going to get back to me in a week.


Interestingly, "*the circuit improvements*" are a) Volot v.2 or b) improvement of the protection system, for example, an additional module? Will the sound get better?


----------



## MikeLa

Aibek said:


> Interestingly, "*the circuit improvements*" are a) Volot v.2 or b) improvement of the protection system, for example, an additional module? Will the sound get better?


I assumed it was the changes to fix the  low and mid gain issue.


----------



## XVampireX

They told me a week ago or so that the one with the preamp is gonna be out in around a month perhaps? or at least it's gonna be really soon in general. I'm also waiting for it with the preamp. The preamp version would cost around 200 USD more.
Hanging around in GoldenSound's Discord server meanwhile and some people are really loving the Ferrum Oor+Hypsos combo, but I'm probably gonna persevere and wait for the Volot even though unfortunately there aren't many impressions for the Volot yet.


----------



## mfgillia

XVampireX said:


> They told me a week ago or so that the one with the preamp is gonna be out in around a month perhaps? or at least it's gonna be really soon in general. I'm also waiting for it with the preamp. The preamp version would cost around 200 USD more.
> Hanging around in GoldenSound's Discord server meanwhile and some people are really loving the Ferrum Oor+Hypsos combo, but I'm probably gonna persevere and wait for the Volot even though unfortunately there aren't many impressions for the Volot yet.


So the pre-amp version may only be around $200 more? That's good news. Often adding a pre-amp to an existing configuration is a $500 to $1000 upgrade. 

Also heard good things about the Ferrum Oor and heaven knows the size is a significantly better fit for my desk but also plan to hang in there and see how the Volot develops.


----------



## XVampireX

mfgillia said:


> So the pre-amp version may only be around $200 more? That's good news. Often adding a pre-amp to an existing configuration is a $500 to $1000 upgrade.
> 
> Also heard good things about the Ferrum Oor and heaven knows the size is a significantly better fit for my desk but also plan to hang in there and see how the Volot develops.



Don't quote me on that, one of the devs told me it's about $200 AT THE MOMENT is their estimate. It might be more or less, and I've asked if it will affect the sound on the headphone department they said no.

I'm guessing Volot is gonna be around the size of the Master 9 that I currently still have which is fine, I have a woodshop built rack and it fits fine on top.

I want the Volot not just for the promise of end-game sound that I'm expecting to pair with my already ordered Holo Audio May L3 KTE, but also for the reasons that I'm Ukrainian as well at least partially (Born and have at least 1/4 in Ukrainian blood) so for Patriotic reasons, I do feel myself Ukrainian. And I've also heard their Solid One (First integrated solution, DAC/Amp/Streamer) which was really rather nice!

Even though one person here suffered some supposedly minor damage to his Volot (Which was fixed/refunded) the same person also had a bit of a really good first impressions 

They're also working on getting the European safety certificate in the future, but that will jump the price again. And they did say there is more protection right now than is even necessary from the CE badge...


----------



## Aibek (Sep 19, 2021)

How's the sound? Is it in line with the review?
The opinion of others is interesting.


----------



## XVampireX

I don't know yet but when I have it I'll probably write my impressions here of course it will be paired with an end-game DAC, so things are gonna be spicy.


----------



## rmsanger

XVampireX said:


> I don't know yet but when I have it I'll probably write my impressions here of course it will be paired with an end-game DAC, so things are gonna be spicy.



My concern is something like the Utopia and the HD800s will like Pass, Tubes, or perhaps a Niimbus / V550 more than perhaps what Volot is going to offer.  My initial thought was HE6 SE, Susvara, 1266 Phi TC you go Volot for the slam/grip/control where with something like Utopia, LCD4, D8kpro, VC you go elsewhere as they won't take advantage of the extra power the Volot provides.   I'm still interested to learn more about the "deeper A class" in the Volot and what benefits it provides.

Look forward to your take!


----------



## Infoseeker

Has anyone managed to define the diminishing returns of this to the FA-10?

On the main Fluxlab thread, somebody mentioned FA-10 is 10.5watt @50. (Anyone know @60?)

Plenty of power, it sounds natural, and not sterile. But the volot exists and it gives an itch.......


----------



## OHBH

Infoseeker said:


> Has anyone managed to define the diminishing returns of this to the FA-10?
> 
> On the main Fluxlab thread, somebody mentioned FA-10 is 10.5watt @50. (Anyone know @60?)
> 
> Plenty of power, it sounds natural, and not sterile. But the volot exists and it gives an itch.......


I'm using the fa10 again while waiting for an upgrade kit that will fix volot's stability issues.

The fa10 feels narrow and shallow.

The organic unity of sound is dominated by Volot.

feeling of drowning


----------



## TANTALUMWATCHES

Volot back for sell on the www


----------



## Fafner (Sep 28, 2021)

Today I received the upgrade kit. It includes a small upgraded board, a couple of screws and a set of screwdrivers.
Installation intructions aren't included, they should follow shortly. I guess opening the amp I'd be able to locate the part which needs to be replaced, but I prefer to wait.


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> Today I received the upgrade kit. It includes a small upgraded board, a couple of screws and a set of screwdrivers.
> Installation intructions aren't included, they should follow shortly. I guess opening the amp I'd be able to locate the part which needs to be replaced, but I prefer to wait.


Would you mind sharing a picture of the upgrade board they sent, I'm curious to see what it looks like


----------



## Fafner

cangle said:


> Would you mind sharing a picture of the upgrade board they sent, I'm curious to see what it looks like


----------



## OHBH

Fafner said:


> Today I received the upgrade kit. It includes a small upgraded board, a couple of screws and a set of screwdrivers.
> Installation intructions aren't included, they should follow shortly. I guess opening the amp I'd be able to locate the part which needs to be replaced, but I prefer to wait.


It looks like a simple kit that just needs to be screwed in and snapped in.

Have you ever received a tracking number? 

I haven't received anything


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


>


Thanks I wonder if the module is specific to the voltage you choose when you order a Volot since it says UK on the back


----------



## Fafner (Sep 28, 2021)

OHBH said:


> It looks like a simple kit that just needs to be screwed in and snapped in.
> 
> Have you ever received a tracking number?
> 
> I haven't received anything



Yep, they sent me a tracking number last Thursday.
You were one of those who had to get one?


----------



## Fafner

cangle said:


> Thanks I wonder if the module is specific to the voltage you choose when you order a Volot since it says UK on the back



No idea. Mine is an EU model. But voltage in UK is the same as EU.


----------



## Womaz

How can I get a Volot here in the UK and anyone any idea of how much it is …..Googling it does not help


----------



## bemeurer

TANTALUMWATCHES said:


> Volot back for sell on the www


Seems like it's already gone again


----------



## TANTALUMWATCHES

bemeurer said:


> Seems like it's already gone again


Magic  lol


----------



## XVampireX

I've got a new quote for availability of Volot with the Pre-amp module, unfortunately, it's gonna take about 6 weeks


----------



## XVampireX

Womaz said:


> How can I get a Volot here in the UK and anyone any idea of how much it is …..Googling it does not help



It's gonna cost $2549 without the Pre-Amp module, and another around $200 with.
There are no resellers/retailers, it's sold direct.


----------



## Fafner

cangle said:


> Thanks I wonder if the module is specific to the voltage you choose when you order a Volot since it says UK on the back


I asked. UK means Upgrade Kit, nothing to do with country.


----------



## Fafner (Sep 29, 2021)

I just performed the upgrade, was fairly easy. The trickiest (or better, most annoying) part was to reput those tiny black screws in place.
The board doesn't actually replace something in the amp, but sits in between, very near to outputs.


----------



## XVampireX

What is a chance though that those who own the Volot for a while now and haven't posted their impressions to still try and share it with others?


----------



## OHBH

Fafner said:


> I just performed the upgrade, was fairly easy. The trickiest (or better, most annoying) part was to reput those tiny black screws in place.
> The board doesn't actually replace something in the amp, but sits in between, very near to outputs.


Is it a simple addition, not a replacement?

I would like to receive the kit quickly.

My Volot is resting too much


----------



## Aibek

Fafner said:


> I just performed the upgrade, was fairly easy. The trickiest (or better, most annoying) part was to reput those tiny black screws in place.


How's the sound? hasn't worsened?


----------



## Fafner (Sep 29, 2021)

OHBH said:


> Is it a simple addition, not a replacement?
> 
> I would like to receive the kit quickly.
> 
> My Volot is resting too much



It's an addiction. It takes a cable which otherwise goes into another place, and its built-in cable gets placed into that connector.
At the end you screw it on the heatsink, where there curiously are 2 holes. Looks like they already knew in advance they could have added something there.

If you use it on high or high+ gain there shouldn't be any issue using it until you receive the kit. I haven't had any.


----------



## Fafner

Aibek said:


> How's the sound? hasn't worsened?


Haven't really listened much to it since, I just had a quick go to check everything worked.


----------



## OHBH

Among those who participated in the first batch, did anyone receive an upgrade kit?


----------



## Aibek

OHBH said:


> Among those who participated in the first batch, did anyone receive an upgrade kit?


I received it today, since I'm using the "High Gain" mode, so I'm not going to install (yet).


----------



## Aibek (Oct 7, 2021)

The upgrade has been installed. The sound is great, - high gain mode.
Low Gain is even better.


----------



## OHBH

Aibek said:


> The upgrade has been installed. The sound is great, - high gain mode.
> Low Gain is even better.


envious!

I receive it next week.

However, I am worried about the durability of the kit as it is attached to the heat sink


----------



## Fafner

Aibek said:


> The upgrade has been installed. The sound is great, - high gain mode.
> Low Gain is even better.


Which headphones?


----------



## Aibek

Fafner said:


> Which headphones?


Now MrSpeakers Ether C Flow 1.1
Awaiting delivery Dan Clark Audio Stealth


----------



## Roasty

Anyone using this amp with sensitive headphones like utopia/stellia/grado/meze etc? 

Any background noise/hum/buzz? Usable turn of the volume knob good?


----------



## Fafner

Roasty said:


> Anyone using this amp with sensitive headphones like utopia/stellia/grado/meze etc?
> 
> Any background noise/hum/buzz? Usable turn of the volume knob good?



According to Soundnews review, sensitive headphones are not an issue with the Volot, it should be dead silent at realistic listening levels. Can't confirm as I'm using an AB1266 TC.


----------



## ra990

What happened to this amp? It looked like it was going to be an amazing option for harder to drive planars but there's like no buzz about it. And it seems to be unavailable every time I check. I know they had some issues with stability with the initial runs, but have they scrapped it altogether?


----------



## Womaz

ra990 said:


> What happened to this amp? It looked like it was going to be an amazing option for harder to drive planars but there's like no buzz about it. And it seems to be unavailable every time I check. I know they had some issues with stability with the initial runs, but have they scrapped it altogether?


They are expecting it back in stock early November.


----------



## jlbrach

certainly sounds like an attractive amp for hard to drive planars but it seems to have encountered issues


----------



## Fafner

jlbrach said:


> certainly sounds like an attractive amp for hard to drive planars but it seems to have encountered issues



Well, actually just one user actually had an issue, and that was supposedly been resolved with this fix.


----------



## jonathan c

Womaz said:


> They are expecting it back in stock early November.


At this moment, Volot the headphone amplifier  has this in common with Volot the giant….they are both mythical…


----------



## Fafner

It was stated from the beginning that this would have been available in limited numbers, I guess the global chip shortage played and still plays a role here.
Burson already stated the same for their upcoming totl amp.


----------



## rmsanger

Fafner said:


> Well, actually just one user actually had an issue, and that was supposedly been resolved with this fix.


Agreed The limited YouTube reviews and ownership pool creates an echo chamber effect in 1 issue.


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> Well, actually just one user actually had an issue, and that was supposedly been resolved with this fix.


Yes I believe I'm the only one who has experienced an issue with the Volot. Flux contacted me recently and said that they will be sending me a new Volot as an apology for the failure I went through. I've been very happy with how they handled the issue I experienced and it's very generous of them to send me another one, especially one which has a fix for the problem I had.

I am looking forward to hearing this amp again as I have good memories of the sound from the short time I had with it.


----------



## jlbrach

why is it generous?...that is exactly what they should do and if I am correct at first they wanted to send you a part?


----------



## ra990

jlbrach said:


> why is it generous?...that is exactly what they should do and if I am correct at first they wanted to send you a part?


That's a fair point. If a brand new product has an issue, I would expect an exchange for a working one is pretty standard stuff.

I'm looking forward to more impressions.


----------



## jlbrach

quite honestly I would find it insulting to send me a part for such a potentially dangerous situation..I am no expert in fixing or installing and would be nervous to ever use it under such a circumstance


----------



## sahmen (Oct 11, 2021)

I think he means that they're sending him a freebie VOLOT, because the defective one has long been refunded already, if I'm not mistaken. If this is indeed the case, then the word  "generous" isn't so out of place at all, IMHO.

A freebie Volot, will almost always count as a generous proposition in my book. I wish I was the one with a Freebie Volot headed my way, to be frank.


----------



## jlbrach

if they refunded him and then sent him a freebie then yes you are right but if they simply replaced it that is the absolute least they could do


----------



## stuart1927

I think folks need to appreciate that a lot of these new ( and frankly very innovative) companies are little more than hobbyist's with some ambition, and the price reflects that. If one of the more established brands was making an amplifier like this, it would cost two to three times as much. I think the risk is worth it, but it seems like a lot of people want everything, ( top drawer design, manufacture after sales service....... Oh, and a third of the price as well please!) and it just isn't realistic. Seems to me like flux are doing a good job providing innovative and interesting products at a reasonable price, and are doing their best to provide a good aftermarket service. People need to chill!


----------



## Fafner

jlbrach said:


> if they refunded him and then sent him a freebie then yes you are right but if they simply replaced it that is the absolute least they could do


 He was refunded as far as I remember, and got a Formula S instead.


----------



## Fafner

jlbrach said:


> quite honestly I would find it insulting to send me a part for such a potentially dangerous situation..I am no expert in fixing or installing and would be nervous to ever use it under such a circumstance


Tbh it's not more difficult than changing a light. The most tricky part for me was to screw all those tiny screws when closing the amp.
Would it have been better not to have this problem? Ofc yeah. But it's great that the solution was this easy.


----------



## cangle

Yes it is a free Volot and I have already been refunded for the one I returned to them


----------



## paradoxper

stuart1927 said:


> I think folks need to appreciate that a lot of these new ( and frankly very innovative) companies are little more than hobbyist's with some ambition, and the price reflects that. If one of the more established brands was making an amplifier like this, it would cost two to three times as much. I think the risk is worth it, but it seems like a lot of people want everything, ( top drawer design, manufacture after sales service....... Oh, and a third of the price as well please!) and it just isn't realistic. Seems to me like flux are doing a good job providing innovative and interesting products at a reasonable price, and are doing their best to provide a good aftermarket service. People need to chill!


This is quite fair. Unfortunately for them, the worst timing of the world pandemic is kicking their ass from a supply and optics view.

I still might pick this up and compare to CFA3 which is simply crushing it.


----------



## teknorob23

stuart1927 said:


> I think folks need to appreciate that a lot of these new ( and frankly very innovative) companies are little more than hobbyist's with some ambition, and the price reflects that. If one of the more established brands was making an amplifier like this, it would cost two to three times as much. I think the risk is worth it, but it seems like a lot of people want everything, ( top drawer design, manufacture after sales service....... Oh, and a third of the price as well please!) and it just isn't realistic. Seems to me like flux are doing a good job providing innovative and interesting products at a reasonable price, and are doing their best to provide a good aftermarket service. People need to chill!



Really well said! 

Vitaliy and his team are some of the most creative, not to mention professional audio engineers currently working in headphone amplification, which is a minute niche market within the broader hifi market. They are well established in Ukraine and quite a bit more than hobby'ists, but as i say this is a small niche, which without the likes of Flux, Headamp, etc, etc we'd all be scratching about trying to find amplification capable of driving the modern TOTL HP's  we all love. Do you think there's anyone at Sony or LG or any of the large consumer electronics companies that spends 24/7 developing headphone amps that might be capable of running the few hundred Susvaras that are knocking about the world??  Considering the challenges that geography, COVID decimated workforce and now post COVID supply chain create, Flux have managed to build and sell worldwide game changing headphone amps in terms of value and performance like the FA10 and 12, with next to no issues. The Volot is in an incredible achievement, which has had one teething problem that they have bent over backwards to fix. People only need to take a cursory look at the componentry used to see there very little margin in the VOLOT and thats before you consider all the costs of R&D, labour, marketing, aftersales, etc, etc, so which would you prefer, a VOLOT that cost £6-7K from a big company where you are paying to cover 50-60% dealer/ distributor margin and big marketing/advertising campaign, or a VOLOT that cost £2K, sold to you direct made by company that lives and breaths headphone amps, pushing the boundaries of whats possible 

The good thing is, we're all customers in a free market so you can choose what sort of product you want, at the price you want to pay and made by the company you prefer.

Sorry that turned into a bit of a rant and i have no affiliation with Flux, i've just been lucky enough to enjoy their products for a good few years and not to mention the customer service is provided by the man who makes the machines, all of which makes me feel even as just a customer that integral to the development of the brand. Not a feeling a i got when i bought my HPA4.

I havent pulled the trigger on a VOLOT yet, but that day is getting closer and closer, especially now the preamp is on the horizon and theres no way i'll be parting company with my FA10 anytime soon.


----------



## jlbrach

if they refunded his money and then sent him a free unit I take back my criticism


----------



## ra990

jlbrach said:


> if they refunded his money and then sent him a free unit I take back my criticism


Yes, and in that case, I'd like a faulty unit too please, flames would be nice.


----------



## thomasu

She is quite a beauty


----------



## XVampireX

We need impressions though, how about it?


----------



## thomasu

XVampireX said:


> We need impressions though, how about it?



I don't have much experience with high end amplifiers, but I was gobsmacked immediately after listening to it for a couple hours.

I came from a Burson Soloist 3XP, and the difference on it made on my Susvara was so dramatic that in retrospect listening to the Sus on the Soloist was almost like having the sound come out like a deflated balloon. I could hear the detail and resolution, but the overall sound was very flat and limp. With the Volot, the soundstage, separation, and dynamics improved dramatically. It's like the "balloon of sound" completely expanded. I have a better sense of the overall image of the sound and can pick out the individual layers of the sound so much more easily. It also has this great overall smoothness without having any loss in detail or clarity.

I'm not sure what else I can say on it, but I echo a lot of the same sentiments from Soundnews's review. I've only had it for 2 days, so I will see how much more the sound improves


----------



## VerloK

So far I've only had bad luck with the SUSVARA.
I have now received 2 Susvara that were defective and I am now waiting for number 3.
The First one was Blown away from the Volot and the second one had Build Problems :/

But what I've heard so far has been rather mixed.
I have to increase the volume to at least 80 ~ 85% even on High + so that it is loud enough.
I didn't have that problem with my AudioValve RKV3, it had more power for that.

But good is that it stays really cool, I expected it to be as warm as the RKV3.
But so far I'm satisfied with the sound, need more time with it.
Could be even more dynamic and have more oomph but the Susvara is a relaxed one anyway.


----------



## ra990 (Oct 13, 2021)

VerloK said:


> So far I've only had bad luck with the SUSVARA.
> I have now received 2 Susvara that were defective and I am now waiting for number 3.
> The First one was Blown away from the Volot and the second one had Build Problems :/
> 
> ...


Takes a couple of them before you get the perfect pair. Same thing happened to me, my first pair blew out on the first listen. Then I waited for months to get my second pair, luckily was great. 

Ive had similar experiences with Abyss and DCA, so it's not just a Hifiman thing.


----------



## VerloK

My Old HEKv2 and SE run withouth any issues over the Years, only the SUSVARAs are that bad to me


----------



## sahmen

thomasu said:


> I don't have much experience with high end amplifiers, but I was gobsmacked immediately after listening to it for a couple hours.
> 
> I came from a Burson Soloist 3XP, and the difference on it made on my Susvara was so dramatic that in retrospect listening to the Sus on the Soloist was almost like having the sound come out like a deflated balloon. I could hear the detail and resolution, but the overall sound was very flat and limp. With the Volot, the soundstage, separation, and dynamics improved dramatically. It's like the "balloon of sound" completely expanded. I have a better sense of the overall image of the sound and can pick out the individual layers of the sound so much more easily. It also has this great overall smoothness without having any loss in detail or clarity.
> 
> I'm not sure what else I can say on it, but I echo a lot of the same sentiments from Soundnews's review. I've only had it for 2 days, so I will see how much more the sound improves


Eeeexcellent!  I loooves me the sight and sound of some gobsmacked and popping VOLOT balloons myself


----------



## MAURO16164

A bit strange question but important for me. I would like to know the brand of the 63 volt 22000 uf capacitors. I own a Pathos InPol2 to which I have replaced the original Itelcond capacitors with some Kendeil and the improvement has been incredible. To the eye they seem to me to be excellent Vishay but I would like to have confirmation from those who have opened it or know the product.


----------



## XVampireX

Volot 

Preorders open again


----------



## mfgillia

XVampireX said:


> Volot
> 
> Preorders open again


Still no pre-amp version unfortunately...


----------



## XVampireX

mfgillia said:


> Still no pre-amp version unfortunately...


Don't worry


----------



## OHBH

MAURO16164 said:


> A bit strange question but important for me. I would like to know the brand of the 63 volt 22000 uf capacitors. I own a Pathos InPol2 to which I have replaced the original Itelcond capacitors with some Kendeil and the improvement has been incredible. To the eye they seem to me to be excellent Vishay but I would like to have confirmation from those who have opened it or know the product.





 



I think it is NIPPON CHEMI-CON


----------



## LLee7582

What would be comp headphone amps to the Volot in terms of sound signature, power, and quality?


----------



## apmusson (Oct 21, 2021)

Pre-ordered.

I've been waiting for it to become available again.  I haven't heard the amp - so am hoping my expectations are met.

I ordered it because:

- I wanted a class A amp with excellent design, no compromise components and over specification in terms of available voltage swing - I've heard my HD800 headphones powered by many amplifiers and invariably the best I've heard are those that have control with detail, dynamics and bass impacted by large capacity voltage availability.
- I saw the internals and was very impressed by the attention to detail.
- The detailed YouTube review by Soundnews confirmed the impact on sound is what I expected from the design.

It's a risk - I hardly ever buy without audition because of mixed experiences.  I'm nervous!

Ade


----------



## apmusson

LLee7582 said:


> What would be comp headphone amps to the Volot in terms of sound signature, power, and quality?


I think we're all waiting for more people to own / listen to it.  The Soundnews review has lots of detail but is the only review so far. 

Here's a link to the review Soundnews Volvot Review


----------



## rmsanger

LLee7582 said:


> What would be comp headphone amps to the Volot in terms of sound signature, power, and quality?



Niimbus, V550, Volot, Hypsos+Oor, Soloist 3GT, and Holo TOTL amp (pending) would be on the short list.   You could add in the Luxman P750 and Mass Kobo 394 mk2 if you want to get crazy as well.

Wells Dragon 3 and Pathos Inpol ear would by tube hybrids as an alternative route in a similar price bracket.


----------



## NickT23

apmusson said:


> Pre-ordered.
> 
> I've been waiting for it to become available again.  I haven't heard the amp - so am hoping my expectations are met.
> 
> ...


Do you think he is overhyping it ?


----------



## NickT23

Hi I wonder whether the Volot can drive low impedance and high sensitivity cans ?


----------



## XVampireX

NickT23 said:


> Do you think he is overhyping it ?





NickT23 said:


> Hi I wonder whether the Volot can drive low impedance and high sensitivity cans ?



Based on that Soundnews review, it can.
It got a stepped attenuator that has apparently very small steps up to 12 o'clock
and noise on it is supposed to be really silent.


