# Review: Violectric HPA V200 amp



## project86

*INTRO*
   
  I recently posted a review of the Violectric HPA V181 headphone amplifier. I found it to be a very nice product, driving all of my headphones exceptionally well and providing some stiff competition for other amps in the $1000 price range. This is part two of the review, since I’m now discussing the Violectric HPA V200. I suggest reading part one prior as it lays the foundation for this current review and I don’t plan on repeating everything. Here is a link:
   
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/548608/review-violectric-v181-balanced-headphone-amp
   
  The question that might be on the minds of people interested in the Violectric units: which is better, the V181 or the V200? Starting at the low end of the scale, we see a clear distinction and price increase from the V90 to the V100 to the V181. But the V200, while having a higher number, is priced the same as the V181, potentially causing confusion. I hope to clarify the differences, as well as help the reader decide which model might be a better fit for their situation.
   

   
*DESIGN*
   
  The V200 shares the same chassis with the V181, but with obvious changes on the front panel. It offers dual ¼” headphone jacks but does not have a balanced output like the V181. So although you can feed it a balanced signal via the rear XLR inputs, all listening must be done through single ended headphones. This configuration is the same as the Luxman P-1u. People might wonder why they would bother with XLR inputs when there is no balanced output. On the Luxman, it does seem like kind of an odd choice, but it makes more sense when you consider that Violectric has their roots in studio equipment. Balanced cabling is very common in studio gear, so it only makes sense that the V200 should accept that sort of input in addition to standard RCA inputs. Once again the buyer has the option of paying a bit extra for their choice of integrated USB DACs: a basic 16-bit/48kHz model or a more advanced 24-bit/96kHz version. I opted to leave that out on my unit.
   
  Internally, the V200 shares many features with the V181. They appear to have very similar power supplies, both consisting of a shielded toroid flanked by 16 filtering capacitors rated at 1000µF each. They also similarly use NE5534 opamps for low gain tasks such as impedance matching. As with the V181, these opamps are socketed so the user can try replacing them to see if there is any improvement. They both use the same high quality Neutrik connectors for inputs and outputs, and both use the same ALPS RK27 potentiometer for volume control. As for differences, I notice that the toroidal transformer in the V200 is a bit beefier, and most importantly the amplification section is different. While the amp section of the V181 used quad Texas Instruments BUF634 chips, the V200 goes in a different direction with a fully discrete design using a total of 16 transistors. During my discussion with Violectric CEO Fried Reim, he gave me some information on the background of the design, as well as what he feels are the benefits of such a design:
   
  “V200 incorporates a very sophisticated transistorized amp with 8 transistors per channel. The roots of this design go back to the late 70s with the Nakamichi Series 600 power amp. This was one of the first amps with stable idle current so no idle adjustment was necessary. Also they claimed a damping factor of 1000 which was sensational for the time. It was fast, reliable, and stable under any circumstances.
   
  The amps from V200 are powered from a toroidal transformer with 60 V (+/- 30 V) secondary voltage. This is about double as much as can be found in most competitors amps. So a high output voltage swing is enabled, which is necessary for high impedance cans.”
   
  I hope he doesn’t mind me quoting him but I think it is a useful bit of information. I happen to know someone who used the Nakamichi 620 power amplifier for many years in a rather high end system, so hearing that the V200 is a distant relative of that amp makes me smile. 
   
  As with the V181, we find the same “pre-gain” function, which once again means that we should be able to properly pair it with absolutely anything you can throw at it. For example: if you started with an HRT Music Streamer II (output = 2.25 volts RMS) and later switched to a Music Streamer Pro (output = 4.5 volts RMS), you could easily cope with the level differences. Not every amplifier can make that claim. Combined with all the other little touches like a switchable ground lift and switchable DC coupling, one gets the impression that Violectric has planned for almost every contingency they could in order to ensure that the amp works flawlessly in every setup. 
   
  Here is a list of the specs:
   
    

  [size=6.5pt]Unbalanced Inputs[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]Impedance[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]10 kOhms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]Nominal Input Level[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]+6 dBu[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Amplifier Gain[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]8 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]... with Pre-Gain[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]-4/+2/+8/+14/+20 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Frequency[/size][size=6.5pt] Range[/size][size=6.5pt] (-0,5 dB)[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]5 Hz - 60 kHz[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Damping Factor (in 50 Ohm Load)[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]800[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]128 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Noise (A-wtd)[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]-100 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]-110 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]THD+N @ 4V / 32 Ohms (0,5W)[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]-103 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Crosstalk @ 1 kHz[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]-110 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Crosstalk @ 15 kHz[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]-95 dB[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Voltage in 600 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]18,5 V[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Power in 600 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]570 mW[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Voltage in 100 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]14,8 V[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Power in 100 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]2200 mW[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Voltage in 50 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]11,6 V[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Power in 50 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]2700 mW[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Voltage in 32 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]8,0 V[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Power in 32 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]2000 mW[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Voltage in 16 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]4 Veff[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Output Power in 16 Ohms[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]1000 mW[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Number of Outputs[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]Power Supply[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]230 / 115 V[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
  [size=6.5pt]Power Consumption[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]10 VA[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  [size=6.5pt]170x49x225[/size][size=8.5pt][/size]
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  If you look at the power delivery you can see how the V200 should have plenty of power even for demanding headphones. See also how it seems optimized for 50 ohm loads, which corresponds with the new high end planar drivers like the HE-6 and LCD-2. Compared to the V181 in balanced mode, the V200 looks to deliver about 15% less power into 600, 100, or 16 ohm loads. They are basically even into 32 ohm loads, and the V200 has the lead by about 20% into 50 ohms. Unless you were really on the edge of being able to drive a particular headphone, I don’t think it really matters all that much one way or the other. Both should have sufficient voltage for higher impedance headphones, and sufficient current delivery for low impedance headphones, so there should be enough drive and headroom to handle anything you could plug in. Note that my comparison only applies to using the V181 in balanced mode. As I mentioned in my other review, operating the V181 in single ended mode gives you about ¾ of the power and 6dB less voltage. Using those calculations it seems that the V200 delivers a decent amount more current and voltage than the V181 in single ended mode. The only time I anticipate this possibly being a significant issue is when driving a HiFiMan HE-6: the V200 should have enough current to do the job, but the V181 in single ended mode might not. I don’t actually have an HE-6 to test so I can’t say for sure.
   

   

   

   
   
*BUILD QUALITY*
   
  The V200 is a very well built amp. Externally it is essentially identical to the V181 except for the front panel, which has a slightly different configuration to accommodate the lack of a front panel XLR jack. It comes across as equally classy though with the soft blue power LED and silky smooth turning volume knob. It gives a similar impression during operation: excellent channel balance, a completely black background, and a relay preventing the dreaded “power-off thump” from killing your ears. It might not be as exciting as some elaborate tube amp would be, but it is very nice in its own way.
   

  Note that this is a stock photo, and this V200 has the USB option installed, so it appears slightly different. 
   
*PACKAGE*
   
  Again, exactly the same as the V181: nice box with a custom made foam “cocoon” that holds the amp, manual, and power cable.
   

   

   
*EQUIPMENT*
   
  This is the gear that I used during my evaluation of the V181:
   
  Source: Lexicon RT-20 universal disc player, dedicated music server fronted by a Squeezebox Touch
   
  DAC: Anedio D1, Yulong D100, Audio GD Reference 7
   
  Headphones: YHD600 custom Ortho, AKG K701, Lawton Audio LA7000 Lite, Sennheiser HD800, AKG K240DF, 1964 Ears 1964-T, LiveWires Trips, Kozee Infinity X1, Ultrasone Edition 8, Westone AC2, Unique Melody Merlin
   
  Amps: Luxman P-1u, Matrix M-Stage, DarkVoice 337SE, Yulong A100, and of course the Violectric V181
   
  In this case I used the stock HD650 cable to run the custom Ortho in single ended mode. I burned the amp in for several hundred hours, used my usual non-fancy cables, and tried a wide variety of music in both CD quality and hi-res. 
   

   

   
*DISCLAIMER*
   
  These are just the impressions of one guy. I do these reviews for fun, not profit, and I don't claim to be any special authority. Many people have agreed with my assessments of other gear but some have also disagreed, and I totally respect that. We all hear differently on a physical level and we all have different preferences as well, so I think it is almost impossible for one person’s impressions to apply to every other person. As with all my reviews, I hope you enjoy reading them and I hope they help our hobby to some extent, but I don't pretend that they are anything more than my opinion.
   
*LISTENING*
   
  I’ve had both the V181 and the V200 in my setup for a decent amount of time now, and I’ve gone back and forth in an attempt to figure out their differences. I’ll start off by saying that the V200 does not stray far from the basic sound signature offered by the V181. If you were expecting night and day differences to help you make your choice, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. The V200 retains what I’ll call the “Violectric house sound”: dynamic and powerful, with great tonal balance and a silent background. The difference here is that the V200 turns everything up to 11.
   
  It might be hard to reconcile that statement with my prior comments about the V181. I made it sound like it was an excellent performer. And it is. But the V200 just goes one small step further in almost every category: more clarity, more transparency, even more obscene bass extension. And it does all this while retaining that touch of musicality but not going overboard and losing balance.
   
  Starting with one of my favorite aspects of both amps: the lows. The V200 seems to have even better deep bass extension, as well as more control with difficult headphones like Orthos. This shows up during really complex passages but also surprisingly during more simple music as well. I’ve been listening to lots of reggae lately, in an attempt to remind myself that there is more to the genre than just Bob Marley. Some favorite albums include Third World’s 96 Degrees in the Shade and Seven Seals by Matumbi (the latter being a vinyl rip as it is unreleased on CD to my knowledge). For me, reggae has its foundation in the interplay between the bass and the percussion, and the V200 excels at capturing this aspect. It manages to be extremely technically accurate while at the same time capturing that dynamic rawness that is usually reserved for live performances. You can really hear the layering and texture in the bass, and it sounds almost live. Combined with a world class bass performer like the Lawton LA7000 or the Unique Melody Merlin, the V200 seems just about perfect to my ears. 
   
  Mids once again are very clear and vibrant. I like how they are so balanced: not overly lush and full, but certainly not dry or sterile either. They have lots of weight to them but are still quick and explosive, like a young Mike Tyson in his prime. The mids actually bring to mind some of the best aspects of tube amps that I love, without overdoing it by becoming syrupy. If someone built a big fancy wooden case with various tubes sticking out of the top, hid a V200 inside, and let listeners think it was a new high end tube amp, I doubt people would suspect anything. It also seems to have the ability (even slightly more so than the V181) to handle incredibly complex passages with ease and grace. Most of the time this improvement is barely noticeable, but certain classical pieces bring it out, as do some fast metal tracks. Again, I never felt that the V181 was lacking per se, but when played back to back I did notice the V200 had more authority, while still displaying the required delicacy when called upon to do so.
   
  Highs also follow the Violectric blueprint by having an emphasis on smoothness. They are extended and accurate, but like the V181 they are still not the main focus of the presentation. This is definitely not what I’d call a bright amp. Because of this, the V200 is probably a little more forgiving than something like a Meier Concerto or HeadAmp GS-1. But I don’t find that there is any detail missing: transients are fast and clean, and there is enough air and sparkle up top to make things like cymbals or triangles sound startlingly real. The only limitation is that I probably wouldn’t pair the V200 (or V181 for that matter) with a really dark source… my Sigtone Shek NOS DAC is just about at the limit as far as being too dark for my tastes when paired with the V200, and I know some other NOS or tube designs go even further in that direction. Aside from that the V200 paired well with every CD player or DAC that I tried, and even sounded damn good straight from the analog outputs of a stock Squeezebox Touch. I suspect this is because the high frequencies are where you most easily spot digital harshness, and the V200 is somewhat more forgiving there. 
   
  As I mentioned earlier in my V181 review, a massive expansive soundstage is not the strong point that Violectric seemed to go for. That remains true here, but we do get somewhat of an improvement. The V200 certainly has more depth and a little more width than the V181 in single ended mode and just about matches when running the V181 balanced. It’s hard to do a quick comparisons when you have to switch from completely balanced to completely single ended, but I believe I can confidently say that the two perform similarly. The balanced V181 might still have a very slight edge, but that could be caused by other variables such as running the DAC balanced. I still enjoy the V181 single ended and it was not a problem most of the time, but occasionally it felt a little constricted. Not so with the V200. And despite there not being an ultra-wide left to right stage, there is still plenty of accuracy and space between the instruments. So while my DarkVoice 337SE wins in sheer width and overall space, the V200 outperforms it when it comes to image specificity and localization. 
   
  One aspect I really enjoyed from the V200 was the fact that it is just so amazingly dynamic. This is helped by the extremely black background that it has. You can be sitting there in complete silence between songs, and then BAM! Here comes the leading edge of a note or the thump of a bass drum. Even a soft female voice can almost startle you with the impact that it causes just by breaking the silence. At the same time it has enough restraint when called for; it isn’t “always on” like some other amps. For example: I enjoy my Musical Fidelity X-Can V8 with X-PSU, especially with the Mullard ECC88 tubes, for its big bold sound. But I feel like it is lacking the finesse offered by the V200. There are moments when you hear a metronome in the background, a tambourine keeping pace, or just an acoustic guitar playing rhythm in a sea of electric guitars, and the V200 allows you to notice these despite whatever other excitement is happening concurrently. The X-Can nails the excitement but misses the subtleties. On the opposite end of that, some amps can present these little background events as too prominent. My Yulong A100 is guilty of this at times. I know it’s exciting to hear sheet music pages turning or someone coughing in the audience, but it isn’t the main musical event, and I don’t want it grabbing too much of my attention. The V200 manages a perfect compromise in my opinion.
   
  During my time with the Violectric amps, I found myself having an internal dialogue about the definition of “neutral” sound. On one hand I find these amps to be very balanced and neutral, but on the other hand they seem warm and musical. It seemed strange to me that these descriptions could co-exist. A bit of help came in the form of an email from Fried Reim. He was answering a somewhat unrelated question I had asked him prior, but the answer really helped me wrap my head around the Violectric sound signature. He was talking about their design philosophy and how he feels that they don’t need to use any tricks or gimmicks, just solid engineering and design, using experience gained from working in the pro market since the 1980s. He told me that their design basically comes down to:
   
  - low noise through lowest possible internal gain
  - high output voltage to drive high impedance cans to their maximum potential
  - high output power to supply low impedance and planar headphones with adequate current
  - high damping factor (lowest output impedance) to control low impedance cans and minimize any interactions 
   
  Every aspect of their amps are built with those basic goals in mind. But back to my original point: Fried relayed a story to me about the microphone preamps that they 
  offer (presumably under the Lake People brand) for studio use. Apparently they sell a model that has two configurations: a “standard” frontend and a “class-A” frontend. A customer gave them feedback stating that the standard version is neutral, to the point of being nearly boring, but the class-A version he described as “vivid-neutral”. I think that term really sums up the sound signature of the V181 and V200 amps as well. I suspect that my definition of “neutral” has somewhat changed over the years, and that I currently (wrongly) think of neutral as being sterile, dry, and thin. Any character to the sound and it must not be neutral, right? Thanks to these amps, I am now rethinking my stance on the matter. Neutral should be whatever is closest to sounding lifelike, and by that definition the V200 certainly is neutral. Or vivid-neutral.
   

   

   
   
   
*CONCLUSION*
   
  It sounds almost too predictable, but it is true: The Violectric V200 sounds like an improved version of the V181, which makes sense because internally that’s exactly what it is. They share a similar power supply, pre-gain stage, and other components, but the V200 has a more advanced output section and a beefier toroidal transformer. This results in improved sound quality all around, but comes at the expense of a balanced output. That won’t be a problem for me because I don’t run a balanced setup, but for some it would be a limiting factor. For those people I say go for the V181 and don’t look back. But for folks like me who run a single ended system, the V200 makes an excellent choice.
   
  I ranked the V181 as “entry level high end” meaning that it was at the bottom of the highest class of headphone amps. The V200 edges itself up a little higher than that. In fact, I believe I could get rid of my Luxman P-1u and not miss it much. The V200 is just that good. If you are interested in a powerful amp that has the ability to cleanly drive difficult planar headphones, yet has the finesse to produce a hiss-free black background with sensitive in ear monitors, the V200 makes an excellent choice, and I highly recommend it. 
   
  I’d like to publicly thank Fried Reim for allowing me the opportunity to try both amps even though I’m only buying one. I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t loan out $1000 amps to people I barely know. So I appreciate his willingness to make this possible. Both models are winners in my opinion, but the V200 is a better fit for me, and I’ll be sending the V181 back.


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## project86

reserved


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## InnerSpace

Great review, in my opinion - probably because I agree with it!  Two things about mine: if I was allowed to use one amp only, I would keep the V200 over any other, because it does 98% of what anything else does, and it's reliable, practical and hassle-free in a real-world way; and second, my daughter took a listen ... and then stole it for her system.  That never happened before with anything.  So I'm on my second sample now, and very happy with it.


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## Subsequence

Very good review and i completly agree that it's a very good amp. It just sounds so effortless and smooth and it does indeed seem to have the best of both worlds when it comes to tubes or ss. Though i only have experience with one custom tube amp so take that for what it is.
  But it just drives my HD600's and akg 271S's perfectly and actually seems to give the latter some bass response, can't wait to hear the T1 on this or possibly the HD800(still deciding haha).


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## Loevhagen

Again, a well written and elaborative review, project86. 
   
  As InnerSpace said, I recognize the main points stated in the review. I bought my V200 from Violectric in Germany on pure _speculation_, and sometimes that is a foolish way of shopping audio equipment. But, this time it was not. Having got the chance to listen to LehmannAudio BCL and Burson HA-160D over some time on the headphones in my signature, I find the V200 to be enduring. I wouldn´t say the V200 is in any way better, but different. The BCL is clearly more "open" and I perceive a tad larger soundstage. The Burson HA-160D is closer to the V200.
   
  My 3 DACs all have XLR-outputs, so they are all a nice interconnect fit to the V200. As you say, the V200 combined with a "warm" DAC (e.g. Abrahamsen DAC V6.0; sound wise 99% Electrocompaniet) and a pair of LCD-2s, the overall sound can be perceived to "warm". If I use HD800 or K702, the synergy is better and I would say almost perfect.
   
  Using a "tad brigther" (i.e. neutral) DAC (e.g. Hegel HD-10), the LCD-2 on the V200 is pure music. IMO. And, yes, the Yulong D100 works fine as well. 
   
  Just want to add that Violectric now offers the option of TOS-link DAC-input in addition to the two USB (16/48 and 24/96) you mentioned.


----------



## zenpunk

Is there any advantages using the balanced input over the unbalanced one on the V200 regarding SQ and gain?


----------



## fdhfdy

Nice write up. However he6s are just  power consumption monster that need something more powerful than v200. To drive he6s have to turn the volume all the way up to the end and still fell a liitle bit "less". Fang from head direct has been working on something for he6s, hopefully we could see it end of this year.


----------



## oqvist

Thanks for the review. ProjectX86 did you get a chance to listen to the V200 a lot on the Ref7? I had the V200 on the DAC19 and it left me quite unimpressed and felt really overpriced for what it did. Had high hopes for the LCD-2 on it.


----------



## project86

Thanks for the comments everyone! It's great to hear that other people share my high opinion of these amps. I just found out about the new DAC module with the optical input, so I'll update my review to reflect that info.
  
  Quote: 





zenpunk said:


> Is there any advantages using the balanced input over the unbalanced one on the V200 regarding SQ and gain?


 


  Only if your DAC or player puts out a better signal from its balanced outputs compared to its unbalanced. Otherwise SQ will be the same. Gain from a balanced output will usually be double that of a standard RCA, which can be accounted for using the pre-gain switches (if needed). 


  Quote: 





fdhfdy said:


> Nice write up. However he6s are just  power consumption monster that need something more powerful than v200. To drive he6s have to turn the volume all the way up to the end and still fell a liitle bit "less". Fang from head direct has been working on something for he6s, hopefully we could see it end of this year.


 

 Thanks for the comments. Have you tried the HE-6 with the V200 yourself, or is this just speculation?
   
  I ask because the HE-6 power requirements seem to be all over the map. Some people swear that you can't get by with anything less than a full size amp, using the speaker taps. But others say a decently powerful headphone amp will do. For example, in the review for Playback, Chris Martens used a Burson HA-160 and a HiFiMan EF5. He said the Burson was better. In the 6moons review, they also use the Burson, and say it is "very good" with most music but sometimes doesn't get loud enough. They also use a Woo Audio WA5 and say it has enough power but must have an output impedance mismatch with the HE-6. 
   
  The V200 has substantially more power on tap than any of those models. The WA5 is 1.5 watts per channel (they don't list what load that is into). The Burson is 800mW into 60 ohms so maybe 1 watt per channel into the HE-6. The EF5 is 2 watts per channel (again, load not listed). The V200 is 2.7 watts per channel into 50 ohms. So basically if the V200 can't supply enough power that means that there are very very few headphone amps in existence that can.
   
  I'm willing to accept that if you've really tried the pair, but at some point I still want to try it for myself.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





oqvist said:


> Thanks for the review. ProjectX86 did you get a chance to listen to the V200 a lot on the Ref7? I had the V200 on the DAC19 and it left me quite unimpressed and felt really overpriced for what it did. Had high hopes for the LCD-2 on it.


 


  I do really like the Ref 7/V200 combo, although that's one case where I might prefer the V181 over the V200. Assuming you have balanced headphones. It probably comes down to the Ref 7 being better in balanced mode.
   
  Speaking of LCD-2, I think Fried is having me send my loaner V181 over to Alex Rosson from Audeze to give it a try. That sure beats sending it back to Germany.


----------



## Vitor Teixeira

Very nice review, congrats!
Well, now I'm really undecided...anyone here with the W4S DAC2 / V200 combo to share some thoughts?
Will it be a good match for it (the V200)?


----------



## baritone

again  nice review  deep in all aspects as for me the decision has already been made
 the next month (june) i will be in Berlin and  at this oportunity i think I will buy there the v200 because my v800 (dac) feels  alone
 I am shure that will became an exiting team
 it will be interesting to do a comparition of the lcd2 and t1 with  the v200
 so far the review speaks for itself the v200 se seems to be superior in many parameters 
 I agree that sound of an amplifier is rather a matter of personal taste  is like tasting diferent kinds of wine  all of them very good and the diferences
 are really micro nuances  but still diferences that many ordinary ( not having experiences) can not see such
 I dont have in my near by vecinity no one with a v200 only b22 s
 I did a litlle search and I found the nakamich 620 service manual  the circuits of the 100w  are more sophisticated and complex than  those  design in the v200 like the designers took  the "creme" of the original nakamichi amplifier  design , the resultt sepeaks for itself
 again many thanks projec86 for your great abd deep non polarized review


----------



## WarriorAnt

Thanks for the effort and work you put into reviewing both units.  It is very much appreciated.   Can the V200 be used as a preamp into an amp?


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Thanks for the effort and work you put into reviewing both units.  It is very much appreciated.   Can the V200 be used as a preamp into an amp?


 


  No it can not be used as a preamp, when the rca connectors are configured as output it passes the signal through unaltered but you do have to power on the device for that to work.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





subsequence said:


> No it can not be used as a preamp, when the rca connectors are configured as output it passes the signal through unaltered but you do have to power on the device for that to work.


 

 I sent an email to Freid who wrote back right away.  The only thing holding me back is the ability to use the V200 as a preamp when I want to go from the iMac > W4S DAC-2>V200>Amp> Mirage 191 speakers.  This is his reply.
   
Yes, it would work like you figured out.

 From the balanced outs of W4S Dac-2 you feed the balanced ins from V200.
 When the RCA connectors are configured as outputs you will have the buffered level (no gain !) from Dac-2 here as outputs.
 Just line out, no volume control engaged.
 Now you can feed your NAD amp unbalanced.

 Please note that in this chain the V200 must allways switched on as the buffers need power to operate.

 I dont think that there will be a sonic problem whilst going thru V200.

 Volume is controlled on V200 for the headphones, on NAD for the speakers
   
  I have a few more question about the V200 to ask him.  I'l post them if pertinent.  I love a company that take the time to answer ones questions about their products.


----------



## Subsequence

Yes i agree Fried has been very helpful and timely with his responses.


----------



## fdg

About driving HE-6:
  
  Yes, there are some reports that HE-6 needs lots of power.
 As far as I know there are 2 different versions of HE-6 existing, the newer one consuming less power but not as effective as LCD-2.
 In german forums, namely the open-end forum, there are some users decribing their experiences with HE-6, V181 and V200.
 Most times the result is "perfect match"  Nobody claimed a lacking of power from the amps.
 In deed I cannot imagine that a voice coil from a headphone can withstand a rated power of more than 1 W RMS
 for a longer period without getting seriously damaged.  

 Greetz
   
  Fried


----------



## MacedonianHero

fdg said:


> About driving HE-6:
> 
> Yes, there are some reports that HE-6 needs lots of power.
> As far as I know there are 2 different versions of HE-6 existing, the newer one consuming less power but not as effective as LCD-2.
> ...




The higher efficiency HE-6 will be released as the HE-6p. They do not sound the same from what I've heard with the HE-6 still being the Hifiman flagship.

3W into 50 ohms by the V200 should be good. I can confirm (and I guess the updated 6moons review) that the Lyr with 4W into 50 ohms is plenty of power.


----------



## fdhfdy

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The v200 is very good amp indeed. At that price I cant see anything better. It got sort of warm sound that makes me feel my zd se sounds more like solid state. It drives hd650/hd 800/D7000 at ease; 1/3 of the volume will do.
  Only one version for he6-so called golden coil version. He6ps are different story, it is much easier to drive, maybe as easy as lcd2. Head direct renamed he6es as HE500s. According to fang, He6s are still better, on the other hand he500s are much easier to drive.


----------



## Loevhagen

Sitting here and listen to the HD800 on the V200. The V200 make Leonard Cohen´s voice justice (Ten New Songs album) on the HD800. The V200 isn´t a lot of bling, but the sound / synergy with HD800; it´s just so good it´s a keeper. 
   
  DAC used is Hegel HD10 (XLR to V200).


----------



## project86

I think what Fried may have been referring to is the fact that there was an original HE-6 prototype floating about being tried by various reviewers, and it was truly a beast to power. The actual production version HE-6 is difficult but less so. The new HE-500 (formerly HE-6p) is yet another iteration, and supposedly MUCH easier still to drive.
   
  So when you look up HE-6 amping ifo, it is hard to tell which one is being discussed.


----------



## Duckman

Received my V200 this afternoon, coincidentally.
   
  Excellent review!


----------



## project86

Quote: 





fdhfdy said:


> The v200 is very good amp indeed. At that price I cant see anything better. It got sort of warm sound that makes me feel *my zd se *sounds more like solid state. It drives hd650/hd 800/D7000 at ease; 1/3 of the volume will do.


 

 So you've got an Eddie Current Zana Deux as well as a Violectric V200? Because that's one interesting thing I've noticed: Many people who own and love the Violectric stuff seem to also have at least one other high end amp already. I think that speaks strongly for Violectric, since it isn't just new people who say something like "I love this amp! Best amp I've ever heard! Prior to this I've only owned a Cmoy though."
   


  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Sitting here and listen to the HD800 on the V200. The V200 make Leonard Cohen´s voice justice (Ten New Songs album) on the HD800. The V200 isn´t a lot of bling, but the sound / synergy with HD800; it´s just so good it´s a keeper.
> 
> DAC used is Hegel HD10 (XLR to V200).


 


  Beautiful picture, as usual. 


  Quote: 





duckman said:


> Received my V200 this afternoon, coincidentally.
> 
> Excellent review!


 


  Nice! How do you like it so far?


----------



## Loevhagen

And is Mr. Duckman happy / satisfied with how the V200 portrays the music? A little bit more context would be highly appreciated. 
  
  Quote: 





duckman said:


> Received my V200 this afternoon, coincidentally.
> 
> Excellent review!


 

 @ "Beautiful picture, as usual.": Thanks.


----------



## fdhfdy

Quote: 





project86 said:


> So you've got an Eddie Current Zana Deux as well as a Violectric V200? Because that's one interesting thing I've noticed: Many people who own and love the Violectric stuff seem to also have at least one other high end amp already. I think that speaks strongly for Violectric, since it isn't just new people who say something like "I love this amp! Best amp I've ever heard! Prior to this I've only owned a Cmoy though."


 

  
  Yes, I have both of them. I listened to zdse most of time before the arrival of v200. Now i am gonna stick with v200 for a while. Again, very nice sounding amp. Regardless what amp people own this one is gonna amaze them.


----------



## oqvist

Quote: 





fdhfdy said:


> Yes, I have both of them. I listened to zdse most of time before the arrival of v200. Now i am gonna stick with v200 for a while. Again, very nice sounding amp. Regardless what amp people own this one is gonna amaze them.


 

 No lol.


----------



## K_19

Thanks for this great review! 
   
  I'm currently on the market for a solid state amp that can effectively power both my HD800's and the LCD-2's, with my source being the Stello DA100 (slightly on warmer side of neutral from what I hear). Would you say V200 is likely the best SS amp choice inside my $1500 budget to amp both of those headphones? Any other competitors that I should be looking at (again, SS preferably, as I already have a tube amp).


----------



## Duckman

Ha!
   
  Have only listened for a few hours, but yes, so far I'm very happy with it. Works excellently with the LCD2.
   
  Difficult to compare to previous amps (B22SE, Leben CS300XS and Lyr), because my audio memory is useless, and I haven't had them side by side. But at this early stage and with my upstream equipment (Metric Halo ULN2), I think the V200 is probably the most suitable LCD2 amp I've had (to my ears, naturally . There would be tradeoffs of course, some amps being better in certain areas.
   
  I'm getting a new DAC soon (Anedio D1), so hopefully that will take things to the next level.
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> And is Mr. Duckman happy / satisfied with how the V200 portrays the music? A little bit more context would be highly appreciated.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





oqvist said:


> No lol.


 


  It is only fair to point out that this poster apparently tried the V200 and was not blown away by it. He prefers his Goldpoint and Trafomatic amps, both of which are also well regarded. We all have different ears and experiences, and of course no single amp works for every person, so I have no problem with his opinion. There are multiple happy Violectric users in this thread so we were bound to have at least one person with a dissenting opinion. 


  Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Thanks for this great review!
> 
> I'm currently on the market for a solid state amp that can effectively power both my HD800's and the LCD-2's, with my source being the Stello DA100 (slightly on warmer side of neutral from what I hear). Would you say V200 is likely the best SS amp choice inside my $1500 budget to amp both of those headphones? Any other competitors that I should be looking at (again, SS preferably, as I already have a tube amp).


 


  That's what I would choose. I've owned or extensively auditioned multiple competitors like the Meier Concerto, Burson HA-160, Musical Fidelity M1-HPA, SPL Auditor, HeadAmp GS-1, and more. All had their fine points and I consider all of them to be very good amps in general, but given a choice I'd choose the Violectric V200. Obviously not everyone would make the same choice, see the post above.... I tried my best in the original post to lay out my reasoning.


  Quote: 





duckman said:


> Ha!
> 
> Have only listened for a few hours, but yes, so far I'm very happy with it. Works excellently with the LCD2.
> 
> ...


 

 I don't have the LCD-2 in the chain, but I can say that the Anedio D1/Violectric V200 combo is superb. That was the combo that made me stop fussing over balanced operation and just enjoy the music.


----------



## jr41

Thanks for two great reviews, I read them both back-to-back. I've always been interested in the Violectric amps since they were launched, but initially information about them was scarce. I'm not sure why this was; on paper they look like great performers and as you point out, they have the German pedigree. I see they've been getting a bit more attention recently, but I think your excellent reviews will really help to get the ball rolling.
   
  I remember reading your Matrix M-Stage review too. You have a nice style with a good balance - I like your inclusion of some of the more technical details fundamental to amp performance, but you don't go overboard with it.
   
  I would love to try the V200 some day, I bet it's a premium choice well suited to demanding headphones.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





jr41 said:


> Thanks for two great reviews, I read them both back-to-back. I've always been interested in the Violectric amps since they were launched, but initially information about them was scarce. I'm not sure why this was; on paper they look like great performers and as you point out, they have the German pedigree. I see they've been getting a bit more attention recently, but I think your excellent reviews will really help to get the ball rolling.
> 
> I remember reading your Matrix M-Stage review too. You have a nice style with a good balance - I like your inclusion of some of the more technical details fundamental to amp performance, but you don't go overboard with it.
> 
> I would love to try the V200 some day, I bet it's a premium choice well suited to demanding headphones.


 

 I felt the same way about your reviews of the two amps.  Recently I read a review of the Lyr on 6 moons and thought it was completely useless.  When the review finished I still had no idea how the Lyr sounds and performs.  Not so with your reviews.  I wish I had the patience to do reviews but alas I am way too lazy and I get caught up in the music too quickly to stay on track.


----------



## fdhfdy

To me its way much better than burson hd160. My v200 and hd 800 set up.


----------



## project86

Looking good. That's an interesting headphone stand!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Does anyone know if aphroditecu29.com is a legit seller of Violectric V200 Amps?   Are they authorized to sell Violectric amps?
   
  http://aphroditecu29.com/


----------



## Vitor Teixeira

warriorant said:


> Does anyone know if aphroditecu29.com is a legit seller of Violectric V200 Amps?   Are they authorized to sell Violectric amps?
> 
> http://aphroditecu29.com/




I don't know for experience, but Dannybuoy bought is V181 from them, maybe you should ask him


----------



## fdg

Robert Gleb from AphroditeCU29 is authorized dealer for Violectric.
 He is doing a very good job what is apreciated by many of his customers.
   
  Greetz

 Fried


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





fdg said:


> Robert Gleb from AphroditeCU29 is authorized dealer for Violectric.
> He is doing a very good job what is apreciated by many of his customers.
> 
> Greetz
> ...


 
  Excellent!


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I felt the same way about your reviews of the two amps.  Recently I read a review of the Lyr on 6 moons and thought it was completely useless.  When the review finished I still had no idea how the Lyr sounds and performs.  Not so with your reviews.  I wish I had the patience to do reviews but alas I am way too lazy and I get caught up in the music too quickly to stay on track.


 

 I agree. One of the better reviews that I've read here at Head-fi!


----------



## songlove

Thank you for posing this good review, I will consider it with my LCD-2.


----------



## Duckman

I'm really loving the V200/Anedio D1 combo with my LCD2.
   
  Added a Squeezebox Touch last night. Not sure if that made much difference, maybe just a bit; however the sum of the parts is superb.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Can't wait to get my V200


----------



## project86

Quote: 





duckman said:


> I'm really loving the V200/Anedio D1 combo with my LCD2.
> 
> Added a Squeezebox Touch last night. Not sure if that made much difference, maybe just a bit; however the sum of the parts is superb.


 


 Our systems are getting closer and closer.... I just need an LCD-2 and we will be set! As I type this, I'm listening to Diana Krall's Quiet Nights album (24-bit/96kHz) through the Squeezebox Touch, Anedio D1, Violectric V200, Audio Technica W1000 combo. Just sounds super seductive and smooth, despite these W1000 not being the best all around performers for all music. But with the right type (which this album is) it sounds spectacular. A lot of the credit goes to the V200 for controlling the big AT driver so well.


----------



## wind016

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Our systems are getting closer and closer.... I just need an LCD-2 and we will be set! As I type this, I'm listening to Diana Krall's Quiet Nights album (24-bit/96kHz) through the Squeezebox Touch, Anedio D1, Violectric V200, Audio Technica W1000 combo. Just sounds super seductive and smooth, despite these W1000 not being the best all around performers for all music. But with the right type (which this album is) it sounds spectacular. A lot of the credit goes to the V200 for controlling the big AT driver so well.


 

 This comment just made the Violectric V200 more interesting for me.


----------



## Duckman

Well, if I had your headphone collection, I might not have the 2s either 
   
  I'm experiencing the occasional drop-out with the Squeezebox, where the music stops momentarily for a second or two. Actually I'm not sure if it's the Squeezebox or the Anedio, as I think it may have happened occasionally beforehand. It doesn't bother me much as it seems pretty rare.
   
  I wonder if you've had any similar experiences?
   
  Currently listening to the Two Towers soundtrack. Stunning.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I'm keeping my fingers crossed, I'm getting closer, and I'll know tomorrow for sure how close I am...


----------



## Permagrin

duckman said:


> Well, if I had your headphone collection, I might not have the 2s either
> 
> I'm experiencing the occasional drop-out with the Squeezebox, where the music stops momentarily for a second or two. Actually I'm not sure if it's the Squeezebox or the Anedio, as I think it may have happened occasionally beforehand. It doesn't bother me much as it seems pretty rare.
> 
> ...




I assume you have the Anedio on a relatively vibrationless surface. I bumped once by accident and it cut out just as you said.


----------



## Loevhagen

After having the V200 in play for almost everyday the last 7 weeks, it was time to benchmark it towards the Burson HA-160D, which I have loved before. A selection of choices:


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> After having the V200 in play for almost everyday the last 7 weeks, it was time to benchmark it towards the Burson HA-160D, which I have loved before. A selection of choices:


 

 Are you going to post your thoughts comparing the two amps?  Which one do you prefer with the LCD's?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





duckman said:


> I'm experiencing the occasional drop-out with the Squeezebox, where the music stops momentarily for a second or two. Actually I'm not sure if it's the Squeezebox or the Anedio, as I think it may have happened occasionally beforehand. It doesn't bother me much as it seems pretty rare.
> 
> I wonder if you've had any similar experiences?
> 
> Currently listening to the Two Towers soundtrack. Stunning.


 


 My Squeezebox does that sometimes too, no matter what DAC is used. Usually with high res tracks but even with 16/44 once in a while. Seems to be totally random, as the signal strength isn't changing. Some people even have the issue when connected directly via ethernet, or even when playing directly off an SD card or hard drive.
   
  I've read about the problem and people had some possible solutions but it involved a lot more work than I was willing to do at the time. If it happened more often I might look into it though.


----------



## Loevhagen

Yes, I will. I borrowed a 160D for 1+ week and used inter alia the HD800 on the Burson. The LCD-2 arrived after i returned the 160D. Now, that I have all 4 in the house, the LCD-2 + 160D is the combo I have less milage with since my new Burson arrived yesterday.
   
  Will revert with impressions in a couple of days. The V200 + HD800 / LCD-2 I know very well, so I´m focusing on the Burson with both cans just now.
   
  But what I can say now already, and not including Burson in that statement, is that you can not go wrong with the LCD-2 on the V200.  I use a Hegel DAC XLR´d to the V200.
   
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Are you going to post your thoughts comparing the two amps?  Which one do you prefer with the LCD's?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> My Squeezebox does that sometimes too, no matter what DAC is used. Usually with high res tracks but even with 16/44 once in a while. Seems to be totally random, as the signal strength isn't changing. Some people even have the issue when connected directly via ethernet, or even when playing directly off an SD card or hard drive.
> 
> I've read about the problem and people had some possible solutions but it involved a lot more work than I was willing to do at the time. If it happened more often I might look into it though.


 
  I'm totally ignorant as to what the squeezebox is and does but from the look of things I'm going to have to learn up on it soon.


----------



## Loevhagen

@ WarriorAnt: Give me a couple of songs _you_ use as demo tracks / passages, and I´ll try to elaborate on the differences the V200 and the 160D convey to the LCD-2s.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> @ WarriorAnt: Give me a couple of songs _you_ use as demo tracks / passages, and I´ll try to elaborate on the differences the V200 and the 160D convey to the LCD-2s.


 

 .


----------



## Loevhagen

Thanks. Downloaded and played once just out of curiosity. Exciting stuff.  Now its 01:00AM at my place so I´ll take on some listening tomorrow.


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Does anyone know if aphroditecu29.com is a legit seller of Violectric V200 Amps?   Are they authorized to sell Violectric amps?
> 
> http://aphroditecu29.com/


 

 That's where i got mine last summer, Robert's great.  
   
  Thanks for the review.
   
  I own a Zana Deux as well.   Someone stated earlier about owners of other high end amps.  I use the V200 0n low impedance cans and if i want a short listen and not warm the tubes just to turn them off.  Pairs well with the HD800s too.  Not at the Zana's level but warm and sweet anyway, and just a bit over a third the price.


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I own a Zana Deux as well.   Someone stated earlier about owners of other high end amps.  I use the V200 0n low impedance cans and if i want a short listen and not warm the tubes just to turn them off.  Pairs well with the HD800s too.  Not at the Zana's level but warm and sweet anyway, and just a bit over a third the price.


 

 I'm using it with the HD800 as well and agree that it pairs well, luckily i didnt judge the HD800 too much at the store since it was on a Creek amp not to mention it was loud in that place.


----------



## fdhfdy

Any noticeable differences when feeding v200 with balanced source?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





fdhfdy said:


> Any noticeable differences when feeding v200 with balanced source?


 


 I only notice a difference with certain DACs, and I suspect it is because of the DAC rather than the V200. Like the Audio GD Reference 7 seems slighly better using balanced mode, but other DACs sound the same either way. It's still very convenient to have those XLR inputs though.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I plan to use the balanced outs of the DAC-2 into balanced in of the V200 then use the RCA outs into a speaker amp form when I'm not using cans.


----------



## dallan

I have heard others that it worked for but when i bought cords i noticed way worse SQ.  I couldn't believe it because i had heard it was better.  I could have described the problem at the time but can't remember now, it was almost a year ago.  I returned the cords after extensive testing.  I know another headfier who runs balanced in and rca out as well and he swears by it.  Maybe dac issue or cord issue, although i got high end XLR's to be sure.  So back on rca's in bliss.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I have heard others that it worked for but when i bought cords i noticed way worse SQ.  I couldn't believe it because i had heard it was better.  I could have described the problem at the time but can't remember now, it was almost a year ago.  I returned the cords after extensive testing.  I know another headfier who runs balanced in and rca out as well and he swears by it.  Maybe dac issue or cord issue, although i got high end XLR's to be sure.  So back on rca's in bliss.


 


  So you are saying you came out of your DAC Balanced outs and into the V200 Balanced in and noticed the sound quality was worse?   Worse out of the headphone jack or worse out of the RCA outs to an amp or both?


----------



## dallan

Worse out of the headphone jack while feeding balanced from a balanced dac feed.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I have heard others that it worked for but when i bought cords i noticed way worse SQ.  I couldn't believe it because i had heard it was better.  I could have described the problem at the time but can't remember now, it was almost a year ago.  I returned the cords after extensive testing.  I know another headfier who runs balanced in and rca out as well and he swears by it.  Maybe dac issue or cord issue, although i got high end XLR's to be sure.  So back on rca's in bliss.


 


  did you switch out a different DAC?


----------



## dallan

Only have one balanced.  It is supposed to have a very good balanced output.  Didn't work for me is all.  The difference was obvious.


----------



## Loevhagen

Maybe the output impedance from your DAC from the XLR is significantly higher than the RCA. What are the output impedances from these two outputs?

My experience is that a high ratio between the input impedance on the amplifier vs. the output impedance from the source / DAC is important for the dynamics in the sound.


----------



## sagittarius1273

Quote: 





duckman said:


> I'm really loving the V200/Anedio D1 combo with my LCD2.
> 
> Added a Squeezebox Touch last night. Not sure if that made much difference, maybe just a bit; however the sum of the parts is superb.


 
  Hello Duckman,
    Can you please give me an idea how much and what improvement you find using the V200 to drive the LCD-2 vs. using Anedio's D1 internal headphone amp? The reason I am asking is that after buying the Anedio D1, I have gradually come to prefer its internal amp to the Graham Slee Solo Green (first version) headphone amp  that I no longer use the GS amp (though the lower clarity of the GS helps make some material more tolerable). I see several people are happy using Violectric headphone amps with the LCD-2 and I am wondering whether their variable gain and discrete architecture will provide an improvement over the D1 internal amp particularly that with the LCD-2 and the D1, I usually have the volume between 41 and 47, which corresponds to 17db to 20db of digital attenuation.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Loevhagen how is the comparison coming along?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Project86,  I read the two reviews again. Even better the second time.    I'm torn now between how good the V200 is or if I should just save for a few more months and go for the Apex Peak/Volcano.   Damn.  
   
  Anyway I found this info about one of the groups you mentioned.  I guess Seven Seal was issued on CD in 1993.
   
*Matumbi - Seven Seals*

 Label: Toshiba-EMI
 Catalog#: VDBD-3
 Format: CD
 Country: Japan
 Original Released: 1978 (Harvest, SHSP 4090, UK)
 CD Released: 1993


 Personnel:

 Euton Fergus Jones - Congas, Percussion
 Jah Bunny Donaldson - Drums
 Eaton Jah Blake - Bass Guitar
 Webster Scratch Johnson - Keyboards
 Bevin Bagga Fagan - Lead Vocals
 Dennis Blackbeard Bovell - Lead Guitar
 Glaister Venn - Lead Vocals

 Produced by Matumbi


----------



## Duckman

Unfortunately I am LCD2-less for at least another week, and haven't done enough detailed comparison to give you a good answer.
   
  However, IMO the V200 certainly solidifies the LCD2 bass, giving more oomph and depth. I always felt confident that I was getting slightly better sound by using the more powerful amplifier.
   
  However, the D1 amp is certainly not far off, and if you're happy with it, will save you $1000! A friend of mine actually preferred the D1 amp with his LCD2.

  


> Hello Duckman,
> Can you please give me an idea how much and what improvement you find using the V200 to drive the LCD-2 vs. using Anedio's D1 internal headphone amp? The reason I am asking is that after buying the Anedio D1, I have gradually come to prefer its internal amp to the Graham Slee Solo Green (first version) headphone amp  that I no longer use the GS amp (though the lower clarity of the GS helps make some material more tolerable). I see several people are happy using Violectric headphone amps with the LCD-2 and I am wondering whether their variable gain and discrete architecture will provide an improvement over the D1 internal amp particularly that with the LCD-2 and the D1, I usually have the volume between 41 and 47, which corresponds to 17db to 20db of digital attenuation.


----------



## Duckman

WarriorAnt,
   
  You probably know already of the TTVJ 30-day return policy on the P/V? Might be incentive to give it a go.
   
  DD


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





duckman said:


> WarriorAnt,
> 
> You probably know already of the TTVJ 30-day return policy on the P/V? Might be incentive to give it a go.
> 
> ...


----------



## Permagrin

duckman said:


> Unfortunately I am LCD2-less for at least another week, and haven't done enough detailed comparison to give you a good answer.
> 
> However, IMO the V200 certainly solidifies the LCD2 bass, giving more oomph and depth. I always felt confident that I was getting slightly better sound by using the more powerful amplifier.
> 
> However, the D1 amp is certainly not far off, and if you're happy with it, will save you $1000! A friend of mine actually preferred the D1 amp with his LCD2.




Hmm, I really haven't properly A/B'ed it yet but I don't feel the headphone out on the D1 is quite up to the task of driving the LCD-2s. Will do so later.


----------



## Loevhagen

I´m progressing. Switched from using the 160D as standalone one-box-solution on the LCD-2s, and hooked the Burson to the V200 as a DAC. Will revert in a couple of days, when initial impressions are "verified". 

  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Loevhagen how is the comparison coming along?


----------



## Loevhagen

Done. I´ll be brief. The differences are not miles apart, but I ended up using the 160D as a DAC and the V200 as headamp. Why? The V200 portrays the music in a bit more authoritative way. So, for now; that´s how the setup is. 
   
  I love the Burson for it´s aesthetics, all-in-one-box-package and the sound. It´s just that the V200, in my ears, is marginally better at the latter parameter.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Done. I´ll be brief. The differences are not miles apart, but I ended up using the 160D as a DAC and the V200 as headamp. Why? The V200 portrays the music in a bit more authoritative way. So, for now; that´s how the setup is.


 
   
  I know these questions are hard to answer but...
   
  which one has the best soundstage.  which one is more dimensional.  Which one had more inner detail.  And perhaps the hardest of all, which one is the most engaging amp?


----------



## Loevhagen

Those are indeed tough questions to answer, but I´ll try. What strikes me after some days now with the LCD-2 is that (using the high gain on the 160D):
   
  - The soundstage is perceived wider with the Burson. Maybe that is just because it is marginally tuned a bit "colder" in the sound compared to the V200. That is relatively speaking, not absolute. The 160D is now way near "clinical / cold"
   
  - The V200, I perceive to have it´s strength regarding the depth and layer in the music
   
  - If you play music a couple of hours with the V200, and switched to the 160D playing the same music, your reaction would be that "Hm. Did I hear those miner details in the music before?". Then you switch back to check and; yes, the details are all there
   
   - Engaging. Hm. I find that quite dependent on the DAC used. I have used the DAC in the 160D only these days, and there is something with that DAC-section that Burson has managed to do well. Now, that I have done the comparison for myself these days, I would have been happy with the 160D. Very happy. It´s just the simple fact that, having heard the V200 using the 160D´s DAC, the V200 is a bit more muscle. And that is engaging. Others might appreciate the 160D being a tad more "bright" than the V200. E.g. the LehmannAudio BCL is quite "bright" and on some music that is really engaging. I enjoyed the BCL for some weeks, and had it in direct comparison with the 160D. I chose the 160D as I hoped the sound was a bit more enduring than the BCL. I understand why the HD800 is demoed with the BCL. My sound preference in stereo is more in line with Klipsch RF-63 on Electrocompaniet / tube amps. I say that just for reference, so you know where I´m coming from.
   
  It is a bit strange, but the 160D runs pretty hot. It´s chassis is more that two times the size of the Violectric. The V200 stays lukewarm. Why? Haven´t got a clue. What I like with the V200 is the possibilities to adjust the gain dip switches to adjust it to practically any source. Regarding pricing in Europe (Norway), the V200 costs 70% of the 160D (cf. RRP).
   
  So, what if someone told me two sell one of these two? Difficult, to say the least. The V200 is flexible and "offers" you to match it with your own DAC. Using the 160D with another separate standalone DAC feels a bit unnecessary.
   
  Happy hunting, WarriorAnt. The LCD-2 sounds engaging on your uploaded demo track, both on the Burson and the Violectric.
   
  Disclaimer: My ears, my music, etc.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Thanks for the effort.   The V200 is still leading the pack for me with the Apex Peak/Volcano harassing my judgement.


----------



## Loevhagen

For those having K70x and looking for a capable amp, the V200 r-e-a-l-l-y OPEN these cans. The bass is OK, the stage opens up and details are presented with extreme nuances. I enjoy my K702 more than before after getting the V200. The K702 needs a tad colored DAC in from of the amp, as I find the K702 more "bright and aggressive" than the HD800. The V200 tames some of it.


----------



## K_19

Well, having received my tax return, I finally pulled the trigger on the V200 today! Got the version with the DAC in case I would need all-in-one option in the future, but I plan to run it mainly out of my Hiface-> DA100.
   
  Will do comparisons with my current amp, WA6SE.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Well, having received my tax return, I finally pulled the trigger on the V200 today! Got the version with the DAC in case I would need all-in-one option in the future, but I plan to run it mainly out of my Hiface-> DA100.
> 
> Will do comparisons with my current amp, WA6SE.


 

 A comparison to the WA6SE would be greatly appreciated.  When do you expect to receive the V200?


----------



## K_19

Well, I just ordered a few hours ago from aphroditecu29, and have yet to receive the shipping info... it's going to be an international shipment (since I'm across the border in Canada) so I'd assume it'd take at least a week or two. No rush though since I've got my trusty WA6SE here amping both my HD800 and LCD-2 quite well. I've been very happy with my 6SE for the past half year or so, but just wanted to try the V200 to get some SS amp fix (my current SS amp, Gilmore Lite, while an excellent amp is a bit lacking for both the HD800 and LCD-2).


----------



## MacedonianHero

k_19 said:


> Well, I just ordered a few hours ago from aphroditecu29, and have yet to receive the shipping info... it's going to be an international shipment (since I'm across the border in Canada) so I'd assume it'd take at least a week or two. No rush though since I've got my trusty WA6SE here amping both my HD800 and LCD-2 quite well. I've been very happy with my 6SE amping both of the headphones, but just wanted to try the V200 to get some SS amp fix.




If you're interested in a Toronto mini-meet, let me know. We could compare your V200 and WA6SE along with my WA2, Lyr and Concerto, could be really fun.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> If you're interested in a Toronto mini-meet, let me know. We could compare your V200 and WA6SE along with my WA2, Lyr and Concerto, could be really fun.


 

 Macedonia, what is your favorite amp with the LCD's so far?


----------



## MacedonianHero

warriorant said:


> Macedonia, what is your favorite amp with the LCD's so far?




In order:
Lyr
WA2
Concerto

But the fullest and most neutral sound is from the Lyr. Orthos really bloom with moar powah. My Pioneer Elite home theater receiver is great with both my LCD-2s and HE-6s.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





> warriorant said:
> 
> 
> > Macedonia, what is your favorite amp with the LCD's so far?
> ...


 

 Wow, the Lyr!  It will be really interesting to see your comments about the V200.


----------



## MacedonianHero

warriorant said:


> Wow, the Lyr!  It will be really interesting to see your comments about the V200.




I'd really like to hear the V200. My only reservation is that it has been described as a "darker" amp and thus it's great synergy with the HD800s. IMO, the LCD-2s wouldn't match ideally with a "darker" sounding amp.

Again, it might be fabulous, I haven't heard the pairing, just some thoughts....likely not even $0.02 worth.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Interesting I haven't seen it described as a dark amp.


----------



## dallan

double


----------



## dallan

Warm
   
  Ask Santacore, he has that pair.  I thought it sounded pretty good as far as LCD-2s go.   But then I have some other issues with the LCD-2s presentation.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Warm
> 
> Ask Santacore, he has that pair.  I thought it sounded pretty good as far as LCD-2s go.   But then I have some other issues with the LCD-2s presentation.


 

 I'm actually looking for an amp on the warm side.


----------



## Duckman

The V200 isn't dark with the LCD2.
   
  In fact, to my hearing it brings out the high frequency content very, very well, perhaps the best I've heard so far, and has superb detail and separation from top to bottom.
   
  Only my opinion though.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





duckman said:


> The V200 isn't dark with the LCD2.
> 
> In fact, to my hearing it brings out the high frequency content very, very well, perhaps the best I've heard so far, and has superb detail and separation from top to bottom.
> 
> Only my opinion though.


 

 I'm so close to getting the V200.  I'm just holding out because I'll only be getting one amp for my rig and I want to know if it has that magic to it.  That something that draws you into the music and makes you forget everything is plugged into the wall.  I don't really want to say the magic of tubes but something like the magic of tubes without saying that.


----------



## dallan

That's how it sounds to me.  Sounds more tubey than my tube amp.  Though it is not on as high a level as my tube amp, it costs one third and is better all around amp for all phones.  My tube amp is an OLT amp and good mainly for high impedance phones.  
   
  When i have checked the V200 against more analytical amps, even though it is warmer, it still has more detail than they do.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> That's how it sounds to me.  Sounds more tubey than my tube amp.  Though it is not on as high a level as my tube amp, it costs one third and is better all around amp for all phones.  My tube amp is an OLT amp and good mainly for high impedance phones.
> 
> When i have checked the V200 against more analytical amps, even though it is warmer, it still has more detail than they do.


 

 Thanks


----------



## dallan

You may thank me but your wallet is scowling.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> You may thank me but your wallet is scowling.


 


  Actually you may have helped my wallet.  It's waging a war within between the V200 and the Apex Peak/Volcano.


----------



## Loevhagen

Took a couple of photos today of my Violectric HPA V200.


----------



## MHinGA

Nice pictures... they should kick you a rebate and use them on their site. 
   
  As for wallets, the V200 comes in cheaper than almost all of the other amps competing for my dollar.


----------



## project86

Beautiful!
   
   
   
   
   
  By the way, WarriorAnt: Thanks for the heads up about the Matumbi album. Apparently it was a Japan only release so it will require some work tracking down, but I'm sure I can find it.


----------



## landgreen

I've had a V200 for about a month and love it with LCD-2s (Silver Dragon SE cable) and DLIII Dac. The other day I got a Lyr and have had just a bit of time to compare the two, using the stock tubes in the Lyr and obviously not really burned in. The V200 is a bit darker sounding in comparison but I don't think I'd call it dark. The resolution on both are fantastic with great detail. So far I think voices perhaps sound a bit more forward on the Lyr, if that makes sense. A little extra sizzle on cymbals on the Lyr but no greater detail than on the V200. Wonderful dynamics on both when listening to percussion. Both complement the bass capabilities of the LCD-2 very well. The whole spectrum from bass through mids to treble is very nicely presented on both. The slightly darker sound of the V200 is in no way like a veil over the music but, well, just darker. I'd obviously make a poor audio reviewer.
  I listen to lots of rock, blues, some jazzy stuff like Patricia Barber, older female vocalists like Maria Muldaur and love the LCD-2/V200 combination and in the less than 48 hours I've had the Lyr  I really like it with the LCD-2 as well. I have some Gold Lions and Amperex 7308s that I'll try in the Lyr if I can get the tubes out! With the music I like I may just enjoy both for a bit and see where that goes. For now I find with both the V200 and Lyr I can put the music on, sit back and enjoy.
  FWIW I got the V200 (with USB input) on Audiogon for $700 so was happy with that as you couldn't tell it from new.
  Don't know if this helps the thread but here it is anyway.
  Cheers


----------



## WarriorAnt

Landgreen, does that "dark" sensation make you feel like you want to lean into the music more to hear it?


----------



## landgreen

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Landgreen, does that "dark" sensation make you feel like you want to lean into the music more to hear it?


 

 No. (Not sure if I'm missing some humour and well intentioned sarcasm with the question) I'm trying to think of how best to describe this. As I said, I'd be a horrible audio reviewer. How about putting it in visual terms. It's like the same amount of detail and dynamics but one on a background of grey and one on a background of white. I could live happily  with either, even early in my Lyr discovery time. The difference is very subtle compared to listening to the same music on Lyr/LCD-2 or V200/LCD-2 and then on WA2/T1.
  The WA2/T1 synergy is very good in it's own way but to me lacks the power of the LCD-2s with Lyr or V200.
  I'm still pretty sure Stereophile won't be asking me to review or comment on........anything.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





landgreen said:


> No. (Not sure if I'm missing some humour and well intentioned sarcasm with the question) I'm trying to think of how best to describe this. As I said, I'd be a horrible audio reviewer. How about putting it in visual terms. It's like the same amount of detail and dynamics but one on a background of grey and one on a background of white. I could live happily  with either, even early in my Lyr discovery time. The difference is very subtle compared to listening to the same music on Lyr/LCD-2 or V200/LCD-2 and then on WA2/T1.
> The WA2/T1 synergy is very good in it's own way but to me lacks the power of the LCD-2s with Lyr or V200.
> I'm still pretty sure Stereophile won't be asking me to review or comment on........anything.


 
  Sorry! No humor or sarcasm was meant.   I've just found over the years that sometimes when people describe a darkness they don't always mean a lack of some type of high frequencies or a veil over the sound but sense that something might be missing somehow perhaps in inner detail or transparency so they always feels they need to lean just a little bit more towards the music to hear what they feel may be missing.  I'm more a speaker guy than a headphone guy so I may be using the wrong type of example because one can't lean into a headphone but you might feel like you are directing your ears or concentration in that manner, "leaning in" if you will to hear more.
  
  Also which amp is on the grey background and which one is on the white one?


----------



## landgreen

My really fantastic visual analogy was meant to have the V200 as the darker grey background and the Lyr as the white background.
  I fully understand the speaker vs headphone thing. I've enjoyed music and audio equipment for many years. In the distant past I had some pretty neat systems and then that went a bit by the wayside while happily raising and putting through university our 3 daughters. The Audio Research and McIntosh and Linn and  Magnepans went away in trade for more family oriented home theatre stuff. Now I go to my favourite audio shop and see that what I want in a speaker system is quite expensive. I've always enjoyed plunking down on the couch with my trusty old AKG240s and discovered this forum and thought a more cost effective way to go now would be the headphone route. Bought the T1s, DLIII and WA2 and that was impressive but kept hearing about the tremendous bass and presence of the LCD-2. Bought them, they didn't work well with my WA2 (even though others have had good success) so I bought the V200 and Lyr and here I am making a buffoon out of myself trying to describe what I'm hearing. I do really like the LCD-2s with either amp.
  Cheers


----------



## WarriorAnt

Every description is helpful for me at least.


----------



## landgreen

WarriorAnt
  Since we're talking speaker systems, perhaps this might be helpful. About 6 months ago when I was researching speakers and amps, I heard a Krell/B&W802 system that really just sounded right in so many ways. Loads of detail, major dynamics and impact, big soundstage and lots of well controlled bass were what I most remember, in addition to the price. The LCD-2s with either the Lyr or V200 have the detail, dynamics and impact and lots of well controlled bass. The whole soundstage thing is obviously more limited and different but in no way do I sit and pine away for the difference that an expensive speaker system would make. I have a nice sense of space and enjoy a wonderfully visceral listening experience with this headphone setup. For about 10% of the cost of the Krell/B&W system, this is a great way to enjoy music, which I suppose is what this is all about.
  Now if the right numbers show up on 649 tonight I'll be down at Audio One on Monday checking out the Krell/B&W stuff to enjoy as well.
  Regards


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





landgreen said:


> WarriorAnt
> Since we're talking speaker systems, perhaps this might be helpful. About 6 months ago when I was researching speakers and amps, I heard a Krell/B&W802 system that really just sounded right in so many ways. Loads of detail, major dynamics and impact, big soundstage and lots of well controlled bass were what I most remember, in addition to the price. The LCD-2s with either the Lyr or V200 have the detail, dynamics and impact and lots of well controlled bass. The whole soundstage thing is obviously more limited and different but in no way do I sit and pine away for the difference that an expensive speaker system would make. I have a nice sense of space and enjoy a wonderfully visceral listening experience with this headphone setup. For about 10% of the cost of the Krell/B&W system, this is a great way to enjoy music, which I suppose is what this is all about.
> Now if the right numbers show up on 649 tonight I'll be down at Audio One on Monday checking out the Krell/B&W stuff to enjoy as well.
> Regards


 
  The only solid states amps I've ever owned were Krells.  I was insane enough to go through 4 of them. My last one a Krell KSA 150 was sold about two months ago now. I could have stopped at my first Krell long ago and all would have been right with the world, but no I had to move on and on and on.  It's much cheaper to get the bug in the headphone realm.


----------



## MacedonianHero

warriorant said:


> Actually you may have helped my wallet.  It's waging a war within between the V200 and the Apex Peak/Volcano.




Between the two, the V200 would be better suited for the LCD-2s IMO as it would put 2.7W into 50 ohms. The Peak/Volcano is about 750mW into 50ohms. Othos love moar powah!

As Landgreen mentioned, the Lyr is a great match for the LCD-2s....and works very well with the HE-6s. It puts 4 W into 50 ohms.


----------



## baritone

and works very well with the HE-6s. It puts 4 W into 50 ohms. 
   
  wow !!
  it seems you almost need a pair of monoblocks to drive those beauties
  putting the ears with 4 wats is really insane !
  it seems to me that  4w will return the hearing of a deaf person


----------



## WarriorAnt

Hmm Mono Blocks.  don't temp me!


----------



## Loevhagen

The Sennheiser HD800s on the Violectric V200 is also a good match. IMHO. A picture taken this weekend:


----------



## Loevhagen

Just for fun / appreciating my V200 and project86´s review, the following composition was assembled today using own picture. 
   
  Sorry for spaming this thread with pictures. Now I´m done.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> The Sennheiser HD800s on the Violectric V200 is also a good match. IMHO. A picture taken this weekend:


 

 Nice!


----------



## project86

There's no such thing as "spamming" when it comes to posting pictures - especially good ones like yours! The more the better.


----------



## milosolo

If and when I upgrade to the LCD2 the Violectric is on my short list of amps. It's nice to see it receive so many positive comments when paired with the LCD2. I'm waiting to see what replaces the Meier Symphony as these are the two amps that are on my short list. In the meantime I continue to be really, really impressed by my LP240/Mav D1/HD650 combo as they burn in.


----------



## Subsequence

Have to say this amp pairs nicely with the T1 from what i hear so far, just got them though so they need some more burn in before i can really pass judgement. While i also liked the HD800 it ended up being fatigueing to my ears.


----------



## K_19

It's finally arrived and I've opened it up and listening to it right now with my HD800! (through its USB receiver for now, as I also wanted to try out the DAC included).
   
  I probably won't do any reviews and comparisons until I'm fully familiar with it with variety of sources and headphones, etc, but first 1 hour impression of it even through its run of the mill USB DAC is very positive


----------



## Loevhagen

I´ve used the V200 quite much with the LCD-2, and the match is superb.


----------



## K_19

I'll just say one thing for now and that is I'm astonished by how smooth this thing is.  Not a hint of harshness. Zilch.  Not even with the HD800.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> It's finally arrived and I've opened it up and listening to it right now with my HD800! (through its USB receiver for now, as I also wanted to try out the DAC included).
> 
> I probably won't do any reviews and comparisons until I'm fully familiar with it with variety of sources and headphones, etc, but first 1 hour impression of it even through its run of the mill USB DAC is very positive


 

 Quote:


k_19 said:


> I'll just say one thing for now and that is I'm astonished by how smooth this thing is.  Not a hint of harshness. Zilch.  Not even with the HD800.


 

  
  Sorry if you mentioned it already - did you get the 16/48 or the 24/96 USB option?
   
  And yes, that smooth sound is something I really love about it. It might not have absolutely in your face highs that give the impression of extreme detail, but I prefer it the way it is. I could listen all day and not have fatigue yet I don't feel like anything is missing either. Very well done.


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> Sorry if you mentioned it already - did you get the 16/48 or the 24/96 USB option?
> ...


 

 My USB DAC included is the 16/48 version. I only got it in case I need a transportable DAC/amp combo option or in emergency situations in which my main DAC, Stello DA100 goes bad. Under normal circumstances I'm expecting to use it much at all, but its USB DAC seems more or less on par with the Stello USB input (which again, isn't anything special).
   
  Just a question; did you find the need to play around with the pre gain switches? I find everything works out fine at 0db, but I've been told that I could turn it down a notch by -6db if I want more control of the volume control. More I'm close to max volume more the less potential to bleed power, apparently. This pre-gain stuff doesn't wouldn't have any effect on the sound quality regardless, right?


----------



## WarriorAnt

.


----------



## Permagrin

k_19 said:


> My USB DAC included is the 16/48 version. I only got it in case I need a transportable DAC/amp combo option or in emergency situations in which my main DAC, Stello DA100 goes bad. Under normal circumstances I'm expecting to use it much at all, but its USB DAC seems more or less on par with the Stello USB input (which again, isn't anything special).
> 
> Just a question; did you find the need to play around with the pre gain switches? I find everything works out fine at 0db, but I've been told that I could turn it down a notch by -6db if I want more control of the volume control. More I'm close to max volume more the less potential to bleed power, apparently. This pre-gain stuff doesn't wouldn't have any effect on the sound quality regardless, right?




From what I've read the pre-gain switches are for matching gear earlier in the chain. Certain outputs are not output at 0 dB so you could then possibly closer match that source. For example the Antelope DACs have different gains for each output, XLR, RCA, etc.


----------



## K_19

Alright, I'm having some slight problems with well... not the amp itself, but the built-in DAC that came with the V200. Through my Macbook Air Bootcamp Win 7 -> Foobar2000, there seems to be a static ticking noise every time I switch tracks... not a huge issue as it's not part of my main rig, but as it's a part that I paid for I'd like to have it work properly. What could be the issue here you think? My Macbook air is Core 2 Duo 1.6 and with 4GBs of ram, so I doubt this is a hardware issue... possibly a driver issue? I've contacted Robert at Aphrodite already to see what he has to say, but I was wondering if any of you might know what's going on here...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Alright, I'm having some slight problems with well... not the amp itself, but the built-in DAC that came with the V200. Through my Macbook Air Bootcamp Win 7 -> Foobar2000, there seems to be a static ticking noise every time I switch tracks... not a huge issue as it's not part of my main rig, but as it's a part that I paid for I'd like to have it work properly. What could be the issue here you think? My Macbook air is Core 2 Duo 1.6 and with 4GBs of ram, so I doubt this is a hardware issue... possibly a driver issue? I've contacted Robert at Aphrodite already to see what he has to say, but I was wondering if any of you might know what's going on here...


 
  You could also email Freid at Violectric, he's cool about answering stuff.


----------



## MHinGA

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Alright, I'm having some slight problems with well... not the amp itself, but the built-in DAC that came with the V200. Through my Macbook Air Bootcamp Win 7 -> Foobar2000, there seems to be a static ticking noise every time I switch tracks... not a huge issue as it's not part of my main rig, but as it's a part that I paid for I'd like to have it work properly. What could be the issue here you think? My Macbook air is Core 2 Duo 1.6 and with 4GBs of ram, so I doubt this is a hardware issue... possibly a driver issue? I've contacted Robert at Aphrodite already to see what he has to say, but I was wondering if any of you might know what's going on here...


 

 Is the "ticking" noise a single tick when you "switch tracks" or does it continue throughout playback of the new track? Does the noise seem to be in the signal stream, or mechanical (i.e. a click from within your V200)? I ask these questions because I seem to recall a similar issue with regard to the Burson HA-160D (or perhaps another product by another maker, so don't hold my 53-year-old brain to this recollection) and I think the issue was explained as a mechanical click or tick associated with different bit rates between tracks.


----------



## project86

I've been going on the assumption that the integrated USB options, although nothing amazingly special, are probably roughly in line with the HRT Music Streamer products. From your description it sounds like I was more or less correct. That's good to know. 
   
  I've basically been leaving the pre-gain alone at 0dB. That seems to match perfectly with my Anedio D1 which is 2V from the RCA outs. I have lowered it when testing other DACs or CD players and it was helpful for getting the volume control to work in a good range. I would just leave it alone for now unless you find yourself constantly at the lowest or highest ends of the volume knob. 
   
  For your USB issue: I'm no Mac expert...  Can you try different output modes in Foobar? Like WASAPI or Kernel Streaming? Does it happen after every track or just sometimes? Specifically, does it happen even when the tracks being played are all the same, like 16-bit/44.1kHz? Because I know some DACs make noises when switching modes from 16/44 to 24/96 or some other sample rate. Do you have access to another computer for testing? Maybe have a friend come by with a laptop or netbook, and see if you can reproduce the issue.


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





mhinga said:


> Is the "ticking" noise a single tick when you "switch tracks" or does it continue throughout playback of the new track? Does the noise seem to be in the signal stream, or mechanical (i.e. a click from within your V200)? I ask these questions because I seem to recall a similar issue with regard to the Burson HA-160D (or perhaps another product by another maker, so don't hold my 53-year-old brain to this recollection) and I think the issue was explained as a mechanical click or tick associated with different bit rates between tracks.


 


  It's a single tick issue when I switch the tracks. Right before the next track starts I hear a static tick, always from the left side of my headphones.


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I've been going on the assumption that the integrated USB options, although nothing amazingly special, are probably roughly in line with the HRT Music Streamer products. From your description it sounds like I was more or less correct. That's good to know.
> 
> I've basically been leaving the pre-gain alone at 0dB. That seems to match perfectly with my Anedio D1 which is 2V from the RCA outs. I have lowered it when testing other DACs or CD players and it was helpful for getting the volume control to work in a good range. I would just leave it alone for now unless you find yourself constantly at the lowest or highest ends of the volume knob.
> 
> For your USB issue: I'm no Mac expert...  Can you try different output modes in Foobar? Like WASAPI or Kernel Streaming? Does it happen after every track or just sometimes? Specifically, does it happen even when the tracks being played are all the same, like 16-bit/44.1kHz? Because I know some DACs make noises when switching modes from 16/44 to 24/96 or some other sample rate. Do you have access to another computer for testing? Maybe have a friend come by with a laptop or netbook, and see if you can reproduce the issue.


 
   
  Yup. I would say the USB option is solid to have as a backup or as a all-in-one transportable option. With that said my Hiface -> DA100 is obviously miles better, of course. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I've tried all different modes in Foobar. WASAPI, KS, ASIO, DS. It seems to happen on every track regardless of their sampling rate (this is something I checked first as I've had this trouble with my Hiface before). I do have another computer I plan to test on and will likely do that later in the day and report back.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Yup. I would say the USB option is solid to have as a backup or as a all-in-one transportable option. With that said my Hiface -> DA100 is obviously miles better, of course.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Sounds good, let us know what you discover. I'm sure Fried from Violectric an/or Robert from Aphrodite will be able to help if it comes to that.


----------



## baritone

it happen to me some time ago that i also hear sporadic and ramdom  clicl noises (foobar w 7 v800) and I found that  when the laptop was connected to the wifi
  produced this kind of noises
  I week ago I exchange for a couple of day my v800 and my fried give his hrt 2+  streamer ' the quality  was very low compared to the v800 bu what I was really disgusted is that very ramdom whithot touching any setting  I hear a loud (very loud) white noise burst that  caused me to jump ! of my chair anyway in a couple of days my dac will return and  i will return to listen to my music calm without any hesitation


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Alright, I'm having some slight problems with well... not the amp itself, but the built-in DAC that came with the V200. Through my Macbook Air Bootcamp Win 7 -> Foobar2000, there seems to be a static ticking noise every time I switch tracks... not a huge issue as it's not part of my main rig, but as it's a part that I paid for I'd like to have it work properly. What could be the issue here you think? My Macbook air is Core 2 Duo 1.6 and with 4GBs of ram, so I doubt this is a hardware issue... possibly a driver issue? I've contacted Robert at Aphrodite already to see what he has to say, but I was wondering if any of you might know what's going on here...


 


  Just curious if you've tried any of the Mac native players and if so do the tracks still click?


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Just curious if you've tried any of the Mac native players and if so do the tracks still click?


 


  I do plan to try that out as well through iTunes and Decibel on OSX. I'll let you all know how it goes.


----------



## K_19

Just tried it through the OSX with both Decibel and iTunes. The ticking remains everytime I switch tracks...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> I do plan to try that out as well through iTunes and Decibel on OSX. I'll let you all know how it goes.


 

 Do you have Audirvana?  Not bad for free.  http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Audio/Audirvana.shtml
   
  How is the amp sounding overall?


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Do you have Audirvana?  Not bad for free.  http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Audio/Audirvana.shtml
> 
> How is the amp sounding overall?


 
   
  I didn't want to say much about the amp itself until I get more familiar with it, but I can say right now that I'm not regretting my choice one bit!  Listened to my LCD-2's for 3 hours last night on it, and with my HD800 for an additional two (double my usual listening time with these headphones daily!), with zero fatigue yet with all the enjoyment. I can say that Project86's review of the amp seems pretty much dead on at this point.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> I didn't want to say much about the amp itself until I get more familiar with it, but I can say right now that I'm not regretting my choice one bit!  Listened to my LCD-2's for 3 hours last night on it, and with my HD800 for an additional two (double my usual listening time with these headphones daily!), with zero fatigue yet with all the enjoyment. I can say that Project86's review of the amp seems pretty much dead on at this point.


 

 Nice!   I'm still on the fence but the wind is blowing hard!


----------



## project86

K_19: I'm glad you are enjoying the amp aspect of it. Rest assured that if we can't figure out a fix for the DAC, Violectric will take care of you.
   
  Just FYI: during my various email exchanges with Fried, I don't recall him answering over the weekend. But on weekdays he is usually very prompt and helpful. So if you don't hear from him today or tomorrow it's probably because he is not at work.


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





project86 said:


> K_19: I'm glad you are enjoying the amp aspect of it. Rest assured that if we can't figure out a fix for the DAC, Violectric will take care of you.
> 
> Just FYI: during my various email exchanges with Fried, I don't recall him answering over the weekend. But on weekdays he is usually very prompt and helpful. So if you don't hear from him today or tomorrow it's probably because he is not at work.


 

 Thanks. I'll keep that in mind for sure.
   
  Here's what Robert at Aphrodite had to say:
   
_[size=10pt]Hi there,

 Which version of Foobar are you using?
 I have noticed the clicking with certain equipment myself. Try setting the buffer to 200ms or even 100ms.

 Also, under Foobar - preferences/advanced/playback... try setting the Full file buffering up to 500,000,000 (default is 0)
 Some people do not like the full file buffering because if your system is slow you will have a slight pause in between tracks while each song is loaded into memory. Me personally, I prefer full file buffering because to me I get better song quality when each song is fully load into memory rather than having the hard drive continuously sending the file during playback. I think it is also much less stressful on the hard drive and also uses less power which is important for battery life on a laptop.

 You could contact Violectric @ info@lake-people.de
 In my opinion though, it is a Foobar issue and not a Violectric issue.[/size]_
   
   
  Not sure whether it's a foobar only issue as it also does this with native mac players as well, but I'll try to fiddle around with buffering options and see if that makes any difference.
   
  I'll also contact Fried on Monday and see what he has to say.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I did it finally.  I sent payment for the V200.  Count me in.  The V200 will complete my rig.  Wyred4Sound DAC-2>V200>LCD-2.


----------



## dallan

Congratulations!


----------



## Loevhagen

Hope you like it. Congratulations from me as well. You sure took your time.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Hope you like it. Congratulations from me as well. You sure took your time.


 


  It was the hardest decision to make.  I took a really hard look at a lot of tubes but yesterday I was in the Woo forum and suddenly people started talking about how some of their power tubes had just blown out and all that and I realized you really have to have the love to do all that.  I don't want to be listening to music and think what if I rolled in this tube or that.  I did all that years ago and it became a distraction for me.  Everyone here was very helpful in my decision including a few people who PM'ed me about the really nice tube gear they owned and sold in favor of the V200.  Everyones impressions on the V200 were much appreciated and Project86's review was golden.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I did it finally.  I sent payment for the V200.  Count me in.  The V200 will complete my rig.  Wyred4Sound DAC-2>V200>LCD-2.


 


  That's going to one GREAT sounding setup!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> That's going to one GREAT sounding setup!


 
  At first I'm going to go RCA out of the DAC-2 into the V200 and then after I pick up some cables I'm going to go Balanced out of the DAC-2 into the V200 and then use the V200 RCA out to an amplifier for a small pair of Mirage speakers this way I can use the V200 in both the headphone setup and a small speaker setup.  I'll use the digital Preamp in the DAC-2 to control the volume thru the V200 into the amp.


----------



## K_19

Congrats Warriorant on your purchase!
   
  By the way, does anyone know direct e-mail address of Fried Reim over at Violectric? I've tried everything that Robert at Aphrodite had suggested on various computers, os's and output modes, and it still ticks on switching tracks on every single combination except for the Direct Sound Mode, in which the ticks don't happen (but obviously I'd like to avoid DS mode if possible). It seems like I will have to contact him, but I don't have his email address.
   
  Thanks in advance.


----------



## Subsequence

His email adress is: frie_d.reim@la_ke-people.de, remove the "_" ofcourse i see no reason for him to be spammed


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Congrats Warriorant on your purchase!
> 
> By the way, does anyone know direct e-mail address of Fried Reim over at Violectric? I've tried everything that Robert at Aphrodite had suggested on various computers, os's and output modes, and it still ticks on switching tracks on every single combination except for the Direct Sound Mode, in which the ticks don't happen (but obviously I'd like to avoid DS mode if possible). It seems like I will have to contact him, but I don't have his email address.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


 
  I can't wait to hear what the LCD's can really do with a quality amp.   
   
  You can also contact Fried on the Violectric Web site.   http://www.violectric.de/Pages/en/contact.php


----------



## Permagrin

Looking forward to your first impressions of the V200 WarriorAnt!

Cheers!


----------



## fdg

@ WarriorAnt

 congrets for your decision  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 About "ticking noise" from the USB option inside V100 / V181 / V200

 @ K_19

 This comes from the relais which is in charge to switch to the converted USB signal when there is a valid signal.

 Why there is a ticking noise ?
 As you might know the switching from any analog input to a valid USB signal has priority over an analog signal.
 To not harm any signal more than necessary, the switching from analog to the converted USB signal is made by a relais.
 To avoid buttons or switches on the front panel all this is done automatically.
 For this reason there is a circuit implemented to check if there is any "content" in the USB data stream and not only idle data.
 When a "content" is detected, a relais is driven to connect the converted data with the amp circuitry.

 Every time when there is no "content" (skipping tracks, stop, pause, invalid data) the relais will fall back and will generate a ticking noise. 
 This may also be heard in one or both channel(s) due to some small DC offset.

 The solution:
 As this behavior from the circuitry was often regarded as "nervous" we changed the fallback time from approx 1 second to about 6 seconds.
 Now it takes about 6 seconds without "content" until the relais will fall back and the "ticking" noise is nearly solved.
 This mods had been done in early spring this year. 

 As we didn´t knew that there is "old" circuitry inside the american market, Robert from AphroditeCU29 was not informed !!

 Everbody may feel free to ship his "old" USB circuit or the entire amp to our place or to Robert for modification.

*Again some words about the quality of the digital inputs (USB and OPTO)*
   
  The *USB 16/48* is made with PCM2702 from TI.
 The circuitry is part of a USB-DAC family and the best in terms of D/A quality.
 Unfortunately is is discontinued ...
  Sample rate may be 44.1 and 48 kHz
 The technical data reads -95 dB THD+N and 105 dB dynamic range.
 This means it is average CD quality - nothing more.
  We recommend this option to listen to MP3 music.
  
  The *USB 24/96* is made with Tenor TE7022 USB receiver followed by TI´s PCM1793 DA converter.
 This option is far more sophisticated !!
 Sample rate may be 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz / NO 88.2 kHz !!!
 The technical data reads -100 dB THD+N and 110 dB dynamic range.
 This means it is far more than average CD quality and would be good even for a stand-alone DA converter.
  We recommend this option to listen to best MP3 music and "lossless" audio files.

 The *OPTO 24/96* was made because there are many computers or notebooks having and optical output.
 As USB (specially above 48 kHz) is sometimes difficult concerning the right drivers or the right software,
 the optical connection is most times much easier to handle.
 Also there wont be any hum issues !
 Sample rate with this option may be between 28 ... 108 kHz and is not limited to some fixed values.
 Here also PCM1793 is used as D/A with the above technical data.

 Greetz for now
   
  Fried


----------



## K_19

Thanks for the Explanation Fried!
   
  It seems like I should send my unit back then, but it's gonna suck being without the amp... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Plus I got hit with the custom fees when it was shipped in so I'm kind of worried that I will get hit again with it when it gets shipped back...


----------



## MacedonianHero

k_19 said:


> Thanks for the Explanation Fried!
> 
> It seems like I should send my unit back then, but it's gonna suck being without the amp...
> 
> ...




Not if you send them back as "warranty repair" and have the manufacturer list it as "warranty return" back to you here in Hogtown. I did that with a set of headphones and didn't have to pay a thing.


----------



## dallan

Well at least they stand behind there stuff and even come out here to respond.  Much better than many other companies that have you jumping through hoops if there is a problem.


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Actually it seems like I may not have to do that. Me and Robert at Aphrodite have come upon a solution; he's going to send me the USB module with the tools and once I switch out the defective module with the new one I'll be shipping the old one back to him (I'm assuming the switchout will be relatively easy). That way I won't have to send my entire amp and there will be less shipping concerns... very thankful that Robert went out of the way to help me out here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 He's been nothing but helpful throughout this whole transaction and very attentive. Great stuff. 


  Quote: 





dallan said:


> Well at least they stand behind there stuff and even come out here to respond.  Much better than many other companies that have you jumping through hoops if there is a problem.


 

 For certain. Just FYI, I hadn't even got around to emailing Fried yet and he comes out here first and clarifies the issue for me! Class act if you ask me.


----------



## dallan

Absolutely, and Robert too.  That guy gets my buis whenever possible over at aphroditecu29.com


----------



## santacore

dallan said:


> Absolutely, and Robert too.  That guy gets my buis whenever possible over at aphroditecu29.com




Agreed, Robert rocks!! He makes some good cables too!


----------



## ironman31

WarriorAnt. I've been in the same predicament as you, definitely want an LCD-2 but wasn't sure about the rest of the rig. Decided today that I'm going to get the DAC-2 and V200. We'll have to compare impressions when everything arrives.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





ironman31 said:


> WarriorAnt. I've been in the same predicament as you, definitely want an LCD-2 but wasn't sure about the rest of the rig. Decided today that I'm going to get the DAC-2 and V200. We'll have to compare impressions when everything arrives.


 


  I cannot wait for the V200 to ship!   I really like the W4S DAC-2.  I'm running the LCD out of the back of the DAC-2 right now.


----------



## Loevhagen

Please spoonfeed: I'm running the LCD out of the back of the DAC-2 right now.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Please spoonfeed: I'm running the LCD out of the back of the DAC-2 right now.


 


  Loevhagen, are you asking me how I'm doing that?  Wyred4Sound mentioned some people do this with their headphones using a special cable.  I had this made up from Blue Jean Cables.  BJC MSA-1 Miniature Stereo Audio Cable, 3 foot, 2 x RCA Male to 1/4 TRS Female (32.25).   I plug it into the back of the W4S DAC-2 RCA outs and use the DAC-2 digital pre amp to control the volume.


----------



## baritone

i did the same with my t1 and v800 dac combo  (who also has a digital pot that behaves like aa analog one) in this case  there is enough power to drve the hi impedance t1 hp ( i metioned this to Fried of violectric and was surpriced about the combination)
  but the lcd are about 40-60 ohm i think there is a serious limitation  of driving  only at low levels can achieve a sound un-distorted
  next week I will be in Berlin and for the first time I would have my first oportunity to  ausition the v200 in person (at digital-audinetworkx)


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





baritone said:


> i did the same with my t1 and v800 dac combo  (who also has a digital pot that behaves like aa analog one) in this case  there is enough power to drve the hi impedance t1 hp ( i metioned this to Fried of violectric and was surpriced about the combination)
> but the lcd are about 40-60 ohm i think there is a serious limitation  of driving  only at low levels can achieve a sound un-distorted
> next week I will be in Berlin and for the first time I would have my first oportunity to  ausition the v200 in person (at digital-audinetworkx)


 
  Yes driving the LCD out of the DAC-2 is not ideal but it will do until the V200 arrives.


----------



## WarriorAnt

V200 will be shipping out on Monday!


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> V200 will be shipping out on Monday!


 


  Cool! Hopefully it arrives quickly. Shipping overseas is always such a variable.... I've had it take 3 days and I've had it take 3 weeks.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Cool! Hopefully it arrives quickly. Shipping overseas is always such a variable.... I've had it take 3 days and I've had it take 3 weeks.


 

 It should be quick since I bought it from Robert!


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> It should be quick since I bought it from Robert!


 


  I forgot all about that option.... in that case you'll certainly have it by the end of the week. Fun!


----------



## WarriorAnt

I'm going to need a pair of balanced cables to go from my W4S DAC-2 to the V200.  I was looking at W4S's balanced cables but am open to suggestions.  Anyone?


----------



## project86

This might disappoint some people..... but I just use the Monoprice Premier series XLRs. Build quality is superb, shipping was quick, and they were dirt cheap. 
   
  If you are more of a cable person than me, you could still pick them up as a temporary solution until you find something nicer.


----------



## Loevhagen

I´ve tried both Kimber Timbre XLR and Kimber Hero RCA between my DAC and the V200. I stayed with the RCAs.


----------



## dallan

I said it earlier, I a/b the balanced against the rca's and the rca's were noticeably better sounding than the balanced input with my equipment.


----------



## Bloodoath

From my experience, MOGAMI.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> This might disappoint some people..... but I just use the Monoprice Premier series XLRs. Build quality is superb, shipping was quick, and they were dirt cheap.
> 
> If you are more of a cable person than me, you could still pick them up as a temporary solution until you find something nicer.


 

 I'm disappointed in you.   Just kidding, I was thinking of having Blue Jean Cables wire me up a pair or Monoprice...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I´ve tried both Kimber Timbre XLR and Kimber Hero RCA between my DAC and the V200. I stayed with the RCAs.


 


  ?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I said it earlier, I a/b the balanced against the rca's and the rca's were noticeably better sounding than the balanced input with my equipment.


 


  I  hope this isn't the case for me otherwise it will be a deal breaker.   I need to use the RCA's to go out of the V200 into an amp thus the need to go in using balanced...


----------



## K_19

I'm not sure if my ears are playing tricks on me or whether the phenomenon is real, but I'm hearing noticeable changes in my V200 as I spend more time with it. Burn-in? Placebo? Ear Damage? Could be any of the three, but whatever it is it is noticeable to my ears.... the biggest difference being the highs being more present and midbass getting tighter. Hmm...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





bloodoath said:


> From my experience, MOGAMI.


 


   
Mogami Gold Studio microphone cable?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> I'm not sure if my ears are playing tricks on me or whether the phenomenon is real, but I'm hearing noticeable changes in my V200 as I spend more time with it. Burn-in? Placebo? Ear Damage? Could be any of the three, but whatever it is it is noticeable to my ears.... the biggest difference being the highs being more present and midbass getting tighter. Hmm...


 

 People can say what they want about burn in (and they do) but I've found burn in to be a real factor in high end equipment.  Some components need more time than others.  My DAC-2 needed a substantial burn in.    Capacitors need burn in for sure.   Over 30 years now I've learned to trust my ears.   I'm going to let the V200 burn in for sure.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I  hope this isn't the case for me otherwise it will be a deal breaker.   I need to use the RCA's to go out of the V200 into an amp thus the need to go in using balanced...


 

 With the different DACs I've tried, XLR sounded at least as good as RCA. I know on certain CD players or DACs the balanced out is better, other times it is worse, and still other times it is just "different". I haven't heard anyone complain about the balanced out on the W4S DACs so hopefully it works for you. 
   


  Quote: 





k_19 said:


> I'm not sure if my ears are playing tricks on me or whether the phenomenon is real, but I'm hearing noticeable changes in my V200 as I spend more time with it. Burn-in? Placebo? Ear Damage? Could be any of the three, but whatever it is it is noticeable to my ears.... the biggest difference being the highs being more present and midbass getting tighter. Hmm...


 

 Sounds like whatever the cause, it is improving. So that's a good thing. Unless you prefer your highs less present and your midbass more loose...


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I  hope this isn't the case for me otherwise it will be a deal breaker.   I need to use the RCA's to go out of the V200 into an amp thus the need to go in using balanced...


 


  I was hoping to use it that way to, alas I need to use my Zana Duex as a preamp/headphone amp when going to speakers/or integrated amp.  I actually returned my XLR cables.  So now speaker use includes switching the rca's, turning on the tube set and warm up.  My V200 is what i normally listen to unless it is quiet over here so i really do have to disconnect any time I'm afraid.  Hope your results differ from mine.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I was hoping to use it that way to, alas I need to use my Zana Duex as a preamp/headphone amp when going to speakers/or integrated amp.  I actually returned my XLR cables.  So now speaker use includes switching the rca's, turning on the tube set and warm up.  My V200 is what i normally listen to unless it is quiet over here so i really do have to disconnect any time I'm afraid.  Hope your results differ from mine.


 
  Well I guess I should have also asked what interconnects people are using.  I need some new ones and I'm looking for good quality ones that are FLEXIBLE !  The one I have from my old speaker rig are too stiif to be using in the space I'll be using the headphone rig in.  Suggestions welcome.


----------



## dallan

I use Zu Gede cable or  use Blue Dragon cable.  Don't remember which i did the test with but the Blue Dragon is easier to change so that is what i am currently using.  I won that particular pair from Dru-moon audio at Canjam 09.  I also have a pair of Zu Varial rca's that i picked up used when i was into upgrading my cables in my system.  For some reason they stay on my stereo set up, maybe cause i don't want to take them on and off all the time, they are just too expensive to mess with.


----------



## project86

The Monoprice Premier XLRs are surprisingly flexible. Probably more flexible than all the other RCAs I have around the house.


----------



## Bloodoath

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Mogami Gold Studio microphone cable?


 

  

 The gold interconnects yes.  They can be used for mics or any balanced use.


----------



## WarriorAnt

V200.  In the house.


----------



## Permagrin

warriorant said:


> V200.  In the house.




Congrats! It seems like forever ago when you first started considering it. 

What's the proper burn-in duration? hehe


----------



## WarriorAnt

> Congrats! It seems like forever ago when you first started considering it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I just completed my first headphone rig ever.


----------



## Permagrin

warriorant said:


> I just completed my first headphone rig ever.




Awesome, now you can just enjoy the music.


----------



## edvardd

Quote: 





permagrin said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 



 Really?


----------



## Permagrin

edvardd said:


> Really?




 I am pretty much content with my setup. And I'm not going to pay $20k for a source so I was actually quite genuine with my reply. I've read enough of WarriorAnt's posts to know that he intended his setup as an end-all rig. There's really not much to upgrade at this level without spending a lot more for what most people would consider very hard to discern "improvements".

Cheers!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Questions.   The two headphone jacks in the front of the V200 are both the same or is one high impedance one low impedance?   Pre Gain setting are all off?   Any reason to change them?


----------



## Bloodoath

My reading is that they are the same except one is 180 degrees out of phase with the other.  You should not hear a difference with either I've read.


----------



## ornitorrinco

Hi, first post here!
  Been following this thread with close attention, considering the exact same equipment you now have WarriorAnt (W4S DAC2 - V200 - LCD2).
  It will be my first headphone setup too, coming from a Parasound Classic + Paradigm Signature S2 v3 + Rhytmik sub setup.
  Looking forward to your impressions!


----------



## K_19

I remember when I purchased my V200 from Robert he told me to use the right headphone jack, although he never really gave me the reason why and I never got around to ask him. I've tried both of the Jacks and they seem to be identical, so I'm not sure why he specified it as such...
   
  Here's what he said at purchase:
   
  "[size=10pt]Your V200 will sound best after 100 hours and reach its full potential after 200-300 hours.

 For best V200 sound quality use the right headphone jack and set the gain to the lowest (-12) to start with. If you can't reach your normal listening volume than go up to (-6). Amp is set to 0 Zero gain right now. You want the gain set so that when you reach your listening level, the volume pot is as close to full volume as possible. A volume pot is merely a variable resistor. So, therefore the lower the volume setting, the more you are bleeding power off and the more distortion that is introduced."[/size]


----------



## fdhfdy

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Questions.   The two headphone jacks in the front of the V200 are both the same or is one high impedance one low impedance?   Pre Gain setting are all off?   Any reason to change them?


 


  They are same to me. I cant tell any differences between those two.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I have both the gain setting set to both -12 and -6 at the same time. This gives me a usable volume at around 1 to 2 PM.  Is it ok to have both these settings on at the same time?


----------



## fdg

Left and right headphone sockets are only different on V181.
 This is because of the quad-amp feature.
 One of the sockets outputs the in-phase signal, the other the out-of-phase signal.
   
On V200 the sockets and the signal on them are totally identical.

 By the way:

 Why only very few people take the quite famous DAC V800 from Violectric in consideration 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 In the early ´90ties Lake People had been the first company manufacturing 20 Bit AD and DA converters in Germany.
 Since than their converters are quite famous in Europe - nowadays of coarse with 24 bit and up to 192 kHz.
 Compare the THD figures from the ADCs (ADC C440 / ADC F444) and DACs (DAC V800) with any other
 gear on earth and you will be very astonished !!

 Maybe there is the same competence in sound that can be found on Violectric amps !!


----------



## dallan

As far as the attenuators in the back be sure they are both set to the same attenuation whatever that is.  It says this in the owners manual, as well as be sure the unit is turned off when you change attenuation. 
   
  I have considered the V800 dac, my friend raves about it but i don't know if it is an upgrade for me.  I have a modded PSaudio digital link with an ultraclock in it that alone costs almost as much as the v800 along with other additional mods beyond that, my upgrade was possibly the Zodiac Gold, but the V800 does look good to me, if i were to do it over again i would listen to it.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





fdg said:


> Left and right headphone sockets are only different on V181.
> This is because of the quad-amp feature.
> One of the sockets outputs the in-phase signal, the other the out-of-phase signal.
> 
> ...


 

 I did extensive switching between the two sockets and they sound the same.  I had to have my daughter switch for me while I was not looking. 
   
  I'm wondering now it the V200 drive two sets of headphones at once?

 Also, I am now activating both gain switches -6 and -12 to get greater extension of the volume control.  Is it ok to use both the -6 and -12 together?  I can now range the volume pot between 12 and 2 o'clock.
   
  Also, what can happen if one accidental switches a gain setting if the amp is on?  Is it instant trouble or just bad practice?
   
  I think if you lend out a V800 to someone who can review it for you here in the forum it might become more popular.  I would have considered it but I did not know about it.  You could take your chances and send one off to TAS for review.  Project86 did a great job with the V181 and the V200.  His review sealed the deal for me when it came to the V200 and although I'm still gathering my thoughts about the V200 having only gotten to it today they seem to coincide with Project 86's review.


----------



## dallan

I may ask Robert for a V800 loaner at one point or maybe the company could make one available to him to send around for audition, it would sell units for sure.  I am really curious to a/b it, if it were better i'd go for it.


----------



## ironman31

Received my LCD-2's on Tuesday. I'm liking them a lot so far, though they are much less "upfront" than Grados. (I would imagine most things are). The DAC-2 should arrive tomorrow, and the V200 should be here sometime next week (it shipped today).
   
  So far my ibasso D10 is driving the LCD-2's to around the same volume as they did my 325is's. My listening level is around 2 o'clock with the LCD-2's and 11-12 o'clock with the Grados. I have found that when I turn up the amp with the LCD-2's, the lower end drops out some, and the higher end drops lower when the volume is below listening level. The detail between instruments is also much much better. I found the 325is's to be distracting when I was trying to listen to a certain part, but with the Audez'e's it is much easier to pick something out.
   
  One bad thing (might be because the only high end headphone I have heard are Grados) is the LCD-2's seemed muffled in the higher register. This could be "soundstage", but I'll let myself get used to it and make some more impressions later on. Hopefully the amp can open some things up and make these headphones shine.


----------



## Permagrin

^ I've noticed when changing something so drastic in a rig that it takes awhile to get used to the sound. If at first it just sounds wrong, give it some time and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Anyway, congrats!


----------



## ironman31

edit: sorry, forgot this was a V200 thread.. I'll post pictures of that too when it comes in, lol.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





ironman31 said:


> edit: sorry, forgot this was a V200 thread.. I'll post pictures of that too when it comes in, lol.


 

 Your box has the name on it?  Mine does not.  I'm glad though because I'm going to buy the travel case and make a jewelry box out of the LCD-2 box for my wife.  This is how you get your wife on board


----------



## ironman31

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Your box has the name on it?  Mine does not.  I'm glad though because I'm going to buy the travel case and make a jewelry box out of the LCD-2 box for my wife.  This is how you get your wife on board


 

 Yeah, I was surprised too. I had not seen a box like mine. I was also surprised to see the logo underneath the clear coat. Very nice.


----------



## fdg

About PRE-GAIN setting on all current Violectric amps:

 Although it is stated in the manual to not alter more than one dip-switch at a time it is not dangerous at all to do so.
 In case of WarriorAnts experiences his source seems to be quite powerful so that with maximum attenuation
 his normal hearing level is around 12 - 2 o´clock.
 Switching -6 and -12 dB will result in an attenuation of about -14,5 dB.
  This is also true for +6 and +12 dB which will result in a gain of +14.5 dB.
 Most other combinations like -6 and + 6dB or -6 and +12 dB will be quite senseless ...
   
  We recommand to unplug the cans or switch of the amp during Pre-Gain changes as thru
 these alterings temporarily noise, pops or DC offset may occure which may harm your expensive headphones.

 Greetz

 Fried


----------



## sphinxvc

Anyone have any idea of how the V200 compares to a SE Beta22?  Even if not from direct A/B but memory?


----------



## WarriorAnt

well i was getting ready to post my impressions of the V200 but then I went from the W4S DAC-2 RCA outs >V200 RCA Ins to the W4S Balanced Outs > V200 Balanced Ins and things seem to sound even better so I have to evaluate it bit more.  I'm using Wyred4Sounsds C1 Ultra Analog XLR cable.  I thought I might as well try the cable Wyred4Sound says they designed for their own DAC.


----------



## MHinGA

Wow, just the box? I usually have to buy what's actually *in* the box to get my wife on board.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Your box has the name on it?  Mine does not.  I'm glad though because I'm going to buy the travel case and make a jewelry box out of the LCD-2 box for my wife.  This is how you get your wife on board


----------



## MHinGA

I know that you mentioned earlier that you might not be the best information resource because this is your first headphones rig, but I'm still very interested in your impressions. I'm leaning towards the Apex P/V but the V200 is still in the running, and the latter is less than half the price of the P/V.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> well i was getting ready to post my impressions of the V200 but then I went from the W4S DAC-2 RCA outs >V200 RCA Ins to the W4S Balanced Outs > V200 Balanced Ins and things seem to sound even better so I have to evaluate it bit more.  I'm using Wyred4Sounsds C1 Ultra Analog XLR cable.  I thought I might as well try the cable Wyred4Sound says they designed for their own DAC.


----------



## project86

Balanced vs unbalanced is a hard thing to judge, especially when there isn't a source selection switch allowing you to quickly go back and forth to compare. I_ think_ I hear a small improvement with the Audio GD Reference 7/Violectric V200 combo when using balanced.... but I am not positive.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Balanced vs unbalanced is a hard thing to judge, especially when there isn't a source selection switch allowing you to quickly go back and forth to compare. I_ think_ I hear a small improvement with the Audio GD Reference 7/Violectric V200 combo when using balanced.... but I am not positive.


 

  
  Putting my thoughts into the proper wording is harder for me than judging two different sources.  I was a high end broadcast video editor in NYC for 24 years which includes editing and mixing the show audio and during that time I developed an audio memory.  I can keep a sonic impression in my mind and compare it to the next and last thing I've heard.  This developed over the decades from editing the show audio where I would have to match audio levels by ear, EQ two or more different microphones by ear, EQ wind noise or traffic noise out of a piece of audio, EQ a talents audio dialogue to sound the same from one location to another location, often this involved not only EQing two different environments but two different microphones.  Then there was the endless editing of music which involved shortening or extending the musical piece or removing bars of music and replacing it seamlessly with some other part of the composition.  That exercise is probably the one that develops aural memory the most because you have to retain what you just heard in the edit and find something that will work in the incoming edit, often this involves moving the incoming to a precise number of frames to match the beat and create a seamless continuance of the music.  No one ever notices when a good editor has done his job.  And you have to do all this under time pressure so your memory develops quickly.
   
  So for me aural comparisons is the easy part.  During the 2.5 decades I never had to verbalize my aural memory so for me that's the hard part which is why I appreciate your review of the V200 so greatly.
   
  Anyway now I'm listening to the V200 balanced out of my DAC-2.  It's only been a day now listening in this manner and my experience tells me it is much better than the what I was hearing from the RCA outs BUT here's the rub.  With the RCA outs of the DAC-2 into the V200 I was using a 20 year old MIT MI 330 interconnect which I believe has greatly influenced the sound coming out of the DAC-2's RCA outs.  Don't get me wrong about this, even though the MIT MI 330 is known for its coloration of the audio signal the V200 sounded EXCELLENT through it. It's just that when I went to the W4S balanced cable the sound reproduction got much better which brought a big grin because it already sounded so good.   Out of curiosity I'm going to order a corresponding pair of unbalanced interconnect from W4S to do a comparison.  I believe the balanced and unbalanced wire which is used in both are the same construction. This I will verify with W4S.   So the sound difference I've heard may or may not be the effect of two different interconnects or it may be the difference from an unbalanced or balanced signal.   In either case the V200 is a marvelous amp and I'll post some ore detailed impressions soon.  
   
   
  MIT MI 330 Interconnect


----------



## K_19

Well, it seems like I'll have to review things all over again as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I've recently upgraded my DAC from Stello DA100 to PS Audio Digital Link III, and using the balanced out for the first time to the V200 (using Kimber Tonik XLR cables) the sound quality has taken another leap!  In hindsight, I think the DA100+V200 combination, while still good, was a little too laid back for my liking and may have not been the best pairing to my ears.  With the Digital Link III however, a different story. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  HD800 in particular, is sounding the best they ever have for me.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I am so curious now to get a matching pair of the W4S unbalanced cables to go with my W4S balanced and see what if any improvement there is going between the RCA in and the Balanced in to the V200.  As I stated I know my MIT MI 330 does impose quite a bit of coloration on the sound but when I went balanced my LCD's really made a leap in life force.  So I can'r really pinpoint the reason until I another interconnect.  Hey I actually need another pair of RCA interconnects so I'm using this to justify it.


----------



## Vitor Teixeira

Hi there,

I believe I've read somewhere that it's possible to drive a pair of monitors out of the V200,
I'm considering the Genelec 8020 bpm.
Have someone try to do this?
Thanks!


----------



## project86

Quote: 





vitor teixeira said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I believe I've read somewhere that it's possible to drive a pair of monitors out of the V200,
> I'm considering the Genelec 8020 bpm.
> ...