----------



## OHBH

NickT23 said:


> Hi I wonder whether the Volot can drive low impedance and high sensitivity cans ?


Sony mdr-ma900, a 12 ohm, 104 db/mV, ultra-high-efficiency headphone at low gain

No hiss or buzzing whatsoever.

At the proper volume, the position of the knob is about 12:30.

Perhaps the volume level is A-curve, so even high-efficiency headphones like this need to turn the knob quite a bit.


----------



## MAURO16164

Question addressed to the owners of the Volot. Which amp did you have before the Volot and where do you judge the Flux better than your old amp?


----------



## apmusson (Oct 29, 2021)

NickT23 said:


> Do you think he is overhyping it ?


I hope not.  My pre-order should be shipping early November.

I like the general circuit componentry (I'm not an electronics expert but like the two large linear power supplies dedicated for dual mono amplification channels, the oversized capacitors for on tap current supply etc.).

I'm also aware of the pressures of being the first reviewer....  Ideally, I'd also would have liked to have heard more feedback from other Headfiers who have listened to the VOLOT.

I am reasonably confident that it will be an excellent amplifier...  Time will tell whether I'm right to be confident🙂


----------



## XVampireX

apmusson said:


> I hope not.  My pre-order should be shipping early November.
> 
> I like the general circuit componentry (I'm not an electronics expert but like the two large linear power supplies dedicated for dual mono amplification channels, the oversized capacitors for on tap current supply etc.).
> 
> ...



How do you figure early November? It's supposed to be on a basis of FIFO. Did you pre-order earlier than I did (19th, I've already preordered before I said that it's open)
their build time is 3-4 weeks... so we've got another 2.5 weeks or so which is not exactly Early November.


----------



## mfgillia

XVampireX said:


> How do you figure early November? It's supposed to be on a basis of FIFO. Did you pre-order earlier than I did (19th, I've already preordered before I said that it's open)
> their build time is 3-4 weeks... so we've got another 2.5 weeks or so which is not exactly Early November.


Your pre-order includes the version with a preamp?


----------



## XVampireX

mfgillia said:


> Your pre-order includes the version with a preamp?


----------



## NickT23

apmusson said:


> I hope not.  My pre-order should be shipping early November.
> 
> I like the general circuit componentry (I'm not an electronics expert but like the two large linear power supplies dedicated for dual mono amplification channels, the oversized capacitors for on tap current supply etc.).
> 
> ...


Good luck ! Because this amp is expensive as hell


----------



## apmusson

XVampireX said:


> How do you figure early November? It's supposed to be on a basis of FIFO. Did you pre-order earlier than I did (19th, I've already preordered before I said that it's open)
> their build time is 3-4 weeks... so we've got another 2.5 weeks or so which is not exactly Early November.


👌
No new information. Put it down to my bad math 🙂. Let me know when yours is shipped.


----------



## apmusson (Oct 29, 2021)

NickT23 said:


> Good luck ! Because this amp is expensive as hell



Thanks... It is expensive.  I have enough confidence to order it.  Nothing is certain without listening - it's why the Headfi community is so helpful.

Definitely a considered risk at this point (so few reviews etc).


----------



## Majors

Unless your comparing against 5000 usd and then It's a real bargain.


----------



## dirtrat

The quality and build of this amp look very good. Without trying to read all 37 pages of comments I did have a couple of questions. It appears there is no US distributer for this product. I assume all repairs would need to be done directly with the company in Ukraine. I didn't see anything on their webpage about how long they have been in business, Also considering the costs of shipping right now even warranty repairs could be very expensive. These are my biggest concerns. I see that this amplifier has gain settings but I'm curious how it would work with very high efficiency headphones at low impedances such as 35 Ohms. 16 watts is pretty insane. Not sure if these questions have been asked yet.


----------



## jlbrach

Would be silly for use with efficient HP’s overkill to say the least


----------



## XVampireX

dirtrat said:


> The quality and build of this amp look very good. Without trying to read all 37 pages of comments I did have a couple of questions. It appears there is no US distributer for this product. I assume all repairs would need to be done directly with the company in Ukraine. I didn't see anything on their webpage about how long they have been in business, Also considering the costs of shipping right now even warranty repairs could be very expensive. These are my biggest concerns. I see that this amplifier has gain settings but I'm curious how it would work with very high efficiency headphones at low impedances such as 35 Ohms. 16 watts is pretty insane. Not sure if these questions have been asked yet.



They're selling only direct so yes, you will need to send it back. But it seems that there is enough protection and they've even sent some "Upgrade Kit" to fix a previous issue to install to owners who haven't got it, seems like it was an easy install for people.
For high-efficiency headphones you want to be on low / mid gain. Also note that volume control is stepped attenuator with exponential volume control, you'd be very fine until 12 o clock it seems on very efficient headphones too.



jlbrach said:


> Would be silly for use with efficient HP’s overkill to say the least



Amplifiers are not just about that volume, Susvara's don't need so much power either, nor does it need an AHB2.


----------



## jlbrach

For the susvara it would make sense, is it necessary?…no but it would be a match


----------



## XVampireX

jlbrach said:


> For the susvara it would make sense, is it necessary?…no but it would be a match


You didn't get the point though.


----------



## hypnos1

teknorob23 said:


> Really well said!
> 
> Vitaliy and his team are some of the most creative, not to mention professional audio engineers currently working in headphone amplification, which is a minute niche market within the broader hifi market. They are well established in Ukraine and quite a bit more than hobby'ists, but as i say this is a small niche, which without the likes of Flux, Headamp, etc, etc we'd all be scratching about trying to find amplification capable of driving the modern TOTL HP's  we all love. Do you think there's anyone at Sony or LG or any of the large consumer electronics companies that spends 24/7 developing headphone amps that might be capable of running the few hundred Susvaras that are knocking about the world??  Considering the challenges that geography, COVID decimated workforce and now post COVID supply chain create, Flux have managed to build and sell worldwide game changing headphone amps in terms of value and performance like the FA10 and 12, with next to no issues. The Volot is in an incredible achievement, which has had one teething problem that they have bent over backwards to fix. People only need to take a cursory look at the componentry used to see there very little margin in the VOLOT and thats before you consider all the costs of R&D, labour, marketing, aftersales, etc, etc, so which would you prefer, a VOLOT that cost £6-7K from a big company where you are paying to cover 50-60% dealer/ distributor margin and big marketing/advertising campaign, or a VOLOT that cost £2K, sold to you direct made by company that lives and breaths headphone amps, pushing the boundaries of whats possible
> 
> ...



Hi Rob...long time no see! And WELL SAID to you too.... I'd like to cover a few points here, so sorry to folks if this is a bit long-winded.

Firstly, and re. smaller 'boutique' type manufacturers especially (but larger ones too of course!), early stages in a new product may well indeed encounter certain 'anomalies' when extensive (and expensive) R&D and prototype testing haven't been feasible to fullest extent.... (not to mention occasional early component failure!). My own experience with the first Elise and Euforia tube amps I (cheekily!) asked Feliks-Audio to make confirmed this unfortunate reality. And so Volot's hiccoughs so far appear not to be too excessive in the scheme of things lol...although a smoking trafo is indeed no laughing matter. And both F-A's amps have gone from mere direct sales to international distributorship...with both pros and cons of course! 

Now... re. Volot's impressive power aspect, and as touched on previously by folks, I'm wondering if it would indeed be wasted/unnecessary for driving my 32Ohm Meze Empyreans...although I know other virtues are equally if not more important (_refinement_/_balance_ especially as far as I'm concerned). A member recently also mentioned the FA22's performance no better than his Chord TT2...but no surprise given the price difference!! As I personally also have the TT2_ plus _mscaler, and with all - including power - (DIY) cables _dualled_ as per SynergysticResearch's Galileo (but using Neotech UP-OCC mono crystal solid silver plus copper wires - plus Ag-Gd for the Mezes(!), and for both signal/+ _and_ return/-), I'm wondering just how Volot might compare...?? Silly question I know...only doing so in my own system/environment can really answer that lol...(I wonder if another freebie might be hovering somewhere?! ). I also wonder since my recent Antipodes DX has taken the Chord combo - not to mention Empys, to a whole new performance level. And so I look forward to a _lot more_ in-depth reviews...not just from here at head-fi.

Lastly, and re. components used, those large Nippon caps are certainly 1st tier fodder, even if not bespoke...and would love to know the make of the smaller ones used. And FLA, if you're watching...were/are the UK made Clarity Caps ever on your radar at all?

Whatever, I wish the Flux guys every success with this exciting new amp on the scene, along with you intrepid early adopters...HAPPY LISTENING!

ps. Thanks Rob for bringing this to the forum...CJ


----------



## dirtrat

jlbrach said:


> Would be silly for use with efficient HP’s overkill to say the least



If you only intended to use the amplifier with very efficient headphones then maybe I would agree but what if you wanted the extra power for future headphones that might need that power? There is something to be said for flexibility unless you feel like buying new headphone amps every time you get a new pair of headphones.


----------



## jlbrach

dirtrat said:


> If you only intended to use the amplifier with very efficient headphones then maybe I would agree but what if you wanted the extra power for future headphones that might need that power? There is something to be said for flexibility unless you feel like buying new headphone amps every time you get a new pair of headphones.


Agree 100%..if you want in the future to own the likes of the susvara then by all means it makes sense but from my experience if you own a utopia or empyrean or other easy to drive HP’s it will actually sound worse IMHO


----------



## XVampireX (Oct 31, 2021)

jlbrach said:


> Agree 100%..if you want in the future to own the likes of the susvara then by all means it makes sense but from my experience if you own a utopia or empyrean or other easy to drive HP’s it will actually sound worse IMHO


Have you got experience with that?
Amps that are properly designed shouldn't offer worse sound quality to easier to drive headphones even if they offer such a massive power.
Worth to note that Volot and other Flux Lab Acoustics amps offer an exponential volume attenuator that allows for much better volume control so you can still enjoy it for easier to drive headphones, but still enjoy the the extra power headroom for the dynamic swings.


----------



## jlbrach

I have actually, I own the solitaire P which I love and it is very easy to drive…it is fabulous straight out of the chord dave but doesn’t sound right to me out of my external amps….it doesn’t need the added power IMHO and is much better with the more modest power of the chord dave


----------



## apmusson (Nov 1, 2021)

jlbrach said:


> I have actually, I own the solitaire P which I love and it is very easy to drive…it is fabulous straight out of the chord dave but doesn’t sound right to me out of my external amps….it doesn’t need the added power IMHO and is much better with the more modest power of the chord dave


I agree about the Chord product lines.  They have generally excellent and refined headphone output quality.  I also found that direct drive from the mojo or Hugo 2 headphone out is the best unless you need the extra power from an external amplifier for either drive or improved dynamics (power on tap etc).  If you can drive the headphone properly from a chord product that will be the best way (less additional circuitry I suspect).

Unfortunately, there are quite a lot (planars mainly, although my old HD650 also benefits) of headphones that do sound better with extra controlled 'drive' and power.  I have listened to zmf vérité closed, Focal Utopia, hifiman HE1000se, Sennheiser HD800 and audeze LCD4 directly from my Hugo 2 and also through various amps.  Some sound great driven directly, others sound better with an additional amp.

I think that power reserves and an excellent ability to assert that power (Caps?) are required to get the absolute best from many headphones.  Whether 16w are required...  ??? 😉


----------



## XVampireX

I'm using my Utopia, used it on both Master 9 and Soundaware P1 which are both very powerful amplifiers, I don't feel like having more power is worse, on the contrary, it feels like these amps can power it rather well, though Soundaware P1 is a bit smoother, when I have it connected to Master 9 which has more power it has much more bass impact albeit looser... I mean it's a fact that amplifiers do affect the sound anyway and again it's not only about the power amount, it's also the power quality and the system for delivery.


----------



## Aibek

apmusson said:


> Whether 16w are required... ???


Yes, it is required


----------



## cfranchi

XVampireX said:


> Have you got experience with that?
> Amps that are properly designed shouldn't offer worse sound quality to easier to drive headphones even if they offer such a massive power.
> Worth to note that Volot and other Flux Lab Acoustics amps offer an exponential volume attenuator that allows for much better volume control so you can still enjoy it for easier to drive headphones, but still enjoy the the extra power headroom for the dynamic swings.



Agree, my Fidelio X2 (30ohm, 100db) sound more grandiose and robust thru FCN-10 than thru Chord Mojo.


----------



## XLR2XLR

After two months of waiting, this bad boy has finally taken its place on my desk. 
The first impression – it's gigantic in its dimensions and sound.


----------



## fm540i

It needs its own coolers!


----------



## Majors

Nah it's just for looks😂


----------



## Majors

What, you don't run your amp's naked do you? I personally go with door stop's on mine. What a weird bunch us audiophiles are. The other day my wife caught me tapping on the lid to my Denafrips in unison with a Youtuber from Headquarter Audio. She said "What the" I said "Mechanical tuning". Nothing else needed to be said.


----------



## NickT23

cfranchi said:


> Agree, my Fidelio X2 (30ohm, 100db) sound more grandiose and robust thru FCN-10 than thru Chord Mojo.


HI man.... I have the Fidelio X2. Any sonic changes scalability wise when you pair that x2 with that Class A beast ? What do you mean sound more grandiose and robust or do you mean creates more depth and space for a wider sound stage with more girth and weight added ? To me, the X2 back then have that metallic timbre which is quite annoying.


----------



## NickT23

Hi guys regardless whether many of you are worrying whether get this monster or not but do note this, this is the absolute best Class A freaking amps with loads of power and while there are many Class A but none is as linear (nuetral) with that Class A warmth house sound with large dimension and sound stage. Consider this an end game for linear Class A. However, as usual, not all of us are rich enough to A/B every single gears in the world. 

For those people who is not into tubes especially linear tubes and want something more accurate and measurement based wise, this is the one to get. FA-10 or Volot. To me, I always love nuetral gears but with musical note (subjective) to it.


----------



## cfranchi

NickT23 said:


> HI man.... I have the Fidelio X2. Any sonic changes scalability wise when you pair that x2 with that Class A beast ? What do you mean sound more grandiose and robust or do you mean creates more depth and space for a wider sound stage with more girth and weight added ? To me, the X2 back then have that metallic timbre which is quite annoying.



I feel X2 improves in all direction, width, depth I’m not sure, but also height (which is funny because I never thought X2 was tall sounding, compare lets say to Sundara).

By robust, certainly it is not the right word, but the bass coming from X2 hits really hard thru FCN10, and the joy is that bass never blend into mids like other cans (you should try Beyer T1.3….).

I also don’t find X2 has a metallic timbre, in fact thru FCN10, X2 is smoother than thru Mojo.


----------



## XVampireX

NickT23 said:


> Hi guys regardless whether many of you are worrying whether get this monster or not but do note this, this is the absolute best Class A freaking amps with loads of power and while there are many Class A but none is as linear (nuetral) with that Class A warmth house sound with large dimension and sound stage. Consider this an end game for linear Class A. However, as usual, not all of us are rich enough to A/B every single gears in the world.
> 
> For those people who is not into tubes especially linear tubes and want something more accurate and measurement based wise, this is the one to get. FA-10 or Volot. To me, I always love nuetral gears but with musical note (subjective) to it.




Have you already got the Volot? I mean how do you figure that it's as good as you're saying? 
Maybe I missed your post when you got it.


----------



## NickT23

cfranchi said:


> I feel X2 improves in all direction, width, depth I’m not sure, but also height (which is funny because I never thought X2 was tall sounding, compare lets say to Sundara).
> 
> By robust, certainly it is not the right word, but the bass coming from X2 hits really hard thru FCN10, and the joy is that bass never blend into mids like other cans (you should try Beyer T1.3….).
> 
> I also don’t find X2 has a metallic timbre, in fact thru FCN10, X2 is smoother than thru Mojo.


Hello I apologised, I have the X1, as I replaced the X1 with X2. Sorry, to be honest, X2 has that metallic edge at the upper treble, where it feels like to metal screeching against each other surface, very annoying, so could be your source and burn in completely. So anyway, it seems the X2 do scale a bit which am not suprise, any low end cans with mid bass emphasis can benefit from a hard hitting amp.


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> Have you already got the Volot? I mean how do you figure that it's as good as you're saying?
> Maybe I missed your post when you got it.


No, I dont have the Volot but most of the time, I always predicted correctly on almost every audio thread which I try to relate with other people impression, of course I made the comment first. However, I dont have the right to share opinions or 'real thoughts' because just like others I dont get to A/B if unable to hear it in real life. But just think about it for a second, is there any other alternative to Volot linear Class A ? I heard there Audio Gd is making one to compete with the Flux FA-10 but in Volot category ? I dont think so.... Also, I dislike biasness normally !

But from my comment made earlier, I stand correctly and confidently. And I can assure that.


----------



## XLR2XLR

After one week of ownership, I decided to put my Volot up for sale. It's literally brand new and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just made a decision to keep the FA-12 and put the money from the Volot into the ZMF headphones.

Those who are interested in purchasing the amp, can find it in the classifieds.


----------



## XVampireX

And the question is..... why?


----------



## XLR2XLR

XVampireX said:


> And the question is..... why?


I decided to keep the FA-12. Since I changed my mind on buying the Susvara, I think there's no need in keeping this power monster on my desk. 
I want to put this money into the ZMF VC. They are about to release the new batch.


----------



## XVampireX

XLR2XLR said:


> I decided to keep the FA-12. Since I changed my mind on buying the Susvara, I think there's no need in keeping this power monster on my desk.
> I want to put this money into the ZMF VC. They are about to release the new batch.



So you're literally saying that FA-12 is more than good enough and might just be on the same level as Volot, so Volot is not improving much if at all...


----------



## Roasty

XLR2XLR said:


> I decided to keep the FA-12. Since I changed my mind on buying the Susvara, I think there's no need in keeping this power monster on my desk.
> I want to put this money into the ZMF VC. They are about to release the new batch.



That's an interesting choice.. VC over the Susvara. Hope u have had a chance to listen to a set. I had two, and sold both.


----------



## XLR2XLR

XVampireX said:


> So you're literally saying that FA-12 is more than good enough and might just be on the same level as Volot, so Volot is not improving much if at all...


With the headphones that are easy to drive, I didn't find much difference between the amps. The FA-12 is 96% of the Volot sound-wise. 
I think the FA-12 is one of the greatest bargains on the market.


----------



## XLR2XLR

Roasty said:


> That's an interesting choice.. VC over the Susvara. Hope u have had a chance to listen to a set. I had two, and sold both.


I haven't heard them yet, but I can always sell them if they don't pair well with my audio chain. 
Many people consider the Arya as one of the best sounding open-back headphones. I personally didn't find them very impressive and sold them after a few months of ownership. 
Impressions are subjective


----------



## NickT23

Roasty said:


> That's an interesting choice.. VC over the Susvara. Hope u have had a chance to listen to a set. I had two, and sold both.


How many VO and VC you own in the past ?


----------



## Majors

Have you tried the VOLOT without the fans. No doubt it will add mechanical noise to the system.


----------



## dirtrat

Majors said:


> Have you tried the VOLOT without the fans. No doubt it will add mechanical noise to the system.



What fans are you referring to? I looked at the pictures but didn't notice any. Can you point out exactly where they are? I'm interested in this amp.


----------



## mfgillia

dirtrat said:


> What fans are you referring to? I looked at the pictures but didn't notice any. Can you point out exactly where they are? I'm interested in this amp.


There aren't fans inside this amplifier. The prior post referred to someone who is selling his Volot plus an external fan system.


----------



## dirtrat

mfgillia said:


> There aren't fans inside this amplifier. The prior post referred to someone who is selling his Volot plus an external fan system.



Ahh, thank you. I saw the prior pic of that fan but wasn't sure that was what he was talking about.


----------



## XLR2XLR

Majors said:


> Have you tried the VOLOT without the fans. No doubt it will add mechanical noise to the system.


The cooling fans in the T9 are pretty quiet and the headphones I currently have are closed-back, so the noise they produce is irrelevant.


----------



## Majors

XLR2XLR said:


> The cooling fans in the T9 are pretty quiet and the headphones I currently have are closed-back, so the noise they produce is irrelevant.


----------



## Majors

Mechanical noise will affect the sound quality.


----------



## XLR2XLR

Majors said:


> Mechanical noise will affect the sound quality.


Not more than your ceiling fan


----------



## Majors

XLR2XLR said:


> Not more than your ceiling fan


Only if you place your ceiling fan on top of the unit.


----------



## XLR2XLR

Majors said:


> Only if you place your ceiling fan on top of the unit.


I would agree with you if the cooling fans were in the headphones.


----------



## Majors

XLR2XLR said:


> I would agree with you if the cooling fans were in the headphones.


Okay if you believe everything makes a difference cables Footers fuses then you would know that spinning fans with magnetic motors sitting on top of a device would create an electromagnetic noise mechanical noise. I'm not talking about the actual spinning fans making a whirring noise.


----------



## artist777

Guys, I think if the amplifier designed to operate without a fan, then it is better not to use it, as this will prevent the amplifier from entering the operating mode. That is, by installing a fan, you will not improve the sound, but only worsen it.


----------



## XLR2XLR

Majors said:


> Okay if you believe everything makes a difference cables Footers fuses then you would know that spinning fans with magnetic motors sitting on top of a device would create an electromagnetic noise mechanical noise. I'm not talking about the actual spinning fans making a whirring noise.


I hope the guys at Burson are aware of that.


----------



## Majors

XLR2XLR said:


> I hope the guys at Burson are aware of that.


Thats funny bro you win. LMAO


----------



## XVampireX

XLR2XLR said:


> I hope the guys at Burson are aware of that.



And good luck with your headphones on that one too...


----------



## XLR2XLR

XVampireX said:


> And good luck with your headphones on that one too...


תודה


----------



## XVampireX

Нема за що...


----------



## rmsanger

Sandu has the Volot is Getting the soloist 3gt and the oor + hypsos.  He said that review will be coming soon which will include a comparison.


----------



## XVampireX

Battle of the Giant Killers, supposedly... Not sure what Giants, but Giant Killers.
Volot is a Giant though for sure, I mean, literally...


----------



## NickT23

Majors said:


> Thats funny bro you win. LMAO


That fan mod really take things to the next level, wonder if there is any difference.


----------



## XLR2XLR

NickT23 said:


> That fan mod really take things to the next level, wonder if there is any difference.


Even though it's a well-designed Class "A" amp with built-in protective measures, I cool it down only to increase its life span. 

This video explains why electronics need cooling.


----------



## Majors (Nov 8, 2021)

Cool


----------



## XVampireX

Bumpity Bump

Mine will be ready by the end of next week.


----------



## mfgillia

XVampireX said:


> Bumpity Bump
> 
> Mine will be ready by the end of next week.


Awesome - congrats! Very interested in your initial thoughts and impressions once it arrives.


----------



## cangle

My Volot just arrived. Thanks to the team at Flux for working through the initial failure I encountered and being generous enough to send me a new one for free, I'm very excited to listen to this amp again!

Will post some pictures and impressions later.


----------



## NickT23

XLR2XLR said:


> Even though it's a well-designed Class "A" amp with built-in protective measures, I cool it down only to increase its life span.
> 
> This video explains why electronics need cooling.



How do people mod ? Why cant the manufacturer mod it in the first place then ?


----------



## XVampireX

NickT23 said:


> How do people mod ? Why cant the manufacturer mod it in the first place then ?



Mod = Modification. Usually it implies changing the original to something else, customizing.
Like game mods for example, or like headphone mods, how would the company mod something if the product is the original, it's what the manufacturer intended.


----------



## cangle

It works so far. Will do my listening impressions probably more so with the 5 but will go back to my 1266 at some point too. You can kinda see the edge of the Formula S and Powerman to the right which I will make a comparison to at some point if all goes well.


----------



## Fafner

Do you prefer the LCD 5 to your old AB?


----------



## cangle

Fafner said:


> Do you prefer the LCD 5 to your old AB?


I still have the 1266. I traded in the 4z to get the 5. They are different in their presentation. 1266 sounds a bit more alive and punchy but can be fatiguing and the mids are at times distant. The 5 is softer and more balanced. Resolution is similar but it is not as slammy. They are both good but I haven't decided on which I prefer apart from liking the 5 more for vocals and the 1266 more for electronic.


----------



## realmassy

cangle said:


> It works so far. Will do my listening impressions probably more so with the 5 but will go back to my 1266 at some point too. You can kinda see the edge of the Formula S and Powerman to the right which I will make a comparison to at some point if all goes well.


I can also see a Denafrips DAC, which model is it? I’m VERY interested to know how the Volot works with Denafrips, I’ve got a Venus II and I’m really tempted to get a end-game solid state amp... and the Volot is on top of my list


----------



## XVampireX

realmassy said:


> I can also see a Denafrips DAC, which model is it? I’m VERY interested to know how the Volot works with Denafrips, I’ve got a Venus II and I’m really tempted to get a end-game solid state amp... and the Volot is on top of my list


It says it in the signature: Denafrips Pontus II


----------



## realmassy

Sorry mate, didn’t notice that 🤦


----------



## cangle

realmassy said:


> Sorry mate, didn’t notice that 🤦


No problem but yeah it's a Pontus II. XLR input impedance on Volot is low around 3.3k and output impedance on Pontus II is high around 1.2k. This is not an ideal match, usually input impedance should be many times or 10x that of the output impedance of whatever it's connected to. That being said I've connected it with xlrs and it sounds fine now but will experiment with the single ended inputs at some point too. Also I asked Flux about this awhile back and they have used the Volot with the Terminator Plus and they were happy with it.

I am looking to upgrade my dac hopefully end of the year or early next year and will be getting something that should match fine with the Volot in terms of impedance.


----------



## realmassy

Ah…you probably read my mind LOL That is exactly my concern with the Volot or the FA-10/12
I guess it’s not easy to spot that something is not right, until you try something else…I wish I knew how an impedance mismatch sounds like 
But to be honest, if they have used it with a Terminator they would have realised if something was off.
Looking forward to your impressions


----------



## XVampireX

cangle said:


> I am looking to upgrade my dac hopefully end of the year or early next year and will be getting something that should match fine with the Volot in terms of impedance.



What are you thinking about? 
How do you think the May is gonna match with that?


----------



## cangle (Nov 15, 2021)

XVampireX said:


> What are you thinking about?
> How do you think the May is gonna match with that?


May should be fine, it's output impedance is low but I can't find the exact impedance online. I want to say it was under 100 ohms so not a problem. Edit: Per Magna Hifi, the May output impedance on the xlrs is 54 ohms. RCA is half that

For my next dac I'm considering a May or something from Bricasti


----------



## cangle

I listened to the Volot for a couple of hours today and did a brief comparison to the Formula S and Powerman. Initial thoughts are that the tonality is similar between the two but the Formula S sounds a bit larger in stage depth and width.

I'm going to continue using the Volot as my main amp for a while and come back to using the Formula S and Powerman once the Volot has "burned-in". I haven't noticed big changes with burn-in before but it won't hurt to use the Volot for a while longer before comparing to the XIAudio stack.

Sound impressions of the Volot are similar to my first time around with this amp. It sounds very real, with excellent dynamics (I think perhaps a bit better in the bass department than the Formula S). Stage seems a bit small but maybe that will change with time, I think @Fafner mentioned this in their impressions. I just need to spend more time with this amp to figure out it's sound and how it compares to my other gear. If you have any specific questions about it and the sound I can try and answer those.

I would refer to my earlier impressions if you want some more in depth thoughts about the amp for now as I still stand by what I said earlier.


----------



## Terriero

cangle said:


> I listened to the Volot for a couple of hours today and did a brief comparison to the Formula S and Powerman. Initial thoughts are that the tonality is similar between the two but the Formula S sounds a bit larger in stage depth and width.
> 
> I'm going to continue using the Volot as my main amp for a while and come back to using the Formula S and Powerman once the Volot has "burned-in". I haven't noticed big changes with burn-in before but it won't hurt to use the Volot for a while longer before comparing to the XIAudio stack.
> 
> ...


Do you know what Flux Labs improved inside your Volot to don't have issues in the future? After all, you got a free Volot, so good business for you and, at end, I think Flux lab did the best possible way in your case. Now you have two TOTLs AMPs (one for free) and I see you are thinking of upgrading DAC (the rabbit hole is gobbling you)


----------



## cangle

cangle said:


> They sent me an email about this replacement board too saying that it was developed using the Volot that I returned to them. Here's a quote from their email to me on the 3rd of September that might be helpful:
> 
> "The amplifier in low gain and mid gain modes could lose stability. This did not always happen, only under certain conditions. This problem led to a sharp increase in energy consumption, which ultimately led to the failure of the power transformer. At the same time, the amplifier itself was not damaged and after replacing the transformer it worked normally. There was no risk for the headphones either, and the amplifier is additionally equipped with headphone protection. At the moment, an upgrade kit will be sent to all buyers from the first batch, which will eliminate all risks. Installing it does not require soldering and does not require special skills."
> 
> So @Aibek the new protection circuit will be sent to everyone who ordered a Volot from the first batch (not sure how to tell who is in the first batch though)


@Terriero here's a link to a post I made a while back about the upgrade module.


----------



## MAURO16164

The huge capacitors of the Volot need frequent charging and discharging to get the maximum. The burn in can be quite long but when it is finished the Volot will express the maximum potential. Keeping it on for only a few hours and then turning it off will not bring the Volot to its full potential. I recommend many hours of turning it on and then turning it off, then turning it on again for many hours and then turning it off, preferably from morning to evening.


----------



## Terriero

cangle said:


> @Terriero here's a link to a post I made a while back about the upgrade module.



I have missed it, thanks. What do you think of the Volot with your HD 800S? Have you tried the Senns with tubes?



MAURO16164 said:


> The huge capacitors of the Volot need frequent charging and discharging to get the maximum. The burn in can be quite long but when it is finished the Volot will express the maximum potential. Keeping it on for only a few hours and then turning it off will not bring the Volot to its full potential. I recommend many hours of turning it on and then turning it off, then turning it on again for many hours and then turning it off, preferably from morning to evening.


A lot of us want to listen music all day, but the job, the kids... you know... And if you are not using it, nowadays electricity goes upper and upper in costing...


----------



## MAURO16164

Terriero said:


> A lot of us want to listen music all day, but the job, the kids... you know... And if you are not using it, nowadays electricity goes upper and upper in costing...


True, but a perfect burn in, as well as having immediate effects for the amp will also be for the future. The 4 supercapacitors of 63vots and 22000µF are not seen every day on a headphone amplifier. integrated (my pathos Inpol2, 45 watts in class A mounts 3) need frequent charging and discharging to then get the best possible sound.


----------



## cangle

Terriero said:


> I have missed it, thanks. What do you think of the Volot with your HD 800S? Have you tried the Senns with tubes?


Haven't tried them yet. I actually haven't used them in a little while since I've been enjoying the 1266 and LCD-5. It's definitely another headphone for me to try on the Volot but I worry it won't keep up with the other two. I'll update with my thoughts on the Volot and 800S once I try it.

I haven't tried the 800 on tubes, would like to at some point. After upgrading my dac I'd like to look into getting a tube amp.


----------



## dermott

As a former FA-12 owner, how much do you lose by not going up to something like the Volot? Ya know, funds and desk space being considered....


----------



## XVampireX

dermott said:


> As a former FA-12 owner, how much do you lose by not going up to something like the Volot? Ya know, funds and desk space being considered....


Volot is $2549 without Pre-Amp (Pre-Amp version will be open for sale shortly)
Desk Space I'm guessing at least 1.5 times bigger if not 2x.


----------



## dermott

XVampireX said:


> Volot is $2549 without Pre-Amp (Pre-Amp version will be open for sale shortly)
> Desk Space I'm guessing at least 1.5 times bigger if not 2x.


I guess I should have been more specific. I can do the math on dollars and dimensions, I was hoping more for, in terms of sound quality,  how much of a step down from the Volot is the FA-12. @cangle being a previous owner of the FA-12 I thought he could speak to how much better he feels the Volot performs vs the FA-12. Is the FA-12 still considered a smart buy and holds a nice place on the law of diminishing returns curve?


----------



## XLR2XLR

dermott said:


> I guess I should have been more specific. I can do the math on dollars and dimensions, I was hoping more for, in terms of sound quality,  how much of a step down from the Volot is the FA-12. @cangle being a previous owner of the FA-12 I thought he could speak to how much better he feels the Volot performs vs the FA-12. Is the FA-12 still considered a smart buy and holds a nice place on the law of diminishing returns curve?


I'll try to answer you question, since I'm the person who almost sold his Volot after the first week of owning it, and the FA-12 was the reason. The guys at Flux Labs made that smaller amp too good for its price – I find it significantly undervalued. Keeping in mind that the Volot costs $2.5, I think the price of the FA-12 should have been somewhere in the $1.5–1.8 range, to reflect the comparison of sound qualities of these amps more accurately.

Anyway, I'm very happy I gave that bad boy a second chance. It turned out that one week of burning in wasn't enough for its huge components. In the beginning it sounded a little bit harsh and lean compared to the FA-12, but over the second week of listening, the Volot has blossomed. It became more fluid and musical and now it beats the FA-12 in all the categories, especially in terms of soundstage and detail retrieval. It provides more air around each instrument on the stage which makes the sound bubble around your head much larger in all directions. I can say for sure that after the 2 weeks of burning in, the Volot is the best sounding amp I've ever heard. 

It's huge, heavy and takes up a lot of space on my desk, but it's definitely a keeper now. I still prefer the look and form-factor of the FA-12, but I'll probably put it up for sale soon.


----------



## cangle (Nov 16, 2021)

dermott said:


> I guess I should have been more specific. I can do the math on dollars and dimensions, I was hoping more for, in terms of sound quality,  how much of a step down from the Volot is the FA-12. @cangle being a previous owner of the FA-12 I thought he could speak to how much better he feels the Volot performs vs the FA-12. Is the FA-12 still considered a smart buy and holds a nice place on the law of diminishing returns curve?


Once you step up to something like a Volot it can be hard to go back to something cheaper like the 12 especially with demanding headphones like the 1266. Sound qualities that I found on the Volot that I don't get on the 12 is bass slam and texture, music sounding more real, and just a more alive/dynamic sound. The Volot is not 4x better than the 12 but if you make the jump I'd say it's worthwhile. Then again if you haven't heard a nicer amp it can be hard to imagine what these qualities sound like.


----------



## XVampireX

XLR2XLR said:


> I'll try to answer you question, since I'm the person who almost sold his Volot after the first week of owning it, and the FA-12 was the reason. The guys at Flux Labs made that smaller amp too good for its price – I find it significantly undervalued. Keeping in mind that the Volot costs $2.5, I think the price of the FA-12 should have been somewhere in the $1.5–1.8 range, to reflect the comparison of sound qualities of these amps more accurately.
> 
> Anyway, I'm very happy I gave that bad boy a second chance. It turned out that one week of burning in wasn't enough for its huge components. In the beginning it sounded a little bit harsh and lean compared to the FA-12, but over the second week of listening, the Volot has blossomed. It became more fluid and musical and now it beats the FA-12 in all the categories, especially in terms of soundstage and detail retrieval. It provides more air around each instrument on the stage which makes the sound bubble around your head much larger in all directions. I can say for sure that after the 2 weeks of burning in, the Volot is the best sounding amp I've ever heard.
> 
> It's huge, heavy and takes up a lot of space on my desk, but it's definitely a keeper now. I still prefer the look and form-factor of the FA-12, but I'll probably put it up for sale soon.


Now that's the kind of reaction I was expecting !


----------



## XLR2XLR

XVampireX said:


> Now that's the kind of reaction I was expecting !


Apologies for the delay. Please blame the FA-12.


----------



## dermott

XLR2XLR said:


> I'll try to answer you question, since I'm the person who almost sold his Volot after the first week of owning it, and the FA-12 was the reason. The guys at Flux Labs made that smaller amp too good for its price – I find it significantly undervalued. Keeping in mind that the Volot costs $2.5, I think the price of the FA-12 should have been somewhere in the $1.5–1.8 range, to reflect the comparison of sound qualities of these amps more accurately.
> 
> Anyway, I'm very happy I gave that bad boy a second chance. It turned out that one week of burning in wasn't enough for its huge components. In the beginning it sounded a little bit harsh and lean compared to the FA-12, but over the second week of listening, the Volot has blossomed. It became more fluid and musical and now it beats the FA-12 in all the categories, especially in terms of soundstage and detail retrieval. It provides more air around each instrument on the stage which makes the sound bubble around your head much larger in all directions. I can say for sure that after the 2 weeks of burning in, the Volot is the best sounding amp I've ever heard.
> 
> It's huge, heavy and takes up a lot of space on my desk, but it's definitely a keeper now. I still prefer the look and form-factor of the FA-12, but I'll probably put it up for sale soon.


Thanks for the feedback. I am trying to commit to getting a FA-12, and this in the kind of push I need!


----------



## XLR2XLR

dermott said:


> Thanks for the feedback. I am trying to commit to getting a FA-12, and this in the kind of push I need!


You're welcome! 
You won't be disappointed with the FA-12, it's a well balanced and enjoyable amp.


----------



## dermott

cangle said:


> Once you step up to something like a Volot it can be hard to go back to something cheaper like the 12 especially with demanding headphones like the 1266. Sound qualities that I found on the Volot that I don't get on the 12 is bass slam and texture, music sounding more real, and just a more alive/dynamic sound. The Volot is not 4x better than the 12 but if you make the jump I'd say it's worthwhile. Then again if you haven't heard a nicer amp it can be hard to imagine what these qualities sound like.


Yeah, I recently picked up a Arya V2 and it is a whole new world for me coming from a pre-fazor LCD-2. I want to get an amp that will give me a better version of what I am hearing now without breaking the bank. I have a Jot 1 and a THX-789 and I know they aren't showing me what the Aryas can do. I am sure that the Volot is amazing, but not really wanting to spend that kind of money. Also, I would need to get a reinforced rack to hold that beast! I am still closer to the beginning of the journey, like Bilbo and the beginning of the Desolation of Smaug when he is running from that giant bear man. That giant bear man is the Volot - probably a friend, but I can't take that chance - RUN!!!!


----------



## XLR2XLR

dermott said:


> Yeah, I recently picked up a Arya V2 and it is a whole new world for me coming from a pre-fazor LCD-2. I want to get an amp that will give me a better version of what I am hearing now without breaking the bank. I have a Jot 1 and a THX-789 and I know they aren't showing me what the Aryas can do. I am sure that the Volot is amazing, but not really wanting to spend that kind of money. Also, I would need to get a reinforced rack to hold that beast! I am still closer to the beginning of the journey, like Bilbo and the beginning of the Desolation of Smaug when he is running from that giant bear man. That giant bear man is the Volot - probably a friend, but I can't take that chance - RUN!!!!


After A/B testing the Jot 2 and FA-12 earlier this year, I sold the former. IMO it sounded a little bit shouty compared to the FA-12.


----------



## dermott

XLR2XLR said:


> After A/B testing the Jot 2 and FA-12 earlier this year, I sold the former. IMO it sounded a little bit shouty compared to the FA-12.


That's my point. I have a Jot 1 and the Jot 2 is supposed to be much better. FA-12 would be quite an upgrade. Sorry about all the non-Volot talk....I'll be quiet now!


----------



## Astral Abyss

dermott said:


> That's my point. I have a Jot 1 and the Jot 2 is supposed to be much better. FA-12 would be quite an upgrade. Sorry about all the non-Volot talk....I'll be quiet now!


Don't forget about the non-Volot thread for us plebs.  I have an FA-10 and couldn't be happier.  Very musical sounding, all the Flux amps.  You really can't go wrong no matter what you buy.


----------



## Majors

I just noticed Abyss has a new headphone launched yesterday. DianaTC with the same driver as 1266TC. Sells for 4,495.00. Gotta get one. 😍


----------



## NickT23

Majors said:


> I just noticed Abyss has a new headphone launched yesterday. DianaTC with the same driver as 1266TC. Sells for 4,495.00. Gotta get one. 😍


Still too expensive. But as usual, there are many rich people in the forums.


----------



## Majors

Having fun ain't cheap. Pick your poison👍


----------



## XVampireX

Majors said:


> Having fun ain't cheap. Pick your poison👍


Reminds me of this:


----------



## Majors (Nov 20, 2021)

For those Denafrips users there`s a new firmware out today 3.11.0. Here`s the link
https://www.denafrips.com/firmware-update-usb
update don't bother with 3.11.0. Stay with 3.6.0 for better BASS.


----------



## cangle

Been comparing the Volot to the Formula S and Powerman today. Left both the amps on for about 2 hours before starting to listen so they are both plenty warm. Whether or not the Volot has reached it's full potential with regards to break-in probably not. I have them connected to different dacs so I don't have to swap interconnects and can just plug the headphone into the amp that I want to hear. For this comparison I just used the 1266. The Volot is taking xlr inputs from a Rotel RDD 1580 and is on high gain. The Formula S and Powerman is taking xlr inputs from a Pontus II and is on high gain. The dacs themselves are similar with the Pontus II being a bit softer in the treble but with better bass extension. The Rotel is a bit more forward in the treble and bass extension is not as defined. They are similar enough though where I don't mind comparing the amps like this.

The songs I used for this comparison were Journey (Upwellings Remix) by Luss, Mir on Buddha-Bar Elements, Hello by Antigone Rising, and Timing by Alisa Amador. The first two tracks are good for bass and the second two are acoustic and have nice vocals in them.

I'm having a hard time telling the two amps apart which is great for the Volot being less than half as much as the Formula S and Powerman. They both do a good job driving the 1266. On the track Mir, the bass sounds a bit slow but with more rumble on the Formula S whereas the Volot is a little bit faster with a cleaner texture. It's not that different but it just sounded to me like the Volot did the bass a little better on this track for my tastes. I had mentioned thinking that the Formula S and Powerman did imaging and staging better than the Volot but I'm not really hearing that in my listening today. The track Hello by Antigone Rising has a wide sound to it or at least the parts of the mix are panned far left and right. It didn't sound noticeably bigger on either amp and they both did a good job of separating different instruments and vocals apart in the song. I feel like the different dacs are contributing more to the differences I'm hearing than the amps. I keep having to check which one I'm listening to as they do sound about the same to me.

In terms of ergonomics of the amps I do prefer the Formula S. I like the smaller size, less heat output, build quality, and volume implementation better. The Volot feels a bit more flexible with the 4 levels of gain and the stepped volume control is nice but I don't really like the exponential nature of it as sometimes I feel like one setting is too quiet and next is too loud. But having the 4 different gain levels makes this not a big deal. Also I've run into the clicking where it gets stuck between two volume settings a couple of times but it's easy to fix by going to the next click. However using the remote to adjust the volume seems to avoid this problem entirely. The other minor complaint I have with the Volot is related to the ground switch. I've used it both disabled and enabled. With it off, sometimes I get a hum in the headphones but if I touch the chassis the hum stops indicating that myself or the headphones aren't grounded. I haven't been able to find a way to ground myself or the headphones consistently to avoid this so will have to play around with that. This seems to be more of a problem with the weather getting drier and I remember running into this problem with the FA-12 too especially in the winter. With the grounding switch set to on then I don't get any of this hum.

For those of you considering the Volot or another amp perhaps something more expensive like a Formula S or another class A option I think the Volot is an easy choice. To my ears it performs just about the same as the Formula S plus it has power to drive any headphone out there and works well with easier to drive headphones too. I did try easy to drive headphones like my Apple EarPods, the Fostex TH-X00, and my Campfire Audio Andromedas. The only thing that hissed was the Andros. I had enough volume play with all of the easier to drive things though with low gain on the Volot.

I look forward to listening more to the Volot as I get used to it's sound and it breaks in and will update with another comparison between these two amps once I get a new dac and can drive both amps off of the same dac.


----------



## Majors

cangle said:


> Been comparing the Volot to the Formula S and Powerman today. Left both the amps on for about 2 hours before starting to listen so they are both plenty warm. Whether or not the Volot has reached it's full potential with regards to break-in probably not. I have them connected to different dacs so I don't have to swap interconnects and can just plug the headphone into the amp that I want to hear. For this comparison I just used the 1266. The Volot is taking xlr inputs from a Rotel RDD 1580 and is on high gain. The Formula S and Powerman is taking xlr inputs from a Pontus II and is on high gain. The dacs themselves are similar with the Pontus II being a bit softer in the treble but with better bass extension. The Rotel is a bit more forward in the treble and bass extension is not as defined. They are similar enough though where I don't mind comparing the amps like this.
> 
> The songs I used for this comparison were Journey (Upwellings Remix) by Luss, Mir on Buddha-Bar Elements, Hello by Antigone Rising, and Timing by Alisa Amador. The first two tracks are good for bass and the second two are acoustic and have nice vocals in them.
> 
> ...


curious to know if swapping dacs in the systems yields the same results. thanks


----------



## Terriero

@cangle, very good comparison, I think it will be useful for some here with TOTL headphones  And also for me, still thinking for which amp I will decide (a lot of spendings this year, starting to save again for that).

Why do you try to switch the "ground" to off? Just to try? I think that if you put it always on, there will be no issues (maybe will affect a little to the sound?) .

If I were you, I would sell the Formula S & Powerman in order to help you for the purchase of the new TOTL DAC (and extra cash if you plan in selling one of your other DACs) or new headphones you are interested in   ... or go to the tubes perdition 

Remember, when you can, to try your HD 800S with the Volot (specially if you are thinking in selling them...)


----------



## cangle

Terriero said:


> @cangle, very good comparison, I think it will be useful for some here with TOTL headphones  And also for me, still thinking for which amp I will decide (a lot of spendings this year, starting to save again for that).
> 
> Why do you try to switch the "ground" to off? Just to try? I think that if you put it always on, there will be no issues (maybe will affect a little to the sound?) .
> 
> ...


I put the switch to off right after the comparison and didn't notice much of a difference. Will leave it in the off state going forward unless I continue to run into hum. I did try the 800S the other day with the Volot and it drives it well and provides some good rumble in the bass. I don't listen to the 800 much as I find it thin sounding compared to my other headphones but the Volot does a fine job with them.

I don't usually sell gear as I like to hoard it so I can make comparisons for people. I'm starting a new job soon so it will make funding the next dac a bit easier


----------



## cangle

Majors said:


> curious to know if swapping dacs in the systems yields the same results. thanks


That would be an interesting comparison. I don't have long enough xlr cables to do this now but if I rearranged some things I could do this test.

The main reason I used the two amps with different dacs, which I don't think I mentioned in my other post, is due to the impedances of the different components. I don't have enough experience with mismatching impedances so it's hard to say if it would be a problem but I figured I'd avoid as best as possible by using a different dac for each amp. The output of the Rotel is 200, of the Pontus 1250, and the input of the Volot on xlr is 3.3k and on the Formula S is 10k. With the approximately 10 to 1 input to output impedance ratio that I've seen recommended I paired the Rotel to the Volot and the Pontus to the Formula S.