 

 You would have to feed the V200 via XLR cables from your DAC/CD player. The V200 will then output the same signal through the RCA jacks which can be connected to your monitors. So even though RCA is normally used as an input, you can configure it for output if you want (see page 26 in the user manual). At least one person around here uses their V200 in this way.
   
  Unrelated: I've just swapped the stock NE5532 opamps for a pair of Linear LT1361. I suspect that it won't make a difference in this application due to the small job that the opamps have. But we'll see. So far no night and day differences have jumped out at me; I don't think it sounds different at all.


----------



## Loevhagen

I was thinking about opams roll on the V200. Care to elaborate on how you reached the Linear LT1361 as your first choice?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I was thinking about opams roll on the V200. Care to elaborate on how you reached the Linear LT1361 as your first choice?


 
   



  I just happened to have 2 of them around. It's a fairly well respected opamp, and the specs indicated it should work, so I figured I might as well. I'm sure there are plenty of other choices though.


----------



## Loevhagen

Upon starting my research, I came to think of this answer from the CEO at Violectric in another thread regarding an opamp question: 
   
Quote (extract):


> :
> Also (my opinion) there are only a few reasons to go for discrete op-amps as these are build with the same
> circuitry that can be found in the integrated ones. But they will have temperature and/or aging problems in the long run.
> 
> ...


----------



## project86

Yeah I made sure to ask Fried before using the LT1361, and he thought it would work (by work I mean not damage the amp or cause major issues). It would be funny if we tried a bunch of higher end opamps and they were all inferior to the classic NE5532 in this particular application.


----------



## schaaf

Anyone have any thoughts on the V200 as an amp/DAC? 
   
  There is an option to add the USB upgrade, so I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on it as a DAC? 
   
  Worthwhile or no?


----------



## santacore

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I may ask Robert for a V800 loaner at one point or maybe the company could make one available to him to send around for audition, it would sell units for sure.  I am really curious to a/b it, if it were better i'd go for it.


 


  Dave, give me a shout, you can borrow my V800 for a few days if you want to compare it. I think it's a fantastic sounding DAC that beat everything in it's price range I've heard. That's said, I just picked up a M2Tech Young DAC on a lark, and might actually enjoy it even more. Of course it costs a good chunk of change more, so I hope it beats it. The way things are sounding I'll probably put the V800 up for sale very soon, along with my V200, which I really enjoy, but don't have a need for.


----------



## dallan

maybe i'll buy your 800 but i actually have been eyeing that Zodiac Gold for a while.  If some money falls in my lap of course.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





schaaf said:


> Anyone have any thoughts on the V200 as an amp/DAC?
> 
> There is an option to add the USB upgrade, so I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on it as a DAC?
> 
> Worthwhile or no?


 

 I think someone posted some thoughts a few pages back. It seems that the DAC options are at least on par with something like an HRT Music Streamer type DAC. In other words - if you need a decent DAC you might as well get the built in option because you won't find much better out there for the $130 or $190. The specs indicate the basic version should just be "OK" but the $190 option is actually pretty nice. 
   
  Theoretically someone spending $1k on an amp would also budget for a high end DAC... but running the 24/96 built in option would certainly get you by for a while, or make a good backup.


----------



## santacore

Quote:


dallan said:


> maybe i'll buy your 800 but i actually have been eyeing that Zodiac Gold for a while.  If some money falls in my lap of course.


 

 Dallan, I believe the V800 and Zodiac use the same DAC chip, which is interesting. You should definitely listen to the V800 before considering a Zodiac.
   
   
   
  Quote: 





> Anyone have any thoughts on the V200 as an amp/DAC?


 
   
  I think Project86 said it well-It's a good $200 DAC, but won't compete with high end units. I had one of the first V200 that came with the 16 bit DAC card installed. It was certainly usable, but didn't come close to the Apogee Rosetta I was using at the time.


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





santacore said:


> Quote:
> 
> Dallan, I believe the V800 and Zodiac use the same DAC chip, which is interesting. You should definitely listen to the V800 before considering a Zodiac.


 
  Yes i want to hear it when i have time.  Surprised that it uses the same chip, i have heard that the Zodiac is something else, like an end all option.


----------



## sphinxvc

I've heard his Zodiac/Voltikus before.  He was feeding an Apache to R10s/Qualias.  I remember being jolted out of reality, can't quite describe it any other way.  I heard the R10/Apache combo a second time (with a lesser DAC) and I didn't instantly go into a stupor like that first time.  Conclusion?  The Zodiac/Voltikus is pretty amazing.


----------



## dj nellie

Quote: 





project86 said:


> ...
> But the V200 just goes one small step further in almost every category: more clarity, more transparency, even more obscene bass extension. And it does all this while retaining that touch of musicality but not going overboard and losing balance.
> 
> ...
> The V200 certainly has more depth and a little more width than the V181 in single ended mode and just about matches when running the V181 balanced. It’s hard to do a quick comparisons when you have to switch from completely balanced to completely single ended, but I believe I can confidently say that the two perform similarly. The balanced V181 might still have a very slight edge, but that could be caused by other variables such as running the DAC balanced.


 
   
  Great review, project.  I had my eye on the V181 for a long time because of it's flexibility, in that it can play both SE and balanced headphones (with a compact form and reasonable price).  I know it's hard for you to say, because you seem to only have 1 pair of balanced headphones, but do you feel that the V200 with SE headphones still sounds as good or better in every respect than the V181 with balanced headphones?  In other words, is there anything you think the V181 in fully-balanced mode would do better than the V200?  Most of my current headphones are SE, but I'd be willing to re-cable and choose the V181 over the 200 if there was a substantial difference with balanced headphones. 
   
  Anyone else who has heard both amps, or has general thoughts on balanced headphones vs. SE, please feel free to chime in.  If the V200 sounds better than the V181 (regardless of whether it's in SE or balanced mode), then it doesn't seem worthwhile to re-cable my SE headphones and the V200 would seem to be the clear winner.


----------



## Acix

"Neutral should be whatever is closest to sounding lifelike, and by that definition the V200 certainly is neutral. Or vivid-neutral".
   
  I just got the V100 and I'm running balanced setup out of the Apogee Mini DAC, if the V100 share the same sound house as the V200 is obviously not balanced, or neutral, or vivid neutral. I think the best way to describe the sound is as Audiophile sound, on the warm side. If you want a balanced sound hps amp you should check out the SPL Auditor.
   
  Now, I cant wait to get the G100.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Unrelated: I've just swapped the stock NE5532 opamps for a pair of Linear LT1361. I suspect that it won't make a difference in this application due to the small job that the opamps have. But we'll see. So far no night and day differences have jumped out at me; I don't think it sounds different at all.


 


  If I remember correctly Leeperry was talking about the LT 1364, any differences between the two? I want to open the sound of the V100 in term of better definition in the mids, upper mids and treble. If I'll get a better resolution all over the sound spectrum by switching
 the NE5532 opamps I'll be very happy


----------



## project86

Quote: 





dj nellie said:


> Great review, project.  I had my eye on the V181 for a long time because of it's flexibility, in that it can play both SE and balanced headphones (with a compact form and reasonable price).  I know it's hard for you to say, because you seem to only have 1 pair of balanced headphones, but do you feel that the V200 with SE headphones still sounds as good or better in every respect than the V181 with balanced headphones?  In other words, is there anything you think the V181 in fully-balanced mode would do better than the V200?  Most of my current headphones are SE, but I'd be willing to re-cable and choose the V181 over the 200 if there was a substantial difference with balanced headphones.
> 
> Anyone else who has heard both amps, or has general thoughts on balanced headphones vs. SE, please feel free to chime in.  If the V200 sounds better than the V181 (regardless of whether it's in SE or balanced mode), then it doesn't seem worthwhile to re-cable my SE headphones and the V200 would seem to be the clear winner.


 

 As you said, it would be better if I had a bunch more balanced headphones to try. But I guess if it applies to one good headphone it should theoretically translate to the rest, more or less. 
   
  In my experience the V200 single ended does in fact match or even exceed the V181 balanced in nearly every area. The one exception would be soundstage - the V181 balanced still has a narrow lead there. Not a big deal for me but some people value that very highly and it might be worth it for them.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





acix said:


> "Neutral should be whatever is closest to sounding lifelike, and by that definition the V200 certainly is neutral. Or vivid-neutral".
> 
> I just got the V100 and I'm running balanced setup out of the Apogee Mini DAC, if the V100 share the same sound house as the V200 is obviously not balanced, or neutral, or vivid neutral. I think the best way to describe the sound is as Audiophile sound, on the warm side. If you want a balanced sound hps amp you should check out the SPL Auditor.
> 
> Now, I cant wait to get the G100.


 

 The problem is that we all hear differently and we all struggle to describe what we are hearing in terms that make sense to others. When I say "Vivid Neutral" I realize that it could mean different things for different people, and some of those things could be very different from what I intended. I don't know what exactly you mean by "Audiophile sound". I'll agree with "on the warm side" though, assuming the V100 sounds similar to the others (and it should, since I think V181 is basically dual V100s in the same chassis).
   
  Are you generally saying you like the V100? I'm not clear on that.
   


  Quote: 





acix said:


> If I remember correctly Leeperry was talking about the LT 1364, any differences between the two? I want to open the sound of the V100 in term of better definition in the mids, upper mids and treble. If I'll get a better resolution all over the sound spectrum by switching
> the NE5532 opamps I'll be very happy


 

http://www.linear.com/product/lt1361
   
http://www.linear.com/product/LT1364
   
  You can check the specs, but really they aren't that different. LT1361 is considered the low power version, LT1364 the high powered version. Both are unity gain stable, and considering the way Violectric is using opamps the differences shouldn't really matter. 
   
  So far I can't say I've heard much difference between stock and LT1361. Which makes sense to me. But you can probably get a few free samples from Linear and see for yourself! "A maximum of 2 parts of up to 5 different part numbers may be ordered as samples." So go ahead and try both, it couldn't hurt.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





project86 said:


> The problem is that we all hear differently and we all struggle to describe what we are hearing in terms that make sense to others. When I say "Vivid Neutral" I realize that it could mean different things for different people, and some of those things could be very different from what I intended. I don't know what exactly you mean by "Audiophile sound". I'll agree with "on the warm side" though, assuming the V100 sounds similar to the others (and it should, since I think V181 is basically dual V100s in the same chassis).
> 
> Are you generally saying you like the V100? I'm not clear on that.
> 
> ...


 

 I'm not sure how much I like the V100, lets put it this way...for now I'm stuck with this amp, here is the full story: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/560839/violectric-hpa-v100-with-no-serial-number-on-ebay-beware I'll try to mod the sound for more studio applications by using different opamps.
   
  The Audiophile sound, in most of the cases will be boost in the bass and maybe a little bit in the treble area (smiley face EQ curve). For neutral and balanced sound, I would like to compare the V100 to the G100. My needs are mostly for mastering and mixing in the studio.


----------



## project86

What a saga. I'll send you a PM.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





project86 said:


> What a saga. I'll send you a PM.


 

  
  Yep, international saga...thanks for your support, I appreciate.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Here is my long delayed impressions of the V200.   The V200 seems to be a very well balanced amp in every aspect of its sonic presentation.  By this I mean its frequency presentation seems to be equally consistent throughout the entire spectrum from the very low bass all the way throughout the upper treble. This consistency  gives the V200 a very smooth, even and natural tonal balance.  This well balanced tonal character gives the amp a smooth, almost liquid sense, a somewhat silky feel. Never is there a hint of artificial or electronic reproduction taking place. When I say silkiness and smoothness I do not mean to infer a lack of detail or leading edge blurriness but quite the contrary, there is plenty of inner detail and resolution.  
   
There is also an overall warmth to this amp but not too much, not overly present or in any way intrusive.  This warmth does not seem to be a manifestation of any undue or excess mid bass emphasis, its just there in the presentation in a beneficial way rather than detracting and does not obscure the the amps detail or compromise definition.  Personally I find this warmth pleasant, inviting and gratifying.
   
The V200 is at once dynamic and laid back. It delivers the dynamic emphasis required to give instruments the weight and impact needed for palpable realism and it does so without seeming to break a sweat. Dynamics are never constrained nor is there ever any sense of congestion.  There is explosive dynamics when called for and yet fine inner detail and micro dynamics are not sacrificed at the expense of muscle.  Its ability to deliver whatever power is needed is done in an effortless manner, never any sense that the V200 is straining to get the job done. If an amp could have a demeanor then for the V200 it would be confidence.
   
The V200 has the ability to unravel a complex sonic landscape with ease and confidence. Musical lines and rhythms are kept straight and coherent. Nothing is sonically tripping over itself or obscuring the detail of another instrument. Even in the most complex passages you can distinctly hear every instrument in detail.  This is the consequence of the V200's ability to resolve and present the smallest amounts of inner detail and micro dynamics.  Instruments are clearly defined and focused and separated across the soundstage.  
   
Bass extension is deep and controlled with excellent definition, impact and tonality.  Treble is extended and smooth without any sense of edginess or harshness. The slight overall warmth to the V200 gives the midrange the seduction needed to draw you into the music and get you involved. 
   
Listening to the V200 I never once thought I was listening to an amplifier. It is not an in your face kind of amplifier. It seems so well balanced in so many regards that it doesn't need to have any particular overbearing characteristics to give it its overall magic.  It simply does its job in every area with confidence and respect and disappears from the sonic equation in an effortless way.
   
Smooth and effortless are the words I kept mouthing when listening to the V200.
   
My current headphone rig is the Wyred4Sound DAC-2 > balanced out/balanced into> V200> LCD-2.


----------



## khaos974

I don't know if this has been posted yet, but I've noticed that the chips used for the 24/96 USB module for the Violectric units were:
- Tenor (probably the TE0722) for the USB, a classic choice used in many USB DACs.
- Texas Instruments PCM 1793, a middle end chip that has notably been used in the Grace m903.

Wonder what they used in the V800.

EDIT: Found it PCM1792!


----------



## project86

WarriorAnt - Sometimes a post comes along that is so clear and so concise, yet so complete, that it makes me feel longwinded with my lengthy ramblings. Your last comment is one of those posts. Well done. I completely agree with you 100%. Despite being new to headphones, you obviously have a wealth of knowledge about what you are hearing (or aren't hearing as the case may be). I'm glad you are satisfied with your setup, and I appreciate your taking the time to comment.
   
  khoas974 - I think you are correct about the components you listed. I'm considering trying the V800 at some point down the road. A few people around here have great things to say about it so I'd like to see for myself. Based on my experience with the V181 and V200, I have nothing but respect for Violectric, so I'm curious to see how they apply their knowledge in the digital realm.


----------



## khaos974

project86 said:


> WarriorAnt - Sometimes a post comes along that is so clear and so concise, yet so complete, that it makes me feel longwinded with my lengthy ramblings. Your last comment is one of those posts. Well done. I completely agree with you 100%. Despite being new to headphones, you obviously have a wealth of knowledge about what you are hearing (or aren't hearing as the case may be). I'm glad you are satisfied with your setup, and I appreciate your taking the time to comment.
> 
> khoas974 - I think you are correct about the components you listed. I'm considering trying the V800 at some point down the road. A few people around here have great things to say about it so I'd like to see for myself. Based on my experience with the V181 and V200, I have nothing but respect for Violectric, so I'm curious to see how they apply their knowledge in the digital realm.




Info concerning the V200's DAC was from a largish picture on the Violectric website, info concerning the V800 was based on a large annoted picture on head-fi (use google image).


----------



## Loevhagen

Nice write up, WA.  I´m totally in love with my own V200 / LCD-2 combo. The Burson HA-160D have a good synergy with the LCD-2s as well. As far as the HE-500 goes; the synergy with the HA-160D was disappointing. The HE-500 shines on the V200. I would say that the V200 is a versatile amp, mechanically solid and just conveys music that my ears enjoy for hours every day.


----------



## zenpunk

Great and very interesting writing WariorAnt. I feel exactly  the same about my Meier Stagedac+Concerto. The beautifully  detailed, smooth and at the same time dynamic sound. Then  I bought this bloody TC Konnekt ( I know I keep going on about it) and while it doesn't sound as "nice" it just sounds more real somehow. I guess we all have our own  preferences for different sound and I seem to  favour the immediacy and rawness of the TC unit. Makes me wonder about all the hi-fi shenanigan.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





zenpunk said:


> Great and very interesting writing WariorAnt. I feel exactly  the same about my Meier Stagedac+Concerto. The beautifully  detailed, smooth and at the same time dynamic sound. Then  I bought this bloody TC Konnekt ( I know I keep going on about it) and while it doesn't sound as "nice" it just sounds more real somehow. I guess we all have our own  preferences for different sound and I seem to  favour the immediacy and rawness of the TC unit. Makes me wonder about all the hi-fi shenanigan.


 

 You're right, sometimes detailed sound reproduction ....can sound unnatural, and some other valid, or dark amps can sound real, or natural. For me natural amps start with transparency and balanced first.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Let me just state that in my rig  Wyred4Sound balanced out/balanced in/W4S balanced cable>V200> LCD-2.r2 I do not find the V200 to be a dark amplifier by any means.  I have recently ( and reluctantly) tried my daughters Audio Technica AD700's and Grado 80'is and I do not find any hint of darkness with those either.  The LCD-2's were a bit on the recessed side but the LCD-2r.2 are not.  
   
  So I have not and do not feel the V200 is a dark amplifier.  It has frequency extensions in both extremes.


----------



## Jodet

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> At first I'm going to go RCA out of the DAC-2 into the V200 and then after I pick up some cables I'm going to go Balanced out of the DAC-2 into the V200 and then use the V200 RCA out to an amplifier for a small pair of Mirage speakers this way I can use the V200 in both the headphone setup and a small speaker setup.  I'll use the digital Preamp in the DAC-2 to control the volume thru the V200 into the amp.


 


  Can't you just use the RCA out's of the DAC2 into your speaker amp?


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *WarriorAnt* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 1. The V200 seems to be a very well balanced amp in every aspect of its sonic presentation.
> 
> ...


 


 Sorry man, this sounds like a paradox to me...on one hand you're saying 4 times this amp is well balanced, on the other hand looks from your review that this is your first amp. So, you don't have any other preference to compare the V-200 too.
   
  I do agree with you on the warmth, bass extension, and the laid back sound presentation.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





acix said:


> Sorry man, this sounds like a paradox to me...on one hand you're saying 4 times this amp is well balanced, on the other hand looks from your review that this is your first amp. So, you don't have any other preference to compare the V-200 too.
> 
> I do agree with you on the warmth, bass extension, and the laid back sound presentation.


 
  This is my first headphone amp.  Iv'e had a number of Krell power amps, 4 different ones actually. I've had Audio Research power amps and pre amps. I wish I still had the SP-10 Pre Amp.  I've had Conrad Johnson Power amps and Pre Amps,  NYAL Power Amps, Nestorovic power amps.  All of these spread over nearly 3 decades.  These are the power amps I've owned and I have auditioned many more. Goldmunds, Rowlands, Mark Levisons.  I also have extensive experience editing and mixing audio professionally in broadcast television, so although I do not have another headphone amp to compare the V200 I do know how to evaluate a power amplifier to some degree at least and have done so many time for many years.  I may be wrong but it doesn't seem far off the mark to listen and evaluate a headphone amp when one has had many high end power amps at his disposal, the rules of the game appear to be the same so I don't see or hear actually much of a paradox involved.  
   
  Remember I said the V200 was dynamic and laid back at the same time and I think I also expressed the fact that this was due to it ability to effortlessly deliver the good without sacrificing  important nuances such as inner detail or micro dynamics.
   
  Since you have peeked my curiosity I am wondering have you heard and experienced the V200 for yourself?  Another view or experience always seems to be welcome here in this thread designed for the V200.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Remember I said the V200 was dynamic and laid back at the same time and I think I also expressed the fact that this was due to it ability to effortlessly deliver the good without sacrificing  important nuances such as inner detail or micro dynamics.
> 
> Since you have peeked my curiosity I am wondering have you heard and experienced the V200 for yourself?  Another view or experience always seems to be welcome here in this thread designed for the V200.


 

 The V100 count? I mean do you think there is any major differences between them, let's say the Violectric sound house change dramatically from the 100 to 200?
   
   
  There is headfi meetings in Arizona, http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/505703/arizona-meet-saturday-9-25-10/90. Next time you'll have a chance to gain more experience.


----------



## InnerSpace

Quote: 





acix said:


> The V100 count? I mean do you think there is any major differences between them, let's say the Violectric sound house change dramatically from the 100 to 200?


 

 It does, for sure.  The rest of the Violectric range follows one path, and the V200 diverges into a celebration of the old Nakamichi Dragon sound - it's a unique product, and very, very nice IMO.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





innerspace said:


> It does, for sure.  The rest of the Violectric range follows one path, and the V200 diverges into a celebration of the old Nakamichi Dragon sound - it's a unique product, and very, very nice IMO.


 


  I think the Nakamichi Dragon is the cassette deck, you probably meant they follows the Nakamichi amp circuit.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





acix said:


> The V100 count? I mean do you think there is any major differences between them, let's say the Violectric sound house change dramatically from the 100 to 200?


 

 No I do not believe the V100 sound can count for the sound of the V200 and I wouldn't assume to do so and if did start posting impressions about the V200 based in anyway on just my encounter with the V100 without even hearing the V200 I would hope the other members of Head-Fi would run me out of town, tell me my credibility is non existent and ask me to simply stop.
   
  If you are making observations about the V200 based on your assumption that the V100 has the same house sound please refrain from doing so.  I think the guys who read this thread are serious listeners and would agree that you shouldn't do that.  Now if you had a V100 and a V200 and then you compared the performance between the two that would be a more credible situation and then those comments might have more standing in the V200 thread as points of interest.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> No I do not believe the V100 sound can count for the sound of the V200 and I wouldn't assume to do so and if did start posting impressions about the V200 based in anyway on just my encounter with the V100 without even hearing the V200 I would hope the other members of Head-Fi would run me out of town, tell me my credibility is non existent and ask me to simply stop.
> 
> If you are making observations about the V200 based on your assumption that the V100 has the same house sound please refrain from doing so.  I think the guys who read this thread are serious listeners and would agree that you shouldn't do that.  Now if you had a V100 and a V200 and then you compared the performance between the two that would be a more credible situation and then those comments might have more standing in the V200 thread as points of interest.


 
   
  As I said in my previous post... if the V100 share the same sound house as the V200.  I really apologize if they're not sharing the same sound house, but what if they do share the same Violectric sound house?
  
  I quote this from the first page of this thread...
   
*LISTENING*
   
  "I’ve had both the V181 and the V200 in my setup for a decent amount of time now, and I’ve gone back and forth in an attempt to figure out their differences. I’ll start off by saying that the V200 does not stray far from the basic sound signature offered by the V181. If you were expecting night and day differences to help you make your choice, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. The V200 retains what I’ll call the “Violectric house sound”: dynamic and powerful, with great tonal balance and a silent background".
   
   
  Please keep in mind that the V100 don't used the quad Texas Instruments BUF634 chips, in the amp section as the V181... and this will make the V100 even closer to the V200 in the circuit design.


----------



## fdg

Once again some words about the technique inside Violectric amps:

 Please note that we develope and manufacture headphone amps since over 25 years.
 During this quite long period we made about 2 dozens of different designs.

 The beginning was a voltage followers with an op-amp and just two transitors as can be found in many other (simple) actual designs until now.
 As this was not sufficient to drive high impedance headphones (good headphones alway had high impedances in those times)
  we created a quite unique current amp where the transistors were controlled by the current consumption from a saturated op-amp.
 These amps had very high output voltage capabilities and as the 2. harmonic was dominating a "smooth" sound.
 They had been famous in Europe and used ones are sold until now in some online auctions for astonishing prices ...

 Other designs comprised small power amps wit high operating voltage like LM1876 which can be found in Lake People´s G93 or
  high voltage, high current buffer designs with OPA551 inside G95/G97 and V90 or 
  amps made with an op-amp and 4 transistors which can be found inside G100/ V100.

 When we started with Violectric we remembered a circuitry we once made to create a power amp for Lake People.
 The "inner core" was an adaption from Nakamichis 420 / 620 power amps.
 These bipolar amps had been fameous for power, velocity, low noise, damping factor, reliability under any circumstances.
 Being the disk jockey for the university disco nights (those where the days) I used my Nakamichi 620 for years for that purpose and it is still working.

 We early discovered that the output impedance of an amp is the cause for different sounds from the same headphone.
 The higher the output impedance of the amp, the higher the influences from the headphone cable (impedance, capacity) and the transducer itself because they become part of a complex system.
 These influences and interactions may sometimes be helpfull for some sound impressions, sometimes not.
  
  Having this in mind it is more understandable that a simple cable may obivously change the sound from a headphone.

 We share the opinion that an amp manufacturer shall not alter the sound signature from a microphone during recording.
 Thats why we make transparent mic-amps.
 And we share the opinion that an amp manufacturer shall not change the sound signature from a speaker or a headphone.
 That why we make amps with the lowest possible output impedance because that is the key to control.
   
  Subsumption:
  V90 is made with OPA551
 V100 is made with an op-amp and 4 transistors each channel.
 V181 is made with 4 times BUF 634 (quite similar to LME 49600 but we found some advantages to go for BUF 634)
  V200 is made with an op-amp and 8 transistors each channel.

 All are so powerfull that virtually every dynamic headphone can be driven.
 They share lowest possible output impedance (highest possible damping factor), a relatively wide frequency range,
 more than double the output voltage of common headphone amps, lowest noise and lowest distortion.

 The conclusion from the above is that sound signatures are relatively close together, but they are not equal.

 My own and the experiences from our customers show that the differences are small but present.
   
  Greetz
   
  Fried


----------



## Paul Meakin

A question for WarriorAnt, as I believe from your posts that you bought the V200 based on reviews and comments; I'm in the same position and narrowing down my options.
   
  How closely did the V200 match your expectations based on what you had read, and where did it differ if anywhere?
   
  If anyone else wants to add comments, please do.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





paul meakin said:


> A question for WarriorAnt, as I believe from your posts that you bought the V200 based on reviews and comments; I'm in the same position and narrowing down my options.
> 
> How closely did the V200 match your expectations based on what you had read, and where did it differ if anywhere?
> 
> If anyone else wants to add comments, please do.


 
  I read comments and reviews on every amp that has been mentioned on every thread in existence concerning the LCD.  That includes Solid State and Tubes.  Many of the threads were several hundreds of pages long, I read them all and then read them again talking notes. I kept a profile of comments and members who owned any of the amps.  I observed the listening habits and preferences of everyone in these threads over a period of 6 months.  I sent PM's for more info.  After some time I began to see common qualities emerge from members with diverse tastes concerning the sound of their systems.  It was very interesting to see that even though many members have varied opinions on almost everything that quite often they also have the same fundamental agreements on amplifiers they shared.
   
  From this I measured and produced an intuitive consensus.  In regard to solid state I choose the V200.  There simply did not seem to be another amp in it's price range that could compete. The reviews and comments and PM's were very helpful and the V200 matched my expectations and then some.   I had to buy the V 200 based on reviews and comments and then take a chance and listen to it but I was fully committed to selling it if I did not find it to meet my expectations.  It has and I'm keeping it.  I believe it is a great value for its price in the solid state arena.   My next purchase will be a tube amp perhaps.  Not because  I find the V 200 is lacking in any regard but because it is of interest to me in this hobby, but more than likely I won't buy one.  I don't really need another amp right now.
   
  Another component I purchased  with this method was the Wyred4sSound DAC-2 of which I am also very pleased with.  Oddly enough the one component I was not convinced with was the LCD headphone which was the impetus and center piece of the rig.  But that has all changed now with the arrival and purchase of the LCD-2 r.2.


----------



## Paul Meakin

WarriorAnt, many thanks.
   
  I'm not as far along in the process as you are yet, and I've decided (for now) to build around HD650s with an eye to LCD-2s or Stax Omegas later (as I already have a Stax tube pre-amp, but sadly a broken pair of Lambdas).
   
  At present I'm down to three candidates in solid state and one hybrid; I'd pretty much decided that the V200 deserved to be on the short. For what it's worth, the others are the Audio-Gd Phoenix, Naim Headline 2/Hi-Cap (the safe option, as I have Naim amps already), or RWA Isabellina HPA. Most of the popular tube amps discussed on Head-fi are not available in the UK and I don't wish to import, so I'm limited to what's available from EU suppliers.
   
  I do also need a DAC and the Wyred4Sound is still on my short list for that.
   
  Your posts have been really helpful in my narrowing down the field, as we have somewhat similar tastes in music, e.g. Miles/Coltrane and similar. I'll post a few on the LCD-2 music thread that I think you and the folks over there might enjoy.
   
  Cheers,
   
   
  Paul


----------



## readerr

Hi Paul,
  Warriorant was my inspiration for getting the v200. Read the review he made and it sums the v200.
  But its like speaker amps, there are a different sounds out there.  For the headphone amps also.
   
  Hi Warriorant,
  thanks for all the good thinking !
  I'm lucky to have made the move from lcd rev1 to rev2 just today and must say it makes the v200 even better.
  I have a question on the wyred4sound ... I've found reviews saying it's also a bit on the dark side ?
  true ?
  I found the v200+lcd could do with a very clear DAC. Not easy to find since they all try to sell transparency.
  My 2 euro cents .
   
  Chris
  v200+lcd2.2. looking for a DAC.


----------



## WarriorAnt

readerr, you should go on over to the thread http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/508721/does-anyone-own-the-wyred4sound-dac-2/135#post_7599244
   
  I don't think anyone over there will say the DAC-2 is dark at all, Its not bright either. It is very detailed and extended in both spectrum extremes. Detail retrieval is just amazing.  To me it is exactly what a front end source should be.
   
  I'll send you some reviews I read about it that seem right on.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





readerr said:


> Hi Paul,
> Warriorant was my inspiration for getting the v200. Read the review he made and it sums the v200.
> But its like speaker amps, there are a different sounds out there.  For the headphone amps also.


 

 Project 86 was my inspiration.  His lengthy and NOT over winded review was what pushed me over the edge to purchase it.  When I did I found his observations to be correct.


----------



## Paul Meakin

Agreed, both of Project86's V181 and V200 reviews were excellent. Your comments and review were also a big help as you bought based on reading and experience, which is what I'm faced with (unless I cop out, and just buy more Naim).
   
  The Violectric amps seem as if they're similar to the Naims I've lived with for 30 years, i.e., fluid, dynamic, tuneful, but easy to listen to, which is what has got my interest. I also hate sibilant treble, but I'm increasingly convinced that the V200 won't have this problem.
   
   
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Project 86 was my inspiration.  His lengthy and NOT over winded review was what pushed me over the edge to purchase it.  When I did I found his observations to be correct.


----------



## dj nellie

Just got my V200 today.  Robert from aphroditecu29.com was very helpful in answering my questions, and he shipped the day I ordered (I received it 2 business days later). 
   
  For the past 5 months or so, I've been listening directly from the headphone out of my Lavry DA-10 with my LCD-2.  The DA-10's amp isn't bad, but right out of the box I'm noticing the extra authority that the V200 provides. 
   
  Listening to hi-res remasters of Mingus' "Ah Um" and Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On" (just released on hdtracks), the differences between the V200 and the DA-10's amp are subtle but significant:  Increased sense of air, wider and deeper soundstage, and an indescribable feeling that the sound is more effortless and less restrained.  Drum hits have extra texture, horns feel more brash, and Marvin's voice has never sounded more angelic and otherworldly to me.  The amp doesn't seem to be adding any noticeable coloration (such as "warmth"); it just seems to have increased transparency and realism.
   
  All my listening has been done so far with XLR to RCA adapters--I'm still waiting for my TWag XLR cables in order to use the balanced outputs of my DA-10.  But even with unbalanced inputs, I'm very impressed with what the V200 can do.  I own some decent portable amps, but none of them could make the LCD-2s really sing.  The V200 does just that and then some, in a compact form that I don't think any other desktop amp in its class can match.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I think you're going to find that after some time goes by those subtle difference will become more major as you hear more and more material.
   
  I set the gain switches on my V200 so I could get the most of of the volume control  12, 1, and sometime 2 o'clock.  this meant I had to set the switches lower.  I'm glad the V200 has that option.


----------



## dj nellie

My DAC has a volume attenuator that adjusts the volume after the D-A conversion.  Is it better for the DAC's volume to be as close to the max output that the V200 can take, with the V200's volume adjusted downward accordingly?  Or is it better for the DAC's volume to be low enough for the V200 to be near max volume on the dial (like 3:00)?  Or somewhere in the middle?
   
  My V200's pre-gain is currently set to -12 (lowest possible).


----------



## readerr

Nellie,
  I would leave the DAC full on and the dial on the V200 near max volume. If it's still too loud, use the -12 AND - 6 dip switches on the back of the V200.
  After more listening, the V200 and LCD-2s rev2 is a great match for me. No more darkness ...


----------



## theophile

I've had my Audeze LCD-2(v2) for about 2 weeks now,and have been using them via the headphone socket on my Kenwood L-A1.
   
  I just got my Violectric V200 today.I have been running the Violectric directly connected to my Simaudio Moon phono stage via single-ended Nordost Blue Heaven.The source has been my Yamaha GT 2000/Soundsmith 'The Voice'.
   
  I was initially disappointed with the Audeze.I found it to sound too bass heavy and lacking treble.This has steadily diminished with use,but had been totally banished by the use of the Violectric.I love this combination and wish that my speakers could issue this sound.


----------



## project86

Kenwood L-A1.... I remember that thing. Quite a beast, and never got the acclaim it deserved (for a variety of reasons). 
   
  I'm glad you are enjoying the V200. I forgot to mention it, but Fried Reim of Violectric told me his favorite headphones are the LCD-2 as well. So there really must be something to the Violectric/Audeze synergy that many people are reporting. I plan on trying the LCD-2 for myself soon.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





theophile said:


> I've had my Audeze LCD-2(v2) for about 2 weeks now,and have been using them via the headphone socket on my Kenwood L-A1.
> 
> I just got my Violectric V200 today.I have been running the Violectric directly connected to my Simaudio Moon phono stage via single-ended Nordost Blue Heaven.The source has been my Yamaha GT 2000/Soundsmith 'The Voice'.
> 
> I was initially disappointed with the Audeze.I found it to sound too bass heavy and lacking treble.This has steadily diminished with use,but had been totally banished by the use of the Violectric.I love this combination and wish that my speakers could issue this sound.


 
  I know people often don't want to hear this but the LCD's really need a good front end source and a good amp.  Way to often I'm seeing people judge the LCD based on what they hear from components that may not be up to the job.  Fortunately many of these same folks eventually  upgrade and the LCD's get their fare due.


----------



## Paul Meakin

Project86, how do you find the V200 with the HD600s?
   
  I've got HD650s and suspect that it would be a good combination. Unlike most people, I don't find the 650s too dark. LCD-2s may also be in my future.


----------



## eimis

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> LCD-2*r.2*


 
   
  Quote: 





readerr said:


> lcd2*.2*


 


   
  What do they mean?


----------



## Loevhagen

They mean the same thing. Just semantics.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





paul meakin said:


> Project86, how do you find the V200 with the HD600s?
> 
> I've got HD650s and suspect that it would be a good combination. Unlike most people, I don't find the 650s too dark. LCD-2s may also be in my future.


 


  Love it. I think the V200 mates very well with all three Sennheisers (HD600, HD650, HD800) that I've tried. It doesn't add extra sizzle to the highs though, and certainly doesn't thin out the bass, which is something that certain people would desire. So it may not be a good match based on your expectations. I personally really enjoy it though. 


  Quote: 





eimis said:


> What do they mean?


 


  That is reference to the newly released updated version of the LCD-2. It doesn't really have an official name that I'm aware of so people are making their own.


----------



## Paul Meakin

Thanks for the reply.
   
  Extra sizzle is definitely not what I'm looking for, as I sometimes find the 650s too bright, although they're great with well recorded music. And I actually like the punchy but rounded bass that I'm getting, so thinning that out isn't called for either. To me, they only produce bass when they should, but this is highly dependent on the amp's ability to exercise control.
   
  I know from some music that my portable amp doesn't go as deep as it should; a good example is Brand-X's Unorthodox Behaviour, which has some ridiculously extended bass. I have a hunch that it's the amp that's slightly struggling rather than the HD650s, but I may yet be proven wrong, and may indeed be expecting too much from headphones rather than the big speakers that I'm comparing to, but based on some past experiences with Stax headphones I'm fairly sure that my current amp _slightly _lacks slam compared to the very best.
   
  I've pretty much decided that I'm going to try the HD650s from my full-sized amp first, via a speaker to headphone converter. It's effectively free for me to try and it's a more than decent speaker amp; i.e. Naim 82/Hi-Cap/250. Some may regard this as overkill for headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  If I'm not happy with how that works together, the V200 increasingly seems like a really good option.
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> Love it. I think the V200 mates very well with all three Sennheisers (HD600, HD650, HD800) that I've tried. It doesn't add extra sizzle to the highs though, and certainly doesn't thin out the bass, which is something that certain people would desire. So it may not be a good match based on your expectations. I personally really enjoy it though.


----------



## Jodet

Just searched this thread and didn't get a single hit on 'Denon'.  
   
  Is no one using this with Denons?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





jodet said:


> Just searched this thread and didn't get a single hit on 'Denon'.
> 
> Is no one using this with Denons?


 
   
  My Lawton LA7000 is a modified Denon D7000, and the combo is excellent. Some of the most definitive, controlled, solid bass I've heard this side of a high end subwoofer.


----------



## theophile

Quote: 





eimis said:


> What do they mean?


 
  This next sentence is a quote(cut and paste)from the Audeze site:
   
  LCD-2 with the current headband -$945 (No price change. Comes with the new Rev2 Driver)
   
  Here is a link to that page at the Audeze site
   
  http://www.audeze.com/driver-update-and-leather-headband
   
  Thus,we see that "Rev2' is Audeze's shorthand for the driver revision.


----------



## theophile

This is a 'cut and paste' of a post I made at another site:
   

    
  Firstly before I say what I am saying next,I want to admit that the expenditure of nearly $2,500 Aussie dollars for a set of headphones and a dedicated headphone amp is not an insubstantial investment/expense.Thus one should really expect to get something special for their monetary outlay.I also have no experience of the sound of the sonically competitive/cost competitive models from other manufacturers.

 I adore the sound of this combination.I have never heard any system(and I haven't heard them all)that separates the disparate discrete elements on a track as well,nor have I heard dynamics or tonal naturalness as beautiful as this headphone/headphone amp combination is able to portray.

 Despite that the sound is a revelation of musical insight.Analytical does not apply here.All the different strands are teased apart,but not to the point that the musical work is dismantled.They are rendered in greater resolution and that greater resolution merely,totally,serves the musical message.

 I trust what I hear through the Audeze and the Violectric to be the most truthful rendition of my records,that I have ever heard.Over the last thirty or more years I made it a habit to go and listen to well reviewed components in dealerships.I would generally take a handful of superbly recorded LPs that I had heard on a variety of systems.I played one of them tonight.It is a true reference record with minimal miking and processing of the signal.Totally acoustic instruments and vocals.No compression,reverb or anything.The bottom line is that this combination revealed more of this record(much,much more)than I have heard before.I have heard this LP countless times and in many dealers systems over the years,in many of my own systems over the years.However I have never heard it sound like it does via the Audeze/Violectric combination.

 I don't treat the price lightly.$2,500 is a huge, (for some absolutely unthinkable)investment in a dedicated headphone set-up.What I will say right here,is that if I had this pairing to hear thirty years ago,it would have saved me many times it's cost by making everything else that I'd be listening to,second-rate(at best).These things are so good that the system which could equal them in entire system terms would cost a king's ransom plus require a dedicated room to accomplish that level of performance.

 Thus I declare that in real terms,the $2,500 spent acquiring this partnership to be a bargain in terms of the level of absolute sonic performance that one acquires for that expenditure.I'm ******* impressed.


----------



## Subsequence

Still loving the V200 with my T1's, everytime i listen im amazed how good it sounds it's very addictive


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





theophile said:


> Thus I declare that in real terms,the $2,500 spent acquiring this partnership to be a bargain in terms of the level of absolute sonic performance that one acquires for that expenditure.I'm ******* impressed.


 

 I see from your profile you seem to be a pure vinyl guy. Nice.


----------



## theophile

I'm one of those who never sold his records,and never bought a CD player.I have had a 24bit 192K DVD-A player and a SACD player.MY Yamaha GT 2000 blows them all away.
   
  2500+ records.12 CDs(only bought to get me through a busted TT.They haven't been played in years).Digital has gotten much better.I'm waiting for 36bit/384K.That'll be worth listening to.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





theophile said:


> I'm one of those who never sold his records,and never bought a CD player.I have had a 24bit 192K DVD-A player and a SACD player.MY Yamaha GT 2000 blows them all away.
> 
> 2500+ records.12 CDs(only bought to get me through a busted TT.They haven't been played in years).Digital has gotten much better.I'm waiting for 36bit/384K.That'll be worth listening to.


 
  Forget it! Stop waiting.  You're one of the lucky ones, and now vinyl is making a huge comeback.
  I have a few audiophile rules I live by.  Here are a few of them
   
  Never listen to your rig right after you've attended a live concert, especially a classical concert. Always wait one day
  Never listen to vinyl on a good high end system if you want to enjoy your digital set up.  
   
  I get flamed a lot for that last rule but its so true.


----------



## Jodet

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Forget it! Stop waiting.  You're one of the lucky ones, and now vinyl is making a huge comeback.
> I have a few audiophile rules I live by.  Here are a few of them
> 
> Never listen to vinyl on a good high end system if you want to enjoy your digital set up.
> ...


 

 I decided ten years ago that the best way to enjoy digital way to get out of vinyl.   Since 9/10 of the albums I buy are digital only, that's what I did.


----------



## fdhfdy

Quote: 





project86 said:


> My Lawton LA7000 is a modified Denon D7000, and the combo is excellent. Some of the most definitive, controlled, solid bass I've heard this side of a high end subwoofer.


 
  It matched quite well with my unmodded d7000s.dark back groud, no hiss, no noise or such, just perfect.


----------



## project86

I talked to a fellow recently who had switched from the SPL Auditor to the V200 a while ago. I was asking him his reasoning for that. His response was interesting so I felt like I should share it here:
   
  He had been very happy with the Auditor when he only used Sennheiser HD650 and Beyer DT880/600. But when he picked up an HE-5LE he was sorely disappointed with the sound. He then borrowed a Phonitor for a trial, thinking it would be better. He was still disappointed. The Phonitor was sent back, the Auditor sold, and the V200 purchased. His summary of the experience is that the two SPL models are like different versions of the Toyota Camry: the Auditor might be a mid level model, it has the V6 engine but not many options. The Phonitor would be a maxed out version with navigation and all the other bells and whistles. It has more functionality but is really the same driving experience in the end. The Violectric is more like a Honda Accord - a totally different experience. They are comparable in some ways, but each have their own strengths, and for him the V200 was a better match. 
   
  Apparently it is common knowledge that the Auditor and Phonitor share the same basic amp section. But that was news to me so I figured I'd share.


----------



## Loevhagen

Any news of a balanced V200 Violectric?


----------



## fdhfdy

The designer has been working on the new amp for quite a while. Hopfully we will see it in the early 2012 before judgement day.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I don't see anything on the V800....=/


----------



## project86

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> I don't see anything on the V800....=/


 


  I'm planning on trying it out one of these days, when I get some free time.


----------



## Stormfriend

Thanks for the reviews guys.  I have the HD800s and was aiming to go balanced, for which the V181 seemed to be the best choice.  Then I read the reviews for the V200...
   
  What I'm really curious to know though is how the V200 compares to the Lehman BCL, as I'll be able to audition one of those for a week or so.
   
  Also, are there any Violectric dealers in the UK who can demo the amps?


----------



## Loevhagen

The V200 (which I currently own) is quite different from the LehmannAudio BCL (which I borrowed for 3+ weeks), while I had the HD800. What in particular is it you wan't to know?


----------



## third_eye

Anyone using their V200 with a T1? Would the V200 be any upgrade over a Concerto except for maybe softening the edges as the Concerto plays pretty neutral?


----------



## Stormfriend

Loevhagen: once I know how the Lehmann sounds because I've been able to demo it, how would you best describe the differences with the V200?  I'm after silky smooth (but completely open) top end, expressive vocals, a real sense of drive and power behind the music and infectious rhythm.  I only demo'd the Lehmann with a not-really-run-in pair of HD800s, which I bought after the demo, and they've now been run in for several hundred hours so the Lehmann might sound quite different.  I have bass now 
   
  I've been using an Earmax amp which I've had for a decade or so iirc and it sounds pretty good, although with the HD800s it sucked at heavy metal, whilst being very nice at orchestral pieces.  It was better at heavy metal with my old HD650s before they broke, but I've been wondering if the Earmax has stopped performing at its best.  On Wednesday out of sheer curiosity I picked up a £79 Focusrite VRMbox from a pro audio dealer in London, which is a portable, usb powered, dac and headphone amp.  It's a little fatiguing compared to the Earmax but it has excellent bass extension and the rhythm is incredible.  It's now my headphone amp of choice (it's that good).  I can listen to heavy metal again, with the HD800s, and a whole bunch of music I'd given up on, whilst still enjoying the orchestral stuff (although I prefer the Earmax for that).  Unfortunately it has a single input and occasionally feels like its running out of steam (it can go louder and using the VRM software it can produce stupid levels of mid-bass, but it doesn't sound like its entirely in control).  I want the rhythm I get from the Focusrite with the richness and silkiness of the Earmax and the control I get from my Jeff Rowland power amps (sadly packed away due to quiet neighbours).
   
  Which of the two amps would you suggest comes closest to that combination?


----------



## Loevhagen

I have no experience with said combination, but based on your elaboration I get the definitive feeling that you should try the BCL from LehmannAudio. It is an exciting amp. Forward. Open. "Transparent" - aka often refered to bright. 
   
  BCL is a "fun" amp. The V200 is pure netraul (to dark neuances) neutral. I love the V200 for it's endurance becuase I listen for music for several hours a day. The BCL will engage more for high listening session of shorter duration.
   
  Dumb simplification (sometimes that's required instead of long winded elaborations):
   
  - V200 = endurance and authorative sound
  - BCL = fun and forward for those shorter, but fun listening sessions


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Alright looking forward to your impressions!  MMM... does anyone know much about the dac/tolsink option for the V200?
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I'm planning on trying it out one of these days, when I get some free time.


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I listen for music for several hours a day.


 

 So do I, and that's my dilemma.  The Focusrite gets tiring after a while, but it's a blast.  The Earmax I could listen to all day (and have done regularly).  I'm hoping I can spend enough money to get the best of both worlds...


----------



## Loevhagen

http://www.head-fi.org/t/534878/violectric#post_7222839
  
  Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Alright looking forward to your impressions!  MMM... does anyone know much about the dac/tolsink option for the V200?


----------



## Loevhagen

2012: Balanced "V200" -> I buy.
   
  Based on "old" discussions, I'm not sure if there's actually going to be a balanced "POWER" amp from Violectric. Anyone care to elaborate? A bit keen, since the V200 so far have been an outrageous positive surprise.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Recently I switched out the stock cable that was supplied with my LCD-2 and put in its place the Q headphone cable.   There increase in clarity was immediate. Not only did I realize that the LCD was capable of giving me more but also that the V200 had more to give also.  I'm enjoying my LCD's more than ever now and I am finding that the V200 is even better than I first realized.   I do not find the V200 to be dark at all.  It is so smooth and tonally balanced that it never seems to get in the way.  I also find it to be very transparent and nothing about it ever seems to be artificial.


----------



## Loevhagen

The HE-500 with the Q audio cable improves likewise on the V200. Just for the record. 
   
  As a cable agnostic, I'm quite puzzled (about the Q that is). 
   
  The V200 is a keeper, no matter what.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> The HE-500 with the Q audio cable improves likewise on the V200. Just for the record.
> 
> As a cable agnostic, I'm quite puzzled (about the Q that is).
> 
> The V200 is a keeper, no matter what.


 

 Are you puzzled as to why a cable can make a difference because I think you hear a difference with the Q cable unless I'm reading you wrong. Did you not hear any difference?    I too am also very puzzled over these matters, I did not expect to hear a difference with the Q even though I have heard differences in interconnects between the DAC-2 and the V200.  When I heard the difference between the stock cable and the Q cable I was very surprised.  Just in case anyone was to ask me (and no one has) I had my daughter do many random blind tests on me between the Q and the stock cable.  Finally she gave up because I could easily tell the difference every time.    I have my theories about passive cable signatures and why and my theories on why burn in might  occur in a cable.  But no one wants to hear them.  They are loosely shaped thoughts more than theories anyway.   All I know is that I am a slave to my ears.  Just ask my wife. 
   
  Next week I'm going to torture myself with a wireworld USB cable.  Let me just say that in this instance really do not expect to notice any difference.  We shall see, or hear.


----------



## Gradofan2

But... does the cable make the phones sound $500 better?   I think that's the price, right?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





gradofan2 said:


> But... does the cable make the phones sound $500 better?   I think that's the price, right?


 

 In relation to the stock cable for my LCD's it was acting like a filter that was holding back information, smearing the signal, congesting the upper frequencies slightly, constricting dynamic passages.  Whereas the Q had far more clarity, it was cleaner, as if it was getting out of the way of the signal and impeding it far less that the stock cable and so my LCD's were allowed to do more of what they can do best.  So in essence the LCD's did sound better.


----------



## Stormfriend

Right, I borrowed the Lehmann, took it home, plugged it in and switched it on, then switched it off and will be taking it back to the store in a minute.  I have a noisy mains ring at home and whilst most equipment works just fne, occasionally I'll find something the hums and buzzes away (loudly) because of it.  Sadly the Lehmann is one of those things.  I know I should probably get the mains sorted, but until I do I need to buy equipment that can handle it.
   
  Does anyone know if the Violectric can handle a noisy mains supply and remain completely silent? 
   
  I should note, the noise doesn't come through the headphones, it comes from the box itself and can be heard anywhere in the room.


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





third_eye said:


> Anyone using their V200 with a T1? Would the V200 be any upgrade over a Concerto except for maybe softening the edges as the Concerto plays pretty neutral?


 


  I'm using that combo and well i'm considering switching to tubes(Wa2 or CSP-2+) because there's still somewhat of a rough edge to it. Even with good recording's so my guess is that you won't find much difference if you switch to a V200 seeing as they both are neutral amps. Many also say the T1 goes best with OTL tube setups and i'm inclined to believe that..


----------



## WarriorAnt

Where are you located?    I am interested in your situation because to be honest it seems pretty bizarre and kind of scary!   You are saying that the current from your main is so bad that it can make some equipment physically buzz or hum?  What if any is the solution for that kind of problem and what could be wrong with your main that would create such a situation?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Speaking of power, I'm looking for a good after market power cord for my V200.  Is anyone using anything specific in their rig?
   
  So far my contenders are:
   
  SHUNYATA- Diamondback Platinum power Cable
  SHUNYATA - VENOM 3 POWER CABLE
  Wireworld Electra 5.2 
  Wireworld Aurora 5.2
  Wireworld Stratus 5.2


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Where are you located?    I am interested in your situation because to be honest it seems pretty bizarre and kind of scary!   You are saying that the current from your main is so bad that it can make some equipment physically buzz or hum?  What if any is the solution for that kind of problem and what could be wrong with your main that would create such a situation?


 

  
  I had the ring main replaced when I bought the house, albeit a few years ago now, so its pretty new.  It seems to affect any device that's not running at full power, so dimmer switches buzz faintly when they're below maximum but stop buzzing when on full.  My power amps buzz when first switched on but the noise quickly dies down over the first few seconds and becomes inaudible.  The worst buzz is a Fleischman train-set controller (and another no-brand one was equally bad).  Even energy saving light bulbs can buzz at times too, albeit much more faintly. I get the same result in every room in the house, but most of my stuff is immune to it (otherwise I'd have dealt with it already).
   
  I seem to remember the wall wart psu for my DacMagic buzzed after it was replaced (the old one fell apart), but it hasn't done it for a while now.  I'd switched to my old Micromega, which doesn't have this issue, and when I switched back as an experiment the hum had gone away.


----------



## Duckman

Stormfriend,
   
  The electrical setup in my flat has reacted similarly to a few pieces of gear I've used, with noise and buzzing (coincidentally mostly with hybrid amps), but the Violectric is dead silent.
   
  Can't guarantee it will be the same at your place.
   
  Cheers,
   
  Dave


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> I had the ring main replaced when I bought the house, albeit a few years ago now, so its pretty new.  It seems to affect any device that's not running at full power, so dimmer switches buzz faintly when they're below maximum but stop buzzing when on full.  My power amps buzz when first switched on but the noise quickly dies down over the first few seconds and becomes inaudible.  The worst buzz is a Fleischman train-set controller (and another no-brand one was equally bad).  Even energy saving light bulbs can buzz at times too, albeit much more faintly. I get the same result in every room in the house, but most of my stuff is immune to it (otherwise I'd have dealt with it already).
> 
> I seem to remember the wall wart psu for my DacMagic buzzed after it was replaced (the old one fell apart), but it hasn't done it for a while now.  I'd switched to my old Micromega, which doesn't have this issue, and when I switched back as an experiment the hum had gone away.


 
  I cannot stop thinking about this.  I'm going to be researching it for days now on the internet.   you use 60 Hz 120v?


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Speaking of power, I'm looking for a good after market power cord for my V200.  Is anyone using anything specific in their rig?
> 
> So far my contenders are:
> 
> ...


 

 I am using Wireworld Electra 5.2 OCC copper and like it.  I was totally skeptical but heard an improvement when feeding my dac. If i could afford another i  would send one to the V200 but for now that is being fed by a GD powercord.  I found the better powercord made the most noticeable difference when feeding the dac.  I take it directly from the wall plug.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I am using Wireworld Electra 5.2 OCC copper and like it.  I was totally skeptical but heard an improvement when feeding my dac. If i could afford another i  would send one to the V200 but for now that is being fed by a GD powercord.  I found the better powercord made the most noticeable difference when feeding the dac.  I take it directly from the wall plug.


 
  Thanks.  What DAC?   So you weren't curios to switch to Wireworld over to the V200 just to get an impression?
   
  Are you using an Audio GD power chord?  I saw this warning thread about it recently.  http://www.head-fi.org/t/562756/warning-audio-gd-power-cords-improperly-wired


----------



## dallan

I got my GD cord a long time ago before that issue.  I did try the Wireworld cable on my v200 first actually, It was suggested by some that i respect that i also try it on the dac.  I felt that made the biggest difference so i kept it that way.
   
  My dac is a PSaudio Digital Link but it is highly modified with a RAM mod and an ultraclock added as well(which is or was acclaimed and cost 25% more than the actual dac itself).  There is also a Superclock with powersupply added to the usb section but i got The Diverter which is a high end usb converter and using it to go in with spdif input is way better than using the upgraded usb section of the dac.  I probably should have waited and gotten something like Zodiac Gold but at the time i didn't know.  The cost of the dac itself was only a bit over 1/4 the total cost in the end so you can imagine that it was reworked quite a bit.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Thanks for your post. It got me thinking that the best place to start with an aftermarket power chord is the source first.  Don't know why I didn't realize this.   This week I'll be getting either a 1 meter or 2 meter Wireworld Starlight USB cable for my DAC-2, then instead of a power chord for the V200 I'll try one with the DAC and then move on to the V200.


----------



## dallan

Works for me.


----------



## BournePerfect

I use these for my dacs and amp/preamps. Very excellent sound qualities, at a very reasonable price! http://www.decware.com/newsite/powercords.htm
   
  -Daniel

  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Speaking of power, I'm looking for a good after market power cord for my V200.  Is anyone using anything specific in their rig?
> 
> So far my contenders are:
> 
> ...


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





duckman said:


> Stormfriend,
> 
> The electrical setup in my flat has reacted similarly to a few pieces of gear I've used, with noise and buzzing (coincidentally mostly with hybrid amps), but the Violectric is dead silent.
> 
> ...


 


 Thanks, that's +1 in its favour.  I need to work up the courage to buy this thing on sale or return!


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I cannot stop thinking about this.  I'm going to be researching it for days now on the internet.   you use 60 Hz 120v?


 


 No, I'm in the UK, so I believe its 50hz 240v - although I'm no electrician...


----------



## Paul Meakin

Correct.
   
  A friend of mine had such bad mains electricity that you could hear his turntable 'wow'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow_and_flutter_measurement
   
  We tested his mains feed, and it was a mess; nowhere near a proper 50Hz feed. We fixed it with a mains conditioner that regenerated a correct 50Hz/240V.
   
  The electricity company had under-specified the power feed to his house, which was right on the edge of a new housing development. We could also see his lights dim when the turntable showed the 'wow' problem... the mains electricity was that bad. This is what gave us the hint that the mains was the problem.
   
  It is the only example of this that I've ever seen, but fixing it made a dramatic difference to how his system sounded.
   
  Edit: Conventional wisdom may tell you that mains conditioners make no difference... but, it depends on your situation. Experience shows that in hi-fi/audio systems, there are no absolutes.
   
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Stormfriend* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> No, I'm in the UK, so I believe its 50hz 240v - although I'm no electrician...


----------



## Paul Meakin

The only place I've found the V200 for sale in the UK is the Thomann site.
http://www.thomann.de/gb/violectric_hpa_200_kopfhoererverstaerker.htm
   
  I'm also interested in it, so please let me know if you find a anyone that stocks it. I'd like to be able to audition it, too.
   
  They do have a sale/return policy for 30 days. 
  
  Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> Thanks, that's +1 in its favour.  I need to work up the courage to buy this thing on sale or return!


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





paul meakin said:


> The only place I've found the V200 for sale in the UK is the Thomann site.
> http://www.thomann.de/gb/violectric_hpa_200_kopfhoererverstaerker.htm
> 
> I'm also interested in it, so please let me know if you find a anyone that stocks it. I'd like to be able to audition it, too.
> ...


 


 Yep, that's the only place I've found too.  I mentioned it to my local dealer but given how few headphone amps get sold I can't see them stocking it.
   
  Which mains reconditioner did you use?  The APC AV one is around £1500 by the looks of it, which busts the budget somewhat given I'd still need a headphone amp, and it looks like it has a fan too.  I've spent a lot of effort getting my PC down to a single silent fan, so having another one in the room would seem like a retrograde step.  I really hate fan noise!


----------



## evolutionx

loevhagen said:


> 2012: Balanced "V200" -> I buy.
> 
> Based on "old" discussions, I'm not sure if there's actually going to be a balanced "POWER" amp from Violectric. Anyone care to elaborate? A bit keen, since the V200 so far have been an outrageous positive surprise.




Hi Loevhagen, I have a DAC with balanced out, and is thinking of getting the v200 since it has balanced input. Will this sound better than Burson 160D since it has only SE input? Look forward to your advise on whether the balanced in of v200 will make a diff on my LCD-2. Thanks.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





evolutionx said:


> Hi Loevhagen, I have a DAC with balanced out, and is thinking of getting the v200 since it has balanced input. Will this sound better than Burson 160D since it has only SE input? Look forward to your advise on whether the balanced in of v200 will make a diff on my LCD-2. Thanks.


 

 My opinion is that it really depends on the DAC. With some DACs, only the balanced output gives you the full performance. Single ended is added as sort of a "convenience" item, but does not reach the full potential of the device. Other times they are equally well implemented and it won't matter. My theory is that the V200 doesn't sound any different either way - it is up to the DAC itself.
   
  With the Audio GD Reference 7, I believe I hear a distinct improvement using balanced mode. 
   
  With the Resonessence Labs Invicta, I could not discern a difference between the two modes.


----------



## evolutionx

Quote: 





project86 said:


> My opinion is that it really depends on the DAC. With some DACs, only the balanced output gives you the full performance. Single ended is added as sort of a "convenience" item, but does not reach the full potential of the device. Other times they are equally well implemented and it won't matter. My theory is that the V200 doesn't sound any different either way - it is up to the DAC itself.
> 
> With the Audio GD Reference 7, I believe I hear a distinct improvement using balanced mode.
> 
> With the Resonessence Labs Invicta, I could not discern a difference between the two modes.


 

 Hi project86, thanks for your comments.  The review of the Calyx DAC i am using mentioned that balanced mode does sound better and I guess it will make a difference?    I guess at least V200 has the option to go balance as compared with other amps.   Will take that into consideration when deciding my next amp.  Cheers.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> 2012: Balanced "V200" -> I buy.
> 
> Based on "old" discussions, I'm not sure if there's actually going to be a balanced "POWER" amp from Violectric. Anyone care to elaborate? A bit keen, since the V200 so far have been an outrageous positive surprise.


 

 Last I heard on the subject was back in February. While answering a bunch of my questions about the V181/V200 (I tend to ask way too many questions when I do a review, I'm thankful whenever I get useful responses), Fried Reim mentioned a balanced version of the V200. He made it sound like they were shooting for a 2012 release, which corresponds to prior discussion I've read on the topic. I didn't get a ton of info about it.... he did say that it would not fit into the standard enclosure that they use for V181/V200/V800. I'll ask him for an update if I talk to him again anytime soon.


----------



## Paul Meakin

Sorry, but I can't remember, it was a long time ago and has probably been replaced by now anyway. It would have been a low capacity unit as it only had to cope with the turntable.
   
  APC products are regarded as solid though, lots of people use them as UPSs for networking equipment.
   
  Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> Which mains reconditioner did you use?  The APC AV one is around £1500 by the looks of it, which busts the budget somewhat given I'd still need a headphone amp, and it looks like it has a fan too.  I've spent a lot of effort getting my PC down to a single silent fan, so having another one in the room would seem like a retrograde step.  I really hate fan noise!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





evolutionx said:


> Hi Loevhagen, I have a DAC with balanced out, and is thinking of getting the v200 since it has balanced input. Will this sound better than Burson 160D since it has only SE input? Look forward to your advise on whether the balanced in of v200 will make a diff on my LCD-2. Thanks.


 

 when I changed from the SE of my W4S DAC-2 outs to the Balanced outs then into the balanced inputs of the V200 my LCD's gained performance.   It think it all depends on how well the balanced outs of the DAC in question have been designed and implemented.


----------



## pigmode

Does Aphrodite have a 30 day trial?


----------



## third_eye

Quote: 





subsequence said:


> I'm using that combo and well i'm considering switching to tubes(Wa2 or CSP-2+) because there's still somewhat of a rough edge to it. Even with good recording's so my guess is that you won't find much difference if you switch to a V200 seeing as they both are neutral amps. Many also say the T1 goes best with OTL tube setups and i'm inclined to believe that..


 
  Thanks. I'll be auditioning the T1 along with LCD-2 with my Concerto. I'm thinking a tube like solid state amp like the Red Wine Isabellina might fare really well with the T1 as there are many reports of its synergy with the HD800.


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





paul meakin said:


> Sorry, but I can't remember, it was a long time ago and has probably been replaced by now anyway. It would have been a low capacity unit as it only had to cope with the turntable.
> 
> APC products are regarded as solid though, lots of people use them as UPSs for networking equipment.


 
   
  APC is just too expensive.  At £500 I'd seriously consider it, but I think they know what kind of money audiophiles tend to spend and have positioned the product accordingly.

 I've discovered that the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC and (I assume) M1 HPA have built-in psu's that incorporate a form of mains conditioning, so I'm going to give those a try and see how they get on.  My local dealer can get hold of both.
   
  Until then I have a replacement cable for my old HD650s, so I'll be cutting the end off that and wiring them up to the speaker terminals on my power amps.  We'll see which melts first; amps, headphones or ears


----------



## Paul Meakin

Stormfriend,
   
  Are you sure about those prices?
   
  I did some searching and found a 1kW APS AV unit for around £300. That should keep most hi-fi systems running for a while...
   
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=apc+av&hl=en&prmd=ivns&biw=1333&bih=663&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=6190031101615340491&sa=X&ei=1_hTTtjPCY698gPrwczhBQ&ved=0CFoQ8wIwAQ


----------



## WarriorAnt

Is there a power conditioner you can place on your electrical main, at the box itself?


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





third_eye said:


> Thanks. I'll be auditioning the T1 along with LCD-2 with my Concerto. I'm thinking a tube like solid state amp like the Red Wine Isabellina might fare really well with the T1 as there are many reports of its synergy with the HD800.


 
   

  That amp seems interesting but waaay out my price range and i've looked at my wallet but it wouldn't budge and gave me the finger 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Anyways i think i have to retract my previous statement about there being a rough edge because well it seems the T1 needs less volume to sound right after it has burned in. I was keeping it mostly at a certain volume and well i mistook the increase in volume to sibilance, i guess i'm more sensitive in that particular frequency while the rest kept sounding so smooth i really didn't notice it much. 
   
  However there might still be a change in amp's for me because there's a certain coloration in the mid's that has been bugging me, you can hear it in certain vocals and i guess you could describe that as tube like which might be the reason some people see the amp as warm while the rest of the frequency range is neutral. The same thing can be heard on the HD600 and it sounds good for a while but i'm getting a bit tired of it since it makes some of the vocals sound the same. 
   
  Will have to think about this....


----------



## dj nellie

WarriorAnt and anyone else who has the Wyred4Sound DAC2:  Does the W4S mute its volume control when it's plugged into an external amp?  If not, what volume do you put the DAC2 at, and where does that then require you put the V200 volume dial (assuming a comfortable listening volume)?
   
  Just trying to see whether it's better to have the DAC volume near max output, and keep the V200 volume low, or vice versa.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I keep the output of the DAC-2 at full volume and I use those switches on the back of the V200  which allows me to use the V200 volume control around 12 to 1 PM.   I have the first two switches #1 and 2 at the upward or on position.


----------



## ironman31

I keep my DAC-2's volume at 56 and I use the dip switches of the V200 to make it -6 db, I believe... This allows most music to become loud around the 3 o'clock position, with quieter music I can turn it all the way up and it is just over the point where it is too loud.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Wow, There's more W4S DAC-2, V200 ,LCD-2 combo owners than I realized.


----------



## BournePerfect

Any impression of Audio Technicas with the V200? Spevifically the AD2000?
   
  -Daniel


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





paul meakin said:


> Stormfriend,
> 
> Are you sure about those prices?
> 
> ...


 


 Thanks for the link, but the same unit is being sold by the seller below at £850.  That makes me very nervous!  I will do some more digging though.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





bourneperfect said:


> Any impression of Audio Technicas with the V200? Spevifically the AD2000?
> 
> -Daniel


 

 I've only tried the W1000 and W2002, both of which sounded very good. The smoothness of the top end is very welcome, especially with W1000 which tends to be edgy in that area. The exceptional performance on the low end is also appreciated, especially again with the W1000 somewhat lacking in depth. This is my 2nd favorite amp with both of those models (my first choice being tubes). 
   
  Unfortunately no comment about the AD series, I've only heard the lower end models and never with the V200.


----------



## BournePerfect

Thanks Project86. I think my short term solution will be to buy the Anedio (they need to HURRY) and run it off of that while I save up for a high end tube amp. I do want a nice SS under a grand though and the Violectric seems like it may be a great match for the AD2Ks and also my Pro 2900s....and the eventual LCD2s yada yada....
   
  -Daniel


----------



## WarriorAnt

I only have one thing about the V200 I wish was different.  The internal fuse is soldered in place.  I want to try out the "New Black" Supreme Fuse from HiFi-Tuning.  At least I think it's soldered in place because that's what the manual says and I haven't opened the V200 up to look inside.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

My Violectric V200 arrived today; I've got it connected and it's been playing for a few hours.  Excellent, lush sound.  It's currently being fed by my StageDAC.  My LCD-2s (rev 2) sound great with it.  
   
  I seem to remember reading that the sound will change a bit after some burn in; can any users verify this?  
   
  It sounds great now, but I'm hoping for the treble to open up a bit more.


----------



## Zombie_X

I'm geting my V200 demo unit tomorrow along with a V800 DAC. I'll be sure to post impressions here. Kinda anxious to try them out!


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I'm geting my V200 demo unit tomorrow along with a V800 DAC. I'll be sure to post impressions here. Kinda anxious to try them out!


 


  Cool,,, this will be interesting, to you have the Auditor as well?


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I talked to a fellow recently who had switched from the SPL Auditor to the V200 a while ago. I was asking him his reasoning for that. His response was interesting so I felt like I should share it here:
> 
> He had been very happy with the Auditor when he only used Sennheiser HD650 and Beyer DT880/600. But when he picked up an HE-5LE he was sorely disappointed with the sound. He then borrowed a Phonitor for a trial, thinking it would be better. He was still disappointed. The Phonitor was sent back, the Auditor sold, and the V200 purchased. His summary of the experience is that the two SPL models are like different versions of the Toyota Camry: the Auditor might be a mid level model, it has the V6 engine but not many options. The Phonitor would be a maxed out version with navigation and all the other bells and whistles. It has more functionality but is really the same driving experience in the end. The Violectric is more like a Honda Accord - a totally different experience. They are comparable in some ways, but each have their own strengths, and for him the V200 was a better match.
> 
> Apparently it is common knowledge that the Auditor and Phonitor share the same basic amp section. But that was news to me so I figured I'd share.


 

 If the V200 sounds something like the V100, I would like to think the Auditor is more like the Porsche 911, and the V100 is like the Camaro. I think is more of the style that you like to drive. BTW, I just hope the HE-5LE are a big improvement over the HE5, because they sounds funny with the Auditor and definitely needs a more powerful warmer amp.


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> It sounds great now, but I'm hoping for the treble to open up a bit more.


 


 I'd be very interested to know if the treble opens up.  I'm currently trialling the Musical Fideliety M1 HPA, which also has a very rich, warm and powerful sound.  Its eliminated the glare of the HD800s and sounds fantastic, but it has a slightly closed in and claustrophobic top end - even after 100 hours of continuous use.  Its still very detailed, and instrument separation is excellent, I just know the HD800s are capable of more when it comes to air and openness.  If the Violectric has the same richness but opens up then I may have to get one on sale or return...


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> I'd be very interested to know if the treble opens up.  I'm currently trialling the Musical Fideliety M1 HPA, which also has a very rich, warm and powerful sound.  Its eliminated the glare of the HD800s and sounds fantastic, but it has a slightly closed in and claustrophobic top end - even after 100 hours of continuous use.  Its still very detailed, and instrument separation is excellent, I just know the HD800s are capable of more when it comes to air and openness.  If the Violectric has the same richness but opens up then I may have to get one on sale or return...


 
  I didn't care much for the V200/HD800 combo but i suspect that's more to do with me not liking the HD800 since i really like the V200 with the T1.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> My Violectric V200 arrived today; I've got it connected and it's been playing for a few hours.  Excellent, lush sound.  It's currently being fed by my StageDAC.  My LCD-2s (rev 2) sound great with it.
> 
> I seem to remember reading that the sound will change a bit after some burn in; can any users verify this?
> 
> It sounds great now, but I'm hoping for the treble to open up a bit more.


 

 I burn all my gear in immediately upon receiving it, and I don't really listen before hand... so no direct experience from me. I tend to think it is our brains that burn in rather than our ears, but many would disagree with me. For what it's worth I have heard a few people comment on the treble doing exactly what you are hoping for after burn in. Totally anecdotal but there it is. 
   
   
   
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I'm geting my V200 demo unit tomorrow along with a V800 DAC. I'll be sure to post impressions here. Kinda anxious to try them out!


 

 Cool! I'm taking the plunge on the V800 as well, in transit to me now. I have to admit, I expect big things from these little boxes. It was kind of a strange experience to have the small V200 give such a bigger, more powerful sounding performance than my big DarkVoice 337SE. So we'll see what the DAC can do against some bigger/more complex competitors. 
   


  Quote: 





acix said:


> If the V200 sounds something like the V100, I would like to think the Auditor is more like the Porsche 911, and the V100 is like the Camaro. I think is more of the style that you like to drive. BTW, I just hope the HE-5LE are a big improvement over the HE5, because they sounds funny with the Auditor and definitely needs a more powerful warmer amp.


 

 Could be. I do feel that my ADLabs Svetlana 2 tube amp has more finesse and emotion than the Violectric, so maybe that works with your analogy. Both are fast and fun but in different ways. 
   
  BTW - my experience with Auditor was that it did very well with higher impedance headphones but rather poorly with low impedance models. I don't think the HE-5LE is the answer if the Auditor is still in the mix - it should do much better with HD800, T1, maybe even the new 250 ohm T70. 
   


  Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> I'd be very interested to know if the treble opens up.  I'm currently trialling the Musical Fideliety M1 HPA, which also has a very rich, warm and powerful sound.  Its eliminated the glare of the HD800s and sounds fantastic, but it has a slightly closed in and claustrophobic top end - even after 100 hours of continuous use.  Its still very detailed, and instrument separation is excellent, I just know the HD800s are capable of more when it comes to air and openness.  If the Violectric has the same richness but opens up then I may have to get one on sale or return...


 

 I really liked M1 HPA when I had a loaner from a local shop. Unfortunately I didn't have the V200 yet at that point so no direct comparisons. My one issue with it was exactly as you said (well, that and the lack of balanced inputs even though the matching M1 DAC has balanced outputs)... it felt a little closed off in the treble. Sometimes I appreciated that aspect, like when using the HD800 or K701 with potentially bright music. Other times it felt lacking. I was told that as a demo unit my loaner already had tons of hours on it so I had no hope of it going away. I was still considering buying it until I heard the V200, at which point I pretty much moved on. I still have high respect for the M1 HPA though, as the first higher end MF amp that I've enjoyed in a long time.


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *project86* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I really liked M1 HPA when I had a loaner from a local shop. Unfortunately I didn't have the V200 yet at that point so no direct comparisons. My one issue with it was exactly as you said (well, that and the lack of balanced inputs even though the matching M1 DAC has balanced outputs)... it felt a little closed off in the treble. Sometimes I appreciated that aspect, like when using the HD800 or K701 with potentially bright music. Other times it felt lacking. I was told that as a demo unit my loaner already had tons of hours on it so I had no hope of it going away. I was still considering buying it until I heard the V200, at which point I pretty much moved on. I still have high respect for the M1 HPA though, as the first higher end MF amp that I've enjoyed in a long time.


 

 I hadn't realised you'd tried the M1, that's good to know.  The M1 is £500 here and the V200 is about £680 plus delivery, so the difference in price is marginal.  If the V200 is significantly better than the M1, or at the very least has a similar sound but with a more open top-end, then that's what I'm after.  What does the V200 do better, and does it apply with the HD800s?  I do like the M1, but I'd be deliberately buying something that was flawed - a flawed gem perhaps, but flawed nonetheless...


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

Quote:


red jacket mike said:


> My Violectric V200 arrived today; I've got it connected and it's been playing for a few hours.  Excellent, lush sound.  It's currently being fed by my StageDAC.  My LCD-2s (rev 2) sound great with it.
> 
> I seem to remember reading that the sound will change a bit after some burn in; can any users verify this?
> 
> It sounds great now, but I'm hoping for the treble to open up a bit more.


 
    
  Quote:


stormfriend said:


> I'd be very interested to know if the treble opens up.  I'm currently trialling the Musical Fideliety M1 HPA, which also has a very rich, warm and powerful sound.  Its eliminated the glare of the HD800s and sounds fantastic, but it has a slightly closed in and claustrophobic top end - even after 100 hours of continuous use.  Its still very detailed, and instrument separation is excellent, I just know the HD800s are capable of more when it comes to air and openness.  If the Violectric has the same richness but opens up then I may have to get one on sale or return...


 
    
  Quote:


project86 said:


> I burn all my gear in immediately upon receiving it, and I don't really listen before hand... so no direct experience from me. I tend to think it is our brains that burn in rather than our ears, but many would disagree with me. For what it's worth I have heard a few people comment on the treble doing exactly what you are hoping for after burn in. Totally anecdotal but there it is.


 

 Well, you may be right about brain burn in rather than the amp itself, but I've now run it continuously for nearly 24 hours, and listening just a few minutes ago, it seems that upper mids and treble have opened up and widened out; the soundstage seems more expansive, and the tonal balance is near perfect to my ears.  
   
  The bass is still full and detailed, with plenty of impact, but very clean.  Acoustic string basses sound better than I've heard with any combination of gear.  With LCD-2s, and leaving the gain switches on the amp in the default position, having the volume at 10 or 11 o'clock is plenty for most recordings.
   
  One other thing:  Almost every other amp I've listened to will have the faintest of hums with music paused and the volume control turned up fully; the V200 is the exception; this amp has the blackest, most silent background I've ever experienced.  I'm very glad I purchased this so far.  LCD-2s and HD-800s both sound fantastic with it.  I may have to fiddle with the gain control switches before I dare plug my D7000s into it . . .
   
  By the way, I ordered this from Aphroditecu29 this past Friday evening; they are located in Minneapolis, and I'm in Northern Michigan, and I received the amp via USPS 2-day priority mail yesterday morning (Monday).  The $999.00 price includes free shipping in CONUS, so if anybody in the states is thinking of ordering one, you might be able to receive it quickly from there, rather than ordering from Germany.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> I hadn't realised you'd tried the M1, that's good to know.  The M1 is £500 here and the V200 is about £680 plus delivery, so the difference in price is marginal.  If the V200 is significantly better than the M1, or at the very least has a similar sound but with a more open top-end, then that's what I'm after.  What does the V200 do better, and does it apply with the HD800s?  I do like the M1, but I'd be deliberately buying something that was flawed - a flawed gem perhaps, but flawed nonetheless...


 

 I think the V200 might be just the thing you are looking for. I did primarily use the M1 with HD800s (I was really into them at the time, I go through stages....) and I kind of had the same thoughts that you did. I don't know the power specs on the M1, but I'd guess the V200 has significantly more, which does shine through as extra headroom. It also has more air up top, while of course still being exceedingly smooth and refined. 
   
  EDIT forget which thread I was in. Several people here use the V200 with HD800 - maybe someone else can give their impressions.


----------



## Stormfriend

I've read a lot of reviews, the problem is working out what one person means by open and comparing it to another   That's why the comparison to the M1 is so useful.  I've been watching some films today, old episodes of Columbo on DVD and Lord of the Rings on Blu-Ray and the amp has blended in perfectly with everything, so I'll give it to the end of the week.  I'll probably need to buy it or return it by then...


----------



## Zombie_X

I got my HPA V200 headphone amp and V800 DAC review units and an man am I impressed. The DAC is far better than the Benchmark! Incredibly detailed and refined with the outputs getting the pre-amp treatment! You can sue the volume dial on the V800 DAC to adjust both the XLR and RCA outputs together. This adds a lot of the flexibility of the DAC! 
   
  As for the V200 headphone amp I have not tried it yet but if the DAC is any indication then I'm sure the V200 will sound incredible as well.
   
  I will update you guys with impressions shortly.


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> I've read a lot of reviews, the problem is working out what one person means by open and comparing it to another   That's why the comparison to the M1 is so useful.  I've been watching some films today, old episodes of Columbo on DVD and Lord of the Rings on Blu-Ray and the amp has blended in perfectly with everything, so I'll give it to the end of the week.  I'll probably need to buy it or return it by then...


 


 Scrub that, its taken 120 hours but I now have treble shimmer and air; I have bite and energy!  No idea what happened, the M1 just came on song a few hours ago and its giving me everything that was missing, so I'll definitely be buying it.  The overall presentation has changed slightly as the increased treble means I need to turn the volume down, reducing the bass slam as a result.  Unfortunately the slightly glazed treble of the 800s stock cable is also back in the picture, having been completely suppressed by the closed-in nature of the pre burn-in sound.  That means I need to start looking at replacement cables too, which are just as hard to demo as decent headphone amps...
   
  This is an expensive hobby


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I got my HPA V200 headphone amp and V800 DAC review units and an man am I impressed. The DAC is far better than the Benchmark! Incredibly detailed and refined with the outputs getting the pre-amp treatment! You can sue the volume dial on the V800 DAC to adjust both the XLR and RCA outputs together. This adds a lot of the flexibility of the DAC!
> 
> As for the V200 headphone amp I have not tried it yet but if the DAC is any indication then I'm sure the V200 will sound incredible as well.
> 
> I will update you guys with impressions shortly.


 
   
  That's exciting news! My V800 just entered the country yesterday so I hope to have it soon. 
   
  I suspect you will really enjoy the amp as well.


----------



## Zombie_X

We'll see  I don't plan on keeping the amp though, well at least not yet. Robert at Aphrodite Cu29 sent me the V200 head amp with the USB input, but I have not tested the amp yet.. I wonder how well it will drive my T1's...
   
  Where did you order the V800 from? 
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> That's exciting news! My V800 just entered the country yesterday so I hope to have it soon.
> 
> I suspect you will really enjoy the amp as well.


----------



## project86

I ordered directly from Violectric. The price comes out to be the same within a few dollars. 
   
  So are you intending to keep the DAC but just demo the amp? Or are they both for demo at the moment? You probably already mentioned but I just missed it.


----------



## Zombie_X

I originally planned to demo both but now I am keeping the DAC. It really trumps my Music Hall in every way. Also the DAC is tiny. It a little bit smaller than the benchmark DAC1.
   
  I have pictures of it on here already if you wanna see how small it is.
   
   



   




  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I ordered directly from Violectric. The price comes out to be the same within a few dollars.
> 
> So are you intending to keep the DAC but just demo the amp? Or are they both for demo at the moment? You probably already mentioned but I just missed it.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I originally planned to demo both but now I am keeping the DAC. It really trumps my Music Hall in every way. Also the DAC is tiny. It a little bit smaller than the benchmark DAC1.
> 
> I have pictures of it on here already if you wanna see how small it is.


 


  Interesting, the DAC V800 has a volume control?  Is it also a preamp?


----------



## lootbag

Just went through all 24 pages.
  Reading all of these positive reviews makes me want to go for the V200 + V800 combo despite the fact that I was so set on going for another tube amp.
  The V200 seems like a very good match for the LCD-2, which I plan to purchase in the next couple days and have auditioned enough times.
   
  The gain adjustment function and black black background seem like a bonus as well, it should work well with my HD600 (300ohm), HF2 (32ohm) and hopefully ES5 (20ohm) as well then.
  Looking at the tech specs, I really like how the max output is for 50 ohm, decreases for lower impedence and maintains its power output for higher impedence, this really seems like an ideal amp for headphones of all ranges.
  I just hope I won't miss the tube sound after purchasing.
   
  Luckily, I have found a local audio store in Hong Kong which stocks Violectric products.
http://www.audiophysics.hk
  So I can audition both pieces of equipment before making a decision.
   
  Thanks for all your interesting feedback!
  Particularly WarriorAnt, seems like you went through quite the journey to settle on the V200.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





lootbag said:


> Just went through all 24 pages.
> Reading all of these positive reviews makes me want to go for the V200 + V800 combo despite the fact that I was so set on going for another tube amp.
> The V200 seems like a very good match for the LCD-2, which I plan to purchase in the next couple days and have auditioned enough times.
> 
> ...


 

 I use the gain adjustment to get the most range out of the V200's volume pot.  It is a nice feature.   I spent a long time researching, corresponding, and looking for a SS amp and I'm glad and lucky to have gotten the V200.  Everyone I talked to who owned this amp loved it and said the same thing "it's a keeper".    It pairs well with the LCD-2.  Also it seems that the V200 can really show you the difference in cable selection in your rig, from interconnects to aftermarket headphone cable.   The V200 has a beautiful tonal balance throughout. never a strident, congested, or harsh moment, always smooth and nicely detailed. It's powerful with authority but never overbearing, power that is relaxed, confident and effortless.

 Remember to burn in your LCD-2 r.2.   At least 24 hours to get started then onto 200-300 hours.   If your interested in an aftermarket cable for the LCD the Q Cable is a good choice.  Get used to the audeze stock cable for a month though before you make a change.  I found that the Wireworld Starlight USB cable also made a difference in my setup. Again the V200 seems to allow one to hear these changes.  
   
  Have fun with your LCD-2's, I can't get mine off my head.


----------



## Loevhagen

Looking forward to any V800 review. Based on other reviews I'm not all that enthusiastic, but these "could be wrong". Looking for 2nd opinions from head-fiers. 
   
  My V200 is a keeper.


----------



## Zombie_X

I read the one review from Digital Audio Review and I thought his review was off. I find the V800 to be highly clinical (like any studio gear) but also has a lot of body to the sound. Is it a warm DAC? Not really but I wouldn't call it cold. It's just insanely detailed and transparent.
   
  Remember a lot of these other reviewers are using them for speakers and such. With headphones the sound will be much different because of how close the drivers are to ones ears.
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Looking forward to any V800 review. Based on other reviews I'm not all that enthusiastic, but these "could be wrong". Looking for 2nd opinions from head-fiers.
> 
> My V200 is a keeper.


 


   
  Yes it has a pre-amp built in. Both the XLR and RCA are tied to the volume control. I really like this feature as I can leave my amp set at maybe 50% volume then fine tune the volume on the DAC. Also the volume control is buttery smooth. If anyone has used a Phonitor, the volume control is smoother on the DAC. Also since it's a digital volume you won't get channel imbalance, hiss, or scratch noises while adjusting the volume. On a not though that if you lower the volume on the DAC by less than 50%, the sound will start to degrade as it's running via resistors and such.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Interesting, the DAC V800 has a volume control?  Is it also a preamp?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I read the one review from Digital Audio Review and I thought his review was off. I find the V800 to be highly clinical (like any studio gear) but also has a lot of body to the sound. Is it a warm DAC? Not really but I wouldn't call it cold. It's just insanely detailed and transparent.
> 
> Remember a lot of these other reviewers are using them for speakers and such. With headphones the sound will be much different because of how close the drivers are to ones ears.
> 
> ...


 
  Personally I don't get the crowd that uses a "warm" DAC.  The last thing I want is for my DAC to be cold or warm.  I want it to discern the digital data as best it can and then I want the analog output to be as neutral, as possible whereupon I can then decide to warm up the sound with a chosen amplifier if desired.  Otherwise you start to create too many additives in the chain and why begin at the very front, it only leads to complications and trouble down the chain.
   
  Having a volume control on the DAC is a nice feature.  I tend to use the one on my W4S DAC-2  near full volume so as to take advantage of the signal from its analog section and then I use the dip switch feature on the V200 to control it's volume pot to get it to near full extension removing as much of the resistance the volume pot may be including.  I really like that feature of the V200.


----------



## Zombie_X

I agree. I believe a DAC should be dead neutral and very transparent. Any coloration should be added down the chain by an amp. Buying a warm DAC defeats the purpose to me. I noticed a lot of audiophiles prefer something warm sounding. Too much emphasis on warmth or analog type sound in this industry TBH. If I have something that is solid sate it should not be warm, it should just be neutral.
   
  The DAC1 was neutral but overly bright and just down right overrated beyond belief. Don't believe me? Try the V800 DAC side by side with the benchmark and you'l quickly see that the benchmark is not nearly as good as it's price suggests
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Personally I don't get the crowd that uses a "warm" DAC.  The last thing I want is for my DAC to be cold or warm.  I want it to discern the digital data as best it can and then I want the analog output to be as neutral, as possible whereupon I can then decide to warm up the sound with a chosen amplifier if desired.  Otherwise you start to create too many additives in the chain and why begin at the very front, it only leads to complications and trouble down the chain.
> 
> Having a volume control on the DAC is a nice feature.  I tend to use the one on my W4S DAC-2  near full volume so as to take advantage of the signal from its analog section and then I use the dip switch feature on the V200 to control it's volume pot to get it to near full extension removing as much of the resistance the volume pot may be including.  I really like that feature of the V200.


----------



## Zombie_X

UPDATE:
   
  I finally hooked up the V200 and my impressions so far are very good! I find the amp to be very neutral with a tiny hint of warmth. It's very detailed and linear sounding with great extension on both ends. The tightness of the bass blows me away! It's just so tight!
   
  The amp didn't power my T1 too well, at least not better than my ROC. The ROC, for the T1, is a much better amp. With the K702 the ROC struggles but the V200 powers the K702 very well. I think this amp makes the K702 go from great to exceptional in terms of tone and performance. The soundstage really widens, the highs become smoother and more detailed, and the bass gains much needed volume. If you thought the K702 bass was tight before you will think otherwise once you hear it on this amp. Also the midrange becomes a lot more resolving and involving (how can this be?).
   
  At last these are some quick impressions. I'll update as I get more listening time done.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> UPDATE:
> 
> I finally hooked up the V200 and my impressions so far are very good! I find the amp to be very neutral with a tiny hint of warmth. It's very detailed and linear sounding with great extension on both ends. The tightness of the bass blows me away! It's just so tight!
> 
> ...


 
   
  That tiny hint of warmth is just right in the V200.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> UPDATE:
> 
> I finally hooked up the V200 and my impressions so far are very good! I find the amp to be very neutral with a tiny hint of warmth. It's very detailed and linear sounding with great extension on both ends. The tightness of the bass blows me away! It's just so tight!
> 
> ...


 

 lol...agree here, I have the V-100 that give the K702 a great extension to the bass. This can be the ideal amp for those that have the "no bass" issues with the K-701/2.
   
  BTW, I'm not crazy about hps amp section of the DAC 1, remind me the HE-500, if you know what I mean... tiny bass/ poor sound stage, and hot on the treble...and yes, the DAC 1 give good amount of details, but I think the Apogee Mini DAC give a better results in every category, and it's even more transparent compare to the DAC1.


----------



## Zombie_X

I think the DAC1 has a very bad amp section. I'd say it's comparable to a Cmoy amp at best. I think my Music Hall DAC has a better headphone amp built in.
  
  And yeah this amp does help flesh out the bass on the K702 which it really needs. I still find the bass to roll off and vanish early. The bass it self is not all that tight on the K702. I mean it's much much tighter than before I used this amp but compared to my other phones it's nothing special. I find the HD600 to have tighter and deeper bass.
   
  I got more listening in today and the K702 sounds really good on this amp. The K702 still sounds tilted at the uppers registers but now has more body. I loves how it sounds on this amp but I still have no intention of keeping this amp. I think my X-CANV8P still does an incredible job of powering my K702's another amp is really not needed. I also like the X-CANV8P's warmer presentation better as the K702 sounds artificial on the V200. At least with the X-CANV8P it sounds more lifelike and tonally accurate.
   
  The K702 by itself has a very odd coloration to the sound and sounds like it's neutrality is forced or fake. Also it's not nearly as detailed as one would believe. I find it to be tilted in the highs and colored in the mids to fake hyper detail. That's my take on it at least and it still doesn't make me hate the phones, I like them a lot still.
   
  Quote: 





acix said:


> lol...agree here, I have the V-100 that give the K702 a great extension to the bass. This can be the ideal amp for those that have the "no bass" issues with the K-701/2.
> 
> BTW, I'm not crazy about hps amp section of the DAC 1, remind me the HE-500, if you know what I mean... tiny bass/ poor sound stage, and hot on the treble...and yes, the DAC 1 give good amount of details, but I think the Apogee Mini DAC give a better results in every category, and it's even more transparent compare to the DAC1.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I think the DAC1 has a very bad amp section. I'd say it's comparable to a Cmoy amp at best. I think my Music Hall DAC has a better headphone amp built in.
> 
> And yeah this amp does help flesh out the bass on the K702 which it really needs. I still find the bass to roll off and vanish early. The bass it self is not all that tight on the K702. I mean it's much much tighter than before I used this amp but compared to my other phones it's nothing special. I find the HD600 to have tighter and deeper bass.
> 
> ...


 
  I'm wondering if the K702 might be good for me when I watch hi rez TV files on my 53" flat screen at night when my family is asleep.  For me I don't mind spatial exaggeration or hyper detail while watching TV.


----------



## Zombie_X

They are always worth a go to try out.  They do leak sound but not like other open cans.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I'm wondering if the K702 might be good for me when I watch hi rez TV files on my 53" flat screen at night when my family is asleep.  For me I don't mind spatial exaggeration or hyper detail while watching TV.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> They are always worth a go to try out.  They do leak sound but not like other open cans.


 


  Sometimes I drag my LCD-2/V200/W4S DAC-2 out to the flat screen.  Whoa!   Mostly I go with a Marantz 2215B and a pair of Audio Technica ATH AD700's


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I'm wondering if the K702 might be good for me when I watch hi rez TV files on my 53" flat screen at night when my family is asleep.  For me I don't mind spatial exaggeration or hyper detail while watching TV.


 


  I think you'll find the K-702 very interesting...


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I think the DAC1 has a very bad amp section. I'd say it's comparable to a Cmoy amp at best. I think my Music Hall DAC has a better headphone amp built in.
> 
> And yeah this amp does help flesh out the bass on the K702 which it really needs. I still find the bass to roll off and vanish early. The bass it self is not all that tight on the K702. I mean it's much much tighter than before I used this amp but compared to my other phones it's nothing special. I find the HD600 to have tighter and deeper bass.
> 
> ...


 

  
  I think the V-100 fix most of the issues with the K-702, at least the ones that I've heard people complain here on head-fi. On some systems the upper mids of the K702 are a bit forward, and there is nothing wrong with that, 60-70% of the systems sound characteristic on the market have forward mids. but this is not the case with the V100. The tonally accurate probably is not the strong part of the V-100, but is definitely one of the most fun amps around...and of course this will fix the most of the issues with the HD-800 treble, and the RS-1 upper mids.


----------



## Stormfriend

I'm using the Musical Fidelity M1 HPA now and still demoing their M1 DAC. For a brief moment, perhaps four hours or so, the HD800s sounded absolutely magical whilst the DAC was running in, but then it finished running in and the system ended up too bright again (just like the DacMagic). I switched to a Cardas headphone cable, which I'm still burning in, but it didn't seem to resolve the issue of the excessive brightness. I then switched out the Nordost Red Dawn interconnects for some older Audioquest Diamond 2 cables and the excessive brightness vanished instantly. In fact the system sounded great when I briefly went back to the stock headphone cable. I know interconnects can make a difference, and the Nordosts always sounded tighter and more cohesive in the past, which is why I was using them, but something about them really screws with the HD800s.

The Cardas cable now sounds really dull in the treble, but it's only been running in since Saturday afternoon, so may open up by next weekend (I have it on 14 day sale or return). If it goes back then the stock cable sounded good enough not to worry for a while, even though there was the faintest hint of glaze in the treble. Not brightness, just mild confusion. I'll need to spend more time with it to decide how much I'm willing to spend on a headphone cable. The Stefan Audio version is about twice the price of the Cardas...

I can't believe the interconnects were the last thing I tried changing!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Is anyone using the V200 with the HD800's?   I can't remember any posts here.


----------



## Loevhagen

Yepp. Or "I did, before I sold my HD800s". After some overlap time with LCD-2 I didn't enjoy the HD800 to the same extent after the LCD-2 came in the house...
   
  Summary: The V200 and HD800 sounds good. I've never thought the HD800 was a "bright" sounding headphone on the V200. Please don't ask me to elaborate on details about the combo. Too long ago to provide details other than the HD800 and the V200 sounded quite nice. But, not as engaging as the LCD-2. And that is not the V200's "fault".


----------



## project86

I feel the same way as Loevhagen. I think if someone really loved the HD800 sound, and found it to be the best match for them, then the V200 would be a  viable contender (among a few others). But I do think the LCD-2 is more in line with the essence of the Violectric sound.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

I'd have to agree, too.  When I first got the HD800s, my only amp was a Woo WA6SE.  I felt the HD800s had an amazing soundstage, but were a bit shrill, and a bit light in the bass.  (Not in depth, but in quantity and impact).  
   
  I've tried them briefly with the Violectric V200, and they are much, much better regarding those above mentioned deficiencies.  However, the plug gets pulled fairly quickly so I can get the LCD-2s back in.
   
  Right now, I'm using the HD800s with my Woo WA2 about 10% of the time, and my LCD-2s with the V200 the other 90% of the time.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Yepp. Or "I did, before I sold my HD800s". After some overlap time with LCD-2 I didn't enjoy the HD800 to the same extent after the LCD-2 came in the house...
> 
> Summary: The V200 and HD800 sounds good. I've never thought the HD800 was a "bright" sounding headphone on the V200. Please don't ask me to elaborate on details about the combo. Too long ago to provide details other than the HD800 and the V200 sounded quite nice. But, not as engaging as the LCD-2. And that is not the V200's "fault".


 

  Loevhagen, Could you elaborate further on the V200/HD800 combo?


----------



## dallan

I read somewhere that they were using the v200 when developing the 800s but that may be wrong, may have been in this thread.  I use it often with the 800s (esp when i am also switching to low impedance headphones-over half the time) and think it sounds great with them.  Best match that i have heard in that price range.  If i am not switching around-ie no household noise needing closed pair-then i use the Zana Deux instead.


----------



## pigmode

^ How woud you compare the detail resolution of the V200 to the ZD?


----------



## dallan

Zd is much more detailed and dynamic as well as transparent. On a different level although not as warm.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Zd is much more detailed and dynamic as well as transparent. On a different level although not as warm.


 


  Are you speaking of the Eddie Current Zana Deux?


----------



## dallan

Yes, short answers on cell today


----------



## pigmode

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Zd is much more detailed and dynamic as well as transparent. On a different level although not as warm.


 


   
   
  Thank, You've actually said a whole lot.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Yes, short answers on cell today


 

 In that price range I wonder how the ZD compares to the Apex/Peak, Woo WA22.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> I'd have to agree, too.  When I first got the HD800s, my only amp was a Woo WA6SE.  I felt the HD800s had an amazing soundstage, but were a bit shrill, and a bit light in the bass.  (Not in depth, but in quantity and impact).
> 
> I've tried them briefly with the Violectric V200, and they are much, much better regarding those above mentioned deficiencies.  However, the plug gets pulled fairly quickly so I can get the LCD-2s back in.
> 
> Right now, I'm using the HD800s with my Woo WA2 about 10% of the time, and my LCD-2s with the V200 the other 90% of the time.


 

 This is very interesting to me because I love a good soundstage but I've never heard the HD800 and I'm curious to hear one.  But many of the folks who own both always seem to end up listening to the LCD's more often than the 800's  Interesting to know that the 800's pair well with the V200.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> This is very interesting to me because I love a good soundstage but I've never heard the HD800 and I'm curious to hear one.  But many of the folks who own both always seem to end up listening to the LCD's more often than the 800's  Interesting to know that the 800's pair well with the V200.


 

 With regards to sound stage, the HD800s are the best ones in my collection. I do listen to my LCD-2s more often though (just as you postulated). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Wasn't the V200, the amp that Sennheiser used to develop the HD800s?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> With regards to sound stage, the HD800s are the best ones in my collection. I do listen to my LCD-2s more often though (just as you postulated).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I didn't know that they used a certain amp.  Do companies do that often, use one or two amps to develop a headphone?  I wonder what Audeze uses.  maybe the Red Wine?  
   
  So many people have that WA22 HD800 combo...


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I didn't know that they used a certain amp.  Do companies do that often, use one or two amps to develop a headphone?  I wonder what Audeze uses.  maybe the Red Wine?
> 
> *So many people have that WA22 HD800 combo...*


 
   
  Have it, love it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Does anyone know the output power of the Red Wine?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I didn't know that they used a certain amp.  Do companies do that often, use one or two amps to develop a headphone?  I wonder what Audeze uses.  maybe the Red Wine?
> 
> So many people have that WA22 HD800 combo...


 

 I've heard that Sennheiser used the Lehmann Black Cube Linear to develop the HD800. But I'm not so sure I believe it.... I know they have used the BCL to demo the HD800 at shows though, and I think people just assumed the rest of it. 
   
  I'm not sure what amp Audeze originally used when developing the LCD-2, but they do have a Violectric V181 for about the last 6 months or so. I know this because I personally sent it to Alex Rosson after I was done reviewing it.


----------



## Zombie_X

Speaking of the LCD-2 do you think they would benefit from a leaner sounding solid state amp? Maybe one that's slightly bright to help add balance to the highs?
   
  I wonder how good they sounded on the V200... One day I'll get a V90 for my Grado's..
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I've heard that Sennheiser used the Lehmann Black Cube Linear to develop the HD800. But I'm not so sure I believe it.... I know they have used the BCL to demo the HD800 at shows though, and I think people just assumed the rest of it.
> 
> I'm not sure what amp Audeze originally used when developing the LCD-2, but they do have a Violectric V181 for about the last 6 months or so. I know this because I personally sent it to Alex Rosson after I was done reviewing it.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Speaking of the LCD-2 do you think they would benefit from a leaner sounding solid state amp? Maybe one that's slightly bright to help add balance to the highs?
> 
> I wonder how good they sounded on the V200... One day I'll get a V90 for my Grado's..


 

 Prior to hearing them, I did think that might be the case. I had my Yulong A100 all set to go - not a bright amp but not warm either, in the tradition of the HeadAmp GS-1. And the LCD-2 does sound good with that amp. But oddly enough my favorite match is the V200. So I guess there is an element of "synergy" which defies logic a bit. I never feel that the V200/LCD-2 combo is too warm or too dark.
   
  By the way - my V800 DAC arrived earlier this week - very impressive! I can tell I'm going to have to spend a lot of time going back and forth between the V800, Anedio D1, and Audio GD Ref 7 to see which one I like most, because they are all on a very high level.


----------



## Zombie_X

Good to know. I was skeptical with the LCD-2 because Robert at _Aphrodite Cu29_ said they were absolute crap and I shouldn't waste my time with them. I had heard the Rev1's before and they were only "OK" to me but the newer revisions should be better.
   
  The V800 easily kills my Music Hall DAC25.2. It's just far better in every way. 
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> Prior to hearing them, I did think that might be the case. I had my Yulong A100 all set to go - not a bright amp but not warm either, in the tradition of the HeadAmp GS-1. And the LCD-2 does sound good with that amp. But oddly enough my favorite match is the V200. So I guess there is an element of "synergy" which defies logic a bit. I never feel that the V200/LCD-2 combo is too warm or too dark.
> 
> By the way - my V800 DAC arrived earlier this week - very impressive! I can tell I'm going to have to spend a lot of time going back and forth between the V800, Anedio D1, and Audio GD Ref 7 to see which one I like most, because they are all on a very high level.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Good to know. I was skeptical with the LCD-2 because Robert at _Aphrodite Cu29_ said they were absolute crap and I shouldn't waste my time with them.


 

  Wow!   I was trying to think of another line to write but all I could think of was Wow!  Again Wow!   Did he really say that?    Crap?  I sometime get my butt kicked for saying the LCD R.2 is a much advanced can over the R.1.  I can't imagine what would happen if I called the R.2 "Crap".   
   
  Anyway, for me I think the LCD-2 R.2 in much improved over the R.1.  I posted my impression of it when it was introduced.
   
  I have found small tweaks, or what would or should seem like small tweaks have really increased the sonics in my W4S/V200/LCD-2.r2 rig.  This includes an increasing openness clarity in the upper regions of the LCD in which the V200 does not seem to fall short.   Perhaps it is the V200 that allows better performance to transmit to and from it by the synergy of each tweak.
   
   
  The tweaks include going balanced out of the W4S into the balanced ins of the V200.  In my case using the W4s balanced analog cables was an advantage over using the SE outs of the W4S into the SE of the V200.  The Q cable from Steve Eddy increased the clarity overall and removed some slight congestion and vieling in the LCD 's upper region.  Sound stage dimension also increased.   The WireWorld Starlight USB cable straightened out the upper region which is now more relaxed and smoother.   all of these tweak may seem minor to some but at this level of performance they really add up with increased listening and for me certainly favor the overall Gestalt of the experience in more than subtle ways.
   
   Through all this I find the V200 is really a cornerstone to the excellent sound.  It's smoothness and tonal balance with the LCD and the signal it receive from the W4S is a very pleasant combination.   A combination which never make me feel like I need something more or am missing something essential. In other words the V200 doesn't distract me away from the music or make me wonder if there is more I am not experiencing.   The combo of these 3 do not distract me.  I only tweak the cables and such now because it is my suspicion that those areas can be improved and it has proven to be true. 
   
  Yesterday I received  a Venom 3 power chord to start on the DAC-2 and then another to be ordered for the V200 after I got aquatinted with the effects or non effects of the Venom but alas they sent the wrong size so that tweak will have to wait.
   
  I am interested in acquiring a tube amp to compliment but not replace the V200 in my rig.  I want a tube amp just to have a glass bottle addition to the rig.  I have been told though that I may be surprised that the V200 has many tube like qualities as well as exhibiting the virtues found in solid state designs.   This expression from  a few folks who own amps from both realms has made me wonder if I should delve into a tube amp that presents a more classic tube sound since I kind of want one that represents the classic allure of the tube goodness proclaimed by the bottle crowd.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Speaking of the LCD-2 do you think they would benefit from a leaner sounding solid state amp? Maybe one that's slightly bright to help add balance to the highs?
> 
> I wonder how good they sounded on the V200... One day I'll get a V90 for my Grado's..