----------



## Majors

cangle said:


> That would be an interesting comparison. I don't have long enough xlr cables to do this now but if I rearranged some things I could do this test.
> 
> The main reason I used the two amps with different dacs, which I don't think I mentioned in my other post, is due to the impedances of the different components. I don't have enough experience with mismatching impedances so it's hard to say if it would be a problem but I figured I'd avoid as best as possible by using a different dac for each amp. The output of the Rotel is 200, of the Pontus 1250, and the input of the Volot on xlr is 3.3k and on the Formula S is 10k. With the approximately 10 to 1 input to output impedance ratio that I've seen recommended I paired the Rotel to the Volot and the Pontus to the Formula S.





cangle said:


> That would be an interesting comparison. I don't have long enough xlr cables to do this now but if I rearranged some things I could do this test.
> 
> The main reason I used the two amps with different dacs, which I don't think I mentioned in my other post, is due to the impedances of the different components. I don't have enough experience with mismatching impedances so it's hard to say if it would be a problem but I figured I'd avoid as best as possible by using a different dac for each amp. The output of the Rotel is 200, of the Pontus 1250, and the input of the Volot on xlr is 3.3k and on the Formula S is 10k. With the approximately 10 to 1 input to output impedance ratio that I've seen recommended I paired the Rotel to the Volot and the Pontus to the Formula S.


I understand, Glad to hear the Volot is so competent. And a really great writeup👍


----------



## Terriero

cangle said:


> I put the switch to off right after the comparison and didn't notice much of a difference. Will leave it in the off state going forward unless I continue to run into hum. I did try the 800S the other day with the Volot and it drives it well and provides some good rumble in the bass. I don't listen to the 800 much as I find it thin sounding compared to my other headphones but the Volot does a fine job with them.
> 
> I don't usually sell gear as I like to hoard it so I can make comparisons for people. I'm starting a new job soon so it will make funding the next dac a bit easier


Thanks... Obvious the HD 800S will sound thin comparing to the Abyss beast you have (which I've not tried, but read a lot here about)  

I still don't understand why you put the ground "off" instead of letting it on...


----------



## Roasty

A volot vs cfa3 comparison would be awesome..


----------



## Majors

I noticed Flux Labs have many pics on their website where you can see the ground wire is missing. This is on FA units where there's no ground switch.


----------



## cangle

Roasty said:


> A volot vs cfa3 comparison would be awesome..


Agreed, I'd really like to try the CFA3 myself


----------



## cangle

Terriero said:


> I still don't understand why you put the ground "off" instead of letting it on...


I asked Flux about this back when I was returning my first Volot and they said: "As for the ground switch. When on, the amplifier chassis is connected to a common ground in the power distribution. To avoid a ground loop, it is recommended to leave this switch in the off state (the amplifier uses double insulation and can be used without grounding), while the DAC should preferably be grounded."


----------



## artist777 (Nov 21, 2021)

cangle said:


> I asked Flux about this back when I was returning my first Volot and they said: "As for the ground switch. When on, the amplifier chassis is connected to a common ground in the power distribution. To avoid a ground loop, it is recommended to leave this switch in the off state (the amplifier uses double insulation and can be used without grounding), while the DAC should preferably be grounded."


There is one nuance in your setup. Rotel DAC does not use chassis ground. Therefore, if the DAC has no ground, then the ground on the amplifier must be turned on.


----------



## cangle

artist777 said:


> There is one nuance in your setup. Rotel DAC does not use chassis ground. Therefore, if the DAC has no ground, then the ground on the amplifier must be turned on.


Ah good point, thanks!


----------



## dirtrat

I sent them a message a few days back through their website about the availability of their Volot but no response. I wonder if the possible Russian invasion has caused disruptions? I would certainly be concerned about ordering from them right now. I already had concerns about placing an order from them but when they don't respond to someone interested in making a purchase this raises red flags for me especially if I ever needed support from them under warranty.


----------



## mfgillia

dirtrat said:


> I sent them a message a few days back through their website about the availability of their Volot but no response. I wonder if the possible Russian invasion has caused disruptions? I would certainly be concerned about ordering from them right now. I already had concerns about placing an order from them but when they don't respond to someone interested in making a purchase this raises red flags for me especially if I ever needed support from them under warranty.


Try their Facebook page - they always respond promptly to my questions there.


----------



## XVampireX

dirtrat said:


> I sent them a message a few days back through their website about the availability of their Volot but no response. I wonder if the possible Russian invasion has caused disruptions? I would certainly be concerned about ordering from them right now. I already had concerns about placing an order from them but when they don't respond to someone interested in making a purchase this raises red flags for me especially if I ever needed support from them under warranty.



They are just really busy, has nothing to do with the Invasion/War that this poop country is waging against Ukraine since 2014.


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> They are just really busy, has nothing to do with the Invasion/War that this poop country is waging against Ukraine since 2014.


we are being political now. I hope Ukraine is doing alright...


----------



## cangle

Majors said:


> curious to know if swapping dacs in the systems yields the same results. thanks


Working on this now. Volot and Pontus II vs Formula S w/ Powerman and Rotel RDD 1580. The cabling is not the same between the two setups and the pontus is getting i2s whereas the Rotel is getting spdif. Should be ok though haven't heard big differences in cabling or digital inputs with my set up.

Again it's very hard to tell the two apart. The bass sounds a bit more rumbly to me on the Formula S. With the Volot on the track Mir (using the same songs as last time) it was somewhat harder to clearly hear the pulsing bass note as it was on the Formula S. But I had to switch back quickly and focus on it to pick that out, it wasn't super obvious at first. I'm hearing a similar quality to the bass on the track Journey by Luss. The Formula S has more rumble down low and is a little more clearly defined. The Volot is a bit less emphasized on the low end. The more I switch back and forth though I feel like the difference is becoming more subtle each time. So I guess the bass is pretty much the same. The general impression I've gotten from comparing the two this weekend and last is that the Formula S can sound a little more rumbly / just has more emphasis in the low end but they are both very close. It really depends on the track when choosing which presentation I prefer and I only have a preference if I'm listening closely.

Testing a more vocal oriented song, I'm listening to Timing by Alisa Amador and Hello by Antigone Rising respectively. Again these are the same tracks as last time. I started on the Formula S listening to Timing then switched to the Volot. My first thought was that the Volot had a bit more body to it but I think that was just a volume mismatch. Turning the volume down and it sounded pretty much the same as the Formula S. On the track Hello, the vocals do seem just a tad more forward then on the Formula S. But they are so close.

After the comparison last time I was worried that the different dacs were causing more of the differences I was noticing. Since my impressions I think are mostly the same as last time especially with regards to the bass with the dacs swapped, I'm more confident in the impressions that I put together last week.

My conclusion is that they sound remarkably similar. There may be slight differences in the bass emphasis and speed and vocal presence but it is very close. I would happily use either of them and plan to keep both going forward. Again I look forward to using a nicer dac and revisiting this comparison as I feel like the dac is the bottleneck in my chain currently.


----------



## jlbrach

cangle said:


> Working on this now. Volot and Pontus II vs Formula S w/ Powerman and Rotel RDD 1580. The cabling is not the same between the two setups and the pontus is getting i2s whereas the Rotel is getting spdif. Should be ok though haven't heard big differences in cabling or digital inputs with my set up.
> 
> Again it's very hard to tell the two apart. The bass sounds a bit more rumbly to me on the Formula S. With the Volot on the track Mir (using the same songs as last time) it was somewhat harder to clearly hear the pulsing bass note as it was on the Formula S. But I had to switch back quickly and focus on it to pick that out, it wasn't super obvious at first. I'm hearing a similar quality to the bass on the track Journey by Luss. The Formula S has more rumble down low and is a little more clearly defined. The Volot is a bit less emphasized on the low end. The more I switch back and forth though I feel like the difference is becoming more subtle each time. So I guess the bass is pretty much the same. The general impression I've gotten from comparing the two this weekend and last is that the Formula S can sound a little more rumbly / just has more emphasis in the low end but they are both very close. It really depends on the track when choosing which presentation I prefer and I only have a preference if I'm listening closely.
> 
> ...


you really would need to make sure the source and amp is the same to make a serious comparison


----------



## Terriero

cangle said:


> Working on this now. Volot and Pontus II vs Formula S w/ Powerman and Rotel RDD 1580. The cabling is not the same between the two setups and the pontus is getting i2s whereas the Rotel is getting spdif. Should be ok though haven't heard big differences in cabling or digital inputs with my set up.
> 
> Again it's very hard to tell the two apart. The bass sounds a bit more rumbly to me on the Formula S. With the Volot on the track Mir (using the same songs as last time) it was somewhat harder to clearly hear the pulsing bass note as it was on the Formula S. But I had to switch back quickly and focus on it to pick that out, it wasn't super obvious at first. I'm hearing a similar quality to the bass on the track Journey by Luss. The Formula S has more rumble down low and is a little more clearly defined. The Volot is a bit less emphasized on the low end. The more I switch back and forth though I feel like the difference is becoming more subtle each time. So I guess the bass is pretty much the same. The general impression I've gotten from comparing the two this weekend and last is that the Formula S can sound a little more rumbly / just has more emphasis in the low end but they are both very close. It really depends on the track when choosing which presentation I prefer and I only have a preference if I'm listening closely.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for taking your time for these comparisons. Will be very helpful for the community.


----------



## dirtrat

XVampireX said:


> They are just really busy, has nothing to do with the Invasion/War that this poop country is waging against Ukraine since 2014.



Either way I've sent them inquires through their website and Facebook and no response.  It looks like a great product but if they can't be bothered to answer a simple question from an interested customer that kills it for me.


----------



## XVampireX

dirtrat said:


> Either way I've sent them inquires through their website and Facebook and no response.  It looks like a great product but if they can't be bothered to answer a simple question from an interested customer that kills it for me.



It's Weekend for them / Night, be patient a bit, they will get back to you.


----------



## Womaz

When I enquired on FB Messenger they were very quick to respond and very helpful. They answered all of my questions


----------



## NickT23

Womaz said:


> When I enquired on FB Messenger they were very quick to respond and very helpful. They answered all of my questions


Hi what about email ? Not everybody has FB and also my FB account got terminated !


----------



## mfgillia

NickT23 said:


> Hi what about email ? Not everybody has FB and also my FB account got terminated !


I'm pretty sure someone will answer your email eventually as they did mine but if you sent your email to the company's generic email address everyone uses then that might mean somone there first needs to go through a few hundred emails before directing yours to the right person to answer your questions.


----------



## XVampireX

NickT23 said:


> Hi what about email ? Not everybody has FB and also my FB account got terminated !



No need to worry, the earlier problem was fixed


----------



## Necro82

Recently, someone has some problem with trafo and powering reliability? All those problems has gone?


----------



## XVampireX

Necro82 said:


> Recently, someone has some problem with trafo and powering reliability? All those problems has gone?



What? Where?


----------



## Necro82

XVampireX said:


> What? Where?


In some posts about Volot (but FA also), someone got problems about trafo failure and/or powering issues...


----------



## XVampireX

Necro82 said:


> In some posts about Volot (but FA also), someone got problems about trafo failure and/or powering issues...


You didn't change your word though, if it wasn't clear the first time, I don't think it would be better the second time


----------



## Necro82

XVampireX said:


> You didn't change your word though, if it wasn't clear the first time, I don't think it would be better the second time


You have to look back into the 3D. For example: 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flu...s-reviews-and-discussion.952903/post-16446565

I dont remember where, but similar problems was reported for the FA models also. I think there is some people that know what I mean and maybe they can reassure others users that all problems have been resolved.


----------



## XVampireX

Necro82 said:


> You have to look back into the 3D. For example:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flu...s-reviews-and-discussion.952903/post-16446565
> 
> I dont remember where, but similar problems was reported for the FA models also. I think there is some people that know what I mean and maybe they can reassure others users that all problems have been resolved.


This was fixed already


----------



## mfgillia

XVampireX said:


> This was fixed already


Plus, seem to recall he won the amp lottery - received a full refund plus a new Volot.


----------



## cangle

Necro82 said:


> You have to look back into the 3D. For example:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flu...s-reviews-and-discussion.952903/post-16446565
> 
> I dont remember where, but similar problems was reported for the FA models also. I think there is some people that know what I mean and maybe they can reassure others users that all problems have been resolved.


Yes that problem has been resolved through a protection circuit installed in all new production Volots and shipped to existing Volot owners for installation. They sent me a new Volot for free and I've been enjoying it for the past couple of weeks


----------



## XVampireX

I think I know why this person is called Necro  Bringing up old problems, heh.


----------



## Necro82

cangle said:


> Yes that problem has been resolved through a protection circuit installed in all new production Volots and shipped to existing Volot owners for installation. They sent me a new Volot for free and I've been enjoying it for the past couple of weeks


This is useful thing to know! Thanks


----------



## Necro82

XVampireX said:


> I think I know why this person is called Necro  Bringing up old problems, heh.


This is unuseful...


----------



## XVampireX

Well sorry to disappoint you, if you haven't already noticed I did answer that it was fixed already.


----------



## Necro82

XVampireX said:


> Well sorry to disappoint you, if you haven't already noticed I did answer that it was fixed already.


This was precisely the original question: to know if the problems had been solved and how. Your surprise and irony were useless, while the response of the interested user was useful.  I'm not here to bring up discussions, I love Fluxlab, I'm here to have update on important things...maybe late, ok. We can move on.


----------



## rmsanger

This was taken from a comprehensive review for the Susvara but in it there is an indirect comparison of the Oor+Hypsos and Volot which I thought was interesting:

https://soundnews.net/headphones/full-size/the-ultimate-hifiman-susvara-review/



> *21. Flux Labs Acoustics Volot*
> 
> This is as good as headphone amplifiers could get. This sounds like an evolved version of FA-10, detail retrieval and transparency went up and this is literally the most open and wide sounding amplifier of them all. It is bigger sounding even compared to most integrated and power amplifiers. The only thing I disliked about it – it isn’t that visceral sounding down low. If you don’t like experimenting with speaker amplifiers, this could be The Amp for Susvara.
> 
> ...




Essentially he gave the nod of resolution and stage to Volot but Transients and Dynamics to the Oor.  Anyway just thought I would post an interesting take.  Soloist 3GT will be another he reviews with the Susvara soon.


----------



## XVampireX

Oof, I was hoping Volot is superior still (Well in a way it is superior I guess but based on scores it feels like Oor might edge it just not on resolution and stage)


----------



## NickT23

rmsanger said:


> This was taken from a comprehensive review for the Susvara but in it there is an indirect comparison of the Oor+Hypsos and Volot which I thought was interesting:
> 
> https://soundnews.net/headphones/full-size/the-ultimate-hifiman-susvara-review/
> 
> ...


Yup by far the best Susvara review because he has more time with it and have the tools.


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> Oof, I was hoping Volot is superior still (Well in a way it is superior I guess but based on scores it feels like Oor might edge it just not on resolution and stage)


Ya same. But then again when it comes to demanding and power hungry plannar, this is where power amps and integrated amp are better. I also wish Volot provides you with everything to justified the price tag.


----------



## XVampireX

Volot actually based on specs provides more power than Oor+Hypsos it seems and with all the caps and power supply of Volot I'd think it would be even better for Dynamics.


----------



## Majors

Wow war on Ukraine seems eminent. What will FLA be in the future. I hope everything will be ok.


----------



## dirtrat

Majors said:


> Wow war on Ukraine seems eminent. What will FLA be in the future. I hope everything will be ok.




Exactly! Besides not having a US distributer this adds to my concerns about delivery and or warranty repairs. I hope the best for them but I'm watching to see how this plays out.


----------



## XVampireX (Dec 7, 2021)

dirtrat said:


> Exactly! Besides not having a US distributer this adds to my concerns about delivery and or warranty repairs. I hope the best for them but I'm watching to see how this plays out.


Just to calm down everyone, war has been ongoing for a over 7 years now, there's nothing new, life goes on there shouldn't be a problem with supply, warranty repairs if needed. If there are any delays of supply are because of the usual delays because of supply of TSMC's and stuff, currently I'm waiting for my final parts and they are almost ready to send it to me so another week maybe until they send it otherwise everyone got what they ordered or about to get it.

While I do live in Israel, I've been born in Ukraine and the topic of the ongoing conflict is something I know much about. So no need to worry.

Also important for dirtrat: There's no US distributor and there's no Israel distributor and there's no distributor anywhere other than themselves. It's direct, and that is what makes it cheaper because there are no additional costs for distribution.


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> Just to calm down everyone, war has been ongoing for a over 7 years now, there's nothing new, life goes on there shouldn't be a problem with supply, warranty repairs if needed. If there are any delays of supply are because of the usual delays because of supply of TSMC's and stuff, currently I'm waiting for my final parts and they are almost ready to send it to me so another week maybe until they send it otherwise everyone got what they ordered or about to get it.
> 
> While I do live in Israel, I've been born in Ukraine and the topic of the ongoing conflict is something I know much about. So no need to worry.
> 
> Also important for dirtrat: There's no US distributor and there's no Israel distributor and there's no distributor anywhere other than themselves. It's direct, and that is what makes it cheaper because there are no additional costs for distribution.


Hi we are worried. War makes us nervous af. Bombs will destroy factories and other manufacturing plants.


----------



## XVampireX

NickT23 said:


> Hi we are worried. War makes us nervous af. Bombs will destroy factories and other manufacturing plants.


There's nothing to worry about like I said. All is gonna be fine. Don't let this ongoing war (Like I said, it has been ongoing for 7 years, what's new now that wasn't before? they just aren't capable of doing anything anymore that is the poop country and yes absolutely no respect for that country I won't mention its name) be a detriment to your decision to get a Flux Lab Acoustics product. I'm just trying to keep it as civil as possible without going much into politics even though I've got very solid "opinions" on the issue, but people think "politics" (put them in quotes because I don't consider this politics) should be left elsewhere in such forums.


----------



## NickT23

dirtrat said:


> Exactly! Besides not having a US distributer this adds to my concerns about delivery and or warranty repairs. I hope the best for them but I'm watching to see how this plays out.


Is Russia doing anything about it ?


----------



## jonathan c

NickT23 said:


> Is Russia doing anything about it ?


About what? And why should they? Flux Lab Acoustics is a Ukrainian company. At best, FLA will be ignored. More likely, access to components / export markets is impacted.


----------



## NickT23

Everything is related, politics, capitalism and globalisation as well in relation with audio, because audio is an industry and business. Which country is a poop country which country you don't respect. Its ok to name, or you can pm me would do. Indeed its our detriment to our decision to get a Flux Lab Acoustics product which we will unless there are alternative such as the Volot.


----------



## NickT23

jonathan c said:


> About what? And why should they? Flux Lab Acoustics is a Ukrainian company. At best, FLA will be ignored. More likely, access to components / export markets is impacted.


Rise of the Soviet and affecting FLA.


----------



## XVampireX

NickT23 said:


> Everything is related, politics, capitalism and globalisation as well in relation with audio, because audio is an industry and business. Which country is a poop country which country you don't respect. Its ok to name, or you can pm me would do. Indeed its our detriment to our decision to get a Flux Lab Acoustics product which we will unless there are alternative such as the Volot.



Flux Lab Acoustics is a Ukrainian company. Ukraine is not the Poop country. If you're going into this topic, you should know which country I mean and I don't have to tell you anything else.
Ukraine will keep being Ukraine with no relation to the "Rise of the Soviet".
If it's a detriment to your decision and you can't get the hint that all is fine, that's your problem, others will enjoy the Volot and the FA lineup just fine with no problems.


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> Flux Lab Acoustics is a Ukrainian company. Ukraine is not the Poop country. If you're going into this topic, you should know which country I mean and I don't have to tell you anything else.
> Ukraine will keep being Ukraine with no relation to the "Rise of the Soviet".
> If it's a detriment to your decision and you can't get the hint that all is fine, that's your problem, others will enjoy the Volot and the FA lineup just fine with no problems.


Actually I dont, And thats not my problem because as stated, 'indeed its our detriment to our decision to get a Flux Lab Acoustics product which we will'. But its my problem at the same time since I cant afford...


----------



## NickT23

Hello just curious does anyone ever reaches 'HIGH+' gain on the Flux monster ?


----------



## cangle

NickT23 said:


> Hello just curious does anyone ever reaches 'HIGH+' gain on the Flux monster ?


Not yet I stick with mid and high for LCD-5 and 1266


----------



## NickT23

cangle said:


> Not yet I stick with mid and high for LCD-5 and 1266


What that powerful....should be able to power speakers then... Also, what happens if you go for high+ both headphone ?


----------



## rmsanger

XVampireX said:


> There's nothing to worry about like I said. All is gonna be fine. Don't let this ongoing war (Like I said, it has been ongoing for 7 years, what's new now that wasn't before? they just aren't capable of doing anything anymore that is the poop country and yes absolutely no respect for that country I won't mention its name) be a detriment to your decision to get a Flux Lab Acoustics product. I'm just trying to keep it as civil as possible without going much into politics even though I've got very solid "opinions" on the issue, but people think "politics" (put them in quotes because I don't consider this politics) should be left elsewhere in such forums.



Let's avoid this becoming a political thread which like religion can go sideways very quickly.  

I will say two things:  

1) I hope our Ukrainian friends from Flux and Rebel stay safe.  Sometimes it can be easy to detach reality from how it impacts you personally.  In this case it impacts how quickly you can get parts and service for your amplifier.  For them it's a potential war in their own town.  So do keep some compassion of what that means.

2) The war may have been going on for 7 years but it's been primarily in 2 regions of Ukraine and being fought by pro-russian seperatists "rebels" or troops with the backing of russian spec ops and support.  What we are talking about now is the accumulation of 175k of active russian troops at the border.  We're talking about a potential significant expansion into a "real war" with active troops and an expansion of geographic impacts (perhaps to kiev).

see said regions
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Ukrainian_War#/media/File:2014_Russo-ukrainian-conflict_map.svg

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/05/world/europe/putin-russia-ukraine-troops.html


----------



## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> Let's avoid this becoming a political thread which like religion can go sideways very quickly.
> 
> I will say two things:
> 
> ...


I feel very sad... Human beings don't change...


----------



## Majors

rmsanger said:


> Let's avoid this becoming a political thread which like religion can go sideways very quickly.
> 
> I will say two things:
> 
> ...


Well said. I wish them well.


----------



## XVampireX

rmsanger said:


> Let's avoid this becoming a political thread which like religion can go sideways very quickly.
> 
> I will say two things:
> 
> ...



It's spelled and called and pronounced Kyiv.
I'm gonna stop here because it's gonna get ugly really quickly now.


----------



## dirtrat

XVampireX said:


> Just to calm down everyone, war has been ongoing for a over 7 years now, there's nothing new, life goes on there shouldn't be a problem with supply, warranty repairs if needed. If there are any delays of supply are because of the usual delays because of supply of TSMC's and stuff, currently I'm waiting for my final parts and they are almost ready to send it to me so another week maybe until they send it otherwise everyone got what they ordered or about to get it.
> 
> While I do live in Israel, I've been born in Ukraine and the topic of the ongoing conflict is something I know much about. So no need to worry.
> 
> Also important for dirtrat: There's no US distributor and there's no Israel distributor and there's no distributor anywhere other than themselves. It's direct, and that is what makes it cheaper because there are no additional costs for distribution.



There's also no types of certifications for their products in the US as far as safety. In Europe I assume this would be CE. In the US it would be a UL certification. This wouldn't necessarily be a deal killer for me and I guess that's one reason behind the cheaper prices. Having a distributer in the US would be more money with markups but it would also solve other problems with the consumer.


----------



## Majors

dirtrat said:


> There's also no types of certifications for their products in the US as far as safety. In Europe I assume this would be CE. In the US it would be a UL certification. This wouldn't necessarily be a deal killer for me and I guess that's one reason behind the cheaper prices. Having a distributer in the US would be more money with markups but it would also solve other problems with the consumer.


I can live without all of the certification and dealer networks for the price/performance ratio. Otherwise they would be just another premium company with the price to match.


----------



## dirtrat

Majors said:


> I can live without all of the certification and dealer networks for the price/performance ratio. Otherwise they would be just another premium company with the price to match.



I would Normally agree with you except when I see people's transformers smoking on the products. What I don't want is my headphone amp burning down my house. We aren't electrical engineers and testing for safety and proper design hasn't been vetted out on these products by a third party.


----------



## Majors

That happened once it could also happen with something certified and if you don't trust flux don't buy from them.


----------



## rmsanger

Majors said:


> That happened once it could also happen with something certified and if you don't trust flux don't buy from them.


They user that had this happen got a full refund and got a free Volot unit for their hardship.  Flux went above and beyond to make the customer right and deserves credit.


----------



## Majors

Just getting ready to go into full immersion with my FA-22. This is one of the best audio purchases I have ever made.


----------



## jonathan c

Majors said:


> Just getting ready to go into full immersion with my FA-22. This is one of the best audio purchases I have ever made.


…definitely gets better over time… And, if you want to ‘sky it’, fuse upgrading is easy. (I replaced the stock fuse with Synergistic Research Purple….the 🤪 extreme…)


----------



## Majors

Excellent, yes I was one of the first to receive one and it's fully broken in let me tell you😛


----------



## Majors

The sound is so freaking amazing on Lee Rittenour right now I can't even concentrate on my typing. LOL


----------



## NickT23

dirtrat said:


> I would Normally agree with you except when I see people's transformers smoking on the products. What I don't want is my headphone amp burning down my house. We aren't electrical engineers and testing for safety and proper design hasn't been vetted out on these products by a third party.


Sounds scary. Does it happen quite often for Class A amplifiers ? What about speaker amp ?


----------



## XVampireX

Please stop bringing up old devils. It has been fixed.


----------



## dirtrat

XVampireX said:


> Please stop bringing up old devils. It has been fixed.



To be fair you have no idea if there are other undiscovered issues that have not shown their ugly head. To be honest XVampireX, you act like you are a moderator in this forum! You have made it very clear you are from Ukraine and have some relationship (Friendship only?) with this company. If this company were Japanese owned, would you still be as big of an advocate? It's very clear you have some biases here. IMHO you should stop telling people to avoid making ANY negative comments about this company and its products and let the people in the forum decide! ALL companies' products have good and bad things and it's to our benefit to have an open discussion about them before we make purchasing decisions! Nothing in these discussions have persuaded me to rule out buying a Volot, but I want unrestricted discussions on the pro's/cons before I make a decision!
​


----------



## Majors

dirtrat said:


> To be fair you have no idea if there are other undiscovered issues that have not shown their ugly head. To be honest XVampireX, you act like you are a moderator in this forum! You have made it very clear you are from Ukraine and have some relationship (Friendship only?) with this company. If this company were Japanese owned, would you still be as big of an advocate? It's very clear you have some biases here. IMHO you should stop telling people to avoid making ANY negative comments about this company and its products and let the people in the forum decide! ALL companies' products have good and bad things and it's to our benefit to have an open discussion about them before we make purchasing decisions! Nothing in these discussions have persuaded me to rule out buying a Volot, but I want unrestricted discussions on the pro's/cons before I make a decision!
> ​


Go somewere else and create drama. Your BS is getting old.


----------



## dirtrat

So are you! If you don't like it you are welcome to go to a different forum NEWB! I'm tired of the attempts at moderation in this forum (By non-moderators) telling people what they can and can't comment on even when it's not against any forum rules. Goodbye!


----------



## Majors (Dec 8, 2021)

Goodbye


----------



## XVampireX (Dec 8, 2021)

dirtrat said:


> To be fair you have no idea if there are other undiscovered issues that have not shown their ugly head. To be honest XVampireX, you act like you are a moderator in this forum! You have made it very clear you are from Ukraine and have some relationship (Friendship only?) with this company. If this company were Japanese owned, would you still be as big of an advocate? It's very clear you have some biases here. IMHO you should stop telling people to avoid making ANY negative comments about this company and its products and let the people in the forum decide! ALL companies' products have good and bad things and it's to our benefit to have an open discussion about them before we make purchasing decisions! Nothing in these discussions have persuaded me to rule out buying a Volot, but I want unrestricted discussions on the pro's/cons before I make a decision!
> ​


I'm not a moderator in this forum, I speak for myself, and I do protect the company because there is a good friendship between us as a friend of the partner business of FLA, have done lots of business with them in the past. However if a different company would have a good product that was trolled for imperfections that were fixed ALREADY and people keep mentioning it, I would feel bad for the company. It would have been a different story if there would still be a problem, but we haven't seen or heard of any, so that's not the case. I for example have had some bad experience with QC on the Audeze front, as I mention in my signature I do have Audeze LCD-3F and I don't remember when was the last time I've used it. As everyone knows the drivers there failed multiple times on people and I've even heard people have still got problems on LCD-4, don't know what the situation on LCD-5 yet. But again, on Volot, it has been a once and done thing, it was used in a way that Most people Don't, powered on and used on with no load connected, it was promptly requested back to check what went wrong and fixed. Yet you (I mean whoever did) bringing it back from the dead multiple times when it was said that it was fixed is just a way of trolling and not benefitting anyone or anything, if someone would have such a problem again they would post it no problem and no reason not to and that would be acceptable, but keep mentioning it with no reason is just a way to troll.


----------



## XLR2XLR

dirtrat said:


> To be fair you have no idea if there are other undiscovered issues that have not shown their ugly head. To be honest XVampireX, you act like you are a moderator in this forum! You have made it very clear you are from Ukraine and have some relationship (Friendship only?) with this company. If this company were Japanese owned, would you still be as big of an advocate? It's very clear you have some biases here. IMHO you should stop telling people to avoid making ANY negative comments about this company and its products and let the people in the forum decide! ALL companies' products have good and bad things and it's to our benefit to have an open discussion about them before we make purchasing decisions! Nothing in these discussions have persuaded me to rule out buying a Volot, but I want unrestricted discussions on the pro's/cons before I make a decision!
> ​


I can assure you that I wasn't born in Ukraine and have no affiliation with Flux Labs. My wife is half Ukrainian, but I think that doesn't count much in this case. I'm just a person who owns two products made by this company, one of which is the Volot, and the biggest cons of this amp I've found so far are the following:
• It's huge and heavy.
• It's got very sharp corners on the faceplate.
• It's black (IMO it looks boring in this color due to its size and the flat surfaces it's made of. I would prefer it to be brushed aluminum).
• Its remote control is a joke – there are 13 buttons (that rattle) and only 3 of them are functional. 

Luckily, my unit is drama-free – I've had 0 issues with it, and the way it sounds simply outweighs all those cons I just listed. I have it paired with Iggy, and the soundstage these two bad boys create is phenomenal. It's still the best headphone amp I've ever heard.


----------



## dirtrat

XLR2XLR said:


> I can assure you that I wasn't born in Ukraine and have no affiliation with Flux Labs. My wife is half Ukrainian, but I think that doesn't count much in this case. I'm just a person who owns two products made by this company, one of which is the Volot, and the biggest cons of this amp I've found so far are the following:
> • It's huge and heavy.
> • It's got very sharp corners on the faceplate.
> • It's black (IMO it looks boring in this color due to its size and the flat surfaces it's made of. I would prefer it to be brushed aluminum).
> ...



This is the kind of feedback I like to hear. I agree I wish it came in Silver also instead of just black. The remote for me isn't a big deal but I understand. From what I've read the Volot seems like a great deal for the money compared to like products. I haven't ruled out purchasing this product and I wanted to make it clear I'm not here bashing it. If I wasn't interested in purchasing it, I would be in this forum. I'm just trying to understand everything. I do wish Flux would charge you when the item shipped instead of when you order it though. I am attending the next CamJam in Feb in New York and will make purchasing decisions then. My amplifier decision will be driven by my headphone purchase and their requirements. Certainly, if I purchase the HIFIMAN Susvara or something in that efficiency range this amp will be a great candidate. With its gain settings it may also be good for lower efficiency cans also.
​


----------



## cangle

NickT23 said:


> What that powerful....should be able to power speakers then... Also, what happens if you go for high+ both headphone ?


You just get more volume sooner. No change in sound on high+. I prefer mid and high gain as with those settings I can find a comfortable volume setting without having the issue where one step is too quiet and the other is too loud.


----------



## cangle

XLR2XLR said:


> Luckily, my unit is drama-free – I've had 0 issues with it, and the way it sounds simply outweighs all those cons I just listed. I have it paired with Iggy, and the soundstage these two bad boys create is phenomenal. It's still the best headphone amp I've ever heard.


I see in your signature that you have a Pontus II as well, the same dac that I use. Do you have a preference between the two dacs when paired with the Volot?


----------



## XLR2XLR (Dec 10, 2021)

cangle said:


> I see in your signature that you have a Pontus II as well, the same dac that I use. Do you have a preference between the two dacs when paired with the Volot?


It's a very good questions because I'm currently trying to figure out which one I like more

I unpacked the Pontus II yesterday, and my first impression is that Yggy is slightly better in conveying emotions – it brings a tad more texture and details. It also feels that the soundstage Yggy produces is larger with more air around every instrument in the composition. Yggy makes the LCD XC (2021) sound like true open back headphones, placing instruments around your head, while the Pontus II tends to put some of them back inside and reminds me that I'm listening with closed-backs. The vocals with Yggy sound more emotional but sometimes can be a little bit harsh; it never happens with the Pontus II.

I bought a used unit which is 1 month old – not sure if it needs more time to break in. I'm going to continue A/B testing these DACs for a few more weeks before I decide which one of them stays in my chain, so stay tuned


----------



## XVampireX

I'm happy to announce that my Volot has been shipped and will be here in the coming days (I'm guesstimating around Sunday/Monday unless I get a surprise and get it earlier or, hopefully not, later)


----------



## rmsanger

XVampireX said:


> I'm happy to announce that my Volot has been shipped and will be here in the coming days (I'm guesstimating around Sunday/Monday unless I get a surprise and get it earlier or, hopefully not, later)


Looking forward to reading your impressions after you've had it for a bit!   Did you happen to get the pre-amp module in yours?

I know this was a big deal for some members on the initial product release and interested to hear more impressions of the volot both as a HP amp and a pre.

Volot, Soloist 3GT, Oor+Hypsos, and used Niimbus are all on my shopping list for the coming months.


----------



## XVampireX

rmsanger said:


> Did you happen to get the pre-amp module in yours?



Indeed 

It will be available to the public shortly.


----------



## MAURO16164

Purchased the Volot. I hope it will arrive by January 15th, they told me 3 weeks from the order to receive it ...


----------



## XVampireX

MAURO16164 said:


> Purchased the Volot. I hope it will arrive by January 15th, they told me 3 weeks from the order to receive it ...


Huh, congrats! Though that's optimistic on the "they told me 3 weeks from the order to receive it" part


----------



## MAURO16164

much more time, in your opinion? How long did it take before I received it?


----------



## Shane D

rmsanger said:


> Looking forward to reading your impressions after you've had it for a bit!   Did you happen to get the pre-amp module in yours?
> 
> I know this was a big deal for some members on the initial product release and interested to hear more impressions of the volot both as a HP amp and a pre.
> 
> Volot, Soloist 3GT, Oor+Hypsos, and used Niimbus are all on my shopping list for the coming months.


I can't remember if you have or have tried the iFi Pro iCAN. If not, might be something to add to the list.


----------



## XVampireX

MAURO16164 said:


> much more time, in your opinion? How long did it take before I received it?



Well unless you're lucky and they already have units midway, it might take between 3-4 weeks to build a new unit and then some until it arrives...


----------



## MAURO16164

XVampireX said:


> Well unless you're lucky and they already have units midway, it might take between 3-4 weeks to build a new unit and then some until it arrives...


But it ships with ups..should take a few days i think


----------



## rmsanger (Dec 18, 2021)

Shane D said:


> I can't remember if you have or have tried the iFi Pro iCAN. If not, might be something to add to the list.



I have tried the Pro ican in my mid-fi journey and it wasn't for me.  I've owned/tried the 789, A90, Lyr 1, Lyr 3, V280, Phonitor E, Singxer, Cayin IHA-6, Pro Ican, Conductor 3xp (along with a few other interesting options), and ended up with Soloist 3XP for my chain/preferences.   Thinking the Oor+Hypsos, Volot, or 3GT will be my next move.  If a used Niimbus were to fall in price I would snag it but I'm not paying $4k for a non perfect one.

I do need to look more into the Pro Ican Signature; for some reason I mentally wrote it off which was stupid of me.

The only midfi amps I haven't tried that I wanted were the Wells Milo (upgraded non reference) and Kinki (forgot model #).  I also wanted to try the V281 (used prices are too high) and perhaps a GSX Mini but I didn't like the GSX Mk2.


----------



## Shane D

rmsanger said:


> I have tried the Pro ican in my mid-fi journey and it wasn't for me.  I've owned/tried the 789, A90, Lyr 1, Lyr 3, V280, Phonitor E, Singxer, Cayin IHA-6, Pro Ican, Conductor 3xp (along with a few other interesting options), and ended up with Soloist 3XP for my chain/preferences.   Thinking the Oor+Hypsos, Volot, or 3GT will be my next move.  If a used Niimbus were to fall in price I would snag it but I'm not paying $4k for a non perfect one.
> 
> I do need to look more into the Pro Ican Signature; for some reason I mentally wrote it off which was stupid of me.
> 
> The only midfi amps I haven't tried that I wanted were the Wells Milo (upgraded non reference) and Kinki (forgot model #).  I also wanted to try the V281 (used prices are too high) and perhaps a GSX Mini but I didn't like the GSX Mk2.


If you weren't impressed by the Pro iCAN then you likely won't be wowed by the Signature Edition.


----------



## Terriero (Dec 19, 2021)

@XVampireX, have you received your Volot - preamp edition? I would love to see your impressions, specially from the pre-amp functionality.

And another question for the readers here: Has anyone be able to compare the new Ferrum OOR with the Volot?


----------



## XVampireX (Dec 19, 2021)

Terriero said:


> @XVampireX, have you received your Volot - preamp edition? I would love to see your impressions, specially from the pre-amp functionality.
> 
> And another question for the readers here: Has anyone be able to compare the new Ferrum OOR with the Volot?


Not yet unfortunately, stuck in UPS in Ukraine for some reason, they will check what's wrong tomorrow. Also don't expect too much from me for my preamp usage, I'm still gonna be using it as a preamp/volume control for my powered cheap speakers (AudioEngine 5+)


----------



## Terriero

@Ultrainferno, I love your Atlas and FA 10 reviews. Don't you have the opportunity to test a Volot?. I would love a review from Lieven, which shares some of my headphones (HD 800 and DT 1990 Pro).


----------



## MAURO16164

Well, I don't think they send the amplifier even with the preamp section without saying anything, and above all at the same price. For example, I don't need it.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Terriero said:


> @Ultrainferno, I love your Atlas and FA 10 reviews. Don't you have the opportunity to test a Volot?. I would love a review from Lieven, which shares some of my headphones (HD 800 and DT 1990 Pro).



Thank you! Let's see if we can make that happen in 2022, I will check with Flux


----------



## XVampireX

Meanwhile:


----------



## Terriero

Your desired christmas gift


----------



## apmusson (Dec 21, 2021)

My VOLOT has arrived.  I plugged it in last night and connected it to my system.  Initial excitement is very much the order of the day.

It's not as big as I was expecting - it's definitely large but fits well into my setup.  My wife (she's used to my debris) didn't comment!

It's very early days but I am very happy with my purchase.  I've previously auditioned the Violectric V550 and the IFI iCAN Pro (very different but good) and my initial feelings of the VOLOT are that I prefer it to the others... Obviously, this may be the match with other elements of my setup.  I'm using an Innuos music server, Chord Hugo 2 and Chord Mscaler all with linear power supplies.  Its a very revealing setup.  My headphones are Sennheiser HD800 and HD650.  I also use Stax Earspeaker (L700 and SRS 800S).   I'll be getting a new dynamic headphone next year.  Maybe a Susvara or Audeze LCD5?

I'm relieved after purchasing it without audition....

Adrian


----------



## Terriero

apmusson said:


> My VOLOT has arrived.  I plugged it in last night and connected it to my system.  Initial excitement is very much the order of the day.
> 
> It's not as big as I was expecting - it's definitely large but fits well into my setup.  My wife (she's used to my debris) didn't comment!
> 
> ...


Congratulations!. I'm very interested in your HD 800 impressions with them, if you like the combo or not. Lieven (from Headfonia) love the Atlas with HD 800.


----------



## apmusson (Dec 22, 2021)

Terriero said:


> Congratulations!. I'm very interested in your HD 800 impressions with them, if you like the combo or not. Lieven (from Headfonia) love the Atlas with HD 800.


I very much like the HD800 with the VOLOT.  My HD800 has Nordost Heimdall cables and Superdupont Mod.  It sounds great.  I'm going to provide full impressions after a couple of weeks of listening 👍


----------



## XVampireX

Mine is here in a box behind my back, working from home so can't connect it yet but will try to this evening. I won't be able to post pics though for a bit (not allowed to) but I'll give my first impressions for sure later this evening.


----------



## rmsanger

XVampireX said:


> Mine is here in a box behind my back, working from home so can't connect it yet but will try to this evening. I won't be able to post pics though for a bit (not allowed to) but I'll give my first impressions for sure later this evening.


So if you can’t post pics then do you have a preproduction unit?   I was thinking with the preamp Module It’d be the same exact amp just with two or four additional ports on the back.

if flux started offering  Multiple colors like the fa10 that would be exciting.  I’d love a champagne colored volot.


----------



## XVampireX (Dec 22, 2021)

Fun and Games


----------



## XVampireX (Dec 22, 2021)

A short few impressions, I'm comparing it to my Soundaware P1 that was used for a long while.

Soundaware P1 in short is a warm amp, kinda tubey, rounding edges.
Volot is not rounding edges, it is very clean, clear and crisp.

Soundaware P1 has a decent Soundstage and Imaging
Volot is in another league everything is in a 3D space, very clear where everything is coming from, microdetail is coming through to the front, what was once somewhere there, maybe you could just barely notice it, here you can clearly hear it, not in an intrusive way but rather in a way that you would say that's how it's meant.

Soundaware P1 is a slower amp.
Volot is keeping up with everything, keeping you breathless every second, how things are gonna turn. Very musical.

the Preamp is just crazy amazing, not any worse than the headphone section. Could hear the same nuances even if I have inferior speakers to my headphones, but it brings the speakers to a whole another level. My speakers are AudioEngine 5+
One thing to note my current speaker setup is also not the best in terms of speaker location, it's a tiny flat, will be moving to a new apartment next year where things are gonna be much better for my speaker setup 
Just close your eyes and listen to music.

So far, 5+/5 (I imagine it is still gonna get even better as it already does slowly as I listen)

And you people won (Sorry for the mess):


----------



## MAURO16164

Hi, but do you have the preamp version?


XVampireX said:


> A short few impressions, I'm comparing it to my Soundaware P1 that was used for a long while.
> 
> Soundaware P1 in short is a warm amp, kinda tubey, rounding edges.
> Volot is not rounding edges, it is very clean, clear and crisp.
> ...


Hi, but do you have the preamp version?


----------



## XVampireX

MAURO16164 said:


> Hi, but do you have the preamp version?
> 
> Hi, but do you have the preamp version?



I guess you didn't read the first impressions or seen the pic?


----------



## MAURO16164

I apologize, I am not an English speaker but I read this sentence and thought you were referring to the preamp. "the Preamp is just crazy amazing, not any worse than the headphone section."


----------



## mfgillia

rmsanger said:


> So if you can’t post pics then do you have a preproduction unit?   I was thinking with the preamp Module It’d be the same exact amp just with two or four additional ports on the back.
> 
> if flux started offering  Multiple colors like the fa10 that would be exciting.  I’d love a champagne colored volot.


Agree 100% —would love to see some different color options like champagne.


----------



## XVampireX

By the way, Volot looks much nicer in person than in pics, I was rather surprised.


----------



## cangle

MAURO16164 said:


> Hi, but do you have the preamp version?


Yes they have the preamp version


----------



## XVampireX

They definitely do.


----------



## apmusson

XVampireX said:


> "Volot is not rounding edges, it is very clean, clear and crisp."
> 
> "Volot is keeping up with everything, keeping you breathless every second, how things are gonna turn. Very musical."
> 
> "Just close your eyes and listen to music."


Great descriptions @XVampireX 

I can't stop smiling when I'm listening.

I know it's early days but I'm listening to compete tracks without skipping...  This is an indicator that I am in music enjoyment mode not in sound analysis mode.  In my experience only the best equipment can do this, especially with the very analytical HD800. 😁


----------



## Terriero

@XVampireX congratulations, finally arrived and you are enjoying it a lot  

To change to pre-amp section, what you have to do, just change the "input" that I suppose that functions as an "output" in some configuration? And the headphones will go to silence or you have to disconnect them?

Thanks very much for sharing your impressions with us. I hope that soon the pre-amp version is available in the shop and with the final price.

Enjoy a lot.


----------



## Majors

Hearing all of your glowing impressions is a real testament to the quality and engineering of FLA. I'm so happy I found the FA-22. Loving every minute of it.


----------



## XVampireX

Terriero said:


> @XVampireX congratulations, finally arrived and you are enjoying it a lot
> 
> To change to pre-amp section, what you have to do, just change the "input" that I suppose that functions as an "output" in some configuration? And the headphones will go to silence or you have to disconnect them?
> 
> ...



Yes, enjoy it a lot!

PreAmp section is still using the Input selector, if you notice in the pic, there's Inputs: 1 / 1+P / 2 / 2+P
the +P meaning PreAmp.
You have 2 Preamp outs, 1 for RCA and 1 for XLR. I have my May connected to the Volot via XLR but Speakers connected by RCA. the second input is for XLR, so since it's XLR, I run it through Input 2 and to go to the PreAmp mode I just switch to the next in line which is 2+P. But since there's no way to change to specific Inputs if I want to go back to Headphones I have to cycle all the way around, which is one of the drawbacks unfortunately.
And yes, it mutes the headphone out


----------



## sahmen

XVampireX said:


> Yes, enjoy it a lot!
> 
> PreAmp section is still using the Input selector, if you notice in the pic, there's Inputs: 1 / 1+P / 2 / 2+P
> the +P meaning PreAmp.
> ...


So how much more does one have to pay for the version with the pre-amp? I only see a Volot (sans pre-amp, apparently) on the Flux Lab site....


----------



## XVampireX

Volot with preamp module should be available shortly priced with an extra of $250 from the original .


----------



## Terriero

XVampireX said:


> Volot with preamp module should be available shortly priced with an extra of $250 from the original .


Very good price, thanks.

Have you tried your HD 800S with the Volot? What are your impressions about?


----------



## XVampireX

I've tried HD800S with the Volot shortly today, yes. It was good, smooth, clear, Good soundstage. But otherwise I've been using my Utopia as daily driver. Tried HD800S on the Soundaware P1 not too far back it was more closed in, intimate.

It's the third day in, I don't have too much time to listen through my speakers, but when I do the preamp module really does shine on the right tracks 

Regarding burn-in, I've noticed it just gets cleaner / clearer. Transients are improving.

But definitely one downside is that it's not the best amp for bass impact probably, though there is bass and it's good when it needs to be, but even my Soundaware P1 (Which is still a very powerful amp) hit a bit harder (though not as clean).

I've had a talk with one of Vitaliy's close business partners a while ago and he said he likes Audio-gd HE-9 and Flux Lab Acoustics Volot and I could definitely see the similarities (I also own Audio-gd Master 9) it's a similar sound in that it is fairly neutrally tuned, not dark, not bright. And the exponential volume control is also similar though with less steps but the extra gain settings makes up for it.

I would say the amp is, neutral in the bass, mid is forward and treble is extended in terms of tuning.


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> I've tried HD800S with the Volot shortly today, yes. It was good, smooth, clear, Good soundstage. But otherwise I've been using my Utopia as daily driver. Tried HD800S on the Soundaware P1 not too far back it was more closed in, intimate.
> 
> It's the third day in, I don't have too much time to listen through my speakers, but when I do the preamp module really does shine on the right tracks
> 
> ...