 

 My Concerto was a a slightly bright amp, but I still found the treble on my Rev1 LCD-2s a bit too distant UNTIL I plugged them into my Lyr. They really responded to the extra power.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yeah he told me they sounded no better than cheaper headphones. I was skeptical though as they got a lot of praise here on Head-Fi. He said a lot of his clients hated them and returned a bunch of them. But I though the Rev1 sounded good, but not $1000 good. I would only be willing to pay $500 tops for a Rev1.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Wow!   I was trying to think of another line to write but all I could think of was Wow!  Again Wow!   Did he really say that?    Crap?  I sometime get my butt kicked for saying the LCD R.2 is a much advanced can over the R.1.  I can't imagine what would happen if I called the R.2 "Crap".


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yeah he told me they sounded no better than cheaper headphones. I was skeptical though as they got a lot of praise here on Head-Fi. He said a lot of his clients hated them and returned a bunch of them. But I though the Rev1 sounded good, but not $1000 good. I would only be willing to pay $500 tops for a Rev1.


 

 I tried to write something again and all I could thing of again was WOW!    No better than cheap headphones. WOW! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





     I'm not going to post one way or another on the perspective involved but again.   *WOW!  *


----------



## dallan

I don't think they measure up to other top tiers that I have heard either.  But maybe i just don't like the sound of them.  I have three top tiers in my collection and although i came close at one point, they just didn't sound good enough.....or "right" to me.


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Zombie_X* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Robert at _Aphrodite Cu29_ said they were absolute crap and I shouldn't waste my time with them. I had heard the Rev1's before and they were only "OK" to me but the newer revisions should be better...
> Yeah he told me they sounded no better than cheaper headphones. I was skeptical though as they got a lot of praise here on Head-Fi. He said a lot of his clients hated them and returned a bunch of them. But I though the Rev1 sounded good, but not $1000 good. I would only be willing to pay $500 tops for a Rev1.


 


  I was skeptical about robert's opinions when you posted his impressions of V200 vs Burson, (its one thing to call V200 better another to just call the burson garbage) but his opinions on the LCD-2... I mean he has a right to them, but now I can't trust any opinion he voices as its obvious his tastes are so divergent from mine.  
  And as the only Violectric reseller in the US , (Thomann and Lake People are the Euro sellers) he has a vested interest (and much higher profit margins.)  
   
  By the way I'm in town right now, we could do a side by side of the HA160D and the V200/V800 with T1/HD800/LCD2...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I don't think they measure up to other top tiers that I have heard either.  But maybe i just don't like the sound of them.  I have three top tiers in my collection and although i came close at one point, they just didn't sound good enough.....or "right" to me.


 


  What are the top tiers?  I don't know all the models.
   
  Last week my 17 daughter discovered my LCD's.  Now I'm competing for time with them...


----------



## Acix

Zombie, can you compare the Auditor to the V-200 out of the V800.


----------



## oqvist

I find the LCD-2 Rev1 slightly ahead of the T1 and HD 800 in term of absolute neutrality with as few peaks or valleys as possible . Rev2 increases the gap. However they need different amps/EQ to shine the fullest for my taste. LCd-2s need certainly neutral to possible slightly bright amplifiers for me.
   
  For the Rev1 I was indead looking for a bit more treble and less darkness then what I got from the Head One and also V200 to some extent. Would been fun to listen to the V200 on the Rev2 though. Sure it would do better just like the Tube amp does. However if I would go violectric again it would be one of their more neutral and transparent amplifiers which is supposedly which is the G-series?


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





oqvist said:


> I find the LCD-2 Rev1 slightly ahead of the T1 and HD 800 in term of absolute neutrality with as few peaks or valleys as possible . Rev2 increases the gap. However they need different amps/EQ to shine the fullest for my taste. LCd-2s need certainly neutral to possible slightly bright amplifiers for me.
> 
> For the Rev1 I was indead looking for a bit more treble and less darkness then what I got from the Head One and also V200 to some extent. Would been fun to listen to the V200 on the Rev2 though. Sure it would do better just like the Tube amp does. However if I would go violectric again it would be one of their more neutral and transparent amplifiers which is supposedly which is the G-series?


 



 Yay, I want to compare the balanced and the transparency of the G-100 to the V-100, I hope Fried will send me a demo of G-100 to review booths unites in my studio. I'll use the Apogee mini DAC as my source.


----------



## project86

Interesting about Robert disliking the LCD-2 so much..... I can totally understand being underwhelmed (by _any_ headphone really) since that is sometimes just a matter of taste. But to absolutely say it is terrible is a bit of a stretch. 
   
  I may have mentioned this before but Fried Reim, CEO of Lake People/Violectric, prefers the LCD-2 over the HD800, T1, Edition 8, Edition 10, and all the HiFiMan offerings. He uses a V800/V200 combo as his main setup, and likes the sound of the original r1 over the updated LCD-2 r2. Clearly we all have our own opinions.


----------



## Zombie_X

I sent the V200 back to Robert already and am just waiting for the Auditor to arrive. SPL has manufacturing issues in Germany so production of the units was halted for around 5-6 weeks. That's why a lot of places were out of stock of the Auditor and Phonitor here in the USA.
   
  I'll do a *ROC vs WA3+ vs X-CANVP vs Auditor* once I get the darned Auditor!! I have waited over a month so far so a little bit longer won't kill me. I am excited as I love German gear quite a bit, that's why most of my headphones are German made or near Germany (AKG).
   
  [rant]
  I asked for a refund from Robert because Front End Audio had them listed as in stock. So I ordered from FEA only to get an out of stock e-mail after I placed my order  . I went back to their site and checked the stocking status and it still said "In Stock, can ship within 24 hours". I e-mailed them and complained but they told me I should be getting mine by the 14th directly from SPL USA, so I decided to wait because I waited for two weeks when I ordered from Robert (not his fault though, he's a good guy). Well I got my shipping notification a couple days back and it was shipped via UPS Ground. Then I went into rage mode as I paid for FedEx 2-Day ($40) and UPS Ground is only $15. They even told me it would be upgraded to FedEx Next Day for free since I waited so long for it....
  [/rant]
   
  Quote: 





acix said:


> Zombie, can you compare the Auditor to the V-200 out of the V800.


----------



## Zombie_X

That sounds like a plan man! I would love to do that but it can't be at my place. Too small of a house and too many people in this house (lol). Maybe you could pick me up? I don't drive or own a car so travel for me can be limited.
  
  Quote: 





radio_head said:


> I was skeptical about robert's opinions when you posted his impressions of V200 vs Burson, (its one thing to call V200 better another to just call the burson garbage) but his opinions on the LCD-2... I mean he has a right to them, but now I can't trust any opinion he voices as its obvious his tastes are so divergent from mine.
> And as the only Violectric reseller in the US , (Thomann and Lake People are the Euro sellers) he has a vested interest (and much higher profit margins.)
> 
> By the way I'm in town right now, we could do a side by side of the HA160D and the V200/V800 with T1/HD800/LCD2...


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> What are the top tiers?  I don't know all the models.
> 
> Last week my 17 daughter discovered my LCD's.  Now I'm competing for time with them...


 

 What would i consider top tiers,
  Well the T1, HD800, LCD2, Stax 009, Grado not sure PS1000 i guess, DX1000, ED8 or ED10, HE6 ect.....am i missing any, probably.  Those are the in production ones at least that i can think of the top of my head.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





dallan said:


> What would i consider top tiers,
> Well the T1, HD800, LCD2, Stax 009, Grado not sure PS1000 i guess, DX1000, ED8 or ED10, HE6 ect.....am i missing any, probably.  Those are the in production ones at least that i can think of the top of my head.


 
  That's a good list. I'll make it slightly more complete and easy to read for those folks not familiar with all the lingo. Some of these are clearly better than others, and some qualify based on price more than sound..... but I think these are all generally considered to be among the top tier of headphones. 
   
  Beyerdynamic: T1 and T5p
   
  Sennheiser: HD800, and then HE90 and HE60 electrostatic models
   
  Stax: 007 models, the new 009, the 4070, and arguably many of the mid-priced models as well.
   
  Grado: PS1000, PS1, arguably HF2 and very arguably GS1000
   
  JVC: DX1000, possibly the DX700 as well (which is more rare)
   
  Ultrasone: Edition 8, Edition 10, Edition 9, possibly the older Edition 7 
   
  Sony: R10, 010 
   
  AKG: K1000
   
  Denon: D7000
   
  HiFiMan HE6, HE500, maybe HE-5LE
   
  Audio Technica: L3000 for sure (although some people dislike them), W5000, and some people would include others from the W series like W2002 
   
  I'm sure I'm missing some as well.... Some folks who have heard most or all of these rank the LCD-2 at or near the top of the list.


----------



## Telstar

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Audio Technica: L3000 for sure (although some people dislike them)


 


  What about the W5000?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





telstar said:


> What about the W5000?


 


  Thank you, I fixed my list. AT is a bit tricky because some people absolutely consider models like AD2000 and W1000X to be top tier, but others do not. Plus the whole limited aspect of the W series is tough since not a lot of people have heard them compared to other headphones.


----------



## Zombie_X

I looked at your list and saw the R10 in there. I don't see why many people like them. To me the are no better than a $200 headphone. My opinion on this though. I just can justify spending so much on them.
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> Thank you, I fixed my list. AT is a bit tricky because some people absolutely consider models like AD2000 and W1000X to be top tier, but others do not. Plus the whole limited aspect of the W series is tough since not a lot of people have heard them compared to other headphones.


----------



## dallan

Thanks for the additions, those were just off the top of my head but i would include all others that have been named although I haven't heard the AT models listed except the L3000.  And yes i was including only in production HP's or the R10 and HE90 and HE60 would have been there.  The HE90s are awesome but I haven't liked the R10's that i have heard.  For my bucket list though the 009 is sitting on it with a Blue Hawaiian.  I would almost just sell everything to get those two items.


----------



## Telstar

Quote:


project86 said:


> Thank you, I fixed my list. AT is a bit tricky because some people absolutely consider models like AD2000 and W1000X to be top tier, but others do not. Plus the whole limited aspect of the W series is tough since not a lot of people have heard them compared to other headphones.


 

 Last night I digged in the AT "woodies"... and got an headache!
  Although I think I could find the perfect phone for me among them


----------



## oqvist

W1000x is easy to like. Wonderfully competibly priced compared to the Denon and JVCs woody offerings. Seem to gather more fans than the W5000 that´s for sure


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I looked at your list and saw the R10 in there. I don't see why many people like them. To me the are no better than a $200 headphone. My opinion on this though. I just can justify spending so much on them.


 


  I can understand your one point about them not being worth the hefty price. Lots of people probably feel that way. But saying they are no better than a $200 headphone is just as controversial as Robert from Aphrodite saying the LCD-2 is terrible. Again, we all hear different.
   
  I owned the R10 (bass heavy) for several years and absolutely loved them - probably my favorite headphone ever. If I wasn't worried about my kids damaging them I would still have them. 


  Quote: 





dallan said:


> Thanks for the additions, those were just off the top of my head but i would include all others that have been named although I haven't heard the AT models listed except the L3000.  And yes i was including only in production HP's or the R10 and HE90 and HE60 would have been there.  The HE90s are awesome but I haven't liked the R10's that i have heard.  For my bucket list though the 009 is sitting on it with a Blue Hawaiian.  I would almost just sell everything to get those two items.


 
   
  Selling it all just for a single ultra-high end setup is tempting sometimes. Certainly the simplicity of it is appealing.
  
   
  Quote: 





oqvist said:


> W1000x is easy to like. Wonderfully competibly priced compared to the Denon and JVCs woody offerings. Seem to gather more fans than the W5000 that´s for sure


 

 Yep, I think W1000X is on my "try soon" list.


----------



## Zombie_X

I thought the R10 sounded good but not nearly the best IMO. Compared to the T1, HD800, and even the LCD-2 they sound like poo to me. I just did not like their sonic coloration at all. The mids were smooth but a tad honky and not that resolving, and the bass was not that tight, and the treble was nothing special. IMO these aren't even worth $500 to me.
   
  Don't kill me for saying that though, it's just my opinion.
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I can understand your one point about them not being worth the hefty price. Lots of people probably feel that way. But saying they are no better than a $200 headphone is just as controversial as Robert from Aphrodite saying the LCD-2 is terrible. Again, we all hear different.
> 
> I owned the R10 (bass heavy) for several years and absolutely loved them - probably my favorite headphone ever. If I wasn't worried about my kids damaging them I would still have them.


----------



## tamahome77

Heard the HE-90 with the orpheus amp at a local dealer almost 2 years ago and I was not very impressed with the sound for the clearance price they were selling at.  The clearance price at that time was only $7000cad or $5600usd for the orpheus combo and I was the first in line to buy it.  Didn't pull the trigger simply because the HE-90 sounded way too bright and too harsh.  To me, the sound wasn't worth paying $7000cad.


----------



## vrln

Quote: 





radio_head said:


> I was skeptical about robert's opinions when you posted his impressions of V200 vs Burson, (its one thing to call V200 better another to just call the burson garbage) but his opinions on the LCD-2... I mean he has a right to them, but now I can't trust any opinion he voices as its obvious his tastes are so divergent from mine.
> And as the only Violectric reseller in the US , (Thomann and Lake People are the Euro sellers) he has a vested interest (and much higher profit margins.)


 

 He´s not the only one who didn´t like the LCD-2 at all. I know of a few people on these forums with high end gear who share the same view. Personally I prefer the K701/HD600 to the LCD-2. Haven´t heard the new rev2 version though. This view is definately a minority one, but judging from the email exchanges I´ve had with Robert I´d say he´s solid - just doesn´t like the LCD-2 sound signature.


----------



## project86

I suppose for ANY high end headphone (or speaker for that matter) we could probably some people who are not impressed with the performance for the price, and even a handful who actively dislike the sound at any price. I guess that's just the nature of people. For my part, I'm not as impressed with the Stax Omega models as other folks, and I didn't care for the Sony Qualia much either. Some people would call me crazy for having those opinions.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Still unless Robert was entirely misquoted and I'm simply going to have to give Robert the benefit of the doubt and assume that is the case, "absolute crap" is a statement not only beyond belief concerning the LCD-2,  but one that completely negates any credibility and expertise concerning high end gear.   One may have his or her preferences for sonic attributes but declarations of such strong magnitude really set a concrete view and seem to me to be less than a realistic evaluation and more a bravado statement of false expertise.   If this statement is true then I would have to question Robert's ability to evaluate high end audio gear.  I'm going to assume he was entirely misquoted.


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





vrln said:


> He´s not the only one who didn´t like the LCD-2 at all. I know of a few people on these forums with high end gear who share the same view. Personally I prefer the K701/HD600 to the LCD-2. Haven´t heard the new rev2 version though. This view is definately a minority one, but judging from the email exchanges I´ve had with Robert I´d say he´s solid - just doesn´t like the LCD-2 sound signature.


 


  Like I said, I can no longer trust his taste _for my own purposes_ as our polar opposite opinion on the LCD-2 (in addition to our differing opinions with the burson) means our tastes and preferences are too divergent.  T


----------



## Zombie_X

He was not misquoted at all. I asked his opinion when I talked to him over the phone and he told me not to bother because they were crap. He said many of his customers returned them because they sounded like crap. He said they just sounded pretty bad. Same thing with the Burson gear as he said they weren't that good for the price and their gear is over rated. 
   
  I wouldn't lie about this stuff because I have nothing to gain. I attribute his claims to differing preferences in sonic signatures. He's a good guy but such strong works make me wonder as well. 
   
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Still unless Robert was entirely misquoted and I'm simply going to have to give Robert the benefit of the doubt and assume that is the case, "absolute crap" is a statement not only beyond belief concerning the LCD-2,  but one that completely negates any credibility and expertise concerning high end gear.   One may have his or her preferences for sonic attributes but declarations of such strong magnitude really set a concrete view and seem to me to be less than a realistic evaluation and more a bravado statement of false expertise.   If this statement is true then I would have to question Robert's ability to evaluate high end audio gear.  I'm going to assume he was entirely misquoted.


----------



## Loevhagen

It's sad. Sad because the Violectric products seems high quality, but if a reseller states that the LCD-2s are crap and that the Burson HA-160D is crap, the reseller loose credibility. The knock-on effect in the long run is of course that potential Violectric buyers loose interest if the reseller indeed wasn't misquoted.
   
  Saying "crap" and "didn't like it" are two different things.


----------



## Stormfriend

loevhagen said:


> Saying "crap" and "didn't like it" are two different things.




But unless we judge things solely by measurements that means we could never say something is crap, even the cheapest, least liked headphones on the planet. To me crap just means 'really don't like it'.

Also, as a former customer services manager, if I had a product with high return rates I would also consider it to be crap and warn people off it. Just to preserve the bottom line. I haven't heard the LCD2s so can't comment on them though.

This last week I've been talking to a high end dealer who's attitude was basically that all headphones are crap and I should use speakers. When I explained I couldn't use speakers due to my neighbours he told me to move house!


----------



## Zombie_X

If I had an item with a high return rate I'd probably try to push people away from it as well. Really there is no profit if you have to take returns and then refund the money. That is most likely what he's thinking but that's OK. He's a cool dude so no biggie. 
   
  Even if he called them crap I still think he's cool. He probably just hated heir sound and so did his clients that returned them.
  
  Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> If I had an item with a high return rate I'd probably try to push people away from it as well.


 
  Perhaps, but if I felt that way about something I simply would not sell it.


----------



## Zombie_X

Good point.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Perhaps, but if I felt that way about something I simply would not sell it.


----------



## Stormfriend

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Perhaps, but if I felt that way about something I simply would not sell it.


 

 Is it better to offer the customer an item and say nothing, offer them the item but warn them about it, or not to offer the product at all?  I can see pros and cons to all those approaches, although as a customer I'd prefer to have the choice as I don't always agree with the dealer.  I still value their opinion though.


----------



## third_eye

I auditioned the LCD2 Rev 1 a couple of months back and I was completely underwhelmed. I found the T1 I auditioned at the same time vastly superior for me and my sound preferences. That does not mean the the LCD2's are crap and I respect that many people think they are better than all current dynamic headphones. From a business perspective, I can also understand a salesmen pushing people away from products that have a higher than normal return rate.


----------



## Loevhagen

Since we're off-topic; is the Burson crap because of "higher than normal return rate"?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





stormfriend said:


> Is it better to offer the customer an item and say nothing, offer them the item but warn them about it, or not to offer the product at all?  I can see pros and cons to all those approaches, although as a customer I'd prefer to have the choice as I don't always agree with the dealer.  I still value their opinion though.


 
  I wrote a very long and detailed response for this but decided not to post it.   Instead I'll just stick with what I said.  If I felt as strongly and negatively about a product I would not sell it or offer it to my customers.  This attitude has served me well as a professional and has always provided great respect in the industry I worked in.


----------



## pigmode

There's all kinds of crap in the world isn't there? What about ragging on and on and on about a privately communicated impropriety? Its like someone's feelings were hurt or something.


----------



## Loevhagen

Agree. All the latest posts are de facto crap and way off-topic. Let's stick to the Violectric again, shall we.


----------



## Zombie_X

No he just said he felt they were overpriced for what  the amp could do.
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Since we're off-topic; is the Burson crap because of "higher than normal return rate"?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Well then back to the V200.
   
  Is anyone experimenting with the Pre Gain Switches?  I was using the two -minus -db switches but now I've changed to having the switches completely off.   In my rig I like the pre gain on a -6db setting to get a longer smoother range from the volume pot.  
   
   
  Also has anyone opened thier V200 and experimented with the V200's low frequency limiting option using the two LO-CUT jumpers to the left and right of the Volume control?  Page 18 of the manual.


----------



## Zombie_X

I never experimented the the internal jumpers but I tried the dip switches on the back for the gain and they seemed to change the sound a bit. a +12db setting seemed to have less dynamic range.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Well then back to the V200.
> 
> Is anyone experimenting with the Pre Gain Switches?  I was using the two -minus -db switches but now I've changed to having the switches completely off.   In my rig I like the pre gain on a -6db setting to get a longer smoother range from the volume pot.
> 
> ...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I never experimented the the internal jumpers but I tried the dip switches on the back for the gain and they seemed to change the sound a bit. a +12db setting seemed to have less dynamic range.


 

 My W4S DAC-2 has a strong output so I can go the other way and use the -db settings if I want.
   
  When you use +12db what position is the volume control for normal listening levels?


----------



## Zombie_X

Well I used the V800 DAC's internal jumpers to raise the output to the highest setting. That being said, on the V200, with HD600's, the volume was about 1/4 of the way up and they were loud. If I went to -12db the volume on the amp would have to be a bit over 3/4  the way up. On normal settings the volume was about a bit under 1/2.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> My W4S DAC-2 has a strong output so I can go the other way and use the -db settings if I want.
> 
> When you use +12db what position is the volume control for normal listening levels?


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

I have my W4S DAC-2 set on variable volume, with a minimum of 5 and a max of 70, and the volume level set at 60.
   
   With these settings on the DAC, I keep the V200's gain switches in the 0 position, and the amp's volume control is between 10 and 11 o'clock, depending on the recording.
   
  Everything seems very clean, distortion free, and with a very black background using these settings.


----------



## Zombie_X

The V200 is quite a nice amp indeed and as you say the background is incredibly black. It's eerie sometimes when stuff just pops into focus on the amp. The amp sounds very good to me and I'll most likely add one to my stable in the future.
  
  Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> I have my W4S DAC-2 set on variable volume, with a minimum of 5 and a max of 70, and the volume level set at 60.
> 
> With these settings on the DAC, I keep the V200's gain switches in the 0 position, and the amp's volume control is between 10 and 11 o'clock, depending on the recording.
> 
> Everything seems very clean, distortion free, and with a very black background using these settings.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> I have my W4S DAC-2 set on variable volume, with a minimum of 5 and a max of 70, and the volume level set at 60.
> 
> With these settings on the DAC, I keep the V200's gain switches in the 0 position, and the amp's volume control is between 10 and 11 o'clock, depending on the recording.
> 
> Everything seems very clean, distortion free, and with a very black background using these settings.


 

 Are you going Balanced or SE out of the W4S into the V200?     I'm going Variable volume min 0 max 70  set at 60, balanced out/in.   I'm still deciding if I want to use the V200 at 0db or -6db.  I like the refinement of control when the volume pot has more range at -6db.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> The V200 is quite a nice amp indeed and as you say the background is incredibly black. It's eerie sometimes when stuff just pops into focus on the amp. The amp sounds very good to me and I'll most likely add one to my stable in the future.


 


  That black background I think gets even deeper when you go balanced into the V200.  As far as sending the V200 back keep it a while longer.  It will continue to grow on you.


----------



## Zombie_X

I sent it back already. My demo period was set for three weeks but I sent it back after two weeks. IMO my Auditor just blows it out of the water.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> That black background I think gets even deeper when you go balanced into the V200.  As far as sending the V200 back keep it a while longer.  It will continue to grow on you.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Are you going Balanced or SE out of the W4S into the V200?     I'm going Variable volume min 0 max 70  set at 60, balanced out/in.   I'm still deciding if I want to use the V200 at 0db or -6db.  I like the refinement of control when the volume pot has more range at -6db.


 

 I am using the balanced outputs from the W4S to the V200.  I purchased a pair of the W4S standard balanced cables along with the W4S.


----------



## Loevhagen

I'm using the -6dB switch on the V200 and use a Hegel HD10 DAC. P.t. I'm using Kimber XLRs to connect them. Just love the LCD-2 and the HE-500 with this setup. There's something with the synergy here that just is so natural and appealing. 
   
  If and when Violectric release a V200+ balanced amp = I buy.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I'm using the -6dB switch on the V200 and use a Hegel HD10 DAC. P.t. I'm using Kimber XLRs to connect them. Just love the LCD-2 and the HE-500 with this setup. There's something with the synergy here that just is so natural and appealing.
> 
> If and when Violectric release a V200+ balanced amp = I buy.


 

 I'm leaning towards keeping the -6db setting.    What balanced Kimber cables are you using?  The Hero?
   


  Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> I am using the balanced outputs from the W4S to the V200.  I purchased a pair of the W4S standard balanced cables along with the W4S.


 

 I also purchased a pair of  the W4S standard balanced cables.   I have a Shunyata Venom 3 power chord coming again for my DAC-2 (sent the wrong size plug last time) on Saturday.  If by some miracle I do hear  a difference with it I'll grab one for the V200 also.


----------



## Loevhagen

RCA :Kimber Hero WBT-0144
  XLR: Kimber Timbre.
   
  Tried some Monster XLR, but they're in the basement.


----------



## tkteo

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> If and when Violectric release a V200+ balanced amp = I buy.


 

 Is there really a significant difference in sound quality between the V200 and the V181 which does have balanced headphone output?


----------



## Loevhagen

Significant is subjective. Different? Maybe. Check out project86's review of both and his comparison in the V200 review.
   
  The V200 is a different construction (besides being SE), and if two V200s were assembled in one box; yes please. There's also talk about a V282, V284...
   
  I chose the V200 since the price is the same as the V181 and I at that point in time didn't had any balanced cabled headphones.


----------



## Loevhagen

Perfect match for my ears.  Picture taken today QFT.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Significant is subjective. Different? Maybe. Check out project86's review of both and his comparison in the V200 review.
> 
> The V200 is a different construction (besides being SE), and if two V200s were assembled in one box; yes please. There's also talk about a V282, V284...
> 
> I chose the V200 since the price is the same as the V181 and I at that point in time didn't had any balanced cabled headphones.


 

 Your'e KILLING me with all that talk about a balanced V200!


----------



## Loevhagen

WA: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Another picture taken today by a fanboy:


----------



## project86

Ok, so I don't have the same photography skills as you..... but this is an excellent combo:
   
   

   
  Squeezebox Touch, V800 DAC, V200 amp, LCD-2.


----------



## Loevhagen

No worry. I don't have the elaborative review skills you possess.
   
  Hey, that's the LCD-2 "Classic". I would love to listen to them one day. 
   
  When is the V800 review out in public domain, project86? Looking forward to it.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> When is the V800 review out in public domain, project86? Looking forward to it.


 

  
  I'm working on it but keep getting tied up with work, family stuff, etc. Shooting for early October though. So far I've been _very_ impressed.


----------



## Zombie_X

It's very very good, no? I'm loving mine a lot!
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I'm working on it but keep getting tied up with work, family stuff, etc. Shooting for early October though. So far I've been _very_ impressed.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I'm working on it but keep getting tied up with work, family stuff, etc. Shooting for early October though. So far I've been _very_ impressed.


 

 If I didn't already own a DAC I'd try it for sure
   
   
  On a side note I switched in a Shunyata Venom 3 into my W4S DAC-2 and the dynamics, 3D, and focus improved big time.  Next month I'll get one for the V200.   The V200 is really handling the improvement.  That black background where voices seem to come out of a spooky nothingness into complete existence has really increased. Startling can't begin to describe it.  Can't wait to try one on the V200.   Never thought a power chord could make such a difference in a rig.


----------



## Duckman

Yeah, c'mon PJ86, hints please.


----------



## Zombie_X

Hey project I'll be releasing a written and video review of this DAC in the future. I'll also compare it to my Music Hall DAC25.2. You should do a video review of it as well.


----------



## project86

Video? You guys have seen how poor my photography skills are, and now you want me to take it even further with video? Brave people.


----------



## Loevhagen

After using the HE-6 two days on a speaker amp, I decided to try out if the power hungry HE-6 really needs 8W+ and if the V200 (2.7W at 50ohm) can drive the HE-6 to an acceptable level (SQ that is). The V200's dip switches for gain was all set in 0-position. I.e. no added gain, nor reduced gain.
   
  Short answer: Yes. No problem. It was quite easy now to detect the V200 sound. I like it. The sound signature of the V200 shines quite easily through on both the LCD-2 and the HE-6, eventhough these headphones are quite different in their own sound signature. Lesson learned no. 1


----------



## project86

Quote: 





duckman said:


> Yeah, c'mon PJ86, hints please.


 
   
  Hints? Ok, how about:
   
  Unflinchingly transparent?
   
  Perfect match for V200? 

 Seriously, this is one good DAC. Easily makes my list of the top 5 DACs I've personally had in the house (and this list includes some heavy hitters in the $6-8k price range). More to come soon.
   



  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> After using the HE-6 two days on a speaker amp, I decided to try out if the power hungry HE-6 really needs 8W+ and if the V200 (2.7W at 50ohm) can drive the HE-6 to an acceptable level (SQ that is). The V200's dip switches for gain was all set in 0-position. I.e. no added gain, nor reduced gain.
> 
> Short answer: Yes. No problem. It was quite easy now to detect the V200 sound. I like it. The sound signature of the V200 shines quite easily through on both the LCD-2 and the HE-6, eventhough these headphones are quite different in their own sound signature. Lesson learned no. 1


 
   
  Thanks for confirming what we already suspected. Some people will of course call you confused and maintain that you do in fact need a big speaker amp to get the full HE-6 experience. To each his own.


----------



## DarknightDK

Awesome! Shall await your review of the Violectric V200 and V800 DAC. Initial impressions sound promising. I wonder how this combo compares with the Burson 160D? Both these amps seem to be a match made in heaven for the LCD2s.


----------



## Rasmutte

Yo, time for me to buy a V200.
   
  BUT, I've got a question.
   
  USB add-on, or not?
   
  The only DAC I've now is a UDAC2. Is the USB add-on in the V200 better than UDAC2?
  And if it's better. 16/48 or 24/96?
   
  Thanks.


----------



## Loevhagen

After some time, I can report than even though the V200 drives the HE-6 to acceptable SQ, the soundstage _expands_ with a speaker amp. Just my opinion now after used the HE-6 on both the V200 and Abrahamsen V2.0. 
   
  The tonal balance the V200 gives the HE-6 is appealing in my ears. If the soundstage were as large as the speaker amp, I wouldn't have othered with the speaker amp and sticked solely to the V200. Oh, well. 
   
  Will receive a cable to try the LCD-2 on the speaker amp next week. This to verify / trash the intitial impression with another headphone.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> Yo, time for me to buy a V200.
> 
> BUT, I've got a question.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Depends. Do you have ambitions to get a higher end DAC anytime soon? If so, it might be better to save the extra $100-200 cost of the USB option and put it towards something better.
   
  If you don't have plans in the immediate future (ie the next year or so) I'd say the 24/96 USB option might be the way to go. From the few reports I've heard, it should be superior to the uDac2 by a decent margin.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Depends. Do you have ambitions to get a higher end DAC anytime soon? If so, it might be better to save the extra $100-200 cost of the USB option and put it towards something better.
> 
> If you don't have plans in the immediate future (ie the next year or so) I'd say the 24/96 USB option might be the way to go. From the few reports I've heard, it should be superior to the uDac2 by a decent margin.


 
   
  Thank's for the reply!
   
  No I'm not planning to buy a DAC this year. I need to buy other equipment as well (external screen, harddrives, a new phone etc).
   
  Maybe I'll go with the add-on module.


----------



## project86

That sounds like a good plan then. The 24/96 option should at least be better than the uDac, as it uses better parts. Should sound roughly as good as an entry level CD player from Cambridge, NAD, etc.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





project86 said:


> That sounds like a good plan then. The 24/96 option should at least be better than the uDac, as it uses better parts. Should sound roughly as good as an entry level CD player from Cambridge, NAD, etc.


 

 I don't know if an entry level CD is good or not. But it sounds quite good!
   
  But to get the best musical experience I need a good DAC too?
  I'm a bit new to amping.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Hi all. I've had my V200 for several days now and would like to share my initial impressions.
   
  The V200 was something of an impulse by for me (from the FS forums here). I certainly didn't need another amp, but I wanted to finally try something from the balanced outs of my W4S DAC2. So far, I'm quite glad I did, as the V200 is the best SS headphone amp I've owned (which is, admittedly, a small group headlined by the Meier Concerto). It is proving to be a relatively simple and elegant amping solution that does what it needs to do and gets out of the way, allowing the cans to show off their own individual character.
   
  Some brief amp/can combo observations:
   
  With LCD-2 Rev. 2. Though my listening has been admittedly brief so far, the V200 is my favorite amp with the LCD-2 at the moment (over both the Lyr and, more narrowly, the WA2). The V200 firms up the very slight softness in the bass that I've observed with my tube amps, and while it doesn't entirely cure the lack of high-end extension that still sometimes bothers me even with the Rev. 2 LCD-2s, it gives these cans the top-to-bottom balance that I enjoyed with the Concerto without the resulting mid-range dryness I found the in the Meier amp.
   
  With HE-6. My favorite standalone amp with the HiFiMan cans, bested only by the headphone jack on my Pioneer SX-1050 receiver (which, sadly, is just too big to be a permanent part of my office rig). The HE-6 really open up and shine with the V200, with a precise but never harsh treble and bass that's amazingly detailed and just oh-so-slightly lacking in quantity. I feel the Violectric is superior to using the speaker terminals of my restored Marantz 2238B receiver, which is saying something.
   
  With T1. Need to listen more. Seems like a good combination, though the easily pushed Beyers require me to adjust the gain on the back of the amp if I want to have any room at all with the volume control.
   
  That's it for now. I'm really quite happy with the V200 so far and can recommend it for someone looking for a balanced standalone amp for both planar and dynamic headphones.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> I don't know if an entry level CD is good or not. But it sounds quite good!
> 
> But to get the best musical experience I need a good DAC too?
> I'm a bit new to amping.


 

  
  Well, you don't "need" anything really. You can plug your expensive headphones into an iPod and still get somewhat enjoyable sound. The point here though is trying to get the absolute best sound you can... and for that you ultimately want a nice DAC to match with your V200. But the built in DAC option would probably last you a while and sound good in the process.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Well, you don't "need" anything really. You can plug your expensive headphones into an iPod and still get somewhat enjoyable sound. The point here though is trying to get the absolute best sound you can... and for that you ultimately want a nice DAC to match with your V200. But the built in DAC option would probably last you a while and sound good in the process.


 

 I get your point.
  The built-in dac and the V200 is probably a lot better than the on board sound.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Hi all. I've had my V200 for several days now and would like to share my initial impressions.
> 
> The V200 was something of an impulse by for me (from the FS forums here). I certainly didn't need another amp, but I wanted to finally try something from the balanced outs of my W4S DAC2. So far, I'm quite glad I did, as the V200 is the best SS headphone amp I've owned (which is, admittedly, a small group headlined by the Meier Concerto). It is proving to be a relatively simple and elegant amping solution that does what it needs to do and gets out of the way, allowing the cans to show off their own individual character.
> 
> ...


 





   
  Have you been over to see this thread?  http://www.head-fi.org/t/508721/does-anyone-own-the-wyred4sound-dac-2/330.
   
  Many folks are trying the Venom 3 power cord with the W4S DAC-2 and finding a significant improvement in sonics.  I know I have.   As soon as October rolls in I'l be getting one for the V200 and I post up my findings.
   
  I'm getting very good upper frequency extension now with the LCD-2.  I changed out the stock cable for the Q cable and I changed out the W4S USB stock cable for a WireWorld Starlight USB cable.  Things are much improved.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Have you been over to see this thread?  http://www.head-fi.org/t/508721/does-anyone-own-the-wyred4sound-dac-2/330.
> 
> Many folks are trying the Venom 3 power cord with the W4S DAC-2 and finding a significant improvement in sonics.  I know I have.   As soon as October rolls in I'l be getting one for the V200 and I post up my findings.
> 
> I'm getting very good upper frequency extension now with the LCD-2.  I changed out the stock cable for the Q cable and I changed out the W4S USB stock cable for a WireWorld Starlight USB cable.  Things are much improved.


 

 Yup, I've been following that thread with interest. I've never posted about my W4S because I don't really have that much to say about it -- it's a top-notch source that you set and forget.
   
  About the Venom 3... well, I must admit that I'm something of a power cable skeptic. I have several each of the Iron Lung Jellyfish and Signal Cable Magic Power cords, and I've honestly never heard a sonic difference with them. I could probably justify another $100 to test the Venom model, though.
   
  The Q cable, on the other hand, I consider to be essential equipment for the LCD-2.


----------



## WarriorAnt

This is true about the W4S DAC-2.
   
  When I first posted about the Venom 3 I figured I was going to get flamed about power cords because I was very skeptical myself.  Then found that tweak to be more substantial than any other tweak.    I was relieved to find others were reporting the same experience. I never would have believed a power cord could make a difference and for 30 years as an audiophile I never bothered to get one for any of my Krells or other equipment.  Don't know if it will improve the V200 but it sure worked magic on the W4S DAC-2.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> This is true about the W4S DAC-2.
> 
> When I first posted about the Venom 3 I figured I was going to get flamed about power cords because I was very skeptical myself.  Then found that tweak to be more substantial than any other tweak.    I was relieved to find others were reporting the same experience. I never would have believed a power cord could make a difference and for 30 years as an audiophile I never bothered to get one for any of my Krells or other equipment.  Don't know if it will improve the V200 but it sure worked magic on the W4S DAC-2.


 
   
  Well, crap. I think you've talked me into trying the Venom 3.
   
  So I spent tonight listening to the T1/V200 combo. While I think I still slightly prefer the T1s with my maxed WA2, the V200 is not far off at all. I am currently enjoying Shostakovich's 3rd String Quartet (Op. 73, Borodin Quartet), and the only thing "missing" is the WA2's surreal tube amp soundstage and placement. I find the WA2 to be quite detailed and punchy when equipped with the right tubes, so I am not presently finding a whole lot of difference between the two in detail retrieval. While not a "victory" for the V200, the T1/WA2 is a very high hurdle in my book, and to be in the same ballpark for me is saying something.


----------



## rawrster

Has anyone tried this amp with the DT880 600 ohms, modified T50RP or Grados? I'm thinkinf of getting this amp and also wondering how it compares with an amp such as a DIY PPAv2. I would hope it is better considering the cost but the question is how much better,


----------



## WarriorAnt

I saw another V200 for sale and I had a crazy day dream about buying it and then asking Fried to turn 2 V200's into mono amps for my LCD's...


----------



## knopi

I know it is not the most important but I don't like look by the Violectric, probably it is nicer in real but overal design could be much more classy if it is good amp as everything write here and it is shame.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I actually like the way the V200 looks but I can understand the importance of a piece of gear being inviting as far as looks.  I'm looking to add a tube amp to my stable and In some ways I want it to look like a really nice classic tube amp. this may be one of the reasons I have not yet bought the Lyr amp and daydream more towards a Woo amp.  Other than that I rarely look at my equipment.  I almost never look at my headphones. I take them off and put them to the side and  that's it.  I found my daughter wearing them recently and realized it was the first time I actually gave them a real look since the time I unpacked them.


----------



## Zombie_X

I had it for two weeks on demo from Aphrodite Cu29 and it did wonders for low impedance gear. Grado's gained more slam and smoother highs and a richer midrange. Really they sound way better on this amp. I jsut think the sonic signature of the amp alone was really good.
   
  For the DT880's it really didn't sound too good at all. It seemed to run out of power with them and even the +12db boost function didn't help. However the amps sound signature sounded good on the DT880's.
  
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Has anyone tried this amp with the DT880 600 ohms, modified T50RP or Grados? I'm thinkinf of getting this amp and also wondering how it compares with an amp such as a DIY PPAv2. I would hope it is better considering the cost but the question is how much better,


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I had it for two weeks on demo from Aphrodite Cu29 and it did wonders for low impedance gear. Grado's gained more slam and smoother highs and a richer midrange. Really they sound way better on this amp. I jsut think the sonic signature of the amp alone was really good.
> 
> For the DT880's it really didn't sound too good at all. It seemed to run out of power with them and even the +12db boost function didn't help. However the amps sound signature sounded good on the DT880's.


 

  
  You're supposed to say that's it is amazing! I'll try it for myself soon enough and hopefully I like the pair although the V200 was an impulse buy when I was searching for tube amps to pair with my DT880...Although as long as the V200 is a good amount better than my PPAv2 I will be happy with the purchase and sell the PPAv2.
   
  What were you comparing the amp to when you had the DT880?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I had it for two weeks on demo from Aphrodite Cu29 and it did wonders for low impedance gear. Grado's gained more slam and smoother highs and a richer midrange. Really they sound way better on this amp. I jsut think the sonic signature of the amp alone was really good.
> 
> For the DT880's it really didn't sound too good at all. It seemed to run out of power with them and even the +12db boost function didn't help. However the amps sound signature sounded good on the DT880's.


 


 18.5 volts (so 37 vpp) not enough for ya?


----------



## Zombie_X

It just didn't seem to do a good job with them. I don't know exactly what it was but I didn't like combination. Seemed to add too much warmth to the T1's sound. Also I did experience clipping with both the DT880 and T1 on this amp. The amps sonics really made the DT880 sound nice but the amp just couldn't keep up and clipped at higher volumes. If you didn't experience this then I don't know what is causing it.
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> 18.5 volts (so 37 vpp) not enough for ya?


 


   
  I was using the WA3+, Audio-GD ROC, and X-CANV8P. The WA3+ and ROC drive the DT880/600Ohm better than the V200 IMO. I don't know how well the amp would drive the 250Ohm model but it should theoretically drive it much better because it would be far less straining on the amp. I would think the 32Ohm model would sound really good as well seeing as it's power requirements are near those of the 250Ohm model but instead of voltage it needs a crap ton of current. Even my X-CANV8P couldn't power it properly but did a darned good job.
   
   
  For low impedance stuff the V200 was insane. I would give a slight advantage to my Roc because of the balanced output which IMO is better than any single ended amps I have heard. The V200 is no slouch at all. It does have gobs of power and lots of it in reserves so for lower impedance stuff this amp should never run out of steam.
  
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> You're supposed to say that's it is amazing! I'll try it for myself soon enough and hopefully I like the pair although the V200 was an impulse buy when I was searching for tube amps to pair with my DT880...Although as long as the V200 is a good amount better than my PPAv2 I will be happy with the purchase and sell the PPAv2.
> 
> What were you comparing the amp to when you had the DT880?


----------



## Loevhagen

I run the *HE-6 from HiFiMAN* without clipping on the V200. I guess it sounds lame; but it has to be something wrong with the amp you tried, or other parts of the system.
   
  I can relate to the potential fact / perception that you did not like the synergy between these Beyers and Violectric, but "clipping" / "underpowered" - No.
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> It just didn't seem to do a good job with them. I don't know exactly what it was but I didn't like combination. Seemed to add too much warmth to the T1's sound. Also I did experience clipping with both the DT880 and T1 on this amp. The amps sonics really made the DT880 sound nice but the amp just couldn't keep up and clipped at higher volumes. If you didn't experience this then I don't know what is causing it.


----------



## Zombie_X

It couldn't be anything else in my system because this is the only amp I have experienced clipping in. I mean my other gear has never clipped before and this amp clipped easily on stuff I've heard a hundred times. I believe it's possible that there was something wrong with the amp but it's hard to say because it did sound good on low impedance gear.
   
  I think I won't publish m review then. If the amp was faulty then the review wouldn't be truthful.
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I run the *HE-6 from HiFiMAN* without clipping on the V200. I guess it sounds lame; but it has to be something wrong with the amp you tried, or other parts of the system.
> 
> I can relate to the potential fact / perception that you did not like the synergy between these Beyers and Violectric, but "clipping" / "underpowered" - No.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> It couldn't be anything else in my system because this is the only amp I have experienced clipping in. I mean my other gear has never clipped before and this amp clipped easily on stuff I've heard a hundred times. I believe it's possible that there was something wrong with the amp but it's hard to say because it did sound good on low impedance gear.
> 
> I think I won't publish m review then. If the amp was faulty then the review wouldn't be truthful.


 

 I would never tell someone that since they have a different experience than mine, then there must be something wrong with their equipment... but I know that my T1 sounds absolutely splendid with my V200, with no clipping whatsoever.


----------



## Zombie_X

Before you guys mentioned anything about possible amp damage, it had never crossed my mind that perhaps something might have been wrong with the amp. Who know what happened and I think I'll let Robert know about it too just in case.
   
  Thinking back on it I believe it was very plausible that the amp was somewhat defective. But that opens up another question, why was this issue only on my T1's and a customers DT880/600Ohm? So strange.
  
  Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> I would never tell someone that since they have a different experience than mine, then there must be something wrong with their equipment... but I know that my T1 sounds absolutely splendid with my V200, with no clipping whatsoever.


----------



## Subsequence

After using the V200 with the T1 for about 3 months i have to agree that the v200 sounds too warm. It's a coloration that is most noticeable in female singing and speaking and other sounds in the same frequency range and has gotten so annoying that i've ordered a different amp. Guess i don't like colored as much as i thought i would but i like smooth so i have a Phoenix on the way. 
   
  About the cliping and such i have not encountered that personally, to me it never seemed to run out of power but maybe that's because i listen at a lower volume? I have it usually set to 6 o'clock with NFB-2 dac that's feeding it a 2.5v signal so i guess that's equal to about 8 on the volume compared to most sources. The dip switches on the back are at their default setting which i believe is no added gain. Anyways mine will probably go up for sale in the near future.


----------



## WarriorAnt

What source are you using?


----------



## Subsequence

I'm using the NFB-2 from audio-gd, i must say that i don't hear the same coloration on my speaker setup which is connected to the pass through on the V200. So it has to be the amp i reckon but i will know 100% sure when the Phoenix arrives on monday.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yes the V200 sounds more analog like than any solid state amp I've heard. My Roc is slightly warm but the V200 sounds like a tube amp. That's not a bad thing but I feel the coloration it puts out is not helping the T1. It seems to mask some details on the T1 and softens the highs more than I would like. I however like the added bass response of the amp. The added midrange body is something I like as well. When I had my DT880 and DT990 I loved the tube sound because the headphone lacked in midrange and could at times have too much treble.
   
  Oh and you're getting a Phoenix? ROCK ON MAN! That is one beast of an amp for sure and will drive those T1's nicely! I've heard the Phoenix and it's a warmer sounding amp, but warmer in a different way. It's sonic tone can be described as: darker than neutral, smoother presentation, sweater treble response. It sounds more tube like than my Roc and has more bass from what I remember. 
   
  I wanna get one one day but I already have 4 headphone amps . I don't wanna sell any of them either so...
  
  Quote: 





subsequence said:


> I'm using the NFB-2 from audio-gd, i must say that i don't hear the same coloration on my speaker setup which is connected to the pass through on the V200. So it has to be the amp i reckon but i will know 100% sure when the Phoenix arrives on monday.


----------



## project86

I could have sworn that I read the Phoenix is a bright amp? That doesn't seem right as the "Audio GD house sound" is not generally described as bright, but I'm sure I read that somewhere from some experienced users. Either way it looks like a nice amp as well. It's great to have so many high quality options, that's for sure. 
   
  I still need to try the T1 some day. So much gear, so little time.


----------



## rawrster

So USPS just gave me some nice packages today. My Yulong D100 which died around a month ago came back fixed from another head-fi member and my V200 amp came (also from another head-fi member) so some nice listening sessions today. I haven't opened up the package containing the dac but I did open the V200 and switch out the PPAv2 with the V200 amp. I also have some cables coming in on monday so I get to test out the xlr and rca outs of my Yulong D100 dac but that's for another day.
   
  My setup for the last month since my D100 dac died was my laptop > Keces DA151 > PPAv2 and either the Beyerdynamic DT880 600 ohms or my modified T50RP. My Magnums are loan so did not really use that for long with that setup. I realize for first impressions this is not fair due to price difference. The PPAv2 is a low cost but good performer diy amp while the V200 has a msrp of $1000.
   
  I don't have much to add but here are some of my impressions. The first thing I noticed is that the V200 does not have that pop sound like I get with my PPAv2 the times I turn it on connected with the amp even with the volume knob at the lowest setting. In terms of sound my initial impressions are that the amp has a warmer tone than the PPAv2 and that the bass hits harder. My T50RP likes a good amount of power so having this amp definitely helps but I'm not sure what the specs on that amp is since it's a diy. Something I notice with my customs is that even at low volumes I don't notice any channel imbalance which is something pretty rare for me. I've only heard a few amps that did not have imbalance with them on low volumes but this is another amp that does not have that so the times I use my customs at home (which is quite rare actually) I don't have to deal with that. The gain switches are also helpful in that regard since another issue is that with my customs the volume gets too loud way too early on the volume pot and usually it is at the instant channel imbalance is gone so it is difficult to have control over volume without changing it in the windows volume which is not desirable.
   
  My goal in getting this amp (although an impulse buy) is to see how much of a step up it would be from my DIY PPAv2 amp and if that step up justifies the cost and then sell the PPAv2 or if the cost is not justified then I will sell the V200 amp but I will give it at least a few months...so far so good however.
   
   
  Edit: I've opened my D100 and connected it to the amp and also took out my DT880 600 ohms and I don't really find there to be any clipping so I find that pretty odd that Zombie_X got some clipping. I'm on the lowest gain right now and find it to be enough for the DT880. I haven't heard it too long with the DT880 but so far I like what I hear.


----------



## Zombie_X

Speaking of headphones with a higher sensitivity: I know with my RX900's that on my X-CANV8P they can tend to get hum or noise and also that they get loud far too fast. That's why I use an impedance adapter on them. It gives me a lot more flexibility with the volume control and also seems t improve their sound a bit. Maybe you should try slapping an adapter on your sensitive phones and see if it improves the sound at all. You never know.
   
  It's weird that I got clipping. I swear it must have been the amp because it only happened with 600Ohm headphones. Something was wrong there.
  
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> So USPS just gave me some nice packages today. My Yulong D100 which died around a month ago came back fixed from another head-fi member and my V200 amp came (also from another head-fi member) so some nice listening sessions today. I haven't opened up the package containing the dac but I did open the V200 and switch out the PPAv2 with the V200 amp. I also have some cables coming in on monday so I get to test out the xlr and rca outs of my Yulong D100 dac but that's for another day.
> 
> My setup for the last month since my D100 dac died was my laptop > Keces DA151 > PPAv2 and either the Beyerdynamic DT880 600 ohms or my modified T50RP. My Magnums are loan so did not really use that for long with that setup. I realize for first impressions this is not fair due to price difference. The PPAv2 is a low cost but good performer diy amp while the V200 has a msrp of $1000.
> 
> ...


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yes the V200 sounds more analog like than any solid state amp I've heard. My Roc is slightly warm but the V200 sounds like a tube amp. That's not a bad thing but I feel the coloration it puts out is not helping the T1. It seems to mask some details on the T1 and softens the highs more than I would like. I however like the added bass response of the amp. The added midrange body is something I like as well. When I had my DT880 and DT990 I loved the tube sound because the headphone lacked in midrange and could at times have too much treble.
> 
> Oh and you're getting a Phoenix? ROCK ON MAN! That is one beast of an amp for sure and will drive those T1's nicely! I've heard the Phoenix and it's a warmer sounding amp, but warmer in a different way. It's sonic tone can be described as: darker than neutral, smoother presentation, sweater treble response. It sounds more tube like than my Roc and has more bass from what I remember.
> 
> I wanna get one one day but I already have 4 headphone amps . I don't wanna sell any of them either so...


 

 That's exactly what i'm looking for and after doing so much reading (yeah i read the whole thread) i decided it was for me, now all that's left is waiting for the damn weekend to be over 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  About the amp's you're not alone the Phoenix will be my 4th amp and i also haven't sold any yet and spent way too much money on audio this year. But hey hobbies are allowed to cost money right?
   
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I could have sworn that I read the Phoenix is a bright amp? That doesn't seem right as the "Audio GD house sound" is not generally described as bright, but I'm sure I read that somewhere from some experienced users. Either way it looks like a nice amp as well. It's great to have so many high quality options, that's for sure.
> 
> I still need to try the T1 some day. So much gear, so little time.


 

 The Phoenix being bright hmm haven't read that one but it seems to me the majority considers it a smooth and somewhat dark amp. And yeah i agree there's allot of good gear out there however it can be hard to pick the right one...
   
  The T1 is definately worth trying if for example you find the HD800 too bright which was my experience.
   
  Sorry for going a bit off topic guys hehe.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo guys,
   
  For anyone interested I published my review of the V800 DAC here > REVIEW: Violectric V800 DAC


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yo guys,
> 
> For anyone interested I published my review of the V800 DAC here > REVIEW: Violectric V800 DAC


 
   
  Hey, good timing, I was just about to post mine as well. Actually need to wait until tomorrow because I messed up some pictures. I'll read yours after I post mine (I wonder if we agree?).


----------



## Zombie_X

Maybe we will agree. I hope so. I've had this ADC for a month and have a good understanding of it.
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> Hey, good timing, I was just about to post mine as well. Actually need to wait until tomorrow because I messed up some pictures. I'll read yours after I post mine (I wonder if we agree?).


----------



## bobeau

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I didn't care for the Sony Qualia much either. Some people would call me crazy for having those opinions.


 
   
  I don't think many would on that phone, although perhaps time has been kinder to those phones than I'm aware of - back in the day when they were sold they were considered an odd duck, very polarizing, very dependent on fit and associated gear.  It seemed like most at that time still preferred the R10s.
   
  But in any case that's besides the point - I agree just about any top tier cans have serious detractors, probably because to excel in certain areas other areas take a back seat.  I loved me some L3000s when I had them and only gave them up as I took a break from heaphones for several years.  It was interesting to watch the general forum vibe on those - first impressions, not great.  Then price slashing happened and a bunch flooded into the forums over a period of a few months, impressions were quite positive, and for a period of a couple years they were considered one of the TOTL forum favorites.  Now it seems time has not been so kind, although it they still fetch good prices probably due to rarity.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





bobeau said:


> I don't think many would on that phone, although perhaps time has been kinder to those phones than I'm aware of - back in the day when they were sold they were considered an odd duck, very polarizing, very dependent on fit and associated gear.  It seemed like most at that time still preferred the R10s.
> 
> But in any case that's besides the point - I agree just about any top tier cans have serious detractors, probably because to excel in certain areas other areas take a back seat.  I loved me some L3000s when I had them and only gave them up as I took a break from heaphones for several years.  It was interesting to watch the general forum vibe on those - first impressions, not great.  Then price slashing happened and a bunch flooded into the forums over a period of a few months, impressions were quite positive, and for a period of a couple years they were considered one of the TOTL forum favorites.  Now it seems time has not been so kind, although it they still fetch good prices probably due to rarity.


 

 Yep I'm with you on the L3000 as well. I didn't have them back when they were very highly regarded around here. Now I do have a set and they are hardly respected at all. Not that it matters to me either way, but it is a curious situation to watch.


----------



## bobeau

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Yep I'm with you on the L3000 as well. I didn't have them back when they were very highly regarded around here. Now I do have a set and they are hardly respected at all. Not that it matters to me either way, but it is a curious situation to watch.


 

 Interesting, how do you rate them?   
   
  Sold mine in 2007, bought in 2005 for $1500 used.  I'd probably pay $1500 to get them back but not much more.  My impression is my Edition 8s come pretty close performance-wise, perhaps giving up bass extension for somewhat better mids.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





bobeau said:


> Interesting, how do you rate them?
> 
> Sold mine in 2007, bought in 2005 for $1500 used.  I'd probably pay $1500 to get them back but not much more.  My impression is my Edition 8s come pretty close performance-wise, perhaps giving up bass extension for somewhat better mids.


 


  I like them a lot. Not for all music, and not at all times..... but sometimes they are just the ticket when I'm in the right mood. The Edition 8 is similar in some ways but vastly less comfortable for me, so I don't really use them much.


----------



## rawrster

project86, I look forward to your V800 dac review when it comes out although I definitely won't be buying that since I feel I have a competent enough dac that I am not tempted to purchase a more expensive one. I'm a bit curious as to where you would rank the V200 amp in comparison with the Matrix Quatro amp. I know you have had that amp for a while and don't believe you have had a finalized review for that yet so a bit curious about how that amp goes.
   
  Lastly does anyone have an Audio Technica AD2000? I'm thinking of picking up a pair or at least something else in the AD line but most likely AD2000 if it is that headphone but need to hear it first before I put down money for it. I'm wondering how it pairs with this amp.


----------



## Zombie_X

I've heard that AD2000 and it sounds nice. A little light on the bass but a nice big soundstage with sweat treble and lush mids. It's really a good headphone for vocal and acoustic music as well as some rock. Not good for metal though because, as stated earlier, it has light bass. I think it sounds good with Pink Floyd and Rush personally.
  
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> project86, I look forward to your V800 dac review when it comes out although I definitely won't be buying that since I feel I have a competent enough dac that I am not tempted to purchase a more expensive one. I'm a bit curious as to where you would rank the V200 amp in comparison with the Matrix Quatro amp. I know you have had that amp for a while and don't believe you have had a finalized review for that yet so a bit curious about how that amp goes.
> 
> Lastly does anyone have an Audio Technica AD2000? I'm thinking of picking up a pair or at least something else in the AD line but most likely AD2000 if it is that headphone but need to hear it first before I put down money for it. I'm wondering how it pairs with this amp.


----------



## crumpler

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> project86, I look forward to your V800 dac review when it comes out although I definitely won't be buying that since I feel I have a competent enough dac that I am not tempted to purchase a more expensive one. I'm a bit curious as to where you would rank the V200 amp in comparison with the Matrix Quatro amp. I know you have had that amp for a while and don't believe you have had a finalized review for that yet so a bit curious about how that amp goes.
> 
> Lastly does anyone have an Audio Technica AD2000? I'm thinking of picking up a pair or at least something else in the AD line but most likely AD2000 if it is that headphone but need to hear it first before I put down money for it. I'm wondering how it pairs with this amp.


 


  Personally, i do feel the AD2000s pair really well with SS amps. So if the V200s are half as good as people make them out to be, i'm sure the pairing would be pretty sweet.
   
  I don't feel the AD2000s are bass-light tho. Just enough without sippage into the mids or the highs in my opinion.


----------



## rawrster

Ideally I'd like to try them out but no one I know near me has them so I'm hoping there's a meet I could attend to try them on my own setup. I have a feeling something like the AD2000 would suit my signature but something like the HE-4 may also be the ticket since most people I've asked seem to suggest it as a DT880 upgrade and I really enjoy my DT880. After modding the T50RP I'm definitely interested in orthos but don't want it to be heavy so the HE-4 may work out.
   
  Too many cans..not enough wallet


----------



## project86

I finally finished my review of the Violectric V800 DAC. Here it is for those who might be interested. It's a killer DAC.
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/574418/review-violectric-v800-dac


----------



## Acix

I think the V-100 have a very good bass resolution and a great sound stage very 3D, and the vocals sounds warm and lash remind me some tube effect very analog and yet with great details. Unfortunately for my studio work I need a flat sounds hps amp with a balanced loop like the Auditor, or the Phonitor. I know that I'll miss my V-100, but I don't see any resent to keep two hps amp... so, the V-100 is now for sale or trade for one of the SPL's.


----------



## oqvist

Seem to share similar traits as the V-200 Acix? Gah I am tempted but I so much don´t need another amp lol


----------



## Ultrainferno

I can only say I really like the V100 I have for now, I'll be sad to see it leave again. Good bass, great fun, big soundstage, haven't found any flaws yet


----------



## Acix

Agree guy's...one of the, if not The most fan amps out there in my experience. If it wasn't for the studio use I'll probably keep it and be a happy camper.


----------



## BournePerfect

Huh? FUN amp you mean?
   
  -Daniel
  
  Quote: 





acix said:


> Agree guy's...one of the, if not The most fan amps out there in my experience. If it wasn't for the studio use I'll probably keep it and be a happy camper.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





bourneperfect said:


> Huh? FUN amp you mean?
> 
> -Daniel


 

 Or "fantastic" maybe


----------



## rawrster

So I've had these for almost a week and still enjoying them quite a bit. The headphones I've used this week are a modified T50RP and a Hifiman HE-4 and they both sound great. Both are orthos so they like having power and I feel that the V200 does a great job with both but a bit better match for the HE-4 but I'm not even close to being done with the T50RP yet.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> So I've had these for almost a week and still enjoying them quite a bit. The headphones I've used this week are a modified T50RP and a Hifiman HE-4 and they both sound great. Both are orthos so they like having power and I feel that the V200 does a great job with both but a bit better match for the HE-4 but I'm not even close to being done with the T50RP yet.


 

 Kind of off topic, but how are you liking the HE-4? Like what would you say it sounds closest to? I've heard it was "fun" and "V shaped" but I'm still not sure I understand it.


----------



## rawrster

That would depend on your definition of fun. I've heard definitions and they are all different. I definitely wouldn't consider them a "fun" headphone if you mean something that as emphasis on bass, some of it going into the midrange and soft highs. 
   
  In terms of how it sounds I would say signature wise it has many similarities to my DT880 where my version is the 600 ohms version. I have yet to compare them A/B but they sound very similar so far. The midrange of the HE-4 is slightly more forward than the DT880 by a small amount so I would call it slightly V shaped. 
   
  I got it at a discount compared to new so I got it at a good value and if I ever had a balanced amp I could use it with or if I had speaker taps to connect it to. Right now I have my V200 and no complaints. My only real complaint is the stock cable is pretty damn long and the alternative TRRS 3.5mm cable has no real use.
   
  However I find the pairing with the V200 to be excellent with the HE-4


----------



## swishbrade

fdg said:


> Robert Gleb from AphroditeCU29 is authorized dealer for Violectric.
> He is doing a very good job what is apreciated by many of his customers.
> 
> Greetz
> ...




Fried. May I know if you have a dealer in Singapore? I would like to purchase 1 unit please.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





swishbrade said:


> Fried. May I know if you have a dealer in Singapore? I would like to purchase 1 unit please.


 


  I'm not sure how often he gets a chance to monitor this thread, so you might email Violectric directly.


----------



## swishbrade

project86 said:


> I'm not sure how often he gets a chance to monitor this thread, so you might email Violectric directly.




Thanks! Will do that. Cheers.


----------



## rawrster

Has anyone tried these with a K501? i just bought one from the FS and got the bass heavy version so hoping it's a good pairing with this amp since I don't want to have two amps lying around but rather just use one amp for all.


----------



## metalgear

The v200 seems very impressive, a lot here feels its better than the H160. The Lyr keeps popping up once in a while and gets positive reviews too. Has anyone had all thress before? would like to hear the sonic differences "triangulated" relatatively to each other for a more precise impression.


----------



## Loevhagen

Just spaming this thread with pictures taken of my favourite amp / headphone combo. Yeah, the rev. 2 of the LCD-2 and the HE-500 works well also...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Nice!


----------



## Loevhagen

Thanks.  Sometimes I start wondering why I even bother looking at / listening to other stuff. I guess the answer is quite obvious - reading forums. If I logged off, that would be the smartest thing I've done. But on the other hand; I wouldn't have been informed about the Audeze (this place) or the Violectric (i.e. Lake People on a Norwegian computer forum). Aaargh...


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Has anyone tried these with a K501? i just bought one from the FS and got the bass heavy version so hoping it's a good pairing with this amp since I don't want to have two amps lying around but rather just use one amp for all.


 


  when you say "bass heavy" version, does it means that it is really heavy or just not "lacking" as the regular version?- I've been trying to convince myself to try that one because people say it has better mids and soundstage than the K601, but then I read very varied comments about the bass
   
_sorry about the OT_


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Thanks.  Sometimes I start wondering why I even bother looking at / listening to other stuff. I guess the answer is quite obvious - reading forums. If I logged off, that would be the smartest thing I've done. But on the other hand; I wouldn't have been informed about the Audeze (this place) or the Violectric (i.e. Lake People on a Norwegian computer forum). Aaargh...


 


  I know what you mean.  I have not read anything about a SS amp that would interest me more than the V200.  I'm looking for a tube amp just to have as the amp that represents that side of the sonic fence.  I'm not going to change out my W4S DAC-2 so that a lock. The LCD-2's look like they are here to stay.  Currently I'm teaching myself how to restore vintage gear (that's going slow) so the vintage receiver thread is interesting.  I'm still open for an integrated tube amp perhaps head amp combo to run a small set of Mirage mini monitors, so that search keeps me here.  The Sennheiser RS 220 is on the list for late night TV viewing so I await any reviews on that.  

 But the real thing that keeps me in this forum is the amazing number of friends I've made from all over the world.  For a guy who was born just a year before the space age began and whose audiophile journey started long before any desktop computer existed and was alway limited to facetime with small groups of local audiophiles the outreach of instant exchange of knowledge from other folks from around the globe is simply astonishing. That's why I stay in the Head-Fi forum.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> when you say "bass heavy" version, does it means that it is really heavy or just not "lacking" as the regular version?- I've been trying to convince myself to try that one because people say it has better mids and soundstage than the K601, but then I read very varied comments about the bass
> 
> _sorry about the OT_


 

 Who knows..but I find that it still is bass light but not as bad as say the AD700 for example. I like them but think I'll probably end up selling those eventually since I've acquired a bit too many headphones lately...
   
   
  On another note I find that the V200 does quite well with all my headphones. I wonder if these are able to push the HE-6 to it's potential or bring it very close to it. I'm going to pick up a HE500 and pair it with the V200 amp


----------



## Questhate

Hey guys, I asked this question in the Amp Recommendation for LCD-2 thread, and was directed here: 
  
  Quote: 





			
				Questhate said:
			
		

> This is a question to those with a V200. Does anyone use the USB input option on it? If so, how does it compare to a standalone DAC?
> 
> I'm pretty much set on a V200 as my all-in-one desktop option for the LCD-2, but I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to spend the $200 on the USB input option on a standalone DAC.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





questhate said:


> Hey guys, I asked this question in the Amp Recommendation for LCD-2 thread, and was directed here:


 


 I don't think many people went with the USB input options. The demographic on a ~$1000 amp is likely to have a fairly high end DAC or source already, so most people probably skipped it.
   
  I suspect that the 16-bit/48kHz USB DAC option is fairly mediocre, just there as a convenience more than anything else. The 24/96 option ($200, probably the one you are thinking of) is likely to be pretty good for the price. I'm guessing it will be at least as good as the nicer value models such as HRT Music Streamer II or Audinst mx1. Having experienced how excellent the Violectric V800 is, maybe they have done a better implementation than the $200 price would have you believe.... maybe on par with the HRT MSII+ or similar items? This is all speculation though.


----------



## rawrster

I remember seeing someone get the 16/48 usb option but can't remember who. I don't recall anyone else getting it from my research of this amp when I was considering buying it.
   
  However I also believe that most people who are willing to buy the V200 will have some sort of dac to connect the V200 without needing an all in one situation. I personally have 2 dac's that I can use with the V200 and I'm sure other people have at least one.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Has anyone tried these with a K501? i just bought one from the FS and got the bass heavy version so hoping it's a good pairing with this amp since I don't want to have two amps lying around but rather just use one amp for all.


 


  Might be a small insight ~ they really do justice to my 120ohm K601's especially with the no #3 +6 Db pre-gain switch set to up on both channels.
   
  Flick it back down to no pre-gain and it drives my Grado's with aplomb. I find the +6Db also suits the 50ohm LCD-2 as a tweak.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> . I find the +6Db also suits the 50ohm LCD-2 as a tweak.


 


  Agreed, but then on my V100


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Agreed, but then on my V100


 


  Great amp the V100 ~ so under rated it's not funny. I see so many people with the means walk in and grab the Burson 160 for $618AUD
  (nothing wrong with it for the LCD-2, a little warm but that's a preference) but next to it ~ they can have a brand new boxed V100 for $748AUD
   
  $130 more and it's a much more refined product aesthetically and sonically speaking IMHO.


----------



## Ultrainferno

But like the Burson, the V100 also has a warmish soundsig imho. I liked both but I prefer the refined V100 over the Burson (and it's European )


----------



## Gwarmi

Yep us Aussies like to make a bush whacker amp like the Burson 160 
   
  Great amp for the price and you could literally use it to hold a slab of VB to boot.


----------



## Zombie_X

I really want to try a V100 someday. It's it's like a slightly less refined V200 then it's a deal!
  
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> But like the Burson, the V100 also has a warmish soundsig imho. I liked both but I prefer the refined V100 over the Burson (and it's European )


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I really want to try a V100 someday. It's it's like a slightly less refined V200 then it's a deal!


 


  Why don't you contact Lake People or violectric?


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Why don't you contact Lake People or violectric?


 


  This guy appears to be the main Violectric man in the USA
   
http://aphroditecu29.com/Violectric/Violectric.aspx


----------



## metalgear

changing pre-gain levels v200 changes the sound curve for me.... maxing out volume (minimizing pre-gain) suits me best. at my preferred listening level.


----------



## Zombie_X

I'll probably loan one from Robert at Aphrodite Cu29 when I am done paying off the Violectric V800 DAC I bought from him. I tell 'ya money is scarce these days!
   
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Why don't you contact Lake People or violectric?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





metalgear said:


> changing pre-gain levels v200 changes the sound curve for me.... maxing out volume (minimizing pre-gain) suits me best. at my preferred listening level.


 

 That's interesting to hear. Care to elaborate on how the sound curve changes?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Rawrster, how do you like the HiFiMan HE-500 with the V200?   I see Hifiman dropped the price $200...


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Rawrster, how do you like the HiFiMan HE-500 with the V200?   I see Hifiman dropped the price $200...


 

 The HE-500 is a great deal imo at the price they are going for now. Previously at $900 they were quite competitive and now at $700 they are even more competitively priced and cheaper than the LCD-2 I see going up FS now that the LCD3 have come out.
   
  I really enjoy my V200 with the HE-500. I am using my D100 dac and V200 amp with the HE-500 using the leather Beyerdynamic pads that are sold at B&H. The comfort is great and imo with the HE-500 and V200 I'm not really missing much. At this point I don't think it gets that much better but just different. I listened to a bunch of rigs over the weekend sounding much better and i still like my HE-500 and V200 combo.


----------



## Acix

Apparently the Violectric amps are the cure for bright headphones, my Sony SA-3000 sounds great out of the V-100.


----------



## MayaTlab

Quote: 





metalgear said:


> changing pre-gain levels v200 changes the sound curve for me.... maxing out volume (minimizing pre-gain) suits me best. at my preferred listening level.


 

 Do you mean the frequency response curve ? Because if that's what you mean, other than a very badly engineered amp or the most extreme extremes (very low bass frequencies, mostly below 20 hz, or very high frequencies), an amp shouldn't affect frequency response.
  It may on the other hand affect other aspects of SQ which may give the impression that it's brighter or warmer. 
  There's more to those feelings than frequency response alone. As an example the HD 650, DT 880 and K702 measure quite closer than what you'd believe giving subjective impressions.
  That might also be the case with amps.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





acix said:


> Apparently the Violectric amps are the cure for bright headphones, my Sony SA-3000 sounds great out of the V-100.


 


  To a certain extent Acix 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  My 325i with the V200 and a warm source (either Arcam rDAC or Rega) will still shrill with a shockingly
  bad re-mastering like 'Dark Side of the Moon' 30th Anniv. Immersion box set.
   
  Fine for just about everything else though.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> To a certain extent Acix
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 LoL...that's not the recording....its the shrilly SR325s. I would NEVER classify the new remastered DSoTM as bright on any of my headphones or home theater. But when I owned the SR325is, even my really warm MAD Ear+HD couldn't tame them....and that's with the syrupy warm Sovtek driving tube too.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> LoL...that's not the recording....its the shrilly SR325s. I would NEVER classify the new remastered DSoTM as bright on any of my headphones or home theater. But when I owned the SR325is, even my really warm MAD Ear+HD couldn't tame them....and that's with the syrupy warm Sovtek driving tube too.


 


  DSOTM Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LP rip ~ fine, no loudness what so ever, beautiful highs
   
  DSOTM Immersion re-release ~ nasty


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> DSOTM Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LP rip ~ fine, no loudness what so ever, beautiful highs
> 
> DSOTM Immersion re-release ~ nasty


 
   
  DSOTM Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LP rip = subdued and recessed treble.
  DSOTM Immersion = beautifully neutral with ZERO nastiness.
   
  Try another pair of headphones first please. Really of all the headphones I've owned, the SR325s were the shrilliest by a good margin. What's your source?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> DSOTM Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LP rip ~ fine, no loudness what so ever, beautiful highs
> 
> DSOTM Immersion re-release ~ nasty


 
  A lot of the time people are lead to believe that a re-release, re-master is going to be better.  That special care is being taken to make the new remaster better.  But often better sound quality is not the top priority. The top priority is to squeeze more money from the product. The catalog. They like to toss in terms like Digitally Remastered.  In many cases the concern for the renewed revenue stream from a catalog also means there will not be a lot of time spent on remastering because that will cut into the revenue stream, and sometimes there is no real remastering at all going on.  Often it is just the minimal amount technically needed to simply xfer the catalogs material into a new production run.
  
  DSOTM from Mobile Fidelity is still the best...however I do have the immersion set that I have yet to listen too.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> DSOTM Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LP rip = subdued and recessed treble.
> DSOTM Immersion = beautifully neutral with ZERO nastiness.
> 
> Try another pair of headphones first please. Really of all the headphones I've owned, the SR325s were the shrilliest by a good margin. What's your source?


 

 Rega DAC + V200 = a tad neutral from the amp somewhat, hardly bright overall.
   
  MFSL DSOTM subdued and recessed? Can you point us to a review or other reputable opinion online that would back up this claim?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> *Rega DAC + V200 *= a tad neutral from the amp somewhat, hardly bright overall.
> 
> MFSL DSOTM subdued and recessed? Can you point us to a review or other reputable opinion online that would back up this claim?


 

 Pretty good front end...it must be the SR325s. Can you point me to a review that calls the new DSoTM remaster bright/nasty? Not on my HD800s, RE0s, HE-6s (three of the brightest headphones I own).


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Pretty good front end...it must be the SR325s. Can you point me to a review that calls the new DSoTM remaster bright/nasty? Not on my HD800s, RE0s, HE-6s (three of the brightest headphones I own).


 

 Source:-
http://www.lostturntable.com/?p=1275
   

   
*"Finally, there’s the issue of the remaster itself. It’s very good and not that big of a change from the previous CD remaster. *
*However, it is a little too loud during “Money”:"*
   
*"But it does show that the engineers and mixers responsible for this remaster have succumbed to The Loudness War, which is troubling. *
*It does leave me worrying about the remaster for The Wall as well, since that album is much louder.*
   
*So is this worth the money? Well, if you’re a die-hard, psychotic Pink Floyd fan with too much money – then definitely." *
   
  You're right I had to look far and wide to find this opinion ~ most of the major publications claim it to be the best thing since sliced bread.
  5 stars this, 5 stars that.
   
  I'll accept that a pair of HD800's or 325i's just make the shortcomings of the Immersion more prevalent - fair enough - but it does dispute
  that this album has succumbed to less than ideal modern re-mastering.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Source:-
> http://www.lostturntable.com/?p=1275
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Still, *it is not bright sounding out of my HD800s*, the SR325s though were quite a bit more piercing than any other in that regard. I'd suggest you try it again with another (non-Grado...or HF-2/PS500)...that's all.


----------



## baka1969

macedonianhero said:


> LoL...that's not the recording....its the shrilly SR325s. I would NEVER classify the new remastered DSoTM as bright on any of my headphones or home theater. But when I owned the SR325is, even my really warm MAD Ear+HD couldn't tame them....and that's with the syrupy warm Sovtek driving tube too.




I have to agree with MacedonianHero. The 325is was shrill to my ears. I have the HD800 and don't find the 2011 DSotM remaster a victim of loudness. I have the 30th Ann edition and the previous remaster. I find the 2011 the best of those. I don't have the MoFi though.


----------



## Gwarmi

I'll drag the Immersion CD down to the shop next week and give it a burl on the T1's and LCD2 rev2, ~ I'm most interested in
  seeing what happens with the T1 since the LCD-2 refuses to shrill for anything and I've tried to coax some nastiness out of
  those things with some poorly recorded Rockabilly before..
   
  Still, there's no denying that the Immersion has been affected with the Loudness wars, I rarely find a re-master these
  days that I prefer to a well respected LP original. Just me..


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> I'll drag the Immersion CD down to the shop next week and give it a burl on the T1's and LCD2 rev2, ~ I'm most interested in
> seeing what happens with the T1 since the LCD-2 refuses to shrill for anything and I've tried coax some nastiness out of
> those things with some poorly recorded Rockabilly before..
> 
> ...


 

 Got the T1s here....nothing shrill with them and the Immersion Edition in my rig.


----------



## baka1969

macedonianhero said:


> Got the T1s here....nothing shrill with them and the Immersion Edition in my rig.




I have the Experience edition. Which is the same as the Immersion and Discovery. I just don't find it loud. Maybe the added clarity is what you're hearing?


----------



## Zombie_X

DSOTM is bright and shrill? I call BS there as it's actually quite smooth sounding. Also nit doesn't even sound like they applied loudness at all to it. I have the MFSL pressing of it on disc and it sound better to me.
  
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Got the T1s here....nothing shrill with them and the Immersion Edition in my rig.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> DSOTM is bright and shrill? I call BS there as it's actually quite smooth sounding. Also nit doesn't even sound like they applied loudness at all to it. *I have the MFSL pressing of it on disc and it sound better to me.*


 


  Ditto ~ that's 3 votes for MFSL over Immersion box set.


----------



## Zombie_X

The new remasters aren't bad at all, I just find the MFSL version better and more analog like in it's presentation. Very lush sounding and incredibly detailed. I like it that way as it first came out on vinyl.
   
  The new remasters is still great and far better than the last few releases that were heavily compressed. It just doesn't come near to the sonics of the MFSL pressing.


----------



## Gwarmi

Hey I did find this :-
   
Source :- 
   
  Should make for some robust techie mastering discussion 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
   
 Album Details 
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (Immersion Box Disc 5 - Blu-ray disc rip - Original Stereo Mix)​ Artist: Pink Floyd Album: The Dark Side of the Moon (Immersion Box Disc 5 - Blu-ray disc rip - Original Stereo Mix) Year: 2011 DR Album: 10​
 DR Track min: 8​
 DR Track max: 11​
 DR Tracks: 9​
11​
11​
10​
9​
11​
9​
11​
10​
8​
(might not be in original order) Label: EMI Label Code:   Catalog Number: 5099902943497 Bar Code:   Country:   Comment: 96khz/24bit rip Source: lossless


----------



## Gwarmi

Here's one of the best guitar based albums in my collection with a dynamic range of *15* - Kevin Eubanks 'The Heat of Heat' (1987)
   
  Sounds positively fantastic for a funk guitar instrumental - I'm finding it difficult to source something in the same vein that sounds any better,
  helps that it was produced by George Benson.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Ditto ~ that's 3 votes for MFSL over Immersion box set.


 

 Didn't claim which version was better...just that the Immersion set was far from shrilly as your Grado SR325s would have you believe.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Didn't claim which version was better...just that the Immersion set was far from shrilly as your Grado SR325s would have you believe.


 


  Well if those figures above are to be believed ~ an average rating of 10 for Dynamic range for a Pink Floyd album is pretty dismal.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Here's one of the best guitar based albums in my collection with a dynamic range of *15* - Kevin Eubanks 'The Heat of Heat' (1987)
> 
> Sounds positively fantastic for a funk guitar instrumental - I'm finding it difficult to source something in the same vein that sounds any better,
> helps that it was produced by George Benson.


 


 Dynamic range certainly isn't everything, but I agree that this is album sounds amazing. That cover though..... Yikes.


----------



## Gwarmi

His follow-up two years later - 'Promise of Tomorrow' (1989) was not half bad either, he took over from Benson on the producer's chair.
   
  Will someone get this guy a shirt already ~ He's like the Matthew McConaughey of fine guitarist albums!


----------



## metalgear

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> That's interesting to hear. Care to elaborate on how the sound curve changes?


 

  
  Its not too much a change. Its just a tad more delicate in texture with minimal pre-gain. The overall presentation/balance doesn't change.
   
  Increasing pre-gain makes Starker's cello strings seem a bit more dense - if you get my drift.
   
  Its not big enough for me to get distratcted, but its there.
   
  The v200 is impressive nonetheless, its capable of driving both the LCD2 and LCD3 at the same time without compromise. Makes A/B testing a lot more fun


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> His follow-up two years later - 'Promise of Tomorrow' (1989) was not half bad either, he took over from Benson on the producer's chair.
> 
> Will someone get this guy a shirt already ~ *He's like the Matthew McConaughey of fine guitarist albums*!


 
   
  Ha! Made me laugh there. But I refuse to dedicate any more bandwidth to that image....
  
   


  Quote: 





metalgear said:


> Its not too much a change. Its just a tad more delicate in texture with minimal pre-gain. The overall presentation/balance doesn't change.
> 
> Increasing pre-gain makes Starker's cello strings seem a bit more dense - if you get my drift.
> 
> ...


 

 Pics please?


----------



## metalgear

since you asked nicely...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





metalgear said:


> Its not too much a change. Its just a tad more delicate in texture with minimal pre-gain. The overall presentation/balance doesn't change.
> 
> Increasing pre-gain makes Starker's cello strings seem a bit more dense - if you get my drift.
> 
> ...


 

 I'v'e never had to increase the pre-gain on my V200 SE or Balanced out of the W4S DAC-2.  I have been experimenting lowering the pre gain.     Nice to hear the V200 can drive the LCD-3's...


----------



## daveDerek

Quote: 





metalgear said:


> since you asked nicely...


 


  metalgear, how goes the ps audio gcha do with the lcd2&3? and how is it in comparison to the v200?


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Nice to hear the V200 can drive the LCD-3's...


 

 It has no problem driving the 3s. From a synergy standpoint, however, I may prefer the warmth of my WA2.
   
  Hmm. I wonder if there's a WA22 in my future...


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> It has no problem driving the 3s. From a synergy standpoint, however, I may prefer the warmth of my WA2.
> 
> Hmm.* I wonder if there's a WA22 in my future...*


 

 Love the combination of my WA22 (7236 Sylvania, Shuguang Treasures CV181-Z and Princess Sophia 274B) and my LCD-3s. A hint of tubey goodness compared to my more ss'ish Lyr.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Love the combination of my WA22 (7236 Sylvania, Shuguang Treasures CV181-Z and Princess Sophia 274B) and my LCD-3s. A hint of tubey goodness compared to my more ss'ish Lyr.


 

 I thought you might be enjoying that combination... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I'm torn between keeping it in the family with a WA22 or going rogue with a Liquid Fire. If I went LF, I'd sell both my WA2 and V200... hurts just to think about it.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> I thought you might be enjoying that combination...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Tough call...the LF would be better at powering your HE-6s, but I'd think the WA22 was better suited for your T1s. How about both?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> I thought you might be enjoying that combination...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I'm betting you go LF.    PM me if when you sell the WA2


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Tough call...the LF would be better at powering your HE-6s, but I'd think the WA22 was better suited for your T1s. How about both?


 

 Truth be told, Peter, I'm thinking about going all in with the LCD-3 and dealing the rest of my cans. While I'm not 100% on this, my next amp choice will be fully dependent upon what is best suited for the LCD-3.
   
  To stay on topic, I might decide that the V200 is amp enough. It's fantastic with the LCD-3, if lacking just a shade of warmth.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I'm betting you go LF.    PM me if when you sell the WA2


 


  You are first on the waiting list, my friend.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Truth be told, Peter, I'm thinking about going all in with the LCD-3 and dealing the rest of my cans. While I'm not 100% on this, my next amp choice will be fully dependent upon what is best suited for the LCD-3.
> 
> To stay on topic, I might decide that the V200 is amp enough. It's fantastic with the LCD-3, if lacking just a shade of warmth.


 

 Good to hear you might stay with the V200!  Never heard anyone say it wasn't warm enough though.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Good to hear you might stay with the V200!  Never heard anyone say it wasn't warm enough though.


 

 I was certainly surprised that I had typed it... I suspect it's a reaction to how different the LCD-3s sound from the LCD2.2s. Might just be a passing phase.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> I was certainly surprised that I had typed it... I suspect it's a reaction to how different the LCD-3s sound from the LCD2.2s. Might just be a passing phase.


 


  Thanks Olias,
   
  Your comment regarding the LCD-3 lacking a bit of warmth with the V200 has given a bright treblehead like me a bit more confidence that this phone
  could be the flagship I've been holding out on all this time - sounds perfect so far.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Thanks Olias,
> 
> Your comment regarding the LCD-3 lacking a bit of warmth with the V200 has given a bright treblehead like me a bit more confidence that this phone
> could be the flagship I've been holding out on all this time - sounds perfect so far.


 

 Hi Gwarmi! That's my impression so far. To be fair, there have been several posters in recent days who feel that the LCD-3 lacks treble energy compared to the LCD-2.2. It's early in the evaluation process, so we don't know if these differences in opinion are related to manufacturing variations, source and amp issues, or just differences of opinion.
   
  I personally find the LCD-3's highs to be smooth, present and detailed. In addition, they are (so far) lacking in the occasionally excessive treble that one might experience with a T1 (and would definitely, IMO, experience with an HD800). I am quite impressed.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Hi Gwarmi! That's my impression so far. To be fair, there have been several posters in recent days who feel that the LCD-3 lacks treble energy compared to the LCD-2.2. It's early in the evaluation process, so we don't know if these differences in opinion are related to manufacturing variations, source and amp issues, or just differences of opinion.
> 
> I personally find the LCD-3's highs to be smooth, present and detailed. In addition, they are (so far) lacking in the occasionally excessive treble that one might experience with a T1 (and would definitely, IMO, experience with an HD800). I am quite impressed.


 

  
   That's what I hear ~ deliciously smooth and buttery up top ~ Purrin's technical measurements appear to show some early proofs in that sense compared
   with the Rev2's. Need to spend a bit more time beyond the 20 hours or so I've racked up with the HD800 ~ that's not out of the running yet, admittedly
   I've only fed that thing the very best recordings I can muster up when down at my local audio store. Time to crank some rockabilly and I'll no doubt be
   sorry for it!


----------



## Gwarmi

Here's one for the rumor mill ~ what have you guys heard about the mysterious Violectric 282 in the works?
   
   More or less a V200 with a single balanced out 4-pin XLR.
   
   A little birdy told me it's not far away but supposedly (read: actually) it's a bit on the hush for the time being...


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Here's one for the rumor mill ~ what have you guys heard about the mysterious Violectric 282 in the works?
> 
> More or less a V200 with a single balanced out 4-pin XLR.
> 
> A little birdy told me it's not far away but supposedly (read: actually) it's a bit on the hush for the time being...


 


  Fried Reim mentioned to me that they do have plans for a V281, V282, and possibly even V284. The V281 would be a V200 with balanced output. The V282 would be similar but with an even more beefy power supply section. The V284 would be absolutely extreme, a real statement amp. 
   
  He asked me not to give any further details (and really there isn't a whole lot else to say at this point). They have a lot of work to finish for their Lake People lineup, and then presumably they would focus on these. I have no idea when they might be ready to go.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Fried Reim mentioned to me that they do have plans for a V281, V282, and possibly even V284. The V281 would be a V200 with balanced output. The V282 would be similar but with an even more beefy power supply section. The V284 would be absolutely extreme, a real statement amp.
> 
> He asked me not to give any further details (and really there isn't a whole lot else to say at this point). They have a lot of work to finish for their Lake People lineup, and then presumably they would focus on these. I have no idea when they might be ready to go.


 

  
  From everything he's mentioned online it doesn't look like anytime soon.  Could even be late into next year.
   
  I wonder what the price of the V284 will be?


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Fried Reim mentioned to me that they do have plans for a V281, V282, and possibly even V284. The V281 would be a V200 with balanced output. The V282 would be similar but with an even more beefy power supply section. The V284 would be absolutely extreme, a real statement amp.
> 
> He asked me not to give any further details (and really there isn't a whole lot else to say at this point). They have a lot of work to finish for their Lake People lineup, and then presumably they would focus on these. I have no idea when they might be ready to go.


 


  Thanks project86
   
  Say no more 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Just wanted a transcontinental opinion ~ many thanks for elaborating.
   
  If the V282 and V284 do come into fruition sooner rather later and the price remains incremental with
  their current pricing. Well..looks like we have the following marketing slogan then aimed at other solid
  state big players :-
   
*'Violectric ~ Catch Me If You Can'*


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Hi Gwarmi! That's my impression so far. To be fair, there have been several posters in recent days who feel that the LCD-3 lacks treble energy compared to the LCD-2.2. It's early in the evaluation process, so we don't know if these differences in opinion are related to manufacturing variations, source and amp issues, or just differences of opinion.
> 
> *I personally find the LCD-3's highs to be smooth, present and detailed.* In addition, they are (so far) lacking in the occasionally excessive treble that one might experience with a T1 (and would definitely, IMO, experience with an HD800). I am quite impressed.


 

 One of the best improvements of the LCD-3s over both the LCD-2 R1 and R2....throw in HE6-like sound staging and I can't really find any "issues" with them.


----------



## metalgear

Quote: 





davederek said:


> metalgear, how goes the ps audio gcha do with the lcd2&3? and how is it in comparison to the v200?


 
   
  I was fine with the LCD2 and GCHA originally, but the LCD3 felt like it needed a bit more boost (although the LCD3 claims to be more effiicient) and the V200 delivered. It was louder, more controlled and dynamic across the range. It also had a darker, more silent backdrop than the GCHA, so i guess you could call it more exciting as it allowed the music to suddenly 'attack' with sudden force, and to 'decay' in a more 'strong-but-delicate' manner.
   
  I still hold the GCHA in high esteem, it will continue to be the workhorse on my other dynamic cans, namely the D7000 and HD800 and some IEMs; its a modern classic in the making.


----------



## dallan

Wow, you use the GCHA instead of the v200 for the HD800?  Many buy the v200 specifically for the HD800s.  I use it often it for them although I have a much higher end tube amp specifically geared to the 800s so given the choice and time for tube warm up and limits to just using the 800 i will use it.


----------



## setamp

I am considering the v200 to power my lcd2.1's.  Would you consider this amp's presentation to be forward or recessed?
 Also, does any one in the US offer a 30 day trial on the v200?

 Thanks.


----------



## dallan

For me it is more forward than the Zana Deux but that isn't saying much.  Check with Robert at Aphrodite.
   
aphroditecu29.com
  that's where i got mine and he is beyond great.  Wish i could do all my audio buying from him.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Wow, you use the GCHA instead of the v200 for the HD800?  Many buy the v200 specifically for the HD800s.  I use it often it for them although I have a much higher end tube amp specifically geared to the 800s so given the choice and time for tube warm up and limits to just using the 800 i will use it.


 


  I did not know that about the V200 and the HD 800.  I am interested in the HD 800 for its so called "exaggerated" soundstage.    I'm looking for another set of cans to compliment my LCD-2 R.2's  that present a different sound altogether for the detail and soundstage freak in me and I'm wondering if the HD 800's are the cans for that job, so I'm glad to hear the V200 can do the job with them.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I copied this from Headfonia.com V100 review:
   
  Apparently, the V100 not only is an impressive match with the LCD-2 but also with the Sennheiser HD800. I haven’t tested this myself but I did find the following posted in a forum by Mr. Reid, CEO of Violectric, himself:
   
_“Axel Grell is the developer of HD800. Sennheiser has got a so called “Hall of Fame” with some headphone amps inside. Since spring 2009 one of Mr. Grells favorites is HPA V100.
 He personally handed over one of three HD800 (a laboratory sample) during 2009 Hi-End exhibition in Munich to be used on Lake People booth.”_


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I did not know that about the V200 and the HD 800.  I am interested in the HD 800 for its so called "exaggerated" soundstage.    I'm looking for another set of cans to compliment my LCD-2 R.2's  that present a different sound altogether* for the detail and soundstage freak in me* and I'm wondering if the HD 800's are the cans for that job, so I'm glad to hear the V200 can do the job with them.


 


  That sounds like a perfect match for the HD800. And yes, the V200 sounds excellent with them, one of the best I've ever heard.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> That sounds like a perfect match for the HD800. And yes, the V200 sounds excellent with them, one of the best I've ever heard.


 

 Nice!  
   
  Maybe I'll forgot about a complimentary tube amp to go with the V200 and wrestle away an HD 800 from someone who is selling off their collection of various cans to satisfy the LCD-3 lust.    I love my LCD-2 r.2's but recently I've been using my daughters Audio Technica ATH AD700's to watch hi def TV files while the family is sleeping and I have found that there are times when the ATH AD700's through a larger more exciting soundstage than the LCD-2's.   So I'm realizing exaggerated or not I might like a can from time to time that can do that. 
   
  I'm just wondering now if the rumors to an HD 700 have any concrete basis and I should hold off...


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Nice!
> 
> Maybe I'll forgot about a complimentary tube amp to go with the V200 and wrestle away an HD 800 from someone who is selling off their collection of various cans to satisfy the LCD-3 lust.    I love my LCD-2 r.2's but recently I've been using my daughters Audio Technica ATH AD700's to watch hi def TV files while the family is sleeping and I have found that there are times when the ATH AD700's through a larger more exciting soundstage than the LCD-2's.   So I'm realizing exaggerated or not I might like a can from time to time that can do that.
> 
> I'm just wondering now if the rumors to an HD 700 have any concrete basis and I should hold off...


 

 HD 700? I hadn't heard about that. Seems like a logical thing to make though (which is usually what causes rumors in the first place).


----------



## Radio_head

I remember Anaxilus saying something about an HD700 release being imminent, and it sounded like it was at least semi-confirmed.


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





metalgear said:


> changing pre-gain levels v200 changes the sound curve for me.... maxing out volume (minimizing pre-gain) suits me best. at my preferred listening level.


 


  I have to say that I've noticed the same thing... minimizing the pre-gain (-12 switch) seems to give me the best sound with both my LCD-2's and the HD800's. Not sure whether it's my ears playing tricks on me though (likely is. Technically speaking it's not supposed to have any effect on sound curve IIRC). To me the other settings of pre-gain seems to give it a more mid-centric sound.


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





project86 said:


> That sounds like a perfect match for the HD800. And yes, the V200 sounds excellent with them, one of the best I've ever heard.


 


  X2, i use the v200 with the HD800 when Zana Deux is not in line.  The v200 provides the warmth and power needed to drive the HD800s.  On the other hand if you were to spend well over two thousand on a tube amp and good tubes, you could probably get more clarity and darker background out of the 800s,  just saying.......


----------



## K_19

Listening to the HD800/V200 combo right now. Smooth as butter yet crisp enough at top still. Not a hint of harshness. Sounds excellent


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> Listening to the HD800/V200 combo right now. Smooth as butter yet crisp enough at top still. Not a hint of harshness. Sounds excellent


 

 I just put some stuff up for sale on Craig's list...


----------



## metalgear

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Wow, you use the GCHA instead of the v200 for the HD800?  Many buy the v200 specifically for the HD800s.  I use it often it for them although I have a much higher end tube amp specifically geared to the 800s so given the choice and time for tube warm up and limits to just using the 800 i will use it.


 

 I guess this reflects me preference for the LCD3/3 over the HD800. The v200 does drive the HD800 very well as others above have pointed out. Its just that I've found that the LCDs really scales much better with the v200.
   
  Just to clarify, the LCD3 and V200 were new additions to my gear and arrived at the same time last week.


----------



## uryens

Can you tell me how much does the V200 weigh ?
   
  thanx !


----------



## metalgear

Quote: 





uryens said:


> Can you tell me how much does the V200 weigh ?
> 
> thanx !


 


  2.6 Kg net weight based on their shipping instructions (DHL/Deutsche Post)


----------



## uryens

Thanx a lot, metalgear !
  I'm considering to buy it and ask a friend to bring me down here. The weight and dimensions are an issue in this case and I couldn't find the weight....
  
  Quote: 





metalgear said:


> 2.6 Kg net weight based on their shipping instructions (DHL/Deutsche Post)


----------



## jas_kidd32

what's the consensus with the DAC add-ons? I'm thinking of getting this amp for my lcd2 and either the toslink or usb option.

Is it worth the extra $180?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





jas_kidd32 said:


> what's the consensus with the DAC add-ons? I'm thinking of getting this amp for my lcd2 and either the toslink or usb option.
> Is it worth the extra $180?


 


  This question comes up every so often. I don't think there are enough people who have tried it to give a consensus.
   
  Based on the specs and the fact that Violectric knows their stuff, I assume it is pretty good at $180 extra for the 24/96 versions. There isn't a high number of quality DACs at that sub-$200 price anyway. When you consider the space saved by having it built in, and the extra cable taken out of the chain, it seems like a good buy.


----------



## WNBC

12-hour impressions with RCA inputs (W4S DAC-2 > V200 > LCD2 rev2 or RE-262 IEM) .  It's smaller than I imagined.  Will try the XLR inputs tomorrow.  Still a lot to try with the gain switches, for now I haven't moved them up or down.  
   
  I've never been low volume listener but I am now.  Coming from tube amps, I'm digging this black background stuff.  The V200 is making me appreciate the intricacies and slow passages of music.  It is a slightly warm amp but not overly done, a shade or two cooler than say my hybrid tube Lyr amp. 
   
  I'm also appreciating the Lyr more as well.  I've never had anything higher-end to compare the Lyr to until now.  The Lyr definitely punches above its weight class as probably does the V200.  I definitely agree with people who say that if your only headphone is an ortho like the LCD-2 then one can buy a Lyr, throw in some decent tubes, and be happy for a long time.  The Lyr is dynamic and engaging while the V200 is less aggressive and engaging.  I can definitely see a place for the two in my rig.      
   
  Thanks to all of the reviews on this forum (especially WA) and Robert from Aphrodite for excellent service.  I probably won't be upgrading this SS amp for a long time.  That's the same feeling I got with the LCD-2 and DAC-2.  I'm kind of feeling the same way about the Lyr but will be interested to see what the Schiit statement amp can do.  The V200 now has made it all about the music, I can forget about the equipment as I know it's there doing its job at my complete satisfaction.
   
  I could be jumping the gun because it's early in the process so I'll just post some pics and elaborate more later after spending some time with the V200....


----------



## Ultrainferno

Nice, I like the V100 too with the LCD2. Any comments on the Norse cable for the LCD2? Big change?


----------



## WNBC

I did write up a short review so I won't say too much to keep the thread on track, http://www.head-fi.org/products/norse-audio-4-wire-norn-series-up-occ-lcd-2-headphone-cable/reviews/5715
  But, yes, I prefer it over the stock cable in regards to comfort/aesthetics and an improvement in clarity and transparency.  The stock cable was not terrible though.     
  
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Nice, I like the V100 too with the LCD2. Any comments on the Norse cable for the LCD2? Big change?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> The V200 now has made it *all about the music*, I can forget about the equipment as I know it's there doing its job at my complete satisfaction.


 
   
  Nice. That's pretty much the best you can hope for in my opinion.


----------



## gasmd

how is the V200 with the hd800 in terms of bass dynamics?  i briefly tried the hd800 with the lyr and felt it wasn't sufficient amp for the phones.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gasmd said:


> how is the V200 with the hd800 in terms of bass dynamics?  i *briefly tried the hd800 with the lyr* and felt it wasn't sufficient amp for the phones.


 

 What tubes?


----------



## gasmd

i had the ge 6zb7s at the time but now i have goldlions.


----------



## Zombie_X

Not to down Gold Lion tubes but I have to say that their recent offerings aren't that good. They have too much midrange in my opinion. I have gotten my dad some NOS Gold Lion KT88's a while back and they sound far better than the new production versions. I suspect it will be the same for you. I just find them to sound like poo.
   
  Maybe try some NOS RCA versions or even Mullard, that is if they ever made those.
  
  Quote: 





gasmd said:


> i had the ge 6zb7s at the time but now i have goldlions.


----------



## WNBC

Yeah, I have some as well and they rank below most of my tubes.  gasmd, you might find that the 6BZ7 even outperform the Gold Lions.  The Lions are ok, just a little smooth/less detailed and not as gritty and textured as my other tubes.  
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Not to down Gold Lion tubes but I have to say that their recent offerings aren't that good. They have too much midrange in my opinion. I have gotten my dad some NOS Gold Lion KT88's a while back and they sound far better than the new production versions. I suspect it will be the same for you. I just find them to sound like poo.
> 
> Maybe try some NOS RCA versions or even Mullard, that is if they ever made those.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Yeah, I have some as well and they rank below most of my tubes.  gasmd, you might find that the 6BZ7 even outperform the Gold Lions.  The Lions are ok, just a little smooth/less detailed and not as gritty and textured as my other tubes.


 

 This is the kind of talk that keeps me from buying a tube amp.


----------



## rawrster

I'm not sure if I will ever buy an expensive tube amp. I think something around the $300 price range would be my max right now. I'm pretty happy with the V200 and my PPAv2 as a backup amp.


----------



## WNBC

Yeah right, you are on the brink of putting in a Taboo order and you won't have to roll at all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> This is the kind of talk that keeps me from buying a tube amp.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Yeah right, you are on the brink of putting in a Taboo order and you won't have to roll at all


 


  I'm backing off for a while now. That "Grit" in the tube sound comment brought me back to sanity for a while...


----------



## Rasmutte

I got mine today, but I can't use it yet, since I don't own a DAC.
  I need a cheap dac quick, with RCA inputs! (i do not want a NuForce uDAC2)
   
  Do you guys know some good and cheap dac that I can use when I'm saving up for a better DAC?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> I got mine today, but I can't use it yet, since I don't own a DAC.
> I need a cheap dac quick, with RCA inputs! (i do not want a NuForce uDAC2)
> 
> Do you guys know some good and cheap dac that I can use when I'm saving up for a better DAC?


 


  Why do you need RCA inputs in a dac?? Don't you mean outputs?
  HRT Music Streamer II maybe?


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Why do you need RCA inputs in a dac?? Don't you mean outputs?
> HRT Music Streamer II maybe?


 


  Yeah, sorry. Ofc I meant outputs! I'm tired today.
   
  Hmmm, maybe that one... Do you have som other ideas too?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> I got mine today, but I can't use it yet, since I don't own a DAC.
> I need a cheap dac quick, with RCA inputs! (i do not want a NuForce uDAC2)
> 
> Do you guys know some good and cheap dac that I can use when I'm saving up for a better DAC?


 


  HRT Music Streamer II is a common choice around here.
   
  Audinst HUD-mx1 is a very solid performer at $180.
   
  Hot Audio DAC Wow USB version goes for around $150. It doesn't look like much but the sound is surprisingly good.
   
  I'm not sure what your budget might be for this temporary solution but any of the above should do a fine job for now. Moving to a high end unit will of course be an improvement but these sub-$200 units will give you plenty of musical enjoyment in the meantime. All of these can run straight from USB power so no issues with getting the proper voltage.


----------



## rawrster

I can second the HUD-MX1. It sounds surprisingly good considering what all the versatility that it gets. I loved it while I owned it.


----------



## uryens

Thanx to Robert at Aphrodite Cu29 and mainly to the valuable posts found here in this thread [special mentions to Project86, WarriorAnt and Ollias of Sunhillow] I'm listening now to this small wonder, Violectric V200, pairing my LCD-2, r2 ! First impressions just out the box: smaller than I think, well built and very impressive ! Sound is amazing.... very happy ! Let's enjoy Music !


----------



## BoogieWoogie

IMO the V200 its not a good amp for the LCD2s, not bad sound but average, its a soft amp designed specially for the brighter HD800 and the pairing with the LCD2 comes to smooth,slighty  slow and warmer. The lcd benefits for something more transparent, my 2 cents.


----------



## WNBC

Really, I was looking for a SS amp to complement my tube amp and I read many posts in favor of the LCD-2 pairing + V200.  Now after a couple weeks of owning the combo I have to say I'm a big fan of Violectric.  I can't comment on HD800 but I am happy with my purchase of the V200.  The Lyr is a little more aggressive than the V200 but I like the dynamic yet more laid back presentation of the V200.  Different amps for different moods I suppose.  I would like to hear other SS amps but until then I have no complaints.  
   
  Is your V200 fully burned in?  
  
  Quote: 





boogiewoogie said:


> IMO the V200 its not a good amp for the LCD2s, not bad sound but average, its a soft amp designed specially for the brighter HD800 and the pairing with the LCD2 comes to smooth,slighty  slow and warmer. The lcd benefits for something more transparent, my 2 cents.


----------



## BoogieWoogie

Yes it was.


----------



## WNBC

So you feel that the V200 is too warm as a SS amp for a warm headphone like the LCD-2 whereas the Lyr is also warm but it's tube warmth with associated power/dynamics.  I guess I'm not feeling the V200 isn't transparent enough but I also have read good things about the LCD-2 and B22 amps.  I should note that I'm using the LCD-2 rev2.  It's all good, we have our preferences.
  
  Quote: 





boogiewoogie said:


> Yes it was.


----------



## project86

I felt that the V200 made the LCD-2 sound the best I've ever heard. Different strokes I suppose.


----------



## Rasmutte

DAC recommandations for the V200?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> DAC recommandations for the V200?


 


   
  V800 is an obvious contender. I love the combination. Other strong performers include Anedio, Wyred 4 Sound, Yulong D18... But I always end up going back to the V800 for my V200.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





boogiewoogie said:


> Yes it was.


 


  Which LCD's are you referring to?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





rasmutte said:


> DAC recommandations for the V200?


 


  I'm using the W4S DAC-2.  The W4S is also an amazing pre amp (digital volume control) for use into a discreet power amps for speaker use.  Just started using it with speaker rig last week and now I can't put headphones back on onto my cranium.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Personally, I never found the V200 to be too smooth or too warm with the LCD-2.2. I do find it a bit too relaxed with the LCD-3.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I "only" have the V100, but too warm and smooth? Not to my ears.
  I guess it all depends what you want to hear


----------



## BoogieWoogie

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Which LCD's are you referring to?