You sound like you are Flux ambassador or something. Or a super fan... !


----------



## Majors (Dec 24, 2021)

NickT23 said:


> You sound like you are Flux ambassador or something. Or a super fan... !


Actually a very easy to understand assessment of what he's hearing. Very appreciated thank you.


----------



## XVampireX

NickT23 said:


> You sound like you are Flux ambassador or something. Or a super fan... !



Huh?


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> Huh?


You heard me...


----------



## Majors

NickT23 said:


> You heard me...


This TROLL needs to go.


----------



## NickT23

Majors said:


> This TROLL needs to go.


OK sorry....


----------



## XVampireX

Majors said:


> This TROLL needs to go.



This is the way for me for now:


----------



## NickT23

XVampireX said:


> This is the way for me for now:


Hi, I never do anything wrong !


----------



## Newsee

XVampireX said:


> Yes, enjoy it a lot!
> 
> PreAmp section is still using the Input selector, if you notice in the pic, there's Inputs: 1 / 1+P / 2 / 2+P
> the +P meaning PreAmp.
> ...


Thank you for the detailled explanation.
So normal Volot without preamp has 4 input, serially selectable with the button to go to HP out.
Volot with preamp has 2 inputs, input1 can either go to HP out or peamp out1, input2 can go either to HP out or preamp out2. Correct?


----------



## XVampireX

Newsee said:


> Thank you for the detailled explanation.
> So normal Volot without preamp has 4 input, serially selectable with the button to go to HP out.
> Volot with preamp has 2 inputs, input1 can either go to HP out or peamp out1, input2 can go either to HP out or preamp out2. Correct?


Exactly.


----------



## Terriero

Which DACs are you pairing with the Volot and what are your experiences? (if you have various DACs). I see the Pontus II of Cangle and Holo audio May of XVampireX. ¿Chord Hugo2 of Apmusson?.

Do you think this AMP would pair better with an R2R DAC or a delta sigma one?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## MAURO16164

If I can give my humble advice, I am an "old" enthusiast and I have had the opportunity to own and listen to numerous dacs, from Metrum Pavane and Adagio to Chord Hugo tt al Dave, from Benchmark mk2 to Audio gd, from Bricasti m1 to Aqua Formula, from Denafrips Terminator and others and all had their strengths and weaknesses. But there is a dac that literally amazed me, a 1400 euro "cinesino", or the Gustard x26pro, an EXCEPTIONAL dac that disfigures dacs with a cost of 5-6 times higher. I also bought the c18 master clock and the bar has risen further. Within a range of 10000 usd / euro there is nothing better, in my opinion.


----------



## Terriero

MAURO16164 said:


> If I can give my humble advice, I am an "old" enthusiast and I have had the opportunity to own and listen to numerous dacs, from Metrum Pavane and Adagio to Chord Hugo tt al Dave, from Benchmark mk2 to Audio gd, from Bricasti m1 to Aqua Formula, from Denafrips Terminator and others and all had their strengths and weaknesses. But there is a dac that literally amazed me, a 1400 euro "cinesino", or the Gustard x26pro, an EXCEPTIONAL dac that disfigures dacs with a cost of 5-6 times higher. I also bought the c18 master clock and the bar has risen further. Within a range of 10000 usd / euro there is nothing better, in my opinion.


Thank you very much, the Gustard is one of the options I shuffle


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## dirtrat (Dec 25, 2021)

MAURO16164 said:


> If I can give my humble advice, I am an "old" enthusiast and I have had the opportunity to own and listen to numerous dacs, from Metrum Pavane and Adagio to Chord Hugo tt al Dave, from Benchmark mk2 to Audio gd, from Bricasti m1 to Aqua Formula, from Denafrips Terminator and others and all had their strengths and weaknesses. But there is a dac that literally amazed me, a 1400 euro "cinesino", or the Gustard x26pro, an EXCEPTIONAL dac that disfigures dacs with a cost of 5-6 times higher. I also bought the c18 master clock and the bar has risen further. Within a range of 10000 usd / euro there is nothing better, in my opinion.



I'm not the person asking for this information but thanks for your input. One thing I hate about this hobby is someone could ask this question and 100 different people from these forums with the same experience level with DAC's could give you 100 different answers and 100 different suggestions on what the best DAC is. I've seen this exact thing happen many times in many different forums. Maybe this isn't a bad thing since there are so many good choices. What's frustrating for me is even going to CanJam or other audio shows may be of limited help in making decisions since different vendors are only going to offer you so many choices in swapping out different components for evaluation. I guess finding a dealer offering a good return policy may be the best option.


----------



## XVampireX

Newsee said:


> Thank you for the detailled explanation.
> So normal Volot without preamp has 4 input, serially selectable with the button to go to HP out.
> Volot with preamp has 2 inputs, input1 can either go to HP out or peamp out1, input2 can go either to HP out or preamp out2. Correct?



Or rather, there are 2 inputs, 1 is RCA, 2 is XLR, either one of them is HP out by default, when you switch to next in line is preamp out and either one of them can get the preamp section from whichever connection (so even though  I'm connecting from XLR from DAC, my speakers are connected by RCA and it still takes it from Input 2+P)

Also had the chance to do several headphones connected at the same time and it works, though of course a problem with the different sensitivities and listening levels.


----------



## MAURO16164

A couple of simple questions. What power cord do you use for the Volot? Its standard or did you buy it separately? How much have you paid in customs duties, especially those who reside in Europe?


----------



## XVampireX

MAURO16164 said:


> A couple of simple questions. What power cord do you use for the Volot? Its standard or did you buy it separately? How much have you paid in customs duties, especially those who reside in Europe?


They shipped mine with a power cable (EU standard) but I just connected it to my previous also regular power cable.


----------



## apmusson

MAURO16164 said:


> A couple of simple questions. What power cord do you use for the Volot? Its standard or did you buy it separately? How much have you paid in customs duties, especially those who reside in Europe?


I use a Kimber cable (Russ Andrews Powerkord 500). Russ Andrews recommend this for power amps, I like it and I had one available to use.


----------



## MAURO16164

OK perfect. What about customs duties?


----------



## jonathan c

Majors said:


> Hearing all of your glowing impressions is a real testament to the quality and engineering of FLA. I'm so happy I found the FA-22. Loving every minute of it.


Me (twenty) two…


----------



## XVampireX

MAURO16164 said:


> OK perfect. What about customs duties?


That depends on the laws of where you live, that doesn't depend on Flux Lab Acoustics in any way except for the price


----------



## MAURO16164

Just arrived. Now extended running in and then a short review compared to my other headphone amplifiers, Cavalli Audio Liquid Gold, Headamp gsx mk2, 2 mono 300B driven by an 


EAR912 preamplifier


----------



## migo

MAURO16164 said:


> Just arrived. Now extended running in and then a short review compared to my other headphone amplifiers, Cavalli Audio Liquid Gold, Headamp gsx mk2, 2 mono 300B driven by an EAR912 preamplifier


Hi, what was customs duties for you here in EU? THX!


----------



## MAURO16164

migo said:


> Ciao, quali sono stati i dazi doganali per te qui in UE? GRAZIE!


11 EURO


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## MAURO16164

Sorry,117 euro


----------



## migo

MAURO16164 said:


> Sorry,117 euro


hmm... thank you. I'm in search for amp for my Susvara and this one can it be. I'm really curious about your satisfaction with Volot+X26pro pairing.


----------



## Sonicus Supremus

MAURO16164 said:


> Just arrived. Now extended running in and then a short review compared to my other headphone amplifiers, Cavalli Audio Liquid Gold, Headamp gsx mk2, 2 mono 300B driven by an EAR912 preamplifier


What are your initial impressions of the build quality? Does it seems solid?


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## dirtrat

Has anyone tried the Volot with some Audeze LCD-5 headphones? They are rated at 14 Ohms with 90dB sensitivity. Flux doesn't show a minimum operating impedance on this amplifier and only shows it will do 16 watts into 32 Ohms.


----------



## OHBH

dirtrat said:


> Has anyone tried the Volot with some Audeze LCD-5 headphones? They are rated at 14 Ohms with 90dB sensitivity. Flux doesn't show a minimum operating impedance on this amplifier and only shows it will do 16 watts into 32 Ohms.


This is the answer to the 12 ohm high-efficiency headphone (SONY mdr-ma900) driving that I asked the manufacturer before 

*The amplifier is able to work without problems with a load of 8 Ohm and at the same time the distortion of the amplifier will be minimal. 
Therefore, 16 ohms is no problem.  

Best regards, Flux Lab team *


----------



## cangle

dirtrat said:


> Has anyone tried the Volot with some Audeze LCD-5 headphones? They are rated at 14 Ohms with 90dB sensitivity. Flux doesn't show a minimum operating impedance on this amplifier and only shows it will do 16 watts into 32 Ohms.


Yeah I have the LCD-5 and use them with the Volot no noisefloor or anything. I use them on high gain around 1 o'clock on the volume. The only thing I've plugged into the Volot that hissed is the Campfire Audio Andromeda. It's not really usable on an amp like this but that was to be expected.


----------



## dirtrat

cangle said:


> Yeah I have the LCD-5 and use them with the Volot no noisefloor or anything. I use them on high gain around 1 o'clock on the volume. The only thing I've plugged into the Volot that hissed is the Campfire Audio Andromeda. It's not really usable on an amp like this but that was to be expected.



How do they sound on the Volot and how does the Volot compare on these headphones versus other amplifiers?


----------



## dirtrat

OHBH said:


> This is the answer to the 12 ohm high-efficiency headphone (SONY mdr-ma900) driving that I asked the manufacturer before
> 
> *The amplifier is able to work without problems with a load of 8 Ohm and at the same time the distortion of the amplifier will be minimal.
> Therefore, 16 ohms is no problem.
> ...




Excellent! Thanks


----------



## cangle

dirtrat said:


> How do they sound on the Volot and how does the Volot compare on these headphones versus other amplifiers?


The LCD-5 and Volot is a nice pairing. There's a picture of the two on page 41 of this thread if you're interested. I think I prefer the LCD-5 on the Volot over the Formula S and Powerman. The amps sound mostly the same but there are some definite differences especially in the bass region. The Volot has a softer bass with less rumble however the extension is pretty much the same. Since the LCD-5 to my ears has better bass texture than the 1266 I enjoy the pairing with the Volot as the 5 doesn't really benefit much from the more textured bass on the Formula S and Powerman. The 1266 however does. Both amps do imaging and staging quite well with the Volot sounding a bit wider. The only other difference I hear in the amps is with the mids which I think are a bit more forward / intimate on the Volot. However these differences are subtle so both amps are great with the 5 and 1266.

I do have a new dac now so both amps are wired up to the same source. Been trying to do more comparisons between the amps to see which I prefer with my headphones but both amps are very close. Will update if I hear anything new or change preferences of which amp I prefer on my headphones.


----------



## cfranchi

cangle said:


> The LCD-5 and Volot is a nice pairing. There's a picture of the two on page 41 of this thread if you're interested. I think I prefer the LCD-5 on the Volot over the Formula S and Powerman. The amps sound mostly the same but there are some definite differences especially in the bass region. The Volot has a softer bass with less rumble however the extension is pretty much the same. Since the LCD-5 to my ears has better bass texture than the 1266 I enjoy the pairing with the Volot as the 5 doesn't really benefit much from the more textured bass on the Formula S and Powerman. The 1266 however does. Both amps do imaging and staging quite well with the Volot sounding a bit wider. The only other difference I hear in the amps is with the mids which I think are a bit more forward / intimate on the Volot. However these differences are subtle so both amps are great with the 5 and 1266.
> 
> I do have a new dac now so both amps are wired up to the same source. Been trying to do more comparisons between the amps to see which I prefer with my headphones but both amps are very close. Will update if I hear anything new or change preferences of which amp I prefer on my headphones.



Great praise for the Volot knowing Formula S was designed specifically for 1266 (and Formula S is also helped by Powerman).


----------



## Slim1970

cangle said:


> The LCD-5 and Volot is a nice pairing. There's a picture of the two on page 41 of this thread if you're interested. I think I prefer the LCD-5 on the Volot over the Formula S and Powerman. The amps sound mostly the same but there are some definite differences especially in the bass region. The Volot has a softer bass with less rumble however the extension is pretty much the same. Since the LCD-5 to my ears has better bass texture than the 1266 I enjoy the pairing with the Volot as the 5 doesn't really benefit much from the more textured bass on the Formula S and Powerman. The 1266 however does. Both amps do imaging and staging quite well with the Volot sounding a bit wider. The only other difference I hear in the amps is with the mids which I think are a bit more forward / intimate on the Volot. However these differences are subtle so both amps are great with the 5 and 1266.
> 
> I do have a new dac now so both amps are wired up to the same source. Been trying to do more comparisons between the amps to see which I prefer with my headphones but both amps are very close. Will update if I hear anything new or change preferences of which amp I prefer on my headphones.


How are you liking the Bricasti MC1 with both amp?


----------



## XVampireX

Important to note that with May, the bass is definitely textured and felt with my Focal Utopia which is not known to be the most powerful bass but here it does kick and slam when needed. When I asked Vitaliy regarding the bass, he did mention the difference of other amplifiers being more V shaped in their tuning hence why other amplifiers might feel like they do better bass but in reality it's boosted bass.

To really summarize Volot as I have been enjoying it a lot, basically it's a Reference Class A amplifier that gives you exactly what your equipment is giving you, and true to recording. Though be careful with easier to drive headphones, you might damage your hearing


----------



## cangle

Slim1970 said:


> How are you liking the Bricasti MC1 with both amp?


Yeah it's nice so far. Not as big of a difference as I was hoping for but in comparison to the Pontus I'm hearing more natural timbre, better layering, and slightly less soft treble.  The build is much better and I'm happy with it so far. I would still like to try a NOS dac and get more into HQPlayer but for now I'm more interested in tubes and adding that option to my system. It plays well both with Volot and Formula S and Powerman and right now am feeding the Volot with the rca output and the Formula S and Powerman with the XLR output. It's still pretty new to me (about a week of listening) so am still getting used to the sound in my system.


----------



## Slim1970

cangle said:


> Yeah it's nice so far. Not as big of a difference as I was hoping for but in comparison to the Pontus I'm hearing more natural timbre, better layering, and slightly less soft treble.  The build is much better and I'm happy with it so far. I would still like to try a NOS dac and get more into HQPlayer but for now I'm more interested in tubes and adding that option to my system. It plays well both with Volot and Formula S and Powerman and right now am feeding the Volot with the rca output and the Formula S and Powerman with the XLR output. It's still pretty new to me (about a week of listening) so am still getting used to the sound in my system.


Sounds good. I'm still a little surprise that the FS+P competes with the Volot. Then again, it's not always about power.


----------



## MAURO16164

My Volot is now run in with about 200 hours of operation and therefore I can express some personal judgments. It is extremely refined, as well as powerful, perhaps the best solid state on the market today. Despite its size and grandeur the amplifier is extremely musical with a generous headstage, sculpted bass, liquid mids and crystal clear highs. I tried it with Empyrean, SPirit Torino Twin Pulse, Abyss and Susvara and with each of them the match was perfect, a real iron fist in a velvet glove! I was amazed with the Susvara, I thought I had to turn up the volume potentiometer a lot and instead it plays with "a thread of gas" I own many other headphone amps and I have listened to many others and I can say with certainty that the Volot is among the best amp on the market today. If we then consider the selling price, there is no amp capable of countering it. Powerful, refined, musical and economical. What more can you ask for?


----------



## apmusson

MAURO16164 said:


> My Volot is now run in with about 200 hours of operation and therefore I can express some personal judgments. It is extremely refined, as well as powerful, perhaps the best solid state on the market today. Despite its size and grandeur the amplifier is extremely musical with a generous headstage, sculpted bass, liquid mids and crystal clear highs. I tried it with Empyrean, SPirit Torino Twin Pulse, Abyss and Susvara and with each of them the match was perfect, a real iron fist in a velvet glove! I was amazed with the Susvara, I thought I had to turn up the volume potentiometer a lot and instead it plays with "a thread of gas" I own many other headphone amps and I have listened to many others and I can say with certainty that the Volot is among the best amp on the market today. If we then consider the selling price, there is no amp capable of countering it. Powerful, refined, musical and economical. What more can you ask for?


Do you use any power management or filtering with your VOLOT or is it plugged directly into your mains?

I'm interested as I'm considering getting some additional power supply cabling and / or filtering.

Thanks

Ade


----------



## cangle

MAURO16164 said:


> My Volot is now run in with about 200 hours of operation and therefore I can express some personal judgments. It is extremely refined, as well as powerful, perhaps the best solid state on the market today. Despite its size and grandeur the amplifier is extremely musical with a generous headstage, sculpted bass, liquid mids and crystal clear highs. I tried it with Empyrean, SPirit Torino Twin Pulse, Abyss and Susvara and with each of them the match was perfect, a real iron fist in a velvet glove! I was amazed with the Susvara, I thought I had to turn up the volume potentiometer a lot and instead it plays with "a thread of gas" I own many other headphone amps and I have listened to many others and I can say with certainty that the Volot is among the best amp on the market today. If we then consider the selling price, there is no amp capable of countering it. Powerful, refined, musical and economical. What more can you ask for?


Glad you are liking it, it's definitely a great amp for the price. In your initial post you mentioned the headamp gsx mk2. Any thoughts on how the Volot compares to it?


----------



## MAURO16164

My Volot is connected to an Oehlbach XXL Powerstation 909


apmusson said:


> Do you use any power management or filtering with your VOLOT or is it plugged directly into your mains?
> 
> I'm interested as I'm considering getting some additional power supply cabling and / or filtering.
> 
> ...


My Volot is connected to an Oehlbach XXL Powerstation 909


----------



## MAURO16164

cangle said:


> Glad you are liking it, it's definitely a great amp for the price. In your initial post you mentioned the headamp gsx mk2. Any thoughts on how the Volot compares to it?


The Headamp gsx mk2 has a more neutral sound and less accurate channel separation. However, I had the capacitors changed by a specialized technician with Elna Silmic silk and Mundorf as regards the power supply and now it is unrecognizable. He has acquired an incredible musicality approaching the Cavalli Audio Liquid Gold as regards listening pleasure . Too bad it can't drive the Susvara and the he6 like the Volt, but on the other hand the gsx has only 6 watts in class A despite being a true balanced.


----------



## rmsanger

MAURO16164 said:


> My Volot is now run in with about 200 hours of operation and therefore I can express some personal judgments. It is extremely refined, as well as powerful, perhaps the best solid state on the market today. Despite its size and grandeur the amplifier is extremely musical with a generous headstage, sculpted bass, liquid mids and crystal clear highs. I tried it with Empyrean, SPirit Torino Twin Pulse, Abyss and Susvara and with each of them the match was perfect, a real iron fist in a velvet glove! I was amazed with the Susvara, I thought I had to turn up the volume potentiometer a lot and instead it plays with "a thread of gas" I own many other headphone amps and I have listened to many others and I can say with certainty that the Volot is among the best amp on the market today. If we then consider the selling price, *there is no amp capable of countering it*. Powerful, refined, musical and economical. What more can you ask for?



Sandu will be doing his 3rd part review in a couple weeks comparing the Volot (non preamp module) vs. Oor + hypsos vs. Soloist 3GT.  They are all about the same price range and similar performance specs and characteristics.  We'll see what the outcome is but he's pretty non-biased in his reviews and will do both an extensive yt video as well as a written review.  My bet is he will favor (slightly) the feerum over both flux and burson.


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## Marco59 (Jan 22, 2022)

Lo penso anch'io. Definirà Volot più rigoroso e Oor più divertente.
Nel frattempo ho ordinato Volot per Susvara e avrò 4 settimane di attesa.


----------



## XVampireX (Jan 23, 2022)

Marco59 said:


> Lo penso anch'io. Definirà Volot più rigoroso e Oor più divertente.
> Nel frattempo ho ordinato Volot per Susvara e avrò 4 settimane di attesa.



Congrats, you'll be really happy 



rmsanger said:


> Sandu will be doing his 3rd part review in a couple weeks comparing the Volot (non preamp module) vs. Oor + hypsos vs. Soloist 3GT.  They are all about the same price range and similar performance specs and characteristics.  We'll see what the outcome is but he's pretty non-biased in his reviews and will do both an extensive yt video as well as a written review.  My bet is he will favor (slightly) the feerum over both flux and burson.



Maybe he will like Oor more because he said it's hitting harder, but he seems to like Volot for its black background / good staging/imaging.
But Volot for me does plenty of bass both in headphones and in preamp mode 
With my Utopia's they have excellent macro/microdynamics and rumble as well as slam when it needs to.
Also important to note, that while he's one of the only ones who have done more of a pro review about it, he's still just 1 person and talks about his opinions and likes in his own setup.


----------



## rmsanger

XVampireX said:


> Congrats, you'll be really happy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh I agree he’s one person his primary set of headphones is the susvara and his own personal preference will be toward transients and slam over neutrality.  He’s gone into great detail about the Volot at least 3 times in his videos and written articles and he certainly sings the praises of it.

I do find two things confusing about what Volot.  His review referenced that Volot is pure class A and deeper class A topology (forgot of it was related to capacitance).  Then he goes on to say that Volot is tuned more neutrally than FA-10 and other traditional class A amp signature (luxman / accuphase).  Then he goes on to compare the Oor + hypsos which is A/B but it has a more traditional warm A tuning as the mids are thicker and punch/slam are better.  While the Volot is more neutral a bigger stage and perhaps greater perceived resolution.  Although in his Oor write up it seems he believes the Oor has been resolution.

i lean more towards warmth over a studio monitor like presentation so it makes me a bit more interested in Oor or even  luxman p750.  either way looking forward to his review and final comparison of the 3.


----------



## Marco59

I think Sandu has made an effort to explain the differences between Volot and Oor in words and it's not always easy to do that.
I am convinced that at these levels the differences are quite subtle and easily detectable only with an A / B comparison.


----------



## Marco59

XVampireX said:


> Congratulazioni, sarai davvero felice
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Marco59

Thank you XVampireX. Reading your experience on Volot gives me hope.


----------



## sahmen (Jan 24, 2022)

Quick question:  How does one go about ordering the version of the Volot with the pre-amp? On the Flux Lab site, only the pre-amp-less Volot seems to be listed.


----------



## XVampireX

sahmen said:


> Quick question:  How does one go about ordering the version of the Volot with the pre-amp? On the Flux Lab site, only the pre-amo-less Volot seems to be listed.


A couple of weeks maybe. They're working on all the formalities now.


----------



## Majors

sahmen said:


> Quick question:  How does one go about ordering the version of the Volot with the pre-amp? On the Flux Lab site, only the pre-amp-less Volot seems to be listed.


Facebook is where you can request changes to the color of the faceplate or screws. Also you can request price and availability of a preamp version.


----------



## MAURO16164

I try to integrate Giulian Sami's technical review with my personal vision of this amazing headphone amplifier, now fully run in with about 250 hours on the "rump". The Volot comes in a basic double cardboard box covered by a fairly rough plastic "sheet" with practically nothing inside. Apart from the "sculptural" remote control, a block of aluminum hollowed out from solid of over half a kilo in weight, a basic power supply cable, from a printer, and the receiver for the remote control, nothing else, neither an instruction sheet nor the batteries for the remote control. The appearance of the amplifier is muscular, almost rocky, but with details with a refined and appropriate design, see the potentiometer recessed in the front and the silver-colored cantilevered edges that give it an original appearance but centered as a substance. The aesthetic aspect is therefore promoted even if we are far from the refinement of a Luxman or Headamp. So let's move on to the most important aspect of an amp. How does it sound? Without mincing words, I say damn well. At the beginning you feel like the Volot needs many hours of running in for what is tied up, not so full-bodied at the bottom although from the first cries you can perceive the purebred horse. But it is only after many days of continuous lighting that the "good Ukrainian" 😃 takes off by managing the various headphones fed to him with an iron fist in a velvet glove. Alternating Abyss, Meze Empyrean, Spirit Torino Twin Pulse, Pioneer Master1 and finally Susvara, the amp showed excellent to exceptional performances, giving body, musicality, record-breaking mid-highs in terms of refinement and speed and explosive but very controlled bass. The Susvara is piloted smoothly, with the gain on high (the one that goes best with the Chinese between the 4) but still with a great reserve of power. This amp amazed me for how perfectly it can match any headphones, low or high impedance, they are fed. Very quiet even with ultra-efficient headphones like the Fostex th909 nothing seems to put it in crisis. The Susvara, perhaps the most difficult headset currently on the market, is tamed with great firmness, giving it a record-breaking, explosive but very controlled mid-bass, perhaps a hair even better than what it manages to express connected to the terminals of the Pathos Inpol2 obtained Kendeil (by the way , the 4 Nippon Chemicon blue series mega capacitors have the same, identical values as those mounted on the Pathos which, let's not forget, is a 45 watt class A speaker amp. For the cost, about 2400 euros to which you have to add about 300 total euro including customs fees, shipping with UPS and paypal rate is certainly the best amp currently on the market as long as it is not judged after a few hours of listening. In terms of construction, components, power delivered, musicality, control, headstage and, last but not the least the price, is at the absolute top among the headphone amps currently on the market. If it were a European or American product, with resale gold and widespread distribution, could easily cost 7-8000 euros and not a single cent would be to be criticized. A definitive amplifier for any present or future headphone, high or low efficiency, "Teutonic" in its sculptural simplicity but with aesthetic references borrowed from the Bauhaus school. I was rarely impressed by an object like with the Volot, considering the country of origin (of low audiophile appeal) and the price I had good expectations but little else; a bet made mostly with myself because I still like to play and always question my few certainties, especially in the audiophile field. And instead promoted with honors and academic kiss! 😃


----------



## XVampireX (Feb 5, 2022)

The thing you've all been waiting for! Enjoy

https://fluxlab-acoustics.com/product/volot-pre-dual-mono-class-a-headphone-amplifier/


----------



## Majors

WOW its purple.


----------



## Slim1970

XVampireX said:


> The thing you've all been waiting for! Enjoy
> 
> https://fluxlab-acoustics.com/product/volot-pre-dual-mono-class-a-headphone-amplifier/


The build quality of this amp is very impressive, wow!!


----------



## XVampireX

The build quality is definitely impressive, can't wait to get my speaker setup up to par  I'll also be upgrading my headphone next step-up of Susvara


----------



## Marco59

I hope to finally receive my Volot in a week. My Susvara is impatient now.


----------



## NickT23

Marco59 said:


> I hope to finally receive my Volot in a week. My Susvara is impatient now.


Then have your Susvara to be patient... )


----------



## Marco59

NickT23 said:


> Then have your Susvara to be patient... )


I will do it. 🙂


----------



## joseG86

I wonder if anyone had the chance to try the Volot with D8000/Pro as it doesn't require much power but scales with gear very well... I have a Kinki THR-1 and I never go beyond 9.30 w the pot

Damn, this amp seems to be magical


----------



## Terriero

joseG86 said:


> I wonder if anyone had the chance to try the Volot with D8000/Pro as it doesn't require much power but scales with gear very well... I have a Kinki THR-1 and I never go beyond 9.30 w the pot
> 
> Damn, this amp seems to be magical


Amigo Jose, tú por aquí 

The pre-amp version look awesome with that purple mainboard, and I find the price very very good. Thanks @XVampireX


----------



## Terriero

How does the Volot manage low impedance headphones? I know a lot of people buy it for 1266 or Susvara... But if you also have Meze Empyrean, for example, or other low impedance headphones, can you control well the volume? I suppose in low gain, of course.


----------



## XVampireX

Terriero said:


> How does the Volot manage low impedance headphones? I know a lot of people buy it for 1266 or Susvara... But if you also have Meze Empyrean, for example, or other low impedance headphones, can you control well the volume? I suppose in low gain, of course.



While not super low impedance, Focal Utopia is just 80 Ohms supposedly but very high sensitivity (104dB/mW) And I have great range to work with at low gain. Gain here mostly changes the volume without much difference in sound. But I'm running it via XLR from my May which already has high voltage which means high volume, you won't have any problems with volume control for high sensitivity / low impedance headphones here for sure. I did hear that Andromeda IEM's are gonna be a problem with hiss but they are super low impedance and super high sensitivity.


----------



## cangle

Terriero said:


> How does the Volot manage low impedance headphones? I know a lot of people buy it for 1266 or Susvara... But if you also have Meze Empyrean, for example, or other low impedance headphones, can you control well the volume? I suppose in low gain, of course.


Volot does a great job with the LCD-5 which is 14 ohms, 90 dB/mw. I use it on high gain comfortably and have plenty of volume range. Mid gain works too but I just leave it on high cause that is the gain I use for the 1266.


----------



## Terriero

I have another question related to the last I made: how many "steps" has the Volot volume pot?. I couldn't find that info in the product specs.


----------



## cangle

Terriero said:


> I have another question related to the last I made: how many "steps" has the Volot volume pot?. I couldn't find that info in the product specs.


Just rotated the volume through it's range and I heard about 60 clicks. It's hard to count them all because if you spin the knob fast it will jump some steps or at least you don't hear all of the relay clicks. The range of the volume knob is from 6 o'clock to 4 o'clock and you get usable range from about 5 o'clock to 3 o'clock. The relay's don't click at the very beginning or end of the knob travel. I would say most of my listening on high gain with 1266, lcd-5, and ether cx, is between 11 o'clock and 2 o'clock. But the volume is exponential so it gets louder pretty quick after 12 o'clock.


----------



## jlbrach

hard to imagine listening to the lcd-5 at the same volume as the 1266 which is so much more difficult to drive


----------



## FiGuY1017

If anyone in the U.S is planning to sell their Volot let me know


----------



## Marco59

Volot finally landed at my home despite the dangers looming in Ukraine.
I started the burn in with Susvara but immediately I was amazed by the speed of the transients, absolute control of the low range and amplitude of the soundstage.
It makes you feel all the energy and rhythm of the music while maintaining balance in the tonality.
I love him already.


----------



## XVampireX

Marco59 said:


> Volot finally landed at my home despite the dangers looming in Ukraine.
> I started the burn in with Susvara but immediately I was amazed by the speed of the transients, absolute control of the low range and amplitude of the soundstage.
> It makes you feel all the energy and rhythm of the music while maintaining balance in the tonality.
> I love him already.



Congrats 

Was it you who ordered the second pre-amp version?


----------



## Marco59

XVampireX said:


> Congrats
> 
> Was it you who ordered the second pre-amp version?


No, I got the amp only version.


----------



## thomasu

I've listed my Volot for sale if anyone is interested:

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/flux-labs-volot-dual-mono-class-a-headphone-amplifier.20759/


----------



## Terriero

FiGuY1017 said:


> If anyone in the U.S is planning to sell their Volot let me know


In the post above this you have one


----------



## FiGuY1017

Terriero said:


> In the post above this you have one


That'll teach me some patience I guess lol. Just bought a ICAN pro signature and it just shipped! Kickin' myself :/


----------



## Terriero

FiGuY1017 said:


> That'll teach me some patience I guess lol. Just bought a ICAN pro signature and it just shipped! Kickin' myself :/


You should have been inside @thomasu mind


----------



## rmsanger

rmsanger said:


> Yes Sandu Vitalie is the reviewer/founder of SoundNews youtube channel and site and Vitaliy Barchan is the owner/operator of Flux Labs accoustics.   Sandu is in Romania I believe and Vataliy is in Ukraine.



Thinking of the Flux and Rebel amp teams this morning... I hope they are both safe and back up in running shortly.   They certainly could use our support here in the near future once this is over.


----------



## XVampireX

I was asked to notify for now that, all is fine for now (Everyone is safe), production will continue, albeit with some delays... They did get out of there of course, for now.


----------



## DeweyCH

XVampireX said:


> I was asked to notify for now that, all is fine for now (Everyone is safe), production will continue, albeit with some delays... They did get out of there of course, for now.


That's great news that they're safe. Production is what production is.


----------



## FiGuY1017 (Feb 25, 2022)

thomasu said:


> I've listed my Volot for sale if anyone is interested:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/flux-labs-volot-dual-mono-class-a-headphone-amplifier.20759/




I'll take it!


----------



## FiGuY1017

Hi, I have a incoming Volot, and I'm assuming my DAC M2 Tech Young Mkiv is grounded to chasis (not sure though??) I should have the ground switch turned off while the amp is running correct? 

Also, I assume I should always have a headphone connected to give it a load while unattended? Warm up etc? I guess that is true for any amp for the most part? Thanks in advance


----------



## cangle (Feb 27, 2022)

FiGuY1017 said:


> Hi, I have a incoming Volot, and I'm assuming my DAC M2 Tech Young Mkiv is grounded to chasis (not sure though??) I should have the ground switch turned off while the amp is running correct?
> 
> Also, I assume I should always have a headphone connected to give it a load while unattended? Warm up etc? I guess that is true for any amp for the most part? Thanks in advance


You should try both ground positions with the Volot. For me I run it in the "on" state. In the "off" state I was getting a hum through the headphones that would go away when I touched the Volot chassis. I think I wasn't grounded myself and this happened in the winter when it's very dry. Trying the different ground switch positions shouldn't cause any harm, it's just about what makes sense in your system. But only change the ground switch when the amp is off.

It's recommended to connect a headphone while the Volot is running. I just leave a headphone connected to the output and turn the amp on and off while the headphone is connected. It doesn't cause any noise or click or anything in the headphone when the amp goes on and off. I do disconnect the headphone when the amp is on if I want to try another headphone. This hasn't caused problems either and I believe the protection circuit by the output prevents any issues here. But I only have a headphone unplugged for 10 seconds or so.

In general it's probably best to ask the manufacturer about whether or not you can leave it on without a load attached. For example, the Formula S I can leave on forever without a headphone attached and it works fine and the manufacturer has agreed with this. In doing research on nicer headphone amps it seems in the higher end the amps are a bit more delicate and it's best to leave a headphone attached all the time. But again it really depends on the amp and how it was designed to be used. To be safe I would just leave a headphone connected.

Edit: Don't think I answered your main question, oops. Since your dac is grounded, it should be fine to run the ground switch in the off position, but try both and see if one sounds better or has less noise than the other.


----------



## XLR2XLR

Just wanted to share with you what FLA had posted on their FB page. 
I hope this nightmare ends soon.


----------



## FiGuY1017 (Mar 1, 2022)

Maybe some can help my ignorance. My Kinki Studio Thr-1 is a beast but not quite Volot strength. (K- Approx 3.8wpc vs V- Approx 8wpc) With no gain, on Thr-1 and I'm living with alot of headroom left. Yet I hear some running their Susvara on high gain, with Volot, would not Volot rock Susvara with no gain? Since gain isn't power, the Volot should be just fine on low gain, shouldn't it? Maybe I'm missing something.. (highly possible 😆


----------



## ra990

FiGuY1017 said:


> Maybe some can help my ignorance. My Kinki Studio Thr-1 is a beast but not quite Volot strength. (K- Approx 3.8wpc vs V- Approx 8wpc) With no gain, on Thr-1 and I'm living with alot of headroom left. Yet I hear some running their Susvara on high gain, with Volot, would not Volot rock Susvara with no gain? Since gain isn't power, the Volot should be just fine on low gain, shouldn't it? Maybe I'm missing something.. (highly possible 😆


Depends on the amp. Sometimes gain on an amp has different meaning than just voltage gain. As a general guidance, use the lowest gain you need to reach the volume level you desire.


----------



## FiGuY1017

ra990 said:


> Depends on the amp. Sometimes gain on an amp has different meaning than just voltage gain. As a general guidance, use the lowest gain you need to reach the volume level you desire.




I was also wondering about the ground switch, my DAc is a M2 Tech Young Mkiv fed DC by a VGMkII power supply which is fed obviously by ac, is "chasis ground" the same as simply a three prong ac connection or is that a ground wire on the inside of the literal "chasis"? My plan is to run it on and unless I hear a ground loop, I'll just leave that way.


----------



## cangle

FiGuY1017 said:


> I was also wondering about the ground switch, my DAc is a M2 Tech Young Mkiv fed DC by a VGMkII power supply which is fed obviously by ac, is "chasis ground" the same as simply a three prong ac connection or is that a ground wire on the inside of the literal "chasis"? My plan is to run it on and unless I hear a ground loop, I'll just leave that way.


It's a wire screwed into the chassis. You can see it here if you zoom in a bit (between the transformer and the edge of a case there is a wire with a screw at the end attached to the bottom of the chassis).


----------



## FiGuY1017

cangle said:


> It's a wire screwed into the chassis. You can see it here if you zoom in a bit (between the transformer and the edge of a case there is a wire with a screw at the end attached to the bottom of the chassis).



Thanks my friend


----------



## OHBH

cangle said:


> You should try both ground positions with the Volot. For me I run it in the "on" state. In the "off" state I was getting a hum through the headphones that would go away when I touched the Volot chassis. I think I wasn't grounded myself and this happened in the winter when it's very dry. Trying the different ground switch positions shouldn't cause any harm, it's just about what makes sense in your system. But only change the ground switch when the amp is off.
> 
> It's recommended to connect a headphone while the Volot is running. I just leave a headphone connected to the output and turn the amp on and off while the headphone is connected. It doesn't cause any noise or click or anything in the headphone when the amp goes on and off. I do disconnect the headphone when the amp is on if I want to try another headphone. This hasn't caused problems either and I believe the protection circuit by the output prevents any issues here. But I only have a headphone unplugged for 10 seconds or so.
> 
> ...


For volot, is it better to plug in headphones first when powering up? 

When I turn off volot, I do it with headphones connected.


----------



## cangle

OHBH said:


> For volot, is it better to plug in headphones first when powering up?
> 
> When I turn off volot, I do it with headphones connected.


I've done both. Most recently I've been turning on the amp with headphones connected. Before that I was turning on the amp then plugging in my headphones once it had gone through all of its clicks and the lights on the front were illuminated. Both work fine


----------



## XLR2XLR

OHBH said:


> For volot, is it better to plug in headphones first when powering up?
> 
> When I turn off volot, I do it with headphones connected.


I never disconnect the headphones from the Volot before pushing the power button. Never heard any pops or clicks coming through the headphones – this is a well-engineered amp.


----------



## FiGuY1017

XLR2XLR said:


> I never disconnect the headphones from the Volot before pushing the power button. Never heard any pops or clicks coming through the headphones – this is a well-engineered amp.



So perhaps early reports of what was termed "death pop" ( i.e turning amp off with cans attached, before turning off source) was corrected in following releases


----------



## XLR2XLR

FiGuY1017 said:


> So perhaps early reports of what was termed "death pop" ( i.e turning amp off with cans attached, before turning off source) was corrected in following releases


I guess that also might be a grounding issue of the DAC.


----------



## FiGuY1017 (Mar 4, 2022)

Well .. Volot has it all with Susvara. It's sound is huge much like my Kinki Studio Thr-1, except it's more clear, better separation, more 3d and holographic sounding. The only thing I miss is that beautiful liquid sound! I think between the two I've found my endgame.. hey maybe Kinki as a preamp to Volot! Match made in heaven perhaps? Volot is the best amp I've heard and glad I landed on it, it's the end of my amp search for Susvara. Sounds excellent on my He6v2 as well! 

Volot is special, in that in many cases when you are listening to a inferior amp, you hear the music perhaps as a whole, until you reach the level of Volot. When you listen to a amp of this level, it is like a onion with layers you never knew existed, not that when they were absent it lead to a poor listening experience, rather now that you can hear them it presents a new listening experience. These layers are now pulled apart, isolated in their own space, and rhythm. Not in a analytic sterilized sound, a layered 3d landscape. It's almost a virtual world where you are the center of a experience


----------



## migo

FiGuY1017 said:


> Well .. Volot has it all with Susvara. It's sound is huge much like my Kinki Studio Thr-1, except it's more clear, better separation, more 3d and holographic sounding. The only thing I miss is that beautiful liquid sound! I think between the two I've found my endgame.. hey maybe Kinki as a preamp to Volot! Match made in heaven perhaps? Volot is the best amp I've heard and glad I landed on it, it's the end of my amp search for Susvara. Sounds excellent on my He6v2 as well!
> 
> Volot is special, in that in many cases when you are listening to a inferior amp, you hear the music perhaps as a whole, until you reach the level of Volot. When you listen to a amp of this level, it is like a onion with layers you never knew existed, not that when they were absent it lead to a poor listening experience, rather now that you can hear them it presents a new listening experience. These layers are now pulled apart, isolated in their own space, and rhythm. Not in a analytic sterilized sound, a layered 3d landscape. It's almost a virtual world where you are the center of a experience


I'm really happy about you! Can you now understand what I've meant in my conclusion about THR-1?


----------



## FiGuY1017

migo said:


> I'm really happy about you! Can you now understand what I've meant in my conclusion about THR-1?



Absolutely, but still comes down to what a person values in their listening experience. I.e Thr-1 could still be my endgame amp. Musicality pulls alot of weight with my preferences, maybe more than others, but fortunately the more I listen to Volot, the more musical it's becoming. I'll be keeping Thr-1 for a change of pace amp for sure. But yes Volot is definitely a step up


----------



## migo

FiGuY1017 said:


> Absolutely, but still comes down to what a person values in their listening experience. I.e Thr-1 could still be my endgame amp. Musicality pulls alot of weight with my preferences, maybe more than others, but fortunately the more I listen to Volot, the more musical it's becoming. I'll be keeping Thr-1 for a change of pace amp for sure. But yes Volot is definitely a step up


Thank you, I wanted  not be hard about THR-1, but it lacks in some aspects to me. Yes, it is all about preferences  but preferences may change over time the more you listen to your great Volot!


----------



## FiGuY1017

I've noticed where Volot begins to show me it's talents the most, imo is not when the music is one or two layers deep. It still sounds excellent then of course, but where I think it shows it's totl teeth is when there is a 3rd or 4th or more, layers in the music, that's when I hear what makes it so special. It's ability to not only separate those layers, but put them in their own 3d space.


----------



## Slim1970

FiGuY1017 said:


> I've noticed where Volot begins to show me it's talents the most, imo is not when the music is one or two layers deep. It still sounds excellent then of course, but where I think it shows it's totl teeth is when there is a 3rd or 4th or more, layers in the music, that's when I hear what makes it so special. It's ability to not only separate those layers, but put them in their own 3d space.


I have no doubt that the Volot is worth it sonically. I just wish it had a smaller footprint.


----------



## FiGuY1017

The Volot makes the Susvara sound like arguably the best headphone on the planet imo, but what it did to He6 se V2 was take it from a nice headphone to world class, better than my Hekv2 imo


----------



## jonathan c

Slim1970 said:


> I have no doubt that the Volot is worth it sonically. I just wish it had a smaller footprint.


As a ‘Volot’, it cannot be small…


----------



## FiGuY1017 (Mar 10, 2022)

It's a incredible amp, I went from a tiny sleek pro iCan signature to this giant, but the sound makes finding a place to put it, worth it. It is the most airest, 3d, amp I've heard even beating the previous best Heron 5/Hd800 I had.  It smokes the Heron 5, Taurus Mkii and every other amp I've heard in every way. I imagine if this was sold by distributors it'd be twice as much atleast, imo, sq alone


----------



## sahmen

FiGuY1017 said:


> It's a incredible amp, I went from a tiny sleek pro iCan signature to this giant, but the sound makes finding a place to put it, worth it. It is the most airest, 3d, amp I've heard even beating the previous best Heron 5/Hd800 I had.  It smokes the Heron 5, Taurus Mkii and every other amp I've heard in every way. I imagine if this was sold by distributors it'd be twice as much atleast, imo, sq alone


How is the bass on the Volot/Susvara pairing? The only reservation I have read from user impressions of the Voiot is about the bass, and I wanted to know what youthing about it.  To be fair, I have only heard one person complain about the bass, but I do not know how seriously to take that critidism.


----------



## jlbrach

basing anything on one user is dangerous


----------



## cangle

I might have complained a bit about the bass on the Volot in the past with the 1266 compared to the Formula S + Powerman. The Formula S bass has more quantity but the Volot bass is faster with similar texture but less decay. They are very close though and the 1266 was the headphone that really showed the difference for me. I've actually been using the 1266 on the Volot more recently as it expands the stage and helps with the mids.

I don't have the susvara which I guess is the pairing you are asking about although I may be ordering one soon. But the Volot and LCD-5 pairing creates great bass. I really wouldn't worry about the bass on the amp. It is fast, and balanced sounding


----------



## FiGuY1017

The bass with Susvara is deep, powerful, textured I have no problem with any aspect, but I'm not big on rap or hip hop anymore either lol


----------



## rmsanger

XVampireX said:


> I was asked to notify for now that, all is fine for now (Everyone is safe), production will continue, albeit with some delays... They did get out of there of course, for now.



Was wondering if there is any update from the Flux team or Rebel Amp teams?    Several of us were talking about them on the hp.com live stream today...


----------



## XVampireX

Last I've heard was yesterday that Vitaliy from FLA with his family is somewhere in the west of Ukraine where it's fairly safe.
I don't know about Rebel Amp team I haven't got to get into it, but of course I'm wishing them to be safe as well!
There's also Era in Ear guy (Personal Audio Shop, which are partners with FLA) that is also supposedly safe somewhere in Vinnytsya.

Do you care sharing that live stream if there's a VOD of it?


----------



## Terriero

One guy has just posted a *Flux Lab Atlas* in the classifieds at a very good price (US), if someone is interested


----------



## rmsanger

Terriero said:


> One guy has just posted a *Flux Lab Atlas* in the classifieds at a very good price (US), if someone is interested



Not to be obtuse but since the Volot came out didn't it pretty much make the Atlas obsolete from a price/performance perspective?   I understand it's apples to oranges a bit...


----------



## cangle

rmsanger said:


> Not to be obtuse but since the Volot came out didn't it pretty much make the Atlas obsolete from a price/performance perspective?   I understand it's apples to oranges a bit...


The Atlas is a dac first, at least that's my perspective. I remember seeing pictures of Flux demoing the Volot with the Atlas as the source. The Volot makes the amp section of the Atlas irrelevant but not sure about the dac section although it's probably due for a refresh. Here's the pic with Atlas on the right:


----------



## Terriero

rmsanger said:


> Not to be obtuse but since the Volot came out didn't it pretty much make the Atlas obsolete from a price/performance perspective?   I understand it's apples to oranges a bit...



When Lieven, from Headfonia, reviewed the Atlas he fell in love with it... I'm waiting for the Volot Headfonia review... I don't know why Flux Labs didn't send to them the Volot because they did very good reviews of the Atlas and the FA10.


----------



## cangle

After going back and forth between the Formula S + Powerman and the Volot both connected to the Bricasti MC1 (FS/P taking the single ended output and Volot the balanced output) I've decided that I prefer the Volot with my 1266 phi tc. I lose a bit of bass quantity with the Volot but the bass on the Volot is cleaner, and faster. Whereas the Formula S + Powerman can sound a bit muddy or over done in comparison.

For awhile I was thinking that since I got more bass out of the Formula S + Powerman that it was better bass as I'm a bit of a bass head but I've decided that I prefer the transparency of the Volot bass to the quantity and rumble of the Formula S + Powerman bass. Other than the bass, the Volot is clearly ahead of the FS/P imo. It sounds much larger in stage size and the imaging is a bit clearer. The mids are slightly forward and the sound overall is a touch warmer. I'm very happy with this amp and it plays nicely with my other headphones as well. I'm hoping to purchase a Susvara in a month or two so look forward to trying that pairing soon.