 


  rev2


----------



## Loevhagen

I have had the V200 and the LCD-2 (rev. 1 and 2) since March and I must say that regardless (so far) what head-fi combo I listen to; I always revert back to the LCD-2 + V200 combo. DACs have been various (Hegel HD10, Rega DAC, Abrahamsen V6.0 and Yulong D100).
   
  Maybe the DAC used by BoggieWoogie is "to dark"? Or, simply that it isn't (i.e. BW's opinion is totally OK). We all prefer different things. 
   
  I have no problem understanding that the V200 + LCD-2 isn't sounding SPECTACULAR the first hour of listening, but over time - it is such an effortless presentation of the music. I don't like when things are SPECTACULAR. It get's tiredsome quite quick and my ears starts to get num.


----------



## project86

Good post. I agree on all counts. But there's nothing _wrong_ with BoogieWoogie's opinion - we are all entitled to them. Most of us tend to generally agree much of the time, but I also think everyone has at least 1 headphone or headphone/amp combo that they don't like.... even if it is a well regarded headphone or combo.
   
  Mine is the Audio Technica W5000. It is a beautiful headphone, well regarded by many. But I just couldn't enjoy it. I tried a bunch of sources and amps, both tube and solid state, but just didn't like what I heard.


----------



## Loevhagen

Agree. And, quite important; some of us tend to change preferences over time. When I started with head-fi (and speakers long ago), I was fascinated to hear every "ping-plong-pop" and the equipment was tuned brighter and brighter - SPECTACULAR. After I while I got bored. The same with head-fi. Started with e.g. K701 -> HD800 -> LCD-2/HE-500. I praised every one at that time, because I truly loved them. But went the same route in head-fi as within speakers: Less "pling-plong-pop" and more m-u-s-i-c.  
   
  The V200 is indeed a keeper. It ain't that pretty on the outside, though.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





boogiewoogie said:


> rev2


 


  Can you detail for us what is in your current system just so we can get a contrast comparison.  It would be interesting and helpful information to know what amps or DAC's you find pair better with the LCD's.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Personally, I never found the V200 to be too smooth or too warm with the LCD-2.2. I do find it a bit too relaxed with the LCD-3.


 

 Funny, I loved the Lyr/LCD-2 combination (and a bit more than my WA22), but with the LCD-3s I prefer my WA22 by a reasonable margin (specific tube set). I guess the amping synergies with the LCD-2 vs. LCD-3 aren't 100% transferable?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Funny, I loved the Lyr/LCD-2 combination (and a bit more than my WA22), but with the LCD-3s I prefer my WA22 by a reasonable margin (specific tube set). I guess the amping synergies with the LCD-2 vs. LCD-3 aren't 100% transferable?


 

 The LCD-3 is harder to drive than the LDC-2 and I don't mean just an increase in volume control.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> The LCD-3 is harder to drive than the LDC-2 and I don't mean just an increase in volume control.


 

 I wouldn't necessarily say harder...but they are different beasts that's for sure.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Funny, I loved the Lyr/LCD-2 combination (and a bit more than my WA22), but with the LCD-3s I prefer my WA22 by a reasonable margin (specific tube set). I guess the amping synergies with the LCD-2 vs. LCD-3 aren't 100% transferable?


 

 I'd agree that amping synergies are similar, but not identical. The LCD-3s are smoother from top to bottom and generally more relaxed, IMO -- characteristics that are emphasized with the V200 but somewhat balanced out by, say, a Lyr w/6BZ7s.  The LCD-2.2s, on the other hand, I found to be more in-your-face and somewhat peaky (with emphasis in the upper bass and treble). The V200 mellowed out those peaks, while the Lyr (again, depending on tubes) could make them downright brash.
   
  These differences are all relative, of course... I haven't found a single amp that could make an Audez'e can sound like something other than an Audez'e can.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Olias of Sunhillow, I think I know what you will be dreaming of tonight!  If you sleep at all...


----------



## Zombie_X

Not to derail but one day I'll own a LCD2. I heard the LCD3 and thought that it wasn't all that different from the two. I mean it's improved but not a extra $1,000 improved, if you know what I mean. Not bashing it as it sound amazing but I like the signature of the LCD 2 better.
   
  As for the V200 I got to hear another one (borrowed) and it sounds as good as I remember. I think the unit I got had a defect in it as I did not notice the clipping on the other unit I listened to.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Not to derail but one day I'll own a LCD2. I heard the LCD3 and thought that it wasn't all that different from the two. I mean it's improved but not a extra $1,000 improved, if you know what I mean. Not bashing it as it sound amazing but I like the signature of the LCD 2 better.
> 
> As for the V200 I got to hear another one (borrowed) and it sounds as good as I remember. I think the unit I got had a defect in it as I did not notice the clipping on the other unit I listened to.


 

 Then again, the T1s aren't $1000 improvements on the DT880s either. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Rarely is anything in this price range. But yes, both the T1s and LCD-3s are appreciably better than the DT880s and LCD-2s respectively.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Olias of Sunhillow, I think I know what you will be dreaming of tonight!  If you sleep at all...


 

 Funny you should mention it... I got an email from the receptionist at work today saying that there was a package for me. I sprinted down the stairs to the front desk, elated that the FedEx gods had delivered my Liquid Fire a day early.
   
  But it wasn't meant to be. The package was an Apple wireless router. I'd forgotten about ordering it.
   
  One more day.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Funny you should mention it... I got an email from the receptionist at work today saying that there was a package for me. I sprinted down the stairs to the front desk, elated that the FedEx gods had delivered my Liquid Fire a day early.
> 
> But it wasn't meant to be. The package was an Apple wireless router. I'd forgotten about ordering it.
> 
> One more day.


 

 Oh no you probably haven't heard then!  FedEx employees just walked off the job and went on strike.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Oh no you probably haven't heard then!  FedEx employees just walked off the job and went on strike.


 

 Where is the AK-47 emoticon when you need it?


----------



## WNBC

Touche FEDEX employees, striking the week of X-mas, well played, you shall have your demands
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Oh no you probably haven't heard then!  FedEx employees just walked off the job and went on strike.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Olias of Sunhillow, I think I know what you will be dreaming of tonight!  If you sleep at all...


 

 It's here!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> It's here!


 
  Stop staring at it and turn it on!


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> It's here!


 


  Photos, impressions...we demand them.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Photos, impressions...we demand them.


 





   
  Discussion moved to the LF thread. Impressions now, photos tomorrow.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Discussion moved to the LF thread. Impressions now, photos tomorrow.


 
   
  Thanks!


----------



## antberg

pardon my ignorance,so it needs a dac with xlr outputs to be able to listen to the violetrics with balanced headphones?thanks


----------



## rawrster

You can't use a balanced headphone that has a 4 pin xlr or 2 x 3 pin xlr with the V200. You can connect your balanced amp that has 3 pin xlr to the V200 but your headphone will need a 1/4" headphone jack to connect to the V200.
   
  I actually connect my D100 dac to the V200 amp using xlr cables but I only have single ended headphones.


----------



## Loevhagen

The V181 is the one to get if you *need* balanced headphone output.


----------



## antberg

yes,i see the balanced output in front of the V181..


----------



## Loevhagen

Pardon my ignorance, but some claim that you need to have a DAC with balanced output to be able to listen to the Violetrics with balanced headphones. I do not believe that. Others may beg to differ...


----------



## WarriorAnt

V200 has RCA and Balanced inputs.  It has 1/4" output to headphones only.


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> After some time, I can report than even though the V200 drives the HE-6 to acceptable SQ, *the soundstage expands with a speaker amp. Just my opinion now after used the HE-6 on both the V200 and Abrahamsen V2.0. *
> 
> The tonal balance the V200 gives the HE-6 is appealing in my ears. If the soundstage were as large as the speaker amp, I wouldn't have othered with the speaker amp and sticked solely to the V200. Oh, well.
> 
> Will receive a cable to try the LCD-2 on the speaker amp next week. This to verify / trash the intitial impression with another headphone.


 


  Is this the result of the V200 not having enough juice to give the HE-6 a big soundstage?


----------



## Loevhagen

I honestly don't know. It could be, but my experience is that frequency tuning have a significant impact on the sounstage (aka - brighter is perceived wider).


----------



## cactus_farmer

Those who say the V200 is adequately powering their HE-6 - can I ask what source (DAC) you're using?
   
  Apparently, even the Lyr has trouble driving the HE-6 if the source is not very high output, so I'd imagine the V200 would struggle even more to provide enough volume for the HE-6 when used with a weak source...


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Those who say the V200 is adequately powering their HE-6 - can I ask what source (DAC) you're using?
> 
> Apparently, even the Lyr has trouble driving the HE-6 if the source is not very high output, so I'd imagine the V200 would struggle even more to provide enough volume for the HE-6 when used with a weak source...


 

 With the V200, I use the balanced out from my W4S DAC2 (5.2V output, according to W4S). I do feel that this combination adequately powers the HE-6.
   
  I also felt that the W4S/Lyr combination adequately pushed the HE-6, though I found the sound somewhat more peaky and ragged than the smooth presentation of the V200/HE-6.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I have not tried the HE-6.   I am using a W4S DAC-2 and I run the Balanced out of the DAC-2 into the Balanced ins of the V200.      The unbalanced output level of the DAC-2 is 2.6V while the Balanced outputs are 5.2V.   When I run the balanced inputs into the V200 I  use the gain switches -6db.   I run the amp at -6db to get a better more finite range control over the volume pot.   I could increase the gain all the way up to 12db but then I'd barley have to move the volume pot.  No one I know of runs their V200 with the gain switches full on so there is more power to the V200 than you might have experienced. It is a powerful amp but like I said I have not tried it with an HE-6.    Have you had a chance to try a V200 in your rig?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> With the V200, I use the balanced out from my W4S DAC2 (5.2V output, according to W4S). I do feel that this combination adequately powers the HE-6.
> 
> I also felt that the W4S/Lyr combination adequately pushed the HE-6, though I found the sound somewhat more peaky and ragged than the smooth presentation of the V200/HE-6.


 
   
  Were do you keep your gain settings at on the V200?


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Were do you keep your gain settings at on the V200?


 

 I keep the gain settings at zero. This helps me run a variety of headphones with the V200 (including LA2000 Lites) without constantly changing the settings. Were I to run just the HE-6, I would probably keep it at +6db for a little more volume, but even at zero I never max out the volume control with the HE-6.


----------



## cactus_farmer

So it really is plenty powerful for the HE-6 if no-one is even using it at it's highest gain setting.
   
  Do you need to open up the unit to adjust the gain, or are the dip switches externally located?
   
  Also, can anyone recommend some high output DAC's (5V and above) that are not as expensive as the W4s DAC2? Do you guys know of any?


----------



## WarriorAnt

The gain switches are located on the back.  
   
  I'm curious as to where you got the idea that the V200 might lack the power to drive an HE-6?     The "I'd imagine the V200 would struggle even more to provide enough volume for the HE-6 when used with a weak source" has peaked my curiosity?  I'm not trying to challenge you I'm just curious as to where you might have gotten that impression.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> So it really is plenty powerful for the HE-6 if no-one is even using it at it's highest gain setting.
> 
> Do you need to open up the unit to adjust the gain, or are the dip switches externally located?
> 
> Also, can anyone recommend some high output DAC's (5V and above) that are not as expensive as the W4s DAC2? Do you guys know of any?


 

 Well, there are still those folks out there who insist that the HE-6 only shows it's full potential with a big speaker amplifier. That seems unreasonable to me but I haven't heard the HE-6 so I can't say.
   
  There are DIP switches on the rear. You can see pics of them on the first post of this thread. Much easier than having to open the case.
   
  Any DAC with a balanced output should give at least 4V output or higher. There are plenty of lower priced options, though obviously they won't necessarily play on the same level as the W4S, Violectric V800, or similar $1k+ balanced DACs. A lot of people use the Matrix Mini-i ($300) in a balanced system, and it is supposed to be pretty nice sounding. I haven't heard it myself. There is also the Yulong D100 at under $500 and the D18 at $700, both of which are balanced and sound excellent.


----------



## Loevhagen

I have tried several speaker amps with the HE-6 via the HE-adapter. The sound the give to the HE-6 is very good. However, it does not sound as smooth as the V200. The V200 puzzles me. It gives the HE-6 a life-like tune of sound. I have used both the Hegel HD10 DAC and the Rega DAC. The gain switches on the V200 are positioned neutral (aka zero gain). The HE-6 on the V200 is a serious good combo to my ears.
   
  I'l try one or two last speaker amps for the HE-6 (Rega Brio-R and a Hegel of some sort). That is where the speaker amp to HE-6 fairytail ends for me. Meanwhile, the V200 drives (conveys a sound signature) I find involving into the music. I do not listen to hard rock, metall, etc. and I do not listen to ear deafening levels. I could, if I wanted to by switching the gain switches +6dB or +12dB. No need at the moment.
   
  Disclaimer: There could be a difference in speaker amp vs. HE-6 using the HE-adapter or not (aka hook the HE-6 directly to the speaker taps).


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I have tried several speaker amps with the HE-6 via the HE-adapter. The sound the give to the HE-6 is very good. However, it does not sound as smooth as the V200. The V200 puzzles me. It gives the HE-6 a life-like tune of sound. I have used both the Hegel HD10 DAC and the Rega DAC. The gain switches on the V200 are positioned neutral (aka zero gain). The HE-6 on the V200 is a serious good combo to my ears.
> 
> I'l try one or two last speaker amps for the HE-6 (Rega Brio-R and a Hegel of some sort). That is where the speaker amp to HE-6 fairytail ends for me. Meanwhile, the V200 drives (conveys a sound signature) I find involving into the music. I do not listen to hard rock, metall, etc. and I do not listen to ear deafening levels. I could, if I wanted to by switching the gain switches +6dB or +12dB. No need at the moment.


 


  What DAC are you using in your setup?

 Seeing as the V200 is not a balanced amp, can it accept a balanced signal from a balanced DAC anyway?


----------



## Loevhagen

The V200 have XLR-*IN* and RCA-in/out. DAC used are:
   
  Hegel HD10 (XLR-out and RCA-out))
  Rega DAC (RCA-out)


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> What DAC are you using in your setup?
> 
> Seeing as the V200 is not a balanced amp, can it accept a balanced signal from a balanced DAC anyway?


 

 Yes it can accept a signal from a balanced dac. It has unbalanced RCA as well as balanced XLR inputs. The headphone out however is only a single ended 1/4".


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> The V200 have XLR-*IN* and RCA-in/out. DAC used are:
> 
> Hegel HD10 (XLR-out and RCA-out))
> Rega DAC (RCA-out)


 


  Not sure what the outputs of those 2 DACs are.
   
  I THINK the Rega is 2.175V. The HD10 might possibly be 2.5V for both RCA and balanced output, seeing as the HD11 has those stats - but in both cases I'm not even sure I'm reading the values correctly.
   
  Anyway, would you say that either of those 2 sources has a 'hot' output?
   
  And, since the Rega DAC probably has a lower output, can you get decent volume and sound with the HE-6 through the V200 using the Rega DAC as a source?
   
  I bet volume and sound improves when using the HD10 instead of the Rega DAC?


----------



## Loevhagen

The V200's gain dip switches will come to the rescue if you feel a "standarized DAC" can't (for what ever mysterious reason) can't deliver the output YOU feel is needed. 
   
  Ad Rega vs. Hegel: That is complicated to answer. No one is "best", each have it's own highlights.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

Quote:


olias of sunhillow said:


> I keep the gain settings at zero. This helps me run a variety of headphones with the V200 (including LA2000 Lites) without constantly changing the settings. Were I to run just the HE-6, I would probably keep it at +6db for a little more volume, but even at zero I never max out the volume control with the HE-6.


 


  I have not used the HE-6 either, but with my V200's gain settings at the factory (0) settings, my LCD-2 (r2) and HD800 put out all the volume I ever need between 10 and 11 o'clock, depending on the recording. 
   
  And running my D7000s around 9 o'clock is usually plenty.  I've heard the HE-6s are tough to drive, but I can't imagine that this amp, with its various gain options, couldn't do the job.


----------



## rawrster

I keep my gain at 0 as well. It works just fine with sensitive customs if I wanted (although I rarely use customs with my home setup) and full sized such as the HD800, HE500, etc easily to my usual listening volume with plenty of headroom.


----------



## ZenErik

Trying to decide between the V200 and SPL Auditor for my T1. Anyone have any experience with both amps?


----------



## slwiser

Quote: 





zenerik said:


> Trying to decide between the V200 and SPL Auditor for my T1. Anyone have any experience with both amps?


 


 There is one thread somewhere that does a comparison of several amps and the SPL and G100 were part.  The general conclusion was that the G100 was superior to the SPL.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/449063/test-of-pro-headphone-amplifiers-lake-people-wins
   
  I am not sure I would agree but ones sound preference has a lot to do with which would be better for you.


----------



## cactus_farmer

If you set the V200 to the highest gain setting to pair it with the HE-6 - would you cause any damage to either the HE-6 or the V200? I dunno, if by using the highest gain the amp is strained or something?
   
  If you plug other reasonably-hard-to-drive headphones such as HD650, K702, and HD800...etc... with the highest gain, would that affect the sound quality negatively?
   
  I was thinking of getting the V200, and just leaving it on high gain for everything.
   
  Has anyone actually heard what the V200 sounds like on high gain?


----------



## Ultrainferno

I have never used more as +6db gain with the LCD-2. If the amp is made to deliver max gain, then it won't hurt the amp for sure. You don't even need (any) extra gain for the 300ohm Senns so why put it at max gain and keep it there? If you give to much gain the sound will ofcourse "change", and it would make your other headphones sound less good when overgained, imho.
   
  Have you checked the power output of the Violectrics? It's quite high but I have to admit I never used the HE6, only everything else on my list


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zenerik said:


> Trying to decide between the V200 and SPL Auditor for my T1. Anyone have any experience with both amps?


 


  Not a direct comparison since I had them at different times, but in my experience: 
   
  Auditor is great for higher impedance phones. I loved it with my 600 ohm DT880 and DT990s, and it was quite good with HD800 and HD650 too. But it just didn't sound like a high end amp when using low impedance models. So it is not a good match for Grado, Audio Technica, Denon, Ultrasone, etc. That's just my opinion but I know several people who felt the same way.
   
  If all you are ever planning on using is the T1, then Auditor is a fine choice, though not any better than the V200. Equal perhaps. But if you may need to use it with other models in the future, V200 is much more versatile in my opinion.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> If you set the V200 to the highest gain setting to pair it with the HE-6 - would you cause any damage to either the HE-6 or the V200? I dunno, if by using the highest gain the amp is strained or something?
> 
> If you plug other reasonably-hard-to-drive headphones such as HD650, K702, and HD800...etc... with the highest gain, would that affect the sound quality negatively?
> 
> ...


 
   
  The people at Violectric are very serious about the gear they build.  The V200 has a first class build as solid as any amp you are going to come across.  The folks at Violectric would not implement a pre gain function of +12 if the circuitry within the amp couldn't handle the amplification.  From everything I have read low distortion was a major design goal for the V200 and if a gain of +12 would effect the V200 negatively Violectric would not have implemented it. That is the type of design company Violectric is.  It is a serious piece of gear. I would be surprised if you ever had to use the V200 on +12 Pre Gain.  Most people never go past 0 db Pre Gain.  I use mine at -6db.  
   
  I think what is impeding your search for a good headphone amp is that you have too many preconceived notions about what an amp cannot do and what you are going to do to compensate for what you think an amp cannot do.  Thinking about buying any amp and then leaving it on the highest gain without even knowing how the amp powers any headphones is not a good approach.  It is as if you feel whatever amp you are considering is already incapable of delivering the power requirements necessary to do the job.


----------



## WNBC

I tried +6 dB in the past but now keep it at 0 dB and increase the gain on my DAC to full power with some tracks that are recorded or mixed at lower levels.  I don't recall a hit to sound quality at +6dB but it's there if necessary.  I imagine if I were using something like my iPhone as a source then +6 dB could be necessary.  
   
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I have never used more as +6db gain with the LCD-2. If the amp is made to deliver max gain, then it won't hurt the amp for sure. You don't even need (any) extra gain for the 300ohm Senns so why put it at max gain and keep it there? If you give to much gain the sound will ofcourse "change", and it would make your other headphones sound less good when overgained, imho.
> 
> Have you checked the power output of the Violectrics? It's quite high but I have to admit I never used the HE6, only everything else on my list


 
   
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> The people at Violectric are very serious about the gear they build.  The V200 has a first class build as solid as any amp you are going to come across.  The folks at Violectric would not implement a pre gain function of +12 if the circuitry within the amp couldn't handle the amplification.  From everything I have read low distortion was a major design goal for the V200 and if a gain of +12 would effect the V200 negatively Violectric would not have implemented it. That is the type of design company Violectric is.  It is a serious piece of gear. I would be surprised if you ever had to use the V200 on +12 Pre Gain.  Most people never go past 0 db Pre Gain.  I use mine at -6db.
> 
> I think what is impeding your search for a good headphone amp is that you have too many preconceived notions about what an amp cannot do and what you are going to do to compensate for what you think an amp cannot do.  Thinking about buying any amp and then leaving it on the highest gain without even knowing how the amp powers any headphones is not a good approach.  It is as if you feel whatever amp you are considering is already incapable of delivering the power requirements necessary to do the job.


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> The people at Violectric are very serious about the gear they build.  The V200 has a first class build as solid as any amp you are going to come across.  The folks at Violectric would not implement a pre gain function of +12 if the circuitry within the amp couldn't handle the amplification.  From everything I have read low distortion was a major design goal for the V200 and if a gain of +12 would effect the V200 negatively Violectric would not have implemented it. That is the type of design company Violectric is.  It is a serious piece of gear. I would be surprised if you ever had to use the V200 on +12 Pre Gain.  Most people never go past 0 db Pre Gain.  I use mine at -6db.
> 
> *I think what is impeding your search for a good headphone amp is that you have too many preconceived notions about what an amp cannot do and what you are going to do to compensate for what you think an amp cannot do.  Thinking about buying any amp and then leaving it on the highest gain without even knowing how the amp powers any headphones is not a good approach.  It is as if you feel whatever amp you are considering is already incapable of delivering the power requirements necessary to do the job.*


 

  
  Haha, yeh, when everything I've heard about the HE-6 is that it's pretty impossible to be driven by anything other than a monster SPEAKER amplifier, I do find it hard to believe it when I hear a headphone amp can power the HE-6 sufficiently.
   
  I've heard that the Schiit Lyr which is nearly twice as powerful as the V200 (4W per channel into 50ohms vs 2.7W per channel into 50ohms) - needs to be maxed out on the volume knob when playing the HE-6 above average listening volumes when connected to a DAC with a weak output.
   
  Therefore, I logically concluded that those who like the HE-6 with the V200 must be listening through a DAC with a huge output level - otherwise you would not get any volume.


----------



## WNBC

If somebody wants to send me their HE-6 I'll definitely try out all of the permutations 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 with my Lyr, V200, and DAC-2
  
  Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Haha, yeh, when everything I've heard about the HE-6 is that it's pretty impossible to be driven by anything other than a monster SPEAKER amplifier, I do find it hard to believe it when I hear a headphone amp can power the HE-6 sufficiently.
> 
> I've heard that the Schiit Lyr which is nearly twice as powerful as the V200 (4W per channel into 50ohms vs 2.7W per channel into 50ohms) - needs to be maxed out on the volume knob when playing the HE-6 above average listening volumes when connected to a DAC with a weak output.
> 
> Therefore, I logically concluded that those who like the HE-6 with the V200 must be listening through a DAC with a huge output level - otherwise you would not get any volume.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> If somebody wants to send me their HE-6 I'll definitely try out all of the permutations
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  I believe Olias of Sunhillow has an HE-6 and a V200, perhaps he will chime in at some point as to the compatibility of the HE-6 and the V200.


----------



## antberg

i will be more than happy to sacrifice and saving up more then 5 months of work to buy the v800 and their future amp with balanced outputs!!sometimes would be better still an unconscious head-fier..


----------



## WarriorAnt

.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





antberg said:


> i will be more than happy to sacrifice and saving up more then 5 months of work to buy the v800 and their future amp with balanced outputs!!sometimes would be better still an unconscious head-fier..


 


  Makes sense.... if you are going to do it, why not go all the way with really nice gear that still doesn't cost multiple thousands of dollars for each component. Violectric V800 is not cheap, but is one of the highest bang for the buck DACs I've ever encountered. Same with V181 and V200 amps. 
   
  The future amp with balanced output will probably take a while before release. I believe they are focusing on updating or redesigning a whole bunch of their Lake People offerings this year, so they will be very busy.


----------



## WNBC

So do you like those Signal Cable Analog One/Two ICs between the V200 and V800?  Did you get the copper bullets as well?  I'm using their Silver Resolution ICs and gotta same I'm really enjoying them.   
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> Makes sense.... if you are going to do it, why not go all the way with really nice gear that still doesn't cost multiple thousands of dollars for each component. Violectric V800 is not cheap, but is one of the highest bang for the buck DACs I've ever encountered. Same with V181 and V200 amps.


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

warriorant said:


> I believe Olias of Sunhillow has an HE-6 and a V200, perhaps he will chime in at some point as to the compatibility of the HE-6 and the V200.




Hi everyone! Vacationing in Santa Fe at the moment, but I can chime in a bit on this. In my rig, the V200 drives the HE6 very well. In fact, I prefer the V200 to the statistically more powerful Lyr with the HE6. I have only really tried the V200/HE6 combo with my balanced W4S DAC2 and can't speculate on how it might sound with a DAC that had lower output. You might need to increase the gain settings on the V200 with another DAC, but it should still be fine.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> So do you like those Signal Cable Analog One/Two ICs between the V200 and V800?  Did you get the copper bullets as well?  I'm using their Silver Resolution ICs and gotta same I'm really enjoying them.


 


  I'm not much of a cable guy myself (shocking I know) so I can't say the Signal stuff sounds this way or that way. But I like them. Well made, great looking, nice company to deal with, low prices.... you really can't go wrong. I just have the standard non-bullets. My whole system is done with Signal.


----------



## Kernmac

OK Violectric HPA 200 owners (and or experienced SS amp owners), see if you can help me out.
   
  I have had a Meier Cantate2 now for about 2 years, absolutely flawless performance, drives both low and high impedance headphones very well; clean signal, very black background and enough power to drive my T1 even in low gain setting.
   
  My dilemma is that part of me wants to upgrade my amp, (2 years with the same bit of kit is a long time-for me) but reality is that there isn't much (anything) wrong with my current Meier amp.  When I mentioned to my wife that I was thinking about getting a better amp, she explained to me that I already had one.  Fair point, not helped by the fact that I love my current setup (didn't tell her that though).
   
  The V200 will set me back $1000 and if I sell the Cantate2 I  will maybe get $300 after postage costs.  So the question becomes, will I get a noticeable improvement over the Cantate2 from the Violectric V200?  I am not expecting night and day (doesn't exist in these terms) but will I be able to notice a 'HD 555 to HD 650' or 'AD700 to K701' type difference in the sound quality?


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





olias of sunhillow said:


> Hi everyone! Vacationing in Santa Fe at the moment, but I can chime in a bit on this. In my rig, the V200 drives the HE6 very well. In fact, I prefer the V200 to the statistically more powerful Lyr with the HE6. I have only really tried the V200/HE6 combo with my balanced W4S DAC2 and can't speculate on how it might sound with a DAC that had lower output. You might need to increase the gain settings on the V200 with another DAC, but it should still be fine.


 


  
  If you have an iPod, do you mind using the iPod as a DAC connected to the V200 connected to the HE-6?
   
  See if you can drive the HE-6 loud through the V200 with the weak output of the iPod's DAC with the gain settings on the V200 as you usually have it and what o' clock the volume knob has to be at to get a loud noise with the HE-6.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

Quote:


kernmac said:


> OK Violectric HPA 200 owners (and or experienced SS amp owners), see if you can help me out.
> 
> I have had a Meier Cantate2 now for about 2 years, absolutely flawless performance, drives both low and high impedance headphones very well; clean signal, very black background and enough power to drive my T1 even in low gain setting.
> 
> ...


 

 I have not heard the Cantate 2, but I did own a Meier Concerto for awhile; when I upgraded to the V200, the difference was pretty big; the Concerto was a very neutral amp, whereas the V200 is a bit on the lush, warmer sounding side, which I prefer.  And, especially with my LCD-2s, the difference in power output was very noticeable.  Both amps produce a very high quality detailed sound, with extremely quiet backgrounds, but for me the extra power and warmth of the V200 made the upgrade worthwhile for me.


----------



## Loevhagen

Honestly; I genuine believe that you make *your* amp choice a bit too *complicated* for yourself. It is not merely down to SPL - it is about synergy and making the music sing. Hence, gain is not the single source factor in that equation. IMHO.
  
  Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Haha, yeh, when everything I've heard about the HE-6 is that it's pretty impossible to be driven by anything other than a monster SPEAKER amplifier, I do find it hard to believe it when I hear a headphone amp can power the HE-6 sufficiently.


----------



## Kernmac

Quote: 





red jacket mike said:


> Quote:
> 
> I have not heard the Cantate 2, but I did own a Meier Concerto for awhile; when I upgraded to the V200, the difference was pretty big; the Concerto was a very neutral amp, whereas the V200 is a bit on the lush, warmer sounding side, which I prefer.  And, especially with my LCD-2s, the difference in power output was very noticeable.  Both amps produce a very high quality detailed sound, with extremely quiet backgrounds, but for me the extra power and warmth of the V200 made the upgrade worthwhile for me.


 


 Thanks Red Jacket Mike,
   
  The Cantate is lower on the quality scale than the Concerto, but one assumes similar in signature.  If you notice a discernible difference between Concerto and V200, then I should notice a fair change from Cantate to V200, and then my purchase would be justified.  If the V200 is warmer, then I will have 2 amps of different flavors, and variety is the spice of life.  Now just the small barrier of my wife...........


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Honestly; I genuine believe that you make *your* amp choice a bit too *complicated* for yourself. It is not merely down to SPL - it is about synergy and making the music sing. Hence, gain is not the single source factor in that equation. IMHO.


 

  
  Gain AND power, surely.
   
  If an amp had limitless gain and power, it should be able to handle any (non-electrostatic) headphone, even the HE-6, no?
   
  Actually, would an electrostatic headphone amp be powerful enough for the HE-6?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Gain AND power, surely.
> 
> If an amp had limitless gain and power, it should be able to handle any (non-electrostatic) headphone, even the HE-6, no?
> 
> Actually, would an electrostatic headphone amp be powerful enough for the HE-6?


 

 Are you planning on getting the HE-6?   If so you should just go for Fangs new amp the EF6 which is made to power the HE-6.  
   
  http://www.head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=116#


----------



## cactus_farmer

I want to be able to power the HE-6 SINGLE ended.
   
  Apparently not even the Darkstar can do that, do I don't know about the EF-6...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> I want to be able to power the HE-6 SINGLE ended.
> 
> Apparently not even the Darkstar can do that, do I don't know about the EF-6...


 


  Well it looks like if ever there was an amp designed to power the HE-6 it is this amp.  From the photo it looks like it can go single ended


----------



## TheWuss

cactus_farmer said:


> I want to be able to power the HE-6 SINGLE ended.
> 
> Apparently not even the Darkstar can do that, do I don't know about the EF-6...


 where did you hear such nonsense. The dark star should be able to drive the he6 single ended plus two other headphones at the same time.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> where did you hear such nonsense. The dark star should be able to drive the he6 single ended plus two other headphones at the same time.


 


  And jump start your vehicle when the battery is dead.


----------



## rawrster

The EF6 was made for the HE6 no? Also if 5W at 50 ohms isn't enough for you then there really isn't any headphone amp that will be


----------



## khaos974

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Gain AND power, surely.
> 
> If an amp had limitless gain and power, it should be able to handle any (non-electrostatic) headphone, even the HE-6, no?
> 
> ...


----------



## raysclim1568

Hello all 
   
  After going thru' 48 pages of great discussion and review on Violectric V200. I have just order one for myself directly from Violelectric , it is mainly for office and home use. 
  For on the go . I have ALO continental V2 to pair with my portable gear. 
   
  Back to V200 , I need help to advise the gain setting for the headphones gear that I owned. I believe all of them are well below 60 Ohm . 
   
  1. Ultrasone Edition 8
  2. Grado RS1i
  3. Beyerdynamic DT1350
  4. AKG Q701 ( have the least ear time , use for movie exclusively with my PC)
  5. Hifiman HE500 (incoming , hopefully fist week of Jan2012) 
   
  what will be the optimize gain setting for the above Cans probably exclude AKG Q701?
  from what I read, 0db gain seems to alright but isn't -6db have lesser noise to have greater detail?
  please help 
   
  I uses mainly iPod use my source for listening music . the DAC that I owned is a portable one ( Fostex HP-P1 and Cyberlabs Alog Solo) .will it sound as nice if i uses a mini to stereo RCA cable to connect my DAC to V200 ? ...this option if for iPod music . 
  to use with PC , I guess i needed a Violectric USB 24/96 optional card install to connect to my Macbook Air. is this to only way ?
   
  Appreciate your enlightenment ! 
   
  Best Regards,
 Raymond Lim


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Hello all
> 
> After going thru' 48 pages of great discussion and review on Violectric V200. I have just order one for myself directly from Violelectric , it is mainly for office and home use.
> For on the go . I have ALO continental V2 to pair with my portable gear.
> ...


 
  I use my V200 at -6db.  I do this because it gives me a better range with the volume control.  By this I mean that I can open the control with the LCD-2 to about 1 or 2 o'clock depending on the material.  This range allows me to make finer control movements.  As far as noise is concerned I have not detected any in the V200 at any setting.  When you get the V200 you'll quickly see.


----------



## raysclim1568

Hi ,
   
  Thanks for your quick response. 
  just one stupid question . when setting the gain. both DIP switch (left and right) behind the V200 need to be set the same ?


----------



## cactus_farmer

Hey, if anyone reading this thread has;
   
  1). A Violectric V200
  2). A Hifiman HE-6
  3). An iPod with ANY iPod dock (such as the standard apple iPod dock)
   
  Could they please use the iPod as a DAC, feed it into the non-balanced input of the V200 using the V200 on the neutral gain setting (ie. '0'), use the V200 to drive the HE-6 and see how far clockwise the volume knob needs to be turned to drive the HE-6 loudly (above average listening volume)? Is there clipping? Does the sound seem to lack bass?
   
  I would be grateful if they also experimented with this same setup using the V200 on the highest gain setting, and again seeing how far clockwise the volume knob needs to be turned to drive the HE-6 loudly, again noting if there is any clipping or if the bass is lacking...
   
  Thanks very much in advance for anyone who manages to do this for me!!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Hi ,
> 
> Thanks for your quick response.
> just one stupid question . when setting the gain. both DIP switch (left and right) behind the V200 need to be set the same ?


 


  Yes they have to and you should never apply more as one gain setting at the same time according to Violectric (he said it wouldn't hurt the amp but it was not advised)


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Hi ,
> 
> Thanks for your quick response.
> just one stupid question . when setting the gain. both DIP switch (left and right) behind the V200 need to be set the same ?


 


 yes.  one is for right channel, other is for left channel.


----------



## FSonicSmith

I have pretty much decided that my next head amp will be either the Violectric V200 or the upcoming Bryston BHA-1. My phones are LCD-2s with Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3 cabling. No offense to any contributors to this thread, but it seems to me after doing a fairly thorough search on this Board that while there are a lot of posts about the virtues of the V200, they are all from less than a handful of authors/contributors. So my question is; just how many members of this Board have actually tried the V200 and decided to keep it as their main or among their main headphone amps?


----------



## WNBC

I'm a late-comber to the V200 party (Dec 2011).  For now I am going with the notion of having one tube amp and one SS amp.  The V200 will stay in my rig for a long time to come.  Probably the Lyr as well.  For consolidation purposes, if a kick-arse statement Schiit hybrid tube amp comes along I may end up parting with the Lyr and V200 but until then it's a nice combo for me.  I've never listened to the Bryston BHA-1 but for me the V200 has that hint of warmth that appeals to me. 
  
  Quote: 





fsonicsmith said:


> I have pretty much decided that my next head amp will be either the Violectric V200 or the upcoming Bryston BHA-1. My phones are LCD-2s with Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3 cabling. No offense to any contributors to this thread, but it seems to me after doing a fairly thorough search on this Board that while there are a lot of posts about the virtues of the V200, they are all from less than a handful of authors/contributors. So my question is; just how many members of this Board have actually tried the V200 and decided to keep it as their main or among their main headphone amps?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> I'm a late-comber to the V200 party (Dec 2011).  For now I am going with the notion of having one tube amp and one SS amp.  The V200 will stay in my rig for a long time to come.  Probably the Lyr as well.  For consolidation purposes, if a kick-arse statement Schiit hybrid tube amp comes along I may end up parting with the Lyr and V200 but until then it's a nice combo for me.  I've never listened to the Bryston BHA-1 but for me the V200 has that hint of warmth that appeals to me.


 

 I'm in a similar boat. I have the V200 as the SS and I'm going to pick up my CTH Rev A next week to act as my tube amp. However I do have my PPAv2 as my backup amp in case anything ever happens or just as part of my budget rig. I once had my one and only dac die on me and that isn't going to happen again so good to have a competent backup just in case


----------



## project86

I just don't think there is enough info out there about the Bryston unit to say much else about it. It is Bryston, so I'm sure it will sound pretty good and be well built. Beyond that I don't know, except for the general $2,000+ price speculation. It could be the best thing ever, or could be pretty good but somewhat overpriced, or anywhere in between. 
   
  The V200 isn't super popular. But it has a decent amount of users, and most of us have lots of experience with other expensive amps. In my opinion, a small group of satisfied experienced users means more than a large group of satisfied inexperienced listeners. 
   
  Honestly though, most competing amps in the ~$1,000 price range should sound pretty darn good. It's not like we are saying "everything but Violectric is crap!" I liked the Burson HA-160, the Musical Fidelity M1HPA, the SPL Auditor, the Grace M902.... all are great sounding in their own way. I just like the V200 even more.


----------



## InnerSpace

Quote: 





fsonicsmith said:


> So my question is; just how many members of this Board have actually tried the V200 and decided to keep it as their main or among their main headphone amps?


 

 I have the V200 (actually, two* of them) among many, many fine amps, and I keep it as a kind of bench player.  It's fourth in line after three great tube amps (the cheapest of which is four times the V200's price.)  It gives me about 95% of the best in a reliable, relatively inexpensive package.  I think it's terrific and it's an easy recommendation.  In fact it's a real-world no brainer.
   
  *My daughter borrowed my first one and won't give it back.  So I bought another - that's how much I think of it.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





project86 said:


> The V200 isn't super popular. But it has a decent amount of users, and most of us have lots of experience with other expensive amps. In my opinion, a small group of satisfied experienced users means more than a large group of satisfied inexperienced listeners.


 
   
  I do wonder why the V200 isn't more popular than it is. It does have a good amount of owners and a good amount of head-fi regulars have good things to say about the amp but it isn't as popular as some of the amps that cost in the same price range. It can drive just about every headphone to its potential out there except possibly the HE6.
   
  Oh well. I'm still very happy with mine and it saved me from going with the buy and sell game with amps for a while


----------



## Duckman

I'm a V200 owner and think it's terrific. I use it exclusively for the LCD2R2.
   
  Having said that, I have found it just okay for some cans, particularly Grados and an Audio-Technica ATH AD2000 (which sounded woeful through it).
   
  HD800 was VERY good through it.
   
  Horses for courses.


----------



## dallan

I have owned the v200 for about a year and a half.  Originally got it for the LCD-2 but then i decided i didn't like the LCD-2 sound signature.  Didn't get the phones but had the amp.  Good news was that it worked so well for my lower impedance hp's that i kept it.  It also works well as a back up to my tube amp for when i am switching around(it's better for low impedance than the OLT tube amp) or don't want to heat up the tubes on a short listen.  It is a solid step down from my tube amp with high impedance phones, but at less than half the cost, it's a steal.  It works very well with them but the Zana Deux is a hard one to get close to in that high impedance realm.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I* do wonder why the V200 isn't more popular than it is*. It does have a good amount of owners and a good amount of head-fi regulars have good things to say about the amp but *it isn't as popular as some of the amps that cost in the same price range*. It can drive just about every headphone to its potential out there except possibly the HE6.


 


  I suspect marketing, or lack of it, is a factor. I hate to single out specific brands.... but think of the hype there would be if Schiit announced a $1k amp being released tomorrow. Woo Audio kind of has a similar vibe going - when you start getting coverage at Engadget and places like that, there is clearly some heavy marketing going on. Doesn't mean they don't make good stuff.... but it's a different feel compared to Violectric.
   
  It also doesn't help that the Violectric gear is smaller, less imposing, less flashy, than most other gear in the same price range.


----------



## qawsedrf

Have already set my mind straight to be getting the V200, thanks to project86 and WarriorAnt (still hope you'll get better over time...) Still funding, but hopefully it won't be long before I get it!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I suspect marketing, or lack of it, is a factor. I hate to single out specific brands.... but think of the hype there would be if Schiit announced a $1k amp being released tomorrow. Woo Audio kind of has a similar vibe going - when you start getting coverage at Engadget and places like that, there is clearly some heavy marketing going on. Doesn't mean they don't make good stuff.... but it's a different feel compared to Violectric.
> 
> It also doesn't help that the Violectric gear is smaller, less imposing, less flashy, than most other gear in the same price range.


 

 I think the lack of marketing may be a large contributing factor.  Violectric has a professional confidence in their products and rightly so and they seem to rely on that and not the hype of marketing.  I don't know why they do not market more but like I said theirs seems to be the path of quiet confidence.  Their product do speak for themselves but in the consumer game often the squeakiest wheel gets the grease.   The build, design, and engineering of the V200 is absolutely first rate.  The sonics are very pleasing and it is so effortless in its deliverance and gets out of the way so easily that one might sometimes forget what is being accomplished in terms of sonic employment.
   


qawsedrf said:


> Have already set my mind straight to be getting the V200, thanks to project86 and WarriorAnt (still hope you'll get better over time...) Still funding, but hopefully it won't be long before I get it!


 
  Save your coins.  In the end you'll get one excellent amp for the money and you'll have saved yourself all the lost money that eventually goes down the upgrade path to something you always wanted but gave in to soon to something else before you go to your destination.  Thanks for your kind wishes.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I suspect marketing, or lack of it, is a factor. I hate to single out specific brands.... but think of the hype there would be if Schiit announced a $1k amp being released tomorrow. Woo Audio kind of has a similar vibe going - when you start getting coverage at Engadget and places like that, there is clearly some heavy marketing going on. Doesn't mean they don't make good stuff.... but it's a different feel compared to Violectric.
> 
> It also doesn't help that the Violectric gear is smaller, less imposing, less flashy, than most other gear in the same price range.


 

 That's a good point. If Schiit had an 1k amp released there would be a lot of buzz like when they revealed the Lyr. That isn't to say that their amps are bad and in fact I did like the Lyr when I auditioned it. However they do have a good amount of buzz when something is released which is not something I can say about Violectric. Actually it took well over a year to have any real recognition for the V200 amp at least here on head-fi.
   
  As long as Violectric continues to have quality products for a reasonable price I have no complaints. I just need to save up and get the V800 one of these days. I suspect that would be a good stack


----------



## WarriorAnt

Schiit also had a designer and pioneer in the audio world in Mike Moffit, already legendary and well known among audiophiles.  I think that helped.


----------



## Loevhagen

Happy V200 owner her up North as well.  I ordered a Lake People G100 just to calm my curiosity; Violectric vs. Lake People house sound...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Happy V200 owner her up North as well.  I ordered a Lake People G100 just to calm my curiosity; Violectric vs. Lake People house sound...


 


  What's this?


----------



## InnerSpace

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> ... Violectric vs. Lake People house sound ...


 

 There really isn't a difference - except in the case of the V200, which is deliberately different than the other products on both sides of the house.  I think all their stuff is good, but if you like the V200 you won't necessarily like their other stuff, and vice versa.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Happy V200 owner her up North as well.  I ordered a Lake People G100 just to calm my curiosity; Violectric vs. Lake People house sound...


 


  Congratulations, waiting to hear your impression...


----------



## Loevhagen

Thanks, Acix.
   
  WA: The G100 is Lake People's professional headamp. As you know, the Violectric is a "hifi" brand under Lake People. As I understand it.
   
  Just curious about the G100. Aka "Professional gear" vs. "Hifi gear". If the myth that the former sounds so "clean and neutral"...
   
  I interpret project86's review on the V181 vs. V200 that the differences were marginal. 
  
  Quote: 





innerspace said:


> There really isn't a difference - except in the case of the V200, which is deliberately different than the other products on both sides of the house.  I think all their stuff is good, but if you like the V200 you won't necessarily like their other stuff, and vice versa.


----------



## Kernmac

Just pulled the trigger on a V200 -  purchased from Addicted to Audio Australia.
   
  This was a tough decision as I don't have the opportunity to listen before purchase, and so must buy blind based on what I read (mostly on Head Fi).  There are a lot of great amps at around this price point (Corda Classic, Auditor, A1, M1, Headphone Pro, Talisman T-33H to name a few) and the V100 is $300 cheaper than V200 which  also made the decision hard.
   
  I currently have a Meier Corda Cantate2 which is a great amp, powering both my T1 and Edition 8.  I hope the V200 is as good as this thread has me believe and is a step up on the Cantate.  I will post my impressions of the Violectric probably in comparison to the Meier once I have listened for a bit.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





kernmac said:


> Just pulled the trigger on a V200 -  purchased from Addicted to Audio Australia.
> 
> This was a tough decision as I don't have the opportunity to listen before purchase, and so must buy blind based on what I read (mostly on Head Fi).  There are a lot of great amps at around this price point (Corda Classic, Auditor, A1, M1, Headphone Pro, Talisman T-33H to name a few) and the V100 is $300 cheaper than V200 which  also made the decision hard.
> 
> I currently have a Meier Corda Cantate2 which is a great amp, powering both my T1 and Edition 8.  I hope the V200 is as good as this thread has me believe and is a step up on the Cantate.  I will post my impressions of the Violectric probably in comparison to the Meier once I have listened for a bit.


 
  I purchased my V200 blind also. Though I did read every thread on ever amp in its price range for months on end then I read them all again and took notes.  It was a long tortuous process I have to admit.  I did the same thing with the DACs and the headphone threads and I came out with the V200, the LCD-2, and the W4S DAC-2, my first headphone rig ever.  I feel it all came out pretty well together. I've been very happy with the V200 as an amp.  
   
  Spend a good amount of time with it before you form an opinion.  It is one of those amps that gets better and better to your ear the longer you listen.


----------



## rawrster

I have yet to hear any unit before buying them except for my CTH Rev A amp. The key is to find some one here who you are familiar with and if they have the unit (in this case the V200) they will be able to help you with your decision. In this case I'm familiar with project86 having read his reviews and also having owned some similar gear so that helped.
   
  I bought the V200 based on impressions here and it was a good decision.


----------



## Loevhagen

I bought the V200 on pure speculation. Had listened to LehmannAudio BCL - and owned Burson HA-160D, Yulong D100, NuForce HDP. I sold everything after I heard the V200 - and kept the V200.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Thanks, Acix.
> 
> WA: The G100 is Lake People's professional headamp. As you know, the Violectric is a "hifi" brand under Lake People. As I understand it.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I'm curios to hear your impression, in some point in time I had the same thought as you have...but I decide to go for the Phonitor.


----------



## Kernmac

V200 shipped today, arrives tomorrow.  Looking forward to a weekend of listening.


----------



## rawrster

So I think I'm in a good place with amps now. I have my SS and tube amp now in my V200 and CTH Rev A which I picked up not too long ago and my PPAv2 as my backup SS amp. I also have a pair of headphones coming in Saturday so it should be a good weekend for me  My wallet..not so much


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> So I think I'm in a good place with amps now. I have my SS and tube amp now in my V200 and CTH Rev A which I picked up not too long ago and my PPAv2 as my backup SS amp. I also have a pair of headphones coming in Saturday so it should be a good weekend for me  My wallet..not so much


 

 What headphones?


----------



## rawrster

It's a Magnum v4 in mahogany wooden cups. I think soon I may have to downside some of my headphones since I am running out of desk space.


----------



## Naim.F.C

How is the optional USB DAC sound quality wise? This has piqued my interest now. Interested to see how it might compare SQ wise to a Bifrost/Asgard or NuForce HDP with my T1's. Can't afford the Bifrost plus V200. So many products on the market now it's a real chore to try and figure it all out. Lots of research and time required.


----------



## Kernmac

V200 in the house, thanks to Addicted to Audio Australia.
   
  Straight out of the box- Great amp.  Crisp, detailed, clean- black background.  The Violectric has been described as a "warm" amp, to me it is fairly neutral, maybe leaning toward warm/musical rather than cold/analytical, but neutral to my ears.  Certainly the highs are extended with crisp/clean delivery, sound is full bodied and quite speaker like with my T1s.  Early days yet, but so far very impressive.  Small footprint, and surprisingly thin physically; the sound isn't thin all small though, thankfully.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Just a touch of warmth but always clear and clean never bloated.


----------



## Sleepaphobic

Just pulled the trigger and bought the V200. I would have preferred the V100 as it's a little cheaper and I've already spent about £4K in the last 30 days or so but whatever, I don't expect to upgrade anything anytime soon. Not saying I could upgrade even if I wanted to as I'm more broke than America right now.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> How is the optional USB DAC sound quality wise? This has piqued my interest now. Interested to see how it might compare SQ wise to a Bifrost/Asgard or NuForce HDP with my T1's. Can't afford the Bifrost plus V200. So many products on the market now it's a real chore to try and figure it all out. Lots of research and time required.


 


 I don't think too many people have gotten the usb dac option. I think most of the V200 owners have some kind of dac that they are using instead of getting an all in one unit. I think there was one or two who had the v200 with the usb dac earlier in this thread but i cant remember who.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





kernmac said:


> V200 in the house, thanks to Addicted to Audio Australia.
> 
> Straight out of the box- Great amp.  Crisp, detailed, clean- black background.  The Violectric has been described as a "warm" amp, to me it is fairly neutral, maybe leaning toward warm/musical rather than cold/analytical, but neutral to my ears.  Certainly the highs are extended with crisp/clean delivery, sound is full bodied and quite speaker like with my T1s.  Early days yet, but so far very impressive.  Small footprint, and surprisingly thin physically; the sound isn't thin all small though, thankfully.


 
   
  Congratulation Kernmac, a comparison with the Meier will be nice.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I just purchased the V200 also!  Can't wait for it!


----------



## qawsedrf

*envious of you all capable of making the purchase now*


----------



## Naim.F.C

That's a shame. Would have loved to hear some impressions on USB! My wallet isn't deep enough for this AND a separate DAC lol.
    
  Quote:


rawrster said:


> I don't think too many people have gotten the usb dac option. I think most of the V200 owners have some kind of dac that they are using instead of getting an all in one unit. I think there was one or two who had the v200 with the usb dac earlier in this thread but i cant remember who.


----------



## raysclim1568

Hi 
   
  I have order mine  with the USB 24/96 ( the better one) option . 
  wondering how soon can Lake people shipped upon received my payment . 
  very anxious . 
   
  I will be still using DAC ( my trusting CLS Alog. Solo and Fostex HP-P1) to feed into V200. 
  for the optional USB DAC card install , basically using my Macbook as input . so I should be all covered 
   
  Cheers. 
 Raymond Lim


----------



## Aizura

My V200 just keeps getting better and better, I just keep hearing new details in my music. I wish I would've bought this amp waaaay earlier. It sounds so smooth and natural, and even on very low volumes everything sounds amazing with full detail. I truly believe a good amp can help save your hearing. I'm expecting to be able to enjoy this beast for years to come, as it seems to be built like a tank, very very solid. And I like that it's very compact.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I just got notification that mine is being sent and I should get it today or saturday at best.  But Germany to Hawaii I think will be longer than that...lol I'm getting impatient for my new toy!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





aizura said:


> My V200 just keeps getting better and better, I just keep hearing new details in my music. I wish I would've bought this amp waaaay earlier. It sounds so smooth and natural, and even on very low volumes everything sounds amazing with full detail. I truly believe a good amp can help save your hearing. I'm expecting to be able to enjoy this beast for years to come, as it seems to be built like a tank, very very solid. And I like that it's very compact.


----------



## raysclim1568

Hi all . Will it be possible to use a mini neout from dac (you all knows which dac i am pre ferring ) .to rca input of V200?. since there is balance XLR input as well . will it better to use the balance input instead .any improvement versus RCA ? 

just curious 

thanks 
Raymond Lim


----------



## trunk

Quote: 





aizura said:


> My V200 just keeps getting better and better, I just keep hearing new details in my music. I wish I would've bought this amp waaaay earlier. It sounds so smooth and natural, and even on very low volumes everything sounds amazing with full detail. I truly believe a good amp can help save your hearing. I'm expecting to be able to enjoy this beast for years to come, as it seems to be built like a tank, very very solid. And I like that it's very compact.


 


  I see that you have the HD800 headphones, can you comment on the synergy between the V200 and the HD800? Do they "tame" the brightness/harshness? Do they "fill" the lower end/bass region?
   
  Thanks..


----------



## vrln

The V200 is the best amp I´ve heard for the HD800. Had both together for a few weeks once. It really brings out the bass and tames the brightness. It´s exactly what the HD 800 needs. The downside is that the V200 has a special color it adds to everything (smooth and warm, but punchy). If you like that coloration (I did), it´s a superb choice. The Sennheiser HD 800 designer ranks the Violectric amps as one of his favourites by the way. If you are in the EU, just order via Thomann and you have a 30 day zero risk audition period with full money back guarantee.


----------



## Loevhagen

My HD800s sounded best out of the V200.  I sold the HD800, but kept the V200 - but that is a different story.


----------



## vrln

Now that the euro is tanking I think Violectric and other EU made gear has become a lot more interesting. It´s getting very expensive to import stuff privately with the 23% local VAT here. The V200 sounding awesome on planars makes sense, it has a very high power output at 50 ohms. Most solid state amps on the market don´t have anywhere near the power.
   
  Edit: removed off topic parts


----------



## Loevhagen

Based on the latest postings in this thread, I perceive the Violectric finally gets the attention it sure deserves. Too much "NAD, B&W, Rotel" talk elsewhere.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





vrln said:


> 23% local VAT here.


 

  OUCH!


----------



## lugnut

Can anyone comment on how V200 sounds with Grados or with the Magnum Drivers ? 
  Thanks


----------



## Naim.F.C

Please people post some USB built in DAC impressions! Much love to anyone who does!


----------



## Duckman

I've had an RS1 here, and have owned the V3 and V3.5 Magnum, and think they sounded ordinary from the V200. Sounded significantly better from the built in headphone out of my old Metric Halo ULN2.
   
  Lacked a bit of life and sparkle. I'm not sure why.
   
  If I only had Grados, I'd look for another amp. I know others' experiences vary.
  
  Quote: 





lugnut said:


> Can anyone comment on how V200 sounds with Grados or with the Magnum Drivers ?
> Thanks


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





duckman said:


> I've had an RS1 here, and have owned the V3 and V3.5 Magnum, and think they sounded ordinary from the V200. Sounded significantly better from the built in headphone out of my old Metric Halo ULN2.
> 
> Lacked a bit of life and sparkle. I'm not sure why.
> 
> If I only had Grados, I'd look for another amp. I know others' experiences vary.


 

  I hope that's not the case when I pick up my v4 Magnum tomorrow at the post office. However I do have 2 other capable amps that can fit the bill if the V200 isn't good enough but they are not quite at the level of the V200.


----------



## raysclim1568

Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Hi all . Will it be possible to use a mini neout from dac (you all knows which dac i am pre ferring ) .to rca input of V200?. since there is balance XLR input as well . will it better to use the balance input instead .any improvement versus RCA ?
> just curious
> thanks
> Raymond Lim


 


  Hi , Any one can tell me which connection will yield better sound from my portable DACs? 
   
  1. CLS Alogr Solo / Fostex HP-P1 > Mini to RCA >  HPA -V200
  2. CLS Alor Solo / Fostex HP-P1> Mini to XLR > HPA-V200 
   
  I need feedback to decide which cable to buy for connection 
   
  Many Thanks 
  Raymond Lim


----------



## rmilewsk

I've been using a V200 with the LCD2 rev.2's for a couple of months now. This combination is still the best and most neutral i've heard. I've compared this combination to the LCD2/woo audio WA22 combination. The WA22 is significantly more expensive than the V200 but doesn't sound as good with the LCD2's.


----------



## vrln

I haven´t heard any truly high end tube amps (no real distribution here in the EU), but all the comments I´ve read here seem to agree that while the V200 isn´t as good as the significantly more expensive high end tube amps, it´s fantastic value for money in its price range. For most audiophiles, it´ll easily be "good enough". I´d say the general agreement among many posters is that the V200 occupies an optimal sweet spot in the high end headphone amp range. And solid state is so much more convenient for most people. No switching tubes, warmup time or trouble with pets (cats especially). I´ve heard most of the commonly EU-available solid state amps and the V200 is my favorite among those.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Hi , Any one can tell me which connection will yield better sound from my portable DACs?
> 
> 1. CLS Alogr Solo / Fostex HP-P1 > Mini to RCA >  HPA -V200
> 2. CLS Alor Solo / Fostex HP-P1> Mini to XLR > HPA-V200
> ...


 

 They should sound pretty much the same, so whichever one is easier to find is what I'd buy.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





rmilewsk said:


> I've been using a V200 with the LCD2 rev.2's for a couple of months now. This combination is still the best and most neutral i've heard. I've compared this combination to the LCD2/woo audio WA22 combination. The WA22 is significantly more expensive than the V200 but doesn't sound as good with the LCD2's.


 

 With non-ideal/synergistic  tubes I can agree with this, but keep rolling them tubes...you might be surprised. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I'd like to see a SS amp do that.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> With non-ideal/synergistic  tubes I can agree with this, but keep rolling them tubes...you might be surprised.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  When you'll get the V-100, or the V-200 you can try rolling some opamp's.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





acix said:


> When you'll get the V-100, or the V-200 you can try rolling some opamp's.


 


  Will have to talk to Fried again on the topic of op amp rolling and the role op amps play in the V200.  It was my understanding that the op amps had more to do with gain control and less to do with anything directly influencing the signal path (other than gain control) and would not have much effect if any on the sound characteristics of the V200 but perhaps I am way off base here though.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Will have to talk to Fried again on the topic of op amp rolling and the role op amps play in the V200.  It was my understanding that the op amps had more to do with gain control and less to do with anything directly influencing the signal path (other than gain control) and would not have much effect if any on the sound characteristics of the V200 but perhaps I am way off base here though.


 


  That's exactly how he explained it to me. I tried some "higher end" opamps at one point, didn't notice a difference. I forget which ones they were though. I suspect I was lucky just to get similar performance - there's a very real possibility of degraded sound when swapping opamps.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Will have to talk to Fried again on the topic of op amp rolling and the role op amps play in the V200. * It was my understanding that the op amps had more to do with gain control and less to do with anything directly influencing the signal path (other than gain control) and would not have much effect if any on the sound characteristics of the V200* but perhaps I am way off base here though.


 


   
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> That's exactly how he explained it to me. I tried some "higher end" opamps at one point, didn't notice a difference. I forget which ones they were though. I suspect I was lucky just to get similar performance - there's a very real possibility of degraded sound when swapping opamps.


 

 Thanks guys for the confirmation.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





lugnut said:


> Can anyone comment on how V200 sounds with Grados or with the Magnum Drivers ?
> Thanks


 


   I'm happy with the presentation and performance of mine with the V200 ~ presentation will step back a few rows which I find more
   usable across the board for all material. It's still very forward but not quite as face hugging as my previous amplifier.
   
   Sub 2ohm output impedance is a winner too with the V200. I find the real magic is matching the right DAC and interconnects
   to the V200 to compliment your Grado flavor.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> Please people post some USB built in DAC impressions! Much love to anyone who does!


 


   I've spent a bit of time with the optional 24/96 USB module. It's competent for the money ($188) but it really lacks detail, transparency
   and transient speed across the board, quickly switching back and forth between the module and the real mcCoy V800 resulted in a very
   significant change.
   
   Who should consider a module? Anyone stepping out by buying a V100/V181/V200 and finding themselves without a source and
   little money left over (eg, sub $250) - it will tide most people over but it's nothing special, for the price though, it's a boon for laptop
   users without much $$$


----------



## pekingduck

Not only Grados. I once auditioned the V200 (V800 as DAC and a high-end Marantz CD Player as source) and it's the best rig I've heard for my JH13's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  


  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> I'm happy with the presentation and performance of mine with the V200 ~ presentation will step back a few rows which I find more
> usable across the board for all material. It's still very forward but not quite as face hugging as my previous amplifier.
> 
> Sub 2ohm output impedance is a winner too with the V200. I find the real magic is matching the right DAC and interconnects
> to the V200 to compliment your Grado flavor.


----------



## Naim.F.C

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> I've spent a bit of time with the optional 24/96 USB module. It's competent for the money ($188) but it really lacks detail, transparency
> and transient speed across the board, quickly switching back and forth between the module and the real mcCoy V800 resulted in a very
> significant change.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks for letting me know. I've opted to simply buy a stand-alone DAC now anyway, so it's not a big problem. Appreciate your time and effort responding. Would love to audition/review one of these.


----------



## rmilewsk

*       "With non-ideal/synergistic tubes I can agree with this, but keep rolling them tubes...you might be surprised."*
   
  I did change out the tubes. I changed them out for the woo audio upgraded set and the 5a tube for a sophia princess. I also heard a dramatic imporovement when I moved to from the low to the high impedence port. While all of these things made the WA22 sound better none of them made the combination sound as good as the V200. I don't want to spend months on trying different tubes hoping to eventually get better sound when I can spend that time listening to what is already a better combination. I've had experience with tube equipement before and while different tubes can change the sound of a component they never change the underlying character. The underlying character of the LCD2 / WA22 doesn't work for me.


----------



## Naim.F.C

Having not tried the WA22, taking a stab in the dark, I'm assuming it is a warmer or more full bodied sounding amp, purely down to the tube nature of it, irrespective of the use of specific tubes (then again, that might depend on the ubes in question). I can see why some might prefer SS amps over tube amps with the LCD2's purely because the LCD2's are by nature, fairly bass emphasised and already warmer/darker cans (imo) compared to cans such as the T1 and HD800 which are a little bit more energetic up top and more spacious. The latter being far more suited to tube amps such as the WA2, WA22 etc.
   
  Quote: 





rmilewsk said:


> *       "With non-ideal/synergistic tubes I can agree with this, but keep rolling them tubes...you might be surprised."*
> 
> I did change out the tubes. I changed them out for the woo audio upgraded set and the 5a tube for a sophia princess. I also heard a dramatic imporovement when I moved to from the low to the high impedence port. While all of these things made the WA22 sound better none of them made the combination sound as good as the V200. I don't want to spend months on trying different tubes hoping to eventually get better sound when I can spend that time listening to what is already a better combination. I've had experience with tube equipement before and while different tubes can change the sound of a component they never change the underlying character. The underlying character of the LCD2 / WA22 doesn't work for me.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Will have to talk to Fried again on the topic of op amp rolling and the role op amps play in the V200.  It was my understanding that the op amps had more to do with gain control and less to do with anything directly influencing the signal path (other than gain control) and would not have much effect if any on the sound characteristics of the V200 but perhaps I am way off base here though.


 


  There's five opamps inside the V-100, my guess is the V-200 have the same five opamps. and all the five working on the same gain control?


----------



## rawrster

So I've spent some time this week with the V200 and v4 Magnum combo paired with my Yulong D100 dac and it sounds quite nice. I like the combo quite a bit and so far so good. I like how my V200 can be used with all of my different phones whether it is a sensitive custom or a harder to drive ortho.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> So I've spent some time this week with the V200 and v4 Magnum combo paired with my Yulong D100 dac and it sounds quite nice. I like the combo quite a bit and so far so good.* I like how my V200 can be used with all of my different phones whether it is a sensitive custom or a harder to drive ortho.*


 


   Sums up the value of the V200 right there.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> Having not tried the WA22, taking a stab in the dark, I'm assuming it is a warmer or more full bodied sounding amp, purely down to the tube nature of it, irrespective of the use of specific tubes (then again, that might depend on the ubes in question). I can see why some might prefer SS amps over tube amps with the LCD2's purely because the LCD2's are by nature, fairly bass emphasised and already warmer/darker cans (imo) compared to cans such as the T1 and HD800 which are a little bit more energetic up top and more spacious. The latter being far more suited to tube amps such as the WA2, WA22 etc.


 

 I suggest you gain some more first hand experience with tube amps before making such comments.


----------



## Gwarmi

Listening to the Woo 6 on standard tubes with S/N 13477 HD800 now - these new HD800's are much smoother and laid back up top in the treble region.


----------



## rawrster

I wish I had the budget to try own some of the more expensive tube amps such as the WA22. I'm pretty happy with my CTH however as it's cheap but maybe one day I'll own something better but can't complain much  I do have a more expensive SS amp but can't have the best of both worlds.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I wish I had the budget to try own some of the more expensive tube amps such as the WA22. I'm pretty happy with my CTH however as it's cheap but maybe one day I'll own something better but can't complain much  I do have a more expensive SS amp but can't have the best of both worlds.


 

  
  The CTH may not cost a fortune, but it does sound really good!


----------



## Gwarmi

Would be good to see an Audio GD Phoenix vs V200 match-up and review.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> The CTH may not cost a fortune, but it does sound really good!


 

 That's for sure. I'm happy with my purchase of it however I do wonder how other tube amps sound like when it's on my system and not in meet conditions where I am not able to spend as much time with them as I would like to. One of these days I can get something like a WA22 or Super 7 or another tube amp in that price range. For the time being my wallet is safe


----------



## InnerSpace

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> I suggest you gain some more first hand experience with tube amps before making such comments.


 


  That's a little patronizing.  Seems to me Naim FC's conclusions are right on the money.  That's the value of audio forums - we don't each have to reinvent the wheel all the time.  And I speak as one with first-hand experience of tubes amps since before you were born, probably.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





innerspace said:


> That's a little patronizing.  Seems to me Naim FC's conclusions are right on the money.  That's the value of audio forums - we don't each have to reinvent the wheel all the time.  *And I speak as one with first-hand experience of tubes amps since before you were born, probably.*  *<-- And this isn't patronizing? *


 

 Generalizations.....that's the issue with tubes vs. SS comments. No patronizing was intended. I've heard the exact opposite effects depending on the circuitry/topography/tubes of the amps.
   
  BTW...I'm 40 and have been doing this audio thing for about 20+ years.


----------



## Kernmac

I was going to do a comparison review between my V200 and my Meier Cantate2, however I have decided that comparing amps is a logistical nightmare and simply not worth the time and effort and I question the ability to get the comparison accurate. Too much time between changing amps to the source (I only have provision for one out from my source) and volume matching etc.
   
  Suffice to say I loved the sound of the T1s through the Cantate2 and I now prefer the sound via the V200.  I think the Violectric expands the body of the sound, it seems somehow more full-bodied whilst at the same time the detail and tone are simply just right. It obviously has power to burn (-12 gain) and drives my headphones with plenty of headroom.   The combination of having a reasonable/good CD player with the V200 and choice of the T1 or ED8 pretty much completes it for me.  The V200 certainly allows the ED8 (30 ohm) and Tesla (600 ohm) to both preform at levels where I simply am not looking for anything else/more.
   
  The T1 has the closest sound to neutral/natural with my system as I feel I can get through headphones without spending stupid money, and then you would have to question why not look at a speaker rig, even a desktop system based around mini Maggie's or similar.  The ED8 is less colored than many people would have you believe (IMO) and although not as neutral/natural as the T1 it gives me the option of both closed (isolation when needed and reduced sound leakage for not disturbing people {wife}) as well as providing a fairly balanced top end sound that gives that mid bass kick that almost duplicates sub woofer speaker chest thump.
   
  Harman Kardon HD970 CDP > Violectric V200 > beyer T1 or Ultrasone Edition 8 = end game (for now)


----------



## Naim.F.C

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Generalizations.....that's the issue with tubes vs. SS comments. No patronizing was intended. I've heard the exact opposite effects depending on the circuitry/topography/tubes of the amps.
> 
> BTW...I'm 40 and have been doing this audio thing for about 20+ years.


 


  The thing is, I was actually generalising lol. That was my intent with the response, since I was talking merely with respect to averages. So on average it would be fair to say tube amps generally sound warmer than SS amps. Though naturally exceptions to the rule exist from both sides. Speaking of circuitry/topography/tubes, a lot of people recommended the Valhalla for the T1's to smoothen things out, but from what I can gather, the Valhalla might actually be one of the more bright amps out there, amont the Schiit trio and compared to other tube amps anyway. Which I suppose does add merit to your own point.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> *The thing is, I was actually generalising lol.*


----------



## Loevhagen

Spending the days listening to the G100 in order to get an impression of if versus the V200. Lake People / Violectric products are high quality products with a favourable VFM ratio. IMHO.


----------



## project86

Oooh, nice pic!


----------



## TheWuss

I have a strange observation to make... 
   
  I have both the V800 and V200.
  and, when I first got them, I thought they were "pretty good".
  but, I could never quite get past something in the sound that bothered me. 
  despite many reports of the combo being "smooth", "warm", and "polite in the treble", there was something sort of grainy and not quite right to my ears...
   
  well, I recently bought the W4S DAC2, and hooked my V200 up to this DAC in order to burn in the DAC.
  And, the sound I'm getting out of the V200 now is much, much improved.
   
  So, I thought to myself, "Well, the V800 must be holding the amp back."
   
  So, I investigated the V800 by hooking it up to the Cavalli Liquid Fire.  And, guess what?  Great sound.
   
  So, I can't quite figure out why both Violectric amp and DAC scale up nicely with other components, but my impression of them together is just "pretty good".
   
  I know it makes no sense....


----------



## project86

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> I have a strange observation to make...
> 
> I have both the V800 and V200.
> and, when I first got them, I thought they were "pretty good".
> ...


 

 Interesting. I've had almost the opposite impression. V200 paired with Anedio D1, Resonessence Invicta, Audio GD Ref 7, all sound great. V800 with Luxman P-1u or Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2, also quite impressive. But I like them best when paired together.
   
  I do think the V800 is a bit more difficult to match though. V200 will complement most DACs, make them sound smooth yet detailed. V800 will really bring out the flaws in an amp though - don't care for it with my $200-500 amps.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> I have a strange observation to make...
> 
> I have both the V800 and V200.
> and, when I first got them, I thought they were "pretty good".
> ...


 

 Does the V800 provide both RCA and XLR outs?  If so I'm just curious which one you are using into the V200.
   
   I use the DAC-2 XLR outs into the V200.


----------



## Loevhagen

V800 back:


----------



## TheWuss

Yes. Using xlr outputs.


----------



## antberg

pardon my newbeness ,but ,what is the output impedance?cause im not already realizing if is it better to feed the hd800 with 0 or 120 ohms,neither the v200 impedance output,i suppose where it describe as 10Kohm as its max outpus level.
  thanks folks.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





antberg said:


> pardon my newbeness ,but ,what is the output impedance?cause im not already realizing if is it better to feed the hd800 with 0 or 120 ohms,neither the v200 impedance output,i suppose where it describe as 10Kohm as its max outpus level.
> thanks folks.


 


  I thought for sure I had covered this in my review, but sure enough, I didn't. The Violectric website talks a lot about low output impedance, but it takes some digging to actually find the number. On this page, about half way down, it says .06 ohms. So it should give a flat response with any headphone you pair it with.


----------



## khaos974

Quote: 





antberg said:


> pardon my newbeness ,but ,what is the output impedance?cause im not already realizing if is it better to feed the hd800 with 0 or 120 ohms,neither the v200 impedance output,i suppose where it describe as 10Kohm as its max outpus level.
> thanks folks.


 

 All Violectric amps have a low output impedance, it's implicit when they state the damping factor in the technical data page, the "worst" case is 0.2 ohms for the V181, all the other outputs have a lower output impedance.
  A higher output impedance will give the HD 800 more bass, but EQ would also do the same thing.


----------



## rawrster

I just checked that site and saw that the output impedance is <0.06 ohms for the V200 which is pretty nice. I had no idea it was that low but was low enough where I didn't have to worry about it with any of my headphones.


----------



## Rawrbington

anybody heard the V90?
  whats the main difference between the V90 and V200? besides the output impedance.


----------



## Loevhagen

Summary / cut-n-paste from Fried Reim (CEO at LP / Violectric):
   
   
G100 vs. V100:
   
  "In the past Lake People products often were judged as: working perfectly - looks like a fridge. Violectric was the answer for people who demanded more. Please note that* the case of V100 is more expensive than the entire G100*. Moreover *V100 has selected semi-conductors, "musical caps" in the signal path, more smoothing capacity*, Pre-Gain adjustable from the outside and more space inside for optimized signal tracing. The technical base of all these headphone amps is not as "simple" as claimed in some posts. All amps are working with 60 volt supply voltage (+/-30 volt split supply) what is hard to find in other designs. So the output voltage reaches 20 Veff / +28 dBu. This is essential to drive high impedance cans".
   
and
   
  "Please note that we develope and manufacture headphone amps since over 25 years. During this quite long period we made about 2 dozens of different designs. The beginning was a voltage followers with an op-amp and just two transitors as can be found in many other (simple) actual designs until now.
  As this was not sufficient to drive high impedance headphones (good headphones alway had high impedances in those times) we created a quite unique current amp where the transistors were controlled by the current consumption from a saturated op-amp. These amps had very high output voltage capabilities and as the 2. harmonic was dominating a "smooth" sound. They had been famous in Europe and used ones are sold until now in some online auctions for astonishing prices ... Other designs comprised small power amps wit high operating voltage like LM1876 which can be found in Lake People´s G93 or high voltage, high current buffer designs with OPA551 inside G95/G97 and V90 or amps made with an op-amp and 4 transistors which can be found inside *G100/ V100.*"
   
   
V200:
   
  "When we started with Violectric *we remembered a circuitry we once made to create a power amp for Lake People*. The "inner core" was an adaption from *Nakamichis* 420 / 620 power amps. These bipolar amps had been fameous for *power, velocity, low noise, damping factor, reliability under any circumstances*. Being the disk jockey for the university disco nights (those where the days) I used my Nakamichi 620 for years for that purpose and it is still working. We early discovered that the *output impedance* of an amp is the cause for different sounds from the same headphone. The higher the output impedance of the amp, the higher the influences from the headphone cable (impedance, capacity) and the transducer itself because they become part of a complex system. These influences and interactions may sometimes be helpfull for some sound impressions, sometimes not. Having this in mind it is more understandable that a simple cable may obivously change the sound from a headphone. We share the opinion that an amp manufacturer shall not alter the sound signature from a microphone during recording. Thats why we make transparent mic-amps. And we share the opinion that an amp manufacturer shall not change the sound signature from a speaker or a headphone. *That why we make amps with the lowest possible output impedance* because that is the key to control."
   
   
  "Subsumption:
  V90 is made with OPA551
  V100 is made with an op-amp and 4 transistors each channel.
  V181 is made with 4 times BUF 634 (quite similar to LME 49600 but we found some advantages to go for BUF 634)
  V200 is made with an op-amp and 8 transistors each channel.
   
  All are so powerfull that virtually every dynamic headphone can be driven. They share lowest possible output impedance (highest possible damping factor), a relatively wide frequency range, more than double the output voltage of common headphone amps, lowest noise and lowest distortion. *The conclusion from the above is that sound signatures are relatively close together, but they are not equal. My own and the experiences from our customers show that the differences are small but present. *"


----------



## Ultrainferno

Great post! Thanks


----------



## project86

X2!
   
  I could listen to Fried talk about amp and DAC design all day...  it never gets old.


----------



## antberg

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I thought for sure I had covered this in my review, but sure enough, I didn't. The Violectric website talks a lot about low output impedance, but it takes some digging to actually find the number. On this page, about half way down, it says .06 ohms. So it should give a flat response with any headphone you pair it with.


 

 for sure!i visited the lake people website many times lately(as they will be,when money will allow me,the first choise buy)but forgot to read their useful info in the faq section.
  is it impossible to me to audition them,so i have to read and read many info around here to see if they will be the best choise, i know what i need now
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Quote:


khaos974 said:


> All Violectric amps have a low output impedance, it's implicit when they state the damping factor in the technical data page, the "worst" case is 0.2 ohms for the V181, all the other outputs have a lower output impedance.
> A higher output impedance will give the HD 800 more bass, but EQ would also do the same thing.


 
  Quote:


rawrster said:


> I just checked that site and saw that the output impedance is <0.06 ohms for the V200 which is pretty nice. I had no idea it was that low but was low enough where I didn't have to worry about it with any of my headphones.


 
  well,as i read from some respectable and trust full members sometimes ago,the synergy   
  with the hd800 seems almost perfect.
  thanks a lot.


----------



## vrln

Nothing to worry about regarding HD 800 + V200. It´s the best match for it that I´ve heard. The bass slams, the highs are smooth/tube-like. The V200 sound signature is exactly what the doctor ordered for the HD 800. No wonder Axel Grell (HD 800 designer) likes Violectric gear. Even though in theory low output impedance may cancel some bass (that shouldn´t be there in the first place!), I think the high voltage swing is what really brings out bass impact. Not that many solid state amps swing as much voltage as the Violectric gear. 
   
  PS: no, I don´t even own their gear. Just had one for a week a long time ago when I had the HD 800 (then bought the LCD-2 hype, huge mistake!). If I´d be getting a HD 800, it would be my #1 choice now.


----------



## cactus_farmer

Hi guys, my situation is that I don't intend to buy a new headphone amp every few years, I intend to buy one which will last a lifetime and be powerful enough to be able to drive every sort of headphone (apart from electrostatics which are their own 'category') out there at the moment and every headphone that is likely to ever be released in my lifetime... Tube amps are out of the question because I want to never have to replace a single component of the amp in my lifetime.
   
  The Ray Samuels DarkStar is out of my price range, but I wonder if the V200 is the amp I should get or I should wait a few years to see what the trends are?
   
  At the moment the hardest headphone to drive out there is the Hifiman HE-6? Can the V200 drive that loudly without clipping from a standard 2V output DAC/CD player as a source?
   
  But as planar magnetic headphones get more and more popular at the audio high end, do you think the trend will be for harder and harder to drive headphones with ultra-low efficiency and sensitivity? The average power of a dedicated headphone amp will have to pretty much quadruple?
   
  Do you think, when Hifiman decides to release a new flagship, it will be harder to drive than the HE-7? Too much for the V200 to cope with?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





vrln said:


> Nothing to worry about regarding HD 800 + V200. It´s the best match for it that I´ve heard. The bass slams, the highs are smooth/tube-like. The V200 sound signature is exactly what the doctor ordered for the HD 800. No wonder Axel Grell (HD 800 designer) likes Violectric gear. Even though in theory low output impedance may cancel some bass (that shouldn´t be there in the first place!), I think the high voltage swing is what really brings out bass impact. Not that many solid state amps swing as much voltage as the Violectric gear.
> 
> PS: no, I don´t even own their gear. Just had one for a week a long time ago when I had the HD 800 (then bought the LCD-2 hype, huge mistake!). If I´d be getting a HD 800, it would be my #1 choice now.


 

 I agree. I tried the Senn HD800 out of my V200 and the pairing sounded excellent. However I am quite happy with the HE500 and the HD800 or any headphone in that price range is out of the picture for now but who knows in a few months from now.


----------



## Loevhagen

The V200 makes the HD800 sing - and orthos blossom even more - but that is not due to the V200 alone. Anyway, the V200 is already an evergreen amp.


----------



## vrln

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> The V200 makes the HD800 sing - and orthos blossom even more - but that is not due to the V200 alone. Anyway, the V200 is already an evergreen amp.


 

 How is the synergy with Hegel DACs? I see you have a HD10, which is quite rare around here. My speaker gear is running off a HD20 right now. It´s a very good DAC. My guess would be that they are a good match, pretty similar voicing I think.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Hi guys, my situation is that I don't intend to buy a new headphone amp every few years, I intend to buy one which will last a lifetime and be powerful enough to be able to drive every sort of headphone (apart from electrostatics which are their own 'category') out there at the moment and every headphone that is likely to ever be released in my lifetime... Tube amps are out of the question because I want to never have to replace a single component of the amp in my lifetime.
> 
> The Ray Samuels DarkStar is out of my price range, but I wonder if the V200 is the amp I should get or I should wait a few years to see what the trends are?
> 
> ...


 

  I doubt HiFiMan will release another demanding beast like the HE-6 ever again, never mind a model that will be even harder to drive, could be
   wrong but the evidence lies with the easier HE-500 and HE-400 series that show - HE-6 sales were hurt by the fact that it needed an uber amp to drive it.
   
   That said a friend of mine at Can-Jam 2010 reported that the V200 drove the HE-6 fairly well on +12dB gain for both left/right channels, I
   trust his opinions so it should've been ok ~ it was no Dark Star experience though.
   
   You might wish to wait, especially if you're keen on a balanced headphone out. Mr Violectric is working on something there but it's
   at least 12-18months away.


----------



## cactus_farmer

Well, from a 2V standard output DAC, can the HE-6 be driven very loudly by the V200 (on the highest gain settings) _without_ causing clipping which would damage either the amp or the headphones (or both)?


----------



## Loevhagen

I thought we had been this before....
   
  The HE-6 works with proper dB out of the V200 - and that is with a gain setting on the V200 of zero (jumpers in neutral). I could flip the +6dB and in addition the +12dB - but why...


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I thought we had been this before....
> 
> The HE-6 works with proper dB out of the V200 - and that is with a gain setting on the V200 of zero (jumpers in neutral). I could flip the +6dB and in addition the +12dB - but why...


 


  Yes, but people have said the HE-6 sounds very thin an aenemic through the V200.
   
  Perhaps the thin sound is because the V200 is struggling so hard to drive it that it is actually producing clipping which is actually damaging either your HE-6 or the amp itself?
   
  Maybe this effect isn't noticeable by you if you normally listen at extremely quiet volume levels...?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Yes, but people have said the HE-6 sounds very thin an aenemic through the V200.
> 
> Perhaps the thin sound is because the V200 is struggling so hard to drive it that it is actually producing clipping which is actually damaging either your HE-6 or the amp itself?
> 
> Maybe this effect isn't noticeable by you if you normally listen at extremely quiet volume levels...?


 

 You have seen people post that?  Can you find a few links and post them back?


----------



## rawrster

I think there was one person saying the HE6/V200 combo fell just short of the pairing with some kind of vintage speaker amp. Other than that I can't really recall much being said about the HE6/V200 pairing. I'm starting to think cactus_farmer is just trying to talk himself out of buying the HE6.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I know how he feels.  I'm always talking myself in and out and in and out of something.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Man this sucks, I have my V200 but my dac hasn't come in yet... been a week and all I can do is look at my V200.  I did get to read through the manuel and played with the volume knob and that thing is solid.  When I try to turn it up its a little difficult.  Is it like that with all of your V200's also?  Or is it just like that at the beginning?


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> Man this sucks, I have my V200 but my dac hasn't come in yet... been a week and all I can do is look at my V200.  I did get to read through the manuel and played with the volume knob and that thing is solid.  When I try to turn it up its a little difficult.  Is it like that with all of your V200's also?  Or is it just like that at the beginning?


 
  What is your current source and headphone?


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

I am using it from my laptop and I have my LCD-2.  =/


----------



## krod3003

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> I am using it from my laptop and I have my LCD-2.  =/


 

 I feel this pain as well. I'm sick of listening though my laptop, while I know there is so much potential yet to be tapped.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Ya I have the amp just not my Dac yet.... 
  
  Quote: 





krod3003 said:


> I feel this pain as well. I'm sick of listening though my laptop, while I know there is so much potential yet to be tapped.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> I am using it from my laptop and I have my LCD-2.  =/


 


  You can connect your laptop to the amp, for now.


----------



## Loevhagen

The HD20 an the new HD11 is said to be a bit more lively in the sound than the HD10. The Rega DAC, if compared to the HD10, is a bit more vivid. I have not made up my mind if I prefer the Rega or the Hegel feeding the V200. The HD10 is less "quirky" than the Rega. Maybe I'll listen to the HD20 or the new HD11 from Hegel.
   
  The Hegel company have a lot of high quality gear, but no headphone amp...

  
  Quote: 





vrln said:


> How is the synergy with Hegel DACs? I see you have a HD10, which is quite rare around here. My speaker gear is running off a HD20 right now. It´s a very good DAC. My guess would be that they are a good match, pretty similar voicing I think.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

How??? I only have XLR cables...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I didn't get the V200 with the dac option.  
  
  Quote: 





acix said:


> You can connect your laptop to the amp, for now.


----------



## Loevhagen

Computer or iDevice to V200:


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

MMM...I don't have that wire either... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Computer or iDevice to V200:


----------



## Loevhagen

- DVD / BD / CD player?
  - RCA / composite / component (use 2 of them as audio) cables?


----------



## WNBC

A trip to Best Buy or Radio Shack will be enough to grab one of these cables from $5 to $20.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23153%3B+-+6'+Mini-to-RCA+Stereo+Audio+Cable/9222352.p?id=1218062425208&skuId=9222352&st=mini%20stereo%20to%20RCA&cp=1&lp=2 
  RCA to stereo-mini (1/8") cables can be found in most electronics stores.
   
  Or if you want to order one online.......
  From the inexpensive to http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/index.htm
  To the moderately priced http://www.headphone.com/accessories/mini-rca-cables.php
  To uber expensive http://aloaudio.com/alo-audio-super-six-lux-fep-18awg-6-wire-mini-to-rca.html
   
   
  Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> MMM...I don't have that wire either...


----------



## cactus_farmer

395 for a wire?
   
  Wow, if someone new to Head-Fi asks me how to divide their budget I'll tell them 60% interconnects, 15% power cable, 15% USB cable, 5% amp, 3% source, 2% headphones.


----------



## WNBC

To be safe, how about 70% on the interconnects 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> 395 for a wire?
> 
> Wow, if someone new to Head-Fi asks me how to divide their budget I'll tell them 60% interconnects, 15% power cable, 15% USB cable, 5% amp, 3% source, 2% headphones.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Haha I don't use any of those.  I only have a xbox360 but I use HDMI through it. 
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> - DVD / BD / CD player?
> - RCA / composite / component (use 2 of them as audio) cables?


 


  Ya, I could go buy it but I'll just be patient till my Dac gets here to hook it up through XLR cables.  We don't have best buy here in my town but we do have a radio shack.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






  Quote: 





wnbc said:


> A trip to Best Buy or Radio Shack will be enough to grab one of these cables from $5 to $20.
> http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23153%3B+-+6'+Mini-to-RCA+Stereo+Audio+Cable/9222352.p?id=1218062425208&skuId=9222352&st=mini%20stereo%20to%20RCA&cp=1&lp=2
> RCA to stereo-mini (1/8") cables can be found in most electronics stores.
> 
> ...


----------



## Loevhagen

Xbox? Why not play your CD from that, or hook it to you computer (LAN) ond use the cheap RCA-cable that came with the Xbox and hook it to the V200's RCA-inputs.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

Haha thanks for the suggestion.  but I don't own any CD's.  I only use applelossless files from my laptop.  I'd have to go look for the RCA cable. 
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Xbox? Why not play your CD from that, or hook it to you computer (LAN) ond use the cheap RCA-cable that came with the Xbox and hook it to the V200's RCA-inputs.


----------



## WNBC

The new Xbox's only do HMDI so no way to hook that up directly to the V200.  
  I say just go to that Radio Shack and pick up even a cheapy RCA to mini-stereo cable to get that V200 going even if it is just to start the burn-in process.
  
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Xbox? Why not play your CD from that, or hook it to you computer (LAN) ond use the cheap RCA-cable that came with the Xbox and hook it to the V200's RCA-inputs.


----------



## Gabrielisc

Has anyone ever compared the V181 Balanced using a HD800 vs V200 on 1/4" ?
  Logic says the Balanced would sound better (if using balanced input via DAC ofc)
   
  Any recommendations?


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

V200 have balanced in...wouldn't that mean it has balance out through the HP also?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





hawaiiancerveza said:


> V200 have balanced in...wouldn't that mean it has balance out through the HP also?


 

 No. The V200 does have balanced xlr inputs but only a SE headphone out. I believe the first post touches on that a bit.


----------



## Hawaiiancerveza

ah I see


----------



## Gabrielisc

Oh come on, 1 email and 3 hours later:
   
  "[size=10.0pt]The HD800 will sound best with all our amps.[/size]
   
[size=10.0pt]But in my opinion the V200 will be better suited for the HD800 than the V181.[/size]
   
[size=10.0pt]HD800 does not need the extra portion of power that the V181 might deliver compared to the V200 because the HD800 is a relatively high impedance headphone.
 It is in need of a high output voltage swing - and not power![/size]
[size=10.0pt]And the output voltage swing from the V181 in balanced mode and the V200 are nearly identical.[/size]
   
[size=10.0pt]But as the amps inside V181 and V200 are totally different - and not only for my experience, the amp from V200 is more "musical",[/size]
[size=10.0pt]The HD800 will benefit from the smoothness that V200 will deliver.[/size]
   
[size=10.0pt]Hope this helped,[/size]
   
[size=10.0pt]Greetz[/size]
   
[size=10.0pt]Fried[/size]"
   
  Great customer service so far!


----------



## Gwarmi

Fried is a very friendly character who supports the product 100%.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Fried is a very friendly character who supports the product 100%.


 


  Agree!


----------



## Loevhagen

Have to agree to that.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Computer or iDevice to V200:


 


  Is this option better than a ****ty DAC?


----------



## Loevhagen

Not sure how to answer that question, but: If the DAC in the iDevice is even more ****ty than the external ****ty DAC; no. If it is better; why not try it out. There is nothing to loose, except a couple of minutes.
   
  The solution was meant as an interim solution to a user missing a DAC to hook between his music library and the head amp. Not as a permanent solution.


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Not sure how to answer that question, but: If the DAC in the iDevice is even more ****ty than the external ****ty DAC; no. If it is better; why not try it out. There is nothing to loose, except a couple of minutes.
> 
> The solution was meant as an interim solution to a user missing a DAC to hook between his music library and the head amp. Not as a permanent solution.


 


  I got a cheap temporary DAC (or USB- soundcard) for like 20 USD or something. Wonder if the soundcard in my MBP is better than the cheap DAC?
   
  I think it's a Behringer or something like that.


----------



## Loevhagen

I have an USB $100 DAC that comes very close to it's $500 sibling (same manufacturer), so give it a try. 
   
  I normally use TOS-link from the MacBook (just for the safe side of things - el. isolation).


----------



## agoston.berko

hi there
   
  anybody heard the V200 with Ultrasone Edition 10 ?
  how is it ? would be it a good match ?
   
  other option: SPL Auditor
   
  a gain switch looks very interesting. does is work as intended ?
  is the XLR preferable on the V200 instead of the RCA ?
  are there any SQ differences ?


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





agoston.berko said:


> hi there
> 
> anybody heard the V200 with Ultrasone Edition 10 ?
> how is it ? would be it a good match ?
> ...


 
   
   
   Yep balanced XLR is best on any of the V100/V181/V200 if you have a balanced out DAC.
   
   Gain switches work a treat, most 30-40ohm headphones use no gain, 50ohm beasts like the LCD2/3
   can use +6dB across the range. Yet to need the +12dB across both channels myself.
   
   Synergy with the V200 and Edition 10 is not bad, but I'm still searching for an amp that fits nicely
   with the Edition 10. The SPL Auditor with the Edition will be a wild ride if it's anything like the Phonitor.
   
   Very piercing treble.


----------



## agoston.berko

really ? SPL + UE10 is has too much treble together ?
  there are a few who suggested this pairing without that conclusion.
  so you recommend the V200 more ?
  anything else ?
   
  i heard that Luxmann P200 very bad.
   
  SPL no good idea ?


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





agoston.berko said:


> i heard that Luxmann P200 very bad.


 
   
  No it's not, try it for yourself ...


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





agoston.berko said:


> really ? SPL + UE10 is has too much treble together ?
> there are a few who suggested this pairing without that conclusion.
> so you recommend the V200 more ?
> anything else ?
> ...


 

  No experience with the Luxman P-200 ~ but I have tried the Edition briefly with the Luxman DA-200
   DAC with head amp. That was not too bad since Luxman head amps in my experience have that
   sweet Japanese signature to them, appears to synergize ok with most head phones I've tried
   if you're not seeking a tonne of slam and/or great rhythm and timing.
   
   I know it's not too helpful ~ but recommending an amp pairing with the Edition 10 at this stage
   is not something I can offer ~ I'm still searching myself and so are many others, it's such a finicky
   sounding headphone.
   
   For the record, worst I have heard is the Woo Audio 6 fed by a Burson DAC with the Edition 10
   ~ totally off balance, utterly strange sounding. A very bad match IMHO.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Yep balanced XLR is best on any of the V100/V181/V200 if you have a balanced out DAC.
> 
> Gain switches work a treat, most 30-40ohm headphones use no gain, 50ohm beasts like the LCD2/3
> can use +6dB across the range. Yet to need the +12dB across both channels myself.
> ...


 
  When you say "Very piercing treble" what amp are you referring to?


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> When you say "Very piercing treble" what amp are you referring to?


 


  Sorry a bit vague on my end ~ the chain I was referring to was V800 (off USB) ---> XLR ---> SPL Phonitor ---> Edition 10
   
   Interestingly though, that combo with a later model HD800 is pretty smooth.


----------



## krod3003

Well I just joined the V200 club. Woooo! Pretty stoked since i've been amp/DAC-less for so long. Can't wait til German engineering meets American craftsmanship.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





agoston.berko said:


> really ? SPL + UE10 is has too much treble together ?
> there are a few who suggested this pairing without that conclusion.
> so you recommend the V200 more ?
> anything else ?
> ...


 


  
   Had a chance to give it a rip this morning with the following chain --> Cambridge DacMagic+ --> XLR --> SPL ---> Edition 10
   

   
   
  Well I must say that while listening at the Volume '-19' position on the SPL with the
  following Crossfeed settings - Crossfeed set to '3' and Speaker angle set to '40Deg'
   
  It's pretty nice using Sting's latest (2011) compilation best of, a bit snappy and bright
  with occasional drumsticks sounding a little piercing - but overall it's not the harsh
  affair I recall with the V800. Some evidence of sibilance off Sting's vocals with any
  lyrics inducing a 'Shhhht' here or there trailing off each note still DacMagic+ is not the warmest
  source either so there is room for improvement with a better DAC.
   
  I take it back - it's a workable Edition #10 solution this setup, may compare to the V200 in a week
  or so


----------



## Gabrielisc

I wish I could live in an audio store and test all the goods all the time too


----------



## TheWuss

when i had the Phonitor, i was crazy about its looks.  such a beautiful amp.
 but, i found the sound to be pretty "clinical" to these ears.
 i found it a real test of the nerves to listen to brighter headphones through the Phonitor...
  
 strangely, Jude referred to it as "warm and musical" in his head-fi TV episode.
 i respectfully disagree with him.
  
 anyways...  the V200 is a different flavored solid state amp from the Phonitor.
 the V200 has more guts, more punch.  more body to the sound.
 and that, even without the sophisticated crossfeed, is worth the price of admission.
 heck - it's half the price of the Phonitor, but a better sounding amp by some meaure, in my humble opinion...
  
 /rant


----------



## agoston.berko

yes but Auditor is 99% same sound as Phonitor and Auditor cost 20% less than V200.
  i want slam. please somebody try V200 vs Auditor if possible.


----------



## Loevhagen

Have you seen this: http://www.head-fi.org/t/449063/test-of-pro-headphone-amplifiers-lake-people-wins


----------



## Rasmutte

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I have an USB $100 DAC that comes very close to it's $500 sibling (same manufacturer), so give it a try.
> 
> I normally use TOS-link from the MacBook (just for the safe side of things - el. isolation).


 


  I'll try it if I can find a cable.


----------



## raysclim1568

Hello guys 
Just checking if you have the same issue that i have. 
My v200 comes with usb dac 24/96 in built. While i connect it with my m.
acbook and the supplied usb cable. when playing on itune. 
There is a sharp peak sound whenever i advance the track to next. 

Is this a faulty dac card issue or compatibilty with macbook? 
Please help 

Thanks. ..Raymond


----------



## Radio_head

Are you changing sample rates when you switch tracks?  Some DACs will make noises/clicks when changing rates.


----------



## raysclim1568

radio_head said:


> Are you changing sample rates when you switch tracks?  Some DACs will make noises/clicks when changing rates.



No. I didn't. Just playing directly out from itune to v200.


----------



## Radio_head

Hrmm... I'd suggest PMing fdg about it.


----------



## FSonicSmith

I am simply chiming in to express how happy I am with the V200. Mine arrived on Monday and it has been playing and burning in ever since with my Audeze LCD-2s with Moon Silver Dragon V3s. The SQ difference compared to my Little Dot Mark IVse is nothing less than astounding. I found the Audeze's sounded OK with the Little Dot (and I was running the very expensive 6H30DR "Supertubes" in the Mark IVse), but they were not that special and I was beginning to doubt that the Audeze LCD-2s lived up the hype. I found the LCD-2s to be hot and uncomfortable on my head. Funny how things work, but with the V200 the sound has snapped into focus, everything sounds captivating, and the heavy cans feels as light (subjectively, not literally) as my AKG701s on my head. As everyone else has noted, there is also very high build quality apparent. Perhaps because my sources are a cd player, two turntables, and a tuner playing through the tape outs of my tubed pre-amp (which means the pre-amp is not engaged and it's simply acting as a passive switch), I had to set my gain at the highest setting, +24, and though I get plenty of volume, my volume control is at about 1:00 most of the time. I was a bit surprised by that, but it certainly is no cause for concern. The gain switches are simply doing what they are supposed to do as far as I can tell.
  I guess I am a big Violectric fan, because I now have a V600 phono stage and V800 coming my way too!


----------



## Acix

My K-702 work great on the lower setting of the V100 and do not need to be at +24dbs, maybe your other components needs to be at max.


----------



## preproman

Did anyone compare the V181 / V200 to the GS-1 / GS-X?


----------



## antberg

Smith,glad you are enjoying it!
  i hope i can afford one in some 12 months!!!!
  just a little question to the audiophile members that are deeply into scientific and technical knowledge:some around here are claiming that connecting a headphone to an amplifier with high (i suppose so,really high) output impedance could damage the driver (quality of sound).
  is that minimally true?


----------



## Naim.F.C

I read a couple of posts somewhere that compared the V100/200 with the GS-1 and found the Violectrics to be better, but as always with these things, it's down to personal opinion. 
   
  Quote: 





preproman said:


> Did anyone compare the V181 / V200 to the GS-1 / GS-X?


 

 EDIT: Found one of the posts.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/478563/violectric-hpa-v100-or-gs-1#post_6623966


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> I read a couple of posts somewhere that compared the V100/200 with the GS-1 and found the Violectrics to be better, but as always with these things, it's down to personal opinion.
> 
> 
> EDIT: Found one of the posts.
> ...


 

 I would think its about preferences. The GS-1 is a no holds barred neutral (wire with gain) amp and that may not appeal to some. I wanted that...plain cold truth sound in a solid state amp to contrast my euphonic Woo Audio WA22. I found the V200 was a great amp, but a tad on the warm side for what I was looking for. It did come down to three amps: GS-1 (w/DACT attenuator), V200, or the Corda Classic. I've heard the first 2 amps and I think between owing the Concerto and Skylab's great Corda Classic review, I think I know what to expect with the Classic. I'm pretty happy with my choice so far.


----------



## Gwarmi

Heard the same thing from two Head-Fi mates who rarely post on here, one of them has a V200 like me and the other bought
   an already built B22.
   
   They both liked the B22 overall, but admitted that things like build quality and general packaging was better overall on the Violectric. 
   
   Not sure if they can be compared since the DIY B22 would be a function of your technical knowledge of certain electronic componentry
   and ability to source and buy those parts - eg, higher quality caps, better power supply etc etc - to make it better than just the basic
   build sheet.
   
   On a tangent note, finally got to audition Ray Samuel's Raptor and while it appeared to have a tonne of gain built-in (volume rarely ever
   soared past 10 o clock) it was certainly along the lines of wire with gain to my ears, even though it's a hybrid.


----------



## project86

I think it comes down to preferences when you get this high up.... take a group of well respected amps like GS-1, GS-X, V200, Lehmann BCL, B22, etc (just to name a few SS options), none of them are going to be bad. One will probably appeal to you more than another, and things like appearance, build quality, input/output options, all play a part. But all of them should be at least "really good". 
   
  What one person would call "wire with gain" another person might call "thin", or "bright". I'm not saying that is my opinion of the GS-1 (which I really enjoyed when I owned it) but I've heard it said. In fact I got a good deal on mine when the former owner decided it was too bass light for his tastes. So it always comes down to perspective.


----------



## Gwarmi

This may have already been covered but what is the general consensus on here regarding the V200's performance with two
   full sized headphones running at the same time?
   
   Ok, as a measly test last night ~ I was auditioning the voicing of the mids through my PS1000 and 325i - occasionally
   I'd unplug one with the other on my head, back and forth ~ no difference in performance, V200 seemed unaffected by
   this change in load.
   
   However, a few weeks back when LCD3 mania hit our shores, some have suggested that running an LCD2 and LCD3
   simultaneously can certainly load up the V200 - in other words, yes either of those power monsters should be run
   one at a time for best performance. The idea came to me when someone appeared a little disappointed with what
   they were hearing with the LCD3/V200 combo, only for me to notice their LCD2rev2 still jacked in. I suggested he
   audition one at a time and he reported an improvement.
   
   Sheer placebo or is it quite plausible and logical that such demanding headphones would obviously double the load
   on the amp?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> This may have already been covered but what is the general consensus on here regarding the V200's performance with two
> full sized headphones running at the same time?
> 
> Ok, as a measly test last night ~ I was auditioning the voicing of the mids through my PS1000 and 325i - occasionally
> ...


 

 I guess it depends - do the headphones need more than 1350mW each? Because that should be roughly what the V200 is capable of delivering. 
   
  I've done a few "simple" loads like Audio Technicas, Grados, and Ultrasones, at the same time, and never felt any difference.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I have to say that  "wire with gain" has always struck me as one of the more ridiculous audio catch phrases.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> This may have already been covered but what is the general consensus on here regarding the V200's performance with two
> full sized headphones running at the same time?
> 
> Ok, as a measly test last night ~ I was auditioning the voicing of the mids through my PS1000 and 325i - occasionally
> ...


 
  I did the same thing when I had both pairs available.  I quickly decided it was not a good idea to have both units plugged into the V200 at the same time.  I did not bother to do any sound quality comparisons to hear if there was a difference or not but I also did not want to audition the LCD-3 against the LCD-2 in a way that I would not normally use them and that would be to have both plugged in at the same time.   2 loads at once has to create some new condition.


----------



## walkman666

I know this has been touched upon in this thread, but I'd like to ask to be sure...Can I use the violectric v200's analog out to feed (via its DAC) and control (as a pre-amp) my Audioengine A2's?  I currently use a nuforce Icon HDP in this capacity, and am interested in other DAC/Amp combinations that can be the go-between in a computer as a source, headphone, and powered speaker desktop rig.  thanks very much


----------



## Naim.F.C

Fingers crossed, if all goes as it should, I should finally have my V200 this time next week!


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I have to say that  "wire with gain" has always struck me as one of the more ridiculous audio catch phrases.


 


 I think its a valid term...but can understand the "catch phrase-iness" of it. Basically it means allowing the music through without any manipulation of the signal (no opamps or no capacitors in the signal path as they can/do add distortion)...just like a "wire with gain". I'm not too familiar with the circuitry design of the V200. I do like the amp very much actually, but as I stated, I was looking for a different sound signature to contrast to my WA22.
   
  The Corda Classic was another choice, but further digging revealed that it utilized both opamps and did in fact have capacitors in the signal path. That said, the Concerto (similar circuitry to the Classic) sound damn good.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> Fingers crossed, if all goes as it should, I should finally have my V200 this time next week!


 


  It seems the V200 family is growing two new owners a week now.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> It seems the V200 family is growing two new owners a week now.


 

 Will you be keeping yours when you get your Liquid Fire?


----------



## Naim.F.C

Well, by the sounds of things, it's one of the best out there. I'll post my own impressions as soon as I've done some extended testing, along with comparisons as per usual. I think one comparison could prove potentially more controversial, but it's only fair it gets done. Even then, the Violectric will always score well or better on certain points above others, with respect to build quality, materials, aesthetic design, convenience etc.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> It seems the V200 family is growing two new owners a week now.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Will you be keeping yours when you get your Liquid Fire?


 

 I cancelled my Liquid Fire one week after I ordered it.  The LCD-3 has soured me to the entire headphone paradigm.  There is simply not enough sonic return to justify the sky rocketing expense of the headphone realm for me.  Speaker rigs afford far more return and with some skill and patience it can even be less costly.    Since returning the LCD-3 I've done nothing but listen to speakers and they depressed me so that I haven't even the urge to use my LCD-2's.   I'm now trying to wait out this phase to see if I will keep my LCD-2/V200 rig and gain an interest again or sell it off and reinvest it into a speaker rig.  I was recently gifted a pair of DARED VP-20 mono blocks and a DARED SL 2000A Pre amp and mini as they may be they have provided more acoustic fun than headphones have been providing.  I'd been sitting on the fence for a while but I think I fell off onto the other side.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I cancelled my Liquid Fire one week after I ordered it.  The LCD-3 has soured me to the entire headphone paradigm.  There is simply not enough sonic return to justify the sky rocketing expense of the headphone realm for me.  Speaker rigs afford far more return and with some skill and patience it can even be less costly.    Since returning the LCD-3 I've done nothing but listen to speakers and they depressed me so that I haven't even the urge to use my LCD-2's.   I'm now trying to wait out this phase to see if I will keep my LCD-2/V200 rig and gain an interest again or sell it off and reinvest it into a speaker rig.  I was recently gifted a pair of DARED VP-20 mono blocks and a DARED SL 2000A Pre amp and mini as they may be they have provided more acoustic fun than headphones have been providing.  I'd been sitting on the fence for a while but I think I fell off onto the other side.


 

 If you can go speakers, I can understand that. I'm chomping at the bit to go back to speakers, but that's a ways off as my kids are still very young. LoL, you're hardly slumming it with the LCD-2s/V200/W4S DAC-2. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I agree that the LCD-3s aren't 2X better...in this range, diminished returns are definitely there. But that said, I love my LCD-3s; enough so to sell off my HE-6s (something the LCD-2s couldn't motivate me to do).


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> If you can go speakers, I can understand that. I'm chomping at the bit to go back to speakers, but that's a ways off as my kids are still very young. LoL, you're hardly slumming it with the LCD-2s/V200/W4S DAC-2.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I guess I was lucky with my daughter.  My speaker rigs were never a problem at any age with her.   I had high hopes for the LCD-3 and when it came out I had 2 factors with which to measure it.  Reluctantly I thought I'd have to accept it for $2K but once I listened to it I realized the entire industry is simply getting out of hand and in some cases trotting past the acceptable line of costliness into greed.   I mean really, $2K for the LCD-3 is just too much, and even then one's ear has to shift from an open air paradigm into one mostly inside the head and somewhat unnatural.   For $2K I had expected something more akin to a suspension of that sort of thing. I had expected more of an awe factor. For $2K I expect to be blown away. It's $2K.    Perhaps my expectations for headphones are unrealistic but even so $2K for a headphone should come with a whole lot more magic.  I think they priced it not for its magic but more as a progressive launching into the what is becoming an acceptable willingness to pay for an increase in sound presentation.   It's simply out of hand and the return is simply not enough, and it will continue without any braking I'm sure.  Once I realized that a vendor could simply ask $2K for a headphone and not deliver that much more than its previous model and that people would line up to buy it without question I realized the headphone realm was never going to attain any real measure of continuing greatness.  It seems we are in for incremental changes and astronomical leaps in price each time.    There is now a revival in the speaker realm where more designers are once again turning their ears towards creating very nice speakers at a low cost.  Maybe one day this will happen in the headphone industry but I think that industry is going to soar into the stratosphere before utter price saturation has it crashing back to earth.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I guess I was lucky with my daughter.  My speaker rigs were never a problem at any age with her.   I had high hopes for the LCD-3 and when it came out I had 2 factors with which to measure it.  Reluctantly I thought I'd have to accept it for $2K but once I listened to it I realized the entire industry is simply getting out of hand and in some cases trotting past the acceptable line of costliness into greed.   I mean really, $2K for the LCD-3 is just too much, and even then one's ear has to shift from an open air paradigm into one mostly inside the head and somewhat unnatural.   For $2K I had expected something more akin to a suspension of that sort of thing. I had expected more of an awe factor. For $2K I expect to be blown away. It's $2K.    Perhaps my expectations for headphones are unrealistic but even so $2K for a headphone should come with a whole lot more magic.  I think they priced it not for its magic but more as a progressive launching into the what is becoming an acceptable willingness to pay for an increase in sound presentation.   It's simply out of hand and the return is simply not enough, and it will continue without any braking I'm sure.  Once I realized that a vendor could simply ask $2K for a headphone and not deliver that much more than its previous model and that people would line up to buy it without question I realized the headphone realm was never going to attain any real measure of continuing greatness.  It seems we are in for incremental changes and astronomical leaps in price each time.    There is now a revival in the speaker realm where more designers are once again turning their ears towards creating very nice speakers at a low cost.  Maybe one day this will happen in the headphone industry but I think that industry is going to soar into the stratosphere before utter price saturation has it crashing back to earth.


 

 As much as I love the LCD-2s, I certainly wouldn't say that they are 3X better than the HD650s. I guess that's par for the course with this hobby.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> As much as I love the LCD-2s, I certainly wouldn't say that they are 3X better than the HD650s. I guess that's par for the course with this hobby.


 

  
  It is. I think even $1K is a mostly insane price to pay also.  Personally I cannot understand how little progress has been made in the headphone realm.  I remember listening to STAX in the late 80's and thinking wow what will it all be like in 20 years? 20 years of development It will be amazing!  Well it's pleasurable I'll say that but no where near amazing.   When I put down $1K for the LCD-2 there was definitely a measure of acceptance I had to acquire although I was hoping for amazing.   Maybe its me, perhaps at my age I no longer have the nueroplasticity to form new neural pathways that will allow me to experience the dimensional amazement I get from speakers with headphones.  Perhaps my neural pathways are so fixed I can never find the magic in headphone usage. but some nagging part of my inner ear tells me this is probably not the case, that it is simply more a matter of lowering my sonic expectations of the paradigm and going from there into it.    The LCD-3 made me realize this. Now as you can see it has sent me into a reality funk, and ironically it's not the musical kind of funk.


----------



## Naim.F.C

WarriorAnt, I agree with your posts entirely. I play a lot of badminton, and as weird as the comparison may seem, it's a similar situation with badminton racket and shuttlecock technology. New marketing terms, manufacturing processes, descriptors etc come out, prices constantly on the substantial increase, people willing to pay higher premiums etc etc, but actual real world performance wise, the changes are incremental at best. It's a stagnant or lacklustre condition and recipe for progression because people, unfortunately (like me), continue to pay those premium prices for such incremental upgrades.
   
  The law of diminishing returns with certain industries. They seem to be pushing the envelope, but in as many wrong directions as right.
   
  Another annoyance of mine, videophile technology. Why after 4-5 years is my Pioneer KRP-500 STILL better than everything else on the market, IQ, contrast, black level and colour reproduction wise? It's a joke. Especially considering some of these new LED TV's cost stupid amounts of money and charge higher premiums over the Pioneer Plasma's of old.
   
  /rant.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I'm glad I purchased the V200.  I'll probably just use cans now for rare night time indulgence but when I do I want an amp that can bring it, and with the V200 I didn't have to go 2K , 3K.


----------



## khaos974

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Well, the V200 too has both caps and opamps in the signal path, cheap NE5532s even, it's just a matter of implementation.


----------



## Naim.F.C

I must add, I feel the same way with respect to the V200. To me it _could_ be, as one other member described it, an "evergreen" amp. Based on numerous impressions, a rare product that stands tall and actually competes amongst giants but at not so exponential prices. Is it still expensive? Sure, especially with the advent of the O2 and everything it brought with it. But it's still a lot more sensibly priced than it could have been and compared to some of the other amp elites.
   
  There is a sense of relief and mental luxury in knowing you have an amp that you could plug just about anything in to and still have it sounding great, all the while not costing several thousands of dollars. Just how good it sounds remains to be seen by me though, at least till mine turns up! 
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I'm glad I purchased the V200.  I'll probably just use cans now for rare night time indulgence but when I do I want an amp that can bring it, and with the V200 I didn't have to go 2K , 3K.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





khaos974 said:


> Well, the V200 too has both caps and opamps in the signal path, cheap NE5532s even, it's just a matter of implementation.


 

  
  Last I heard the opamps were not in the signal path.  But when I get time I'm going to email Fried about it for clarification and also because Its always cool to experience what Fried has to say about amps.


----------



## khaos974

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Violectric* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> -  Balanced inputs with gold-plated Neutrik XLR connectors
> -  Unbalanced inputs with gold-plated ALPS cinch connectors
> ...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Now what am I going to talk to Fried about?!


----------



## Gwarmi

I'm sure most of you don't need convincing between the benefits of sticking to RCA un-balanced
   versus XLR balanced operation with this amp ~ I've certainly spent some time away from home
   from my RCA only Rega using radio spec XLR and also a pair of Chord Co Chameleon XLR's.
   
   Now before this turns into a cable praise post - I have to say today's audition was an eye opener
   courtesy of a mate who happens to be a rep for AudioLab - the man has built quite a stockpile
   of cables and cords over the years and he'd been meaning to drop in and let me have a listen
   to these so-called 'fabled' Stealth Meta-Carbons.
   
   I'm not the biggest cable preacher man but I've always had a decent set across the board
   whether digital or analogue - these XLR beauties were entirely something else.
   
   
   
  Test track was just the one - Amy Winehouse 'You sent me Flying'
   
  Sound stage depth and width took a turn with these exorbitantly priced cables, I kept calling
  placebo, frantically swapping back and forth between the Chord Chameleons and the Stealth
  Metacarbons - the difference was the starkest rendition I've personally heard between a pair
  of XLR's thus far. If this was happening all in my head - great! - where do I sign up, a few
  other folk also had a brief listen with the LCD2rev2 and reported the same. The real gains
  came with the V200 and HD800 - we picked up a voice dubbing error where the mastering
  engineer had clearly pieced together her vocals in two or more sections for the track.
   
  All in all with the Nuforce DAC-9 - it was the best V200 performance thus far for me, it
  certainly made it 100% clear to me - XLR all the way with this beast.
   
  Won't bother dropping the price on the Stealth Carbons, it's a bit beyond stupid..


----------



## khaos974

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Now what am I going to talk to Fried about?!


 

 About the weather near lake Constance? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Or if he plans to release a V2800? (V800+V200 in a single unit)


----------



## Loevhagen

Those who are eager to try the V200, but are on tighter budget; you should try the G100. The Lake People / Violectric line up (i.e. V200 and G100) is - two candidates that convey (extreme?) good VFM in the head-fi business.


----------



## qawsedrf

loevhagen said:


> Those who are eager to try the V200, but are on tighter budget; you should try the G100. The Lake People / Violectric line up (i.e. V200 and G100) is - two candidates that convey (extreme?) good VFM in the head-fi business.




Any impressions so far, Loevhagen?


----------



## Loevhagen

Yup. I have completed the compariosn.
   
  I though I would write a long winded review with a lot of elaboration and tell all about the amps, their similarities and differences and synergies with my headphones. - but I put that to a halt half way. It can be made short and sweet. But, then I thought that this hobby may deserve some entertainment as well, and not just the conclusion. So, I picked up the keyboard again to finish the review. Will be posted during the weekend. I have heard enough. None of these amps will be sold. They are both keepers.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> Any impressions so far, Loevhagen?


 


  ...


----------



## Loevhagen

Salt & Pepper? Not quite...


----------



## Kepic

Happy V200 owner here 
   
  Use V800 + V200 with my HD800 for a while
   
  And the soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer is just AMAZING with these.


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Salt & Pepper? Not quite...


 
  Still waiting for those impressions


----------



## slwiser

Impressions for the v200 are all over the Internet..there is one comparison between it and several others including my Phonitor which came in behind the V200 on that comparison.   The primary thing I like about my Phonitor is that I can control the sound image much better than without all the imaging controls.   Some headphones have to much or to divergent imaging and some do not have enough.  Just one of my quirks but the V200 must be a great amp from the impressions that I have read.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





slwiser said:


> Impressions for the v200 are all over the Internet..there is one comparison between it and several others including my Phonitor which came in behind the V200 on that comparison.   The primary thing I like about my Phonitor is that I can control the sound image much better than without all the imaging controls.   Some headphones have to much or to divergent imaging and some do not have enough.  Just one of my quirks but the V200 must be a great amp from the impressions that I have read.


 


  No I think *Loevhagen *was going to publish his review between the V200 and the Lake People G100


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





slwiser said:


> Impressions for the v200 are all over the Internet..there is one comparison between it and several others including my Phonitor which came in behind the V200 on that comparison.   The primary thing I like about my Phonitor is that I can control the sound image much better than without all the imaging controls.   Some headphones have to much or to divergent imaging and some do not have enough.  Just one of my quirks but the V200 must be a great amp from the impressions that I have read.


 


  Can you point me out to the comparison between the V-200 and the Phonitor? I've own the V100, and now I use the Phonitor. BTW, the imaging controls on the SPL are a big pro bonus, but even with the imaging off the Phonitor still sound amazing!


----------



## slwiser

Quote: 





acix said:


> Can you point me out to the comparison between the V-200 and the Phonitor? I've own the V100, and now I use the Phonitor. BTW, the imaging controls on the SPL are a big pro bonus, but even with the imaging off the Phonitor still sound amazing!


 
  Actually I think it was not the V200 but the G100, a lessor model to the V200 that won that comparison.  I will try to find it.
   
  Here is what I was referring too:  Lake People built the G100 and the V200 is I believe essentially a later/upgraded edition  to the G100. But the comparison that *Loevhagen* is doing will tell the tell on this assumption of mine.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/449063/test-of-pro-headphone-amplifiers-lake-people-wins#post_6065857
   
  You can find the Lake People and Violectic products here and their relative costs.
   
  http://www.thomann.de/gb/violectric_hpa_200_kopfhoererverstaerker.htm


----------



## raysclim1568

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Salt & Pepper? Not quite...


 

 Hi Loevhagen , Just check in your Blog ..very nice layout and lusting photos... but ...but ....but ... do you have a English version ??


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





slwiser said:


> Actually I think it was not the V200 but the G100, a lessor model to the V200 that won that comparison.  I will try to find it.
> 
> Here is what I was referring too:  Lake People built the G100 and the V200 is I believe essentially a later/upgraded edition  to the G100.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/449063/test-of-pro-headphone-amplifiers-lake-people-wins#post_6065857


 

  
  Yes, this funny thread... my experience with the V100 did match...maybe the G100 is so much different compare to the V100.


----------



## YOONG 2112

Hi.. I am just about to buy "blind" a V200 based on reviews by you gurus cos where I am there are no hifi shops.
  I have a pair of AKG 702. I have tried CREEK 21SE but found no ooomp factor from it. I tried a friend's BURSON 160 . there was more kick  but the sound was harsh. Well with these listening characteristics of my ear... Is the V200 better than both those amps I have listened to as a comparison? Many thanks for your prompt feedback


----------



## YOONG 2112

Hi project 86
   I find your Reviews of the Violectric V181 n V200 very objective n very comprehensive. I own an AKG702. Have tried Creek 21SE n BURSON 160. The former didn't have the kick factor n the latter was a bit harsh. Is the V200, which I am interested to buy, better than the two I have listened to? If Not, what else is there in this Price range?


----------



## Saintly

The V200 has plenty of power and a touch of warmth.  I imagine that it'd pair nicely with the K702.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





saintly said:


> The V200 has plenty of power and a touch of warmth.  I imagine that it'd pair nicely with the K702.


 


  How's the 702 for watching TV shows?  
   
   
  That's not warmth, its seduction.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





yoong 2112 said:


> Hi.. I am just about to buy "blind" a V200 based on reviews by you gurus cos where I am there are no hifi shops.
> I have a pair of AKG 702. I have tried CREEK 21SE but found no ooomp factor from it. I tried a friend's BURSON 160 . there was more kick  but the sound was harsh. Well with these listening characteristics of my ear... Is the V200 better than both those amps I have listened to as a comparison? Many thanks for your prompt feedback


 

  
  I had the V-100 with the K-702, and is a good kick/bass definition and no harsh sound on the tops.


----------



## cactus_farmer

What gives better bass impact and slam, V200 or Burson HA-160?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





yoong 2112 said:


> Hi project 86
> I find your Reviews of the Violectric V181 n V200 very objective n very comprehensive. I own an AKG702. Have tried Creek 21SE n BURSON 160. The former didn't have the kick factor n the latter was a bit harsh. Is the V200, which I am interested to buy, better than the two I have listened to? If Not, what else is there in this Price range?


 

 I had a Creek amp for a while back in the day, and I have to say - it isn't a very good amp. The Burson is a nice amp but I did hear some harshness with it, and it seemed to lack the overall refinement that the V200 has. 
   
  Obviously I enjoy the V200 but I'd say that using a $1k amp just to drive a K702 might be overkill. Not that the combo doesn't sound excellent, but I think you are missing out on the improvements that a better headphone could bring. If you plan on upgrading headphones down the road then the V200 will have you all set for amplification.
   


  Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> What gives better bass impact and slam, V200 or Burson HA-160?


 

 I'd say that the Burson is louder but the V200 is better overall, in terms of texture, clarity, extension, etc. Burson is no slouch though - I really think its bass performance is its best attribute.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Obviously I enjoy the V200 but I'd say that using a $1k amp just to drive a K702 might be overkill. Not that the combo doesn't sound excellent, but I think you are missing out on the improvements that a better headphone could bring. If you plan on upgrading headphones down the road then the V200 will have you all set for amplification.


 
   
  Cost is not always a definition for better SQ... I'm using the K-702 with the Apogee + Phonitor, and I think is a win combo for studio use, or for those who want to hear the music the way the artist intended. With a good transparent combo you'll be able to hear better the coloration of your hps.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





acix said:


> Cost is not always a definition for better SQ... I'm using the K-702 with the Apogee + Phonitor, and I think is a win combo for studio use, or for those who want to hear the music the way the artist intended. With a good transparent combo you'll be able to hear better the coloration of your hps.


 


  I know how much you love your K702. I like it too, though probably not as much as you (I've bought and sold the 701/702 about 4 times by now, I guess I can't decide how I feel about it). I just think that with a $300 headphone it makes more sense to match it with something like a Matrix M-Stage ($250).
   
  Even though you love your K702 you also have other options that you enjoy like the GMP and Beyers. That makes it a bit of a different situation to have an expensive amp, to get the most out of a wide range of headphones.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I know how much you love your K702. I like it too, though probably not as much as you (I've bought and sold the 701/702 about 4 times by now, I guess I can't decide how I feel about it). I just think that with a $300 headphone it makes more sense to match it with something like a Matrix M-Stage ($250).
> 
> Even though you love your K702 you also have other options that you enjoy like the GMP and Beyers. That makes it a bit of a different situation to have an expensive amp, to get the most out of a wide range of headphones.


 

  
  ...and again you see it as, $250 hps = $250 amp. I think we're here to get the best sound available out of your hp. BTW, I wish I can find a better hps than the K-702.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





acix said:


> ...and again you see it as, $250 hps = $250 amp. I think we're here to get the best sound available out of your hp. BTW, I wish I can find a better hps than the K-702.


 


  I guess it just comes down to this: you like the K702 _a lot_. You find it justified building a system around them. Nothing wrong with that!


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I guess it just comes down to this: you like the K702 _a lot_. You find it justified building a system around them. Nothing wrong with that!


 


  Once you get that quality out of the K702 with the Phonitor combo there is no turning back, as you know I've tried.


----------



## Zombie_X

*project86:*
  I also love them but they have this odd coloration in the mids that kinda irked me after a while. That's the main reason I ended up selling them. Otherwise they sound quite nice. The whole sound has this weird coloration to it. I call that coloration "forced neutrality" as that is what it sound like.
   
  I can see your point about amps and the M-Stage does drive it nicely, but not effectively. The SPL Phonitor, as Acix brought up, does drive it much better than the M-Stage ever could. BUT the V200 drives them better. Much better in fact, I just don't need another amp.
   
*Acix:*
  IMO the K702 is not a good studio headphone at all. It has a oddly colored sound. It is highly transparent like you stated and the Auditor really brings it into it's own but it doesn't fix the glaring coloration of it's sound. That's why I can not recommend it as a studio headphone. The mids are wonky and sound artificial, but the bass and treble are very nice sounding. The soundstage is also very good, but somewhat limited by it's depth.
   
  The Phonitor isn't the definitive amp for the headphones as, IMO, the V200 drives them much better. Not bashing the Phonitor as it's an exceptional amp for sure, heck I own the Auditor, but it's just not the best for the K702. The V200 fixes the issues with the K702 and makes it sound much more realistic in the midrange.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> *project86:*
> I also love them but they have this odd coloration in the mids that kinda irked me after a while. That's the main reason I ended up selling them. Otherwise they sound quite nice. The whole sound has this weird coloration to it. I call that coloration "forced neutrality" as that is what it sound like.
> 
> I can see your point about amps and the M-Stage does drive it nicely, but not effectively. The SPL Phonitor, as Acix brought up, does drive it much better than the M-Stage ever could. BUT the V200 drives them better. Much better in fact, I just don't need another amp.
> ...


 



 Have you compared the Phonitor to the V200?
   
  In my experience with the V100 (I'm not sure what the differences are compare to the V200) the V100 pull back the K702 mids but not in a gentle way, by doing so the the 702's upper mid crashed out and the vocals do not get the right ambience and start to become dark and out of focus.
   
  The Phonitor can use the center level to reduce the K702 upper mids and this make them almost a perfect combo (you should try this one ).
   
  I love the V-100 little gem, but the Phonitor is superior in terms of transparency, sound balance, and sound resolution...and this with out to mention the imaging control. 
   
  But why not to mention the imaging control, here is how it's work...


----------



## Zombie_X

Yes I have had time to compare them side by side and to me, even with the image controls, the Phonitor falls short. With the V200 the mids fill in more and sound more realistic. Also the Phonitor and Auditor sound the exact same, this is of course without the imaging.
  
  Quote: 





acix said:


> Have you compared the Phonitor to the V200?
> 
> In my experience with the V100 (I'm not sure what the differences are compare to the V200) the V100 pull back the K702 mids but not in a gentle way, by doing so the the 702's upper mid crashed out and the vocals do not get the right ambience and start to become dark and out of focus.
> 
> ...


----------



## Dubstep Girl

how would it compared to my WA6-SE?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





dubstep girl said:


> how would it compared to my WA6-SE?


 


  or what headphone. The V200 is a very nice solid state amp and I am working on the review and have also comparing i\t to the ray samuels HR-2 and the Decware combo but thats not fair as the decware are in another league for the HE500 and the T1. The V200 plays nice with them all but the tubes amps are better for my T1 and also the HE500 but for my D7000 either one of the solid state amps are good/


----------



## Dubstep Girl

i plan on buying a good solid state, i think it'll be this or maybe a beta 22. i am also considering something from burson audio.


----------



## Saintly

The V200 has a very pleasant organic sound with a touch of warmth.  The downside that I've noticed is that the soundstage is a big constricted with orchestral pieces.  I'm not sure if it's as noticeable on other headphones but it is with the HD 800.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yes I have had time to compare them side by side and to me, even with the image controls, the Phonitor falls short. With the V200 the mids fill in more and sound more realistic. Also the Phonitor and Auditor sound the exact same, this is of course without the imaging.


 


  I don't agree with, how the upper mids can be more realistic if they are not even in balance with the rest of the sound frequencies? The upper mids are the weakness point of the V100 (not to mention the roll off treble and the over bass, and let's not forget the huge sound stage). I like the bassy sound and the huge sound stage, but is far from to be realistic, balanced, or neutral. For me the V100 is more of fun hifi experience. But again, maybe the V200 have a different sound signature than the V100.
   
  BTW, the Auditor sounds close to the Phonitor ...but I'm not sure is the same sound, and on the inside they looks a bit different.
   
  Auditor,
   

   
  Phonitor, you can see the extra 9 SUPRA OP amps inside.


----------



## Frank I

How can you disagree if the V200 is a different amp and you have not heard   it. maybe you should seek out the V200 and compare them before disagreeing since you have the V100 a different amp. It appears Zombie has compared both of the amps.


----------



## Saintly

Huge soundstage on the V100?  The V200 and V100 are definitely very different then.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Huge soundstage on the V100?  The V200 and V100 are definitely very different then.


 


  Okay, big will do for you?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





acix said:


> Okay, big will do for you?


 

 I'm not disagreeing that V100 has a huge soundstage.  I don't know either way as I haven't heard it.
   
  I'm just saying that the V200 has a rather limited soundstage compared to other amps I've heard (Benchmark Dac1 USB's built-in amp, Meier Concerto) so if V100 has a "huge soundstage," then it definitely is different from the V200.
   
  Have you heard the V200?


----------



## Zombie_X

I see your point Acix as both boards are vastly different, but I have spoken with the guys at SPL and they told me the Phonitor has a more complex circuit board to house the crossfeed circuitry. They told me the Auditor is the purist version of the Phonitor and uses a redesigned board as it does not have the imaging options. I was also told that since the board has much less in the signal path and gives the amp a cleaner sound due to lower distortion and less crosstalk. When I asked how they sound they responded saying that without the crossfeed circuit that they should sound the same. So the Auditor board is a revised version of the Phonitor's and yield cleaner performance.
   
  You also can not judge how they sound by looking at the internal shots. My X-CANV8P looks basic inside but sounds very good.
  
  Quote: 





acix said:


> I don't agree with, how the upper mids can be more realistic if they are not even in balance with the rest of the sound frequencies? The upper mids are the weakness point of the V100 (not to mention the roll off treble and the over bass, and let's not forget the huge sound stage). I like the bassy sound and the huge sound stage, but is far from to be realistic, balanced, or neutral. For me the V100 is more of fun hifi experience. But again, maybe the V200 have a different sound signature than the V100.
> 
> BTW, the Auditor sounds close to the Phonitor ...but I'm not sure is the same sound, and on the inside they looks a bit different.
> 
> ...


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





saintly said:


> I'm not disagreeing that V100 has a huge soundstage.  I don't know either way as I haven't heard it.
> 
> I'm just saying that the V200 has a rather limited soundstage compared to other amps I've heard (Benchmark Dac1 USB's built-in amp, Meier Concerto) so if V100 has a "huge soundstage," then it definitely is different from the V200.
> 
> Have you heard the V200?


 

  
  I hope is different from the V200. BTW, I was not impressed with the Benchmark sound, and not with the hps amp section.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





acix said:


> I hope is different from the V200. BTW, I was not impressed with the Benchmark sound, and not with the hps amp section.


 

 To each his own.  You also love the K701/702 above all else, so we have a resounding YMMV right here.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





saintly said:


> You also love the K701/702 above all else...


 

 What this have to do?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





acix said:


> What this have to do?


 

 Your preferences are rather esoteric.


----------



## Naim.F.C

Unlike headphones, amps/DAC's etc don't have the luxury of tinkering with physical and ergonomic designs the way headphones do (cup size, shape etc), so if a certain headphone has a wider soundstage, more intimate sound etc from a DAC or AMP, it is most probably due to the products afflictions on specific frequencies in sound.
   
   
  I was going to wait to add some of this to my eventual review, but I'll just go ahead and say some of it now.
   
  I am not in the least bit surprised that someone mentioned the V100 has a wider soundstage than the V200. But I'd also harbour a guess as to the difference being incremental at best, and anything more being an exaggeration or placebo on the part of the listener. My prediction as to why the V200 sounds more intimate is actually pretty basic and simple, that being the V200's very subtle colour or should I say, intentional extension to sub bass.
   
  Imo certain frequencies can affect the perception of soundstage, and even playing around with EQ's (especially on IEM's) can highlight this. Less sub bass, lesser low mids and increased highs imo all open up soundstage and provide for a more airy or distant sound. Increased sub bass, upper mids, recessed highs etc, all provide a more intimate, less wide or open sound.
   
  This is not to say that the sound IS actually narrower, only the perception of it, because certain frequencies drown out or encumber others, thus giving that illusion. I.e, increased sub bass taking attention away from that tiny little tap far in the distance of a certain track, a single sound that would have otherwise given the illusion of great width.
   
   
  Earlier someone posted an email from Fried stating that the V200 was more "musical" than the V100. Many people had no idea what that actually meant, but now that I have the amp to test, I think I have some idea as to what he may have meant.
   
  With the V200, I think the smoothness attribute or discriptor is mainly due to the increased sub bass extension offering up a very moody or black low end glaze and punch, balancing off the highs somewhat. I also think that the amp may have a slight boost to the upper mids, again, probably to balance things out and ensure there is no loss of detail despite the extra sub bass. In order not to stray too far from "neutral" or "true" sound however, all these differences are _very_ subtle.
   
  Whilst these changes make the V200 very subtly musical, natural sounding and smooth, they do have the adverse affect of making it's presentation appear slightly more intimate. I'll save more detailed impressions and findings for my actual review.
   
   
   
  Suffice to say, I do find the V200 to be an exceptional amp. For my personal tastes, it is the best solid state amp I've ever tried. Not for everything mind, but on the whole, the smoothness of sound, with that rich kick in the upper mids and addictive addition of some low end oomph, it really suits me well. Suits the T1 even better. Having said that, these changes are extremely subtle and not glaring, so it's not going to offer colour too far from the neutral path.


----------



## Acix

Hehehe, I hope the extra 9 SUPRA OP amps are not there just for the ****s and giggles. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I see your point Acix as both boards are vastly different, but I have spoken with the guys at SPL and they told me the Phonitor has a more complex circuit board to house the crossfeed circuitry. They told me the Auditor is the purist version of the Phonitor and uses a redesigned board as it does not have the imaging options. I was also told that since the board has much less in the signal path and gives the amp a cleaner sound due to lower distortion and less crosstalk. When I asked how they sound they responded saying that without the crossfeed circuit that they should sound the same. So the Auditor board is a revised version of the Phonitor's and yield cleaner performance.
> 
> You also can not judge how they sound by looking at the internal shots. My X-CANV8P looks basic inside but sounds very good.


----------



## Zombie_X

No they are there for operating the various imaging options the Phonitor has (more like processing I guess). That is what I have gathered from my e-mails with SPL, but I will e-mail them again to make sure.
  
  Quote: 





acix said:


> Hehehe, I hope the extra 9 SUPRA OP amps are not there just for the ****s and giggles.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> Unlike headphones, amps/DAC's etc don't have the luxury of tinkering with physical and ergonomic designs the way headphones do (cup size, shape etc), so if a certain headphone has a wider soundstage, more intimate sound etc from a DAC or AMP, it is most probably due to the products afflictions on specific frequencies in sound.
> 
> 
> I was going to wait to add some of this to my eventual review, but I'll just go ahead and say some of it now.
> ...


 

 I am bummed out that you have to sell your V200 after only a short period with it but I think having your own place is of course well worth the sacrifice.  Good luck with your flat I hope you get it!
   
  In terms of the V200 soundstage I have been able to actually increase the soundstage in my rig (W4S DAC-2, V200, LCD-2 r.2) by adding a Shunyata Venom 3 power cord to the DAC-2.  This not only increased the dimensionality of the entire rig but also increased the   width of the sound stage.  Many folks have found a Venom 3 to be most helpful on their digital source.  then when I added another Venom 3 to my V200 the inertia of the benefits form the Venom 3 on the DAC-2 carried into the V200.  Not nearly as dramatic a change as the DAC-2 Venom 3 combo but it did carry into it.  So now I have a larger soundstage than I had before. More than I realized I could have.  So I guess my point is that there can be other factors limiting or  increasing soundstage than just a basic setup.  even the addition of the Q cable helped.  The synergy of the three pieces of gear and the two power cords and one headphone cable have come together to give me a larger wider soundstage than I had previous to the two power cords.  Also going Balanced out of the DAC-2 and balanced into the V200 also helped open things up.


----------



## Zombie_X

I agree, balancing does seem to make the sound crisper with more definition. It really does help open the sound up.
  
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *WarriorAnt* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Also going Balanced out of the DAC-2 and balanced into the V200 also helped open things up.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I agree, balancing does seem to make the sound crisper with more definition. It really does help open the sound up.


 

 I had almost forgotten the benefit of going balanced out of the W4S DAC-2 into the V200.  Right now I'm using a set of XLR cables from W4S but I recently found a pair of Black Mountain Pinnacle cables Silver/Gold alpine wire (yet to be shipped) that I couldn't resist so I'm waiting to try those out between the DAC and the V200.  One thing I noticed with the V200 is that it really shows the differences in cable changes wether it is an interconnect or headphone cable.


----------



## krod3003

WarriorAnt you gotta let me listen to your rig someday. I've been looking for a good DAC and the W4S Dac-2 is in my crosshairs.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





krod3003 said:


> WarriorAnt you gotta let me listen to your rig someday. I've been looking for a good DAC and the W4S Dac-2 is in my crosshairs.


 

 Are you going to the Phoenix meet in March? 
   
  I really like the digital pre amp in the W4S DAC-2.  I'm using it right now to feed a pair of DARED VP-20 tube mono block amps a friend sent to me.  Very dimensional.


----------



## baritone

hi all
  every time i read about the sound stage dimensions depth and wide  no body had tried to measure to get numbers
  we all change  cables dacs ops hpamp hp to achieve what we want but one thing is not taken in account @@ our hearing biological system @@ that is not perfect and not stable as we can think
  hormones affects moods affects  light and smells also affects in other words this is a virtual parameter that is a result of a complex mix of  personal human hearing /electronics and phisyologic
  interaction that give a result called sound dimension and sound depth IMO cooper  wire can not change this


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





baritone said:


> hi all
> every time i read about the sound stage dimensions depth and wide  no body had tried to measure to get numbers
> we all change  cables dacs ops hpamp hp to achieve what we want but one thing is not taken in account @@ our hearing biological system @@ that is not perfect and not stable as we can think
> hormones affects moods affects  light and smells also affects in other words this is a virtual parameter that is a result of a complex mix of  personal human hearing /electronics and phisyologic
> interaction that give a result called sound dimension and sound depth IMO cooper  wire can not change this


 


  Good point Baritone, in my experience changing the K702 cable with Mogami cable I've got a better sound separation /definition. in my case the change was around 15-20%, maybe is not dramatic for others but if I'll get 20% on every component of my system I'll be very happy.
   
  Since you're in Israel, and not so far from me, I'll be glad to conduct with you this experiment and to announce our findings...


----------



## Naim.F.C

This amp has an uncanny ability to make vocals sound absolutely real. Just gives that tiny bit of added body and weight that transports them from sounding recorded to sounding like they're right there with you. Hate to beat a dead horse, but smooth really is the best way to describe the V200 sound sig. It's just so non fatiguing and natural.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





baritone said:


> hi all
> every time i read about the sound stage dimensions depth and wide  no body had tried to measure to get numbers
> we all change  cables dacs ops hpamp hp to achieve what we want but one thing is not taken in account @@ our hearing biological system @@ that is not perfect and not stable as we can think
> hormones affects moods affects  light and smells also affects in other words this is a virtual parameter that is a result of a complex mix of  personal human hearing /electronics and phisyologic
> interaction that give a result called sound dimension and sound depth IMO cooper  wire can not change this


 


  Numbers and measurements?  Take it to the appropriate forum.  The science forum. They have plenty of threads there for that.  In this thread we use our ears.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Numbers and measurements?  Take it to the appropriate forum.  The science forum. They have plenty of threads there for that.  In this thread we use our ears.


 
   
  x2!
   
   
  And how are we supposed to give numbers for soundstage?  That's not something you can bust out a tape measure for. 
   
  As for hormonal changes and the like, you're getting a bit carried away there.  I don't expect any upsurge or plummeting of my hormones in the second that it takes me to unplug my headphones from the V200 and plug them into the amp of the Benchmark Dac1.  You might've missed the part where I mentioned an A/B comparison.


----------



## Frank I

X2 this is the VG200 review thread and seem like everyone comparing phonitor and such and amps other than the V200. I have over 100 hou rs listening to the V200 and its a very  good solid state amp. I like what I have been hearing and hopefully by the end of next week I have  enough information for me to write the review. This one is especially not easy for me as there is two other SS amps I have in house for comparison and both do have their strong points as well. The Decware amps are not really a contest for the V200  as IMO both the Taboo and CSP2 are much better but for a solid state amp the V200 is a special amp indeed. More next week.


----------



## TheWuss

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> In terms of the V200 soundstage I have been able to actually increase the soundstage in my rig (W4S DAC-2, V200, LCD-2 r.2) by adding a Shunyata Venom 3 power cord to the DAC-2.  This not only increased the dimensionality of the entire rig but also increased the   width of the sound stage.  Many folks have found a Venom 3 to be most helpful on their digital source.  then when I added another Venom 3 to my V200 the inertia of the benefits form the Venom 3 on the DAC-2 carried into the V200.


 
   
  i agree with this 100%.  i own this rig, and it is outstanding.  and it took a quite distinctive step up with the venom 3 power cables.
  it made a believer out of me...
   
  also, in my humble opinion, also having owned the Phonitor for a short time, the V200 is a better amp for most headphones.
  that, however, could be argued.  yes, the Phonitor is more analytical and thrusts detail at you more.
  but, the V200 is a more enjoyable listen...


----------



## Saintly

My V200 is louder using the RCA than the XLR.  I was under the impression that the XLR connection has more voltage?  Does anyone know if this is something to do with the settings on my Benchmark or the V200?


----------



## WarriorAnt

you have to check the output specs of the Benchmark for the RCA and the XLR, I doubt they are the same.
   
  For me when I went to XLR from the DAC-2 to the V200 I had to lower the volume because the RCA and the XLR outputs are different.





   
   
  As you can see here the unbalanced output level of the W4S DAC-2 is much lower than the Balanced output.  seems to be half the output of the Balanced. the stronger XLR output for me is what seems to have opened up the V200 more when I went Balanced out from the W4S into the V200.    Your situation may be different.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> you have to check the output specs of the Benchmark for the RCA and the XLR, I doubt they are the same.
> 
> For me when I went to XLR from the DAC-2 to the V200 I had to lower the volume because the RCA and the XLR outputs are different.
> 
> ...


 


  There are internal jumpers in the Benchmark.  Maybe the previous owner adjusted them.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





saintly said:


> There are internal jumpers in the Benchmark.  Maybe the previous owner adjusted them.


 


  Still you need to find out what the RCA and XLR outputs are for your model.  It will give you better insight as to how it is combining with the V200.  there are a few who have found the RCA connection to be better, I believe in those instances it was more up to the quality of the DAC than anything to do with the V200.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Still you need to find out what the RCA and XLR outputs are for your model.  It will give you better insight as to how it is combining with the V200.  there are a few who have found the RCA connection to be better, I believe in those instances it was more up to the quality of the DAC than anything to do with the V200.


 


   
  Just read the manual and it turns out that the XLR is preset at +4dBu while RCA is at +8.2 dBu at 0 dBFS. I'm not sure if this has any bearing on the sound quality.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





saintly said:


> Just read the manual and it turns out that the XLR is preset at +4dBu while RCA is at +8.2 dBu at 0 dBFS. I'm not sure if this has any bearing on the sound quality.


 
  From those numbers it would seem the XLR output is lower than the RCA output which would mean a smaller signal going into the V200 from the XLR output than the RCA and thus the need for more volume from the V200 when using the XLR of the Benchmark.  does it say what the voltage output is?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> From those numbers it would seem the XLR output is lower than the RCA output which would mean a smaller signal going into the V200 from the XLR output than the RCA and thus the need for more volume from the V200 when using the XLR of the Benchmark.  does it say what the voltage output is?


 
   
  Yep, does seem that way.  The RCA preset value is 2V rms.  They have instructions on opening the case and adjusting the internal jumpers but I'm not sure if the current situation is important enough to warrant that.
   
  Btw, I have my Apple earbuds plugged into my V200 being fed through the Benchmark right now.  Honestly, it sounds really good.  I'm not the pickiest person when it comes to audio and most things sound pretty good to me, but this is shockingly good considering what they are.


----------



## walkman666

I received a new v200 amp today from Robert at Aphroditecu29.  It's gorgeous. This forum, again, helped me with my decision, thanks. 
   
Question:  I am currently running a pair of unbalanced RCA interconnects from a nuforce icon hdp dac/pre-amp to the inputs of the v200. However, I am unsure about which device to use as my primary means of controlling the volume, the nuforce icon hdp or v200?  When connected to my nuforce dac/pre-amp, I essentially have two ways of controlling the volume, through the pre-amp and the v200.  
  
 Currently, with gain switches on the rear of the v200 at factory default, it's only really loud when I have the nuforce at 2:30 (70% or so of max volume), and the v200 at 1:00.  I feel that if I turn the pre-amp much lower, then I almost have to max out the v200 to get the tunes loud.
  
 Any suggestions would be much appreciated.  thanks


----------



## WarriorAnt

Is there a way to break away the DAC output of the nuforce and bypass its amplification sending just the DAC output to the V200?   From what I can see from The specs below theICON was not designed to run its RCA line out for the purpose you are trying to achieve.  It is my understanding that the LINE OUT is for a subwoofer connection.  Either way even if you can use the RCA out into the V200 you'd be double amplifying and I'm not sure you want to do that either.  To be honest I'm not sure you can use the ICON in the manner in which you desire but I could be wrong. Maybe someone else can offer better speculation than I can on this matter.
   
   
  Specifications 
 
  Input 

 
 
 RCA
 USB (USB 1.1, 2.0 compatible)
 3.5mm Stereo



 
 Speaker Outputs (RJ45 connectors with 15 micron thick gold plating). NuForce RJ45 to banana plug speaker cables are provided with NuForce Icon.
  Headphone Output 

 
 
 Maximum output @32 ohm Load: 31.25mW
 THD (20Hz ~ 20KHz) : < 0.03%
 Frequency Response (20Hz ~ 20KHz) : < -1dB



 
 Line Out (for Subwoofer) connection
 USB DAC: USB 1.1, 2.0 compatible. USB native bit rate: 32-48kHz, 16-bit
 Power = 12WX2. Peak power =15WX2
 THD+N=0.05%, 1kHz, 2W @ 4 ohm load. THD+N=0.06%, 1kHz, 2W @ 8 ohm load.
 Power Bandwidth : 26Hz ~ 50kHz, -1dB, 1W @ 4ohm load
 SNR = 84 db at 7W @ 8ohm
 Maximum sampling rate: 48kHz
 Resolution: 16-bit
 S/N Ratio: 98dB
 Power Adapter - 12-14V, 25W, 100-240VAC worldwide voltages
 Dimension: 6" x 4 1/2" x 1"
 Weight: 1 lb. Shipping weight 5 lb.


----------



## walkman666

Thanks warriorant.  That is what I feared. I tellya, when I A-B, the dang nuforce sounds better, and I don't think that's possible.  I do usually have the icon's rca's going out to some audioengine A2s. I took those RCA interconnects off the A2s and connected them to the V200.  Does not sound bad, but there is no wow with the V200 in my current set-up. I did run this all by Robert at Aphroditecu29, and he did not indicate that this would not work, but you have done some extra research here, and maybe that this is news that is important to note.  I wonder if I should reach out to Fried at Lake People?
   
  Yeah, it's not close, the bass coming out of my HE-500s and the details and the treble and the blah blah blah are superior with the nuforce.  My connection cannot be correct.
   
  BTW, I have had this avatar here for like ten years, and your signature is like a crazy coincidence.


----------



## WNBC

It can output to an amplifier.  It uses a special adapter in order to get the subwoofer out.  According to their diagram (bottom right going from HDP to amplifier).
"Subwoofer connection - a RCA male to two RCA female AudioQuest adapter can be used to provide extra connection to subwoofer."
   


  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Is there a way to break away the DAC output of the nuforce and bypass its amplification sending just the DAC output to the V200?   From what I can see from The specs below theICON was not designed to run its RCA line out for the purpose you are trying to achieve.  It is my understanding that the LINE OUT is for a subwoofer connection.  Either way even if you can use the RCA out into the V200 you'd be double amplifying and I'm not sure you want to do that either.  To be honest I'm not sure you can use the ICON in the manner in which you desire but I could be wrong. Maybe someone else can offer better speculation than I can on this matter.


----------



## Frank I

Good question shoot Freid an email he will give you a detailed explanation on whats going on . He good that way.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> It can output to an amplifier.  It uses a special adapter in order to get the subwoofer out.  According to their diagram (bottom right going from HDP to amplifier).
> "Subwoofer connection - a RCA male to two RCA female AudioQuest adapter can be used to provide extra connection to subwoofer."


 
  I'm still wondering if the subwoofer outlet is a good option because it might be the wrong kind of double amplification.   You do need to shoot Fried an email over at Violectric and ask him about it.   Try to send him the spec info for the Nuforce Icon in case he is not familiar with it.


----------



## walkman666

Thanks WNBC and Frank.  I am going to zap an email to Fried.  Ah, but an audiofool I am.  My dear ol dad (RIP), an electrical engineer and TV repairman, would be rolling his eyes at his inept son who can't figure this out.  I must say, these HE-500s sound even better than my L3000s in many respects.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> Thanks WNBC and Frank.  I am going to zap an email to Fried.  Ah, but an audiophile I am.  My dear ol dad (RIP), an electrical engineer and TV repairman, would be rolling his eyes at his inept son who can't figure this out.  I must say, these HE-500s sound even better than my L3000s in many respects.


 

 It could be the hand of fate leading you to an outboard DAC source...Or it could be your subconscious inner ear guiding your wallet to a better sonic frontier...


----------



## walkman666

Will do warriorant. I am in the midst of composing the email to Fried now. I have included your specs, the diagram WNBC posted, and I even attached the manual (I feel a bit funny asking him to opine on a competitor's product...).


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> Will do warriorant. I am in the midst of composing the email to Fried now. I have included your specs, the diagram WNBC posted, and I even attached the manual (I feel a bit funny asking him to opine on a competitor's product...).


 

 Don't feel bad!   I'm sure Fired is delighted that you have one of his products in hand and he'd help you even if you didn't.


----------



## WNBC

I shot an email over to Clint to see what he thinks about the DAC-2.  I always wondered what it would be like to have Swans + sub hooked up.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I'm still wondering if the subwoofer outlet is a good option because it might be the wrong kind of double amplification.   You do need to shoot Fried an email over at Violectric and ask him about it.   Try to send him the spec info for the Nuforce Icon in case he is not familiar with it.


----------



## WNBC

Also by definition Nuforce is calling it a pre-amp so lets hope their advertising is legit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/iconhdp/index.php


----------



## walkman666

You guys are making me kvell with your immediate help and support. I really appreciate it.  thanks a lot!


----------



## walkman666

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> It could be the hand of fate leading you to an outboard DAC source...Or it could be your subconscious inner ear guiding your wallet to a better sonic frontier...


 

 Yeah, I "hearya" bro. I was starting to wonder...sheet, is the solution here that I gotta go for the whole nine yards and get the V800 DAC?  Net net, "I could sell the nuforce for x, sell the LPS for y, and it'll only cost..."  Here we go...Oy.  No, there has got to be a solution.  Look at that beautiful piece of gear on my desk though...sitting there, saying:  "Dude, the force is in me..."


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> I shot an email over to Clint to see what he thinks about the DAC-2.  I always wondered what it would be like to have Swans + sub hooked up.


 


  You should be able to run XLR to the Swans and the RCA outs to whatever sub but it will be interesting to see what Clint says.


----------



## WNBC

I'm pretty sure that you only get the signal to either the XLRs or RCAs on the DAC-2.  I've had active monitors and headphone amp turned on at the same time and only been able to use one or the other.  But this is from foggy memory.  I will try tonight to see if I can get sound out of the V200 and Swans at the same time.  But maybe DAC-2 to Swans + subwoofer is different than DAC-2 to Swans + V200.  No word from Clint yet.
   
   
   
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> You should be able to run XLR to the Swans and the RCA outs to whatever sub but it will be interesting to see what Clint says.


----------



## walkman666

Update: I exchanged emails with Fried this morning.  Such a nice guy. He said he could find nothing wrong with the connections I made from the Nuforce Icon HDP to the Violectric V200. (I shared with him all of the Nuforce info available on the Icon HDP as well).  He suggested I check the interconnects and the left/right channel balance (through my music software). I will do that, but am pretty sure both are okay. Otherwise, he said the volume control on the Icon HDP should be fully open (maximum volume). 
   
  I will re-listen tonight with the volume on the HDP at max, making more fine tuning volume level adjustments via the v200 (I tried this briefly last night, and my recollection is that when the v200 volume is at minimum, and the Icon HDP at maximum, there is zero volume; black background).
   
  Thanks all.  I will update this thread later.


----------



## WNBC

I asked Clint at Wyred 4 Sound about running a subwoofer and active monitors from the DAC-2...and the answer is yes
   
"You can run the Y harness that you are considering. Running two components off of the DACs outputs will lower the load that the DAC sees by 1/2. You active monitors will be down to 14k which is no problem. The sub will work just fine, go for it! That should really get that system filled in nice."
   
http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-splitter-female-15-24cm-cable/dp/B000GUSQJG
  or  http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-adapter-male-female-assembly/dp/B0009MFRW0/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_2/185-6684148-0292502
   
   
  So WA, I think you are right based on Clint's response but I will try it tonight to see if I can get the V200 and Swans going at the same time.  There is a penalty but as long as the impedance doesn't drop below 10K we should be fine.


----------



## walkman666

Listening now with Icon HDP volume at max and then adjusting V200.  Initial impression are very good.  Great bass and presence.  Hear lots of good details (Beck; Prodigy; Massive Attack).  I think the key was to max out the HDP volume.  When not maxed out, the frequency range could have been attenuated (Fried said this as well).  I am somewhat relieved, but need to do more listening, and A/B testing.  The Nuforce HDP, at least with its accompanying linear power supply is no slouch.


----------



## WarriorAnt

My guess would be to max out the NuForce also.


----------



## walkman666

Yeah, the v200 is smoother and less grainy.  Less bright yet with more details.  Lovely bass.  Nice with my HE-500s.  Gonna try my leatherheads now....oh, that is good.  Forgot how dang good these headphones were, particularly the bass and with rock.


----------



## PedroH

Would this amp be a clear upgrade for my systems?
   
  Current systems described in signature.
   
  Thanks.


----------



## walkman666

Speaking of adapters, per WNBC, are there any opinions about using a Y adapter to split out my nuforce preamp analog outputs so that I can run rca interconnects to both my v200 and powered speakers (audioengine A2s)...?  I would definitely have one of the "amplifiers" (v200 or A2) powered down when using the other.  Thanks.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> Speaking of adapters, per WNBC, are there any opinions about using a Y adapter to split out my nuforce preamp analog outputs so that I can run rca interconnects to both my v200 and powered speakers (audioengine A2s)...?  I would definitely have one of the "amplifiers" (v200 or A2) powered down when using the other.  Thanks.


 

 I use those. Other are more likely to use a switchbox. i guess each one has its advantages/disadvantages


----------



## walkman666

Thanks Ultrainferno.  A switch such as this?  I have one of these from Sescom.
   
  What are the pros/cons of the adapter vs. the switch?  thanks


----------



## project86

They probably all work well enough. I these Y splitters once in a while, which were pretty cheap if I recall:


----------



## WNBC

The adapters suggested by Ultrainferno and project86 would seem better suited than the one from Sescom.  I could be wrong but the Sescom looks to be a passive switch, so one input and A or B output rather than A + B which is what you need to hook up the subwoofer to the HDP.  You just need to be able to split the signal so that you can get a signal to the amp/active speakers and a signal to the subwoofer.  
   
  Or for fun, signal to the V200 and signal to subwoofer.  That would be an interesting experience, feeling the subwoofer bass via the floor and having headphones on at the same time to fill in the rest.  
   
  Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> Thanks Ultrainferno.  A switch such as this?  I have one of these from Sescom.
> 
> What are the pros/cons of the adapter vs. the switch?  thanks


----------



## walkman666

Thanks WNBC, however, I am not using a subwoofer (nor do I intend to do so).  I think I confused the matters in my post that said "per WNBC..."  Sorry about that. 
   
  My goal is to have two outputs connected to my HDP so that I can switch between using the v200 and A2s without having to unplug and swap interconnects.  I think either device, the Sescom switcher (it is indeed passive) or the Y splitter will meet these needs...and I am wondering if there is a reason to prefer one over the other.
   
  Let me know if I am missing something in your reply.
  thx


----------



## WNBC

That's my bad, lost track of posts.  Switch box or splitters will accomplish your goal.  Not sure which one would be better.     
   
  Hey, how do the ESW9a sound with the V200 or HDP?  They are pretty efficient from what I remember but maybe you tried it anyway.  
  
  Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> Thanks WNBC, however, I am not using a subwoofer (nor do I intend to do so).  I think I confused the matters in my post that said "per WNBC..."  Sorry about that.
> 
> My goal is to have two outputs connected to my HDP so that I can switch between using the v200 and A2s without having to unplug and swap interconnects.  I think either device, the Sescom switcher (it is indeed passive) or the Y splitter will meet these needs...and I am wondering if there is a reason to prefer one over the other.
> 
> ...


----------



## walkman666

No prob.  Thanks for the clarification, and validation on the use of switcher or splitter.  I can put my mind at ease.
   
  The ATs, both the L3000 and ES9WA sound terrific with the v200.  The AT cans are slightly on the bright side, so the v200 sound is a good compliment.  With my nuforce HDP as a pre-amp, and volume turned up max per Fried's suggestion, I barely move the volume on the v200 (9:00-10:00) to make those ATs loud. I could therefore adjust the gain on the rear of the v200 if I desired, but it's not biggie. I need to do more listening.  The ES9Wa is quite a surprising headphone, I must admit.  It is small but has such nice, tight bass, and forward presentation that is excellent with a lot of my music (which is mostly alt rock, hard alt rock).  That headphone is my quick:  "grab on my head" (and I leave it out on a stand) closed can that sounds darn good, with both the HDP adn the v200, but have a "fuller" sound on the v200.  . I keep my L3000s and HE-500s in their cases full time (I have a couple of kids, one only 11 who is around my computer a lot, and I do not want to take any chances...).


----------



## WNBC

I used to own the ESW9a, definitely full, rich body, warm sound.  The bass could get bloated if not controlled well by the amp and it doesn't sound like a problem for the V200.
  
  Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> No prob.  Thanks for the clarification, and validation on the use of switcher or splitter.  I can put my mind at ease.
> 
> The ATs, both the L3000 and ES9WA sound terrific with the v200.  The AT cans are slightly on the bright side, so the v200 sound is a good compliment.  With my nuforce HDP as a pre-amp, and volume turned up max per Fried's suggestion, I barely move the volume on the v200 (9:00-10:00) to make those ATs loud. I could therefore adjust the gain on the rear of the v200 if I desired, but it's not biggie. I need to do more listening.  The ES9Wa is quite a surprising headphone, I must admit.  It is small but has such nice, tight bass, and forward presentation that is excellent with a lot of my music (which is mostly alt rock, hard alt rock).  That headphone is my quick:  "grab on my head" (and I leave it out on a stand) closed can that sounds darn good, with both the HDP adn the v200, but have a "fuller" sound on the v200.  . I keep my L3000s and HE-500s in their cases full time (I have a couple of kids, one only 11 who is around my computer a lot, and I do not want to take any chances...).


----------



## WarriorAnt

Splitters in the signal path?   Oh I don't know...


----------



## walkman666

Well, if one of the two output amps is powered down, does that splitter effectively "split the signal?"  I don't think it's an issue unless I'd have both amps active.  I have on/off switches on the V200 and Audioengines...ultimately, it'll be a wait and see.  From my searches on the boards, it seems several folks have tried this, and very few have reported any sound quality degradation.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Personally I'd rather physically switch out a cable and switch another one in than put a signal splitter in the path.  Call me a redonkulous purist, but I look at things this way, I spend  around $4000 for a rig to transmit the best possibly preserved signal that I can and there is just no way I'm going to put something like a signal splitter into the path.   Like I said call me redonkulous but it just seems like a backward piece of logic to me.


----------



## walkman666

I don't think that is ridiculous, and if any of us did, we wouldn't post the questions on such a forum...or, as I have also done, do a web search on "do RCA splitters affect sound quality?"  There are a number of answers, in different directions, and I think that ultimately, there's different answers based on physics (voltage, ohms, impedance, and other stuff for which I am ignorant), common sense (the frequency with which the amps would be swapped -- if infrequent, just swap ICs to be safe; keep at least one amp powered down), and philosophy (your point about it being somewhat inconsistent to invest in stuff to make it sound great only to introduce something that could potentially undermine your effort to make it sound great).
   
  I hearya, warriorant.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Well it could all be well and true that there is absolutely no discernible or even real degradation of the signal in any way shape or form by using a splitter.   I just couldn't do it.


----------



## walkman666

I will give it a try and see if I can discern a sound change.  Sescom, for example, is an audio professional gear outfit with transformers, switches, cables, and whatnot that has been around for a while.  I emailed their director and asked him about my intended usage of the pictured switch.  He said that as long as one or the other of my powered devices was not live, there will be no sound degradation.  This is clearly something for one to test, but that is the intended use of the product -- to add an input or output without messing up the sound.  There is a market for such devices, for audiofools like us who need convenience but who do not want to muck up our paths.  The question is such a device theoretically and practically feasible?  I gotta believe there is, given our state of technology, but it's really an empirical question.


----------



## Loevhagen

This thread is flooded by speculation. Here's some "facts":
   
  - There is no significant difference between usinng the RCA or the XLR input on the V200
  - Using either might trigger the "what do you prefer" - aka DAC differences - and maybe placebo: must be better?
  - G100 is by design close to the V100
  - V200 is a different design to the G100/V100
  - The case of the V100 cost more than the G100; as a whole
  - The G100 is the "professional" version of the V100
  - The V200 has a more pronounced vocal presentation than the G100 (disclaimer; small differences)
  - The G100 conveys a tad larger soundstage than the V200
  - Those on a budget - than can not afford the V200 (for what ever reason) - buy the G100


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> This thread is flooded by speculation. Here's some "facts":
> 
> - There is no significant difference between usinng the RCA or the XLR input on the V200


 
   
  This doesn't strike me as a "fact" at all, but rather as a listening opinion.
   
  In my case, when I used the balanced out from my W4S DAC2 to the balanced inputs of my V200, the results were much better than using the unbalanced DAC output to the unbalanaced amp input. This was doubly true when using the V200 to push the HE-6, which had much more headroom with a balanced configuration vs. unbalanced.
   
  I can't really speculate about the extent to which this is due to the W4S's balanced outs being better the single-ended outs (rather than having anything to do with the V200), since it was my only balanced DAC in the house.
   
  Those are _my _listening impressions.


----------



## Loevhagen

In other words - you don't know. That is OK, but too many people shift into "automatic" and tend to hook on the "XLR-hypo".
   
  Regrdless; the V200 still shines. 
   
  What do I know - maybe the W4S DAC is subpar with RCA...


----------



## Olias of Sunhillow

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> In other words - you don't know. That is OK, but too many people shift into "automatic" and tend to hook on the "XLR-hypo".
> 
> Regrdless; the V200 still shines.
> 
> What do I know - maybe the W4S DAC is subpar with RCA...


 

 True, I don't know... and I readily admit it. I can only say that _my_ rig sounded better via XLR than via RCA.
   
  Personally, I'm highly skeptical of the benefits of "going balanced" when it comes to headphones. Some amps (the WA22 comes to mind) are clearly meant to operate at a higher level when used with a balanced source. I'm not so quick to assume that most other balanced amps can claim the same benefit.


----------



## Loevhagen

Appreciate your honesty. Not all users dear to apply...
   
  The *outlet* of the V200 is SE - so why should (by inter alia theory) XLR be better than RCA as input? Excludimng DAC variances -  WarriorAnt, others?
   
  This hobby is soaked in hyperbole. That is all I know - except from what I really HEAR.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I have found this about the RCA/XLR situation concerning my rig which is the W4S DAC-2 and the V200.   When using the XLR outs of the W4S DAC-2 and comparing the sound to the RCA outs of the DAC-2 into the V200 in every case I have found the XLR to be better.   I've done extensive testing and that is what I found.  This finding has cost me a few bucks because then it got me interested in different XLR cabling one of which arrived today, The Black mountain cable Pinnacle Cables  gold XLR cables. Silver and gold cables.  I couldn't resist.  unfortunately I can't get to them for about 3 weeks.
   
  Anyway I found the XLR connection to sound better in the W4S DAC-2 combo.   Why?  I don't have any technical explanation.   All I know from a technical point of view is that the DAC-2 outputs 2.6V (8.2db) on the RCA outs and 5.2V (14.2db) from the XLR outs.  I don't think there is anything in the V200 that has to do with the better sound reproduction from one particular type of connection,  but more the fact that the DAC-2 is outputting a stronger more robust signal to the V200.    In the past I have noticed that some folks do not like the XLR connection to the V200 and preferred the RCA outs.  In those cases to the best of my investigation the particular DAC's involved  showed a stronger output from the RCA outs than the XLR outs.   In the end maybe a stronger signal inputed is simply the best signal to have and it's as simple as that. signal input strength.  That is at least the best answer I could find from my investigations into any claim for RCA over XLR or XLR over RCA.  But I have to say, I did do the legwork it seems to be logical to my findings.


----------



## Zombie_X

I use RCA splitters with my DAC as I use two amps that use a RCA Input. So I use the AXP-1 input selector along with a Audioquest splitter on the output. In reality there is no sonic difference. If there is any change at all it's tiny.
   
  Now you can get a powered splitter as well if you want to be sure there is no compromise. The only thing is that they are more expensive.
  
  Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> I will give it a try and see if I can discern a sound change.  Sescom, for example, is an audio professional gear outfit with transformers, switches, cables, and whatnot that has been around for a while.  I emailed their director and asked him about my intended usage of the pictured switch.  He said that as long as one or the other of my powered devices was not live, there will be no sound degradation.  This is clearly something for one to test, but that is the intended use of the product -- to add an input or output without messing up the sound.  There is a market for such devices, for audiofools like us who need convenience but who do not want to muck up our paths.  The question is such a device theoretically and practically feasible?  I gotta believe there is, given our state of technology, but it's really an empirical question.


----------



## PedroH

Quote: 





pedroh said:


> Would this amp be a clear upgrade for my systems?
> 
> Current systems described in signature.
> 
> Thanks.


 

 Bumping question up...


----------



## WNBC

Some of you guys are good friends with Fried, maybe give him a ring and ask why the implementation of the XLR and is it better, worse, or equal than RCA.
   
  Blasphemy about the RCA output of W4S DAC-2 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I haven't done the critical A/B listening of others, but to me the RCA and XLR inputs of the V200 are equals.  Or better yet, when I use the RCAs or XLRs to the V200 from the DAC-2 I don't perceive any differences and at one point I owned a set of Wireworld Equinox 6 in the XLR and RCA configuration at the same time.    
   
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> In other words - you don't know. That is OK, but too many people shift into "automatic" and tend to hook on the "XLR-hypo".
> 
> Regrdless; the V200 still shines.
> 
> What do I know - maybe the W4S DAC is subpar with RCA...


----------



## WarriorAnt

I don't think the RCA or XLR in the V200 is better or worse I just think a more robust signal in is probably what makes the difference.   Same goes with the RCA and XLR outs for the DAC-2.  Both are of the same quality it is just the RCA is lower in voltage.  I use the RCA out to a speaker amp and find it excellent.


----------



## Saintly

So has anyone heard an amp in a similar price range that the preferred to the V200?  I love the smooth tonality but the smaller soundstage and lack of air is a bit of a let-down to me.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Wait a while and give it some time. You may find yourself rethinking that lack of air perception.


----------



## WNBC

Frank I mentioned the RSA GR-1 as having a better soundstage at this price range but not necessarily with the same smooth tonality as you put it.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/549413/hifiman-introduces-new-he-500-planar-magnetic-headphones/1395#post_8135570
   
  But like WA said, wait on it, don't do anything rash yet
  
  Quote: 





saintly said:


> So has anyone heard an amp in a similar price range that the preferred to the V200?  I love the smooth tonality but the smaller soundstage and lack of air is a bit of a let-down to me.


----------



## Rawrbington

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> This thread is flooded by speculation. Here's some "facts":
> 
> - There is no significant difference between usinng the RCA or the XLR input on the V200
> - Using either might trigger the "what do you prefer" - aka DAC differences - and maybe placebo: must be better?
> ...


 


  where do they sell the G100?
  i've been wanting a good SS amp with nice low output imp.
  was looking at V90 because of the price.
  but this G100 sounds intriguing


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





saintly said:


> So has anyone heard an amp in a similar price range that the preferred to the V200?  I love the smooth tonality but the smaller soundstage and lack of air is a bit of a let-down to me.


 


  when i publish the review check out the difference with the RSA HR-2/. I should have it up middle of next week


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





frank i said:


> when i publish the review check out the difference with the RSA HR-2/. I should have it up middle of next week


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Wait a while and give it some time. You may find yourself rethinking that lack of air perception.


 
   
  I'll admit that the tonality of the amp has indeed grown on me over the last few days.  The smaller soundstage and lack of air/separation is probably something that I can get used to if it wasn't for my Benchmark.  Every time I plug the HD 800 into the Benchmark, I'm reminded of what I'm missing with the V200.  The V200 does offer a more organic and non-fatiguing listening experience though and even I would call it more pleasant.  It's just that I like to hear every last bit of detail brought to the forefront.

  
  Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Frank I mentioned the RSA GR-1 as having a better soundstage at this price range but not necessarily with the same smooth tonality as you put it.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/549413/hifiman-introduces-new-he-500-planar-magnetic-headphones/1395#post_8135570
> 
> But like WA said, wait on it, don't do anything rash yet


 
   
  I assume you mean the HR-2.  I'm not really into portable amps but RSA products sure are pricey.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





saintly said:


> I'll admit that the tonality of the amp has indeed grown on me over the last few days.  The smaller soundstage and lack of air/separation is probably something that I can get used to if it wasn't for my Benchmark.  Every time I plug the HD 800 into the Benchmark, I'm reminded of what I'm missing with the V200.  The V200 does offer a more organic and non-fatiguing listening experience though and even I would call it more pleasant.  It's just that I like to hear every last bit of detail brought to the forefront.
> 
> 
> 
> I assume you mean the HR-2.  I'm not really into portable amps but RSA products sure are pricey.


 

 I wouldn't call the HR-2 portable. Its a small factor desktop amp. While Ray's portable amps are pricey, the are great. I still miss my Hornet that I sold a few years back.


----------



## Naim.F.C

I had a similar adjustment period with the V200 for exactly the same reasons. In-fact, I completely agree with every post you've made on the amp yet. 
   
*V200 and detail.*
   
  However, that emphasis or focus on detail with amps such as the Benchmark, does have some minor tonal draw backs, especially with cans such as the T1's and HD800's. That is with a slight lack of realism and weight. Siding on the upper side of the spectrum adds a bit of a peakier take on everything, that works amazing for certain music, but on other tracks just isn't tonally accurate. Vocals, especially female, really benefit from the extra body the V200's offer, as do certain instruments such as the lower end of the piano scale. It's basically a trade off of a tiny bit of macro detail emphasis in place of some natural depth and slight musicality. 
   
  It can be slightly frustrating sometimes, as you want just a teeny bit more air or separation, but unfortunately that's the pay off for that extra sub bass, smoothness and (upper) mid bump. Likewise, with brighter or more detail emphasised amps you lose body and fullness. I honestly do believe at this level there is no such thing as the best of both worlds and if anyone feels otherwise, it's probably because they haven't had the counter sounding products to A/B with directly for reference.
   
   
   
  Remember, DAC's/AMP's, unlike headphones, do not have the luxury to play with form and function with respect to physical design, in order to change the dynamics of sound delivery. Without actually tampering with, or colouring the original source. This is advantageous in so many ways. For example, simple physical cup housing changes on headphones, can dramatically increase soundstage, depth and so on, along with all other characteristics.
   
  Instead Amp's/DAC's have only the single piece of information, with pre-recorded with pre-written sonic constructs and properties to deliver and/or colour to a desired effect. In this sense, I have to commend Violectric with the balance that they've obtained with the V200. Minimal loss of detail for a balance that seemingly adds a decent degree of extra body, and a beautifully natural sonic flavour.
  
  Quote: 





saintly said:


> I'll admit that the tonality of the amp has indeed grown on me over the last few days.  The smaller soundstage and lack of air/separation is probably something that I can get used to if it wasn't for my Benchmark.  Every time I plug the HD 800 into the Benchmark, I'm reminded of what I'm missing with the V200.  The V200 does offer a more organic and non-fatiguing listening experience though and even I would call it more pleasant.  It's just that I like to hear every last bit of detail brought to the forefront.
> 
> 
> 
> I assume you mean the HR-2.  I'm not really into portable amps but RSA products sure are pricey.


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> I had a similar adjustment period with the V200 for exactly the same reasons. In-fact, I completely agree with every post you've made on the amp yet.
> 
> *V200 and detail.*
> 
> ...


 

  You're spot on with your analysis.  
   
  The Benchmark is extremely neutral and with its focus in pushing out every last bit of detail, it does lack in realism and body.  I found myself unengaged by the music from the Dac1's built-in amp which is why I sought out the V200.  Now, the music is very engaging but I find myself missing the airyness and soundstage of the Dac1's amp.  It really is a tradeoff between the bigger picture and smaller details - at this price range, anyways.  That has me reading up about the Zana Deux; maybe it can give a combined package?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





saintly said:


> I'll admit that the tonality of the amp has indeed grown on me over the last few days.  The smaller soundstage and lack of air/separation is probably something that I can get used to if it wasn't for my Benchmark.  Every time I plug the HD 800 into the Benchmark, I'm reminded of what I'm missing with the V200.  The V200 does offer a more organic and non-fatiguing listening experience though and even I would call it more pleasant.  It's just that I like to hear every last bit of detail brought to the forefront.
> 
> 
> 
> I assume you mean the HR-2.  I'm not really into portable amps but RSA products sure are pricey.


 

  

 the HR-2 is  a desktop. It has a power supply attached with an umbilical cord that was designed so the power supply s away from the amp. The enclosure from the amp is smaller because the power supply is in another case. The amps is less than the V200 new. It  is 875.00 and it is  open with a wider sound stage and a very good solid state amp. I like it for my D7000 and HE500. I like the V200 also but if you listen to classical music and wants a wide sound stage as you described the V200 can be a little more restricting and sometimes music can appear to be a tad congested. I like both amps.   I have the HR2 amp on my top shelf of my 5 shelf rack and the power supply on the very bottom shelf and I cannot  even see it.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





pedroh said:


> Bumping question up...


 


   
  Sorry, I missed it earlier....
   
  For your office rig: I like the V200 much more than the Concerto. While I appreciate the sig of the Concerto, I think it is available in cheaper models such as the Gilmore Lite and Yulong A100. It is a technically excellent sound but ultimately not as satisfying in my opinion. The V200 is an improvement in pretty much every area except for soundstage.
   
  For your home rig: I've not heard the real BCL, but I have the Matrix M-Stage which is the same circuit design so should sound very similar if not identical. There is no contest, V200 is a major step above. 
   
  But more importantly - are you happy with your current amps? What would you like to see improved?


----------



## Saintly

Got JRiver Media Center and installed the TB Isone VST plug-in.  Holy crap! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  This is the closest to a legitimate out of the head experience I've ever had on headphones.  If you haven't done so yet, you should really check it out! http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-isone/
   
   
  Btw, JRiver is really nice and at $50, it's a great deal.  You also get a 30 day free trial.
   
   
  Edit:  I forgot to mention the point of this post: the soundstage issue of the V200 is no longer an issue with the TB Isone.


----------



## fdg

@ Walkman666

 Hi Steve and all the others who consider y-adaptors.

 I dont think that paralleling an output is a good idea.
 You should imagine that the output impedance now has to drive two (different) input impedances and you can be sure that these will interact.
 This is even more true when the output impedance from the source is quite high like the one from Icon HDP (100 Ohms).
 So non-linearities like frequency issues are presumable.
 It would be better to feed the unbalanced outputs from the source with a RCA -> XLR adaptor to the balanced inputs from V200.
 Now you are free to configure the RCA sockets as outputs.
 Here, the analog input signal will appear with identical level but buffered with an output impedance < 1 Ohm.

 @ warriorant and others who are wondering if RCA or XLR should be prefered

 I also suggest impedances to be responsible for different sound images.
 It might be that some RCA outputs work together better with RCA inputs than XLR types and vices versa.
 From the technical point of view the RCA interconnection is more straight as it utilises at least 2 opamps less from signal transportation.
 On  the other hand balanced signal drivers have normally 6 dB more power and are better protected against hum and noise – thus better to drive lines, specially when these are long.
 There are many ways to design balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs.
 We at Lake People / Violectric take special care on very low output impedances, signal levels, low noise circuitry and the ability to drive high capacity loads.
 For closest specs we are normally using 0.1 % resistors in our balanced input / output circuitry.

 @ Rawrbington and others who like to purchase G100

 Sorry, too late.
 As far as I know our G100 stock became empty much earlier than expected ...
 And we never managed to have dealers with a relevant stock except Thomann in Germany ...
  
 The successor from G100 will be released hopefully in March and is named G109 Professional and G109 Standard.
 The differences are balanced AND unbalanced inputs and a switch-on relay for the Pro.
 Only unbalanced inputs and no relais for the standard.
 The amp inside will be compareable to G100 as it is the same circuitry.
 In contrary to G100 with its stainless steel case G109 will have a black anodized case and silver labeling, thus will be more living-room compatible.
 I will try to post some drawings if there is some interest.
 No pics available until now !

 Together with the successor of G93 (named G103 Professional and G103 Standard) we try to establish those Lake People amps as entry models for people who can or will not afford Violectric. They share the same philosophy like Violectric:
 - low gain for lowest noise,
 - low outout impedance for low impedance cans and
 - high operating voltage for high impedance cans.
   
  Greetz
   
  Fried


----------



## PedroH

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Sorry, I missed it earlier....
> 
> For your office rig: I like the V200 much more than the Concerto. While I appreciate the sig of the Concerto, I think it is available in cheaper models such as the Gilmore Lite and Yulong A100. It is a technically excellent sound but ultimately not as satisfying in my opinion. The V200 is an improvement in pretty much every area except for soundstage.
> 
> ...


 

 I like the Concerto with my Grado RS1i but it never satisfied me with the Beyer T1, which sounds dull.
   
  The Lehmann is better with the T1 particularly if I activate the 20dB gain but I wonder if a V200 would deliver even better sound...
   
  Why is the V200 better?


----------



## Saintly

Quote: 





pedroh said:


> I like the Concerto with my Grado RS1i but it never satisfied me with the Beyer T1, which sounds dull.
> 
> The Lehmann is better with the T1 particularly if I activate the 20dB gain but I wonder if a V200 would deliver even better sound...
> 
> Why is the V200 better?


 
   
  I actually really enjoyed the Concerto paired with the T1 while I had it.
   
  The V200 has a very smooth and natural sound.  It has some of the warmth of tubes and cripsness of solid states.  As Naim said, while the V200 doesn't have the widest soundstage or most perceived detail, it brings a lot to the table in terms of the overall package.  It's also comforting to know that regardless of whatever headphone you're using (with the possible exception of the HE-6), the V200 is providing it with more than enough power for it to shine.


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





fdg said:


> The successor from G100 will be released hopefully in March and is named G109 Professional and G109 Standard.
> The differences are balanced AND unbalanced inputs and a switch-on relay for the Pro.
> Only unbalanced inputs and no relais for the standard.
> The amp inside will be compareable to G100 as it is the same circuitry.
> ...


 

 How are these going to be priced compared to the G100?


----------



## dallan

I have kind of rushed thru the last hundred posts that have come in over the last five days that i missed reading.
   
  Concerning the RCA-XLR discussion....Robert convinced me to switch to XLR balanced that i was taking from a highly modified  PSaudio Digital Link.  The clocking that i had put in cost twice what the original dac did plus extra mods but the xrl section was not modded to my knowledge.  I got the best XRLs i could find locally, they were around a hundred bucks, brought them home in anticipation, wanting to love them and knowing that they would sound better.  To my surprise they didn't.  So i did some in depth a/b back and forth and had my wife change them out several times so i couldn't tell. Ended up returning them with in a week because the rca's were clearer and more dynamic.........your results may vary
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Bummed me out a bit.  Guess it's one of those things, if it works don't fix it.  That was over a year ago and i haven't looked back.


----------



## Duckman

I'm going to break ranks and assert that the V200 has a lovely, well-proportioned, fairly-unrestricted soundstage (for a headphone amp). I've heard wider, but when listening to the V200 I never think, 'gee, the soundstage is only average'.


----------



## WarriorAnt

I think for me the LCD-2 and the V200 is a very involving sound.  Very engaging.  When I listen the the LCD-2/V200/W4S DAC-2 combo. The combo tends to turn off my analytical audiophile mind and lets my musical mind engage instead.   If I had to describe the rig in a non audiophile type of way that would be it.  It engages my musical mind and give my audiophile mind a day off.


----------



## walkman666

Thank you, Fried. To be sure, about using Y connectors. Do your concerns still apply if one of the two amps output from the source is powered down? I would never have both amplifiers active, just both connected to the outputs of the source through the Y connector and analog outputs, alternating between amps by powering one up while the other is turned off (or does the source still drive two input impedances regardless of whether the input amplifiers are powered up/down)?
   
  Also, are you suggesting alternatively that I output to the v200 from the source via analog to xlr adapter and then output from the v200 (after going inside the v200 and changing the jumpers to convert the analog cinch switches to outputs), and then outputting the v200 to the second amplifier?  Could a straight RCA to xlr cable be used in this situation as well?
   
  Thanks
  Quote: 





fdg said:


> @ Walkman666
> 
> Hi Steve and all the others who consider y-adaptors.
> 
> ...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Another great review by Frank I.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/595449/violectric-v200-the-smooth-operator#post_8139826


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Another great review by Frank I.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/595449/violectric-v200-the-smooth-operator#post_8139826


 

 Thanks for the link and kind words dude.


----------



## r_russ08

Finally completed reading this thread in its entirety.  Mostly a good read thanks to a few of the dedicated V200 supporters.  I really appreciated all the thorough insights and detailed analysis of the amp itself as well as the equipment both upstream and downstream.
   
  After reading I really want to try some of the exact setups I read about but sadly I don't find the LCD-2 aesthetically appealing at all.  I've been leaning towards the Hifiman HE-500 for the last month or so I've been dropping by and am getting more serious.  It appears those who did mix the V200 and the HE-500 experienced good results. 
   
  Anyone have the contact info for Robert from Aphrodite and wanna shoot me a quick PM?  I might try to get in touch with him if he is in the area.


----------



## WarriorAnt

*Aphrodite Cu29*
  http://aphroditecu29.com/


----------



## r_russ08

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> *Aphrodite Cu29*
> http://aphroditecu29.com/


 

 Thanks, I got that far but didn't find any contact info besides the general email.  I guess that is the best place to start.


----------



## vrln

If you live in Europe, the G100 is still available on Thomann.de by the way. Around 400 euros. It's no longer in production (see the post by fdg), but Thomann still have some in stock. They are also one of the finest online stores I've ever had the pleasure to buy from, extremely good service.


----------



## MayaTlab

I second that. Thomann probably is my best online purchasing experience to date. Fantastic service.


----------



## Naim.F.C

I actually got mine via Audition6.de. The owner Heiko was fantastic to deal with and had no qualms in price matching and besting Thomann's, even with respect to free international shipping (in my instance to the UK). Always nice to come across small local stores that don't mind branching out.


----------



## vrln

That is great to hear, I might just send them an email too


----------



## hduong

Thinking about getting this amp for my HD800s.  Looks like a nice balance between lush mid range of tubes but t the quietness of a SS amp.  I had issue with hum and buzz with cheaper tube amps.  I currently have a audio-gd c2.1.  Anybody have the lower to mid audio-gd amps notice enough of a difference in sound to warrant the purchase?


----------



## TheWuss

i think the hd800 sounds great with the V200.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo guys,
   
  I'm getting moth the V200 and V181 in tomorrow. The V200 is mine and the V181 is a loaner from Robert at Aphrodite Cu29. If any of you guys are on the fence about trying either amp, hit him up and he might be able to send you a unit to demo.


----------



## TheWuss

I am curious to know what separates the v181 and v200.
I have the 200, and a buddy has the 181. We havent heard each others amps, but we describe them the same way. Hahhaa


----------



## Zombie_X

From what I know the V181 is neutral and doesn't ahve the sonic signature of the V200. Plus it's balanced so that may be a big factor as well.
   
  I'll be sure to let you know.
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> I am curious to know what separates the v181 and v200.
> I have the 200, and a buddy has the 181. We havent heard each others amps, but we describe them the same way. Hahhaa


----------



## hduong

Just placed my order for one at aphroditecu29.  Can't wait to get it
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## raysclim1568

Have anyone have compared Audiolab MDAC pairing with V200 vs Rein Audio XDAC with V200 ?
   
  which will be a better match for V200 ?
   
  Thanks 
 Raymond Lim


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Have anyone have compared Audiolab MDAC pairing with V200 vs Rein Audio XDAC with V200 ?
> 
> which will be a better match for V200 ?
> 
> ...


 


  Hardly anyone has heard the X-Dac, Raymond. I doubt someone can answer your question.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





thewuss said:


> I am curious to know what separates the v181 and v200.
> I have the 200, and a buddy has the 181. We havent heard each others amps, but we describe them the same way. Hahhaa


 

 They didn't sound all that different to me. Same house sound, slight variations. Balanced out from the V181 had more air up top, and the wider soundstage of the two. V200 still had slightly more of that smooth organic Violectric sound, which is why I ended up picking it over the V181. But I could be happy with either. 
   

  
  Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Have anyone have compared Audiolab MDAC pairing with V200 vs Rein Audio XDAC with V200 ?
> 
> which will be a better match for V200 ?
> 
> ...


 

  
  Sorry, not a huge number of users around here for either of those DACs, so chances are very low that someone has heard both of them.... especially with the V200, which is popular but not extremely so. 
   
  I imagine either one would pair well enough though. V200 does a good job with fairly neutral DACs.


----------



## Zombie_X

Got some hot images for you all, hope you enjoy!


----------



## fangsi2009

Is that the K550s from AKG? And you had them recabled to balanced? 
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Got some hot images for you all, hope you enjoy!


----------



## Zombie_X

No they are K400, quite old and sound really nice!
  
  Quote: 





fangsi2009 said:


> Is that the K550s from AKG? And you had them recabled to balanced?


----------



## fangsi2009

Wow. Strange to see that AKG "revived" one of their old headphones to a new reference-class headphone. Now if only they can do that with the K1000..
  
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> No they are K400, quite old and sound really nice!


----------



## vrln

Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Have anyone have compared Audiolab MDAC pairing with V200 vs Rein Audio XDAC with V200 ?
> 
> which will be a better match for V200 ?
> 
> ...


 

 This is purely speculation (never heard the XDAC, but I have heard the Audiolab 8200CDQ which is similar to MDAC), but having once had the V200 for a week I would pair it with a neutral source. The V200 is far from neutral, very warm and pleasant sounding so having a similar source would overdo it. I would actually go for a studio type hardcore neutral DAC, but as usual in this hobby it's all very subjective.


----------



## Zombie_X

It's not revived at all and is still a vintage model. I prefer the older AKG's as they sound oh so good compared to the modern offerings.
   
  The K550 is a different beast in every way. I've not heard one but they are supposed to sound like a closed K701. 
  
  Quote: 





fangsi2009 said:


> Wow. Strange to see that AKG "revived" one of their old headphones to a new reference-class headphone. Now if only they can do that with the K1000..


----------



## Zombie_X

Sorry for double posting but I have a question guys.
   
  When I use any IEM's on this amp I can hear Radio interference. I can here one of my local radio stations playing as well as getting a loud hum. On anything over 30Ohm I can not hear any of this. I only get this interference on this amp.
   
  Any thoughts?


----------



## Carl6868

On both the amps or just the V200 ?

 I haven't tried any IEM's on mine yet so will try tomorrow and see if i get anything.
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Sorry for double posting but I have a question guys.
> 
> When I use any IEM's on this amp I can hear Radio interference. I can here one of my local radio stations playing as well as getting a loud hum. On anything over 30Ohm I can not hear any of this. I only get this interference on this amp.
> 
> Any thoughts?


----------



## Zombie_X

I jsut tried the V181 and I get the same thing.
   
  I noticed when I cover up the RCA jacks that the hum goes away, but the radio interference remains. Maybe my tube buffer is emitting it? Maybe I'll make some RCA caps and see if that helps.
   
  You wouldn't happen to know if the RCA output's would be damaged if I were to sue the caps? Just wondering as the outputs double as inputs as well.
  
  Quote: 





carl6868 said:


> On both the amps or just the V200 ?
> 
> I haven't tried any IEM's on mine yet so will try tomorrow and see if i get anything.


----------



## raysclim1568

Quote: 





vrln said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Can I understand your reply as Audiolab DAC is neutral type DAC and will pair with V200 well ?
   
  Thanks


----------



## Zombie_X

Hey Wuss,
   
  I got around to comparing them both today and well the V181 is indeed more neutral and open sounding. It's like a V200, but much more neutral. The soundstage is not as compressed as the V200 and the treble is also ore pronounced. The bass is not as plentiful as the V200 either, but in return it sounds tighter. The only drawback is that the treble is not as refined sounding nor detailed than the V200. I would say detail wise they are similar. The mids are still a tad bit warm but not as much as the V200.
   
  Hope this was a good explanation for ya. If you have more questions I'd be happy to answer them for ya.
  
  Quote: 





thewuss said:


> I am curious to know what separates the v181 and v200.
> I have the 200, and a buddy has the 181. We havent heard each others amps, but we describe them the same way. Hahhaa


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hey Wuss,
> 
> I got around to comparing them both today and well the V181 is indeed more neutral and open sounding. It's like a V200, but much more neutral. The soundstage is not as compressed as the V200 and the treble is also ore pronounced. The bass is not as plentiful as the V200 either, but in return it sounds tighter. The only drawback is that the treble is not as refined sounding nor detailed than the V200. I would say detail wise they are similar. The mids are still a tad bit warm but not as much as the V200.
> 
> Hope this was a good explanation for ya. If you have more questions I'd be happy to answer them for ya.


 



 so I guess your buying the V181 and sending the V200 back or you will just need to keep both


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Sorry for double posting but I have a question guys.
> 
> When I use any IEM's on this amp I can hear Radio interference. I can here one of my local radio stations playing as well as getting a loud hum. On anything over 30Ohm I can not hear any of this. I only get this interference on this amp.
> 
> Any thoughts?


 


  That's strange. I use mine all the time with crazy sensitive Westones and other custom IEMs, and it has the blackest background I've heard.
   
  Have you tried moving it away from your other gear? I'd run a long RCA  or XLR to it, the longest you can find, and put it across the room. See if it is interference from one of the other pieces in your system. Also try running it disconnected from any source and see how that goes. 
   
   I have another brand of DAC and matching amp that look great stacked together, but have noise when you do so.... Then again, I stack my Violectric units and don't have any issues. So who knows?


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hey Wuss,
> 
> I got around to comparing them both today and well the V181 is indeed more neutral and open sounding. It's like a V200, but much more neutral. The soundstage is not as compressed as the V200 and the treble is also ore pronounced. The bass is not as plentiful as the V200 either, but in return it sounds tighter. The only drawback is that the treble is not as refined sounding nor detailed than the V200. I would say detail wise they are similar. The mids are still a tad bit warm but not as much as the V200.
> 
> Hope this was a good explanation for ya. If you have more questions I'd be happy to answer them for ya.


 

 Zombie_X,
   
  I'm a bit confused.  To me it seems like your describing two amps that are a bit colored in one way or the other - ie..  treble being more pronounced, bass not as plentiful, warm mids and so on.  In no way this description fits the Insanely transparent descriptions you gave in a different thread. Maybe hearing them side by side gives you a different outlook.  I would like to some how get you to listen to my GS-1 so you can compare.  I heard the GS-1 against a few different amps.  (not the V200, V181 or Auditor) but others.  One thing I kept taking away is that this thing lets me hear my recordings just how they are.  If they are crappy recording the GS-1 will et you know.  If they are of quality recording it will also let you know.  Other amps are as you describe above colored in some way or another.  The GS-1 is a constant.


----------



## Carl6868

Hi
   
  Not sure on the caps, do you mean shorting caps or just ones that fit over the ground connection ? if the later i don't think they would hurt but maybe send an email to Freid to be sure.
   
  Have tried some IEM's with mine and don't get any noise even at full volume (source muted) there is a ground lift option available inside the case which may help with the isssue ?
   
  English instructions available http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/16/V200-E%20Manual.pdf if you don't have them.
   
  One thing i did realise though is how bad my IEM's sound (B&W C5's) compared to my Grado's so more expense coming 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I jsut tried the V181 and I get the same thing.
> 
> I noticed when I cover up the RCA jacks that the hum goes away, but the radio interference remains. Maybe my tube buffer is emitting it? Maybe I'll make some RCA caps and see if that helps.
> 
> You wouldn't happen to know if the RCA output's would be damaged if I were to sue the caps? Just wondering as the outputs double as inputs as well.


----------



## WNBC

More like the RCA caps from Audioquest.
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-3137-audioquest-noise-stopper-caps-10-pk.aspx
  I've thought about getting some for a while but having any issues yet with my DAC/V200 combo
  
  Quote: 





carl6868 said:


> Hi
> 
> Not sure on the caps, do you mean shorting caps or just ones that fit over the ground connection ? if the later i don't think they would hurt but maybe send an email to Freid to be sure.
> 
> ...


----------



## Carl6868

Thanks, hadn't seen those before and as they just slide over the ground they shouldn't have and detrimental effect !
  
  Quote: 





wnbc said:


> More like the RCA caps from Audioquest.
> http://www.musicdirect.com/p-3137-audioquest-noise-stopper-caps-10-pk.aspx
> I've thought about getting some for a while but having any issues yet with my DAC/V200 combo


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hey Wuss,
> 
> I got around to comparing them both today and well the V181 is indeed more neutral and open sounding. It's like a V200, but much more neutral. The soundstage is not as compressed as the V200 and the treble is also ore pronounced. The bass is not as plentiful as the V200 either, but in return it sounds tighter. The only drawback is that the treble is not as refined sounding nor detailed than the V200. I would say detail wise they are similar. The mids are still a tad bit warm but not as much as the V200.
> 
> Hope this was a good explanation for ya. If you have more questions I'd be happy to answer them for ya.


 

 How much time did you spend comparing the amps?  A few hours?


----------



## Zombie_X

The V181 is going back, the V200 is staying. I don't need another balanced headphone amp 
  


frank i said:


> so I guess your buying the V181 and sending the V200 back or you will just need to keep both


 
   
   

 I have a 30ft XLR cable and I just tried and I still get the noise. I do live around a lot of radio towers though and one is only 8 blocks away.
   


project86 said:


> That's strange. I use mine all the time with crazy sensitive Westones and other custom IEMs, and it has the blackest background I've heard.
> 
> Have you tried moving it away from your other gear? I'd run a long RCA  or XLR to it, the longest you can find, and put it across the room. See if it is interference from one of the other pieces in your system. Also try running it disconnected from any source and see how that goes.
> 
> I have another brand of DAC and matching amp that look great stacked together, but have noise when you do so.... Then again, I stack my Violectric units and don't have any issues. So who knows?


 

   


   
  Sorry for the confusion. The V181 is like the V200 but seems more neutral and slightly more transparent. The V181 is still colored, but not as much as the V200. It does have a slightly more treble, less bloom in the bass, and still slightly warm in the mids. Sorry if my description was confusing.
  


preproman said:


> Zombie_X,
> 
> I'm a bit confused.  To me it seems like your describing two amps that are a bit colored in one way or the other - ie..  treble being more pronounced, bass not as plentiful, warm mids and so on.  In no way this description fits the Insanely transparent descriptions you gave in a different thread. Maybe hearing them side by side gives you a different outlook.  I would like to some how get you to listen to my GS-1 so you can compare.  I heard the GS-1 against a few different amps.  (not the V200, V181 or Auditor) but others.  One thing I kept taking away is that this thing lets me hear my recordings just how they are.  If they are crappy recording the GS-1 will et you know.  If they are of quality recording it will also let you know.  Other amps are as you describe above colored in some way or another.  The GS-1 is a constant.


 


   
  I'm just talking about the RCA ground caps. I don't want to short an input/output at all. 
   
  I took an old RCA plugs, pulled out the center pin, soldered both the ground and positive wire together, and slipped it on. Right away all that hum went away! But the radio signal remained so I detached my tube buffer from the V800 and gave the amp a listen. The radio signal was still there. Now I turned the unit off, put on anti-static gloves, opened it up and set the jumpers so the RCA jacks were "output" only. That helped but it's still there. Hrm..
  


carl6868 said:


> Hi
> 
> Not sure on the caps, do you mean shorting caps or just ones that fit over the ground connection ? if the later i don't think they would hurt but maybe send an email to Freid to be sure.
> 
> ...


 
   
   
   
  I compared them over the course of an hour. I'll compare them some more later on though.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> How much time did you spend comparing the amps?  A few hours?


----------



## vrln

I think I might actually prefer the V100 over the V200 (V181 is a dual V100 more or less). The V200, when I had it for a week, was very good, but a bit too warm actually. It made everything have the same "sound". On some tracks  I didn´t mind, but I did miss neutrality on some. On the other hand V200 is very forgiving of bad recordings, you can listen to anything on it. It will reward good ones of course, but also mask the bad ones.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





vrln said:


> I think I might actually prefer the V100 over the V200 (V181 is a dual V100 more or less). The V200, when I had it for a week, was very good, but a bit too warm actually. It made everything have the same "sound". On some tracks  I didn´t mind, but I did miss neutrality on some. On the other hand V200 is very forgiving of bad recordings, you can listen to anything on it. It will reward good ones of course, but also mask the bad ones.


 

  
  Very interesting... can you elaborate a bit more why you prefer the V-100 over the V200?


----------



## vrln

I haven´t heard the V100, but from what I´ve read it should have a slightly larger soundstage and a more neutral sound signature. It´s based on a completely different design than the V200.


----------



## Zombie_X

Oh? I must try vun for myself *yells in German accent* !!
  
  Quote: 





vrln said:


> I haven´t heard the V100, but from what I´ve read it should have a slightly larger soundstage and a more neutral sound signature. It´s based on a completely different design than the V200.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





vrln said:


> I haven´t heard the V100, but from what I´ve read it should have a slightly larger soundstage and a more neutral sound signature. It´s based on a completely different design than the V200.


 


  Yes, I'm aware of the of the different design of the V200, and the V-100 sound stage is quite large...but I'm not sure about the neutral sound signature. I mean for me the V-100 is great fun amp, but not natural/balanced as my Phonitor.


----------



## vrln

I think all Violectric amps are fun oriented, but it should be more neutral than the V200 at least. Maybe optimal for those who want a warm sound, but not too warm.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





vrln said:


> I think all Violectric amps are fun oriented, but it should be more neutral than the V200 at least. Maybe optimal for those who want a warm sound, but not too warm.


 


  Maybe you're right, but this needs to be A/B to be able to get a better understanding of the differences.


----------



## vrln

Indeed, a V100 vs V200 shootout would be a great idea for a thread here. So far we have some V200 vs V181 comments though, it´s reasonable to assume from those that the V100 is more neutral since the V181 is more or less a balanced V100.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





vrln said:


> Indeed, a V100 vs V200 shootout would be a great idea for a thread here. So far we have some V200 vs V181 comments though, it´s reasonable to assume from those that the V100 is more neutral since the V181 is more or less a balanced V100.


 


  ...and lets no forget the G100, that probably have something to add to the Violectric table.


----------



## Zombie_X

I'll e-mail Fried and see if he can send me a V100 to demo.
  
  Quote: 





vrln said:


> Indeed, a V100 vs V200 shootout would be a great idea for a thread here. So far we have some V200 vs V181 comments though, it´s reasonable to assume from those that the V100 is more neutral since the V181 is more or less a balanced V100.


----------



## Frank I

return shipping to germany wont be cheap. Ask Robert for one he will send it to you


----------



## Zombie_X

Robert doesn't stock either the V90 or V100 at all. I had already asked him..
   
  Also my V200 has a potentiometer just like their pre-amp they offer. It also feels likes it's "stepped".
  
  Quote: 





frank i said:


> return shipping to germany wont be cheap. Ask Robert for one he will send it to you


----------



## hduong

I'm getting this amp cause I wanted a slightly colored and lush mid range. I have the Audiolabs 8200cd which should be similar to the M-Dac. Can only compare with a Asus Xonar Essence ST. TBH, it's not that big of a difference between the 2 sources with my audio-gd. The Xonar being a bit brighter and highs a bit harsher.


----------



## vrln

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Also my V200 has a potentiometer just like their pre-amp they offer. It also feels likes it's "stepped".


 

 It's a standard cheap ALPS blue pot unfortunately (http://aphroditecu29.com/Violectric/violectric/V200InsideB.jpg). That is, if you ask me, the main problem with the amp. In a 800 euro product a discrete stepped pot would have made the product really stand out. That said, I think it's pretty shameful how rare stepped pots are in high end headphone amps (same pot can be found in Lehmann Black Cube, SPL Auditor and so on). There's no excuse except cost cutting, and the margins are already huge in audiophile gear. A lot of of the budget goes into the V200 chassis. Personally I'd much rather buy a V200 in a G100 chassis but with a stepped pot.


----------



## MayaTlab

A discrete stepped pot isn't necessarily going to improve an amp. Just an example : the Burson amp uses such a pot, yet its specifications are mostly below those of the Violectric amps in almost all respects, including THD. The Burson is a case where a discrete stepped pot may be of absolutely no use given the other figures of the amp. Also, cost cutting is all but a bad idea if it's part of a value engineering perspective (if it's just to increase profits disregarding design balance then it's stupid indeed). What matters is balance in the design (putting the right component at the right place in the right design, determined by the opportunity cost of other design choices), and the overall result, both in measured and subjective terms. If a stepped pot provides an improvement greater than what spending and equal amount of money somewhere else would provide, then it's a good choice. If not, it's of no use (to put it in very grossly simplified terms).


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





vrln said:


> It's a standard cheap ALPS blue pot unfortunately (http://aphroditecu29.com/Violectric/violectric/V200InsideB.jpg). That is, if you ask me, the main problem with the amp. In a 800 euro product a discrete stepped pot would have made the product really stand out. That said, I think it's pretty shameful how rare stepped pots are in high end headphone amps (same pot can be found in Lehmann Black Cube, SPL Auditor and so on). There's no excuse except cost cutting, and the margins are already huge in audiophile gear. A lot of of the budget goes into the V200 chassis. Personally I'd much rather buy a V200 in a G100 chassis but with a stepped pot.


 

  
  I like the ALPS blue, but for those prices on the Violectric's and the SPL's amps will feel much better for the clients (us) to get a better components and start with a high quality stepped attenuator.


----------



## MayaTlab

Quote: 





acix said:


> I like the ALPS blue, but for those prices on the Violectric's and the SPL's amps will feel much better for the clients (us) to get a better components and start with a high quality stepped attenuator.


 

 If it's only a question of feeling good just because there's a stepped pot in it, I find it a little idiotic on the consumer's part. Also, it's only an assumption that a stepped attenuator is a better component then an ALPS pot. As you said, it has to be a "high quality" one, and designing such a pot may cost vastly more than what's reasonable in a specific design. Also, both the SPL and Violectric amps provide very good measurements - that's certainly not the case with the Burson. So I wonder if it was such a good design decision to go for a very expensive stepped pot instead of spending the money elsewhere in that amp (or just designing a better circuit and saving money). It's only when an amp is limited by regular pots that it's useful to use a discrete one. If it's not, then the manufacturer's just loosing money. If it is, then yes indeed it should be used.


----------



## vrln

It's not just an assumption or an irrational belief in "better" components. Those people aren't looking at the V200 anyway due to it using cheap opamps (yes, I know they are only used for the PRE-GAIN function etc). I know Burson measures like a trainwreck, heh.
   
  If the volume pot being used measures perfectly (ie, no channel imbalance), then I have no problem with it. But fact is ALPS blue does not, especially at lower volumes. Pots always have channel imbalance, unless they are selected through some special filtering system that discards most pots they receive like Centrance does. They still lose against stepped ones, but not as much then. This is also one of the reasons Violectric prefers digital volume control on their DAC. And if I recall correctly I'm pretty sure Fried has commented on these forums once that they are looking into having a stepped volume control in the upcoming high end Violectric gear. The only way to get perfect channel balance, which is extremely important especially with headphones, is more or less to use a stepped pot. Stepped volume control is used in the Grace M903 for example, which measures a superb channel balance of 0.05dB (http://www.gracedesign.com/products/m903/m903.htm). Channel balance is not mentioned in the official Violectric specs and the reason for that is exactly because it doesn't measure as well as the Grace unit for example.
   
  Especially today as western audio gear is facing big competition from asian made products (well measuring gear too, Emotiva etc), I personally still find it unfortunate Violectric decided to go for a larger profit margin instead of making the package perfect with a more optimal volume control. Understandable, but as a consumer I find it disappointing. That said, maybe Violectric does measure every unit until they ship and replace the pot if it does not meet a certain criteria? Only fdg knows, maybe he could let us know  Don't get me wrong, I'll probably buy a Violectric amp soon anyway, but this is something they should address in future products.
   
  EDIT: By stepped pot I also mean digitally controlled analog volume control systems that aren't pot based, ie, it doesn't have to be a DACT / Burson style pot. Out of german products Meier Audio for example uses very well measuring stepped systems. Ideally I'd want something like this: (http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/classic.htm)
   
The volume control is technically very sophisticated. The position of the potentiometer is measured with the use of an AD-converter. The output of this converter is then used to switch a bank of relais to set the proper volume level. There are a total of 64 levels which allows for very small stepsizes and a very analog feeling. The advantages of this concept are strongly reduced channel-imbalances and a much cleaner and more detailed sound. The use of a conventional stereo-potentiometer does add its own sonic signature which is now prevented.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





mayatlab said:


> If it's only a question of feeling good just because there's a stepped pot in it, I find it a little idiotic on the consumer's part. Also, it's only an assumption that a stepped attenuator is a better component then an ALPS pot. As you said, it has to be a "high quality" one, and designing such a pot may cost vastly more than what's reasonable in a specific design. Also, both the SPL and Violectric amps provide very good measurements - that's certainly not the case with the Burson. So I wonder if it was such a good design decision to go for a very expensive stepped pot instead of spending the money elsewhere in that amp (or just designing a better circuit and saving money). It's only when an amp is limited by regular pots that it's useful to use a discrete one. If it's not, then the manufacturer's just loosing money. If it is, then yes indeed it should be used.


 

  
  There is nothing idiotic on the consumer's part to want the best for their/our money especially if this can improve the sound as vrln ^^ already mentioned.


----------



## MayaTlab

To clarify, my argument never was that stepped, discrete, digitally controlled pots never sound better than a basic ALPS pot, but that it makes no economical sense to use one if bigger improvements can be made spending the exact difference between them on something else. Violectric estimated that it wasn't worth it to implement a discrete / more complex pot to meet both their SQ target and price / margin target, and I have all reasons to believe they're not daft choosing an ALPS pot (unlike Burson spending the money on their stepped pot instead of addressing the rather poor distortion figure). There is also the question of function target : for example, it makes sense to use a digitally controlled volume pot if the amp is to be used with IEMs, or over a very wide volume range. But I doubt that's the primary intent of the V200 (especially as it uses jumpers I believe).
  I just think that saying that the pot should be addressed in future violectic design isn't right to me. Only violectric should decide what to keep, what to improve, and there may be more improvements to make spending the money elsewhere (I don't know, power supplies, other component choices, etc.). As you also said, they may have a rather strict selection process.


----------



## Zombie_X

I thought my POT looked much bigger when I had the unit open. I'll have to take another look inside.
  
  Quote: 





vrln said:


> It's a standard cheap ALPS blue pot unfortunately (http://aphroditecu29.com/Violectric/violectric/V200InsideB.jpg). That is, if you ask me, the main problem with the amp. In a 800 euro product a discrete stepped pot would have made the product really stand out. That said, I think it's pretty shameful how rare stepped pots are in high end headphone amps (same pot can be found in Lehmann Black Cube, SPL Auditor and so on). There's no excuse except cost cutting, and the margins are already huge in audiophile gear. A lot of of the budget goes into the V200 chassis. Personally I'd much rather buy a V200 in a G100 chassis but with a stepped pot.