I could have just stuck with the Volot after my first one died but I'm glad I had the chance to try the Formula S + Powerman too. I still plan on keeping the FS/P as it's a great amp for the small space that it occupies and I still plan on going back and forth between the two to make sure that I agree with my decision to use the Volot for most of my listening.

Here's some music that has been really impressing me with 1266 and Volot (album - artist)
Onism - Photay
Bladerunner 2049 OST - Hans Zimmer
Rhythm Sessions - Lee Ritenour
Debut EP - Prequell
Terra Firma - Tash Sultana


----------



## FiGuY1017

cangle said:


> After going back and forth between the Formula S + Powerman and the Volot both connected to the Bricasti MC1 (FS/P taking the single ended output and Volot the balanced output) I've decided that I prefer the Volot with my 1266 phi tc. I lose a bit of bass quantity with the Volot but the bass on the Volot is cleaner, and faster. Whereas the Formula S + Powerman can sound a bit muddy or over done in comparison.
> 
> For awhile I was thinking that since I got more bass out of the Formula S + Powerman that it was better bass as I'm a bit of a bass head but I've decided that I prefer the transparency of the Volot bass to the quantity and rumble of the Formula S + Powerman bass. Other than the bass, the Volot is clearly ahead of the FS/P imo. It sounds much larger in stage size and the imaging is a bit clearer. The mids are slightly forward and the sound overall is a touch warmer. I'm very happy with this amp and it plays nicely with my other headphones as well. I'm hoping to purchase a Susvara in a month or two so look forward to trying that pairing soon.
> 
> ...




You are in for a treat with the Susvara as well!


----------



## rmsanger

cangle said:


> After going back and forth between the Formula S + Powerman and the Volot both connected to the Bricasti MC1 (FS/P taking the single ended output and Volot the balanced output) I've decided that I prefer the Volot with my 1266 phi tc. I lose a bit of bass quantity with the Volot but the bass on the Volot is cleaner, and faster. Whereas the Formula S + Powerman can sound a bit muddy or over done in comparison.
> 
> For awhile I was thinking that since I got more bass out of the Formula S + Powerman that it was better bass as I'm a bit of a bass head but I've decided that I prefer the transparency of the Volot bass to the quantity and rumble of the Formula S + Powerman bass. Other than the bass, the Volot is clearly ahead of the FS/P imo. It sounds much larger in stage size and the imaging is a bit clearer. The mids are slightly forward and the sound overall is a touch warmer. I'm very happy with this amp and it plays nicely with my other headphones as well. I'm hoping to purchase a Susvara in a month or two so look forward to trying that pairing soon.
> 
> ...


Curious if you’ve tried various other headphones on both d Volot vs Powerman+Formula ?  Was wondering if the Volot would be the more versatile option across many hps.


----------



## cangle

rmsanger said:


> Curious if you’ve tried various other headphones on both d Volot vs Powerman+Formula ? Was wondering if the Volot would be the more versatile option across many hps.


Recently I've been spending the most time with the 1266 but I have listened briefly to the LCD-5, 800S, and 6XX. The Volot does a great job with all of them. The only one I've really done a back and forth with apart from the 1266 is the LCD-5. It was clear early on that the Volot expanded the soundstage of the LCD-5 and since they have a narrower stage I haven't bothered using the Formula S + Powerman for them. However the LCD-5 didn't show the differences in bass that I heard when using the 1266 and trying the two amps. For the 800S those sound more full especially in the low end then I remember. They of course don't compete with the 1266 in that regard but the Volot definitely helps bring them to life. But I haven't heard the 800S on tubes so maybe I'm missing out on something there.


----------



## FiGuY1017

I assume if my Volot was in batch 2 it should have the fix? Thanks


----------



## cangle

FiGuY1017 said:


> I assume if my Volot was in batch 2 it should have the fix? Thanks


Are you referring to the fix to help avoid the issue I had with my first unit? You should definitely have it. They either sent it to each Volot owner to install on their own or have just been building it into the amps since.


----------



## Infoseeker

Any US owners selling their volot?


----------



## FiGuY1017

Definitely worth waiting for, if this amp was sold by a distributor it'd be 2x or more. I've heard a few 2k amps and Volot is much better than all of them.


----------



## rmsanger

FiGuY1017 said:


> Definitely worth waiting for, if this amp was sold by a distributor it'd be 2x or more. I've heard a few 2k amps and Volot is much better than all of them.


Soloist 3GT, Volot, and Oor + Hypsos seem to be very competitive at a similar price point.  The Flux has the most impressive build, the Ferrum gets the best reviews, and the burson has the most flexibility for use cases.  Great time to be looking for headphone amps.


----------



## FiGuY1017 (Apr 15, 2022)

Ive heard ferrum compared equally by one guy with his iCan Pro Signature which Ive also had, if that's the case my preferences are in major favor for Volot, of course music preference and what appeal's more to you may be different than me, but for me I value huge soundstages, excellent  imaging, and dynamics, which I feel the Volot excels above anything I've heard. Also has to be factored in, in my opinion is while Volot is near the same price as the others, it is sold direct with out a distribution network, so Its my opinion that it plays on a higher plane than other amps in it's price range, (that's in my opinion) so put your pitch forks down  😆


----------



## cangle

Wanted to add that the Volot for me has benefitted greatly from break-in / burn-in and also sounds best after an hour or so of warm up. Being able to compare the Volot to the Formula S + Powerman (which already had 100s of hours on it) gave me a good idea of the sonic changes of the Volot during burn-in. The biggest change was the increase in stage size (width and depth) and bass performance. Out of the box I remember finding the Volot a bit small sounding and lacking in dynamics compared to the Formula S + Powerman but after using the Volot for awhile those traits have swapped and now and I find the Volot to be the most spacious and dynamic sounding. The Volot sounded a bit lean and lacking in slam at first but those are no longer issues I have.

I'm still looking to try some new components in my chain and a speaker amp is something I'm considering at the moment. Will be interesting seeing how that compares to a Volot since the Volot basically looks like a speaker amp on the inside.

Currently I'm enjoying the Aurorus Audio Borealis out of the Volot. It's not an expensive headphone, around 900 usd, but has a fun punchy sound and is very comfortable for extended listening. No it doesn't have the technicalities of the 1266 or the same level of engagement but it's softer yet entertaining sound has made it great for more relaxed listening sessions.

Anyone using new gear with their Volot that has good synergy?


----------



## FiGuY1017

I find both my M2 Tech Young Mkiv VGMkII also my Young Mkiii both to be excellent DACs that match up beautifully with Volot. They are both 200ohm so just about right they sound amazing with Volot & Susvara. I did try my new to me Pioneer SeM5 on Volot and it wasn't the best match, it was however with Kinki Studio Thr-1 surprisingly. I don't expect I'll ever replace Volot as my main headphone amp, it is really something special. The way it pulls layers and separates sound Into such a vast soundscape is really something entertaining to experience and can't be described to do it justice, you just have to experience it for yourself.


----------



## rmsanger

cangle said:


> Wanted to add that the Volot for me has benefitted greatly from break-in / burn-in and also sounds best after an hour or so of warm up. Being able to compare the Volot to the Formula S + Powerman (which already had 100s of hours on it) gave me a good idea of the sonic changes of the Volot during burn-in. The biggest change was the increase in stage size (width and depth) and bass performance. Out of the box I remember finding the Volot a bit small sounding and lacking in dynamics compared to the Formula S + Powerman but after using the Volot for awhile those traits have swapped and now and I find the Volot to be the most spacious and dynamic sounding. The Volot sounded a bit lean and lacking in slam at first but those are no longer issues I have.
> 
> I'm still looking to try some new components in my chain and a speaker amp is something I'm considering at the moment. Will be interesting seeing how that compares to a Volot since the Volot basically looks like a speaker amp on the inside.
> 
> ...


in General I think the formula S + powerman is a 1266 phi tc specialist there the Volot will give you more versatility with more hps.


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## Majors

What an amazing company with huge value. I hope they all got out as the scorched-earth policy of Putin really will leave nowhere safe. I'm not trying to be political just really concerned for the future of flux labs.


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## cangle

Susvara just arrived, so far so good. Will post more thoughts once I've listened for awhile.


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## sahmen

cangle said:


> Susvara just arrived, so far so good. Will post more thoughts once I've listened for awhile.


Can't wait to hear your impressions, although I wish you also had other similarly high powered amps on hand so that you can compare Susvara pairings. I am dying to hear a VOLOT vs CFA3 face/off as paired with the Susvara, for example, but maybe I should not be too greedy.


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## cangle

I've had the Susvara for a few days now and they have close to 25 hours of use on them. I like their sound a lot but it's not quite what I was expecting after reading all the reviews of them. The other part is that I'm already used to the "end game" / "top of the line" sound with headphones so they didn't wow me on first listen like other headphones have before.

I would describe them as being nicely balanced and natural. The stage is equal in both width and depth and imaging is very clear. The texture on instruments is some of the best I've heard. I think however that they lack a bit in overall attack but otherwise they are up there with the 1266 in performance but I still prefer the 1266 if I were to chose one over the other. Before getting the Susvara people that I talked to always spoke highly of the timbre that the Susvara has. It does have nice timbre but it is not miles ahead of other headphones, it just sounds a bit better in some cases. For a planar though the timbre is some of the best I've heard and compares to some dynamics like the Borealis or 650. However I really like the timbre of the 1266 and some think that it sounds really unnatural so maybe I'm perceiving timbre a bit differently.

To compare to some headphones the Susvara is softer in attack and bass and treble energy than the 1266. But it has a more even tonality and in doing so helps some of the microdetails present themselves a bit better. Versus the LCD-5 the Susvara wins hands down unless you want a bit more bass texture but the LCD-5 sounds a bit off with it's stock tuning where the bass and treble are light but the mids are foward. Cymbals on the LCD-5 sound lacking especially in shimmer or sizzle. EQ helps the LCD-5 a lot but I prefer not to EQ headphones when comparing them.

The comfort of the Susvara is some of the best I've experienced. It doesn't clamp too much, it's lightweight, and the pads don't touch my ears.

As for the Volot it's doing a great job with the Susvara but my amplification experience with them is limited. I have tried it briefly on the Formula S and Powerman but I prefer the Volot as the sound is more full and natural with a slight increase in soundstage and depth. I have no complaints with the bass extension on the Volot. Once it's warmed up for an hour or two the Susvara slams and rumbles plenty enough for my liking. It's not like the 1266 in terms of bass intensity and slam but it has enough quantity and speed for any modern bass heavy music I listen to. That being said I do think the Susvara shines with instrumental music.

I wonder what's next after the Volot or if there is a next. I'm sure there's something costing many times as much that is better but I'm not convinced there's something out there under 5k or so that would improve upon the experience I get  with the Volot so for now I'll be sticking with that amp. It's really something special and I hope more people get to hear it.


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## FiGuY1017 (Apr 25, 2022)

cangle said:


> I've had the Susvara for a few days now and they have close to 25 hours of use on them. I like their sound a lot but it's not quite what I was expecting after reading all the reviews of them. The other part is that I'm already used to the "end game" / "top of the line" sound with headphones so they didn't wow me on first listen like other headphones have before.
> 
> I would describe them as being nicely balanced and natural. The stage is equal in both width and depth and imaging is very clear. The texture on instruments is some of the best I've heard. I think however that they lack a bit in overall attack but otherwise they are up there with the 1266 in performance but I still prefer the 1266 if I were to chose one over the other. Before getting the Susvara people that I talked to always spoke highly of the timbre that the Susvara has. It does have nice timbre but it is not miles ahead of other headphones, it just sounds a bit better in some cases. For a planar though the timbre is some of the best I've heard and compares to some dynamics like the Borealis or 650. However I really like the timbre of the 1266 and some think that it sounds really unnatural so maybe I'm perceiving timbre a bit differently.
> 
> ...



I think when you specified your music taste you made your impressions of Susvara valid, meaning if I had the same music taste as you do, I'd probably not go to Susvara as my favorite headphone. I think anytime headphones are described as someone's favorite they should probably list their music preference along side.

 Of course different DACs, pads and to some...cables, will make a difference, along with individual preferences of course. For acoustic and indie rock I can't think of a better pairing I've heard than my set up M2 Tech Young Mkiv VGMkII, Flux Volot , Susvara. But if you want slam... Your probably better off with 1266 maybe. Of course I use fss dekoni pads and a different cable so hard to say we are even experiencing the same sound, even though the amp and headphones are the same lol

P.s the dekoni fss really liven the Susvara up, to the point I can't go back to stock pads anymore


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## cangle

FiGuY1017 said:


> I think when you specified your music taste you made your impressions of Susvara valid, meaning if I had the same music taste as you do, I'd probably not go to Susvara as my favorite headphone. I think anytime headphones are described as someone's favorite they should probably list their music preference along side.
> 
> Of course different DACs, pads and to some...cables, will make a difference, along with individual preferences of course. For acoustic and indie rock I can't think of a better pairing I've heard than my set up M2 Tech Young Mkiv VGMkII, Flux Volot , Susvara. But if you want slam... Your probably better off with 1266 maybe. Of course I use fss dekoni pads and a different cable so hard to say we are even experiencing the same sound, even though the amp and headphones are the same lol


I mentioned modern bass heavy music but I listen to much more than that. Jazz, folk, electronic, rock, metal, pop, rap. Those are all genres I enjoy. Susvara definitely excels at the acoustic or genres with real instruments. But they sound pretty great on more synthesized stuff as well. I just like the slam and attack that 1266 gives but it can get fatiguing so Susvara strikes a nice balance here. However these are early impressions so things may change.


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## FiGuY1017

cangle said:


> I mentioned modern bass heavy music but I listen to much more than that. Jazz, folk, electronic, rock, metal, pop, rap. Those are all genres I enjoy. Susvara definitely excels at the acoustic or genres with real instruments. But they sound pretty great on more synthesized stuff as well. I just like the slam and attack that 1266 gives but it can get fatiguing so Susvara strikes a nice balance here. However these are early impressions so things may change.



I agree, I mean personally, I prefer my He6v2 more for bass heavy or anything that slams, as the Volot really makes them sing. But for 95% of the music I like, I usually just go to Susvara because she is so natural and beautiful just very special in a way He6v2 can't match.

Glad your enjoying the Susvara though


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## cangle

FiGuY1017 said:


> P.s the dekoni fss really liven the Susvara up, to the point I can't go back to stock pads anymore


Interesting will have to try, thanks for the tip.


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## cangle

Has anyone that's heard the Volot heard the woo audio WA33? I'm considering buying that amplifier and am curious how the two compare apart from the obvious tube vs solid state thing. Would the WA33 be an all around improvement or more of a different flavor?


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## Majors (May 26, 2022)

Yeah, the JPS WA33 with the 1266tc is the most mind blowing experience I've ever heard with headphones👍


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## Bonddam

The WA33 is a linear tube sound I owned 3 of them then went to the WA5 LE then to WA234 back to WA5 LE. This gave me the chance to hear the difference of the 300B vs 2A3 tubes.

I Just bought the silver plate FA-12 off the classifieds and I'm super impressed with this amp. It handles the 1266 TC like a champ. It is a full bodied amp lots of holographic staging. 
I was looking at solid state for something that didn't cost arm and leg with ability to drive the 1266 and it does. You can tell when the bass comes out thick and deep.

This Volot has my interest if I decide to upgrade the FA-12. 

I owned Wells stuff and like this Flux stuff more as it's built better. 

Current amps I own are WA5 LE and Flux FA-12.


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## cangle

Bonddam said:


> I Just bought the silver plate FA-12 off the classifieds and I'm super impressed with this amp. It handles the 1266 TC like a champ. It is a full bodied amp lots of holographic staging.
> I was looking at solid state for something that didn't cost arm and leg with ability to drive the 1266 and it does. You can tell when the bass comes out thick and deep.
> 
> This Volot has my interest if I decide to upgrade the FA-12.


I used the FA-12 before getting the Volot and I found the Volot to be a significant upgrade. It stages much larger with more precise imaging. Bass has much more authority and treble is more extended. I would say it's an all around upgrade but with a bit less warmth to it than the FA-12. I hope you can find a Volot for sale or hear it somewhere as it's the best amp I've heard so far.


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## Infoseeker

I saved up for a Volot but there isn't one to buy.   o.O

I guess I can use the FluxLab Fa-10 & my Bryston BHA-1 for longer.


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## Namtar (May 30, 2022)

Infoseeker said:


> I saved up for a Volot but there isn't one to buy.   o.O
> 
> I guess I can use the FluxLab Fa-10 & my Bryston BHA-1 for longer.


Hopefully when Russia stops being a piece of crap we will find that all the FLA employees & their families are safe and are able to get back to business


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## rmsanger

If you've selected the Volot as your amp of choice I think it would great if people just kept patient and held on to their money for a bit.  When this thing is all over Flux is going to need plenty of business to get back on track.  Hopefully their employees are all safe and their facility is untouched.  I also extend the same thoughts for the Rebel amps team.


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## Majors

Well I just heard back from Sandu @ SoundNews about the current status of FLA and here is the reply.
"Hello, sorry for my late reply, I just saw it. He and his entire family (including three kids) were supposed to live at my place for a while, but they decided moving to Germany, as his kids are still doing school and they already have basic knowledge of the German language. I've met Vitaly at Munich High End Show 2022,  we talked in advance that we would meet there. He is good, his family is safe, but Flux Labs sadly is no more..."
Glad to hear everyone is ok but I`m very sad to hear FLA will not continue making these amazing products. Best wishes to Vitaly and the team for their future endeavors.


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## rmsanger

Sandu is the man!  Glad to hear the flux family got out ok.  Their region is being extremely impacted so fingers crossed he will be able to return home and resume
business at some point .  Also hope the rebelamp team got out as well.


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## Majors (Jul 31, 2022)

Update from FLA on FA-10 thread. Very good news.


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## VerloK

Great, after a year my Volot broke.
the OpAmps T1 and T2 overheat and the Volot just turns off.

No Load, Gain does not matter etc etc.


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## NickT23

VerloK said:


> Great, after a year my Volot broke.
> the OpAmps T1 and T2 overheat and the Volot just turns off.
> 
> No Load, Gain does not matter etc etc.


Contact manufacturer ?


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## rmsanger

shoot sorry man... Unfortunately it's going to be awhile before you get support from Flux.

You might be able to take it to a local audio repair shop but getting parts may nearly impossible.


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## bulpy

VerloK said:


> Great, after a year my Volot broke.
> the OpAmps T1 and T2 overheat and the Volot just turns off.
> 
> No Load, Gain does not matter etc etc.


Yes I had this issue once too with mine but Volot has a security against overheating, so I just let it get completely cold and it was all ok again then.


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## bulpy

glad to read by the way they're all safe somewhere in Germany.. thanks for sharing!


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## XLR2XLR

If anyone is looking for a Volot, here's one for sale.


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## Newsee

XLR2XLR said:


> If anyone is looking for a Volot, here's one for sale.


Would it be a 230V version...


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## XLR2XLR

Newsee said:


> Would it be a 230V version...


It's the 120V version.


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## Newsee

XLR2XLR said:


> It's the 120V version.


Thanks, I saw it on the photos. 
I wanted to write that I wish it was a 230V version.


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## MAURO16164

I went to the FLux Labs website and strangely it makes me put the Volot in my cart while all the other devices are sold out. Who knows why ... can someone ask for news? An Italian friend of mine would be interested in buying ...


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## Era in Ear

MAURO16164 said:


> I went to the FLux Labs website and strangely it makes me put the Volot in my cart while all the other devices are sold out. Who knows why ... can someone ask for news? An Italian friend of mine would be interested in buying ...


They gradually resume production and even have a small qty of amps in stock. They also say that other models are coming soon as well.


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## MAURO16164

But where do they ship from, since it's impossible from Ukraine? How can I contact them? Through the official website?


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## Majors

MAURO16164 said:


> But where do they ship from, since it's impossible from Ukraine? How can I contact them? Through the official website?


Contact through message in Facebook. Glad to hear the good news.


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## Majors

Guys check out Robert Hall Lewis/1995, turn out the lights hit play and thank me in the morning👍


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## Musikfan

Hi, does anyone have any experience or impressions of the Volot paired with the Chord Dave or Holo May dacs?   Does either the Dave or May cause clipping using balanced Xlrs through the Volot?  Any advice is appreciated.


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## NickT23

Musikfan said:


> Hi, does anyone have any experience or impressions of the Volot paired with the Chord Dave or Holo May dacs?   Does either the Dave or May cause clipping using balanced Xlrs through the Volot?  Any advice is appreciated.


Dont think so. The Volot itself cost 1 kidney already. I am also very curious as well.


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## cangle

Musikfan said:


> Hi, does anyone have any experience or impressions of the Volot paired with the Chord Dave or Holo May dacs?   Does either the Dave or May cause clipping using balanced Xlrs through the Volot?  Any advice is appreciated.


@XVampireX has a May and the Volot


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## XVampireX

Why would it cause Clipping?


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## dirtrat

XVampireX said:


> Why would it cause Clipping?



My guess is the Holo May has a fixed output of almost 6 volts (5.80) on the XLR outputs with no way to internally attenuate them and this is approaching the input limits of many amplifiers balanced transformers. I also have a May KTE and was worried about this with my Amp although I don't own the Volot. This is a very hot output for XLR but it's not causing me any problems on my headphone amp.


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## mfgillia

dirtrat said:


> My guess is the Holo May has a fixed output of almost 6 volts (5.80) on the XLR outputs with no way to internally attenuate them and this is approaching the input limits of many amplifiers balanced transformers. I also have a May KTE and was worried about this with my Amp although I don't own the Volot. This is a very hot output for XLR but it's not causing me any problems on my headphone amp.


This is one of the reasons I've grown to love my Spring 3 KTE with preamp - it will play nice with most amps and powered speakers.


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## dirtrat

mfgillia said:


> This is one of the reasons I've grown to love my Spring 3 KTE with preamp - it will play nice with most amps and powered speakers.



I also have a Serene KTE preamp and have driven it with my Holo May and driven my RAAL headphone amp direct without my preamp with no issues. So far, it's never caused me any problems and I suspect most inputs balanced limits are above the fixed output of the Holo DAC.


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## XLR2XLR

Just in case you haven't seen the comment FLA left on their FB page after the liberation of Kherson. 
https://www.facebook.com/fluxlabacoustics






I hope it's going to happen soon🤞💙💛


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## George Hincapie

As it can't be bought new currently, what are the competitors in terms of cost/performance?


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## cangle

George Hincapie said:


> As it can't be bought new currently, what are the competitors in terms of cost/performance?


Ferrum OOR and Hypsos, Holo Bliss. If you watch the SoundNews susvara amp review he goes over a lot of amps including the Volot that work well for it.


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## XLR2XLR

There's a new post on FB. It's good to see they are getting back to business!
https://www.facebook.com/fluxlabacoustics


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## XLR2XLR

George Hincapie said:


> As it can't be bought new currently, what are the competitors in terms of cost/performance?


Why don't you consider buying a used Volot? I'm curious because I have one for sale
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/flux-lab-acoustics-volot.36376/


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## George Hincapie

XLR2XLR said:


> Why don't you consider buying a used Volot? I'm curious because I have one for sale
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/flux-lab-acoustics-volot.36376/


I don't buy used. Sorry. Good luck with the sale 🤘


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## XLR2XLR

George Hincapie said:


> I don't buy used. Sorry. Good luck with the sale 🤘


Thanks! 
I hope you'll be able to buy a brand new unit from FLA soon.


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## MeetYourMaker (Dec 6, 2022)

Can class A amp like this be turned off when not using? I only listen an hour everynight I don't want to waste energy with it being on all the time. I think I've heard that turning on off class A amp too many times isn't recommended


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## MAURO16164

It is not recommended to turn it on and off 20 times a day but if you only listen to it for an hour then you can turn it off without any problem.


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