----------



## hduong

vrln said:


> It's a standard cheap ALPS blue pot unfortunately (http://aphroditecu29.com/Violectric/violectric/V200InsideB.jpg). That is, if you ask me, the main problem with the amp. In a 800 euro product a discrete stepped pot would have made the product really stand out. That said, I think it's pretty shameful how rare stepped pots are in high end headphone amps (same pot can be found in Lehmann Black Cube, SPL Auditor and so on). There's no excuse except cost cutting, and the margins are already huge in audiophile gear. A lot of of the budget goes into the V200 chassis. Personally I'd much rather buy a V200 in a G100 chassis but with a stepped pot.





As long as the amp sounds good I don't really care if a step attenuator is used. Especially if the money can be spent on other things that can improve the sound more; or does not degrade the sound as much. It's not like these companies are using a cheap pot. The Alps unit is of decent quality. My audio-gd has a Alps unit and I have not noticed any channel imbalance that is bothersome. I listen at relatively low volumes.


----------



## project86

My stance on the Alps pot (and I know it is a controversial issue for some people): I don't personally like stepped attenuators in general. The Burson for example was not very useful with more sensitive IEMs. You go from too loud, to too quiet, in just a few clicks. I guess if you made one with a hundred steps or something it could work out. But that would likely be prohibitively expensive for amps of this price range. 
   
  I remember my Luxman P-1u having the same Alps pot as the V200. A fellow HeadFier who I greatly respect complained about that fact, thinking they should have used something better on that expensive of an amp. I never understood that, because the amp tracked perfectly even at low volumes, and sounded wonderful. Was it being held back by the Alps pot? No way to know I guess.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Same here.  I've had some Classe pre amps with very expensive stepped pots in them and it was always the same problem no matter what material I was playing. One click was too low the next too high.  It made me crazy.


----------



## Zombie_X

My V200 clicks into place and is not smooth like the V181 or the previous V200 review unit I had. I am almost certain this is stepped. The volue jumps up a dB or two every time it "clicks" into place.
   
  Here's a picture of it:
   

  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> My stance on the Alps pot (and I know it is a controversial issue for some people): I don't personally like stepped attenuators in general. The Burson for example was not very useful with more sensitive IEMs. You go from too loud, to too quiet, in just a few clicks. I guess if you made one with a hundred steps or something it could work out. But that would likely be prohibitively expensive for amps of this price range.
> 
> I remember my Luxman P-1u having the same Alps pot as the V200. A fellow HeadFier who I greatly respect complained about that fact, thinking they should have used something better on that expensive of an amp. I never understood that, because the amp tracked perfectly even at low volumes, and sounded wonderful. Was it being held back by the Alps pot? No way to know I guess.


----------



## Naim.F.C

Zombie, mine was also stepped exactly as you described yours. A brand new unit from 2012 as well. But to the defence of the V200, it's stepped volume had a LOT of clicks. Even in-between each bar there were in-between stops. Add to that, with the whole host of easy to switch gain switches on the back, it's not an issue at all fine tuning volume.


----------



## Zombie_X

This must be a new revision of the V200. This one sounds different than the last one I had. It's hard to say though. To me it sounds more open and maybe a tad more detailed.
   
  Also if this is now truly a stepped POT then I really dig it, though I have nothing against how the old pot worked.
   
  I also like how you can fine tune the volume level of this amp. Very nice!
  
  Quote: 





naim.f.c said:


> Zombie, mine was also stepped exactly as you described yours. A brand new unit from 2012 as well. But to the defence of the V200, it's stepped volume had a LOT of clicks. Even in-between each bar there were in-between stops. Add to that, with the whole host of easy to switch gain switches on the back, it's not an issue at all fine tuning volume.


----------



## baritone

about the alp27 pot has a long life until it  becomes old and start generating noise the rk27 has a minimum of 15000 cycles (as specified in the data specs for the rk27),i think it enough ,at least for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  a discrete and priced stepped does not guaranty a better MTBF there are a lot of components and a lot of switches ,the rk27 pot does it well
  what  matters is the musical result and the  exotic sophistication/implementation .


----------



## fdg

About volume control (pots)
  You are right, a manufacturer may save lots of money when choosing a dedicated volume control - or may spend lots of money.

 Mechanical pots are for sale in various qualities.
  Violectric is using Alps RK27 for V100 - V200 because it is a long lasting alternative.
  There are separate chambers for left and right signals, so it offers a quite good L-R separation.
 It´s got a metal shaft with low tolerance between shaft and bushing.
 Because of lots of grease there is a smooth feeling whilst turning.
 I personally have never faced a scrating RK27 in over 35 years of electronic experience.
  OK, the pots from "Nobel" offered die-cast cases with similar dimensions, unfortunately they´re out of business.
   
*Violectric is measuring each pot during stock receipt.
 Differences > 0.3 dB at 12:00 are not accepted for V100 / V181 / V200 *
   
*Since November 2011 Violectric is using RK27 with 41-step detent for V100 - V200.*
   
  Please note that this is only a mechanical detent, the travel is still analog with infinite resolution, meaning, you can also adjust the pot between two detents.
  Also, if anybody noticed, meanwhile we are using special knobs designed by us and exclusively manufactured for us.
   
   
*General thoughts about stepped attenuators, there are several way to proceed:*
   
  1. stepped attenuator made with mechanical 24-step switches.
 Advantages: from the electrical side a relatively good solution, good channel balance, depending on resistor tolerances. No sound issues !!
  Disadvantages: these designs suffer from the poor resolution of only 24 steps and high costs for quality 2 x 24-step switches. Also the signal may be interupted between two steps.
   
  2. stepped attenuation with DCAs (digital controlled attenuator)
  These had been available first from Cystal Semiconductors (CS 3311) now there are more makes in the market,
  also from other brands like Burr Brown / TI.
  Advantages: very good channel balance, very good resolution of 128 or even 256 steps
  Disadvantages: issues concerning THD and sound, partly limitations because of low operating voltage. Needs a processor to operate.
 See THD/Noise figures from gear with those parts inside.
   
  3. stepped attenuation with relais
  Advantages: no sound issues, good channel balance, depending on resistor tolerances.Very good resolution of 64, 128 or even 256 steps.
  Disadvantages: needs a processor to operate, long term stability of relais.
   
  In our upcoming amps we will offer three alternatives:
  1. RK 27, manual operation
  2. RK27 motor driven, remote and manual operation
  3. relais controlled attenuation, remote and manual operation by control pot, no incremental, no up/down buttons  
   
  Greetz
   
  Fried


----------



## walkman666

I love how Fried imparts all of this information here.  Thank you, sir.  I have same volume control described by zombie_x and naim FC. I like it a lot.  I like the amp a lot, too!


----------



## Naim.F.C

Agreed. I think the current volume set up of the new V200's should be the default one going forward. That is, assuming it ins't already.
  
  Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> I love how Fried imparts all of this information here.  Thank you, sir.  I have same volume control described by zombie_x and naim FC. I like it a lot.  I like the amp a lot, too!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Thanks for the info Fried!


----------



## WNBC

Good reading here about volume pots, knew nothing about them beforehand.  I purchased mine in Dec. 2011 from a distributor so I guess I got the last of the smooth volume pot stocks.  In any case, it has been a marvelous performer.  Drives the HE-500 well at zero gain.


----------



## walkman666

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Good reading here about volume pots, knew nothing about them beforehand.  I purchased mine in Dec. 2011 from a distributor so I guess I got the last of the smooth volume pot stocks.  In any case, it has been a marvelous performer.  Drives the HE-500 well at zero gain.


 


  I am also pairing the v200 with HE-500, and like the combo. I am also keeping the gain at zero.  When I want it loud, I am hard-pressed to go beyond 12:00/1:00.


----------



## rawrster

I haven't had an issue with the volume pot at all. With my more sensitive customs or headphones and my HE500 they are all fine to me with no channel imbalance or anything and with my customs they have enough space on the pot to move the volume up if needed.


----------



## Allforheather

I guess my v100 is one of the old ones with a smooth rk27, and I absolutely adore it, silky smooth with very appropriate resistance. And to be honest I don't think I would like the new stepped pot, just not a fan of the idea. Anyway, with the old pot, no problem with low volume, tf10 sounds just fine with the amp under normal pre-gain and -12 pre-gain, don't see what the fuss is all about.


----------



## vrln

Thanks for the informative post fdg, you replied to all questions I raised and I'm really impressed that you take the time to read this thread. To me it seems every time you post, your posts have an extremely high signal to noise ratio 
   
  The 0.3dB QA limit is very good, especially since thanks to PRE-GAIN one can always tune the volume pot to be used around 12 pm so that value actually means something too. In other words I take back my comment about the ALPS pot being a major downside to the product. It makes sense to keep the basic configuration like this. Glad you are going to offer other options too though (for paranoid hobbyists like me), any chance you are going to offer the option 3 volume control system as an optional V100/V200 upgrade?


----------



## raysclim1568

Hello all
   
  have anyone hear the V200 paired with Rein Audio XDAC and Violectric V800 DAC ?
   
  I have a change to choose either one of them and just want to make sure I am getting the Best match for V200.
   
  Thanks 
 Raymond  Lim


----------



## WNBC

A fine review of the V800
http://www.head-fi.org/t/574418/review-violectric-v800-dac#post_7799058
   
  If I was building a system again I would considering matching the DAC and Amp with the same manufacturer.  Not necessary but if one was looking for great synergy then that could be a safe bet.

  
  Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Hello all
> 
> have anyone hear the V200 paired with Rein Audio XDAC and Violectric V800 DAC ?
> 
> ...


----------



## Zombie_X

I ahve the V200 and V800 right now, the pairing is quite nice indeed and I can highly recommend it.
  
  Quote: 





raysclim1568 said:


> Hello all
> 
> have anyone hear the V200 paired with Rein Audio XDAC and Violectric V800 DAC ?
> 
> ...


----------



## baritone

after a long lead I just decided to buy a brand new v200 to complete with my v800/t1 combo  I know I did the right decision
   I wanted to find a 2nd hand but was impossible to find one  people who had it want the amp  for ever
  so if there not a s 2nd option then it  will be brand new


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





baritone said:


> after a long lead I just decided to buy a brand new v200 to complete with my v800/t1 combo  I know I did the right decision
> I wanted to find a 2nd hand but was impossible to find one  people who had it want the amp  for ever
> so if there not a s 2nd option then it  will be brand new


 


  Congratulation Bar, I hope to see you soon and compare the V200 to the Phonitor...


----------



## Zombie_X

Congrats! The V200/V800/T1 combo is really something special and is a high end set-up. I think you'll really dig the sound of your headphones.
  
  Quote: 





baritone said:


> after a long lead I just decided to buy a brand new v200 to complete with my v800/t1 combo  I know I did the right decision
> I wanted to find a 2nd hand but was impossible to find one  people who had it want the amp  for ever
> so if there not a s 2nd option then it  will be brand new


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





baritone said:


> after a long lead I just decided to buy a brand new v200 to complete with my v800/t1 combo  I know I did the right decision
> I wanted to find a 2nd hand but was impossible to find one  people who had it want the amp  for ever
> so if there not a s 2nd option then it  will be brand new


 
  Congrats!  
   
   Wish I had the confidence to ship oversees.


----------



## WNBC

There is still time to keep that V200.  Pair it up with a HD800 before it finds a new home.
  
  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Congrats!
> 
> Wish I had the confidence to ship oversees.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> There is still time to keep that V200.  Pair it up with a HD800 before it finds a new home.


 

 Well as much as I really love this amp and don't want to sell it, regrettably I have to do it.


----------



## qawsedrf

warriorant said:


> Well as much as I really love this amp and don't want to sell it, regrettably I have to do it.




I'd snatch it up right from you without hesitation if it could take 230v....  I'm terrible with a soldering iron despite having Fried sending me the instructions to do so. (Hi Fried, if you're reading this. Wonder if you remember me. )


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> I'd snatch it up right from you without hesitation if it could take 230v....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The soldering iron is my weakness also.  If it weren't I'd be building kits all day and night.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> The soldering iron is my weakness also.  If it weren't I'd be building kits all day and night.


 
  It is no so hard like it seems , that if you don't have parkinson in your hands


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





acix said:


> Congratulation Bar, I hope to see you soon and compare the V200 to the Phonitor...


 


 Shure I think it will be the fight of the year ...


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





baritone said:


> It is no so hard like it seems , that if you don't have parkinson in your hands


 


  I did it a few times back in the US...and if I remember correctly above $60 shipping cost, USPS will add automatically tracking number and a minimum insurance of $100, and every $100 insurance will cost you $5 (maybe the USPS policy had changed since my last time, a few months back).


----------



## brat

deleted


----------



## walkman666

I am really enjoying the sound I have from my V200, HE-500, Anedio U2 and yes, Nuforce Icon HDP set-up. I will not try to dissect which component is providing the greatest sonic benefit, but the sound is very good.  The HE-500s are wonderful, and the V200 as others have indicated, provide a warmth and smoothness that is noticeable different than when I listen to headphones straight from the Icon HDP headpone out.  I believe the addition of the Anedio U2 converter added more detail. I hear more things now.  I use the J River Media Center and Foobar 2000 to ensure bitperfect output of music.  I am still thinking of upgrading the Nuforce Icon HDP to the Violectric V800 DAC to have a nice matching set, but I must say, for now, things sound really good.


----------



## brat

I've searched theis thread but can't find more detailed information:
  Has anyone experimented with the pre-gain switches of the V200?_ I wonder if they affect the linearity of the amp._ Would be the V200 more linear at -12db?
  In fact my old Corda Prehead sounded much better in that way with gain switched off.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





brat said:


> I've searched theis thread but can't find more detailed information:
> Has anyone experimented with the pre-gain switches of the V200?_ I wonder if they affect the linearity of the amp._ Would be the V200 more linear at -12db?
> In fact my old Corda Prehead sounded much better in that way with gain switched off.


 

  
  I've used the gain switches extensively with the V200.  I often used the -12 and - 6db with the LCD-2 and the LCD-3.   All the gain switches sounded exactly the same to me.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> I've used the gain switches extensively with the V200.  I often used the -12 and - 6db with the LCD-2 and the LCD-3.   All the gain switches sounded exactly the same to me.


 

 And why did you do this then?
  I listen to -12db today and I _think_ the V200 is more linear in the upper mids but the bass is less also. I still can't decide if it's true or I just hear what I _want_ _and expect_ to hear (this upper mids glare is annoying...) 
  The Meyer Audio Corda Prehead has peaks in the lower treble and the upper bass with the gain on.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





brat said:


> And why did you do this then?
> I listen to -12db today and I _think_ the V200 is more linear in the upper mids but the bass is less also. I still can't decide if it's true or I just hear what I _want_ _and expect_ to hear (this upper mids glare is annoying...)
> The Meyer Audio Corda Prehead has peaks in the lower treble and the upper bass with the gain on.


 

 I think you  hear what you expect to hear
  the change of gain is  a " linear change in ouput amplitude" and had nothing to do with the frequency response of the amplifier '
  listening a diferent amplitudes with headphones interacts with the non linear frequency response of our ears and maybe this is the effect you think the amplifier is causing
  I am shure the effect you hear could be  real but IMO  is not the amplifier that is doing this but your ears


----------



## brat

Quote: 





baritone said:


> I think you  hear what you expect to hear
> the change of gain is  a " linear change in ouput amplitude" and had nothing to do with the frequency response of the amplifier '
> listening a diferent amplitudes with headphones interacts with the non linear frequency response of our ears and maybe this is the effect you think the amplifier is causing
> I am shure the effect you hear could be  real but IMO  is not the amplifier that is doing this but your ears


 


  I agree it could be my ears. But I'll listen with -12db for some time to be shure if there's something different.
  In Meyer Audio Corda Prehead the gain causes audible changes in FR and I'm not the only person that hears it. Of course I don't know anything about the schematics of both amps.


----------



## project86

I've also tried most of the pre-gain settings (except the higher ones, they are just too much with the sources I have) and I can't hear any differences between them either, in terms of frequency response. 
   
  What are you using as a source to feed to V200? If that is variable in output, perhaps the difference is there rather than in the pre-gain settings?


----------



## brat

I'm using Cary 306 SACD (with balanced ICs) and a modded Pioneer PD-9300. No variable outputs. There's a slight possibility to be wrong but after some swaps between 0db and -12 db I hear differences in bass ( more quantity, impact and texture at 0db) and treble (more low treble at 0db). The emphasis at 0db is at low treble (every instrument in this area are very audible) and at -12db everything is more neutral, I can't hear particular sounds that pop up from the whole picture. The cans are LCD-2 r2.


----------



## walkman666

I have not tried the pre-gain switches on the v200.  I am delighted to have recently paired the v200 with the v800.  What a lovely set-up!


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





brat said:


> And why did you do this then?
> I listen to -12db today and I _think_ the V200 is more linear in the upper mids but the bass is less also. I still can't decide if it's true or I just hear what I _want_ _and expect_ to hear (this upper mids glare is annoying...)
> The Meyer Audio Corda Prehead has peaks in the lower treble and the upper bass with the gain on.


 


  I used it that way to give the volume pot more range.


----------



## vrln

That´s what it´s meant for. The settings should as far as I know sound exactly the same. With the pre-gain switches you can tune the amp to have a nice volume pot range. Not only is it more practical (more volume options), channel balance is usually at its best at around 11-12 pm in pots.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

I've used the switches a bit; I usually listen with my LCD-2s or HD-800s at zero gain, but with my D7000s, the volume is too much even at 9-10 o'clock with some recordings, so I've switched to the -6 setting to give the volume control a little more play.  I've never used -12.  I don't notice any channel imbalance, or anything out of the ordinary when using the gain switches.


----------



## qawsedrf

Finally! I should be able to get my Violectric V200 soon... Soon as in latest by the end of April. lol. I have to thanks Robert and Fried for arranging to have a 230v unit prepared for me though, they're great guys to talk to.


----------



## brat

I'm burning-in my new LCD-2 and V200 simultaneously and I don't know which of them contributes more but the combo gets better and better... but still the bass is less than I like it


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





> I'm burning-in my new LCD-2 and V200 simultaneously and I don't know which of them contributes more but the combo gets better and better... but still the bass is less than I like it


 
   
  as far  i know the lcd2 is a bass factory  and the v200 can supply with easy what they need
  did you hear the music "with the bass you expected" in another system  with "the bass you expected"?
  is the bass in your music files ?


----------



## nigeljames

Quote: 





brat said:


> I'm burning-in my new LCD-2 and V200 simultaneously and I don't know which of them contributes more but the combo gets better and better... but still the bass is less than I like it


 


  I have been doing the same with my new LCD-2's and Master-6. With that combo, even from new, the bass is through the floor.
   
  I am sure the bass will come.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





baritone said:


> as far  i know the lcd2 is a bass factory  and the v200 can supply with easy what they need
> did you hear the music "with the bass you expected" in another system  with "the bass you expected"?
> is the bass in your music files ?


 


  Yes, my precious HD-518 have the bass I expect  it's doesn't go really deep but is much more impactful.


----------



## raysclim1568

Quote: 





brat said:


> I'm burning-in my new LCD-2 and V200 simultaneously and I don't know which of them contributes more but the combo gets better and better... but still the bass is less than I like it


 
  I did the same for my LCD2 and V200 and V800 too. 
  Be patience , time will pay off and after 50 hours , they sounded much better than fresh . 
   
  another things that you could consider is to upgrade your power cable for the setup . it does improve further .
   
  Cheers.
  Raymond


----------



## brat

Yes, I use a very good power cable and it makes huge difference. Every cent paid for power improvements reciprocates.


----------



## baritone

what a crasy  long wainting time
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  for my v200 amp since the 28th no news
  it seems it just evaporated in the way to me 
  i sent a message to violectric , they said to me to be //// patient /////
  and wait ,,,,  the machine will arrive ...  hopefully


----------



## project86

Quote: 





baritone said:


> what a crasy  long wainting time
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Someone I know had a really long wait as well - turns out customs had it stashed somewhere for several weeks. I'm not sure why. Hopefully your situation is similar and it gets released soon.


----------



## fenom60

Did you use dhl or ups? I used ups and it arrived from Germany to Canada in 2 business but it cost me 120 euros , well I hate dhl and their fees, so I opted for ups and it was super fast


----------



## baritone

I use dhl they said to wait  8-12 business day from the 5th  lets hope  before the 20th  i 'll finally touch the amp


----------



## Zombie_X

Meh power cable upgrades do nothing, to me at least. I had the Shunyata Diamondback and it didn't change the sound at all on any of my amps. I fooled myself at first but then realized it did nothing. Power cables from Monoprice are good enough. It's my opinion that anything over $30 for a power cable is a waste of money.
   
  There are some outrageous claims out there and power cable are one of them. That's me though. If you hear a difference then you hear one, if you don't then you don't. Remember, it's just an opinion.
   
  I sometimes refer to buying audiophile gear, and don't take this the wrong way, but a stupidity tax. $50 for an vibration absorbing harmonizing bag of gel? Bollocks! I tell ya be careful guys, they rope you in.


----------



## hodgjy

I'm with you on power cords. As long as they are made properly of the right gauge and shielding, they will have no impact on sound. I say if you want a fancy cord, get it because it's sturdy and its pretty looks make you happy. Don't buy it thinking it's going to improve your sound.



zombie_x said:


> Meh power cable upgrades do nothing, to me at least. I had the Shunyata Diamondback and it didn't change the sound at all on any of my amps. I fooled myself at first but then realized it did nothing. Power cables from Monoprice are good enough. It's my opinion that anything over $30 for a power cable is a waste of money.
> 
> There are some outrageous claims out there and power cable are one of them. That's me though. If you hear a difference then you hear one, if you don't then you don't. Remember, it's just an opinion.
> 
> I sometimes refer to buying audiophile gear, and don't take this the wrong way, but a stupidity tax. $50 for an vibration absorbing harmonizing bag of gel? Bollocks! I tell ya be careful guys, they rope you in.


----------



## Zombie_X

Indeed, now power filtering is different as it can help, but there is no need to drop $1000 on a power filter or strip. I think the most I'd go is $250. On all my gear I use a Monster HTS power strip and it protects and filters the power, that's all I need.
  
  Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I'm with you on power cords. As long as they are made properly of the right gauge and shielding, they will have no impact on sound. I say if you want a fancy cord, get it because it's sturdy and its pretty looks make you happy. Don't buy it thinking it's going to improve your sound.


----------



## hodgjy

Yep, a basic filter is all you need. Power transformers do much of the filtering themselves. If your power is so dirty that a basic filter can't cut it, you don't need a $1000 power conditioner. You need to move to a new neighborhood. 



zombie_x said:


> Indeed, now power filtering is different as it can help, but there is no need to drop $1000 on a power filter or strip. I think the most I'd go is $250. On all my gear I use a Monster HTS power strip and it protects and filters the power, that's all I need.


----------



## WarriorAnt

.


----------



## kwkarth

General question:
  What is considered "basic" filtering?  What does that mean?  Spike filtering?  RFI filtering?  Brownout protection?  How many db of filtering at what frequencies?  How many poles?  MOV protection or other?
   
  Does nothing depend upon the amount of existing noise at the installation site?  Are all sites the same or are some places worse than others?


----------



## Zombie_X

I have no idea myself but the bare bones Monster power strip does the job for me. After I upgraded to a better surge protector and filter it helped a lot. I bought a Monster HTS 950 and that's all I really needed. I know monster has a bad rep, but I do like their power strips and power conditioners, that is if they can be had for a good price.
   
  Where I live there are many radio towers. I think they may be on the same power grid as me as I get some RFI from time to time on my gear. Sometimes the voltage dips as low as 105V. I have a Tripp Lite step up transformer for maintaining voltage, as we do get some dips in the power daily (lights dim, flicker, or appliances go out). So it just steps up the voltage when it dips too low, and it's worked for me nicely. We have a few of these around the house to prevent such issues.
   
  I recommend even a basic filtering/surge protector for all gear. I'd say it's essential if you want to protect your gear.
   
  Quote: 





kwkarth said:


> General question:
> What is considered "basic" filtering?  What does that mean?  Spike filtering?  RFI filtering?  Brownout protection?  How many db of filtering at what frequencies?  How many poles?  MOV protection or other?
> 
> Does nothing depend upon the amount of existing noise at the installation site?  Are all sites the same or are some places worse than others?


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





kwkarth said:


> General question:
> What is considered "basic" filtering?  What does that mean?  Spike filtering?  RFI filtering?  Brownout protection?  How many db of filtering at what frequencies?  How many poles?  MOV protection or other?
> 
> Does nothing depend upon the amount of existing noise at the installation site?  Are all sites the same or are some places worse than others?


 


 if I redirect this question to the v200 amp i cand said that the amp had received a certificate for emi/rfi compliacy and it said in a few words that the machine has passed tests concerning to many rfi noise
  and interferences tests
  personally I know all these tests (in my work)  even pure analog equipment has some defects that must be corrected prior receiving  the ok , many intrinsic filters are normally inside a machine  that are in charge to eliminated most of the external noise (mains , audio lines etc) in any case it will not be easy to hear audiophile music  during a strong electrical storm when spikes gone out from the cables burning everything in the way to the amplifier ( ot to the headphones ,,,,,   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





,)


----------



## brat

I read the V200 review from Zombie_X and noticed that this amp has different revisions. I have an "older" V200 (no stepped volume and the switches of the back are different). I wonder how it compares sonically to the newest variant. Has anyone listened to both?
  And I'm mad that the distributor didn't inform me about the changes in V200 and just 1 month ago sold me an "old" amp.


----------



## WNBC

I don't think there are other significant changes than the volume pot.  The switches on ZombieX's V200 look like mine.  Yours are different?  Mine was purchased in Dec. 2011 with the older volume pot.  They might be saving any substantial changes for any upcoming models.
   
   
*From page 74*
   
 _About volume control (pots)_
 _You are right, a manufacturer may save lots of money when choosing a dedicated volume control - or may spend lots of money._
 
_Mechanical pots are for sale in various qualities._
 _Violectric is using Alps RK27 for V100 - V200 because it is a long lasting alternative._
 _There are separate chambers for left and right signals, so it offers a quite good L-R separation.
 It´s got a metal shaft with low tolerance between shaft and bushing.
 Because of lots of grease there is a smooth feeling whilst turning.
 I personally have never faced a scrating RK27 in over 35 years of electronic experience._
 _OK, the pots from "Nobel" offered die-cast cases with similar dimensions, unfortunately they´re out of business._
  
 _*Violectric is measuring each pot during stock receipt.
 Differences > 0.3 dB at 12:00 are not accepted for V100 / V181 / V200*_
  
 _*Since November 2011 Violectric is using RK27 with 41-step detent for V100 - V200.*_
  
 _*Please note that this is only a mechanical detent, the travel is still analog with infinite resolution, meaning, you can also adjust the pot between two detents.*_
 _*Also, if anybody noticed, meanwhile we are using special knobs designed by us and exclusively manufactured for us.*_
  
  
 _*General thoughts about stepped attenuators, there are several way to proceed:*_
  
 _1. stepped attenuator made with mechanical 24-step switches.
 Advantages: from the electrical side a relatively good solution, good channel balance, depending on resistor tolerances. No sound issues !!_
 _Disadvantages: these designs suffer from the poor resolution of only 24 steps and high costs for quality 2 x 24-step switches. Also the signal may be interupted between two steps._
  
 _2. stepped attenuation with DCAs (digital controlled attenuator)_
 _These had been available first from Cystal Semiconductors (CS 3311) now there are more makes in the market,_
 _also from other brands like Burr Brown / TI._
 _Advantages: very good channel balance, very good resolution of 128 or even 256 steps_
 _Disadvantages: issues concerning THD and sound, partly limitations because of low operating voltage. Needs a processor to operate.
 See THD/Noise figures from gear with those parts inside._
  
 _3. stepped attenuation with relais_
 _Advantages: no sound issues, good channel balance, depending on resistor tolerances.Very good resolution of 64, 128 or even 256 steps._
 _Disadvantages: needs a processor to operate, long term stability of relais._
  
 _In our upcoming amps we will offer three alternatives:_
 _1. RK 27, manual operation_
 _2. RK27 motor driven, remote and manual operation_
 _3. relais controlled attenuation, remote and manual operation by control pot, no incremental, no up/down buttons  _
  
 _Greetz_
  
 _Fried_
    
   
  Quote:


brat said:


> I read the V200 review from Zombie_X and noticed that this amp has different revisions. I have an "older" V200 (no stepped volume and the switches of the back are different). I wonder how it compares sonically to the newest variant. Has anyone listened to both?
> And I'm mad that the distributor didn't inform me about the changes in V200 and just 1 month ago sold me an "old" amp.


----------



## brat

This quote is reassuring.


----------



## soberspine

I also noticed few more differences:
  The new v200 has a different transformer, I couldn't tell from the pictures made by Zombie_X for his review if it is from another manufacturer.
  the new v200 has bigger heat sinks.
  Personally I like more the look of the old volume knob. I think the new one is cheaper because it is easier to manufacture.


----------



## Zombie_X

I'll take more pictures for you guys of the internals when I get some time. 
   
  Also my V181 review is on the way 
  
  Quote: 





soberspine said:


> I also noticed few more differences:
> The new v200 has a different transformer, I couldn't tell from the pictures made by Zombie_X for his review if it is from another manufacturer.
> the new v200 has bigger heat sinks.
> Personally I like more the look of the old volume knob. I think the new one is cheaper because it is easier to manufacture.


----------



## fdg

There are always some changes during production, some because we want to improve the product,
  some because of short stocks and allocation problems.
   
  Since beginning of the production in autumn 2009 to following was changed:

 The heat sinks because we changed the supplier. The heat sink is not really nesseccary, the amps could work without.
  But the new heat sinks are available in 50 mm length while the older ones came in 6000 mm length and had to be shortend in house.
  So the new ones are more comfortable  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  for the same price and they are looking more professional.
  By the way, drilling and milling works on the heat sinks are made in-house.
 The company for blue anodising also changed but is still inside the county.

 The power switch because because the old one was out of production.
  Fortunately we fund the same make from another manufacturer.
 The push button from the old one is situated on a green lever while the new one is orange.
   
  The volume control was changed to a 41 detent from Alps which is only made on demand.
  We like the detent feeling whilst turning because it has something to do with precision and eases repositioning to a specific level.
  Also the 41 detent matches the layout on the frontpanel. Every two steps a mark is hit.
  Please note that this is NOT a stepped volume control but still analog with infinite resolution.
   
  The volume knob. Definetely the new knob is more expensive than the old one.
  The new knob is an original Violectric design and manufactured only for us.
 The knob is solid aluminium as before but sightly bigger (25 to 23,5 mm) and higher (20 to 16 mm) thus using more material.
  It is glas blasted and the anodising quality is much better as it was before.
   
   It mirrors the outline from the front panel.
   
  Also the marking is not printed only on one surface but sewed and can be seen 3-dimensional.
 The sewing seemed to be a problem during production ...
  
  Next will be the XLR sockets because the manufacturer "Neutrik" changes this series.
  Please note that we are amongst only very few in the market using the B-series instead of the much cheaper A or A/B series.
 B-series uses metal to guide the connectors and improves shielding. Also threaded screws are used instead of sheet metal screws.
   
  The toroidal transformers. This is a big problem for us.
  As a standard we are using "Talema" toroidal transformers which are originally made for the Munic based company "Sedlbauer" in India.
  I dont know why but they are always short in stock and allocation is not the exception but has become the standard.
 Fortunately meanwhile there are some clones in the market which are much more expensive but we take them to continue production.
  One of the clones is labled ACME, no kidding !!
   
  The above shows the normal stresses a manufacurer has to face during steady production.
  The other way of production would be to take a large amount of money, produce, lets say, 10.000 pieces and afterwards make a new model.
  But this is not our way.
   
  Also please keep in mind that due to stock keeping it takes some time until changes in production will appear in the market.
  This is even more true for the 230 V  / 115 V makes as these are produced in different stocks.
  About 25 to 30 % of the production is for 115 V mains voltage.
   
  Greetz for now,
   
  Fried


----------



## WNBC

Thank you for the insight into production
  Looking forward to the evolution of your next line of products
  Best Regards

  
  Quote: 





fdg said:


> There are always some changes during production, some because we want to improve the product,
> some because of short stocks and allocation problems.
> 
> Since beginning of the production in autumn 2009 to following was changed:
> ...


----------



## Zombie_X

I am excited about the new Violectric amp coming out. Maybe I'll get a sample from Robert or Fried once they begin production next year.


----------



## soberspine

new violectric amps means that the v200 will be replaced with a newer model?


----------



## baritone

today I received the  box from the local mail office  v200 !!!!
  i did not have yet  the time to open the box but I am shure   the amp is inside


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





baritone said:


> today I received the  box from the local mail office  v200 !!!!
> i did not have yet  the time to open the box but I am shure   the amp is inside


 


  Congratulation man!


----------



## baritone

Some pictures of  the new toy
   

  the  open box
   

   
  the front of the amp

   
  the back of the amp 
   
   
  the v800 the v200 and the t1 together
  By the moment  I  can tell nothing about the sound  ..... it will take some time but is not bad ......


----------



## Zombie_X

Nice! You have the newest version with the stepped pot!
  
  Quote: 





baritone said:


> Some pictures of  the new toy
> 
> 
> the  open box
> ...


----------



## omfsking

Hello,
  What do you guys think about the V200/V800 with the D7000s (with the possibility of getting Hd800, LCD3 or T1s later)( mostly for Classical, soft rock and electronic). Thanks ( you are more than welcome to suggest anything else (Dac/Amp) for around $2000)


----------



## project86

omfsking said:


> Hello,
> What do you guys think about the V200/V800 with the D7000s (with the possibility of getting Hd800, LCD3 or T1s later)( mostly for Classical, soft rock and electronic). Thanks ( you are more than welcome to suggest anything else (Dac/Amp) for around $2000)




I use my V800/V200 combo quite a bit paired with the Lawton LA7000, which is a modded D7000. It makes a wonderful match. I'm sure the stock Denon would also pair very well.


----------



## brat

Everyone here describes V200+LCD-2 as a wonderful, warm and bass-rich combination but I do not agree. I find it rather neutral, with deep but not impacful bass and HUGE soundstage. I'm rolling OFC, single-core silver and carbon ICs as well as a PC and two different CDPs as sources. And the combo doesn't change this signature. So... _don't believe the hype_


----------



## WNBC

Well if there is a consensus on the V200 + LCD-2 and it differs from your opinion that doesn't make your opinion any more or less valid.  The soundstage is more than adequate but huge isn't what comes to mind.  In my rig the LCD-2 and V200 bass could be described as impactful and deep.  We're using very subjective terms here and they can mean different things to different people.  
   
  The V200 is on the warm sound, not full on tubey warmth but there is a hint of it.  It was the first thing I noticed when I transitioned from the hybrid tube Lyr amp.  It's a shade less warm than the Lyr but definitely not as neutral as say my cMoyBB.  Not that the cMoy is on the same level but it very much closer to neutral.  When I had the Apex Butte amp on loan I would describe that as a less warm amp than V200.  It's all relative.  I've used both silver and copper IC cables between my DAC and V200 with no change in warmth.
   
  Warm and neutral are not bad words.  People get offended calling it hype when something is referred to warm or when there is a consensus that differs from one's experience.  Most people call the V200 and LCD-2 as warm.  The warmth is there, how much, that's for each person to experience with their own ears and rigs.    
   
  EDIT: In defense of the V200's neutrality I would also say V200 + HE-500 less warm, more neutral, less impactful bass than V200 + LCD-2.  Therefore the headphone is playing a bigger role in the portrayal of warmth than the V200.  That's my rig.  Others may disagree about the warmth imparted by HE-500.  
   
  Quote: 





brat said:


> Everyone here describes V200+LCD-2 as a wonderful, warm and bass-rich combination but I do not agree. I find it rather neutral, with deep but not impacful bass and HUGE soundstage. I'm rolling OFC, single-core silver and carbon ICs as well as a PC and two different CDPs as sources. And the combo doesn't change this signature. So... _don't believe the hype_


----------



## WarriorAnt

To be honest I don't know where the "Hype" aspect of all this fits in.  I have not seen any hype about the V200's warmth.  If anything most people say it is on "the warm side" which usually means a touch of warmth past neutral. Whatever neutral is.   My own observation of the V200's warmth is such and has been stated in my own impression.  http://www.head-fi.org/products/violectric-hpa-v200/reviews/5331

 "There is also an overall warmth to this amp but not too much, not overly present or in any way intrusive.  This warmth does not seem to be a manifestation of any undue or excess mid bass emphasis, its just there in the presentation in a beneficial way rather than detracting and does not obscure the the amps detail or compromise definition.  Personally I find this warmth pleasant, inviting and gratifying."


----------



## fenom60

Quote: 





baritone said:


> Some pictures of  the new toy
> 
> 
> the  open box
> ...


 


  Interesting, i got my new V200, but inside there is a V800 manual o.O and a pretty good quality USB cable which i needed anyways for my DAC hehe


----------



## ironman31

Quote: 





fenom60 said:


> Interesting, i got my new V200, but inside there is a V800 manual o.O and a pretty good quality USB cable which i needed anyways for my DAC hehe


 


  Sounds familiar.
   
http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?20564-Realforce-103UB-brand-new


----------



## brat

OK, maybe I expect too much from V200+LCD-2 in terms of bass and warmth because I've listened for a long time to Sennheiser HD-518 which has very impactful bass and coloured ''warm" midrange 
  I undrerstand that what I hear from the violectric and the audezes some people call "impactful bass".
  I should use more my k701


----------



## WarriorAnt

Well it could also be that your ear likes a certain sound.   I know when it comes speaker rigs I like a certain kind of sound and I don't care if it's correct presentation or not I want to hear the music a certain way.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I use my V800/V200 combo quite a bit paired with the Lawton LA7000, which is a modded D7000. It makes a wonderful match. I'm sure the stock Denon would also pair very well.


 


  The D7K sounded excellent on the V200. I almost bought the amp for that headphone only thats how good I thought that match was John when i had the V200 for review


----------



## brat

Say something about the internal DAC of V200...
  I'm listening to mine and I appreciate the perfect tonal balance the men from Violectric achieved. It lacks the finese, focus, instrument separation and soundstage of the high-end sources but with foobar (KS) + lossless files is very listenable.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





brat said:


> Say something about the internal DAC of V200...
> I'm listening to mine and I appreciate the perfect tonal balance the men from Violectric achieved. It lacks the finese, focus, instrument separation and soundstage of the high-end sources but with foobar (KS) + lossless files is very listenable.


 


  Thanks for the info! We have too few impressions of the internal DAC option, so every bit of info about it is welcome.


----------



## brat

In fact I prefer my internal DAC in some aspects over the Cary 306 SACD and the Pioneer PD-9300. With the two players V200+LCD-2 r2 have pronouncedly mid-centric tonal balance and I feel bass deficit. Using V200 as usb dac/amp gives me better tonal balance for the audezes. The sound is coherent, it keeps the sweet LCD-2's mids,has better bass impact and not so airy but sufficient treble. I don't hear the full potential ot LCD-2 (not so good layering and 3D) but this dac/amp plays better than some mediocre dacs and usb soundcards and it's not worth to buy a cheap usb dac/soundcard for it. Before the violectric I had Audio-GD FUN but the V200 as two-in-one component is definitely better. I've listened to the internal dac for about two hours with pleasure and no concerns. Electronics, heavy metal (the bad gear always fails with heavy metal  ), pop and jazz sounded aboslutely listenable. So... it's not high end but you can use the V200 as a dac/amp untill you spent money for Weiss DAC202


----------



## brat

Many people care about the build quality and looks.


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





brat said:


> Many people care about the build quality and looks.


 
   
  I think a product become a good product when all the product aspects are good.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





telecaster said:


> The build quality section of the review in post #1 is useless. Discussion about color led and box enclore doesn't tell us anything about the quality of the amp, the attenuator, the OP amp, power supply, use of surface mount component and all* those things us care about!*


 


  about the the things I care about the sound of the amp  I know that if the amp was not build with quality  the  inside does not  matter even  were pure gold components on a simple lowest quality pcb 
  external quality radiated internal quality of a product  before buying the amp I looked at the internal photos of the amp and compared to many others products (hi end ) and sometimes was astonished of an high priced amp looking so bad inside using already obsolete electronic components
  I wll no give companies names but the pictures speaks for themselfs
  I think the researches that creates the v200 put a lot of efforts in aestetics mechanics and electronics had achieved a superb product
  many many components had passed through my hands  only one had a comparable  quality ( uher cr124 cassete tape)
  this little machine( also made in germany) that was state of the art in the seventies  was build so good that even was selected by the nasa  in a flight mission to the moon ( not a joke ! you can check )


----------



## Gwarmi

Apologies in advance if I missed the boat on this V200 alteration, but has anyone gone ahead and changed
   the DC Offset of the V200?
   
   http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/24/Jumper%20selection.pdf
   
   Audiophysics in Hong Kong seem to swear by it, no good though if it ends up killing any sub 50ohm impedance
   headphone though.


----------



## project86

gwarmi said:


> Apologies in advance if I missed the boat on this V200 alteration, but has anyone gone ahead and changed
> the DC Offset of the V200?
> 
> http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/24/Jumper%20selection.pdf
> ...




I'd check with Violectric before doing that just to get a feel for their opinion. I guess if you know the specs of your source then it might be worth trying though. If you are the type to believe a single capacitor can greatly color the sound.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I'd check with Violectric before doing that just to get a feel for their opinion. I guess if you know the specs of your source then it might be worth trying though. If you are the type to believe a single capacitor can greatly color the sound.


 


   Don't think I'm game enough project86 - from what I can gather any 300ohm+ headphone might be worth a risk, heck I'd put
   my DT990 600ohm on the line - looking at the Rega DAC spec sheet, it appears to have the following output voltage
   
   Maximum output level = 2.175V into 100KΩ load
   
   Well under 4V so it would be safe - don't know if I risk it though with my 32ohm PS1000 if it did happen to discharge.
   
   In any case, who the hell am I to speculate - time to speak to Freid. Interesting though because Audio Physics
   in Hong Kong are a legit Violectric reseller so I'm guessing that Freid is also across the question.


----------



## WarriorAnt

It will be interesting to hear what Fried says.  After all it says in the V200 manual one can try this.


----------



## allyl

Just got my unit in today from Robert at AphroditeCu29. He was a pleasure to deal with and had this amp shipped to me within 3 days of payment. Loving the sound from it so far. In particular, the absolutely dead silent background, even with my 1964-T customs, is terrific. The sound of a bow biting into a stringed instrument after a brief pause is really spot on.


----------



## Telstar

hduong said:


> As long as the amp sounds good I don't really care if a step attenuator is used. Especially if the money can be spent on other things that can improve the sound more; or does not degrade the sound as much. It's not like these companies are using a cheap pot. The Alps unit is of decent quality. My audio-gd has a Alps unit and I have not noticed any channel imbalance that is bothersome. I listen at relatively low volumes.




How do you compare the sound of the V200 to your audio-gd C2.1?


----------



## Gwarmi

I'd say the V200 may or may not have competition with the new fully balanced Audio-gd NFB-6 - $399 on Promo
   

   
   
   

 
*[size=x-small]Headphone amp Output Power 
 (Balanced model , only for headphones)[/size]* 
 [size=x-small]4500 MW /  50 ohm 

  3000 MW  /  100 ohm

 1200 MW / 300 ohm

 600 MW / 600 ohm[/size]
 [size=x-small]　[/size] *[size=x-small] Preamp Output Level (Max, RMS)[/size]*
  [size=x-small]10V @ RCA
  20V @ XLR
 4MA @ ACSS[/size]
 *[size=x-small]Output impedance[/size]*
  [size=x-small]1 ohm @ XLR[/size]


----------



## theophile

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> I'd say the V200 may or may not have competition with the new fully balanced Audio-gd NFB-6 - $399 on Promo
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 That statement may or may not be totally meaningless.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





theophile said:


> That statement may or may not be totally meaningless.


 

  
   What I meant to say is that this amplifier is new from Audio-gd hence no one has heard it, it could deliver or it may not but it does look very
   promising on paper.


----------



## theophile

I have been using the Violectric HPA V200/Audeze LCD-2 combination to  fine-tune my turntable support. With my Front-end,the support can really interact with the turntable because the turntable(though superb) is suspensionless.
   
  The way that the sound morphs as I change the support factors has to be heard to be believed. Every specific facet of sound quality is ultimately affected(ie dynamics,tonal balance,detail,syncopation,expressiveness). When things are optimised correctly,the difference between a good fine-tune and a bad one can be absolutely HUGE. This leads me to believe that the V200/LCD-2 combination is extremely revealing.
   
  There may be flaws in both the V200 and the LCD-2,but based upon this fine-tuning of my turntable support,I would guess that it would only be a world-class front-end and interconnects etc which would totally outclass the combination. The combo is revealing enough that other factors may well be at play when dissatisfaction is expressed about the sound experience from this pairing.


----------



## Mauricio

100 ohm output impedance via XLR would still be considered quite good for typical input impedance of an active monitor via XLR is 10,000 ohms.  1 ohm output impedance via XLR is bogus.


----------



## project86

mauricio said:


> 100 ohm output impedance via XLR would still be considered quite good for typical input impedance of an active monitor via XLR is 10,000 ohms.  1 ohm output impedance via XLR is bogus.




They may be referring to the headphone output XLR though, in which case it is not bad (but could be better). Their page is not very clear, as usual.


----------



## Telstar

warriorant said:


> If anything most people say it is on "the warm side" which usually means a touch of warmth past neutral. Whatever neutral is.   My own observation of the V200's warmth is such and has been stated in my own impression.  http://www.head-fi.org/products/violectric-hpa-v200/reviews/5331
> 
> "There is also an overall warmth to this amp but not too much, not overly present or in any way intrusive.  This warmth does not seem to be a manifestation of any undue or excess mid bass emphasis, its just there in the presentation in a beneficial way rather than detracting and does not obscure the the amps detail or compromise definition.  Personally I find this warmth pleasant, inviting and gratifying."




Instead I'm afraid of this coloration. 
I have listened to very good amps which i didnt like due to this reason (most Pass designs I heard, nuforce and other class D, and other less important names).
Colorations either make the sound unnatural / fake" / "hifi" or ruin the timbre, or both.
This is the only reason that is preventing me for having already took the plunge and got a v200.


----------



## brat

The live music also has warm coloration and the highs are rolled off compared to some high-end gear. I think the V200 has the same shortcomings.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  We must listen to live music more often


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





telstar said:


> Instead I'm afraid of this coloration.
> I have listened to very good amps which i didnt like due to this reason (most Pass designs I heard, nuforce and other class D, and other less important names).
> Colorations either make the sound unnatural / fake" / "hifi" or ruin the timbre, or both.
> This is the only reason that is preventing me for having already took the plunge and got a v200.


 

 In my 32 years of audiophileness I've never come across any piece of gear whatever it was that didn't have some sort of "character" to it.   Good luck in your hunt.


----------



## baritone

so far since I received my V200 I had listening to my v800 v200 t1 many many additive hours
  the combo performs at his best but the music result and enjoyement  is recording dependable
  I have 320k mp3 s that sounds better than  flacs 16/44.1 or even 24/96 
  one of the connectors of the v200 is used to connect a zobel network for the T1
  the v800 no gain changed sometimes x4 oversampling some times "best"
  the xlr output to and dbx 231 analog 31 band eq (X2)  the xlr outputs to connected  the xlr imputs of the v200
  with this setup (with the eq) I dont feel that the sound ruined the opposite
  I ihave the freedom now  to change the frequency response to my taste (some push in the 20-100 hrz and a correction for the 8khz fr T! hump  )
  this setup had created the sound synergy my old ears required
  the sound is at all not fatiguing presenting me all the layers of the audio composition the same as a good ccd sensor that does not blur and smear between the colors here I have very precise sounds (with a precise instrument timre) a stable space focus for every sound  even when maximum sound in explosions you can hear the tinny sounds of a triangle
  somewhere fixed  in the sapce
  the combination of the sounds interact each one with the others giving a nice audio picture
  the reality of the sounds are sometimes incredible that makes me take out the headphones my head to see if if some sound is coming from the outside world
  I had heard  many sound equipments in my life but his one is the best
  I had listening many times to the soundtrack A GAME OF SHADOWS  there is there so much music creativity insde the tracks  but you need a good amp to reach that
  the v200 looks like a beauty imo sounds also like a beauty
  I do not think the eq in the middle of the chain had done anything wrong to the sound the opposite it helped to get the best of the gear you have (v800 v200 t1)
  reducing also the dynamic range some 7 db had not any effect at all to the music impact  and not a compressed audio music experience


----------



## brat

_"With all of the amps that I have reviewed, I don’t think there is any exception to the rule that the amp will produce a cleaner sound at low gain. The background is always blacker, instruments more distinct, less congested sound, and a bigger soundstage — all the result of using the amp at low gain._
_When you’re on the low gain level, you may have to use your volume control at the high range, around 3 or 4 O’clock as opposed to a more “normal” range at 10 or 11 O’clock. Fear not as this is actually a bonus, as the potentiometer is known to perform better at close or near maximum, so you get an even cleaner sound._
_With high gain, you get the opposite of the qualities I described above, but I can see why some people prefer high gain. Often the sound is more forward on high gain and bass punch tend to be punchier. Don’t ask me why that is, just something I picked up from doing reviews. It’s a more fun sound, at the expense of the clean technicalities._
_Of course with some headphones I have no choice but to go with high gain, but when I have a choice, I set it at low gain." _
   
  http://www.headfonia.com/headfonia-tips-keep-your-amps-at-low-gain/#disqus_thread
   
  some thoughts about the gain from a person with good experience with headphone gear. They exactly repeat my words here some weeks ago. I also find difference in the FR of V200 at low gain.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





brat said:


> _"With all of the amps that I have reviewed, I don’t think there is any exception to the rule that the amp will produce a cleaner sound at low gain. The background is always blacker, instruments more distinct, less congested sound, and a bigger soundstage — all the result of using the amp at low gain._
> _When you’re on the low gain level, you may have to use your volume control at the high range, around 3 or 4 O’clock as opposed to a more “normal” range at 10 or 11 O’clock. Fear not as this is actually a bonus, as the potentiometer is known to perform better at close or near maximum, so you get an even cleaner sound._
> _With high gain, you get the opposite of the qualities I described above, but I can see why some people prefer high gain. Often the sound is more forward on high gain and bass punch tend to be punchier. Don’t ask me why that is, just something I picked up from doing reviews. It’s a more fun sound, at the expense of the clean technicalities._
> _Of course with some headphones I have no choice but to go with high gain, but when I have a choice, I set it at low gain." _
> ...


 

 if this is the situation the best is an " amplifier " with zero gain  (or in other words a bUffer amplifier ) a paradox amplifier without amplification  only for matching in out impedances
  in our real world we need some voltage amplification of some kind before this buffer if not the dynamic range will somehow limited
  in any case any one is free to bilieve what he thinks is  the through but as in complex numbers
  we have more than one soulutions to the problems (some real and others unreal) my choise is
  is for a real one


----------



## hduong

I use mine on -12 gain setting.  Never need to turn it up past 10 o'clock with the HD800 and 9 o'clock with the Denon 5000.  Here is a picture with the MDAC.  Sweet combo.


----------



## WNBC

> I also find difference in the FR of V200 at low gain.


 

 I wonder if this difference is measurable?  Maybe Fried can make a statement as to the advantages and disadvantages at the various gain levels.


----------



## Telstar

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> In my 32 years of audiophileness I've never come across any piece of gear whatever it was that didn't have some sort of "character" to it.   Good luck in your hunt.


 
  I said colorations, not character. I have listened to plenty of equipment (ok i have less years of audiophileness because i'm still in my 30s  ) with either or both. In the thread i opened about suggestions to find an amp for my HPs, i expressed more extensively what kind of sound i like, with reference to some power amps. It's the headphone market with some unique products that I dont really know and it's hard to find comparisons to traditional hifi gear.


----------



## Telstar

Quote: 





baritone said:


> if this is the situation the best is an " amplifier " with zero gain  (or in other words a bUffer amplifier ) a paradox amplifier without amplification  only for matching in out impedances
> in our real world we need some voltage amplification of some kind before this buffer if not the dynamic range will somehow limited


 
   
  It depends on how that power buffer is done, if and where the volume control is made. For today's low impedance headphones we dont really need more than the 2V standard of all modern dacs and CDPs, so that a power buffer is a perfectly viable solution and it wont limit the dynamics.
  But also the source must be matched.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





telstar said:


> *It depends on how that power buffer is don*e, if and where the volume control is made. For today's low impedance headphones we dont really need more than the 2V standard of all modern dacs and CDPs, so that a power buffer is a perfectly viable solution and it wont limit the dynamics.
> But also the source must be matched.


 

 you have thousands of options and infinite combinations  to short the list and short the hunting time maybe you hear recommendations by other people 
  the perfect sound is by now the real stage band nothing else


----------



## fdg

Hi there,
   
  first of all let me explain what happens when the Violectric Amp is set to AC or DC operation.

 When the amp is set to AC operation, in case of V200 frequencies below 12 Hz (-3dB point) are cut with 6 dB/oct.
 The Frequencies are cut with the aid of a capacitor in the signal chain.
  Also, as this is an analog filter, there is a phase shift applied to the frequencies which is 90 degrees at 12 Hz. 

 DC operation means that not only very low down to unhearable frequencies are amplified in a linear way, but also DC.
 So, if you like and you have the right adaptor, you can use the amp to theoretically charge your phone.
   
  Well, now you may share the opinion that DC operation - as it is linear and you dont want a capacitor in the chain - is the best way to treat your signal.
  But, beware !!
  There may be smaller or larger amounts of DC in your signal coming from your source.
 In fact, there is always some DC offset in the signal, you can hear it for instance when it clicks during selecting a source or when you go from mute to unmute.
 And this small DC voltage will be amplified like the rest of the signal and will force the diaphragm from your headphone constantly out of the middle position.
  The voice coil will get hot or even warm, the maximum amplitude is limited, distortions will happen ...
   
  We have selected a very low frequency for AC operation, and believe me, there is nothing to hear - maybe to feel – below 12 Hz.
  Also we have chosen very "musical" capacitors to not do any harm to the audio signal.
  AC operation is an insurance policy for your headphones !
  At least, DC operation is a little bit ingenuity and a bigger portion marketing so we can say " we can do that " - but to say it frankly, it is not very reasonable.
   
 

 Are there any changes in sound signature with different Pre-Gain levels ...
   
  When lower gains (-6 dB / -12 dB) are selected, this is done in front of an opamp by damping the signal with the aid of resistors.
 The following opamp only cares for low impedance to source the next stage.
  
  When higher gains (+6 dB / +12 dB) are selected, this is done in the feedback path from the op-amp which will add some noise
 and lower the gain bandwidth of the op-amp – but only very very little.
  
  I can hardly believe that these settings may have any effects on the sound and I have never experienced a change of the sound signature myself.

 But I can imagine, when evaluating all the different gain opportunities, it is tackling to achieve the same volume with the volume control as
 before when altering the Pre-Gain by +/- 6 or 12 dB. And we all know, that the louder signal is often valued as the better signal.
 It is also a fact that the volume control itself has influences on the sound signature.
 So I can see that  the position of the volume control will have some influences and these may be judged to be in/decreasing for the sound.
   
  Greetz
   
  Fried


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





fdg said:


> We have selected a very low frequency for AC operation, and believe me, there is nothing to hear - maybe to feel – below 12 Hz.  Also we have chosen very "musical" capacitors to not do any harm to the audio signal.
> AC operation is an insurance policy for your headphones !
> At least, DC operation is a little bit ingenuity and a bigger portion marketing so we can say " we can do that " - but to say it frankly, it is not very reasonable.


 
   
  Does this mean that the V200 is set to AC operation by default? My G100 is set to DC operation. Do you recommend changing the jumper setting on the G100?


----------



## WNBC

Thank you Fried, this has been my experience with the V200, I have not heard any advantages to decreasing the gain with full-size headphone so I keep it a zero gain.  I have also tried it at higher gain for fun with the orthos and the penalties are minimal if barely audible at all.  As some have indicated, decreasing the gain may give one more precise control over the entire volume range.    
  
  Quote: 





fdg said:


> Are there any changes in sound signature with different Pre-Gain levels ...
> 
> When lower gains (-6 dB / -12 dB) are selected, this is done in front of an opamp by damping the signal with the aid of resistors.
> The following opamp only cares for low impedance to source the next stage.
> ...


----------



## brat

I feel like alien here... Am I the only one who finds considerable changes in FR and overall sound with different gain settings?
   
  -12db - flatter, more linear but less spacious sound
  +12db - more bass and mid/treble detail


----------



## rawrster

I've only tried the -6 and 0 gain but never really noticed much of a difference but wasn't paying attention to any changes.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





brat said:


> I feel like alien here... Am I the only one who finds considerable changes in FR and overall sound with different gain settings?
> 
> -12db - flatter, more linear but less spacious sound
> +12db - more bass and mid/treble detail


 
  if at +12 db you hear lows sounds louder so you ear respond accordingly to the low frequencies and  the opposite 
  you can do the same with any amplifier the result will be the same because the non linear frequency response of the human ear at different loudness 
  I personally hear at medium loudness and retouches the low frequency response of my system with an external   pro 31 analog equalizer  for my personal taste
   
  i dont feel doing that cut  or ruin any parameter of the music 
  when your mind navigate between the low frequency sound the mids and the hight appears more sweets, delicate , and detailed


----------



## kindval

....Quote:


theophile said:


> I have been using the Violectric HPA V200/Audeze LCD-2 combination to  fine-tune my turntable support. With my Front-end,the support can really interact with the turntable because the turntable(though superb) is suspensionless.
> 
> The way that the sound morphs as I change the support factors has to be heard to be believed. Every specific facet of sound quality is ultimately affected(ie dynamics,tonal balance,detail,syncopation,expressiveness). When things are optimised correctly,the difference between a good fine-tune and a bad one can be absolutely HUGE. This leads me to believe that the V200/LCD-2 combination is extremely revealing.
> 
> There may be flaws in both the V200 and the LCD-2,but based upon this fine-tuning of my turntable support,I would guess that it would only be a world-class front-end and interconnects etc which would totally outclass the combination. The combo is revealing enough that other factors may well be at play when dissatisfaction is expressed about the sound experience from this pairing.


  I have exactly the same experience as you....finding the sweet  spot of my arm/cartridge combination concerning tracking force, azimuth and vta used to be a very time comsuming and frustrating experience, even when done with my old stax signature headphones. Now with the LCD-2/V200 combination it is much easier been done, because of the fact that tiny changes in the cartridge set up are much more easily heard...


----------



## baritone

senheisser  already showed his  dv800 heaphone amplifier  (WITH 24/192 DIGITAL IMPUT AND A BURR BROWN DAC) for only 1400 ero against the future violectric hpa v282  that will appear maybe also at the next IFA Fair in Berlin this year ​ headphone amplifiers  titans fight ​


----------



## brat

Do you think the V200 needs lots of burn-in? Mine has about 100 hours, maybe less, maybe more, I don't count. There's certain lack of bass with LCD-2 and the culprit is the violectric. The other amps here give more bass presence and impact.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





brat said:


> Do you think the V200 needs lots of burn-in? Mine has about 100 hours, maybe less, maybe more, I don't count. There's certain lack of bass with LCD-2 and the culprit is the violectric. The other amps here give more bass presence and impact.


 

  
   Are you using both gain switches in the third 'Up' (+6dB) position on the back for left/right channel?
   
   It's the punchiest delivery for the LCD2/LCD3 in my opinion without the gain just squashing the presentation
   together.


----------



## brat

No, I'm listening at 0db


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Are you using both gain switches in the third 'Up' (+6dB) position on the back for left/right channel?
> 
> It's the punchiest delivery for the LCD2/LCD3 in my opinion without the gain just squashing the presentation
> together.


 


  Can the gain dip switches be changed on the fly (with the volume turned all the way down) or does it have to be powered down?


----------



## allyl

The manual recommends that you power down the unit and turn the volume down to minimum.


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





allyl said:


> The manual recommends that you power down the unit and turn the volume down to minimum.


 


  Thank you.


----------



## brat

I switched one of them by accident while music played and nothing happened.


----------



## project86

baritone said:


> senheisser  already showed his  dv800 heaphone amplifier  (WITH 24/192 DIGITAL IMPUT AND A BURR BROWN DAC) for only 1400 ero against the future violectric hpa v282  that will appear maybe also at the next IFA Fair in Berlin this year ​ headphone amplifiers  titans fight ​




Sennheiser has their own headphone amp? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Sennheiser has their own headphone amp? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying.


 

 the answer is yes they say that will disclosed the new headphone amplifier at the 2012 ifa audio fair in Berlin
  may be at the same opportunity also violectric will show the new line of  products
   
  here the senneheser link
   
http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/press_releases_160412hdvd


----------



## rawrster

Has anyone tried these with the D7000? I'm wondering how they sound but I do hope they pair well with my CTH as well since the HD800 doesn't go as well with it as the V200.


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





brat said:


> I switched one of them by accident while music played and nothing happened.


 

  
  Good to know --- just in case.  Some tube amps allow switching from triode to pentode operation on the fly (great for curious tweakers) which is what prompted my questions in the first place.  If I do wind up getting a V200, I will err on the side of being cautious nonetheless.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





il mostro said:


> Good to know --- just in case.  Some tube amps allow switching from triode to pentode operation on the fly (great for curious tweakers) which is what prompted my questions in the first place.  If I do wind up getting a V200, I will err on the side of being cautious nonetheless.


 

 if you switched off the v200 in any pot position only one  thing happens : the sound disappears without any noise the same when you power up the amp after a short delay
  if you do the same with an spl head amp you will remember this ....


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





il mostro said:


> Can the gain dip switches be changed on the fly (with the volume turned all the way down) or does it have to be powered down?


 


  I would switch it off in my opinion, will have to double check the manual but if left on and you accidently
   use it by only switching one channel - you may damage the unit, will have to double check.
   
   Not worth the risk - it's a 90 second job.
   
   Btw I'm using Switch #2 up for left/right - Minus -6dB for my PS1000 and RS1i.


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> I would switch it off in my opinion, will have to double check the manual but if left on and you accidently
> use it by only switching one channel - you may damage the unit, will have to double check.
> 
> Not worth the risk - it's a 90 second job.
> ...


 

 Thank you -- I will play by Violectric's rules  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  If I spring for the V200 the last thing I want to do is cause damage due to my own stupidity. I have been spoiled by my tube amp that lets me adjust various pentode/triode configurations and negative feedback while listening to music.


----------



## Amuro_Rey

Any one can tell me the main differences between Burson HA-160 and the Violectric V200 ?
  I have an Audeze LCD-2 that i'm using with s Burson HA-160, but on the net i read that maybe the Violectriv V200 must be a better ampli for the LCD-2
   
  Thanks
   
  Luca


----------



## brat

hmm... I discovered that V200 benefits very much from AC filtering. I've connected it to my Furman Elite 16 PFEi and the treble calmed down, the sound became more controlled and _dense_, very impressive effect.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





brat said:


> hmm... I discovered that V200 benefits very much from AC filtering. I've connected it to my Furman Elite 16 PFEi and the treble calmed down, the sound became more controlled and _dense_, very impressive effect.


 

 Slight tangent yet on the same page - believe Warrior Ant was saying that he's found some extra goodness with a well
  paired power cord. I've taken the plunge and now have the newly revised Nordost Heimdall power cord on the way.
   
  Will report back in a week or so if it was worth it of if I now have expensive Nordost egg on my face


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Slight tangent yet on the same page - believe Warrior Ant was saying that he's found some extra goodness with a well
> paired power cord. I've taken the plunge and now have the newly revised Nordost Heimdall power cord on the way.
> 
> Will report back in a week or so if it was worth it of if I now have expensive Nordost egg on my face


 


  And a reasonably priced one at that.


----------



## brat

Yes, the power cords can do huge differences but they are not always improvements  Most audio devices (excluding some mighty power amplifiers for speakers) benefit from AC filtering. It makes them sound more realistic and somewhat clearer. I have tried some expensive power cords and none of them made improvements in these directions.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





brat said:


> Yes, the power cords can do huge differences but they are not always improvements  Most audio devices (excluding some mighty power amplifiers for speakers) benefit from AC filtering. It makes them sound more realistic and somewhat clearer. I have tried some expensive power cords and none of them made improvements in these directions.


 


  It's only a power board but I did not find much benefit from the Quantum Nordost QB4 when I had it, perhaps someone else would.


----------



## Ultrainferno

My V200 finally arrived but I won't be home before friday. I wonder how it compares to my V100.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> My V200 finally arrived but I won't be home before friday. I wonder how it compares to my V100.


 

  
  CONGRATS and welcome  to  the v200v family 
  the v100 and the v200 may  be  look similar but the internal amplification circuits are different and I am sure you will hear a huge sound improvement


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





baritone said:


> CONGRATS and welcome  to  the v200v family
> the v100 and the v200 may  be  look similar but the internal amplification circuits are different and I am sure you will hear a huge sound improvement


 

 Isn't the V100 supposed to be the more neutral one and the V200 the musical, warmer one (with even more bass)?


----------



## brat

deleted


----------



## Frank I

I bought one today from Robert.  I sold the Taboo  so I wanted something for my D7K and loved that combo.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





frank i said:


> I bought one today from Robert.  I sold the Taboo  so I wanted something for my D7K and loved that combo.


 
   
  Not happy with the Taboo?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Not happy with the Taboo?


 
   
  I sold the Taboo and was very happy but I also sold the HE500 so the D7K and my other low impedance canse are nice with SS amps and my HD800 is magnificent with the CSP2.  I liked the V200 when I reviewed it with my D7K especially so thats why I purchased it. Still have my Decware SET for high impedance cans.


----------



## furyagain

My v200 should be coming in from mail today,
Seems like the v200 is a really popular amp in head fi


I am wondering I can plug two headphones in in the same time,
Sme people said if those two headphones are easier to drive
Then it s hold be ok no different in quality

 What if they are ps1000 and hd800 in the same time?
Will it be ok to use those two headphones in the same time ?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





furyagain said:


> My v200 should be coming in from mail today,
> Seems like the v200 is a really popular amp in head fi
> I am wondering I can plug two headphones in in the same time,
> Sme people said if those two headphones are easier to drive
> ...


 
   
  sure if you have four ears


----------



## project86

I think almost any combo is fine, except for a two sets of HE6. Aside from that the V200 should have more than plenty of juice on board. Even if you cut it in half for each headphone. PS1000 and HD800 should be no sweat.


----------



## Gwarmi

In my experience it was only noticeable with a LCD2 rev2 and LCD3 plugged in simulteneously 
   - back and forth testing using only one Audeze at a time revealed that it was a better listen going solo
   using +6db gain on both channels - just my two cents.


----------



## 2000impreza

Quote: 





furyagain said:


> My v200 should be coming in from mail today,
> Seems like the v200 is a really popular amp in head fi
> I am wondering I can plug two headphones in in the same time,
> Sme people said if those two headphones are easier to drive
> ...


 
   
  Plugging both ps1000 and hd800 into the V200 is probably not a good idea. The sensitivity is close between both however the ps1000 impedance is fairly low at 32 ohms while the hd 800 is significantly higher at 300 ohms. The hd 800 requires higher voltage to get to the same volume as the ps 1000. This means the volume variance between both headphones will be fairly significant. You may risk damaging the ps1000 drivers if you turn the volume too high while listening to the hd 800.


----------



## Il Mostro

Too bad they didn't implement one single ended and one balanced headphone input.  By way of comparison, what Bryston has done with their new amp seems brilliant.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





il mostro said:


> Too bad they didn't implement one single ended and one balanced headphone input.  By way of comparison, what Bryston has done with their new amp seems brilliant.


 
   
  by the other side  because both outputs of the v200  are the the same and in parallel I use one of the headphone and other with a specific Zobel network plug   
  to control the impedance variations of the headphone ( T1) driver It could be impossible to implement this with the HA160 to bad .....
  they sound amazing good


----------



## furyagain

Quote: 





frank i said:


> sure if you have four ears


 
   
  I do,
   
  mine and my wife's
   
  i always wish to be able to listen music with my wife together.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





furyagain said:


> I do,
> 
> mine and my wife's
> 
> i always wish to be able to listen music with my wife together.


 
   

 Perfecxt then/ Great answer dude . I tried them when I did my review and it was fine. Mine should be here tomorrow


----------



## Loevhagen

Nja. Violectric is going to release a V28x that will be balanced. And, the Bryston is by default 4-pin-XLR-*male*. THAT is a bit deal breaker for quite some of us. Aka how many of your headphones have a 4-pin XLR FEMALE plug...?
   
  PostScript: I am aware that it is possible to order the inverse plug on Audio Advisor.
  Quote: 





il mostro said:


> Too bad they didn't implement one single ended and one balanced headphone input.  By way of comparison, what Bryston has done with their new amp seems brilliant.


----------



## project86

EDIT - nevermind. Should just keep quiet until I have proper impressions.


----------



## mac336

how is the DAC of the v200?
   
  Is it comparable to a bifrost?


----------



## brat

Quote: 





mac336 said:


> how is the DAC of the v200?
> 
> Is it comparable to a bifrost?


 
   
  It's mediocre. Flat FR, non fatiguing, gives you all the music but without the audiophile extras, i.e. small soundstage, lacks the air in the treble, less instrument separation.... Sometimes I listen to it and no problem


----------



## oopsydaisy

Quote: 





project86 said:


> EDIT - nevermind. Should just keep quiet until I have proper impressions.


 
   
  Hmmm, do you have the new Violectric in your possession?


----------



## project86

No, there is no new Violectric yet, they are focusing on updating the Lake People lineup. I'll be checking those out but don't have them in yet.


----------



## vrln

If I remember correctly the new Lake People lineup is going to have a new volume control mechanism (stepped, relays). Hopefully that will flow back to the V-series soon too. While Violectric has (as posted by fdg) a tight tolerance (for a pot) limit when it comes to channel balance, a relay based volume control would be even better. It should also have an effect on sound quality as well.
   
  It wouldn't be wise sales wise for Violectric to say that the V-series will be updated soon, but I'd guess it will happen sooner rather than later. Perhaps even this year.


----------



## Il Mostro

Seems like a good time for me to cool my Violectric jets  -- and wait for anything new that is coming down the pike.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





il mostro said:


> Seems like a good time for me to cool my Violectric jets  -- and wait for anything new that is coming down the pike.


 
  jets with 2 or 4 motors all of them fly nice both of them will take you where you want ,the point is WHERE you want to arrive there
  todays jets do the job imo very well (  iam  an owner of of those jets
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## Gwarmi

No word from HQ either on when those afterburners will be switched on and the new models will launched.
   
   Not only that, it's only logical to assume that as much as $500USD approx. could be added to the bottom line,
   that will drop a few contenders amongst us out of the running I'd say.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> No word from HQ either on when those afterburners will be switched on and the new models will launched.
> 
> Not only that, it's only logical to assume that as much as $500USD approx. could be added to the bottom line,
> that will drop a few contenders amongst us out of the running I'd say.


 
   

 if I was between the HQ i'll  prefer  to wait and see what the competitors had launched  and offer and  learn  as much as possible  and improve
  the product to be launched  in the future
  if for a baby elephant we wait about 3 years here
  we must be patient (as possible as we can) to see what products will appear in the future
  good timing in business  is wise  I hope and see innovations in this narrow field


----------



## Loevhagen

A picture taken today of my favourite head-amp:


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> A picture taken today of my favourite head-amp:


 
   
   
   Beachy V200 goodness - I doubt so many ever get to see the rocky cliff face of the ocean up close!
   
   Nice one on the REGA DAC and V200 pairing too, great to see a few more of us on here use this
   corker combo.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> A picture taken today of my favourite head-amp:


 
   
  Martinni on the rocks and violectric on the rocks


----------



## Zombie_X

Great pics but I'd have second thoughts of going that close to water. Just think if the V200 fell into the... BAD THOUGHTS!!
   
  I find the V200 to perform best when my V800 has a +6dB boost and the amp has no boost. Less strain on the amp! I would recommend trying this guys, you maybe surprised as the noise floor still stays dead quiet, plus you won't have any of the negative effects of boosting the output on the amp, if there are any that way..
   
   
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> A picture taken today of my favourite head-amp:


----------



## Frank I

I am going t use the balance xlr on the V200 with  my OPPO BDP95 waiting for the audioquest to arrive. I am all diamondback cables


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> I remember when I purchased my V200 from Robert he told me to use the right headphone jack, although he never really gave me the reason why and I never got around to ask him. I've tried both of the Jacks and they seem to be identical, so I'm not sure why he specified it as such...
> 
> Here's what he said at purchase:
> 
> ...


 
   
  Very interesting, I found K_19's message I quote above because the right connector does indeed sound better, and I was doing a search to see if there was anyone who'd commented on this. It also sounds better if there is nothing else plugged into the other jack.
   
  KP


----------



## project86

On the V181, the right jack is in phase and the left side is out of phase. So the right side is theoretically the better one to use, assuming no other components in your system have already inverted the signal (which is more common than you might think). I think when I first did the V200 review, I wrongly stated that this was also the case with the V200. Somewhere in this long thread Fried Reim himself clarified that the two jacks are exactly the same. So there should be no advantage in using one of the other. 

Of course, if you feel like one is better, just use it and don't worry about the "why". Nothing wrong with that - you have to choose one jack or the other anyway.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





thekillerpiglet said:


> Very interesting, I found K_19's message I quote above because the right connector does indeed sound better, and I was doing a search to see if there was anyone who'd commented on this. It also sounds better if there is nothing else plugged into the other jack.
> 
> KP


 
  Thanks for this! It proves my observations that the gain settings make sound changes


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

The left jack sounds grainy relative to the right. If they are indeed identical, the only "rational" explanation is that the right jack has been "broken in" which is possible since I bought the amp used. But the difference, whatever the cause, is audible and prompted my search on this topic.
   
  KP


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





thekillerpiglet said:


> The left jack sounds grainy relative to the right. If they are indeed identical, the only "rational" explanation is that the right jack has been "broken in" which is possible since I bought the amp used. But the difference, whatever the cause, is audible and prompted my search on this topic.
> 
> KP


 
    
   
   
_I tried very hard to find also a rational  explanation about the left and right differences in my brand new v200 __I listen to many different sound materials_
   
_starting form mp3 of 320k to 24/96 there were audible differences 3 of 10 in favor of the right side _
   
_since I started using the v200 I used always the Left side ( I don't know why) and I was sure the left and right were a clone each of other but  __was surprised of my foundlings_
   
   
   
_it was hard to define and convert  into understandable words the right left output changes_
_,I feel that  left and right channels in the left output were crosstalk ed  between then __many fine and delicated sounds  situated in the extremes of the sound stage almost disappeared into a cloud of other sounds like the left and right channels __were partially shorted  I think may be there is PCB routing error that is causing this effect_
_I can said that I checked for differences that IMO seem to be a joke but I still surprised myself of my findings_
_I do not have many hi end headphones only the T1  to check  with  but  the same result will be found with other good Headphones_
   
_the right output sounded like a dream lot of transparency soundstage natural addicting  and natural sound_
_new shine for all my   "old' _





   music      alleluya !


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> . Somewhere in this long thread Fried Reim himself clarified that the two jacks are exactly the same. So there should be no advantage in using one of the other.


 
   
   
   
  From Fried:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/551173/review-violectric-hpa-v200-amp/195
   

 [img]http://cdn.head-fi.org/3/3f/100x100px-LS-3f98e4d4_P1000403.JPG[/img]
 
 fdg 
 Member of the Trade
 CEO of Lake People





  
 offline
 
 40 Posts. Joined 10/2009
 Location: on the shores of beautiful Lake Constance
 


   Left and right headphone sockets are only different on V181.
 This is because of the quad-amp feature.
 One of the sockets outputs the in-phase signal, the other the out-of-phase signal.
   
*On V200 the sockets and the signal on them are totally identical.*


----------



## Zombie_X

The only difference is the left output is re-routed back through the board from the right output. So technically the right would be the better jack to use. The left channel would have a slightly degraded because it's a re-routed signal, at least in theory. Otherwise they sound the exact same.


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

A/B in this case is easy to achieve: unplug, plug. I tried both low end (Audioengine D1) and higher end (Audio Note 3.1x, modded DVD transport and good tubes) sources, similar results with each source.
   
  Not discounting any possibilities, including my own subjective bias, although I came into this with none and only began to notice after multiple swaps.
   
  KP


----------



## project86

I for one don't think we need to spend much more time debating it... There are two plugs. If you feel like one is the better sounding choice, use that one consistently. If you feel that they sound identical, use whichever one you want at random. Everyone wins!


----------



## Zombie_X

True enough!
   
  Also on another note Frank got a higher number serial number V200 but for some reason had the old volume dial. He said Fried got complaints about the new volume dial and switched back. Kinda odd IMO..


----------



## brat

I've seen the new volume knob on an amp and it looks cheaper and "plastic" compared to the old. I dont say it _is_ cheaper but I think it doesn't fit the amp's style


----------



## dallan

Wonder which one i have.......
   
  Excuse the dust........


----------



## Zombie_X

What's your serial number? Mine is V200755.
   
  Quote: 





dallan said:


> Wonder which one i have.......
> 
> Excuse the dust........


----------



## dallan

V200335


----------



## Zombie_X

Your's is the older model with the normal no stepped POT then.
   
  Quote: 





dallan said:


> V200335


----------



## rawrster

Do you know at what serial number range is when it is the newer V200 models? Mine says 563 in the back but no big deal if its old or new since I really like my setup and I'm definitely not buying a new V200 if mine is the older one.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Your's is the older model with the normal no stepped POT then.


 
  some  newer models have the smooth volume control. No way of knowing what in the box and not sure what freid up to but mine is newer than yours and its smooth


----------



## Ultrainferno

I got my V200 a little over a week ago and it has the new pot. My V100 has the old pot. They're both ok, don't worry about it


----------



## brat

There is no sonic difference, it's just aestetics.
  At the Munich High End Show I asked the man from Violectric about the upcoming new flagship and he said that it's not finished yet but will be similar to V200 and will have a balanced output. The price is not known nor the premiere date


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> True enough!
> 
> Also on another note Frank got a higher number serial number V200 but for some reason had the old volume dial. He said Fried got complaints about the new volume dial and switched back. Kinda odd IMO..


 
  I never said Freid switched back. i did say he had complaints and I also said that he did not give me or Robert a good explanation or know why the higher number than the previous one had the smooth control. whatever they both sound good so its not a biggie for me. i had the option to ether have Robert install one ore get a new amp. I chose to keep the one I have


----------



## baritone

my v200 sn 804 new stepped pot you can set the pot between the steps also
  some body at vilectric forgot to paint the white line in ther new knob ...
  the v800 knob looks more pro and easy to move


----------



## Zombie_X

Sorry man, I misread the PM a bit. I assumed when you said he got complaints that he then switched back. My bad man!
   
  Quote: 





frank i said:


> I never said Freid switched back. i did say he had complaints and I also said that he did not give me or Robert a good explanation or know why the higher number than the previous one had the smooth control. whatever they both sound good so its not a biggie for me. i had the option to ether have Robert install one ore get a new amp. I chose to keep the one I have


----------



## project86

Quote: 





baritone said:


> my v200 sn 804 new stepped pot you can set the pot between the steps also
> some body at vilectric forgot to paint the white line in ther new knob ...
> the v800 knob looks more pro and easy to move


 
  Are you (or anyone else who has it) able to get a good detailed pic of the new knob? Just curious as to why it looks inferior according to some. 
   
  Also, the V800 knob handles volume in the digital domain, thus no physical shaft for a potentiometer. Of course it will be smoother turning, no matter how good the V200 is.


----------



## baritone

here you can see both knobs for me the v800 is more elegant but is my personal opinion
  and a matter of personal choise


----------



## Ultrainferno

You have some serious dust issues


----------



## baritone

I think this dust is from somewhere in the Sahara desert
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  the v200 knob has a flat surface and do not collect  dust


----------



## Loevhagen

I´m so glad I have the old knob. Moahahaaa.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Here's some more pics for all you knob lovers. The V200 has the new one and has a smooth finish. the V100 has the old one but is rugged feeling
   
 
 
 
   
  And look, almost no dust


----------



## Zombie_X

I like the feel and function of the new volume a lot more than the old one, but nothing beats how smooth the Auditor's volume feels.


----------



## baritone

we need here an hybrid amp called SPLECTRIC ....


----------



## project86

No thanks, I much prefer Violectric by itself. My experience with the SPL gear was positive, but limited to high impedance headphones. And even then I would still rather have my V200. 

By the way - just received a package from Germany yesterday. Guess what is inside? Hint - there are two of them, one nicer/more expensive than the other.


----------



## allyl

Don't tempt us with a balanced V200. I don't need to be spending any more.


----------



## spkrs01

project86 said:


> No thanks, I much prefer Violectric by itself. My experience with the SPL gear was positive, but limited to high impedance headphones. And even then I would still rather have my V200.
> By the way - just received a package from Germany yesterday. Guess what is inside? Hint - there are two of them, one nicer/more expensive than the other.




Please tempt me!!!! :tongue_smile:


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





project86 said:


> No thanks, I much prefer Violectric by itself. My experience with the SPL gear was positive, but limited to high impedance headphones. And even then I would still rather have my V200.
> By the way - just received a package from Germany yesterday. Guess what is inside? Hint - there are two of them, one nicer/more expensive than the other.


 
   
   
  Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Please tempt me!!!!


 

 twp balanced amps


----------



## Fegefeuer

come ooooooon Project86, I still need a DAC for my V200. Tell me it's a DAC V900 or something. 
   
  Yeah well, ok.


----------



## baritone

you are the lucky one to hear the new amps
  tell us project86 how they compared to the "old" v200
  take your time (one day is ok ??)


----------



## qawsedrf

If any of that sounds better than the V200 and costs around the same, I'd be so pissed. lol


----------



## brat

I have V200 and I'll skip the next 2-3 generations of violectric flagships  This way has 2 benefits: the improvements will be considerable, not subtle and I'll save some money


----------



## spkrs01

My guess...and since I just bought a V200 two weeks ago.....and chose it over -* I am guessing*
   
  (You have the)* Lake People G103P and the G109P  *





!!!!!!!!


----------



## Loevhagen

Good guess, I guess


----------



## Acix

Quote: 





baritone said:


> the v100 and the v200 may  be  look similar but the internal amplification circuits are different and I am sure you will hear a huge sound improvement


 
   
  Maybe is time to check this out...are you ready for this task?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> My guess...and since I just bought a V200 two weeks ago.....and chose it over -* I am guessing*
> 
> (You have the)* Lake People G103P and the G109P  *
> 
> ...


 
   
*DING DING DING!!!! *We have a winner!
   
  Sorry if I raised any hopes about a completed V282 or V284 balanced super-ultra-reference amp being completed. I feel bad now..... 
   
  I'll be reviewing the new Lake People models, possibly at InnerFidelity, or maybe one here and one there. The G103 is an update on the popular G93 which won some critical acclaim for a low priced high quality solution. The G109 is similar in design to the V100 but will be cheaper as it has a more basic enclosure. It is designed to offer most of the performance at a significantly lower price. So far I'm just going by what Fried has told me - barely got a chance to plug in the amps this morning so haven't really tried them for serious listening yet. It's going to be a while.


----------



## Loevhagen

"The G109 is similar in design to the V100 but will be cheaper as it has a more basic enclosure".
   
  My take was that the G109 is a replacement for G100. I.e. the V100 is close to G100, but in a more costly chassis.
   
  Some elabortation of what G109 (P/S) is a replacement for - could be usefull to have.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





baritone said:


> you are the lucky one to hear the new amps
> tell us project86 how they compared to the "old" v200
> take your time (one day is ok ??)


 
  lol te old V200. Freid told me the balanced amps will not be out this year and when they do the V200 will not be discontinued. Sol current is a better word than old to describe their current flagship.


----------



## Nosgis

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I'll be reviewing the new Lake People models, possibly at InnerFidelity, or maybe one here and one there. The G103 is an update on the popular G93 which won some critical acclaim for a low priced high quality solution. The G109 is similar in design to the V100 but will be cheaper as it has a more basic enclosure. It is designed to offer most of the performance at a significantly lower price. So far I'm just going by what Fried has told me - barely got a chance to plug in the amps this morning so haven't really tried them for serious listening yet. It's going to be a while.


 
  Cool stuff, I'm really looking forward to your reviews! I'm really struggling with choosing an amp for the HE-500s. So far I'm considering:
  - V100 with USB dac
  - V200 (a bit over my budget though)
  - G109s (but then I have to get a dac)
   
  Decisions, decisions...


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





nosgis said:


> Cool stuff, I'm really looking forward to your reviews! I'm really struggling with choosing an amp for the HE-500s. So far I'm considering:
> - V100 with USB dac
> - V200 (a bit over my budget though)
> - G109s (but then I have to get a dac)
> ...


 
  V200 is a good match for the he500


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





frank i said:


> V200 is a good match for the he500


 
     
  you will be not disappointed
  the v200 is ready for any hungry headphone


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





baritone said:


> you will be not disappointed
> the v200 is ready for any hungry headphoe


 
  Really.  I own one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 at least last time I checked my inventory


----------



## Loevhagen

He-500 and V200 is a hit. Feel the G100 (replaced now by the G109, which I haven´t heard) is also a very happy marriage.
   
  Using the Rega DAC, the V200 is a pretty good match for the LCD-3 as well. Really. 
   
  The V200 is about set an hifi-inventory record at my house; "staying longest".


----------



## spkrs01

I have to agree with everyone here who are endorsing the HE500 with the V200
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. My bed side rig is near completion and I shall post more thoughts!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Yay we have a HE-500 + V200 fanclub! In all fairness it also is excellent with the LCD-2, but we already knew that.


----------



## theophile

The Violectric V200/ LCD-2 (rev2) combination is insanely good. I have finally gotten my turntable isolation/ damping optimised and the results are beyond anything I could have imagined.
   
  If you want to hear the best from this combination, you must have a superlative source component and it must be optimised to give of its utmost best. Until that is achieved you will not be held-back by the limitations of the Violectric/ LCD-2. The bottleneck in your system will definitely be your Source


----------



## brat

Quote: 





theophile said:


> The Violectric V200/ LCD-2 (rev2) combination is insanely good. I have finally gotten my turntable isolation/ damping optimised and the results are beyond anything I could have imagined.
> 
> If you want to hear the best from this combination, you must have a superlative source component and it must be optimised to give of its utmost best. Until that is achieved you will not be held-back by the limitations of the Violectric/ LCD-2. The bottleneck in your system will definitely be your Source


 
  hmm... I find Sennheiser HE-90 + HEV-90 far better


----------



## spkrs01

Here is my nearly finished bedside table set up:-
   
  Using the DX100 as source to either the V200 for Headphones or the Triad L3 for IEMs. Cable is silver/gold hybrid 3.5mm to RCA. HD650 shown with a silver plated copper cable and the HE500 with a snake of a cable, a silver/gold hybrid but surprisingly very light and manageable. All cables are from a new company. The cable for the HE500 has made these headphones into a beast. I will post reviews on the system in the near future. I am enjoying it too much at the moment
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  I am actually waiting for the V800 but it looks as if no shipment is available until middle of next month. Once the V800 arrives then this system will be near completion.
   
  I will use the DX100 as transport to the V800 > XLR > V200 > RCA > Triad L3.
   
  The cables are all made up so am a little disappointed the V800 will take another month
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  All the cables are silver/gold hybrids.......RCA i/c, 3.5 to RCA coax and XLR i/c.
   
  Just getting the power cables made up too.........
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## Loevhagen

Having read a lot of the V200 + LCD-2 (owning both since primo 2011) and the LCD-3 - I became a bit sceptical. An urban legen seemed to creep up; the LCD-3 needed to be powered by much more expensive equipment.
   
  Maybe that´s rigth. And maybe not.
   
  The V200 (using the Rega DAC) powering the LCD-3 (April 2012 version) is crazy good. It surpases the LCD-2 + V200 at some parameters, and it is not incremental. Space, flow and level of details is portrayed so good. So good in fact, that I did never expected to get my Audeze love re-iterated by the LCD-3.
   
  Now I am in love - again.


----------



## Loevhagen

For the sake of good order (from another post on this forum by Fried R):
   
_*The successor from G100 will be released hopefully in March and is named G109 Professional *and G109 Standard. The differences are balanced AND unbalanced inputs and a switch-on relay for the Pro. Only unbalanced inputs and no relais for the standard. *The amp inside will be compareable to G100 as it is the same circuitry*. In contrary to G100 with its stainless steel case G109 will have a black anodized case and silver labeling, thus will be more living-room compatible._
    
  Quote:


project86 said:


> *...*The G109 is similar in design to the V100...


----------



## project86

Thank you for that! It makes sense. I either misread Fried's description that he gave me, or just remembered it wrong. Or maybe he made an error in typing it. I'm too lazy to go in and look. But the G109 is in fact the G100 update. Although I guess the G100 and V100 (and all the Violectric models really) share some common traits. 
   
  Now you've got me wanting an LCD-3. But I'm limited to closed headphones for a while, so my new Thunderpants TP1 will just have to hold me over until then. As expected, it sounds phenomenal out of the V200.


----------



## Loevhagen

You haven´t been totally of the rails - since the V100 is de facto said to be a G100 + "some (minor) modifications" in a more expensive disguise (aka chassis).
   
  Looking forward to your review(s).


----------



## Loevhagen

The "Beachy version":


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Having read a lot of the V200 + LCD-2 (owning both since primo 2011) and the LCD-3 - I became a bit sceptical. An urban legen seemed to creep up; the LCD-3 needed to be powered by much more expensive equipment.
> 
> Maybe that´s rigth. And maybe not.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I thought the V200+LCD-2 was a crazy good combination as well. The LCD-3s have kicked it up a notch still. I'm glad you're enjoying your LCD-3s...and by the way, the photos of the zebrano wood on your LCD-3s and headphone stand are simply beautiful. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The LCD-3s seem to be the headphones that continually pay you back. I recently upgraded from the Woo Audio WA22 to the Liquid Fire and tonight I slapped on the ALO Audio Chainmail cable and all I have to say is wow.


----------



## robeel

hey guys, am looking to put together my first HP system.
   
  HP's will be most likely LCD2 or HE500/HE400, maybe some D5000 too.
   
  Amp am looking at V200 or Schiit LYR, maybe tube amp later.
   
  Source is a Chord DAC64. Music i mostly listen to is older hip hop & r&b, soul & funk, also some rock & trying a bit of everything with better sound.
   
  btw i like bass but not quantity over quality! hard hitting deep tight bass but has to be controlled with detail. i have good speakers but are not performing to their full potential imo because of the room accoustics, placement, etc... I'm hoping a good HP set up will change this, plus will be able to enjoy good sound a lot more as there is times i can't listen to my speakers. 
   
  is the V200 worth the extra dollars over the schiit lyr? which will be better with the cans above?
   
  which cans will be better suited to me? & is there a big difference in sound between the cans above, especially the LCD2 vs HE500?
   
  also, will my chord dac be a good match with the V200 or lyr? 
   
  need to make a decision on the amp soon.
   
  thanks,
  rob


----------



## spkrs01

I bought a pair of Audeze LCD-2 Bamboo today. The synergy with the V200 is indeed very good. Early days yet, just 6 hours but initial thoughts are that there is a great portrayal of immediacy and leading edge to notes.........................


----------



## TokenGesture

Double post


----------



## TokenGesture

Quote: 





hduong said:


> I use mine on -12 gain setting.  Never need to turn it up past 10 o'clock with the HD800 and 9 o'clock with the Denon 5000.  Here is a picture with the MDAC.  Sweet combo.


 
   
  Hey there - I was thinking about this as a combo. Finding the MDAC a little too bright after burn in with my TI and 325s.  Any further impressions you can share?


----------



## qawsedrf

Received my V200 a few days back, didn't have the time to update that here. I still owe Robert of Aphrodite Cu29 and Fried of Violectric a thank you note! And also the many forummers who had given me advises that had steered me to this purchase, you know who you guys are. 

Enjoying my time with it, was discontented with some parts of its music reproduction, but burning the amplifier in made rather apparent changes to the things that annoyed me. And swapping the direction of my RCA cables helped too. (I'm opening up a big can of worms, ain't I).

Some short impressions when I have the time!


----------



## spkrs01

I can definitely say that the V200 scales up wonderfully with a good power cable and is extremely revealing of the cabling that feeds it! I bought some new cables today and am embarrassed to say how much but at the moment:- 
   
  JRiver > ASIO > Bladelius usb DAC > V200 > HE500, all silver/gold power, RCA i/c and headphone cable is blowing my socks off. The HE500 wired with a silver/gold cable is killing the LCD-2 on stock cabling.
   
  Should be buying the V800 tomorrow if it arrives in Hong Kong.


----------



## brat

spkrs01 said:


> I can definitely say that the V200 scales up wonderfully with a good power cable and is extremely revealing of the cabling that feeds it!



Yes it is. I have a friend that trades with cables and I had the opportunity to try 8 different power cables. But the best result was with my Furman Elite 16 PFEi power conditioner. Try some power coditioner, it worths!


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I can definitely say that the V200 scales up wonderfully with a good power cable and is extremely revealing of the cabling that feeds it! I bought some new cables today and am embarrassed to say how much but at the moment:-
> 
> JRiver > ASIO > Bladelius usb DAC > V200 > HE500, all silver/gold power, RCA i/c and headphone cable is blowing my socks off. The HE500 wired with a silver/gold cable is killing the LCD-2 on stock cabling.
> 
> Should be buying the V800 tomorrow if it arrives in Hong Kong.


 
   
   May have mentioned this awhile back but I am still waiting on the Nordost Heimdall revision #2 - this sort of info above is
   very exciting as I really hope my dollars were not wasted 
   
   Did not think much of the Nordost Blue Heaven though so that makes me a bit keen!


----------



## Zombie_X

Not to put a dampen anyone thoughts on power cables, but I feel they do nothing. I own the Shunyata Diamondback and Venom but they did nothing on any of my gear. I also tried my Audio-GD power cable on my V200 and heard no differences. I can't see how 6ft of a boutique power cable will alter the sound as there's thousands of miles of crappy wiring underground.
   
  Sorry if I was a buzz kill.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





brat said:


> Yes it is. I have a friend that trades with cables and I had the opportunity to try 8 different power cables. But the best result was with my Furman Elite 16 PFEi power conditioner. Try some power coditioner, it worths!


 
   
  I am not too much of a power conditioner fan, usually finding them dampening the sonics too much and creating an artificial sheen over the music.
   
  However, there is one which is head and shoulders above all available but it is priced more than a relatively good power amplifier for speaker system rigs.........the Tripoint Audio's Spartan, truly outstanding piece of power management. Also Tripoint Audio's Troy does it's magic too. Real esoteric products but really completes the uber home rigs!!!
   
  At the moment with the different cables, I am getting a fantastic sound coming out of the V200....very dynamic sounding. Great slam and attack! With the HE500 amazing soundstaging. I am managing to rid it of some of it's inherent smoothness/darkness and inject some life/sparkle into the overall presentation.
   
  The V200 is a great bit of kit
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





!


----------



## rawrster

I'll leave the power cables to the rest of you  I'm still hesitant on the cable for my HD800 to see if I want something different or not although I may be getting one but more for functional uses. Power cables is going too far for me.


----------



## dallan

I never believed in power cable and just tried to get okay ones on my stuff including the v200.  Then Robert at aphroditecu29 asked me to audition what he sells.  Wireworld occ copper.  It was pricey and i told him that i didn't believe that power cables would change the sound.  I have to admit that i was totally surprised.  I don't really talk a lot out here about it but they really helped the sq.  I was trying to get rid of a ground loop problem, which they didn't help but in the round about it helped the system.  The most change came when feeding my dac with it though not the amp.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I never believed in power cable and just tried to get okay ones on my stuff including the v200.  Then Robert at aphroditecu29 asked me to audition what he sells.  Wireworld occ copper.  It was pricey and i told him that i didn't believe that power cables would change the sound.  I have to admit that i was totally surprised.  I don't really talk a lot out here about it but they really helped the sq.  I was trying to get rid of a ground loop problem, which they didn't help but in the round about it helped the system.  The most change came when feeding my dac with it though not the amp.


 
   
  Yes source first then move down the chain...................will be putting my new power cable on the V800 if it has arrived today!


----------



## brat

The influece of the power conditioning (filters, cables) is bigger when the mains has interferences from other appliances if you live in big city or apartment building. Hoewever, some of us are blessed with "quiet" power from their sockets  That's not my case...
  But the infuence of the "last meter" power cord can be drastic even to non-believers if the electricity is "bad". I've demonstrated it many times. So to believe or not depends on where you live and listen.


----------



## Zombie_X

Conditioning can affect the sound, but I've yet to hear changes from power cables themselves. Even using a Python power cable did nothing.. I'll stick to my Monoprice power cables.
   
  Quote: 





brat said:


> The influece of the power conditioning (filters, cables) is bigger when the mains has interferences from other appliances if you live in big city or apartment building. Hoewever, some of us are blessed with "quiet" power from their sockets  That's not my case...
> But the infuence of the "last meter" power cord can be drastic even to non-believers if the electricity is "bad". I've demonstrated it many times. So to believe or not depends on where you live and listen.


----------



## Gwarmi

Power conditioning for me came about last summer when I moved into my new place - as you can imagine it gets really hot out here in Melbourne during the
   summer and you're simply forced to use some sort of air conditioner, my place has this aging (read 20year+) General Electric wall mount - now with that
   thing on - my whole rig at the other end of the house is effectively unusable - you can hear this repeated clicking, ticking and whirring from the air con
   in the other room.


----------



## qawsedrf

Hey Gwarmi, just a word on the Blue Heaven powercords - I think they perform terribly, unless your system is overly bloated and sluggish to began with, but using the Blue Heaven powercords will be like digging another hole to fill in another hole, using a component's colouration to even out another component's colouration.

I'll be interested to know from you on how the Heimdall sounds. 

Ah. Enjoying my V200 too much, didn't manage to take any pics, nor did any writing yet.


----------



## oopsydaisy

I know it's a feature that when you plug in RCA to the V200, the XLR is disabled. Is there a way to disable this? I have my DAC feeding to the V200 via XLR, and I want to connect my phono stage to the V200 via RCA. I don't want to have to disconnect the RCA whenever I listen to digital files. Is it possible/recommended to hook up the phono stage to the DAC? Seems counterintuitive, but I'm no expert when it comes to turntables/phono stages. Thanks in advance


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> Hey Gwarmi, just a word on the Blue Heaven powercords - I think they perform terribly, unless your system is overly bloated and sluggish to began with, but using the Blue Heaven powercords will be like digging another hole to fill in another hole, using a component's colouration to even out another component's colouration.
> I'll be interested to know from you on how the Heimdall sounds.
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   Totally agree mate - the Blue Heaven power cord is a head scratcher, for the same money - Chord Co's entry level power cable is a better proposition.
   
   Price taggery is certainly not a ruling factor in this area - sure the top of the crop is certainly ruled by price in the general sense but anything $1500 for
   or so for a power cord can be topped by something relatively cheap. Will report back when Nordost USA finally ship to Oz.
   
   You blokes in the USA are a fortunate bunch - if you're looking at a decently priced power cord and interconnect manufacturer then Oyaide Japan
   is worthy of your consideration, these guys appeared in Jude's Tokyo wrap-up and they make the Fiio LOD's under contract - problem for me? No 
   Aussie tri-point termination which is disappointing this side of just running a USA power board or conditioner block.
   
   Mate of mine has a few on his system and I thought they were impressive versus basic IEC PC spec power cable comparison.


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

I'm going to throw this one into the ring:
  Try swapping your wall outlets, you don't have to go crazy, maybe drop $20 on some hospital or industrial grade outlet like the Hubble 5362BK (not construction grade).
   
  KP


----------



## Zombie_X

Yes, via the internal dip switches, though not as the way you want it. The amp allows only one input signal at a time, so using the RCA as a second input won't work. Anytime the RCA cables are attached the XLR is disabled and RCA is made the priority. You can set the RCA to do output only. In output mode it converts the XLR signal into a usable RCA line level signal. Also it applies any gain settings to have set via the back of the amp. I find this really convenient and I can sue it on more amps.
   
  The only way to get around your issue is to get an XLR switch box and use RCA-XLR adapter for you turn table. You can then swap back and forth with the switch box.
   
  Quote: 





oopsydaisy said:


> I know it's a feature that when you plug in RCA to the V200, the XLR is disabled. Is there a way to disable this? I have my DAC feeding to the V200 via XLR, and I want to connect my phono stage to the V200 via RCA. I don't want to have to disconnect the RCA whenever I listen to digital files. Is it possible/recommended to hook up the phono stage to the DAC? Seems counterintuitive, but I'm no expert when it comes to turntables/phono stages. Thanks in advance


----------



## Rico613

OK I was thinking Beyer T1 and SPL Auditor would be a good pairing, now 'they' tell me to get the Violectric HPA V200 . . .
   






 Assuming this is the only Amp I'll get this year, is there a clear overall better choice?


----------



## Amarphael

If you want a more neutral and dynamic result with the T1 the Auditor be a better choise, no doubt about it.


----------



## Zombie_X

Well the V200 is very adept at driving loads a low as 80hm up to 600Ohm with no problem, but the Auditor is limited to 80Ohm's or more. The V200 is a war, smooth tube-like headphone amp while the Auditor is neutral and dynamic amp. 
   
  I would recommend the V200 if you have different impedance headphones. I would say the Auditor is better for amping the T1 but not so good for anything under 80Ohms.
   
  Quote: 





rico613 said:


> OK I was thinking Beyer T1 and SPL Auditor would be a good pairing, now 'they' tell me to get the Violectric HPA V200 . . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Rico613

Thanks all . . . that was what I was thinking.  I.E. while they have quite different characteristics, my decision is still a toss up !
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Thus, I was thinking of waiting until Violectric released a balanced outputs amp, but if I remember correctly, Zombie-X didn't think balanced outputs made that much difference . .  but maybe that was another issue?  On the other hand, maybe SPL will update Auditor with proper gain adjustments . . . ya think?
   
   
  Quote: 





amarphael said:


> If you want a more neutral and dynamic result with the T1 the Auditor be a better choise, no doubt about it.


 
   
   
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Well the V200 is very adept at driving loads a low as 80hm up to 600Ohm with no problem, but the Auditor is limited to 80Ohm's or more. The V200 is a war, smooth tube-like headphone amp while the Auditor is neutral and dynamic amp.
> 
> I would recommend the V200 if you have different impedance headphones. I would say the Auditor is better for amping the T1 but not so good for anything under 80Ohms.


----------



## Frank I

Just so people know the Oppo BDP95 and the balanced XLR V200 is a fantastic combo whether I use low or  high impedance headphones its fantastic. Its perfect synergy with all my headphones. A fantastic solid state amp.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





frank i said:


> Just so people know the Oppo BDP95 and the balanced XLR V200 is a fantastic combo whether I use low or  high impedance headphones its fantastic. Its perfect synergy with all my headphones. A fantastic solid state amp.


 
   
  I hear you !!!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  thanks . . .


----------



## Zombie_X

Who knows but I would love to see SPL implement gain settings. I would also like it if they gave us a stand alone crossfeed box, that way you can use it on any amp!
   
  Balanced headphones are better than single ended in ways such as separation and detail, otherwise I find the Auditor to have a tone and power similar to balanced designs. Well that's worded odd, let me fix that.
   
  What I mean is that really good single ended amps sound no different than balanced amps when done right. I find my ROC to vastly outperform my X-CANV8P and WA3+ in every way. The Auditor, ROC, and V200 are all in the same price range and the Auditor surpasses the ROC, but the V200 is nearly on par with the Auditor.
   
  The V181 and V200 are nearly the same price yet the V200 is the superior amp. The V181 is more neutral, ever so slightly less powerful, but still above my ROC. The V200 is warmer with more power and even higher ranked IMO. The Auditor is the best out of all of them as is has that balanced "bite" and transient response but also has a smooth tone with excellent detail and authority.
   
  My explanation is kinda weird but I hoe it makes some sense. Maybe?
   
  Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Thanks all . . . that was what I was thinking.  I.E. while they have quite different characteristics, my decision is still a toss up !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Gwarmi

There's a bloke down here in Melbourne about to go fully 'Hot Rod' on an SPL Phonitor - top of the range ALPS volume pot replacement plus a set of new caps and
   host of other signal path modifications - I guess that's the question, correct me if I'm wrong but we are yet to see any 'Hot Rod' special V200's as yet, mainly external
   modifications such as power cables and what not. I know Freid would not approve (understandably) however we're all big boys here and plenty of us would accept that
   risk - if there is any benefit of trying to mod the V200 in the search for an improved sound. Maybe, maybe not.


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> OK I was thinking Beyer T1 and SPL Auditor would be a good pairing, now 'they' tell me to get the Violectric HPA V200 . . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I have my v200 paired with my T1 so far more than 300  pleasan music   listening hours for me is excellent at my age ( 60! at the end of the year) 
  the definition and transparency for ALL acoustic instruments is very good the SPL auiditor/phonitor amps are limited for hi impedance HP 
  the selection of musical components is at the bottom  line a very personal choice


----------



## Rico613

So I think what you're saying is that the overall sound quality of a balanced input V200 is very close to the overall quality of a fully balanced SPL Auditor?   Anyway, this seems to be the consensus of what I'm hearing . . . Robert at [size=10pt]aphroditecu29.com[/size] said the Auditor was "over analytical and not very musical", maybe this is more a matter of indivitual taste.  I know some people have said some of their music collection was trashed because the Auditor / Beyer T1  revealed all the flaws in the recordings -- but I'm a perfectionist so maybe I'd dig that.  I don't know how the Auditor could get rave reviews if it were not 'musical'. . . . I guess I could try them both and send one back.  What if I loved them both . . . oh god .!!!  
   





  
   
  Originally Posted by *Zombie_X* /img/forum/go_quote.gif

  


> Who knows but I would love to see SPL implement gain settings. I would also like it if they gave us a stand alone crossfeed box, that way you can use it on any amp!
> 
> Balanced headphones are better than single ended in ways such as separation and detail, otherwise I find the Auditor to have a tone and power similar to balanced designs. Well that's worded odd, let me fix that.
> 
> ...


----------



## Zombie_X

Not to be rude to Robert, but I hear differently. I find the Auditor to be highly detailed and resolving, but not boring at all. It's a nice listen and is quite dynamic and lively. It's still musical, just not warm like the V200 is. Also the V200 has a more limited soundstage in comparison. It's not like the Auditor is going to make your music sound bad, it's just more detailed/resolving than the V200. The sound to me is still on the smooth side, but not colored. 
   
  Also I may have conveyed my thoughts on Balanced vs Single Ended wrong. I mean to to say that single ended can be as good as balanced. Both the Auditor and V200 are single ended designs but have balanced inputs. I meant to say SE can be as good as a fully balanced amp (like the ROC and Dark Star) when done right, and in this case the V200 and Auditor is that.
   
   
  Quote: 





rico613 said:


> So I think what you're saying is that the overall sound quality of a balanced input V200 is very close to the overall quality of a fully balanced SPL Auditor?   Anyway, this seems to be the consensus of what I'm hearing . . . Robert at [size=10pt]aphroditecu29.com[/size] said the Auditor was "over analytical and not very musical", maybe this is more a matter of indivitual taste.  I know some people have said some of their music collection was trashed because the Auditor / Beyer T1  revealed all the flaws in the recordings -- but I'm a perfectionist so maybe I'd dig that.  I don't know how the Auditor could get rave reviews if it were not 'musical'. . . . I guess I could try them both and send one back.  What if I loved them both . . . oh god .!!!


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Not to be rude to Robert, but I hear differently. I find the Auditor to be highly detailed and resolving, but not boring at all. It's a nice listen and is quite dynamic and lively. It's still musical, just not warm like the V200 is. Also the V200 has a more limited soundstage in comparison. It's not like the Auditor is going to make your music sound bad, it's just more detailed/resolving than the V200. The sound to me is still on the smooth side, but not colored.
> 
> Also I may have conveyed my thoughts on Balanced vs Single Ended wrong. I mean to to say that single ended can be as good as balanced. Both the Auditor and V200 are single ended designs but have balanced inputs. I meant to say SE can be as good as a fully balanced amp (like the ROC and Dark Star) when done right, and in this case the V200 and Auditor is that.


 
   
  Ok that's good news.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> OK I was thinking Beyer T1 and SPL Auditor would be a good pairing, now 'they' tell me to get the Violectric HPA V200 . . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The Auditor is sonically inferior to Phonitor and I'd go with Phonitor or V200. I'm curious to make AB test V200 vs. Phonitor....


----------



## Zombie_X

The Auditor and Phonitor sound the exact same. I've confirmed this first hand and even SPL told me the Auditor is the same amp minus the crossfeed circuit. So you are paying an additional $1000 for the crossfeed.
   
  Quote: 





brat said:


> The Auditor is sonically inferior to Phonitor and I'd go with Phonitor or V200. I'm curious to make AB test V200 vs. Phonitor....


----------



## brat

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> The Auditor and Phonitor sound the exact same. I've confirmed this first hand and even SPL told me the Auditor is the same amp minus the crossfeed circuit. So you are paying an additional $1000 for the crossfeed.


 
  Yes, I've read this before. BUT... I had opportunities to make AB comparisons (all the extras of the Phonitor were "öff") and the Phonitor always sounded _much_ better. It was one source, two amps, the same cables. They were company's specimens (SPL electronics GmbH). I do not want to argue about their topology. I was very surprised when read that they had to sound the same. But this is my experience. Can't explain.


----------



## Zombie_X

Very odd my friend. I had both side by side here as well not that long ago using the same cables,one DAC, same source, and running the Auditor off of the Phonitors XLR outputs. They sounded the exact same to me in every way. I contacted SPL and tey said the Auditor and Phonitor sound the exact same. Kinda odd right? The Phonitor can sound better with it's crossfeed otherwise I'll save the extra $1000 and get the Auditor.
   
  Quote: 





brat said:


> Yes, I've read this before. BUT... I had opportunities to make AB comparisons (all the extras of the Phonitor were "öff") and the Phonitor always sounded _much_ better. It was one source, two amps, the same cables. They were company's specimens (SPL electronics GmbH). I do not want to argue about their topology. I was very surprised when read that they had to sound the same. But this is my experience. Can't explain.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> So I think what you're saying is that the overall sound quality of a balanced input V200 is very close to the overall quality of a fully balanced SPL Auditor?   Anyway, this seems to be the consensus of what I'm hearing . . . Robert at [size=10pt]aphroditecu29.com[/size] said the Auditor was "over analytical and not very musical", *maybe this is more a matter of indivitual taste*.  I know some people have said some of their music collection was trashed because the Auditor / Beyer T1  revealed all the flaws in the recordings -- but I'm a perfectionist so maybe I'd dig that.  I don't know how the Auditor could get rave reviews if it were not 'musical'. . . . I guess I could try them both and send one back.  What if I loved them both . . . oh god .!!!


 
   
  I bolded the most important statement in your post.
   
  I find myself somewhere in the middle. Having recently spent time with a Phonitor, I didn't find it _overly _analytical like Robert. But I also didn't find it better than the V200 like ZombieX. With high impedance headphones it is sort of an "equal but different" presentation compared to the Violectric sound. With low impedance models it is not really impressive at all. 
   
  I guess it comes down to headphone preferences. Think of the worthwhile higher impedance headphones: Beyers in 250 and 600 ohm (including the T1 of course). Sennheiser HD600, HD650, and HD800. Some older AKG like K240DF. Some German Maestro models. If those would be your primary headphones and you want a clean analytical sound, by all means the SPL stuff should be on your list.
   
  Now think of the low impedance models out there: Audeze, all the HiFiMAN models, Thunderpants and other modified T50RPs, all Audio Technicas, all Grados, all Ultrasones, all the worthwhile Sony models, most AKGs, and all IEMs both custom and universal. 
   
  To me, that second list encompasses far more of the headphones I'm likely to use than the first list does. The value of the Violectric line is that it can handle all models from both lists, while the SPL is only good with the first list. It may be spectacular with the higher impedance models but I just don't use a lot of those. Obviously ZombieX is a Beyer guy so it works out well for him. 
   
  In the end both options have their benefits and you have to decide which is best for you. The funny thing is, Fried Reim has mentioned to me how he is close friends with many of his competitors: Hermann Gier of SPL, Norbert Lehmann, and Jan Meier. They all co-exist in the same market, run into each other at all the shows... it's probably easier to be friends than hate each other.


----------



## brat

Last days I had one of the best headphone experiences in my life... Weiss DAC202U arrived and it has great synergy with V200 + my recabled LCD-2 r2s. Incredible combination! I've never heard so deep and textured bass. But the emphasis here is on quality not quantity of bass. I begin to understand what people mean when talking about LCD-2's bass capabilities. I had MANY concerns with my LCD-2 before recabling them and introducing DAC202U in my system...


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I bolded the most important statement in your post.
> 
> I find myself somewhere in the middle. Having recently spent time with a Phonitor, I didn't find it _overly _analytical like Robert. But I also didn't find it better than the V200 like ZombieX. With high impedance headphones it is sort of an "equal but different" presentation compared to the Violectric sound. With low impedance models it is not really impressive at all.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nicely summarized, beautifully written . . . thanks!


----------



## Zombie_X

It is indeed a matter of choice. I simply like a more neutral tone. I said I find the Auditor better than the V200 for the T1 as it can drive them better. But I also said the V200 is better for driving varying impedance loads while the Auditor is stuck in higher impedance loads. The Auditor struggles with some lower impedance loads while the V200 drives them all great.
   
  It also comes down to if you want a warm sound or a neutral sound. Both are equally good options but it comes down to if you need for versatility for multiple loads or not.
   
  I'm not trying to start an argument with anyone at at all but I wanted to state my opinion on the matter.
   
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I bolded the most important statement in your post.
> 
> I find myself somewhere in the middle. Having recently spent time with a Phonitor, I didn't find it _overly _analytical like Robert. But I also didn't find it better than the V200 like ZombieX. With high impedance headphones it is sort of an "equal but different" presentation compared to the Violectric sound. With low impedance models it is not really impressive at all.
> 
> ...


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> It is indeed a matter of choice. I simply like a more neutral tone. I said I find the Auditor better than the V200 for the T1 as it can drive them better. But I also said the V200 is better for driving varying impedance loads while the Auditor is stuck in higher impedance loads. The Auditor struggles with some lower impedance loads while the V200 drives them all great.
> 
> It also comes down to if you want a warm sound or a neutral sound. Both are equally good options but it comes down to if you need for versatility for multiple loads or not.
> 
> I'm not trying to start an argument with anyone at at all but I wanted to state my opinion on the matter.


 
   
  Nope, no argument here either. I never intend to push any one product on people - yes, I recommend the V200 often, but also have plenty of others that I like and recommend in some cases. Same with headphones, DACs, IEMs, whatever. You like what you like and there's nothing wrong with that!
   
  I have to admit that I enjoyed fiddling with the Phonitor and all the sound tweaking options. If they were able to offer that as a stand alone unit it could be a big seller.


----------



## preproman

And from out of nowhere. Here comes the ALL MIGHTY GS-1 to take the lead beating both the V200 and the Phonitor in all categories.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> The Auditor and Phonitor sound the exact same. I've confirmed this first hand and even SPL told me the Auditor is the same amp minus the crossfeed circuit. So you are paying an additional $1000 for the crossfeed.


 

 But wouldn't the crossfeed would make them sound different?. With the Phonitor being more holographic in its sound stage? At least that's what I found with the Headroom and Meier Audio crossfeeds.


----------



## Zombie_X

The crossfeed does make them sound different yes, but I never got that holographic presentation. It seemed to have compressed the soundstage. Imaging also seemed to suffer a tiny bit. Without the crossfeed turned on both amps will sound the same.
   
  Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> But wouldn't the crossfeed would make them sound different?. With the Phonitor being more holographic in its sound stage? At least that's what I found with the Headroom and Meier Audio crossfeeds.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> The crossfeed does make them sound different yes, but I never got that holographic presentation. It seemed to have compressed the soundstage. Imaging also seemed to suffer a tiny bit. Without the crossfeed turned on both amps will sound the same.


 

 Interesting. I always found a good crossfeed improved the sound staging too.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> Interesting. I always found a good cross-feed improved the sound staging too.


 
   
  I"m listening more carefully to the differences between my headphones and my acoustic speakers to see which really sounds better (to me).  Based on your comments about the desirability of separate cross-feed circuitry, and what I'm beginning to realize from my listening experience, I think the cross-feed really may make a big difference in listening enjoyment.  So that argues in favor of the Phonitor . . . hmmmm . . .


----------



## spkrs01

I finally got round to ground lifting the XLR connectors and switching to DC on the Volume pcb on the V200. Also ground lifted the XLR connectors on the V800.  Noticing more naturalness to the sound, plus the bass having better texture and hitting harder, definitely worth the 20 minutes undoing the covers
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## qawsedrf

spkrs01 said:


> I finally got round to ground lifting the XLR connectors and switching to DC on the Volume pcb on the V200. Also ground lifted the XLR connectors on the V800.  Noticing more naturalness to the sound, plus the bass having better texture and hitting harder, definitely worth the 20 minutes undoing the covers:wink_face: .




In other words you've set the LO-CUT jumps beside the volume control from AC to DC, and the XLR Groundlift Jumper to LIFT position?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Never mind, i found the answer.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Never mind, i found the answer.


 
  What was the question?


----------



## Rico613

How much difference do balanced cables, Amp --> Headphones make?  Is it worth waiting for the Violectric HPA V282 with balanced outputs, rummored to be out sometime in 2013?
   
  Thanks . . .


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> What was the question?


 
   
  About the new alps pot, but Fried answered it in this thread


----------



## brat

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Is it worth waiting for the Violectric HPA V282 with balanced outputs, rummored to be out sometime in 2013?
> 
> Thanks . . .


 
  I wouldn't wait one year or more, who knows. Life is so short...


----------



## Loevhagen

Absolutely - No.
  Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Is it worth waiting for the Violectric HPA V282 with balanced outputs, rummored to be out sometime in 2013?


----------



## dallan

Well i never thought i'd see the day but i got a pair of headphones today that didn't work with the v200.  Every pair i own performs so well with it and I put these on and i thought the phones just sucked.  Maybe needed breaking in.  Then later they sounded better but i was on a different set up.  Finally figured out it was the match up.  ATH es10 portable.  Just too much flubby bass with them matched.  Too much juice or something, impedance is right so i donno ya know.  Out of the Zana Deux, which is mainly for high impedance phones they totally sing......go figure.


----------



## Zombie_X

It could be that the added bass from the V200 works against your headphone itself. It's possible.
   
  Quote: 





dallan said:


> Well i never thought i'd see the day but i got a pair of headphones today that didn't work with the v200.  Every pair i own performs so well with it and I put these on and i thought the phones just sucked.  Maybe needed breaking in.  Then later they sounded better but i was on a different set up.  Finally figured out it was the match up.  ATH es10 portable.  Just too much flubby bass with them matched.  Too much juice or something, impedance is right so i donno ya know.  Out of the Zana Deux, which is mainly for high impedance phones they totally sing......go figure.


----------



## antberg

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> How much difference do balanced cables, Amp --> Headphones make?  Is it worth waiting for the Violectric HPA V282 with balanced outputs, rummored to be out sometime in 2013?
> 
> Thanks . . .


 
  i hope yes,until then i may find some hidden money in my wallet,or maybe i would be able to collect some money to afford it!


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Well i never thought i'd see the day but i got a pair of headphones today that didn't work with the v200.  Every pair i own performs so well with it and I put these on and i thought the phones just sucked.  Maybe needed breaking in.  Then later they sounded better but i was on a different set up.  Finally figured out it was the match up.  ATH es10 portable.  Just too much flubby bass with them matched.  Too much juice or something, impedance is right so i donno ya know.  Out of the Zana Deux, which is mainly for high impedance phones they totally sing......go figure.


 
   
  I had connected my akg q460 and hear only bass ,,,,, 
   
  they perform excellent with portable equipment not with the v200 (connected with beyer T! )


----------



## madbull

Where can I buy a V200 in the States, except from Aphrodite cu29?? (that guy suddenly stopped answering my emails and I'm in a hurry)


----------



## Zombie_X

He is the only authorized dealer in the states as far as I know.
   
  Quote: 





madbull said:


> Where can I buy a V200 in the States, except from Aphrodite cu29?? (that guy suddenly stopped answering my emails and I'm in a hurry)


----------



## project86

You can also order straight from the Violectric website. Depending on the exchange rate, it may end up being a tiny bit cheaper that way.


----------



## dallan

I'm surprised that Robert is anything other than right on it.


----------



## madbull

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I'm surprised that Robert is anything other than right on it.


 
   
  Well, we exchanged some emails last week, but now it's been* SIX days* I ain't got a reply to my last emails.
   
  Maybe he's going through some personal problems I think? Can't find a reason for ignoring me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I was about to buy a V200, his JVC DX1000, a T1 and a RS1i. A good deal, ain't it?
   
  Has anyone got emails from him lately?
   
  I'm very disappointed


----------



## dallan

Strange.


----------



## baritone

to get a quick  response  from some one you can  also use the* telephone * not just  emails


----------



## Zombie_X

Now that you mention it he has not replied t my e-mails either. I still owe him some money for the V200 and I sent him an e-mail about it, but he never responded.
   
  Quote: 





madbull said:


> Well, we exchanged some emails last week, but now it's been* SIX days* I ain't got a reply to my last emails.
> 
> Maybe he's going through some personal problems I think? Can't find a reason for ignoring me
> 
> ...


----------



## antberg

holidays maybe?


----------



## madbull

Quote: 





baritone said:


> to get a quick  response  from some one you can  also use the* telephone * not just  emails


 
   
  Actually I'm not in the states so that's not a cheap option right now.


----------



## baritone

if you need quick answers you can email directly to violectric
  they respond quickly


----------



## Rico613

Yea, I haven't heard anything for a while, sent another email yesterday.   It seemed to take a week or so for his first responses so maybe he just runs behind schedule when he gets busy . . . I couldn't find a phone number on his website, but maybe I missed it . . .
   
   
  Quote: 





madbull said:


> Well, we exchanged some emails last week, but now it's been* SIX days* I ain't got a reply to my last emails.
> 
> Maybe he's going through some personal problems I think? Can't find a reason for ignoring me
> 
> ...


----------



## robeel

hey guys, have a chance to buy the v100 or v200. 
   
  is the V200 a lot better?
   
  there is a $200-$250 difference, is the V200 worth the extra $$$?
   
  will be buying either he400/500, D5000, LCD2.2...
   
  need to make a decision asap.


----------



## Gwarmi

New toy just in - will report back later on tonight with impressions - very nice looking, let's hope it sounds great.
   
   *Nordost Heimdall Revision 2 *- first shipment into Australia - just in.


----------



## Zombie_X

The cable looks cool but I don't know man, they never worked for me.
   
  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> New toy just in - will report back later on tonight with impressions - very nice looking, let's hope it sounds great.
> 
> *Nordost Heimdall Revision 2 *- first shipment into Australia - just in.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> The cable looks cool but I don't know man, they never worked for me.


 
   
   Yeh Zombie I've always been open minded and hardly precious on these things - no qualms in voting myself 'Head-Fi idiot of the week' if I don't hear anything back to back
   with a crappy standard IEC.


----------



## madbull

one more day without a reply, anyone please check if Robert is ok.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





robeel said:


> hey guys, have a chance to buy the v100 or v200.
> 
> is the V200 a lot better?
> 
> ...


 
   
  Personally, I will stretch out to the V200 if funds allow! I have both the HE500 and LCD-2 Bamboo. Both headphones have excellent synergy with the V200. I have a silver/gold cable on the HE500 and that is where my preference lies at the moment until I get the same cable for the LCD-2
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> New toy just in - will report back later on tonight with impressions - very nice looking, let's hope it sounds great.
> 
> *Nordost Heimdall Revision 2 *- first shipment into Australia - just in.


 
   
  Great looking cable......unlike Zombie_X, I find the V200 really revels in having a good power cable. I am using a silver/gold power cord and immediately noticeable is the airier and larger soundstage along with a more textured bass. Mids are pushed forwards slightly.
   
  All in all, I have found it a good improvement on the V200 adding a little more liveliness to the sound signature.


----------



## Zombie_X

To those wondering about Robert:
   
  I just spoke with Robert and he's doing alright. He told me he had just got over a little bout of depression and has had some family issues lately so hopefully you guys can understand. He's trying to work his way through his e-mails as we speak and will answer everyone's ASAP. So he's on it guys, he's just a little behind.
   
  Also I got some nice news from him. Can you say STAX DEALER? You heard me, he now deals STAX gear and I was told that the gear will be on his site soon. Maybe I'll try to demo something


----------



## dallan

Cool, i know where to get my 009's when ready


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Great looking cable......unlike Zombie_X, I find the V200 really revels in having a good power cable. I am using a silver/gold power cord and immediately noticeable is the airier and larger soundstage along with a more textured bass. Mids are pushed forwards slightly.
> 
> All in all, I have found it a good improvement on the V200 adding a little more liveliness to the sound signature.


 
  IMO the best improvement can be achieved  connecting the equipment using simple cables   with an electronic inverter that supplies ultra stable/clean/noiseless  sine wave
  it cost money but it worth it 
  like having a private power station in your home


----------



## qawsedrf

zombie_x said:


> To those wondering about Robert:
> 
> I just spoke with Robert and he's doing alright. He told me he had just got over a little bout of depression and has had some family issues lately so hopefully you guys can understand. He's trying to work his way through his e-mails as we speak and will answer everyone's ASAP. So he's on it guys, he's just a little behind.
> 
> Also I got some nice news from him. Can you say STAX DEALER? You heard me, he now deals STAX gear and I was told that the gear will be on his site soon. Maybe I'll try to demo something




Although we may have differing opinions on cables and the such, but I am sure all of us here have the same opinion of Robert being an excellent dealer. I'm sad to hear that Robert has some personal issues affecting his life, but glad that he is overcoming them.

Do give him some leeway ya, guys.


----------



## madbull

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> To those wondering about Robert:
> 
> I just spoke with Robert and he's doing alright. He told me he had just got over a little bout of depression and has had some family issues lately so hopefully you guys can understand. He's trying to work his way through his e-mails as we speak and will answer everyone's ASAP. So he's on it guys, he's just a little behind.
> 
> Also I got some nice news from him. Can you say STAX DEALER? You heard me, he now deals STAX gear and I was told that the gear will be on his site soon. Maybe I'll try to demo something


 
   
  Nice to know he's fine. And I just got my reply email 
   
  If I hadn't already bought my stax set I would surely do business with him.


----------



## robeel

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Personally, I will stretch out to the V200 if funds allow! I have both the HE500 and LCD-2 Bamboo. Both headphones have excellent synergy with the V200. I have a silver/gold cable on the HE500 and that is where my preference lies at the moment until I get the same cable for the LCD-2
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 thanks for the help, i'll go with the V200 then.
   
  also, the Talisman T33H is highly recommended  on another forum, anyone compared it to the V200?


----------



## TokenGesture

I've pulled the trigger on a V200 from Thomann in Germany, on the theory I wanted to trial it under their 30 day return policy, though now I see the prices for shipping it back ... ouch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  But from what I've read on this thread and the reviews I am pretty excited. I've gone a roundabout way over the last weeks reconfiguring my system from an IBasso D10, starting with an Audiolab MDAC and then finding I needed a warmer, less treble-edgy presentation, and more authority, than the MDAC's amp section gave me.
   
  I'm sitting with it hooked up to a Lyr at the moment (thanks Zombie_X for replying to my other thread asking for comparisons between the Lyr and V200), which I do like but I'm not sure I'm a tube rolling kinda guy (all that faff!), and I need to be able to use a range of cans, even IEMs as I share a small home office so at times I need no sound leakage at all.  
   
  I also heard the Burson HA 160D which had great bass presence and PRaT, though I found the extension/detail at the top end to be a little lacking, hence ending up with the MDAC. Had I been reading this forum as much as I am now , maybe I would have gone about things totally differently, but here I am.
   
  *drums fingers* *waits anxiously for shipping notification*


----------



## Gwarmi

*Quick V200 + Nordost Heimdall Revision #2 Power Cord Impressions*
   
    Ok, guys - first of all this cord is not for those seeking a big sound stage improvement on the V200 amp, not sure
    if others are achieving any great benefits or perhaps it is simply signature from the Nordost Norse series of interconnects
    and power cords - for your reference I decided to do a bit of blind testing using the one track that I know very well :-
   
*  Frank Sinatra - One more for my Baby (One for the Road) *
   
    Luckily, my sister came around and played devil's advocate - randomly replacing the power cord out of the V200
    between the standard IEC and Nordost Heimdall revision #2 - 100% results all round, picking the differences
    between the two - she finally revealed that the test went as follows - IEC, Nordost, IEC, Nordost, Nordost.
   
    Any benefits? Initially I thought that like the Nordost Blue Heaven I'd just made my rig less dynamic all round,
    but then the details became apparent - more texture, nuance, there is more air between the notes but lastly
    the dead giveaway - the clapping at the end of the track always had me reaching for the volume dial - brittle,
    glassy smacking of the hands that always proved to be too much - not so - with the Nordost Heimdall now
    though.
   
    Worth it? It is for me - I'll pick up another unit with the Pangea adapter for the Rega DAC and go from there, real
    limitation now is my interconnect - I'll run the gauntlet between either the Nordost Frey RCA or this little known
   piece of goodness - the Stealth Audio PGS-01 - quite a few opinions out that this is most likely the most sweet
   and detailed RCA out there for under $1000.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





> Worth it? It is for me - I'll pick up another unit with the Pangea adapter for the Rega DAC and go from there, real
> limitation now is my interconnect - I'll run the gauntlet between either the Nordost Frey RCA or this little known
> piece of goodness -* the Stealth Audio PGS-01* - quite a few opinions out that this is most likely the most sweet
> and detailed RCA out there for under $1000.


 
   
  I love Stealth cables especially the Sakra, imho, probably the best available cables with perhaps the exception of Argento Flow Master Reference for speaker rig systems!!!
   
  Happy listening............................


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I love Stealth cables especially the Sakra, imho, probably the best available cables with perhaps the exception of Argento Flow Master Reference for speaker rig systems!!!
> 
> Happy listening............................


 
   
   Wow - you've heard a Sakra in either RCA or XLR? Lucky Lucky 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   I've been tainted and taunted ever since a mate let me hear his pair of Stealth Audio Meta Carbons on my V200 - totally ruined me - this was with a HD800 
   lying around, the clarity and sound stage was simply to die for - those cables would pass any blind test even at a school for the deaf.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Wow - you've heard a Sakra in either RCA or XLR? Lucky Lucky
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  XLR.....with the Dream V10 speaker cables and power conditioning/ground management from Tripoint Audio.
   
  Stealth has been my favorite since the Indra
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  Back to the V200, with cable changes especially the power, has really lifted it's performance by quite a fair margin! Surprisingly for me, it is an extremely resolving amp scaling up or down depending what camp one is in....loving it at the moment
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I have managed in getting mine to sound pretty lively and extremely detailed compared to the smooth out of the box, sound signature. Bass is pretty incredible on the V200.................


----------



## hduong

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> Hey there - I was thinking about this as a combo. Finding the MDAC a little too bright after burn in with my TI and 325s.  Any further impressions you can share?


 

 I bought the V200 to tame the brightness of my HD800 not the MDAC.  It does tame the brightness enough that I no longer get listener fatigue after a couple of hour of listening.  I like how it brings out the mids a bit more as well.  YMMV.  This is compared to my audio-gd c2.1.


----------



## Zombie_X

I'm using temporary XLR cable on my V200 right not, I got them from Monoprice and they are really nice fore sure. I haven't had the time to make my own... As for the power cable, I am using a hospital grade cord in a 6' length and had to chop it down from 12'. For the surge protector I am using a Monster HTS 950. I had hiss on my X-CANV8P for the longest time and thought it was the amp, using the new conditioner all that hiss has gone.
   
  As for cables I am a believer that there is a point when no upgrades can would be significant. I use a combination of Belkin Pure AV cables as well as my own DIY ones. The Belkin cables a as good if not as good as $200 Audioquest cables. My DIY cables are at least as good as the Audioquest King Cobra's. No BS, this is what I hear. I believe that in this world of $1,000 cables that $500 should be the limit. I've heard some Kimber Kable, Nordost, Mapleshade, and many Audioquest cables and believe that money is wasted after a certain point. I fell $1,000 IC's are a total waste of money. You may laugh at me for using cheap cables but they are that good.
   
   
*X-CANV8P VS V200:*
  Since I got my V8P unpacked I wanted to get a nice comparison to them done. I figure the V200 is supposed to be a very warm amp, like a tube amp. I wanted to compare it to my V8P which is a hybrid design. I wanted to keep the solid state element in and not go full tubes so that's why the V8P is used. 
   
  Surprisingly the V200 is much warmer sounding with more focus on the midrange and bass. The V8P is brighter in comparison with a warm tone but not as much mids or bass. The V200 sounds a lot like an OTL tube design to my ears with it's rich and full sound with the rolled treble. One area that it bests the V8P in is detail and resolving power. It's a lot more detailed and resolving, but it seems the V8P maybe more transparent. The V8P give the illusion of more detail because it is brighter, but not so.


----------



## hekeli

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> I've pulled the trigger on a V200 from Thomann in Germany, on the theory I wanted to trial it under their 30 day return policy, though now I see the prices for shipping it back ... ouch


 
   
  Atleast here in Finland they just send you a pre-paid shipping label. No return costs. I've already shipped tons of stuff back and forth.. I'd still like to try out Signature Pros and Lake People G109..


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I'm using temporary XLR cable on my V200 right not, I got them from Monoprice and they are really nice fore sure. I haven't had the time to make my own... As for the power cable, I am using a hospital grade cord in a 6' length and had to chop it down from 12'. For the surge protector I am using a Monster HTS 950. I had hiss on my X-CANV8P for the longest time and thought it was the amp, using the new conditioner all that hiss has gone.
> 
> As for cables I am a believer that there is a point when no upgrades can would be significant. I use a combination of Belkin Pure AV cables as well as my own DIY ones. The Belkin cables a as good if not as good as $200 Audioquest cables. My DIY cables are at least as good as the Audioquest King Cobra's. No BS, this is what I hear. I believe that in this world of $1,000 cables that $500 should be the limit. I've heard some Kimber Kable, Nordost, Mapleshade, and many Audioquest cables and believe that money is wasted after a certain point. I fell $1,000 IC's are a total waste of money. You may laugh at me for using cheap cables but they are that good.
> 
> ...


 
   
   
   I think the problem lies in that many manufacturers - and I won't name them here - produce cables of $1000+ value and there is nothing of a great value to be heard.
   
   Having said that - some do - make substantial gains that are still ridiculously pricey - guarantee that you'd be binning your home made cables and the Belkins
   if given a weekend with a pair of Sakra or Indra from Stealth - you'd be a convert in about 20 seconds.


----------



## Zombie_X

I highly doubt that my friend. I heard the Nordost Tyr and they didn't sound that much better than my DIY ones at all. $2,000 cables for what... I haven't heard the Sakra but did get a chance to test out the Indra which sounded subpar IMO. Maybe worth a $200-$300 cable from what I heard. But still vastly overpriced. I wonder how the Sakra performs though, but still it's going to be extremely overpriced, I can guarantee that.
   
  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> I think the problem lies in that many manufacturers - and I won't name them here - produce cables of $1000+ value and there is nothing of a great value to be heard.
> 
> Having said that - some do - make substantial gains that are still ridiculously pricey - guarantee that you'd be binning your home made cables and the Belkins
> if given a weekend with a pair of Sakra or Indra from Stealth - you'd be a convert in about 20 seconds.


----------



## project86

Ok maybe we can keep the cable arguments to a minimum please? This is a thread about the V200, and it is in the "full size headphone amp" section after all. Cables have their own special section if anyone wanted to continue discussion there.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Ok maybe we can keep the cable arguments to a minimum please? This is a thread about the V200, and it is in the "full size headphone amp" section after all. Cables have their own special section if anyone wanted to continue discussion there.


 

 LOL X2


----------



## Zombie_X

Sorry Project86, I should not have even started it..


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Sorry Project86, I should not have even started it..


 
   
  Yea, but I learned something !


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Sorry Project86, I should not have even started it..


 
   
   
  It's no problem, I just think that sometimes we get carried away with that stuff.


----------



## Gwarmi

Yes we sure do


----------



## Zombie_X

Sorry to argue with you man, didn't mean to start with ya.
   
  On another note how do you think your other amps compare to the V200?
   
  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Yes we sure do


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Sorry to argue with you man, didn't mean to start with ya.
> 
> On another note how do you think your other amps compare to the V200?


 
   
   Ahh that's ok - we all have different views on the wonderful world of interconnects, comes down to personal flavours
   and even system synergy (especially headphone) at the end of the day - hence why it is probably a bit pointless to discuss
   it, particularly on the V200 forum
   
   Mate - the V200 is not going anywhere, you might recall that I mentioned that I have a Ray Samuels Raptor in the wings,
   still a bit off - again, it's only better with the one headphone - the PS1000 - just a bit more forward, airier with that headphone.
   
   Having said that - the RSA Raptor is $200 more expensive, does not have the grunt of the V200, no gain control or XLR
   input either


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





hduong said:


> I bought the V200 to tame the brightness of my HD800 not the MDAC.  It does tame the brightness enough that I no longer get listener fatigue after a couple of hour of listening.  I like how it brings out the mids a bit more as well.  YMMV.  This is compared to my audio-gd c2.1.


 
  I have the HD800 and V200 as well although a different dac. It is a wonderful pairing although it is also great out of the dac/amp as well but a bit different sounding.


----------



## Zombie_X

Rawster, you've come along way since I sold you my Magnum 2.5. How are you liking your V200?
   
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I have the HD800 and V200 as well although a different dac. It is a wonderful pairing although it is also great out of the dac/amp as well but a bit different sounding.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Rawster, you've come along way since I sold you my Magnum 2.5. How are you liking your V200?


 
   
   
  He sure has! Check out his feedback to see how long of a journey he has taken. Wow!


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Rawster, you've come along way since I sold you my Magnum 2.5. How are you liking your V200?


 
   
  I totally forgot it was you that I bought them from but those are long gone. With my D1 dac and V200 amp and the HD800 I can be happy with this pairing for a long long time. They are both keepers and the V200 is going nowhere. It's just too versatile and I like it not taking up too much space and being light. It's great if I have to move it or bring it to a meet or even let someone borrow it. It is simple in terms of features compared to other amps it serves its purpose. It drives my HD800 wonderfully and my AD200 wonderfully. I tried it with my customs a few times and it sounded great too. It may not be the best amp in the world but it suits me just fine. I think I've had the amp for 7-8 months or so and nothing will last that long unless I really like it. I wont be parting with mine.


----------



## Zombie_X

I've come a long way from just using my X-CANV8P and a K701 to now having a plethora of amps and headphones. Life is good my friend.
   
  Also I'm seriously loving my V200 with these SR-80i's! It suits them perfectly in tone as it does tame their treble. Awesome headphone = awesome. This amp is no slouch at all. It's quite powerful and versatile.
   
  I found the ROC SA to be a lot more versatile though and a bit more resolving. I don't have a ROC SA but I've heard it and it's like a more neutral, transparent, resolving, and more powerful V200. 15W into 60Ohms is a crap ton of power! Capable of driving any ortho perfectly!
   
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I totally forgot it was you that I bought them from but those are long gone. With my D1 dac and V200 amp and the HD800 I can be happy with this pairing for a long long time. They are both keepers and the V200 is going nowhere. It's just too versatile and I like it not taking up too much space and being light. It's great if I have to move it or bring it to a meet or even let someone borrow it. It is simple in terms of features compared to other amps it serves its purpose. It drives my HD800 wonderfully and my AD200 wonderfully. I tried it with my customs a few times and it sounded great too. It may not be the best amp in the world but it suits me just fine. I think I've had the amp for 7-8 months or so and nothing will last that long unless I really like it. I wont be parting with mine.


----------



## hduong

Same DAC chip so maybe they share some sound qualities.  I find it sound fine out of the MDAC amp as well.  Just not as smooth as the V200.


----------



## spkrs01

How many has the HE6 with the V200, and how competent is the V200 powering these headphones? Good synergy? I am enjoying the HE500 so much that I am considering the HE6 whilst waiting on the HD800. Many thanks?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





project86 said:


> He sure has! Check out his feedback to see how long of a journey he has taken. Wow!


 
  I probably could have saved myself a lot of money but part of the fun is trying and seeing what works for one person. Fortunately for me I have found that. I just need to get rid of some other stuff and I should be good for a long time. It also gave me more much exposure to different headphones that I have wanted to try so in the end it was worth it as half of it is about the journey to get where you want.
   
   
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I've come a long way from just using my X-CANV8P and a K701 to now having a plethora of amps and headphones. Life is good my friend.
> 
> Also I'm seriously loving my V200 with these SR-80i's! It suits them perfectly in tone as it does tame their treble. Awesome headphone = awesome. This amp is no slouch at all. It's quite powerful and versatile.
> 
> I found the ROC SA to be a lot more versatile though and a bit more resolving. I don't have a ROC SA but I've heard it and it's like a more neutral, transparent, resolving, and more powerful V200. 15W into 60Ohms is a crap ton of power! Capable of driving any ortho perfectly!


 
  i did try orthos such as the LCD2/3 and many of the Hifiman ones as well as modded the T50RP. They all sound good but they all put me off with the weight of the headphones except the T50RP but I don't need anything closed. I think the only ortho I could have seen myself owning is the HE-4 but that has been discontinued and not at the same level as the HD800.
   
  I won't be following you to the multiple amps and dacs however. I have found that even if i have multiple ones I am too lazy and just want to use one thing. I have done that with headphones as well as dacs and amps. The D1/V200/HD800 combo works great for me. The amp also has way more power than I will ever need. At the level where I am it is more about clean power as well as sound signature of the amp than it is about power. I won't own a HE-6 or K1000 or anything else that is super hard to drive so I have plenty and then some.


----------



## robeel

I've just bought the V200, now i just need some headphones! 
   
  trying to decide between the LCD2.2 or HE500?
   
  source is a chord dac64/denon 3910/pc
   
  music: mostly 80's-90's hip hop & R&B, underground/instrumental hip hop, older soul, funk, & sometimes some rock, blues, acoustic, movie ost... also sometimes for watching movies.
   
  i want a headphone with a nice detailed sound & fast, detailed, dynamic bass.   
   
  thanks


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





robeel said:


> I've just bought the V200, now i just need some headphones!
> 
> trying to decide between the LCD2.2 or HE500?
> 
> ...


 
   
  I ordered my v200 today !!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   I tried the HE 500 and it sounded great.  I think the Audeze LCD 2 will sound better according to the stats, and what people have written.  The HiFiMan had a kind of junkie metallic feel to it, whereas the LCD 2 is constructed with rosewood which will feel warmer and far nicer to handle and have better acoustics.  Both have planar magnetics so they are heavy.  500+ grams vs 300+ grams for other headphones.  The weight was a deal breaker for me, but I may go for the Audeze anyway.  The other consideration is that Audeze is made in America where as the HE 500 is made in China.  If price isn't a major consideration, I'd go for the Audeze LCD 2  
   
  EDIT:  This is getting off topic again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .  (I will now go to the punishment room .) 
   
  EDIT:  There is an excellent comparison of Headphones at  http://www.head-fi.org/t/612250/headphone-comparison-sennheiser-hd-600-hd-700-hd-800-hd-25-1-and-the-amperior-audio-technica-ath-m50s-audeze-lcd-2-rev-2-and-the-lcd-3
   
  .


----------



## rawrster

The HE500 and LCD2 sound very different where one should choose based on sound signature.


----------



## danik97

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> How many has the HE6 with the V200, and how competent is the V200 powering these headphones? Good synergy? I am enjoying the HE500 so much that I am considering the HE6 whilst waiting on the HD800. Many thanks?


 
  Ok, I'm interested too.


----------



## Frank I

For anyone interested I listed my V200 for sale and its almost new. Since I dont have my Denon D7K i really have too many amps now so I want this to go to someone who can better use and outstanding buy and less than 2 months old. With my daughter going to college I can use the funds for a nice camera


----------



## rawrster

That's a good price you have up there. A good amount less than when I got mine. It's a shame about the D7k tho


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> That's a good price you have up there. A good amount less than when I got mine. It's a shame about the D7k tho


 

 Thanks buddy. I like the W1000X so its ok and yes I want to sell it quickly to pay for my camera. its a great amp but right now I have too much stuff and I dont have a very good camera which I want so hope it sell today.


----------



## Frank I

Amp sold thanks


----------



## antberg

wow that`s a fast sale!


----------



## Jodet

Quote: 





antberg said:


> wow that`s a fast sale!


 
   
  Yup, I'm going to try it on my HD800's!


----------



## danik97

So, anybody knows what difference in sound signature between these two amps V100 and V200?  V100 is more neutral?
   
  Additional qustion, about G-109P - it is real V100's "brother" and no reason to overpay for V100?
   
  By this picrures can see that G-109P has a less any transistors:
   

   
  V100
   

   
  http://www.open-end-music.de/vb3/showthread.php?t=4442
   
  http://www.violectric.de/Pages/en/products/hpav100.php


----------



## TokenGesture

Quote: 





hekeli said:


> Atleast here in Finland they just send you a pre-paid shipping label. No return costs. I've already shipped tons of stuff back and forth.. I'd still like to try out Signature Pros and Lake People G109..


 
  Hey - seems like the same applies to the Uk as well - they just sent me an email. That's pretty good service! Plus - my V200 shipped yesterday


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





jodet said:


> Yup, I'm going to try it on my HD800's!


 

 Thanks again Mike and enjoy the amp. For all here who need help with 2 channel audio Jodet your man. I know Mike over 10 yrs from audio asylum and he is a wealth of knowledge folks and if you have questions regarding speakers and amps he is the Man/


----------



## Rico613

I need some ideas as to which headphones match up with my new v200.  I'm considering Senn HD 800 or HD 700, Audeze LDC 2.2 or LCD 3, or Beyer T1's.  I'm listening to mainly classical and Jazz over a very detailed high quality 32 bit DAC.  Any thoughts or other suggestions based on your experience with Violectric v200 and these (or other) headphones?    Thanks in advance.


----------



## baritone

I also like instrumental /vocal jazz I personally  like my   v200/t1/v800 combo
  very detailed deep bass and natural mids
  what I said is based only in a personal experience
  you have to try before buying


----------



## Ditti

rico613 said:


> I need some ideas as to which headphones match up with my new v200.  I'm considering Senn HD 800 or HD 700, Audeze LDC 2.2 or LCD 3, or Beyer T1's.  I'm listening to mainly classical and Jazz over a very detailed high quality 32 bit DAC.  Any thoughts or other suggestions based on your experience with Violectric v200 and these (or other) headphones?    Thanks in advance.




I also agree that Beyer T1 is a great match with the V200. I've always been a bit biased towards the beyer line but never did fall in love with any of the Tesla drivers till i tried this combo. When I did an extensive audition of this combo, I also listened to quite a few classical and modern jazz tunes and it left an indelible impression.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





ditti said:


> I also agree that Beyer T1 is a great match with the V200. I've always been a bit biased towards the beyer line but never did fall in love with any of the Tesla drivers till i tried this combo. When I did an extensive audition of this combo, I also listened to quite a few classical and modern jazz tunes and it left an indelible impression.


 
   
  Good to know.  I'm wondering how the HD 800s compare to T1s on the v200 ?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Good to know.  I'm wondering how the HD 800s compare to T1s on the v200 ?


 
  Both are excellent and where you need to increase gain for the T1 you do not for the hd800


----------



## Guzmeister

[size=10pt]Hi[/size]
  [size=10pt] [/size]
  [size=10pt]I'm soon to become a member of the V200 owners club after having read thru this entire thread, various reviews and recommendations. I ordered it without hearing it, so I'm very excited to test out this amplifier! [/size]
  [size=10pt]I'm very new to headfi and have gone from the Audio Technica ATH-M50 to the Hifiman HE-500 which I’m currently running on the Fiio E7+E9 combo. So I’m hoping this amplifier will be a good upgrade, seeing as the Fioo products seem to lack the power and finesse to drive the HE500 to its full potential.[/size]
  [size=10pt]I also ordered it with the USB 24/96 module, which seems to me being a [size=x-small]price worthy alternative to an external DAC[/size], considering you don't have to pay for a cabinet, nor RCA/XLR cables and the possible impact/degradation of sound these can have.[/size]
  [size=10pt] [/size]
  [size=10pt]So thanks for an informative thread and a good read! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



[/size]


----------



## brat

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> [size=10pt]Hi[/size]
> [size=10pt] [/size]
> [size=10pt]I'm soon to become a member of the V200 owners club after having read thru this entire thread, various reviews and recommendations. I ordered it without hearing it, so I'm very excited to test out this amplifier! [/size]
> [size=10pt]I'm very new to headfi and have gone from the Audio Technica ATH-M50 to the Hifiman HE-500 which I’m currently running on the Fiio E7+E9 combo. So I’m hoping this amplifier will be a good upgrade, seeing as the Fioo products seem to lack the power and finesse to drive the HE500 to its full potential.[/size]
> ...


 
  Welcome to Head-Fi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Good choise, you will be pleased!
  Just give it some time to burn-in. And have in mind that with really good (it doesn't mean really expensive!) source V200 will be better.


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





brat said:


> Welcome to Head-Fi
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  [size=10pt]Thank you![/size]
   
  [size=10pt]I'm not a big believer in burn-in electronics, can't say that I noticed any change in my Fiio's, though people state that these improve after some burn-in time. The HE500 on the other side seem to change a bit over time, I have a bout 100h on them now, and supposedly they need at least 200h. I am of course open for the possibility for improvement on the V200 also, but time will tell, I’m hoping to be satisfied nevertheless.[/size]
  [size=10pt] [/size]
  [size=10pt]A good DAC is on the list of possible upgrades in the future, but I will for now, make do with the comfort of an all in one package with the V200 and the module.[/size][size=10pt]I will also try comparing the DAC in the Fiio and V200 to see if my untrained ears can make out the difference.[/size]


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> [size=10pt]Thank you![/size]
> 
> [size=10pt]I'm not a big believer in burn-in electronics, can't say that I noticed any change in my Fiio's, though people state that these improve after some burn-in time. The HE500 on the other side seem to change a bit over time, I have a bout 100h on them now, and supposedly they need at least 200h. I am of course open for the possibility for improvement on the V200 also, but time will tell, I’m hoping to be satisfied nevertheless.[/size]
> 
> ...


 
   
  If I may ask, what source are you using? Thank you


----------



## carminedemaria

Friends , one question
How to connect violetric v400 n my ECHO Audiofire 4 or iPad?
Violectric have 2 unba,anced Rca...i not understand

Please help me.Grazie!


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> If I may ask, what source are you using? Thank you


 
  Samsung Series 7 laptop, mainly Spotify, some 320kbs mp3 and Flac files thru Winamp.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> Samsung Series 7 laptop, mainly Spotify, some 320kbs mp3 and Flac files thru Winamp.


 
   
  The V200/HE500 are pretty revealing so once you get a DAC, the improvements are very noticeable!
   
  I am running a Sony Viao with JRiver and am getting very good sounds from both a Bladelius usb DAC and a V800. With the V800, adding a HiFace 2 made all the difference, otherwise using the usb input directly from a laptop, it was very dull and closed in sounding.
   
  Enjoy the V200/HE500.............


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> The V200/HE500 are pretty revealing so once you get a DAC, the improvements are very noticeable!
> 
> I am running a Sony Viao with JRiver and am getting very good sounds from both a Bladelius usb DAC and a V800. With the V800, adding a HiFace 2 made all the difference, otherwise using the usb input directly from a laptop, it was very dull and closed in sounding.
> 
> Enjoy the V200/HE500.............


 
  [size=10pt] [/size]
  [size=10pt][size=10pt]Well I do have a DAC, the Fiio E7 is a DAC/amplifier combo. And the USB module also has a DAC. But it's nice to have room for improvements with upgrades in the future.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


[/size][/size]
  [size=10pt]And I’m looking forward very much to enjoying the V200/H500.[/size]


----------



## carminedemaria

Anyone can help me? Thanks


----------



## dallan

Not familiar with Echo audio fire but if you are having difficulty at least you can always just take a mini plug out of your headphone jack to a mini->rca cable and plug that into your rca(unbalanced)input of the Violectric.  At least you can listen then.


----------



## Zombie_X

Not to derail at all, but tomorrow I will post my review of the Violectric V181. I am also going to re-review my X-CANV8P and Audio-GD ROC.


----------



## Jodet

I got my V200 from Frank Lacone yesterday.  It's driving my HD800's while my Sound Quest SQ84-V2 is running my Quad ESL's in another room. 
   
  I'd thought the V200 would be here long enough for me to find something else to run the Quads, then I'd go back to the Sound Quest (it really is fantastic on HD800's).  
   
  The V2 sounds great on the Sennheisers.  I would have to do a direct compare with the tube amp to say which I preferred.   I suspect the SQ would be my favorite, but maybe not.   I really like the image stability, the quietness and dynamics of the V200.  It's a cute little bugger too, it's nice having an amp that doesn't take up much space. 
   
  And I really like the volume pot.  Very smooth and lots of range, I'm running from 10:00 o'clock or so up to 12:00 o'clock.  I don't like amps that are at full blast by 9:00 or 10:00 o'clock.


----------



## carminedemaria

dallan said:


> Not familiar with Echo audio fire but if you are having difficulty at least you can always just take a mini plug out of your headphone jack to a mini->rca cable and plug that into your rca(unbalanced)input of the Violectric.  At least you can listen then.


But i can connect my interface jack balanced in violectric rca unbalanced?Not problem?


----------



## dallan

Your ipod headphone jack has a mini plug, you can get a cable that goes mini to rca and plug it into your unbalanced rca jacks.  Not the best sound but it will work.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> [size=10pt] [/size]
> [size=10pt][size=10pt]Well I do have a DAC, the Fiio E7 is a DAC/amplifier combo. And the USB module also has a DAC. But it's nice to have room for improvements with upgrades in the future.
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   It's all about budgeting at the end of the day but I cannot recommend anymore strongly that you upgrade that Fiio E7
   quick smart - it is undoubtedly the biggest bottleneck in your chain now - even the new E17 walks all over the E7
   - ok, it's not half bad for the price but once you get onto a better DAC you will look back at the Fiio E7
   and think 'Yikes, this thing sucks'.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





jodet said:


> I got my V200 from Frank Lacone yesterday.  It's driving my HD800's while my Sound Quest SQ84-V2 is running my Quad ESL's in another room.
> 
> I'd thought the V200 would be here long enough for me to find something else to run the Quads, then I'd go back to the Sound Quest (it really is fantastic on HD800's).
> 
> ...


 
   
  I wholeheartedly share these sentiments! The V200 is an awesome little amp and the size makes it that little bit more special.
   
  It was highly recommended to me to run the* volume pot at between 12 - 3pm*, being told that this was the sweet spot for the V200. Glad you are enjoying this little beast of an amp.


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> It's all about budgeting at the end of the day but I cannot recommend anymore strongly that you upgrade that Fiio E7
> quick smart - it is undoubtedly the biggest bottleneck in your chain now - even the new E17 walks all over the E7
> - ok, it's not half bad for the price but once you get onto a better DAC you will look back at the Fiio E7
> and think 'Yikes, this thing sucks'.


 
  [size=10pt]Well, I ordered the V200 with the *USB 24/96 *module, so hopefully that will be an upgrade...[/size]


----------



## carminedemaria

i have LOD CABLE for iPod 5.5
  but if i connect rca unbalanced on iPod or interface audio balanced input is problem?


----------



## TokenGesture

So, the V200 arrived this morning. Straight out of the box and it is sounding great. I immediately noticed that it has smoothed out the treble edge that I was complaining about from my MDAC/T1 set up.  Bass extends deep and feels very controlled, very detailed. More impressions when I have had a proper listen.  But this set up is sounding seriously good from the get-go 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quick question - has anyone any advice on the best gain setting for the T1? I'm on the factory default and up to about 11am on the dial.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> So, the V200 arrived this morning. Straight out of the box and it is sounding great. I immediately noticed that it has smoothed out the treble edge that I was complaining about from my MDAC/T1 set up.  Bass extends deep and feels very controlled, very detailed. More impressions when I have had a proper listen.  But this set up is sounding seriously good from the get-go
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   Hmmm depending on whether you have source volume - that might be a sticking point - try -6dB on both channels and
   see where you're at - a lot of folk on here are giving the T1 another +6dB - Up #3 on both channels.


----------



## spkrs01

I have had the V200 for about 8 weeks and the V800 for a month.........tweaking over this period I have found the following settings on my V200 and V800 to be the best sounding.
   
  On the V200/V800 ground lifted everything that can be. Taken out the low pass filter on the V200. Set the V800 to the highest output at +24dBu. XLR out to the V200. Pre-Gain setting is on - 6 and -12 simultaneously. Listening with volume pot at between 12 - 3pm. My whole system is cabled in silver/gold with the exception of a high purity copper power cord for the V800 Dac.
   
  Running :- Sony Vaio > JRiver > ASIO > m2Tech Hiface two > Coax > V800 > XLR > V200.
   
  With the above configuration, it is extremely lively sounding, transparent and resolving. Attack and slam in the bass is incredible with good texture and decay. Mids are pushed quite forward and very lush articulating all nuances apparent on the recording. Highs are extremely sparkly without any of the roll off mentioned constantly on the thread.
   
  I have managed to expand the soundstage quite significantly from when I just had the V200. On good recordings, sounds are emanating from beyond shoulders, 3-6" in front of the forehead and extending about 2' back with the HE500. 
   
  All in all...extremely happy with this set up and have been spending the majority of my time listening to it as opposed to IEMs.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Never mind. deleted


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> On the V200/V800 ground lifted everything that can be. Taken out the low pass filter on the V200. Set the V800 to the highest output at +24dBu. XLR out to the V200. Pre-Gain setting is on - 6 and -12 simultaneously. Listening with volume pot at between 12 - 3pm. My whole system is cabled in silver/gold with the exception of a high purity copper power cord for the V800 Dac.


 
   
  Could someone explain "ground lifted"?  I remember reading about an internal modification (v200) many many pages ago, and now can't find it.  What is the downside of doing this?  Thanks in advance . . .
   
  I tried setting both -6 _and_ -12 pregain switches up, but it didn't seem to make any difference.  With just the -12 switchs set it sounded clearer actually.


----------



## preproman

Does anyone know if Violectric will be coming out with a balanced version of the V200 or a new balanced amp at all?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Yes they will, it's been discussed in this thread


----------



## smoothtalker

Love my  HPA V100!


----------



## Zombie_X

Got something special for you guys


----------



## dallan

Thanks for the review.  My only issue is.....muddy??  For the warmth it sounds very detailed to me.  Listening i got complacent and thought maybe the detail wasn't great at one point but at that point comparing it to others was surprised at how detailed it was even with the warmth.  Not quite at the level of the Zana, i donno but that is over twice the cost.


----------



## Zombie_X

Well it can sound muddy with some headphones, like my SE215K's.


----------



## dallan

Gotcha, the es10 are the only pair i have that don't match and it is overdone on the bass with those, otherwise all are good of course with any amp some will not pair well, so understood.


----------



## Gwarmi

Add the Edition 8 into that mix - plug a borrowed, loaned or owned Edition 8 into a V200 - hear what happens
   and report back. It is a total mess.
   
   In general and I am stereotyping here - if the headphone is overly warm then the V200 is not going to be
   ideal - the RS1i is warmish for a Grado and it rarely sees the home rig.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Well it can sound muddy with some headphones, like my SE215K's.


 
   
  When I first listened to my v200 it sounded muddy.  But when I checked the volume with a sound level meter I found I was listening to it at almost 10db lower volume than with my previous amp.  I _thought_ is was at a higher volume because I was hearing greather detail from a superior amp.  When I turned the volume to my normal listening level (75db) the sound became crystal clear.  Maybe not what you guys are hearing but you might want to check it out.


----------



## project86

I also have to disagree with the "muddy" comment. I simply do not hear that at all with the V200, or for that matter, the Lake People G103 and G109. I suppose one could say these are not bright amps, and they don't focus on sparkly tipped up highs. But they certainly are not overly warm to my ears, nor muddy, nor constricted at all on the top end. 

I'm listening to the Ultrasone Signature Pro right now with V200 (and V800) and it sounds superb. Very well extended, smooth top end but still incredibly lifelike. I wouldn't want it any other way.


----------



## Gwarmi

Small update again for the power cord aficianados - Nordost Heimdall New Revision #2
   
   Good news and bad news - it sounds overall like there is an improvement in micro detail and a blacker
   background.
   
   Bad news? V200 as Zombie remarked is no huge sound stage amp in the first place and the Heimdall
   if anything constricts it a little further. It is plugged into a UPS and unfortuntely too short to reach the
   wall to see if that makes any difference -


----------



## brat

'Huge soundstage amp" ?
  Has anyone heard huge soundstage at acoustic concerts? The _huge soundstage_ is more audiophile desire and music _reproduction_ phenomenon than characteristic of the real sound. Live acoustic music sounds "muddy", "slow", with rolled-off treble, no intrument separation and no dynamics compared to some "audiophile" stuff.


----------



## Zombie_X

I've been to a few live concerts and nothing has a huge soundstage. I heard 'A Day To Remember' a few years back at Warp Tour and it was a muddy mess. Not too coherent.
   
  That's kind of why I like the T1 though. It feels and sounds like a concert in ways (more intimate soundstage, smooth highs, more pronounced bass). I like that signature more than have a super clear and airy sound, like the HD800.
   
  Quote: 





brat said:


> 'Huge soundstage amp" ?
> Has anyone heard huge soundstage at acoustic concerts? The _huge soundstage_ is more audiophile desire and music _reproduction_ phenomenon than characteristic of the real sound. Live acoustic music sounds "muddy", "slow", with rolled-off treble, no intrument separation and no dynamics compared to some "audiophile" stuff.


----------



## WNBC

How does the soundstage of the V200 come across with your AKG601?  
  As someone who hasn't tried all of the flagship headphones/amps I don't necessarily know what I am missing in terms of soundstage.  
  With that said, I have no issues with the soundstage of the V200.
  Maybe it can get better and that is fine, looking forward to it.  The Lyr had a slighter wider soundstage but it wasn't night and day vs the V200.  
  With the HE-500 and Decware Zbox tube buffer in place the soundstage of the V200 has been quite sufficient and enjoyable.
   
   
  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Small update again for the power cord aficianados - Nordost Heimdall New Revision #2
> 
> Good news and bad news - it sounds overall like there is an improvement in micro detail and a blacker
> background.
> ...


----------



## rawrster

The K601 has a good sound stage fwir. However not all totl have good sound stages. Closed headphones and Grados come to mind as not great sound stage but then there are large sound stages such as the HD800.
   
  I also disagree with the V200 amp being muddy. I haven't found the amp muddy with any headphone I have tried with and hopefully that never happens.


----------



## WNBC

Agree.  There can be a lack of synergy between some headphones and amps but thus far with the LCD-2, T50RP, RE-262, and HE-500 headphones I would not use the word muddy.  
  However, maybe the V200 doesn't pair well with all headphones but that is likely a minority of cases rather than majority.
  Muddy is the kiss of death for any amp and the V200 has been a joy from the very start.  
  I would love to splurge on the HD800 but likely not going to so if you guys have an inexpensive headphone that performs magically with the V200 let me know.  I feel that I am ignoring a lot of the dynamic headphones in favor of orthos.
  The German Maestro line of headphones has me intrigued.
   
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I also have to disagree with the "muddy" comment. I simply do not hear that at all with the V200, or for that matter, the Lake People G103 and G109. I suppose one could say these are not bright amps, and they don't focus on sparkly tipped up highs. But they certainly are not overly warm to my ears, nor muddy, nor constricted at all on the top end.
> I'm listening to the Ultrasone Signature Pro right now with V200 (and V800) and it sounds superb. Very well extended, smooth top end but still incredibly lifelike. I wouldn't want it any other way.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I've been to a few live concerts and nothing has a huge soundstage. I heard 'A Day To Remember' a few years back at Warp Tour and it was a muddy mess. Not too coherent.
> 
> That's kind of why I like the T1 though. It feels and sounds like a concert in ways (more intimate soundstage, smooth highs, more pronounced bass). I like that signature more than have a super clear and airy sound, like the HD800.


 
  Yes. Listening to acoustic ensembles at concerts can not give you the intrument separation, air, sparkling treble and bass tightness/definition of HD800. They are better than life


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> *How does the soundstage of the V200 come across with your AKG601?  *
> As someone who hasn't tried all of the flagship headphones/amps I don't necessarily know what I am missing in terms of soundstage.
> With that said, I have no issues with the soundstage of the V200.
> Maybe it can get better and that is fine, looking forward to it.  The Lyr had a slighter wider soundstage but it wasn't night and day vs the V200.
> With the HE-500 and Decware Zbox tube buffer in place the soundstage of the V200 has been quite sufficient and enjoyable.


 
   
   Very well - in fact, even though I'd played around with a few sub par amps up until that point - the V200 is what stopped me from selling the K601
   lucky! As I really think it's a total diamond in the rough from AKG - very accessible for the price and yet rather adaptable for many genres -
   quite fun too for a higher tier AKG - more so than the Q701 and K701 in my opinion, even if overall refinement is secondary to those two.


----------



## dallan

I have been using an older amp that i had in line for something else for a couple of days and replugged in the v200.  It is like your audio memory forgets.....it is just such a scale up from most, just wonderful.


----------



## TokenGesture

The soundstage of the Lyr with T1 was massive. Its the only thing I miss from the V200. But I'm very happy with the V200


----------



## Dexon

Quote: 





brat said:


> 'Huge soundstage amp" ?
> Has anyone heard huge soundstage at acoustic concerts? The _huge soundstage_ is more audiophile desire and music _reproduction_ phenomenon than characteristic of the real sound. Live acoustic music sounds "muddy", "slow", with rolled-off treble, no intrument separation and no dynamics compared to some "audiophile" stuff.


 
   
  You are joking, right?
   
  Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> I've been to a few live concerts and nothing has a huge soundstage. I heard 'A Day To Remember' a few years back at Warp Tour and it was a muddy mess. Not too coherent.
> 
> That's kind of why I like the T1 though. It feels and sounds like a concert in ways (more intimate soundstage, smooth highs, more pronounced bass). I like that signature more than have a super clear and airy sound, like the HD800.


 
   
  I'm sure designers of HD800 or T1 didn't take large PA boxes and horn loaded tweeters at rock concerts as a reference. If you listen to chamber ensembles in smaller spaces you'll hear much more details than you'll hear with T1 but also not in 'in your face' manner like with HD800.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





dexon said:


> You are joking, right?


 
  No.
  I've listened to lots of (classical, jazz, folk, bulgarian and even serbian  ) acoustic ensembles in small places and believe me, it's nothing like the sound that most audiophiles want


----------



## Dexon

Ok, let's put  'muddy, slow, rolled-off treble, no instrument separation' aside, but dynamics, c'mon. I've never heard anything nearly as dynamic i've heard at concert hall. Even when there's a ton of power in amp.


----------



## Carlsan

Quote: 





brat said:


> No.
> I've listened to lots of (classical, jazz, folk, bulgarian and even serbian  ) acoustic ensembles in small places and believe me, it's nothing like the sound that most audiophiles want


 
   
  Actually, from hearing years of bands throughout the 80's playing in a mid-sized club/hall I do have to agree the same with rock music.
  Most bands more often then not wanted the guitars or synths to blast to the highest deicibals, bass to rumble so the ground shook, drums to rock the house, and vocals, well, they were there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, lost somewhere in the middle. Even more pop oriented acts wanted one to feel the full musical experience, often at the cost of the mids and clear vocals.


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> [size=10pt]I'm not a big believer in burn-in electronics[/size]


 
  Might seem that i have to reconsider my thoughts on this.. It seem to me that the sound keep on improving as i keep listening to this amplifier, and i only got about 10 hours on it yet!
  And i would realy be interested in seeing a non bias comparison of the USB 24/96module and the V800! Considering that the cabinet of the V100 cost more than the G100, i can't help to think that the 24/96 module must be realy good vfm if you take in consideration the probable cost of the V800 cabinet and powersuply.


----------



## Loevhagen

VFM are not the same as de facto better sound, my friend. 
   
  Glad you like your new V200, though. I was like you not a big believer of burn-in either, but after some experience - I´ve become an agnostic.
   
  Looking beyond that - I know that our ears adpot to new sound signatures quite quick, but if you have the possibility to re-calibrate by listening to other components - you won´t get biased the same way.


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> VFM are not the same as de facto better sound, my friend.
> 
> Glad you like your new V200, though. I was like you not a big believer of burn-in either, but after some experience - I´ve become an agnostic.
> 
> Looking beyond that - I know that our ears adpot to new sound signatures quite quick, but if you have the possibility to re-calibrate by listening to other components - you won´t get biased the same way.


 

 So would you say that the V800 would be a worth while investment towards my seek for audio nirvana, or would i perhaps have a greater audiophile epiphany investing in a pair of LCD-2s?


----------



## ferdit

Will the V200 work in both 110v and 230v? I move between the US and Asia for months at a time.


----------



## Kepic

ferdit said:


> Will the V200 work in both 110v and 230v? I move between the US and Asia for months at a time.




no, you will have to solder the PCB board.


----------



## rawrster

Does anyone here have the V200 amp and the Anedio D1 dac/amp? It sounds like the amp in the D1 is better or at least with the headphones I have in the AD2k and HD800 but more the latter.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> So would you say that the V800 would be a worth while investment towards my seek for audio nirvana, or would i perhaps have a greater audiophile epiphany investing in a pair of LCD-2s?


 
   
  For me, in your circumstances, I would buy a decent DAC first rather than the LCD-2.
   
  If you do buy the V800, it is hopeless on it's usb input, therefore, I had reservations about you having the usb module on the V200 in one of my earlier replies to you. The input sounds really closed in, flat and dull. By adding a HiFace two, and using the coax input, the sonic improvements are immense. 
   
  I have the LCD-2 and on a third party cable, it is sheer bliss.


----------



## Loevhagen

@ Guzmeister. What do you want to tweak / tune in the sound signature? Easier to provide a pice of advice if you tell what you want more / less of.


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> If you do buy the V800, it is hopeless on it's usb input, therefore, I had reservations about you having the usb module on the V200 in one of my earlier replies to you. The input sounds really closed in, flat and dull. By adding a HiFace two, and using the coax input, the sonic improvements are immense.


 
  I find it a bit hard to believe that such an ambitious product as the V800 would output such significant diferences in sound, varying on which input you choose. Is it the Hiface that is so superior compared to a normal S/PDIF that makes such an impact? Or is the USB just that bad?
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> @ Guzmeister. What do you want to tweak / tune in the sound signature? Easier to provide a pice of advice if you tell what you want more / less of.


 
  Well, it's realy way to early to start any tweaking, considering i only just started using my V200 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am a bit bothered by some sharp sibilanse, but I suspect the music is to blame, and not my equipment...


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> I find it a bit hard to believe that such an ambitious product as the V800 would output such significant diferences in sound, varying on which input you choose. Is it the Hiface that is so superior compared to a normal S/PDIF that makes such an impact? Or is the USB just that bad?
> Well, it's realy way to early to start any tweaking, considering i only just started using my V200
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   Hearing a V800 on USB versus Coax using an Audiophilleo gives you a substantial lift in clarity, separation and sound stage depth. I have
   only ever heard a few DAC products under $2000 that manage to sound above mediocre eg, CEntrance DacMini, the Peachtree line of
   of gear, I suppose the AudioLab M-DAC defends itself pretty well etc
   
   Most kit does not end up reducing the jitter to anything below 40 picoseconds or so - you don't know how bad it is until you encounter
   such a device like the M2tech or Audiophilleo range - no going back from that.
   
   Generally speaking - it is unreasonable to expect perfect master clocking at this price point when you consider that over in Hi-Fi
   land some are paying north of $5000 for a device that only performs this function. Not for a DAC - just a clock.


----------



## dallan

Yep, I put an $800. clock in a $600. dac, plus an additional lower end 300 clock for the usb input with a separate power supply for it that was a couple hundred....ouch, even worse i then eventually skipped over that second clock with a usb->coax converter that was a grand.  It sure adds up, ended up not even buying the next pair of headphones for almost two years after that.


----------



## Gwarmi

It is crazy when you think of the pinnacle of current clocking technology out there - case in point, the
   relatively new Esoteric-TEAC (yes TEAC own these nutty guys in Japan) - *G-0RB*
   
* *Price? Hold on to your pants - *$17,800USD *+ shipping
   
   Only folks with $150,000+ systems need apply.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





guzmeister said:


> I find it a bit hard to believe that such an ambitious product as the V800 would output such significant diferences in sound, varying on which input you choose. Is it the Hiface that is so superior compared to a normal S/PDIF that makes such an impact? *Or is the USB just that bad?*


 
   
  Unfortunately, I feel the USB input is just "that bad"...........It seems as though it was put on the V800 for convenience purposes. 
   
  Using the USB input of the V800 made me regret buying it, full stop! The Bladelius USB DAC which I also have, was all over it at half the price. I was even getting a better sound using the line out of a DX100 sourcing the V200!
   
  It wasn't until buying the HiFace Two and using the coax input that the V800 showed itself as a quality DAC. In concert with the V200 and providing you have matched the cables well, it truly is a wonderful set up at it's price point. I am really loving it at the moment, with all my head phones and IEMs.
   
  IEMs on the V200 sounds awesome, I have W4, 535ltd, 2 pairs of Hybrid DD with 2BA and a monster 20 BA,10 BA per side IEM. No hiss, just black backgrounds...................simply fantastic sonics.
   
  With Cans, the V200/V800 combo is just as impressive. With lots of matching of cables, i/c and power, I have managed to get a stunning sound out of the LCD-2 and the HE-500, both on silver/gold hybrid cables.


----------



## WNBC

Are you using a powered USB hub with the Hiface 2?  Not many reviews out there on the new Hiface so I'm curious.
   
  Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Unfortunately, I feel the USB input is just "that bad"...........It seems as though it was put on the V800 for convenience purposes.
> 
> Using the USB input of the V800 made me regret buying it, full stop! The Bladelius USB DAC which I also have, was all over it at half the price. I was even getting a better sound using the line out of a DX100 sourcing the V200!
> 
> ...


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  I think the USB input on the V800 doesn't sound all that different from optical or coax input. Even then it doesn't sound bad at all. I think it's one of the better USB inputs I've heard on a DAC, even much better than the Benchmark DAC1.
   
  Using the Audio-GD DI the sounds becomes slightly more focused but it doesn't change much. The sound gets warmer and fuller but slightly. That's about it.
   
  Back to the V200:
   
  The V200 mates well with both the DT880 and DT990. It really tames the treble and gives them the midrange warmth they sorely need. It also improves the bass on both. You loose some soundstage on either can but the warmer signature is really well worth it IMO.
   
  Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Unfortunately, I feel the USB input is just "that bad"...........It seems as though it was put on the V800 for convenience purposes.
> 
> Using the USB input of the V800 made me regret buying it, full stop! The Bladelius USB DAC which I also have, was all over it at half the price. I was even getting a better sound using the line out of a DX100 sourcing the V200!
> 
> It wasn't until buying the HiFace Two and using the coax input that the V800 showed itself as a quality DAC. In concert with the V200 and providing you have matched the cables well, it truly is a wonderful set up at it's price point. I am really loving it at the moment, with all my head phones and IEMs.


----------



## project86

I have to agree - the USB input seems fine to me. No disrespect to those who are hearing big differences.... but I just can't come up with any good explanation, from a technical perspective, as to why it would sound vastly inferior. It's passing through the same reclocking scheme as the SPDIF inputs. If Violectric is such a good company then how did they do such a poor job on the USB input? 
   
  I know it is easy to beat up on the Tenor 7022 chip because it has been used in lots of lower end designs. But it's still a capable performer, chosen by NwAvGuy for his ODAC project for example, and was used in the Esoteric D-07. The implementation is way more important than the chip itself.
   
  I just got a nice USB to SPDIF converter (XMOS chipset) so I'll try some direct comparisons compared to the V800 USB in.


----------



## Jodet

I bought Franks V200 because I was using my big tube amp in another room to run my Quads. 
   
  Yesterday my new Quad amp showed up (and it's fabulous) so I may put the V200's on the 4sale board in a day or two. 
   
  I'm tempted to keep it for when I want to listen to rock (the dynamics and bass on this amp are great on 'Black Sabbath') but I'm not really a 'own more than one amp' kinda guy.  
   
  We'll see.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





project86 said:


> but I just can't come up with any good explanation, from a technical perspective, as to why it would sound vastly inferior.


 
   
   
  Is the USB port 2.0 / asynchronous or is the USB 1.1??  and synchronous.
   
  The answer to this question will give you the answer to the above statement.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Is the USB port 2.0 / asynchronous or is the USB 1.1??  and synchronous.
> 
> The answer to this question will give you the answer to the above statement.


 
   
  Sorry, but I completely disagree. It's simply not as black and white as that statement would make it. If we modify that and say asynchronous operation has more _potential _to sound great, well that's a statement I can get behind.
   
  My views on this go along with that of Vincent Kars from The Well-Tempered Computer:
   
[size=medium] "24 bit *adaptive mode* USB Class One Audio DACs[/size] [size=small] These DACs use the adaptive mode and are USB Audio class 1 compliant.[/size]
 [size=small] The audiophile community thinks asynchronous is the way to go.
 So all of a sudden these DAC’s look obsolete.
 However, as usual in technology, the implementation is very important.
 A good adaptive mode implementation can beat a mediocre asynchronous implementation.
 Some say that the difference between async and adaptive is simply marketing talk.
 As faith would have it, prominent spokesman of these view are the ones making a living by selling adaptive mode implementations. Surprise…."[/size]
 [size=small]  [/size]
 [size=small] That is to say - well done adaptive USB can be very good indeed, and well done async can be even better. But both can also be very bad. [/size]


----------



## Gwarmi

Anyone using one of these? Got my eye on one for the eventual PC build - just dropped the very same pic in another thread. It appears to be used by a
   lot of custom media/audio server companies who sell their finished server wares in the $2000-ish bracket. Can't be all bad.
   
   SOtm-x USB


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Sorry, but I completely disagree. It's simply not as black and white as that statement would make it. If we modify that and say asynchronous operation has more _potential _to sound great, well that's a statement I can get behind.
> 
> My views on this go along with that of Vincent Kars from The Well-Tempered Computer:
> 
> ...


 
   
   
   
   
  I can see how it might seem like it was a black or white answer.  However,  read the last sentence of your post.  The devil is in the details.   The point was that Maybe - and I said maybe the V800 fits in the very bad pot.  Where a well done async can be even better.
   
  Adaptive Mode USB Audio. This means the computer controls the audio transfer rate, and the USB device has to follow along updating the Master Clock (MCLK) every one millisecond.
   
  Asynchronous Mode USB Audio. This means the computer is controlled by the USB DAC. No longer is the tail wagging the dog. Instead, an ultra-low-jitter audio master clock located in the DAC controls the audio transfer rate from the computer. Jitter is reduced by a factor of greater than 100 times!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Anyone using one of these? Got my eye on one for the eventual PC build - just dropped the very same pic in another thread. It appears to be used by a
> lot of custom media/audio server companies who sell their finished server wares in the $2000-ish bracket. Can't be all bad.
> 
> SOtm-x USB


 
  Look Here:
   
  http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/405-computer-audiophile-pocket-server-caps-v20/


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Sorry, but I completely disagree. It's simply not as black and white as that statement would make it. If we modify that and say asynchronous operation has more _potential _to sound great, well that's a statement I can get behind.
> 
> My views on this go along with that of Vincent Kars from The Well-Tempered Computer:
> 
> ...


 

 In addition to that, galvanic isolation (found in some USB/SPDIF converters and USB implementations) may be the fix for the people having issues that others aren't.


----------



## spkrs01

I think I have pretty much hit the sweet spot with the V200/V800 combo after having the pair together for over 6 weeks. 
   

   
  I am loving the V200, it is hardly mentioned but the V200 is such a revealing and resolving amplifier. Every cable change is apparent and after many weeks of experimenting with different combinations, I am now running 15k+ of cables out of the V200/V800. I have a silver/gold cable from the HiFace Two to the V800 coax/RCA. Using a high purity silver RCA between the V800 and V200, this cable was the game changer for me. The V800 has a high purity copper power cord while the V200 has a silver/gold one. Both the LCD-2 and HE500 are on identical 1K silver/gold cables.
   
  My V200/V800 combination sounds detailed, balanced, cohesive and with amazing soundstaging. Dynamics are first rate. Well recorded music just flows from the combination. The combo is not genre specific, everything sounds very good from it. The grip and control that the V200 exudes on headphones is something that must be congratulated. It has been reported many times that the V200 is on the warm side of neutral, but isn't live unamped music presented this way? I have never listened to a live jazz quartet, chamber music or a full orchestra that is cold sounding.
   
  All in all, I love the rich full character of the V200/V800. I had found it a touch slow with high resolution lacking somewhat, but that has resolved with the recent addition of the silver RCA cable. I am still waiting on my HD800.
   
  I am liking the LCD-2 over the HE500, it is probably the balance and dynamics plus the realism that the LCD-2 exudes. The soundstage on both headphones are very similar, with perhaps the slight edge going to the HE500. Having said that, the HE500 is just not as clean and clear sounding as the LCD-2. I have never found the V200 to be muddled sounding.  For me one of the highlights is the rock solid placements of images within the soundstage. 
   
  This is my 3rd month into headphones, buying my first pair the DT1350 at the Easter weekend and the HD650 the week after. I must say I am loving the fun and enjoying every minute from Cans. I will probably buy a few more headphones, before probably building another desktop system based on the Harmony Design EAR 909


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Are you using a powered USB hub with the Hiface 2?  Not many reviews out there on the new Hiface so I'm curious.


 
   
  Hi,
   
  No, I am not. I use a usb extension cable from my Sony Vaio laptop, to lessen the stress on the usb socket on the laptop. However, I am lucky as my Viao has a combined eSATA/usb2 connector. away from the two usb3 connectors and it is extremely quiet! 
   
  I have tried using the usb3 connectors and it is just so contaminated with processing noise, non-stop clicks, pop and static.
   
  The HiFace two is a wonderful device and I still stand by the fact that it is hugely superior to using stock usb port on the V800.


----------



## WNBC

Agree with almost everything you said 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I had the LCD-2 for a while then switched to the HE-500.  I would be happy with either headphone.  I like certain qualities in both headphones.  However, based on my experience with LCD-2 rev1/2, I find the HE-500 cleaner or maybe another word is transparent.  I think the LCD-2 has a slight edge in resolution, especially with fast-paced music but for jazz I find the HE-500 to be the better headphone for _me_.  I don't listen to a lot of rock or pop so I am definitely not the expert on how the HE-500 handles those genres.  Would also agree that the LCD-2 does imaging better.  In general, I did find the LCD-2 a more refined headphone and it should be at $300 more than the HE-500.  As with anything in the ortho world, YMMV.  We've seen a bit variation between headphones even from the same companies.  I got lucky with good products from Audeze and Hifiman.  
   
  LCD-3 + V200?
   
  Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I am liking the LCD-2 over the HE500, it is probably the balance and dynamics plus the realism that the LCD-2 exudes. The soundstage on both headphones are very similar, with perhaps the slight edge going to the HE500. Having said that, the HE500 is just not as clean and clear sounding as the LCD-2. I have never found the V200 to be muddled sounding.  For me one of the highlights is the rock solid placements of images within the soundstage.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





preproman said:


> I can see how it might seem like it was a black or white answer.  However,  read the last sentence of your post.  The devil is in the details.   The point was that Maybe - and I said maybe the V800 fits in the very bad pot.  Where a well done async can be even better.
> 
> Adaptive Mode USB Audio. This means the computer controls the audio transfer rate, and the USB device has to follow along updating the Master Clock (MCLK) every one millisecond.
> 
> Asynchronous Mode USB Audio. This means the computer is controlled by the USB DAC. No longer is the tail wagging the dog. Instead, an ultra-low-jitter audio master clock located in the DAC controls the audio transfer rate from the computer. Jitter is reduced by a factor of greater than 100 times!


 
   
  It's important to look at the track record of early async devices like the original hiFace, as well as the M2Tech EVO. Both devices have jitter measurements that are significantly higher than the 25ps RMS offered by the "lowly" adaptive V800 design. Clearly async is not the magic bullet that some assume it to be. 
   
  I don't want to turn this into a big argument though, because that's already been done to death around here. There are plenty of very intelligent audio designers like Fried Reim (Lake People/Violectric), Michael Goodman (CEntrance), Elias Gwinn (Benchmark), Steve Nugent (Emprical Audio), Dan Lavry (Lavry Engineering), etc., who have been able to extract very high levels of performance over USB using adaptive solutions. I think eventually these folks will switch to async because that's the way of the future, and has more potential. But that doesn't invalidate their prior work.
   
   
   
   
  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Anyone using one of these? Got my eye on one for the eventual PC build - just dropped the very same pic in another thread. It appears to be used by a
> lot of custom media/audio server companies who sell their finished server wares in the $2000-ish bracket. Can't be all bad.
> 
> SOtm-x USB


 
   
  I've used a SOtM tX USB card for my last few music server builds. They work very well, and are an important "missing link" that people tend to overlook. I'm upgrading to an Auraliti PK-90 server and they also use the SOtM stuff, because it is really good.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





project86 said:


> It's important to look at the track record of early async devices like the original hiFace, as well as the M2Tech EVO. Both devices have jitter measurements that are significantly higher than the 25ps RMS offered by the "lowly" adaptive V800 design. Clearly async is not the magic bullet that some assume it to be.
> 
> I don't want to turn this into a big argument though, because that's already been done to death around here. There are plenty of very intelligent audio designers like Fried Reim (Lake People/Violectric), Michael Goodman (CEntrance), Elias Gwinn (Benchmark), Steve Nugent (Emprical Audio), Dan Lavry (Lavry Engineering), etc., who have been able to extract very high levels of performance over USB using adaptive solutions. I think eventually these folks will switch to async because that's the way of the future, and has more potential. But that doesn't invalidate their prior work.


 
   
   
  It's not important to look at the track record of HiFace or M2Tech.  We should all look at the track record of Gordon Rankin.  If I'm not mistaken he is the founder of the async method for computer audio- I could be wrong thou.
   
  I hold all those people in high regard especially Steve.  However, I follow the logic of Gordon Rankin.  Async is the way of the future because 1. it works to specs.  2. It has proper justification in it's logic and 3. it has been proved.
   
  Gordon has proved on many occasions that if two USB devices are implemented properly 1 being adaptive and the other being async.  The async method will have less jitter more times than not - on a consistent bases.
   
  No argument here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Lets end this and just say - the people at Violectric may need to address their USB implementation,


----------



## project86

We are getting closer to saying the same thing.... yet not quite. Since you respect Steve Nugent, here is a statement from him that basically sums up my stance on the matter. 
   
  People get hung up on all sorts of things. Sometimes it is the DAC chip itself. Sometimes it is the power supply. Sometimes it is digital volume control. Sometimes it is the use of opamps versus discrete designs. In my humble opinion, no single one of these factors is a magic bullet that must always be done a certain way, or else. There is always more than one way to skin a cat (to make an analogy that, now that I think about it, is actually pretty gross). 
   
  Same logic applies to the interface. Not too long ago, the popular debate surrounded coaxial vs Toslink vs AES/EBU, with each type having their proponents and detractors. Despite any theoretical advantages/drawbacks, how do we end up knowing which one sounds best in a particular DAC? By listening to it, of course! Each one has the potential to sound quite good. That's my stance regarding USB implementations as well.
   
  As it applies to the V800, I thing the USB implementation is well done. I also think it will eventually be replaced by an async solution, if for no other reason than to offer 24/192 compatibility.


----------



## preproman

So who ever cam up with the analogy  "Theirs more than on way to skin a cat"  How many cats did he skin to find that out?
   
  Peace
  Darryl


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





preproman said:


> So who ever cam up with the analogy  "Theirs more than on way to skin a cat"  How many cats did he skin to find that out?
> 
> Peace
> Darryl


 

 I would like to hear the originator of this quote elaborate how many different ways there really is lol!


----------



## Gwarmi

$15k in cables!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Any chance you could shoot the power cables going into the back of the V200 and V800 - very nice man, no doubt you are enjoying a listen
  that few of us will ever get to savour.


----------



## spkrs01

I will try and post some pictures later today or tomorrow....................when time allows. Cheers
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
    
   
   
  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> $15k in cables!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Hi,
> 
> No, I am not. I use a usb extension cable from my Sony Vaio laptop, to lessen the stress on the usb socket on the laptop. However, I am lucky as my Viao has a combined eSATA/usb2 connector. away from the two usb3 connectors and it is extremely quiet!
> 
> ...


 

 I also own the HiFace Two and can vouch for it. It's definitely worth the price and them some compared to other similar priced converters I've tried. The main reason I bought it however is that I'm going to be using it with a Raspberry Pi, that complements its ultra small form factor. The HiFace 2 is Linux plug and play. I have a feeling that the Raspberry Pi will blow away any server costing $1k+ for the sheer purity of it and lack of EMI/RFI and moving parts. I will also be powering it off a battery supply since it only requires a meager 5v 700ma. I think the Hi End Audio world will be in for a suprise when I'm done with it. Especially with my iPhone remote I have for it


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





preproman said:


> So who ever cam up with the analogy  "Theirs more than on way to skin a cat"  How many cats did he skin to find that out?
> 
> Peace
> Darryl


 
  "All of this and some of that's the only way to skin the cat.  And now you've lost a skin or two, when your for us we're for you"  - Jethro Tull lyrics


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> LCD-3 + V200?


 
   
  Oh Yes!!!
   
  I will get the HD800 first and have been told today it will be 2-3 weeks
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




..........
   
  Then the LCD-3 next


----------



## Rico613

Quote:


wnbc said:


> LCD-3 + V200?


   
  Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Oh Yes!!!
> 
> I will get the HD800 first and have been told today it will be 2-3 weeks
> 
> ...


 
   
  Be still my beating heart  . . . 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. . .  my HD800's arrive today . . . when I ordered my V200, the lake people specifically mentioned Audeze LCD cans.  Must be a good match with V200 . . . !!!


----------



## Ultrainferno

Did you know the Violectric V100 was the Sennheiser's HD800 designer's fav amp to use it with?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> Did you know the Violectric V100 was the Sennheiser's HD800 designer's fav amp to use it with?


 
   
  Whoa!  good to know . . . Still waiting for the UPS guy . . . I'd love to try the LCD 3 one day, but the weight!!!


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Whoa!  good to know . . . Still waiting for the UPS guy . . . I'd love to try the LCD 3 one day, but the weight!!!


 
   
   
   Might just be me - I never did like the LCD3 with the V200, for the very reason that you have 'warm on warm' - in my opinion
   the LCD's whether 2's or 3's need a bright-ish amp - just look at those who savour it with the Ray Samuels Dark Star.
   
   That thing is like riding the lightning - it is quick, zany and yes a little bright. Other alternatives include the full
   Class A Sugden MasterClass. Not having a dig at my own amp here but unless you matched it with a really
   revealing bright source then to my ears at least - it's all too warbly and rolled off.


----------



## Loevhagen

Experience:
   
  - LCD-2 on V200 is a very good match
  - LCD-3 on V200 is merely a good match
   
  So, what is the difference? As Gwarmi is mentioning - both have a "warmish" sound - and combining both components are maybe a bit too warm...


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> wnbc said:
> ...


 
   
  Congratulations........Can't wait to hear your initial thoughts on the HD800/V200.......what will you be using as source?
   
  I have been waiting for my pair of HD800 for quite a while now. Just contemplating whether to order some cables now for the HD800 or wait until I get a feel of the signature.


----------



## Rico613

I need a little help.  Using balanced inputs, I'm burining in the Senn HD800 I just received.  I'm surprised that I still have the pre gain set at minus 12.  This is the same setting I used for the AKG K702's.  I thought a 300 Ohm headphone like the HD 800 would require a higher gain setting.  The volume knob is set at about 12 O'Clock for normal listening levels.  I'm curious what pre gain settings other HD800 listeners are using on their V200s . . . ?  Thanks . . .


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,
   
  I don't have a HD800 but with the gain unaltered my T1's sound loud at 10 O'Clock on the dial. If  set the gain to +6 it's loud at 8 O'Clock.
   
   
  Quote: 





rico613 said:


> I need a little help.  Using balanced inputs, I'm burining in the Senn HD800 I just received.  I'm surprised that I still have the pre gain set at minus 12.  This is the same setting I used for the AKG K702's.  I thought a 300 Ohm headphone like the HD 800 would require a higher gain setting.  The volume knob is set at about 12 O'Clock for normal listening levels.  I'm curious what pre gain settings other HD800 listeners are using on their V200s . . . ?  Thanks . . .


----------



## rawrster

My HD800 is usually somewhere between 10-12 o clock. The gain is set at 0 I believe


----------



## Gorge66

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I also have to disagree with the "muddy" comment. I simply do not hear that at all with the V200, or for that matter, the Lake People G103 and G109. I suppose one could say these are not bright amps, and they don't focus on sparkly tipped up highs. But they certainly are not overly warm to my ears, nor muddy, nor constricted at all on the top end.
> I'm listening to the Ultrasone Signature Pro right now with V200 (and V800) and it sounds superb. Very well extended, smooth top end but still incredibly lifelike. I wouldn't want it any other way.


 
   
  Hi project86,
   
  I also use the V200+V800 and looking for an improvement for my D5000.
  I thought to buy me the D7000 or TH900 (TH900 is too expensive at the moment) and sell the D5000.
  But what is about the Ultrasone Signature Pro, can you advice it as an improvement or is the D7000 the better choice?
  Do you compare the Ultrasone maybe with the D7000?
   
  Would be great if you can help with this case.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gorge66 said:


> Hi project86,
> 
> I also use the V200+V800 and looking for an improvement for my D5000.
> I thought to buy me the D7000 or TH900 (TH900 is too expensive at the moment) and sell the D5000.
> ...


 
   
  I really like the Signature Pro. It's a great headphone, easily the best Ultrasone I've ever heard (I'll be selling my Edition 8 for that very reason). Is it worth the $1299 price? That's rather debatable. I'd be much happier with it if the price was closer to $800 or something. 
   
  I haven't heard the D5000 and only had the D7000 for about a week before sending it in to Lawton for upgrades. So a comparison is hard to do. My LA7000 still has the Sig Pro beat in ultra-low bass extension, but it is pretty close. The Ultrasone has a better presentation with vocals though, pushing them slightly more forward in the mix without being too much. 
   
  The Sig Pro sounds great with the V800/V200. They don't require a lot of power, but they are really sensitive to background noise... more so than their specs would suggest. So the inky blackness of the Violectric and Lake People amps is very welcome.


----------



## Gorge66

Sounds good, especially that the bass extension is pretty close with your LA7000.
  I'm not in hurry with that but will definitely try the Signature Pro.


----------



## esn89

I'm wondering if I should get the DAC option when I purchase this amp in September (I START WORK, AWWW YEAH).
  See, I already have the Pico usb DAC/AMP and I'm very very happy and impressed by its sound.

 So my question here is, would it be feasible, to use this PICO usb dac/amp (which, of course, is an amp already) to feed it the to v200 which I am planning to buy.  The way it is going to be connected is 3.5mm to the RCAs of the v200.
   
  Will this double amping produce any unwanted effects, or negative results?  Will any signal be lost, damaged or distorted?  The headphones I am looking to power will be the LCD-2 and/or HE-500.  One of the higher ends.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> I'm wondering if I should get the DAC option when I purchase this amp in September (I START WORK, AWWW YEAH).
> See, I already have the Pico usb DAC/AMP and I'm very very happy and impressed by its sound.
> 
> So my question here is, would it be feasible, to use this PICO usb dac/amp (which, of course, is an amp already) to feed it the to v200 which I am planning to buy.  The way it is going to be connected is 3.5mm to the RCAs of the v200.
> ...


 
   
   Quite the dilemma - I would lean towards the Pico route even though you'd end up with 3 x volumes - software source, Pico and V200
   it will be far from ideal, however I can testify that the USB or Optical PCB Violectric options are mere after thoughts - they really
   are nothing special. You cannot expect anything great from a sub $200 piece of silicon and the proof lies in the listening.
   
   Precisely why Freid made it optional for the range of Violectric amps - it is at best, a really small taste of the full rig V800.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> I'm wondering if I should get the DAC option when I purchase this amp in September (I START WORK, AWWW YEAH).
> See, I already have the Pico usb DAC/AMP and I'm very very happy and impressed by its sound.
> 
> So my question here is, would it be feasible, to use this PICO usb dac/amp (which, of course, is an amp already) to feed it the to v200 which I am planning to buy.  The way it is going to be connected is 3.5mm to the RCAs of the v200.
> ...


 
  Would the pico dac/amp be a temporary or permanent solution? Double amping is not ideal but it should be fine if it is temporary. I would not have double amping as a permanent solution. I also would want something that is meant for home use rather than portable but that depends on your usage of it. 
   
  I had the HE500 in the past and it sounded good with the V200. The LCD-2 also sounds good with the V200 but that was not for that long a time period as I did not own the LCD2.


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Quite the dilemma - I would lean towards the Pico route even though you'd end up with 3 x volumes - software source, Pico and V200
> it will be far from ideal, however I can testify that the USB or Optical PCB Violectric options are mere after thoughts - they really
> are nothing special. You cannot expect anything great from a sub $200 piece of silicon and the proof lies in the listening.
> 
> Precisely why Freid made it optional for the range of Violectric amps - it is at best, a really small taste of the full rig V800.


 
   
  So, if I understand what you are saying, playing 320 mp3 or even FLACs/WAvs via the pico's dac aren't ideal and won't bring out the v200's potential?  Sorry if my english is bad.


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Would the pico dac/amp be a temporary or permanent solution? Double amping is not ideal but it should be fine if it is temporary. I would not have double amping as a permanent solution. I also would want something that is meant for home use rather than portable but that depends on your usage of it.
> 
> I had the HE500 in the past and it sounded good with the V200. The LCD-2 also sounds good with the V200 but that was not for that long a time period as I did not own the LCD2.


 
  See, if I knew that double amping is advised, I would say that the pico as a dac/amp will be a permanent solution.
   
  Now that I learned that double amping isn't desirabled, I guess I will have to make it temporary.  As I don't have another DAC and all my music is stored in computers.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> See, if I knew that double amping is advised, I would say that the pico as a dac/amp will be a permanent solution.
> 
> Now that I learned that double amping isn't desirabled, I guess I will have to make it temporary.  As I don't have another DAC and all my music is stored in computers.


 
   
   If money is dead tight look at any second hand Audio-gd DAC - they tend to be neutral and seem to flow with the V200's signature
   in my opinion.
   
   The old Audio-gd 3.1 is now succeeded and should be available for under $250 if you look hard enough second hand.
   
   My advice would be to hit the 'For Sale' postings and even ask questions over here on what you find,.


----------



## brat

I think V200 deserves the best dac you can afford. It shines with high-end sources! Big compromises with the source will result in inadequate performance of this wonderful amp.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





brat said:


> I think V200 deserves the best dac you can afford. It shines with high-end sources! Big compromises with the source will result in inadequate performance of this wonderful amp.


 

 +1 I can attest to that with experience. I visited my local HiFi audio store and listened to some Totem Rainmakers, with no subwoofer, and they beat out the newly released flagship Paradigm towers! Why? The totems were fed with $30k upstream gear, while the Paradigms were fed with $10k upstream gear. The biggest improvements are made when you upgrade far up the chain as possible, not the other way around. Crap in, crap out. I'm not implying $10k is crap either, just compared to $30k lol.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





brunk said:


> +1 I can attest to that with experience. I visited my local HiFi audio store and listened to some Totem Rainmakers, with no subwoofer, and they beat out the newly released flagship Paradigm towers! Why? The totems were fed with $30k upstream gear, while the Paradigms were fed with $10k upstream gear. The biggest improvements are made when you upgrade far up the chain as possible, not the other way around. Crap in, crap out. I'm not implying $10k is crap either, just compared to $30k lol.


 
   
  10K vs. 30K  When does the laws of diminishing returns come into play?  At what point does cost has no impact?


----------



## esn89

I see, thank you for all the insightful replies.
   
  So, the way I see it now is that double amping isn't advised, so I may be selling my pico usb dac/amp sometime soon.
   
  This leaves me with a few more questions (as I am hellbent on getting the v200):
   
  1)  Would it be feasible to just sell the pico usb dac/amp and just buy the Pico Dac without the amp option, (this lil guy over here: http://www.headamp.com/pico/pico_usb_dac/index.htm).   Although I haven't heard any 1000 dollar DACs, I think the Pico DACs do their job really well.  Or are portables really not cool?
   
  2)  Because most of my sources are of high quality (I am talking about FLACs, ALACs, and WAVs, with their respective .cue and .log files), will it be advised that I should just buy a high end SACD/CD player, burn the CD, feed it into, let's say, the Marantz, and input it into my v200?
   
  Bear in my mind this is going to be a desktop/at home set up.  It will never ever be taken on the road.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





brat said:


> I think V200 deserves the best dac you can afford. It shines with high-end sources! Big compromises with the source will result in inadequate performance of this wonderful amp.


 
   
  Agreed!
   
  Or to put it another way: It is certainly usable being fed by an entry level DAC or player. But you won't be hearing what it is really capable of until you step up to something higher end. 
   
  Your Pico has an output impedance of less than 1 ohm. The V200 has an input impedance of 10k ohms. That means the Pico should function well enough to drive the V200 by using a 1/8" to RCA adapter, with no distortion or impedance based interactions. Think of it like a pre-amp. It isn't ideal because that isn't the main focus of the Pico, but there's no reason why it won't work well enough. That is, until you get something better.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





preproman said:


> 10K vs. 30K  When does the laws of diminishing returns come into play?  At what point does cost has no impact?


 

 Diminishing returns is subjective to the buyer's value of audio performance in correlation with his wallet. The point when cost has no impact is when we finally design "perfect" audio. That may never happen. I'm not being sarcastic or anything, just brutally, objectively, honest  Cost does not necessarily correlate with "better" either. Gotta love it!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *brunk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I'm not implying $10k is crap either, just compared to $30k lol.
> 
> Cost does not necessarily correlate with "better" either. Gotta love it!


 
   
  This is my point right here.  30k stuff does not mean it's better than 10K stuff.  At some point that extra 20k is a wast.  
   
  I guess subjectively speaking.


----------



## rawrster

My V200 has had 3 different dac's in 3 different price ranges connected to it since I have owned it however I am now down to 1 dac but that's another story. I've had a Keces DA151 which is an entry level dac, a Yulong D100 which is better than entry level and then the Anedio D1 dac which is even better than the D100 and of course the DA151. All 3 dacs are good in their own right but I heard a big improvement going from the DA151 to the D100 and a smaller improvement (but still a good jump imo) going to the D1 dac. 
   
  Of course if someone is happy with a $200 dac connecting to the V200 then by all means enjoy it but that may not be using the V200 to it's fullest potential.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





preproman said:


> This is my point right here.  30k stuff does not mean it's better than 10K stuff.  At some point that extra 20k is a wast.
> 
> I guess subjectively speaking.


 

 Yeah, I just didn't feel like elaborating. The $30k was McIntosh, and the $10k was various quality gear. I didn't know what gear was what before listening either. I'll let you be the judge 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The guys at the store were actually astonished at my objective listening impressions/talent during the blind test. We did this when the shop closed, was a special treat for sure!


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





brunk said:


> Yeah, I just didn't feel like elaborating. The $30k was McIntosh, and the $10k was various quality gear. I didn't know what gear was what before listening either. I'll let you be the judge
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Man - wish I was there.  I like blind listening test.  It really shows how small of a difference stuff really is.
   
  I know you had a good time.


----------



## Zombie_X

Yo,
   
  With my V200 I lower the gain to -12dB so I can use my low Ohm headphones with having a greater range of volume control. It works really well I have to say. So now my Auditor is for high impedance headphones while the V200 is for low impedance headphones. 
   
  Gotta love the V200 with SR-80i's and the T5p's!!


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Man - wish I was there.  I like blind listening test.  It really shows how small of a difference stuff really is.
> 
> I know you had a good time.


 

 Oh yeah, it was a great time! I feel more confident in trusting my ears, but never my eyes. It just goes to show the influence a shiny audio bauble (beautiful towers) is implied to be equal in sound quality, and just how important gear is upstream. Our eyes truly deceive our ears. We are a funny species no doubt.
   
  True story - I bought the Polk LSI 25's and a few sets of LSi9's for a 9.2 system. This was before the several other more and less expensive speakers I went through before settling mind you. Anyways, the LSi9's sound a cut above the 25's. It took me 3 months to bring myself to conduct this test, go figure. I bring the LSi9's to the audio store, the guys laughed at me! I said "You know better" and they shut their mouth lol. We did some blind testing, guess what? They were better than those very same Paradigms I blind tested! However, they were only better down to 60hz. Now I have significantly upgraded the crossovers and they barely need a subwoofer. They have a linear response down to 40hz, defeating the Paradigms. The only reason I still have the subwoofer is to augment impact of kick drums, chellos, organs etc. Now I am also down to 5.1. The whole "Ooh! 9.2!" caught my eye, but ears said otherwise. I would do 7.1, but I sold the 25's (not very good anyway) and am left with the LSi9's and a center channel. The upgraded pair of LSi9's are in my music room. There's so little movies in 7.1 that it doesn't bother me.
   
  Very few people are honest as I am when it comes to their purchases. People like to be grandiose about their purchases so they can justify it. The people with 300 pound speakers in a normal living room crack me up the most!


----------



## Ultrainferno

I wonder how the new 4W Burson will compare to our beloved V200


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I wonder how the new 4W Burson will compare to our beloved V200


 
   
   Saw it today briefly - very handsome looking amp with the new machined front plate - lesser featured though, no XLR or real gain control.
   
   The signal path from what I can tell has been stripped back to the bare minimum so it should be fairly clean sounding.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Yo,
> 
> With my V200 I lower the gain to -12dB so I can use my low Ohm headphones with having a greater range of volume control. It works really well I have to say. So now my Auditor is for high impedance headphones while the V200 is for low impedance headphones.
> 
> Gotta love the V200 with SR-80i's and the T5p's!!


 
   
  So it turns out that the change in pre-gain makes the most difference on the bass side.  I was using my new HD800s with the gain setting at -12 and thought they sounded good, but the bass was lacking compared to the K702s.  Once I set the gain to 0, the 800s now sound very sweet indeed !!! 

 EDIT:  Upon further listening on the HD800s, I'm wishing there was a -3 db gain setting.  The bass sounds louder but a little (and I mean _LITTLE_) less clear at 0 db.  At -6 db the bass sounds less loud, but more distinct.  I'll try these settings on other recordings . . . probably getting into the minutia here . . .


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  For me changing the gain settings doesn't alter the sound at all and neither should it. I find the sound is the same no matter what setting is used.
   
  Now on my V800 that seems to be a different matter.
   
   
  Quote: 





rico613 said:


> So it turns out that the change in pre-gain makes the most difference on the bass side.  I was using my new HD800s with the gain setting at -12 and thought they sounded good, but the bass was lacking compared to the K702s.  Once I set the gain to 0, the 800s now sound very sweet indeed !!!
> 
> EDIT:  Upon further listening on the HD800s, I'm wishing there was a -3 db gain setting.  The bass sounds louder but a little (and I mean _LITTLE_) less clear at 0 db.  At -6 db the bass sounds less loud, but more distinct.  I'll try these settings on other recordings . . . probably getting into the minutia here . . .


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hi,
> 
> For me changing the gain settings doesn't alter the sound at all and neither should it. I find the sound is the same no matter what setting is used.
> 
> Now on my V800 that seems to be a different matter.


 
   
  I've only got 60 hours on the Senn 800s, but it is sounding like -6 db is the way to go on the pre-gain settings.  The sound quality from V200 is getting pretty amazing . . .


----------



## dallan

Yeah i just leave my gain on normal.  All it does is change the gain on the input so the volume knob is in a different position.


----------



## esn89

How many people here runs the v200 with the Oppo BDP-95?
   
  Could you give me some info on your findings?  Thanks : )


----------



## project86

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> How many people here runs the v200 with the Oppo BDP-95?
> 
> Could you give me some info on your findings?  Thanks : )


 
   
  I believe Frank I was running his V200 that way, maybe he can chime in.


----------



## Rico613

I'm on my 3rd OPPO video player and I love them.  In addition to stunning BluRay video processing and 7.1 surround sound, the model BDP 95 has a high-end audio processor/DAC with separate XLR audio outputs.  The lesser OPPO models just have a stunning high-end Blu-ray player with RCA audio outputs!!  When I got into headphones a few months back, I immediately upgraded to the BDP 95 . 
   
  Since I listen to  CD's and SACD's, rather than MP3 or other media, I went looking for a player with a built in DAC.  NAD makes several CD players that include good DACs, the NAD C 565BEE looked attractive since it has Wolfson processors and the ability to also process a signal from an external source through the player's DAC.   But, at the time, for the same money, the OPPO 95 had better audio stats with a "free" high-end Blu-ray player and 7.1 home-theater sound processing thrown in.   So the OPPO was easily the better choice and still is to this day.  It may be worth a call to OPPO to see if they will be coming out with a newer model with external digital inputs to their high-end DAC.  Here is what OPPO says about the BDP 95:   EDIT:  the BDP-95 has dual USB and an eSATA port so I presume one could use it as a stand-alone DAC.
   
_"The SABRE32 Reference ES9018 from ESS Technology is the world’s best performing 32-bit audio DAC solution targeted for high-end consumer applications and professional studio equipment. With the ESS patented 32-bit Hyperstream™ DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, the SABRE32 Reference DAC delivers an unprecedented DNR (Dynamic Range) of up to 135dB and THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise) of -120dB, the industry’s highest performance level that will satisfy even the most demanding audio enthusiast."  _
   
  Now that I have the OPPO BDP 95 with very good balanced interconnects driving the V200, I am totally blown away by the sound quality.  The music I listen to is detailed and complex.  For example, with this setup I can more clearly hear (from a good recording) each of the 88 strings on a piano, or different instruments in an orchestra.  It would be hard for me to imagine a better sounding DAC / amp combination at this point.  I am just a little curious how much better the Apex Pinnacle might sound, but at 10 times the price of the V200?  I think I'll be satisfied with this setup for many years . . .  well, at least until the V282 comes out  . . .LOL . . .  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
   
  Originally Posted by *project86* /img/forum/go_quote.gif

  


> I believe Frank I was running his V200 that way, maybe he can chime in.


 
   
  Quote: 





esn89 said:


> How many people here runs the v200 with the Oppo BDP-95?
> 
> Could you give me some info on your findings?  Thanks : )


----------



## TheManko

I don't know how many have done this, but I opened up my V200 and changed the jumpers from Ground to Lift and the volume pot from AC to DC. It made an immediate difference in sound for the positive. If you feel like tweaking the sound a bit to possibly get the most out of the sound I recommend trying it as it's pretty easy to do. I haven't had the opportunity to listen very much yet since I did the tweak 30 minutes ago, but first impressions are that the character of the sound has changed slightly. The sound appears more transparent with a bit more treble energy.
   
  Can't say that this tweak would work best for everyone, but in my case I feel it did a positive thing. I like that all the possibility for tweaking is there with the jumpers and gain switches. I ordered a V800 dac the other day so soon I'll have a V200/V800 stack as well.


----------



## theophile

Quote: 





themanko said:


> I don't know how many have done this, but I opened up my V200 and changed the jumpers from Ground to Lift and the volume pot from AC to DC. It made an immediate difference in sound for the positive. If you feel like tweaking the sound a bit to possibly get the most out of the sound I recommend trying it as it's pretty easy to do. I haven't had the opportunity to listen very much yet since I did the tweak 30 minutes ago, but first impressions are that the character of the sound has changed slightly. The sound appears more transparent with a bit more treble energy.
> 
> Can't say that this tweak would work best for everyone, but in my case I feel it did a positive thing. I like that all the possibility for tweaking is there with the jumpers and gain switches. I ordered a V800 dac the other day so soon I'll have a V200/V800 stack as well.


 
   
  I've opened mine as well. I only changed the volume settings from AC to DC. I didn't change the Ground and Lift settings.
   
  I feel that the bass is more transparent with the AC to DC change.
   
  Are you using a Balanced connection from your Source component to the V200, or are you using the RCA connectors?


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





themanko said:


> I don't know how many have done this, but I opened up my V200 and changed the jumpers from Ground to Lift and the volume pot from AC to DC. It made an immediate difference in sound for the positive. If you feel like tweaking the sound a bit to possibly get the most out of the sound I recommend trying it as it's pretty easy to do. I haven't had the opportunity to listen very much yet since I did the tweak 30 minutes ago, but first impressions are that the character of the sound has changed slightly. The sound appears more transparent with a bit more treble energy.
> 
> Can't say that this tweak would work best for everyone, but in my case I feel it did a positive thing. I like that all the possibility for tweaking is there with the jumpers and gain switches. I ordered a V800 dac the other day so soon I'll have a V200/V800 stack as well.


 
   
  I have opened mine and made the same adjustments as you have and share your sentiment wholeheartedly. Besides your impressions, I would like to add that the V200 is a slightly faster sounding as well. Leading edges sounding much cleaner. 
   
  You will love the V800 once you receive it, I have been enjoying stack for nearly two months now. 
   
  Look forward to more of your thoughts!!!


----------



## WNBC

Out of curiosity, how easy is it to do this tweak?  I haven't opened up the V200 and don't have any soldering experience.  
   
  Any theories on how these tweaks help?  And if so, why does Violectric not choose these "settings" from the start or is at as you say, for some DAC/amp/headphone combinations the tweak may not result in any advantages.  
   
  Thanks for teaching us electronically challenged head-fiers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





themanko said:


> I don't know how many have done this, but I opened up my V200 and changed the jumpers from Ground to Lift and the volume pot from AC to DC. It made an immediate difference in sound for the positive. If you feel like tweaking the sound a bit to possibly get the most out of the sound I recommend trying it as it's pretty easy to do. I haven't had the opportunity to listen very much yet since I did the tweak 30 minutes ago, but first impressions are that the character of the sound has changed slightly. The sound appears more transparent with a bit more treble energy.
> 
> Can't say that this tweak would work best for everyone, but in my case I feel it did a positive thing. I like that all the possibility for tweaking is there with the jumpers and gain switches. I ordered a V800 dac the other day so soon I'll have a V200/V800 stack as well.


----------



## Frank I

The Oppo BDP95 and the V200 was an excellent combo balanced. The Oppo is a pretty amazing machine on it own an plays any disc and does it well. The V200 was very enjoyable balanced with the Oppo when I owned the v200. Highly recommended


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





wnbc said:


> Out of curiosity, how easy is it to do this tweak?  I haven't opened up the V200 and don't have any soldering experience.
> 
> Any theories on how these tweaks help?  And if so, why does Violectric not choose these "settings" from the start or is at as you say, for some DAC/amp/headphone combinations the tweak may not result in any advantages.
> 
> Thanks for teaching us electronically challenged head-fiers


 
   
  This is real easy to do. If I can do it, then anyone can
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




........
   
  With regards to lifting the grounds, this makes sense as it takes away the grunge and consequently a purer signal.
   
  All these tweaks are performed at the owners own risk?! I think Violectric had the V200 on the chosen default settings for liability reasons, especially with the AC to DC on the volume pot, not good when expensive headphones goes pop after a DC surge from a not so well designed source. Personally, I didn't change the internal settings until I had received the V800.


----------



## TheManko

I'm using balanced connections. To do the tweak unscrew all the screws on the back of the amp, then the top screws on the front. This will allow the top part of the cover to slide back to be removed. On the second to last page in the V200 manual there is a chart showing where the jumpers are and the positions they should be in to be in Lift and DC mode. Just take take the jumpers off and insert them in the positions the manual says and then you're done. Slide the cover back on, put the screws back on and that's it.


----------



## WNBC

Thanks will give this a try soon
   
  Quote: 





themanko said:


> I'm using balanced connections. To do the tweak unscrew all the screws on the back of the amp, then the top screws on the front. This will allow the top part of the cover to slide back to be removed. On the second to last page in the V200 manual there is a chart showing where the jumpers are and the positions they should be in to be in Lift and DC mode. Just take take the jumpers off and insert them in the positions the manual says and then you're done. Slide the cover back on, put the screws back on and that's it.


----------



## TheManko

While trying out various tracks in my library I managed to find a track which is borderline sibilant with the LCD-2, but not with the HD 800! That took me by surprise as the HD 800 is generally considered the more treble heavy. Anyway, the DC tweak did not affect the HD 800 negatively in any way I could notice. The V200 style of sound which mellows out the treble a bit is still intact. Like with the LCD-2 it now just seems like the audio presentation is a bit more transparent across the entire range. I used to prefer the Auditor with the HD 800, but with this tweak it's not as clear cut anymore. The Auditor still has its huge soundstage, but the V200 is a compelling alternative since it makes loudly mixed music with hot treble easier to stand, and now it does so with a "higher resolution" if you will.
   
  I have to say the compact form factor is a huge deal for me with the V200. It just makes it much easier to integrate it with whatever kind of setup I feel like doing for the computer. The Auditor is humongous in comparison for example and is large enough that it probably affects the sound coming from my speakers if I'm not careful about how I place it. The V200 has no such issues.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





themanko said:


> I have to say the compact form factor is a huge deal for me with the V200. It just makes it much easier to integrate it with whatever kind of setup I feel like doing for the computer. The Auditor is humongous in comparison for example and is large enough that it probably affects the sound coming from my speakers if I'm not careful about how I place it. The V200 has no such issues.


 
   
   
  Agreed. The funny thing is - though we count this as a benefit, I bet some people do not take this amp seriously just due to the size. Like when I had the DarkVoice 337SE which was a huge tank compared to the V200. The 337 was massive, heavy, and had tubes - seemed much more substantial for the same $1,000 price. But the V200 was by far the better amp. V800 suffers the same issue in the DAC realm - I consider it a benefit, but I'm sure that some people are put off by the small size. Especially when using it with a speaker setup where every other component is huge.


----------



## TheManko

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Agreed. The funny thing is - though we count this as a benefit, I bet some people do not take this amp seriously just due to the size. Like when I had the DarkVoice 337SE which was a huge tank compared to the V200. The 337 was massive, heavy, and had tubes - seemed much more substantial for the same $1,000 price. But the V200 was by far the better amp. V800 suffers the same issue in the DAC realm - I consider it a benefit, but I'm sure that some people are put off by the small size. Especially when using it with a speaker setup where every other component is huge.


 
  I hope more people realize that there isn't much of a correlation between size and audio quality. But still, even if everyone knew that, bigger amps can be appealing as you might want to have something that looks big and imposing when spending a certain amount on the equipment. The Audio GD Reference 7.1 for example is as big as a stereo amp and weighs like one as well. In my case that would just be incredibly inconvenient so I appreciate the smaller size.


----------



## theophile

Tonight I opened up my V200 and lifted both the AC mains and the Balanced connections. I had as reported earlier changed the volume pot to DC. I like the sound much,much more like this. I regard the improvements to the sound to be fundamental, wholesale and across the board.
   
  Recommended to all V200 users. Or at least I recommend experimenting.


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





theophile said:


> Tonight I opened up my V200 and lifted both the AC mains and the Balanced connections. I had as reported earlier changed the volume pot to DC. I like the sound much,much more like this. I regard the improvements to the sound to be fundamental, wholesale and across the board.
> 
> Recommended to all V200 users. Or at least I recommend experimenting.


 
   
  A bit funny though, that the CEO of Lake People/Violectric doesn't recommend using DC operation 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





http://www.head-fi.org/t/551173/review-violectric-hpa-v200-amp/1200#post_8299108


----------



## theophile

Quote: 





anda said:


> A bit funny though, that the CEO of Lake People/Violectric doesn't recommend using DC operation
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Since that warning comes from the manufacturer, it is worth repeating.
   
  Let anyone who read my post weigh my observations via the warning. I'm not going back to AC however.


----------



## smoothtalker

Anyone knows why did my violectric usb dac shows up as Burson? i believe both uses TE7022 for the usb receiver. but did my previous burson screw up my computer? I've since 2 months ago removed burson from this system. My violectric works perfectly fine in foobar with wasapi even as i output it as "burson". something must be wrong though.
   

   
  ﻿﻿


----------



## Ultrainferno

My Audio GD dac usually shows up as a FIIO dac when I connect it directly without usb2spdif. Must be driver related me thinks (techn00b here)


----------



## smoothtalker

oh! i've found a fix. i went to the device manager and uninstalled burson audio under the audio section. now my violectric shows up as "TE7022 Audio w/ SPDIF"
   
  Is that what you guys are seeing on windows for your violectric dac? I believe it probably confused windows as both burson and violectric uses TE7022


----------



## Guzmeister

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *smoothtalker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> "TE7022 Audio w/ SPDIF"
> 
> Is that what you guys are seeing on windows for your violectric dac?


 
  Yup, same here.


----------



## mentt

I have HD 800 and I can not decide between V200 and BCL. I have M-DAC as a source. Any suggestions which one to buy?


----------



## Loevhagen

The BCL is tuned significantly brigther in sound signature than the V200. Buy the one that best suits what you want your HD800 to sound like. Find the HD800 sometimes too bright; buy the V200 and vice versa.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





mentt said:


> I have HD 800 and I can not decide between V200 and BCL. I have M-DAC as a source. Any suggestions which one to buy?


 
   
  I'm running the V200 with HD 800s.  So sweet, I honestly can't imagine anything much better.  I'm not familiar with the BCL, but it looks like it doesn't have balanced inputs.  Maybe you don't need them now, but in the future? . . .  It makes a big difference in the sound quality.  I also use the pre gain setting on the V200 (set to -6) for the HD 800.  Does the BCL have a gain adjustment?   Good to have this I think.  For the money (assuming you can get the BCL at a discount), I'd still get the V200 in a heartbeat . . . paying $200 more for the BCL doesn't compute #$%&@ !!  Others may have more experience with the BCL and have a different idea . . .


----------



## Loevhagen

Honestly, I can't really detect significant differences in the V200 if it is fed via the RCAs or the XLRs. The DAC involved might perform different between these analog outputs.

Yes, the BCL has gain adjustments (dip switches on the bottom part ofthe chassis).

I've had both the HD800, BCL and still have the V200. I would have chosen the V200 for the HD800. Others may prefer the BCL.


----------



## project86

There's always the option of getting a V200 AND a Matrix M-Stage, which is essentially a BCL for a far lower price. Then you have both!


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> I'm running the V200 with HD 800s.  So sweet, I honestly can't imagine anything much better.  I'm not familiar with the BCL, but it looks like it doesn't have balanced inputs.  Maybe you don't need them now, but in the future? . . .  It makes a big difference in the sound quality.  I also use the pre gain setting on the V200 (set to -6) for the HD 800.  Does the BCL have a gain adjustment?   Good to have this I think.  For the money (assuming you can get the BCL at a discount), I'd still get the V200 in a heartbeat . . . paying $200 more for the BCL doesn't compute #$%&@ !!  Others may have more experience with the BCL and have a different idea . . .


 
  BCL Pro version has balanced inputs.


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> There's always the option of getting a V200 AND a Matrix M-Stage, which is essentially a BCL for a far lower price. Then you have both!


 
  What about V200 and small sound stage. Would it be  issue with HD 800 + V200 combo?


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Honestly, I can't really detect significant differences in the V200 if it is fed via the RCAs or the XLRs. The DAC involved might perform different between these analog outputs.
> Yes, the BCL has gain adjustments (dip switches on the bottom part ofthe chassis).
> I've had both the HD800, BCL and still have the V200. I would have chosen the V200 for the HD800. Others may prefer the BCL.


 
  I am also considering to wait for Sennheisers own AMP HDVD 800. Do you think I should wait for it and continue using M-DAC headphone OUT till then?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





mentt said:


> What about V200 and small sound stage. Would it be  issue with HD 800 + V200 combo?


 
   
  The soundstage is not necessarily "small"... it just isn't huge. Compared to other amps in this price class, that isn't the biggest strength of the V200. But it certainly isn't a weakness either. HD800 plus V200 sounds plenty spacious to me.
   
  Quote: 





mentt said:


> I am also considering to wait for Sennheisers own AMP HDVD 800. Do you think I should wait for it and continue using M-DAC headphone OUT till then?


 
   
  We have very little info about the new Sennheiser unit. They had a static display at the last big Munich Hi-End show. So nobody (aside from Sennheiser employees) has any experience with it. It could be amazing, or terrible, or somewhere in between.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





mentt said:


> What about V200 and small sound stage. Would it be  issue with HD 800 + V200 combo?


 
   
  The V200 and HD 800 sound pretty big to me!!!


----------



## TheManko

I've got the HD 800, V200 and Auditor. There is a clear difference in the soundstage presentation between the amps, but I wouldn't call the V200 small by any means. It won't make the HD 800 sound bad in any way.


----------



## mentt

Thank you for your replies! Can somebody comment on M-DAC Headphone out VS V200?


----------



## TheManko

Ever since I got the V800 dac I've been liking the V200 better. Before I used to switch between it and the Auditor regularly, but now I simply prefer the V200 all the time. I guess it shouldn't be much of a surprise, but they play well together no matter the headphones I use.


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





themanko said:


> Ever since I got the V800 dac I've been liking the V200 better. Before I used to switch between it and the Auditor regularly, but now I simply prefer the V200 all the time. I guess it shouldn't be much of a surprise, but they play well together no matter the headphones I use.


 
  Do you like sound of HD 800 cans on Auditor AMP?


----------



## TheManko

Quote: 





mentt said:


> Do you like sound of HD 800 cans on Auditor AMP?


 
  Yes. The style of presentation is a bit different compared to the V200, but it is very good. The Auditor has a more open sound and is more neutral, but the neutrality comes at the price of it being harsher toward most recordings. It might have to do with changing taste over time, but right now I prefer the V200 sound which is slightly more closed in, but warmer and nicer. The more closed in sound seems to give some instruments and voices extra body and impact. I used to prefer the Auditor, but since I got the V800 I'm using the V200 all the time instead. Might be that the sound matches well between the two in a better way than my old dac did, or I'm just preferring this style of sound right now, or who knows. This is what I feel like listening to right now.


----------



## esn89

So mine finally came, but too bad I will have to double amp (pico usb dac/amp) until I have money for a v800 in Sept.  : /


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> So mine finally came, but too bad I will have to double amp (pico usb dac/amp) until I have money for a v800 in Sept.  : /


 
   
  Congratulations on your receiving your V200......out of interest, how does it sound double amp-ed. From limited experience with listening to pico, I can actually imagine the sound emanating from this combo would be more than acceptable. 
   
  The V800 in September would be a huge improvement no doubt...............


----------



## cactus_farmer

Since the V200 has two headphone outputs - does anyone know whether it can drive TWO HE-6's at once?
   
  I don't know much about electronics so I don't know if connecting two loads to the amplifier reduces the power of each output or whether it makes no difference...?


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Congratulations on your receiving your V200......out of interest, how does it sound double amp-ed. From limited experience with listening to pico, I can actually imagine the sound emanating from this combo would be more than acceptable.
> 
> The V800 in September would be a huge improvement no doubt...............


 
   
  It will be.  Well right now, even with the gain at the lowest settings, my volume knob on the v200 never goes past 9 o clock.   So i am getting very, very loud volumes XD


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Since the V200 has two headphone outputs - does anyone know whether it can drive TWO HE-6's at once?
> 
> I don't know much about electronics so I don't know if connecting two loads to the amplifier reduces the power of each output or whether it makes no difference...?


 
   
   
  I don't think it's power enough to drive one HE-6 - let alone two.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> It will be.  Well right now, even with the gain at the lowest settings, my volume knob on the v200 never goes past 9 o clock.   So i am getting very, very loud volumes XD


 

 The V200 will not be able to drive the hE6. The HE6 responds best with 15W of power and the V200 will not be able to get sufficient headroom to drive the notorious HE6. The HE6 loves power and the mor eit get the better they sound. Thanks speaker amps for best results with the HE6/ I owned the hE6 and got the best results with a receiver.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





frank i said:


> The V200 will not be able to drive the hE6. The HE6 responds best with 15W of power and the V200 will not be able to get sufficient headroom to drive the notorious HE6. The HE6 loves power and the mor eit get the better they sound. Thanks speaker amps for best results with the HE6/ I owned the hE6 and got the best results with a receiver.


 
  Frank
   
  Was the receiver a multichannel surround sound receiver?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Frank
> 
> Was the receiver a multichannel surround sound receiver?


 

 I used a vintage Pioneer SX980 85W2 channel but I   dont see why it would not work on a multichannel receiver.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





frank i said:


> I used a vintage Pioneer SX980 85W2 channel but I   dont see why it would not work on a multichannel receiver.


 
  Have you driven the HE-6 off anything else, for reference. 
  I'm interested in picking this headphone back up and am trying to narrow down
  the pool of vintage gear to choose from.


----------



## preproman

Today I will be testing out these with the HE-6:
   
  http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/upa200
  +
  http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/processors/products/xda1
   
  As well as the Denon AVR-2310CI
 http://usa.denon.com/US/Product/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?catalog=DenonNA_US&PCatId=RefurbishedProCat(DenonNA)&CatId=AVReceiversRef(DenonNA)&Pid=AVR2310CI(DenonNA)&IsRef=1


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Today I will be testing out these with the HE-6:
> 
> http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/upa200
> +
> ...


 
  I've got a  Marantz 2220, but these Emotiva's look interesting. I remember a few weeks back someone picked these up,
however, not for the purpose of the HE-6. Really looking forward to your mini review/impressions.


----------



## cactus_farmer

c'mon guys, are you not going overboard with your HE-6 'minimum requirements'?
   
  15W!?
   
  What next, it needs to be connected directly to the sun or you won't hear a whisper out of it?
   
  Haven't many said the V200 does a good job with the HE-6?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> c'mon guys, are you not going overboard with your HE-6 'minimum requirements'?
> 
> 15W!?
> 
> ...


 
  I'm not especially sure what "good job" entails? haha


----------



## cactus_farmer

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> I'm not especially sure what "good job" entails? haha


 
  Drives them amply loudly, sounds good, not lacking in bass due to the V200's dark sonic signature...?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





cactus_farmer said:


> Drives them amply loudly, sounds good, not lacking in bass due to the V200's dark sonic signature...?


 
  How about if it drives them to deafening levels, sounds good enough, but ultimately is lacking deep impact, control, details..
   
  No one ever said that these other amps couldn't drive the HE-6, you were just being a bit presumptuous.


----------



## preproman

Put them on a speaker amp - then come back with your impressions.


----------



## Gwarmi

* HiFiMan EF-6 Amp *~ appears similar to the new Burson Soloist - both put out about 4W to 5Watts into 50ohms.
   
   Should drive those HE-6's somewhat


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> * HiFiMan EF-6 Amp *~ appears similar to the new Burson Soloist - both put out about 4W to 5Watts into 50ohms.
> 
> Should drive those HE-6's somewhat


 
   
   
  Yeah,
   
  Your right - there's a few others as well.  The Dark Star, the new one from SCHIIT,  They say that new Bryston as well.  I'm sticking with my cheap mono blocks.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Yeah,
> 
> Your right - there's a few others as well.  The Dark Star, the new one from SCHIIT,  They say that new Bryston as well.  I'm sticking with my cheap mono blocks.


 
  Welp, I just ordered the HE-6 again, will be putting my order in for the Emotiva monoblocks. And picking up the new Schiit stuff.
   
  Do you guys know if there will be anything like the J2 at the Ohio meet? Maybe something more-ly similar...


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Welp, I just ordered the HE-6 again, will be putting my order in for the Emotiva monoblocks. And picking up the new Schiit stuff.
> 
> Do you guys know if there will be anything like the J2 at the Ohio meet? Maybe something more-ly similar...


 
   
  What's the J2?  A First Watt amp?


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Welp, I just ordered the HE-6 again, will be putting my order in for the Emotiva monoblocks. And picking up the new Schiit stuff.
> 
> Do you guys know if there will be anything like the J2 at the Ohio meet? Maybe something more-ly similar...


 
   
   
  Right now, I think the only mono block Emotive has is this:
   
  http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/xpa1
   
  For one - this is to much money.  For that money you can go with this:
   
  http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-3/Master-3EN.htm
   
  His designs have two of everything in one case - it looks like.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





preproman said:


> What's the J2?  A First Watt amp?


 
  Yea.


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Yea.


 
   
  How much?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Yea.


 
  Eh, around $2000


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Right now, I think the only mono block Emotive has is this:
> 
> http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/xpa1
> 
> ...


 
  I was going to hunt for the UPA-1. I don't know if I'd want it all in 1 casing. Thanks for the link, more choices.... haha


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Right now, I think the only mono block Emotive has is this:
> 
> http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/xpa1
> 
> ...


 
   
   Kingwa is almost re-writing the Hi-Fi book single handedly at the present time, particularly outside of Head-Fi
   - I had the chance to audition a pair of his mono-block Master-2's the other day coupled with the Master 1 Pre-Amp.
   
   Wow - that sort of performance (let's leave the floor-standers & cabling out the equation for a moment) for under
   $5000 USD is simply stunning. Let's cut the cheese here ~ high end mono block amplification is for the fortunate few,
   
   Contrary to what many would expect - it is not overtly flat and overly extended up top. The audition proved
   that it could musically reproduce rather difficult (read: not perfect) recordings like eg, Michael Jackson's latest 'Best Of' 
   and even some 'Daft Punk'.
   
   The only perculiarity being Radiohead's seminal work ~ *O.K Computer* - it sounded absolutely dead and lifeless,
   we all know it to be a rather harsh, brash work - the Audio-gd kit did not emit any of that brashness, instead it
   retreated with a 2D, flat presentation.
   
   Let's hope Freid has been paying attention ~ the current activity over in the East is fiercely good.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Have you driven the HE-6 off anything else, for reference.
> I'm interested in picking this headphone back up and am trying to narrow down
> the pool of vintage gear to choose from.


 

 The sx980 worked as dd the pioneer sx650 and sansui G4500


----------



## paradoxper

I just realized how off topic this thread has gotten.
   
  I think I will pick up a few receivers and hold off on the mono blocks. Seems a bit overkill for 1 pair of headphones..maybe..haha


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> I just realized how off topic this thread has gotten.
> 
> I think I will pick up a few receivers and hold off on the mono blocks. Seems a bit overkill for 1 pair of headphones..maybe..haha


 
   
   
  Until you hear it..


----------



## dallan

Thank God i like dynamic headphones better.  If i were to go a different direction it would be electrostat anyway, not toward the HE-6 or LCD-3 although the 3 i have listened to and it sounded good better than previous incarnations to me.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Until you hear it..


 
  You don't tempt me!


----------



## baritone

some times I try to understand people that invest  so much money to achieve more bass or a better mids or transparent hights
  as professionals taking pictures with the best cameras and best optical lenses all of them go to retouch (photoshop)to achieve the optimal work
  in the acoustical field you do not need to pay endless quantity of money to achieve an acoustic signature you love ,simply use a good external hardware  eq
  and you could get the sound you like ,retouching some frequency response minor imperfections of the headphones (all of them)
  if all recording studios use eq why an hedphone lover can not do the same ?
  the world is going more  energy efficent (light ,fuel ,computers ,water ) but some manufacturers going in the opposite direction headphones requiring   many watts of energy to hear a better sound (something  we can imagine it only)
  forget about the hexxx's   HP sit down between two bw 802 and you will have the best earspeakers  in the world


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





baritone said:


> bw 802 and you will have the best earspeakers  in the world


 
   
   
  Wilsons baby


----------



## Rico613

A while back I was having problems adjusting the v200 pre-gain settings -- experiencing distorted muffled bass at higher impedance settings and NO Bass at lower settings (on HD800s).  I also thought it was odd that while the v200 manual said the volume knob should be set at levels greater than the 12:00 o'clock position, I was maxing out the volume at the 9:00 -- 10:00 o'clock position when pre gain settings at 0 db, and unable to move the control past 12:00 o'clock at -12 db pre-gain settings. 
   
  Then it hit me . . . Shazam!  I figured out that the volume output from my Oppo DAC was too high (I didn't even know there was a volume control).  When I lowered it, everything started to improve.  I found  that the sound stage greatly expanded with _any_ decrease in DAC output volume. After fine tuning the settings the results were much sweeter sounds all around.  Even the HD 800 bright spot at about 6 Khz became more acceptable (on recordings that were previously problematic).  After playing around with various combinations of pre-gain, DAC output levels, and v200 volume control, I settled on the following configuration: Oppo output volume = 40, v200 pre-gain = 6, v200 volume knob at the 2:00 - 3:00 o'clock position.  I'm assume that the Oppo DAC and efficient interconnects were delivering too much amplitude for the amp to handle, but there are probably more esoteric explanations out there . . .


----------



## Loevhagen

Normal output from a DAC varies, but between 2-4V is "normal". How much was the OppoDAC?


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> A while back I was having problems adjusting the v200 pre-gain settings -- experiencing distorted muffled bass at higher impedance settings and NO Bass at lower settings (on HD800s).  I also thought it was odd that while the v200 manual said the volume knob should be set at levels greater than the 12:00 o'clock position, I was maxing out the volume at the 9:00 -- 10:00 o'clock position when pre gain settings at 0 db, and unable to move the control past 12:00 o'clock at -12 db pre-gain settings.
> 
> Then it hit me . . . Shazam!  I figured out that the volume output from my Oppo DAC was too high (I didn't even know there was a volume control).  When I lowered it, everything started to improve.  I found  that the sound stage greatly expanded with _any_ decrease in DAC output volume. After fine tuning the settings the results were much sweeter sounds all around.  Even the HD 800 bright spot at about 6 Khz became more acceptable (on recordings that were previously problematic).  After playing around with various combinations of pre-gain, DAC output levels, and v200 volume control, I settled on the following configuration: Oppo output volume = 40, v200 pre-gain = 6, v200 volume knob at the 2:00 - 3:00 o'clock position.  I'm assume that the Oppo DAC and efficient interconnects were delivering too much amplitude for the amp to handle, but there are probably more esoteric explanations out there . . .


 
  Same sort of thing happend here when i lowered the gain settings. It sounded quite a bit better the closer it got to 12 o'clock which unfortunately is still a bit too loud with my current dac's. Fried also confirmed it that it's better if the volume pot is more open. Anyways i'll be receiving a V800 today which has lots of settings to play around with but i guess i'll start with the lowest gain setting straight away and see if i can detect any differences past 12 o'clock.


----------



## Loevhagen

IIRC the V800 is ex-works set to +15dBu - and that is 4.5V out. That is a lot.
   
  I set my V800 to +6dBu (approx 1.5V).


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> IIRC the V800 is ex-works set to +15dBu - and that is 4.5V out. That is a lot.
> 
> I set my V800 to +6dBu (approx 1.5V).


 
  Yup, you're right and i have done the same. Absolutely stunning combo these two


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Normal output from a DAC varies, but between 2-4V is "normal". How much was the OppoDAC?


 
   
   
  I received the following from Oppo
   
[size=medium]The actual output voltage really depends on the input signal and the player’s speaker settings.  The following table is measured on a BDP-95 installed with the latest official firmware with all Speakers set to “Large” and Subwoofer to “ON”, and the input signal is an 8-channel 48kHz/24bit 0dB LPCM source:[/size]
   
   

 Remote Control Volume
  [size=medium]STEREO (V)[/size]
  [size=medium]7.1CH (V)[/size]
  [size=medium]XLR (V)[/size]
 FL/FR/SL/SR/C/SBL/SBR
  [size=medium]SUBWOOFER[/size]
 100
  [size=medium]2.22[/size]
  [size=medium]2.22[/size]
  [size=medium]1.25[/size]
  [size=medium]4.46[/size]
 95
  [size=medium]1.67[/size]
  [size=medium]1.67[/size]
  [size=medium]0.94[/size]
  [size=medium]3.34[/size]
 90
  [size=medium]1.25[/size]
  [size=medium]1.25[/size]
  [size=medium]0.7[/size]
  [size=medium]2.5[/size]
 85
  [size=medium]0.93[/size]
  [size=medium]0.93[/size]
  [size=medium]0.53[/size]
  [size=medium]1.88[/size]
 80
  [size=medium]0.7[/size]
  [size=medium]0.7[/size]
  [size=medium]0.4[/size]
  [size=medium]1.41[/size]
 75
  [size=medium]0.53[/size]
  [size=medium]0.53[/size]
  [size=medium]0.3[/size]
  [size=medium]1.06[/size]
 70
  [size=medium]0.4[/size]
  [size=medium]0.4[/size]
  [size=medium]0.22[/size]
  [size=medium]0.8[/size]
 50
  [size=medium]0.125[/size]
  [size=medium]0.125[/size]
  [size=medium]0.07[/size]
  [size=medium]0.25[/size]
 *40*
 *[size=medium]0.07[/size]*
 *[size=medium]0.07[/size]*
 *[size=medium]0.04[/size]*
 *[size=medium]0.14[/size]*
 0
  [size=medium]0[/size]
  [size=medium]0[/size]
  [size=medium]0[/size]
  [size=medium]0[/size]

   
  So the output voltage I am using is very low.  That seems weird, but it sounds great.  I'm curious if anyone experiences anything like what I'm getting.


----------



## brunk

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> I received the following from Oppo
> 
> [size=medium]The actual output voltage really depends on the input signal and the player’s speaker settings.  The following table is measured on a BDP-95 installed with the latest official firmware with all Speakers set to “Large” and Subwoofer to “ON”, and the input signal is an 8-channel 48kHz/24bit 0dB LPCM source:[/size]
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, I have. I use my Oppo 95 at the 90% volume.


----------



## TokenGesture

The manual tells me that the MDAC outputs at 2.25 Vrms in its DAC-only mode.  This morning I followed the advice upthread and turned the V200 gain down to -6 and the Pot to 12 oc. Sounded great, but then it sounded loud(er) than I've been playing it until now (around 10 oc with gain at +6)


----------



## Rico613

I settled on approximately (?) 1 vms (Oppo remote setting 70), V200 pre-gain set to - 6 db, and V200 volume set to about 2:00 o'clock.  The sound stage is greatly expanded and bass is strong without distortion.  Sounding very nice indeed !!


----------



## brat

When somebody talks about improvement/degradation of the sound it's correct to mention the cans used during the listening sessions...


----------



## spkrs01

Must say that I am enjoying the V800/V200 with the HD800 very much!
   
  Have about 100hours on the HD800 now and clarity that the combination exhibits is mind blowing........


----------



## xzobinx

Is it safe to leave the headphone plug in when turn on and turn off the amp ? I still keeps my habit of turn on the amp first and remove the headphone before turn it off but I wonder if it's ok to just leave the headphone plug in permanently.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





brat said:


> When somebody talks about improvement/degradation of the sound it's correct to mention the cans used during the listening sessions...


 
   
  I was listening on HD 800s.  My other cans (K702s) are with a friend.  I'll check the settings when I get them back.


----------



## TokenGesture

Quote: 





brat said:


> When somebody talks about improvement/degradation of the sound it's correct to mention the cans used during the listening sessions...


 
  T1. Definitely a better soundstage, wider and deeper


----------



## Subsequence

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> Is it safe to leave the headphone plug in when turn on and turn off the amp ? I still keeps my habit of turn on the amp first and remove the headphone before turn it off but I wonder if it's ok to just leave the headphone plug in permanently.


 
  Not a problem at all, there's a relay protecting the headphones during power on.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





subsequence said:


> Not a problem at all, there's a relay protecting the headphones during power on.


 
  thanks that's what I'm hoping for. Since the incident with schiit gears I think I should be more careful


----------



## esn89

Care to elaborate on the schiit incident?


----------



## Loevhagen

Old story - and NOT valid any more. Move on. 
   
  If not: Turn the volume control to minimum before turning the amplifier off. The same rule applies in stereo. No big fuzz. 
   
  1. Source ON
  2. Amplifer ON
  3. Volume UP
   
  Switch OFF: Reverse order:
   
  1. Volume DOWN
  2. Ampliferer OFF
  3. Source OFF


----------



## RedBull

Has anyone compared with Audio Gd Master 8 (in Single Ended mode only), driving LCD-2?


----------



## xzobinx

Thanks that's a great help
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Old story - and NOT valid any more. Move on.
> 
> If not: Turn the volume control to minimum before turning the amplifier off. The same rule applies in stereo. No big fuzz.
> 
> ...


----------



## Gwarmi

Fellow power cord fans were not wrong. The V200 responds extremely well to a fine power conditioning cord 
  Here's two happy snaps of my set-up on the bed :- more dynamic with the transients, bass hits harder, the lowered noise
  floor is a plus alongside a  slight increase in separation and the sound stage is ever so slightly more expansive.
   
  Another classic example of how this amp belittles its $1048 landed price in Australia - it is much nicer than the price suggests,
  if you are happy to tinker.
   
  The cord is the fairly recently released Shunyata Research Zi-Tron Cobra terminated in Aussie prong plug.


----------



## spkrs01

I like 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





...........whats the material of this power cord. It looks intimidating. Very nice
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
   
  Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Fellow power cord fans were not wrong. The V200 responds extremely well to a fine power conditioning cord  Here's two happy snaps of my set-up on the bed :- more dynamic with the transients, bass hits harder, the lowered noise floor is a plus alongside a
> slight increase in separation and the sound stage is ever so slightly more expansive.
> 
> Another classic example of how this amp belittles its $1048 landed price in Australia - it is much nicer than the price suggests,
> if you are happy to tinker.


----------



## Gwarmi

I really like Caelin Gabriel's work (Mr Big Cheese at Shunyata) 
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scCr9x-0mv4
   
   Blurb by them below - it does spend over 3 full days in Cryo at their base in Washington.
   
   "The *Shunyata ZiTron Cobra* offers unprecedented price-to-performance power. Forget any preconceptions that "paying more sounds better" -- once you hear the performance difference even one *Cobra *makes, you will re-evaluate the role a truly exceptional power cord can play in your system. The speed, depth, and resolution this cable is provides will truly stun you. With the *Cobra*, spending less actually does deliver more state-of-the-art performance.
 The *Cobra*'s massive ten-gauge conductor complement and supple flexibility means that it can be used on ANY component. Like other *Shunyata *power cords, the best place to evaluate the performance of the Cobra is on the amplifier, the power distributor or a music or video source component. *Shunyata Research* designed the *Cobra *as a complete power cord system, so the more of them that are applied in a system, the more profound their effects become. However, placing even one *Cobra *on a key component will demonstrate how effective they could be when used together. Forget pre-conceptions as to whether the *Cobra *is best with analog, digital, high-current or low current. In all of *Shunyata*'s applied testing there was a perfect synergy with the *Cobra *when applied to any and all electronics from ultra high-current amps to delicate phono-sections and everything in between.


----------



## spkrs01

Oh Ok....Shunyata Research. 
   
  Noted, thanks for the reply.....


----------



## hifuguy

Hi Guys,
   
  OK, I'm convinced... I'm going V200 too with my HE500s, just as soon as I can. In the meantime I note this thread is discussing the merits of using a good power cord with the V200. The introduction of a good power cord is a very good and very important idea to any source or amplifier. My best-buy, hands-down favorite can be found here at Triode Wire Labs (http://www.triodewirelabs.com). My whole system uses them to jaw-dropping benifit. The proprietor (Pete) is an awesome guy and his cables are simply off-the-charts in terms of price/performance, IMHO. Peace & Happy Listening!


----------



## baritone

IMHO investing in power cables is a waste of  money  no cable can improve the sine wave coming in your house nor reducing noises coming with nor passively stabilizing
  changes in the voltage  all this is done by design in  the internal power supply circuits that can easily clean and stabilize input changes (continuous or pulsating )+/- 10%
  ok it is a nice looking cable but nothing else ,sorry but it is my simply honest opinion about this ,it is no my pocket money every one is free to spend it as they wish


----------



## Triode Pete

Quote: 





baritone said:


> IMHO investing in power cables is a waste of  money  no cable can improve the sine wave coming in your house nor reducing noises coming with nor passively stabilizing
> changes in the voltage  all this is done by design in  the internal power supply circuits that can easily clean and stabilize input changes (continuous or pulsating )+/- 10%
> ok it is a nice looking cable but nothing else ,sorry but it is my simply honest opinion about this ,it is no my pocket money every one is free to spend it as they wish


 
   
  Hello baritone!
  In your honest opinion, "Have you ever tried an aftermarket power cord?"... I'm not talking about a cheap Pangea, which has little (YMMV) or no effect...
   
  If you have not tried a decent aftermarket power cord, it's my opinion that you shouldn't pass judgment... It is *not* a subtle difference... especially when using headphones, where you can "microscopically" evaluate the differences...
   
  My $0.02,
  Pete


----------



## brat

Quote: 





triode pete said:


> Hello baritone!
> In your honest opinion, "Have you ever tried an aftermarket power cord?"... I'm not talking about a cheap Pangea, which has little (YMMV) or no effect...
> 
> If you have not tried a decent aftermarket power cord, it's my opinion that you shouldn't pass judgment... It is *not* a subtle difference... especially when using headphones, where you can "microscopically" evaluate the differences...
> ...


 

 +1


----------



## dallan

I was totally skeptical myself until I auditioned one and tried it on the amp and dac.  I had tried a couple of different lower/mid range cords before but couldn't really tell a difference but when i auditioned the ones i ended up with it was an obvious difference.  It doesn't make sense to me really but if it works do it. It improved my setup so much that i sprung for the one i was auditioning.  More of a change on my dac than the amp as i have written previously.  Maybe one day if i have spare cash i will do the v200 with one of these too. I try not to think about it, it costs too much when i think about equipment.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Power cable is a Wireworld Electra 5 2 OCC copper.  I know there is controversy and i don't normally talk too much about it, and like i said i never believed it but.....trust my ears.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I was totally skeptical myself until I auditioned one and tried it on the amp and dac.  I had tried a couple of different lower/mid range cords before but couldn't really tell a difference but when i auditioned the ones i ended up with it was an obvious difference.  It doesn't make sense to me really but if it works do it. It improved my setup so much that i sprung for the one i was auditioning.  More of a change on my dac than the amp as i have written previously.  Maybe one day if i have spare cash i will do the v200 with one of these too. I try not to think about it, it costs too much when i think about equipment.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Bolded for emphasis - that's a good policy no matter which side of it you fall on. If people would stop trying to be so evangelical about their position, and just let others do their thing, it would be a lot better. Not saying you can't give your point of view (especially when asked) but people on both sides tend to go overboard.


----------



## caracara08

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Bolded for emphasis - that's a good policy no matter which side of it you fall on. If people would stop trying to be so evangelical about their position, and just let others do their thing, it would be a lot better. Not saying you can't give your point of view (especially when asked) but people on both sides tend to go overboard.


 
   
  very good point.


----------



## baritone

I think it will be a good idea for violectric to sell an audiophile power conditioner  box  with an ultra clean sine output  inaudible noise and the same form factor as the vxxxx line  for  all those persons   that believe  that ac current quality  is a must for the quality of audio


----------



## Loevhagen

I think that would be a breach towards their own believes.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





baritone said:


> I think it will be a good idea for violectric to sell an audiophile power conditioner  box  with an ultra clean sine output  inaudible noise and the same form factor as the vxxxx line  for  all those persons   that believe  that ac current quality  is a must for the quality of audio


 
  A good double conversion UPS does that.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





baritone said:


> I think it will be a good idea for violectric to sell an audiophile power conditioner  box  with an ultra clean sine output  inaudible noise and the same form factor as the vxxxx line  for  all those persons   that believe  that ac current quality  is a must for the quality of audio


 
   
  Well that would depend on them agreeing with your point of view. If they don't find any convincing technical reason to do so, then they shouldn't build such a device. Or if they do build it despite not really thinking it works, then they would be dishonest. 
   
  I think designers and companies should stick with areas that they know about and care about. Don't just do a tube amp because tube amps are hot sellers. Don't just do a headphone amp because those are hot right now (ahem - Cary Audio), don't make aftermarket cables because the margins can be high.... you get my point.


----------



## Agarvaen

How would V200 work with Odac DAC?


----------



## brat

Quote: 





agarvaen said:


> How would V200 work with Odac DAC?


 

 It will work well with every dac but it deserves a really good dac. I've listened to ODAC and made some comparisons, and I'd say it's a mediocre dac, nothing more, nothing less. V200 needs something much better to show it's capabilities. Now I'm listening to V200 with the volume pot turned to the max and I command the volume with DAC202U. It sounds amazing...


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





> Now I'm listening to V200 with the volume pot turned to the max and I command the volume with DAC . . .. It sounds amazing...


 
   
   
   
  ^ ^ ^  Yea . . . like that !!! . . .


----------



## Gwarmi

Here's a parting shot of the setup at the moment - in a word - cramped!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   It took me the best part of 10 minutes just to carefully plug everything in.
   Overall, I'm happy with the performance of my unopened V200
   
   
   
   @Project 86
   
   RE: Manufacturers trying to make everything under the sun - reminds me of HiFiMan - I'm still
   waiting for his all in one music server that also doubles up as a hot dog stand. Coming soon


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> @Project 86
> 
> RE: Manufacturers trying to make everything under the sun - reminds me of HiFiMan - I'm still
> waiting for his all in one music server that also doubles up as a hot dog stand. Coming soon


 
  Ha! 
   
  I don't necessarily have a problem with a company offering a wide variety of gear. They just shouldn't do it for the heck of it, where it is clear that the motive is making a sale rather than a good product. 
   
  Examples would be: a company like Violectric suddenly offering high-priced cables. Or a company that offers expensive room tuning products based on "quantum" principles suddenly offering a DAC that claims all sorts of technical accomplishments. Or a digital specialist like EMM Labs suddenly coming out with a high-end turntable. It's not that they CAN'T come up with a good product in a wildly different category... but to me it would seem unlikely to be competitive, and frankly a little desperate. 
   
  It's a little like speaker companies diving into the headphone business, though I guess that makes more sense than cable companies.


----------



## spkrs01

I am not too bother who makes what as long as the product sounds good!
   
  Technology has advanced enough for manufacturers to produce whatever they desire. But, having said that and more importantly, I think the designer/owner needs to have good ears or that an established company needs to have a defined house sound that they constantly try to improve.
   
  I, for one, prefer established companies that has a house sound rather than a new company reliant upon excellent measurements.


----------



## qawsedrf

gwarmi said:


> Here's a parting shot of the setup at the moment - in a word - cramped!!
> 
> It took me the best part of 10 minutes just to carefully plug everything in.
> Overall, I'm happy with the performance of my unopened V200




Wicked! Time to update your siggy?


----------



## baritone

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> A good double conversion UPS does that.


 
   
  Take only in account  that most of the ups single or double conversion output a pseudo square wave and not sine  you have to choice the right one
  I had tie opportunity to work for a company for about one year repairing all kind of ups  in the second converting stage (after you convert from ac to dc)
  you have to covert  the dc to ac again  to a clean synthesized  sine or as I said  it before converted to a pseudo square wave


----------



## project86

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I am not too bother who makes what as long as the product sounds good!
> 
> Technology has advanced enough for manufacturers to produce whatever they desire. But, having said that and more importantly, I think the designer/owner needs to have good ears or that an established company needs to have a defined house sound that they constantly try to improve.
> 
> I, for one, prefer established companies that has a house sound rather than a new company reliant upon excellent measurements.


 
   
  I'm certainly willing to give new stuff a chance. Like when (if?) Cardas releases their IEMs, then I'll give them a shot. 
   
  I guess what I'm trying to say is that companies need to make stuff that they feel they can do a good job on. Usually that comes from some passion to create, rather than just spotting a hole in your lineup and filling it. When you do that, you end up with someone like Monster making speakers (failure) or Klipsch making headphones (a few hits but mostly misses). I hope this makes sense.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> RE: Manufacturers trying to make everything under the sun - reminds me of HiFiMan - I'm still
> waiting for his all in one music server that also doubles up as a hot dog stand. Coming soon


 
  does the ath umbrella count ?


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





baritone said:


> Take only in account  that most of the ups single or double conversion output a pseudo square wave and not sine  you have to choice the right one
> I had tie opportunity to work for a company for about one year repairing all kind of ups  in the second converting stage (after you convert from ac to dc)
> you have to covert  the dc to ac again  to a clean synthesized  sine or as I said  it before converted to a pseudo square wave


 
  I've never used a double conversion UPS that only converted from ac to dc (they all also converted the dc to ac for the cleanest power)
   
  If you could throw up a link to any 1 double conversion UPS that you know fails to enter the second converting stage. I'd appreciate it. Thanks.


----------



## stevenlongs

Hi guys,
   
  first off I would like to say I love the sound that is coming from my HRT MS II -> V200.  That said, I can't help but wonder if they can sound better with a different DAC. 
   
  I was reading this review comparing the EE Minimax vs Schiit Bifrost.  The minimax seems to be a bit of a dark paring with the v200 especially since i'm already listening through HD650s.  Have any of you had experiences with pairing up the Bifrost with the V200?  Are there better options in the sub-1000 range? There doesn't seem to be many people that have the v800 let alone for sale. Too pricy to have them shipped brand new 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  Things i'm worried about with v200 + hd650 with a new dac would be:
   
  1) soundstage  2) treble getting rolled off / darkness. I like where the treble currently is, wouldn't mind more-of.
   
  Any ideas/input/recommendations are welcome


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





stevenlongs said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> first off I would like to say I love the sound that is coming from my HRT MS II -> V200.  That said, I can't help but wonder if they can sound better with a different DAC.
> 
> ...


 
   
   
    The Eastern Electric? No actual 'vis a vis' experience with the V200 but my limited impressions suggest that
    the final result will depend on your willingness to tube roll and mod' this thing - exactly what the manufacturer
    had in mind in the first place..
   
    Alternatively, if your tastes sway towards a more neutral nature then the AudioLab M-DAC (particularly if you like full featured and optioned DAC's)
    or the recently updated Audio-gd Reference 5.2 PCM1704UK deserve a mention.
   
   Regardless of source if seeking to maximize that setup - grab hold of  a decent aftermarket cable for the HD650 and invest into decent, if not
   above average interconnects and power cords ~ all up to you ~ you will surprise yourself.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





stevenlongs said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> first off I would like to say I love the sound that is coming from my HRT MS II -> V200.  That said, I can't help but wonder if they can sound better with a different DAC.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I would highly recommend the Bladelius usb DAC.  Very nice synergy with the V200. A very elegant solution. Not as neutral nor detailed as the V800..............but very balanced and sweet sounding DAC. I have a SPC cable on my HD650......Plus it is from an established Mid-Fi company with a good house sound!!!


----------



## stevenlongs

Thanks for the recommendations gwarmi & spkrs01!
   
  It seems like reviews come few past a certain price point.  What makes it harder is that a lot of the expensive dacs are also great performers and not many significant changes will separate one from another.  I wish a reviewer like project86 could get a hold of everything, but even then, at the end of the day it is only the opinion of one single person. I guess I will have to just take the plunge at some point and see what the fuss is about. Thanks guys.
  This is probably why meets are so valued and appreciated...


----------



## project86

Quote: 





stevenlongs said:


> Thanks for the recommendations gwarmi & spkrs01!
> 
> It seems like reviews come few past a certain price point.  What makes it harder is that *a lot of the expensive dacs are also great performers and not many significant changes will separate one from another*.  I wish a reviewer like project86 could get a hold of everything, but even then, *at the end of the day it is only the opinion of one single person*. I guess I will have to just take the plunge at some point and see what the fuss is about. Thanks guys.
> This is probably why meets are so valued and appreciated...


 
   
  Yep, very good points. The differences between nice DACs like the Audio GD Reference 7, Violectric V800, Anedio D1/D2, Yulong D18, are relatively subtle. Once you get to a high enough level there is less room for major differences. They are there, but not so easy to quickly spot in my experience. 
   
  To some extent that makes it less of a burden to find one that works for you.


----------



## Gwarmi

I cannot speak for the Anedio or Yulong but after spending some time with the Audio-gd Reference 7.1
  and the Esoteric D07x - once attuned to their respective 'flavours'  The Esoteric is even after a
  few brief minutes - to my ears - the better DAC for sure, it exudes a certain naturalness and
  effortlessness that seems to be missing from the Kingwa product. Hardly fair though, we're
  comparing a $2000 unit to a $5000 unit. Even though I'm not die-hard believer that price taggery
  always rules the day - in this instance, I believe it does.
   
  Now I did hear from an acquaintance that he had the chance to listen to a MSB Diamond
  Plus optioned DAC and to quote his very own words (not mine) - _'The Reference 7.1_
_sounded and looked like a toy by comparison' _
   
  Not that I can see any looming future opportunities to confirm or deny this for
  myself when you consider the price of that thing. The optional Femto Galaxy Clock
  is reportedly one of, if not the most sophisticated master clock available today.


----------



## project86

Meh, a lot of people just go crazy over a high priced component because of the price. It's like when people are in the presence of a celebrity, they get all embarrassed or star-struck. Your friend may have been legitimately impressed or may just have been in awe of the price and fancy casework.
   
  Yes, some high priced DACs _do _in fact sound great. But take away the awe and wonder of it all, and I don't feel they are much different from the exceptional units costing substantially less. This is after owning various heavy hitters from Chord, Levinson, MBL, Esoteric, and others. 
   
  I haven't heard the new Esoteric D-07x, but I did spend time with the original D-07, and I don't think there is a substantial differences between them (async USB and headphone jack). The D-07 is on one end of the sound spectrum, the Audio GD on the other. So I can see where that would paint a picture of a clear difference. Interestingly, to me the D-07 was not very enjoyable. That just shows how we all have different preferences and thus why there will always be a demand for "different" sounding gear.


----------



## Gwarmi

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Meh, a lot of people just go crazy over a high priced component because of the price. It's like when people are in the presence of a celebrity, they get all embarrassed or star-struck. Your friend may have been legitimately impressed or may just have been in awe of the price and fancy casework.
> 
> Yes, some high priced DACs _do _in fact sound great. But take away the awe and wonder of it all, and I don't feel they are much different from the exceptional units costing substantially less. This is after owning various heavy hitters from Chord, Levinson, MBL, Esoteric, and others.
> 
> I haven't heard the new Esoteric D-07x, but I did spend time with the original D-07, and I don't think there is a substantial differences between them (async USB and headphone jack). The D-07 is on one end of the sound spectrum, the Audio GD on the other. So I can see where that would paint a picture of a clear difference. Interestingly, to me the D-07 was not very enjoyable. That just shows how we all have different preferences and thus why there will always be a demand for "different" sounding gear.


 
   
   Yes that's so true - I have immense respect for the Reference 7.1, I can take a step back and understand
   why it demands and deserves the attention that it receives. Perhaps I'm just a little funny but the newish
   Esoteric D07x was the first DAC right off the bat that had me thinking within minutes that I would have no qualms
   in jettisoning my Rega DAC + Audiophilleo off a high rise building if in exchange this Esoteric unit would
   be the replacement.
   
   Not to derail the thread any further but there are few suspect mid rangers out there that continue to puzzle me
   - most notably the Schiit Audio BiFrost and Cambridge Audio DacMagic+. The Bifrost is a bit digital, a constant
   reminder that this is music coming off the laptop, it never convinced me in any real sense.
   
   The DacMagic+ was also a shrilly mid range unit to my ears - bit more detailed than the Bifrost but the higher
   frequencies were glared and nasty. Still, plenty of folk would disagree with me - their popularity speaks
   volumes.


----------



## stevenlongs

Well, I went ahead and bought the EE Minimax plus from the member allyl.
   
  I hope it will sound good to my ears paired with the V200.  I would have liked to try the Violectric stack but the box is just too expensive 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  Those MSB "things" look alien to me due to the pricetag. 
   
  I am very impressed and delighted with what I am hearing through the V200. I don't have a comparison or reference point of any kind but to my ears the money was well worth it. It is musically and emotionally captivating.


----------



## Gwarmi

Occasionally it can take time for true appreciation of a product to really sink in. I've never been disappointed with the performance and synergy
   of the V200 with my Grado PS1000's - the only niggle that I had was that sometimes I wished for a slightly more forward presentation which
   is more of a trait of the PS1000's than anything else - the V200 has a very good mids presentation generally speaking.
   
   After spending some time with the new Burson Soloist and RSA Raptor - it reaffirmed my contentment with the V200, the Burson
   works really well with the Audeze range but on the PS1000 - it appears to be a tad bloated and the mids do not come forward
   anymore so than on the V200. The Raptor changes all of that by bringing things forward but there is simply too much gain
   on that thing - I've never seen anyone turn beyond 9 o clock on the Raptor and even then - that is a tonne of volume.
   
   Its a great listen at the end of the day - you just have to audition many other contenders out there to come back to
   how good this unit really is.


----------



## hifuguy

Hi Guys....
   
  Well I'm seriously excited.... I have ordered a V200 today from Robert at AphroditeCu29. He was indeed very nice an helpful.
   
  Thanks to everyone here for doing such a good job of sharing your experiences with the V200. I most likely would have glossed over and dismissed the V200 without you guys. It's amazing how many people, with such different headphone types, with such different headphone brands/models love the V200. You have to work at finding a disparaging comment anywhere. Even tube-guys kinda like it! What a unique happening  at Head-Fi!
   
  I look forward to adding my thoughts to the thread when it arrives and gets settled-in.
   
  With Best Regards.... Happy Listening!


----------



## WNBC

This tube guy liked the V200 as well.  It's one of those fantastic all-purpose amps.  Money no object, I would still have one, but unfortunately I gotta feed this tube addiction.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Quote: 





hifuguy said:


> Hi Guys....
> 
> Even tube-guys kinda like it! What a unique happening  at Head-Fi!


----------



## caracara08

wnbc said:


> This tube guy liked the V200 as well.  It's one of those fantastic all-purpose amps.  Money no object, I would still have one, but unfortunately I gotta feed this tube addiction.




100 % feel the same way as you. I thought the v200 was nothing short of amazing. I hope when finances allow, ill buy another one and try out the v800


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Yes that's so true - I have immense respect for the Reference 7.1, I can take a step back and understand
> why it demands and deserves the attention that it receives. Perhaps I'm just a little funny but the newish
> Esoteric D07x was the first DAC right off the bat that had me thinking within minutes that I would have no qualms
> in jettisoning my Rega DAC + Audiophilleo off a high rise building if in exchange this Esoteric unit would
> ...


 
   
  One DAC that isn't much discussed in this forum is the Mytek 192 DSD DAC, that can play SACDs through USB/Firewire, you can read my review here:
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/622248/review-mytek-stereo-192-dsd-dac-preamp-amplifier


----------



## madbull

I'm so lazy to search for this info... can the V200 drive the HE-6 and LCD-3 properly?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





madbull said:


> I'm so lazy to search for this info... can the V200 drive the HE-6 and LCD-3 properly?


 
   
  Yes...but not the best synergy IMO with regards to the LCD-3s. But not enough to properly drive the HE-6s.


----------



## Gwarmi

Yes I can second that ~ the LCD3 is the only headphone that comes to mind off the bat that the V200 simply does not like. It makes
   for a very muddy, warbly marriage


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





gwarmi said:


> Yes I can second that ~ the LCD3 is the only headphone that comes to mind off the bat that the V200 simply does not like. It makes
> for a very muddy, warbly marriage


 
  You can add the Schiit Lyr to that list as well. It was fantastic with the LCD-2.2s, but a real let down with the LCD-3s.


----------



## RedBull

^ Strange, I read somewhere reported the same too with regards to Lyr and LCD-3. 
In your opinion, what could be the problem? Spec and power wise they seems to match alright tho.


----------



## preproman

Is the V200 considered to be a Transparent or Colored amp?


----------



## brat

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Is the V200 considered to be a Transparent or Colored amp?


 
  Regarding _some "high end" audiophile gear_ I find live performances with acoustic intruments quite colored and untransparent. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  If you want realism get V200, if the goal is HUGE soundstage, transparency and audiophile orgasm itself, look elsewhere


----------



## RedBull

preproman said:


> Is the V200 considered to be a Transparent or Colored amp?




From what I read, it's quite a colored amp that nicely 'paint' what HD800 is lacking.


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





redbull said:


> ^ Strange, I read somewhere reported the same too with regards to Lyr and LCD-3.
> In your opinion, what could be the problem? Spec and power wise they seems to match alright tho.


 
  It certainly wasn't power. Lack of synergy? I felt it was holding my LCD-3s back...there was more detail and performance there that I wasn't getting with that amp. I had the WA22, LF (still own), GS-1 and now GS-X (still own) and with these amps I can better hear what the LCD-3s are capable of. 
   
  Quote: 





preproman said:


> Is the V200 considered to be a Transparent or Colored amp?


 
   
  Depends what amp you're comparing the V200 to. Overall, I'd say its transparent, but not GS-1 transparent (and they're in the same price bracket).


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





macedonianhero said:


> It certainly wasn't power. Lack of synergy? I felt it was holding my LCD-3s back...there was more detail and performance there that I wasn't getting with that amp. I had the WA22, LF (still own), GS-1 and now GS-X (still own) and with these amps I can better hear what the LCD-3s are capable of.
> 
> 
> Depends what amp you're comparing the V200 to. Overall, I'd say its transparent, but not GS-1 transparent (and they're in the same price bracket).


 
   
   
  I tought they were in the same price range?


----------



## preproman

Any word on what the new offerings from Violectric will be?


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





preproman said:


> I tought they were in the same price range?


 
  They are:
   
   


macedonianhero said:


> Depends what amp you're comparing the V200 to. Overall, I'd say its transparent, but not GS-1 transparent (and* they're in the same price bracket*).


----------



## preproman

O  I read that wrong


----------



## MacedonianHero

Quote: 





preproman said:


> O  I read that wrong


 
  No worries.


----------



## MickeyVee

Can you point me tot the Lyr versus V200 comparison?
  I've got the Lyr and have been slowly making my way through this entire thread over the last couple of days.
  I'm seriously considering the V200 with the 24/96 USB DAC option as a single unit.  I'll be using the HD700, HE400 with the possibility of replacing the HE400 with the LCD2.
  I heard the HE400 on an older kickbutt solid state amp and it really blew me away - much better than with the Lyr. Thus my V200 consideration.
  Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> I'm sitting with it hooked up to a Lyr at the moment (thanks Zombie_X for replying to my other thread asking for comparisons between the Lyr and V200), which I do like but I'm not sure I'm a tube rolling kinda guy (all that faff!), and I need to be able to use a range of cans, even IEMs as I share a small home office so at times I need no sound leakage at all.


----------



## fischerspooner

For now I have an Audinst HudMx1 & T1 & lcd 2.
   
  Is the Violectric much better? Is there a day / night (big) audible difference?
  Thanks.


----------



## rawrster

Do you have another dac or is it just that dac/amp unit?
   
  I do find the V200 amp to be in a completely different league than the Audinst but then again the price range is very different. I found it to be a big difference but also I have a good dac as well as the V200 amp while the Audinst is more of an entry level type gear compared to the V200 amp. You could also use the Audinst as a dac and the V200 as an amp and see how that goes to see if you want better or not.


----------



## fischerspooner

The Audinst is my only dac/amp.
   
  So it makes an audible difference by using a V200 (amp) + Audinst (dac)?
  Should I get a new DAC, too?
   
  I really would love to spend some money


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Can you point me tot the Lyr versus V200 comparison?
> I've got the Lyr and have been slowly making my way through this entire thread over the last couple of days.
> I'm seriously considering the V200 with the 24/96 USB DAC option as a single unit.  I'll be using the HD700, HE400 with the possibility of replacing the HE400 with the LCD2.
> I heard the HE400 on an older kickbutt solid state amp and it really blew me away - much better than with the Lyr. Thus my V200 consideration.


 
  There aren't really many comparisons. You should contact Zombie as he had experience with them.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





fischerspooner said:


> The Audinst is my only dac/amp.
> 
> So it makes an audible difference by using a V200 (amp) + Audinst (dac)?
> Should I get a new DAC, too?
> ...


 
   
  The V200 amp is much better than the Audinst amp and it is a decent dac for the price but if you are willing to spend you can get better and separate units too.


----------



## fischerspooner

Will it sound _*completely*_ different possibly even like a new headphone (T1, LCD2)?


----------



## dukeskd

Quote: 





fischerspooner said:


> Will it sound _*completely*_ different possibly even like a new headphone (T1, LCD2)?


 

 No, please read on amplification. It will get the most out of your headphone that was underpowered. The sound signature will still be apparent, etc.


----------



## RedBull

Quote: 





fischerspooner said:


> I really would love to spend some money


 
   
  Sometime I do feel like spending money too


----------



## hifuguy

Hi Everyone,
   
  Oh happy day! My V200 has arrived from AphroditeCu29. The transaction with Robert was a pleasure in every respect. Highly recommended.
   
  I just had time for a quick listen on my Hifiman HE-500, but even cold out of the box, it was sooo hard to put them down... the worst case of one-more-song that I've had in a very long time. With the addition of the V200, it became so organic, so engaging and musical. The soundstage presentation is way improved. Headphone listening just took on a whole new era for me . I have to say that all of you guys who commented and reviewed the V200 were exactly on target in all of your descriptions of the V200. Well done to all of you. As you can tell, I'm really happy. 
   
  This is a mind-blowing step-up from an all ready good RSA SR-71a portable amp, I had no idea of just how good the HE-500 really is until this morning. Sometimes all the high-end audio descriptions, for as valuable as they are, get a bit bit tedious,... when the bottom line is does the system sound like real music and does carry you away (or not). The V200, at least in the context of my system and my tastes, truly does.  
   
  The rest of the system goes like this:
   
  Mac Mini - Audirvana Plus Music Player - Locus Axis USB - Wyrd4Sound DAC2 - Less Loss Anchorwaves Interconects (Balanced) - V200 - HE-500 (stock thin-silver cable still).
   
  It really sings. Never a note that makes you want to cringe, but all the detail you want. Fabulous bass. Midrange magic. Soundstage... it's all there. More to follow. I have to leave on a week long business trip. Talk about crummy timing. More to follow when I get back and everything settles in.
   
  Thanks Again Everyone!


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





hifuguy said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Oh happy day! My V200 has arrived from AphroditeCu29. The transaction with Robert was a pleasure in every respect. Highly recommended.
> 
> ...


 
  the secret/power might lie in your lessloss cables lol


----------



## hifuguy

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> the secret/power might lie in your lessloss cables lol


 
  Yep.... those cables are pretty special for sure. That being said, I'm not looking to start a debate about cables. This isn't the place and the subject  tends to get way too polarizing, but I have obviously invested very heavily into cables. It's goes even deeper... as I'm also a big fan of the Triode Power Lab power cables. Like I said, I'm not looking to start a debate as it get way to heated and way to polarizing for me to enjoy, but to me, cables are very important to faithfully reproducing music, just my experience...  your mileage can, and probably will, vary.   I still can't believe how the V200 just snapped my headphone system into place. I guess that's why they call it a "system." So taken in total it looks like this:
   
  Triode Power Lab Cable - Blue Circle Power "Silly-Cone filter" - 3 more Triode Power Labs Cables
   
                                                                                                                            - V200 -  Stock Silver Cables - HE500 
  Mac Mini - Audirvana Plus - Locus Axis USB - Wyrd4Sound DAC2 - Lessloss (Bal XLR) -
                                                                                                                            - Dynaudio BM5a
   
  At the moment....  I have to flip the Lessloss cables and one of the Triode Power Labs (between the V200 or BM5a) to go from Headphone mode to Speaker mode, as needed. Lately,, I've been 90% headphone mode and 10% speaker mode. Hence the investment in the the V200.
   
  The BM5a speakers basically sit on the floor, on 2" maple blocks that are spiked through the carpet to the floor. The front of the speaker is tipped way up by a fourth very tall brass spike. It's way off the beaten path, but it sounds jaw-droppingly great. You would think that the soundstage would bury itself into the floor, but it magically floats way up and the speakers totally disappear. The bass is way better than you would expect, I think they like the boundary reinforcement off the floor.. It's really unusual and all kind of creepy in an great way and really fun way.


----------



## stakatch

Hi
  Where can I get the lowest price on this amp?
  Thanks


----------



## minimus

Quote: 





hifuguy said:


> So taken in total it looks like this:
> 
> Triode Power Lab Cable - Blue Circle Power "Silly-Cone filter" - 3 more Triode Power Labs Cables
> 
> ...


 
  Interesting comments about the Triode Wire Labs cables.  They seem to be getting some very good reviews and are well-liked over on Audiocircle. I have been meaning to demo them in my system.
   
  If you have a chance at some point, you might look into a Running Springs Haley power conditioner.  I found that the addition of the Haley to my headphone rig really improved the sound, through increased detail and transparency.  And these days a used Haley will not cost much more than 2 TWL power cords.


----------



## esn89

So I recently got the v800 to go with my v200 (for the sake of discussion, we'll call this combination the v1000 from now on). 
   
  The only problem is that my music is very loud, the volume pot on my v200 never goes past 12, even with the -6dB switched on.  From what I have read form this thread, Fried mentioned that the volume pot should be past the 12 o' clock position for slight improvement on sound.  As for the source (which is fed by my laptop) both the DAC and Foobar is maxed as I believe that I should maximize the source.
   
  Is there any other way to lower the volume, so I can play with the volume knob a bit more/fine tune the volume in the v200?  Currently it sits at 9-10 o clock and it is very very loud with my RS1-i..


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  You can open the DAC and toggle the gain switches so the gain is lower. I keep my DAC at normal +15dB gain, but sometimes it can be a bit loud. The gain is the same as on the V200 and can be adjusted lower or higher. The highest setting is +24dB and the lowest is +6dB. For your RS1i I would say lower it to +6dB. 
   
  You need a torx bit to open the V800 and takes a #2.5 bit. These can be found at hardware stores and should be quite common.
   
  Quote: 





esn89 said:


> So I recently got the v800 to go with my v200 (for the sake of discussion, we'll call this combination the v1000 from now on).
> 
> The only problem is that my music is very loud, the volume pot on my v200 never goes past 12, even with the -6dB switched on.  From what I have read form this thread, Fried mentioned that the volume pot should be past the 12 o' clock position for slight improvement on sound.  As for the source (which is fed by my laptop) both the DAC and Foobar is maxed as I believe that I should maximize the source.
> 
> Is there any other way to lower the volume, so I can play with the volume knob a bit more/fine tune the volume in the v200?  Currently it sits at 9-10 o clock and it is very very loud with my RS1-i..


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> So I recently got the v800 to go with my v200 (for the sake of discussion, we'll call this combination the v1000 from now on).
> 
> The only problem is that my music is very loud, the volume pot on my v200 never goes past 12, even with the -6dB switched on.  From what I have read form this thread, Fried mentioned that the volume pot should be past the 12 o' clock position for slight improvement on sound.  As for the source (which is fed by my laptop) both the DAC and Foobar is maxed as I believe that I should maximize the source.
> 
> Is there any other way to lower the volume, so I can play with the volume knob a bit more/fine tune the volume in the v200?  Currently it sits at 9-10 o clock and it is very very loud with my RS1-i..


 
   
  Is there a volume control on the V800?  There appears to be one in the photos.  With the power off, just set your V200 amp volume pot at the 3 O'clock position and then, with power on, gradually increase the volume on the DAC from zero.  You can adjust the V200 gain as needed.  I have my V200 set at the 3 O'clock position all the time and my DAC output is in the middle of the range.  I have the V200 pre gain set to -6 db.  This is the way I manage my V200 (using my Oppo 95 DAC) -- it sounds great.


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hi,
> 
> You can open the DAC and toggle the gain switches so the gain is lower. I keep my DAC at normal +15dB gain, but sometimes it can be a bit loud. The gain is the same as on the V200 and can be adjusted lower or higher. The highest setting is +24dB and the lowest is +6dB. For your RS1i I would say lower it to +6dB.
> 
> You need a torx bit to open the V800 and takes a #2.5 bit. These can be found at hardware stores and should be quite common.


 

 Wait, so lowest, in terms of lowering the volume is actually +6?  I think I've been going in the opposite direction to lower the volume by using -6


----------



## spkrs01

Be a little careful as graphics are printed kind of inverse in the V800 manual. Black are the buttons not white. Also remember to adjust both channels!
   
  I have the V800 set on +18 and the V200 on either -6 or -12 on the pre-gain and using the XLR connection. My listening on the volume pot is 12-3pm.


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  On the V800 the lowest is +6dB, on the V200 it's -6dB.
   
  Quote: 





esn89 said:


> Wait, so lowest, in terms of lowering the volume is actually +6?  I think I've been going in the opposite direction to lower the volume by using -6


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





zombie_x said:


> Hi,
> 
> On the V800 the lowest is +6dB, on the V200 it's -6dB.


 

 Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the back of v800, there are no switches that allow me to play with the gain, which means I have to open the unit up?
   
  If so, are there any threads or user who have (reported back with results, and can help me out) opened the v800 before?  Are there any precautions I should take, similar to the post made by Fried about opening up the v200 and setting it to DC? http://www.head-fi.org/t/551173/review-violectric-hpa-v200-amp/1200#post_8299108


----------



## Zombie_X

Hi,
   
  That's right, there are no external dip switches. The dip switches are internal and are just like on the V200. I have opened my V800 a few times and it's quite easy.
   
  Also don't set the amp to DC operation as that can potentially damage your headphones.
   
  Quote: 





esn89 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the back of v800, there are no switches that allow me to play with the gain, which means I have to open the unit up?
> 
> If so, are there any threads or user who have (reported back with results, and can help me out) opened the v800 before?  Are there any precautions I should take, similar to the post made by Fried about opening up the v200 and setting it to DC? http://www.head-fi.org/t/551173/review-violectric-hpa-v200-amp/1200#post_8299108


----------



## fengwei007

Head-fi newbie here. Just got a V200 for my HD800. It's from the US, I mod its AC input from 110v to 230v (I'm in Singapore btw), tested it out w/ the HUD-MX1 as DAC here in office, the sound is so musical even from my Sony EX300 (bundled earphones w/ my A864), a big step up from the HUD-MX1 amp I'd say. 
   
  Can't wait to go home and try it out w/ a better DAC and my beloved HD800


----------



## Bolardito

The V200 is really a great match with the HD800...


----------



## rawrster

I do like the V200 with the HD800 and it is a good match. Sometimes I want a more neutral amp with the HD800 however so it is just a matter of taste.


----------



## fengwei007

Hooked up my newly bought V200 w/ M1 DAC. Wow! My HD800 never sounded so good before. 
   
  Now I can enjoy my musics even better


----------



## autarch1

Has anyone compared the v200 with the Graham Slee Ultra Linear? 

I'm looking for an amp that can be used with my T1s and my Edition 8s. I've read at least one review on here that suggests the v200 and edition 8 aren't a good match. Is anybody currently using this combo?


----------



## dallan

That is the combo i use and i like it.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
   
  I have a Lisa lll, Zana Deux, v200 and Headamp Pico.  I use it with all except the Zana Deux due to impedance is wrong for that amp.  The v200 is the best of the others but Pico is mobile amp and Lisa lll could be considered a home amp with its external power supply but technically is transportable.


----------



## autarch1

Quote: 





dallan said:


> That is the combo i use and i like it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   


 That is an encouraging response. I owned a Triad Audio L3 and regret selling it. If the v200 works better with the Edition 8 than the L3, I'd be very happy.


----------



## rawrster

I didn't want to create a new thread but it kinda is related to the V200 or at least my use of it. I know I can use rca splitters from the rca of my dac to two headphone amps but I was wondering if I could do the opposite. If I had two dacs would I be able to do something similar to the amp to compare the sound using the rca splitter or would that involve buying an input switch?


----------



## esn89

I noticed that my v200+v800 and squeezebox (volume max) runs really really loud.  i have my volume for the v800 at a little less than halfway, and same with v200 as well.
   
  Regarding the gain settings at the back of v200...to turn things down a notch would i go for the - or the + switches?
   
  Also, can you flip both the 6 and the 12 to make a combined 18db?


----------



## hifuguy

rawrster...  Nope, you cannot "Y" together two sources. The output drivers of the two sources will fight with each other. Don't even try it. Your best option for listening to the differences between your two sources is to simply flip the same interconnect cable back and forth. And besides, you don't really want to insert some cheap "Y" connector into the signal path anyway.


----------



## Loevhagen

I would recommend that you decrease the gain of the V800. It is almost 4V by default. I adjusted it down to 1.5V. 
  Quote: 





esn89 said:


> I noticed that my v200+v800 and squeezebox (volume max) runs really really loud.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





hifuguy said:


> rawrster...  Nope, you cannot "Y" together two sources. The output drivers of the two sources will fight with each other. Don't even try it. Your best option for listening to the differences between your two sources is to simply flip the same interconnect cable back and forth. And besides, you don't really want to insert some cheap "Y" connector into the signal path anyway.


 
   
  I figured that was the case but wanted to be sure. Thanks


----------



## Hooster

That amp sure is is nice, but would it have killed them to include a line out?


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I would recommend that you decrease the gain of the V800. It is almost 4V by default. I adjusted it down to 1.5V.


 

 I've a feeling that I have to open the v800 to do this right?
   
  Would there be a guide with pictures that can help me with this process?


----------



## Loevhagen

Do you have the manual? It is quite straight forward and done in minutes. Look at page 21. If you do not have the manual by hand: http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/22/V800-E%20Manual.pdf


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Do you have the manual? It is quite straight forward and done in minutes. Look at page 21. If you do not have the manual by hand: http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/22/V800-E%20Manual.pdf


 

 Thanks, I will give that a good read.
    As for my previous question for the v200, would it advisable to flick both the +6 and +12 at the same time?


----------



## Loevhagen

If you thing the volume is to HIGH, you need to flick the -6 (minus) and then -12 - or both. I should expect you could leave them in neutral if you reduce the gain on the V800. 
   
  Yes; you can flick both - if you want to.


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> If you thing the volume is to HIGH, you need to flick the -6 (minus) and then -12 - or both. I should expect you could leave them in neutral if you reduce the gain on the V800.
> 
> Yes; you can flick both - if you want to.


 

 I noticed that we have pretty much the same set-up, Loev.  What works best for you?


----------



## Loevhagen

V800 + V200 + LCD-2 is, and have been for quite some time, my to-go combo. A perfect balance between "relaxed" and "powerful" sound. 
   
  I use the +6dBu setting in the V800 and neutral gain on the V200. 
   
  What headphone did you go for with the V800/V200?


----------



## RedBull

Loevhagen, do you still have your BCL?


----------



## Loevhagen

The BCL was a long time borrow from a friendly head-fier.


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> V800 + V200 + LCD-2 is, and have been for quite some time, my to-go combo. A perfect balance between "relaxed" and "powerful" sound.
> 
> I use the +6dBu setting in the V800 and neutral gain on the V200.
> 
> What headphone did you go for with the V800/V200?


 
   
   
  I use a pair of RS1-i and SR-325is.  Which, looking back at it now, that probably explains why things are so loud.
   
  I'm longing to get an LCD2 or T1.


----------



## Rico613

I'm curious if anyone has heard from Robert at Aphrodite CU 29 . . . he seems to have vanished . . .


----------



## mafiamike

Hello, I have the same question. I recently bought some hd800's and was looking at the v200 or Graham Slee ultra linear. Which one would be a better upgrade?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





mafiamike said:


> Hello, I have the same question. I recently bought some hd800's and was looking at the v200 or Graham Slee ultra linear. Which one would be a better upgrade?


 
   
  I just heard from Robert at Aphrodite cu29.  His email crashed for a day or so . . . all is well.


----------



## hifuguy

Robert took very good care of me with my V200 purchase a couple of months ago. It really is an awesome amplifier. I find it to be the perfect balance between musical warmth, authoritative bass and just the right amount of top-end sparkle to be fully satisfying, but with NEVER a strident note. That's so hard to find. This all being said in the context of: Mac Mini / Audirvana Plus / Wyrd4Sound Dac-2 / V200 / Hifiman HE500s and some very good cabling.


----------



## dallan

I really wish all vendors out here were like Robert, he's the best.


----------



## mafiamike

_I just sent him an email and thanks for the vendor. Any hd 800's owners out there who would like to comment on the v200 synergy or give a small review. Thanks _


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





mafiamike said:


> _I just sent him an email and thanks for the vendor. Any hd 800's owners out there who would like to comment on the v200 synergy or give a small review. Thanks _


 
   
  There is no question that the V200 + HD 800 is a great combination, especially with balanced inputs from a balanced DAC


----------



## dallan

Yes, a great combo but against most other opinions i didn't find the balanced inputs as good, i liked it better with my RCA's and returned my XLR cables after extensive a/bing.
  The v200 is warm yet detailed, thus a perfect storm for the HD800.


----------



## RedBull

dallan, could you elaborate more what is it that you don't like with the balance connection? brighter? grainier? I am curious. Thanks.


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





redbull said:


> dallan, could you elaborate more what is it that you don't like with the balance connection? brighter? grainier? I am curious. Thanks.


 
  It was a while back, i just think i lost detail and gave a flatter sound.  I was very surprised because i was told by several people that it would improve the sound.  I have pretty good rca's though.  The xrl's were the best i could buy at guitar center, they were around a hundred bucks i think.  My rca's are over two hundred but i wasn't attached to them and thought the balanced would absolutely outperform the unbalanced.  I a/bed a lot for three days and i just couldn't get to the point where I could deal with the sound quality drop.  You can flip the switch and make rca out if you go in balanced and i wanted that configuration to run other amps sometimes/more flexibility.  Oh well.


----------



## i019791

The XLR and RCA inputs of V200 from Audio-Gd NFB-10 were sonically indistinguishable to me


----------



## RedBull

Thanks dallan, 9791, that's like what I experience as well with other amp owned by friend of mine.
   
  In a 10 minutes impression though, it gives brighter, larger but flatter soundstage, just like what you said, albeit I didn't really pay attention to detail though, it could be that it has slightly more detail but that could be due to brighter sound signature.
  I could have tried in longer time, but I just leave it as I didn't hear anything that made me wanted to try more.
   
  I hear more difference when I swapped by RCA cable though.


----------



## qawsedrf

The V200 really NEEDS an excellent back-end to perform to its best: Powercords, RCA cables.. Etc.

It is insane how it improved when I've switched my RCA cables to the Transparent MusicLink Plus MM2 - mids gained further clarity that it is eerily real now, bass is thunderous and at times I cringe, fearing the drivers on my headphones will tear from the vibration!

Violectric V200 is truly loads of fun! Surprising how transparent the V200 can be to show equipments hooked up to it.


----------



## brat

It's interesting to know what people from Violectric recommend - RCA or XLR connections.
  I have a balanced DAC. If I use RCA cables the signal will be converted from balanced to unbalanced in the DAC.If I use XLR cables the balanced signal will be converted in the amp. I know the balanced cables are better way to  tranasmit the signal but I don't know if the chips used to make balanced to unbalaned signal inV200 are better than these in mu Weiss DAC202U...


----------



## project86

Quote: 





brat said:


> It's interesting to know what people from Violectric recommend - RCA or XLR connections.
> I have a balanced DAC. If I use RCA cables the signal will be converted from balanced to unbalanced in the DAC.If I use XLR cables the balanced signal will be converted in the amp. I know the balanced cables are better way to  tranasmit the signal but I don't know if the chips used to make balanced to unbalaned signal inV200 are better than these in mu Weiss DAC202U...


 
   
  They generally say use whatever works best for your setup - it probably depends more on your DAC than the V200.


----------



## smoothtalker

from what i can see Violectric uses quite a number of Jamicon capacitor, whether it's in v100/v200/v800. but it seems that most people in the audio community aviods Jamicons caps. so why does violectric amp still sounds so great? i wonder!


----------



## preproman

So are there any updates on their new Balanced headphone amps?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





smoothtalker said:


> from what i can see Violectric uses quite a number of Jamicon capacitor, whether it's in v100/v200/v800. but it seems that most people in the audio community aviods Jamicons caps. so why does violectric amp still sounds so great? i wonder!


 
   
   
  Meh, Violectric isn't really the type of company to use boutique parts like that. The "audio community" frequently makes baseless assumptions about all types of things, including caps. 
   
  Violectric could have used almost any brand they wanted (within reason of course) and these are what they chose. I can't argue with the end result though I'm sure someone, somewhere, would replace them all with expensive options and call it a massive improvement. People do that all the time and in fact whole businesses have sprung up based around the concept. You as a consumer sort of need to make up your own mind as to how much you think this matters. 
   
  Quote: 





preproman said:


> So are there any updates on their new Balanced headphone amps?


 
   
   
  I just sent an email the other day to inquire about that. I'll report if I hear anything (assuming I'm allowed to share it).


----------



## autarch1

Is it OK to use my v200 sitting on its side? I'm making sure that the side is protected and the amp is getting air. It saves me space at the office but I'm not sure if this could cause any issues.


----------



## project86

autarch1 said:


> Is it OK to use my v200 sitting on its side? I'm making sure that the side is protected and the amp is getting air. It saves me space at the office but I'm not sure if this could cause any issues.




I don't see why not. There's nothing inside that can rattle around, so go for it!


----------



## tokendog

How long does it typically take to get the V200 in the States after ordering?


----------



## avrosse

A question for those of you that have heard the V200 paired with the Sennheiser HD 800s, how does this combo deal with older recordings, e.g., classical recordings from the 50s? Can this combo bring out the beauty of these recordings without always reminding you that you're listening to an inferior recording? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 Best,
 Joel


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





avrosse said:


> A question for those of you that have heard the V200 paired with the Sennheiser HD 800s, how does this combo deal with older recordings, e.g., classical recordings from the 50s? Can this combo bring out the beauty of these recordings without always reminding you that you're listening to an inferior recording? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
> 
> Best,
> Joel


 
   
  [size=10pt]The HD800s are by far the preferred headphones for classical music. http://www.head-fi.org/t/612250/headphone-comparison-sennheiser-hd-600-hd-700-hd-800-hd-25-1-and-the-amperior-audio-technica-ath-m50s-audeze-lcd-2-rev-2-and-the-lcd-3  And I have no hesitation in recommending the V200 along with the HD800s for classical music. Of course, the source material and DAC are all important consideration as well. [/size]
   
  [size=10pt]As to your question about vintage recordings, I think it is fair to say that state-of-the-art high quality audio equipment is never the friend of earlier technology recordings.  Who, afterall, still listens to 78RPM disks?  (I know you are out there !!!)[/size]
  [size=10pt][/size]
  [size=10pt]The question of whether earlier recordings (classical or otherwise) stand up to the clarity and precision of today's qudio equipment is really a matter of trade-offs. In general, any audiophile would prefer excellent performances over mediocre ones, and they would prefer higher audio quality over inferior recordings. So the question for the collector is whether the performance quality of an earlier recording outweighs the disadvantages of possible lesser audio quality. I think it becomes a matter of personal taste. I love the Horowitz 1941 recording of Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto, but even with re-mastering and even though "RCA Victor had reached a new standard in high fidelity, which was only limited by the surface noise of the shellac discs". There is just too much audio missing for me to truly enjoy these recordings. On the other hand, the Fritz Reiner remastered Scheherazade (1956) is a truly magical performance that outweighs the audio limitations in my opinion. On the bright side, there are many newer recordings that combine both superb performances and high quality audio. You may enjoy hunting them down on Amazon, and in the Gramophone Guide.[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]As for price and shipping on the V200, I would check with Robert at http://aphroditecu29.com/Violectric/Violectric.aspx[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]If you order from Germany, there will be a surprise import duty of about $50 when it arrives.  I got mine from Germany in about 4 days, but the final price was almost the same as ordering from Aphrodite.  http://www.violectric.de/Pages/en/products/hpav200.php[/size]


----------



## sling5s

Sorry, I tried to read through it but missed that it comes with an Dac option.  How is the Dac inside the Violectric V200 compared to the V800 and other Dacs (the Dac in the Burson, ODAC, Bifrost, NFB-3, HRT STreamer II, Pico Dac, Centrance Dacport, etc)?  Thank you.


----------



## avrosse

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> [size=10pt]The HD800s are by far the preferred headphones for classical music. http://www.head-fi.org/t/612250/headphone-comparison-sennheiser-hd-600-hd-700-hd-800-hd-25-1-and-the-amperior-audio-technica-ath-m50s-audeze-lcd-2-rev-2-and-the-lcd-3  And I have no hesitation in recommending the V200 along with the HD800s for classical music. Of course, the source material and DAC are all important consideration as well. [/size]
> 
> [size=10pt]As to your question about vintage recordings, I think it is fair to say that state-of-the-art high quality audio equipment is never the friend of earlier technology recordings.  Who, afterall, still listens to 78RPM disks?  (I know you are out there !!!)[/size]
> 
> ...


 

 Hey Rico613, thanks so much for your great response. My primary interest lies in opera. In that genre, unfortunately, nobody that sings today can really match the great talents of the past such as Callas, Pavarotti, Bjorling, etc. My question relating to the HD 800s and the V200 is whether this specific combo compared to other combos does fairly well with older recordings or whether, because of the highly detailed sound signature of the HD 800s, the hiss and other mistakes in older recordings make them very unpleasant to listen to. My only comparison is the Grado RS1 connected to a Lehmann Linear amp. That combo seemed to do very well with these older recordings. Yes there was hiss, etc., but these issues were very much in the background and the beauty of the music was really allowed to shine through. My hope with using the V200, which seems to be a warmer SS amp, is to take just a touch of the edge off of the HD 800s to make these older recordings sound more pleasant without really compromising the overall sound picture too much. Any thoughts?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





avrosse said:


> Hey Rico613, thanks so much for your great response. My primary interest lies in opera. In that genre, unfortunately, nobody that sings today can really match the great talents of the past such as Callas, Pavarotti, Bjorling, etc. My question relating to the HD 800s and the V200 is whether this specific combo compared to other combos does fairly well with older recordings or whether, because of the highly detailed sound signature of the HD 800s, the hiss and other mistakes in older recordings make them very unpleasant to listen to. My only comparison is the Grado RS1 connected to a Lehmann Linear amp. That combo seemed to do very well with these older recordings. Yes there was hiss, etc., but these issues were very much in the background and the beauty of the music was really allowed to shine through. My hope with using the V200, which seems to be a warmer SS amp, is to take just a touch of the edge off of the HD 800s to make these older recordings sound more pleasant without really compromising the overall sound picture too much. Any thoughts?


 
  The HD 800 is quite 'bright' at higher frequencies, around 6.3 KHz for example. However, the operatic voice does not reach those frequencies.  I just sampled a Maria Callas CD that included a couple early mono recordings.  One of these was a bit "scratchy", but every other cut sounded fabulous.  I've never heard "hiss" coming from the V200.
   
  I'm not familiar with the Grado RS1 or Lehmann Linear Amp.  If you only listen to the early operatic recordings, and you are satisfied, maybe your curent setup is sufficient for you needs.  On the other hand if you want to get into a full, deep, rich sound stage that brings out the maximum from high quality CD's or SACD's  you won't regret the V200 with the HD 800s.  (feel free to PM me if you would like to continue our discussion.)


----------



## yours truly

Hello! Long time lurker and first time poster.
   
  I'm seriously considering the V200 and V800 combo. The stack would look nice and save me some space on my desk. I've read all 120 pages of this thread but I several questions.
   
  What headphones would pair best with the V200/V800 - the HD800 or the LCD v2? (I listen to pretty much anything aside from classical and jazz)
   
  My original plan was to get a Sonos, an iPad and a nas but I've decided against it, so I'm looking for a great headphone solution instead. My thought is to the plug the V200 into the V800 via XLR and plug that into my PC via USB but reading this thread it seems this isn't the best option and I should get a Hiface 2 and use a coax cable? My PC doesn't have a soundcard but it does have an optical input and so does the V800 - so would that be an option?
   
  I was looking at the prices of some of the cables you guys are using and it makes my eyes water! Going for the V200/V800 and 1k's worth of headphone would put me on the back foot way past Christmas, but if I can figure out what sort of cost I'm looking at for everything, it would really help.
   
  Could any of you recommend decent XLR cables (and possibly a coax) in the budget of around £250-300 which I can find in the UK?
   
  I'm not even sure this whole idea is a good one as the dac will be fed into my PC (and I guess this would be the weak link in the chain?) . Should I scrap the whole V200/V800 LCD/HD800 combo and look elsewhere instead? I don't mind eating beans on toast for the next 3 months if it means I can get awesome sound for the rest of my life.
   
  Any advice is appreciated.
   
  Thanks.


----------



## sling5s

Anyone know if someone here (head fi) plans on selling their V200.  I've been checking the "for sale" thread and nothing.
  A used one is really hard to fine.  I guess it's a good sign.


----------



## beyerlove

And I've never seen single Violectric amp on ebay for a month. It's very good sign too.


----------



## fengwei007

I'd been using the V200 together w/ an M1 DAC-A and my HD800 for quite a while, loved how these sounded. Just got a V800 to replace my M1 DAC, the improvement is quite obvious to me. This setup makes me tap my toes when listening to my favorite musics. I don't have any experience with many amps except an X-CAN V8P which was replaced by V200 w/o any regret. 
   
  And I agree w/ some guys here, the stack of V800/V200 doesn't take much space, they look great together, and they make my HD800 and RS1 sound very nice too:


----------



## beyerlove

gorgeous setup, and I love your headband cover!
  Thanks for sharing your experience.


----------



## fengwei007

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> gorgeous setup, and I love your headband cover!
> Thanks for sharing your experience.


 

 Thanks 
   
  Other than headphones, my other hobby is photography. Other than taking my kids photos, I just love to take photos of my gadgets.


----------



## beyerlove

Yeah, I noticed that I forgot to mention to your photos' very high quiality after I pressed submit button.
  Very detailed and beautiful pictures indeed.


----------



## fengwei007

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> Yeah, I noticed that I forgot to mention to your photos' very high quiality after I pressed submit button.
> Very detailed and beautiful pictures indeed.


 
  Thanks again


----------



## sling5s

Is there a phone no for Aphrodite Cu29?  Would like to someone before I order?  They don't seem to reply to email.
  Anyone also know there return policy?


----------



## sling5s

Just ordered.  Hoping for best of SS and Tube.  
  Will use with LCD-2, Magnum (Grado hybrids) and JH13pro
   
  Tube qualities I'm hoping for: warm, musical and 3D but not slow, smeared and syrupy
  SS qualities I'm hoping for: fast, dynamic and punchy but not bright, thin, sterile, and flat
   
   
  Well I'm sure I won't get all these on my list but hopefully most of them.


----------



## ESCS

Are the outputs in the amp controlled by the volume pot too, so that the amp can be used as a pre-amp for active speakers?


----------



## sling5s

I have a question.  I see the gain switches on the back.  But where are the switches to change the RCA from dafault input to output?


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> I have a question.  I see the gain switches on the back.  But where are the switches to change the RCA from dafault input to output?


 

 This is done with internal jumpers. You have to open up the device.


----------



## sling5s

Thanks.  I was hoping it was on the outside.  Robert is doing them for me before he ships it out.
   
   
  Quote: 





anda said:


> This is done with internal jumpers. You have to open up the device.


----------



## preproman

Has anyone herd any word on the specs of the new balanced amps they'er (Violectric) going to release?


----------



## Anda

escs said:


> Are the outputs in the amp controlled by the volume pot too, so that the amp can be used as a pre-amp for active speakers?




http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/16/V200-E%20Manual.pdf

According to page 13 in the manual, it seems like it's a fixed line output.


----------



## ESCS

Quote: 





anda said:


> http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/16/V200-E%20Manual.pdf
> According to page 13 in the manual, it seems like it's a fixed line output.


 

  Dang it  I guess no Violectrics for me then...


----------



## kouga001

really a good amp, now somehow regret that I have it sold ...


----------



## Kendoji

Really tempted to get the V800 and V200 combo.  Only other option niggling at me now is the Soloist.  I love these torturous choices.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





kendoji said:


> Really tempted to get the V800 and V200 combo.  Only other option niggling at me now is the Soloist.  I love these torturous choices.


 
   
   
  The V800 / V200 combo accepts balanced interconnects.  The Soloist doesn't.  That would be a deal breaker for me.


----------



## Kendoji

That's not a factor for me at the moment, though it might be one day perhaps.  In the meantime I've spent today reading this entire thread.  On page 64 at the moment!


----------



## sling5s

Would it not be a fair assumption to say that the v200 internal optional 24bit dac is comparable to the ODAC.  The optional dac being $189 in the v200 case while the ODAC is $149 with it's own case?
  I know the ODAC is a bargain but I'm again assuming that Violectrics must know what their doing, dac wise.  Anyone have both to compare?  Or even the Centrance dacport or Bifrost?  
  There's so little info about the internal dac accept few references to it being unusable.  But most are comparing it to Dacs in the $1000-2000 range.  Which is not a fair comparison. 
  So anyone?


----------



## LifeAspect

How good will this amp be as an upgrade from the schiit lyr for my HD800? I also own the schiit bifrost and I am prolly upgrading to the v800 dac in the future. How much would I benefit from the V800 and are balanced outputs really worth it if you don't use balanced cables for your headphones?
   
  Sorry for all of these questions, but I read this amp is prolly the best -1000€ amp for the HD800 which isn't a tube amp (god I hate the background noise of my Lyr)


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


> . . .  are balanced outputs really worth it if you don't use balanced cables for your headphones?


 
   
  When I setup my V200 I rapidly went from unbalanced RCA, to inexpensive balanced XLR, to expensive balanced XLR.  Each step-up made a big difference.  If you have a good DAC like the V800 I think balanced is the way to go.
   
  EDIT:  'big difference' = very noticeable


----------



## project86

LifeAspect - if a black background is what you are after, free of any grit, hum, hiss, etc, the V200 is the one for you. It's absolutely dead silent, whether I used a 600 ohm T1, a difficult planar model, or a low impedance high sensitivity IEM. You can't even tell it's on but for the blue power LED.


----------



## paradoxper

Quote: 





project86 said:


> LifeAspect - if a black background is what you are after, free of any grit, hum, hiss, etc, the V200 is the one for you. It's absolutely dead silent, whether I used a 600 ohm T1, a difficult planar model, or a low impedance high sensitivity IEM. You can't even tell it's on but for the blue power LED.


 
  Is that while in balanced use or just in general?


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





project86 said:


> LifeAspect - if a black background is what you are after, free of any grit, hum, hiss, etc, the V200 is the one for you. It's absolutely dead silent, whether I used a 600 ohm T1, a difficult planar model, or a low impedance high sensitivity IEM. You can't even tell it's on but for the blue power LED.


 
   
  +1
   
  I have recently been using my V800/V200 pairing with my collection of In Ear Monitors and it is fantastic. No hiss whatsoever. The sonics are great!


----------



## project86

Quote: 





paradoxper said:


> Is that while in balanced use or just in general?


 
   
  Just in general. Right now I've got them connected with a short pair of Auric Ohno single ended interconnects from Charleston Cable Company. I'll have to grab a pic when I can because it's great to have just enough cable for the Violectric stack, with no extra length draping behind my gear onto the floor.


----------



## sling5s

I gave Fred an email about the internal optional dac and here's what he had to say:
   
   
_The DAC option for V100 / V181 / V200 is made with PCM 1798 which is a "better than average" D/A converter which can be found in medium to upper class CD players. _
_The problem is not the D/A converter but more the USB interface which wont eliminate Jitter artifacts as good as the one inside V800. So, if you have the opportunity to go for coaxial or optical interconnection, I would recommand this instead of the USB version.
 Of coarse V800 with all of its inputs and the resampler inside is a class of its own._
_But there are many users who are content with the "budget" solution of the DAC Add-on for the headphone amps._
   
_Best Regards_
   
_Fried _


----------



## sling5s

Just received the v200.  Listening with LCD-2 and JH13.  Kind of underwhelmed.  Maybe I expected too much.  Expected a little more magic-tube magic.
  But it's not warm but neutral.  At least to my ears.  It does have deep bass extension but I expected it to be more dynamic with a little more punch.
  Maybe I was expecting a Lry sound but only solid state.  It does remind me of the O2 amp, except with just a hint of more warmth and midrange fullness.  
  But I don't know if I can justify the price between O2 vs V200.  
   
  Is it too early to judge?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> Just received the v200.  Listening with LCD-2 and JH13.  Kind of underwhelmed.  Maybe I expected too much.  Expected a little more magic-tube magic.
> But it's not warm but neutral.  At least to my ears.  It does have deep bass extension but I expected it to be more dynamic with a little more punch.
> Maybe I was expecting a Lry sound but only solid state.  It does remind me of the O2 amp, except with just a hint of more warmth and midrange fullness.
> But I don't know if I can justify the price between O2 vs V200.
> ...


 
   
  I recently read something about a solid state amp needing "break-in time" . ??? . . not too sure about that, but I do know from experience that it is important to run the V200 with the volume pot turned up to at least the 3 o'clock position.  I leave mine set there all the time and control the volume from the pre-gain switches and from the DAC volume control.  Let us know how it goes . . .


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> Just received the v200.  Listening with LCD-2 and JH13.  Kind of underwhelmed.  Maybe I expected too much.  Expected a little more magic-tube magic.
> But it's not warm but neutral.  At least to my ears.  It does have deep bass extension but I expected it to be more dynamic with a little more punch.
> Maybe I was expecting a Lry sound but only solid state.  It does remind me of the O2 amp, except with just a hint of more warmth and midrange fullness.
> But I don't know if I can justify the price between O2 vs V200.
> ...


 
   
  The best solid state amp to get that "tube magic" like SQ is IMO the AMB M3 with the OPA627/637, so perhaps you can look into that as well (since they come up for quite cheap these days anyway). V200 is definitely much more on a neutral side compared to those.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> Just received the v200.  Listening with LCD-2 and JH13.  Kind of underwhelmed.  Maybe I expected too much.  Expected a little more magic-tube magic.
> But it's not warm but neutral.  At least to my ears.  It does have deep bass extension but I expected it to be more dynamic with a little more punch.
> Maybe I was expecting a Lry sound but only solid state.  It does remind me of the O2 amp, except with just a hint of more warmth and midrange fullness.
> But I don't know if I can justify the price between O2 vs V200.
> ...


 
   
  The V200 is quite a revealing amp, and it scales up well with different source components and cables. Are you using the optional on board Dac for the V200? If so, that may be the root of you being underwhelmed. The amp does lend itself to some burning in, plus you can do the internal adjustments like lifting the grounds, and taking out the low pass filter. Adjust the pre gains so that you are listening at between 12-3 on the volume pot! Hope this help you enjoy the amp a little more.
   
  I have the LCD2 and I find it quite magical with the V200...


----------



## sling5s

Can anyone help with the pre-gain switch.  When +6 is switched up, it's double gain.  For the quadruple gain, are you supposed just switch the +12 gain alone or both the +6 and +12 up?


----------



## Loevhagen

Aren't you suposed to _lower_ the gain rather than increasing it, if you wanna use the V200's volume knob some place between 12 and 3?
   
  Anyway; regarding the gain switches. In theory+12 should equal the quadruple factor. 12 and 6 combined would provide even higher gain. I say in theory, because you should use your ears to determin the optimum gain switch positions taking your DAC into account.


----------



## Kendoji

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> Just received the v200.  Listening with LCD-2 and JH13.  Kind of underwhelmed.  Maybe I expected too much.  Expected a little more magic-tube magic.
> But it's not warm but neutral.  At least to my ears.  It does have deep bass extension but I expected it to be more dynamic with a little more punch.
> Maybe I was expecting a Lry sound but only solid state.  It does remind me of the O2 amp, except with just a hint of more warmth and midrange fullness.
> But I don't know if I can justify the price between O2 vs V200.
> ...


 
   
  That's interesting.  I can't speak from experience as I haven't heard this amp (planning on getting it!) but I've read this entire thread over the past few days. There were a few discussions about how the initial impressions may not be a 'wow moment', and that gear that does have an immediate WOW effect often doesn't maintain long-term appeal.  Maybe the amp will open up with time, maybe there's room for improvement upstream in your setup, maybe your ears will adjust to the sound, or maybe this just isn't the amp for you.  It's tough purchasing these kinds of items without hearing them - I'm planning to place my order based solely on recommendations from here.  Keep us posted on how it goes though.


----------



## DairyProduce

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> Just received the v200.  Listening with LCD-2 and JH13.  Kind of underwhelmed.  Maybe I expected too much.  Expected a little more magic-tube magic.
> But it's not warm but neutral.  At least to my ears.  It does have deep bass extension but I expected it to be more dynamic with a little more punch.
> Maybe I was expecting a Lry sound but only solid state.  It does remind me of the O2 amp, except with just a hint of more warmth and midrange fullness.
> But I don't know if I can justify the price between O2 vs V200.
> ...


 
  I thought the V200 was supposed to be a neutral sounding solid state. Wouldn't getting an actual tube amp be the thing to do if you want some "tube magic" ?


----------



## sling5s

Either my ears are opening up to the sound and it's presentation or the amp is opening up.  I do notice the more lively and "wet" (not flat and dry) presentation of the music.  It's subtle but it's there.
  Each new equipment tends to train your ears, I guess this is no different.  I think there was more a "wow" with the Schiit Lyr- the the V200 is more subtle.


----------



## sling5s

Ok.  I think I'm getting why all the "love" for this amp.  But I do think my internal dac is definitely holding the amp back.  But just don't have the budget at this moment. 
  After about 20hours, my impressions have changed.  Definitely a keeper.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I don't know if it's the resolving strength of the v200 amp but even with the optional dac, I'm hearing things I didn't hear before with my other amps and dac: audio gd c-2 and audio gd nfb-3 combo; Lyr and Bifrost combo; pico dac/amp; centrance dacport and so on. 
   
  wow, imagine with the v800.  I envy those who have the v800.


----------



## sling5s

Thanks project86.  I know I whined a bit in the beginning but I'm really loving the v200 thanks to you and your review.  In some way, at least to me, the v200 possesses the vintage sound that I find in pioneer series like the Pioneer SX-737.  It's hard to find modern gear that has that same sound.  many thanks


----------



## LifeAspect

sling5s, what dac are you using atm? Thinking of grabbing the v200 and using the bifrost till I have money for the v800s


----------



## sling5s

I'm just using the optional dac that came with the v200.  I know many have said how mediocre it is, but I find it sufficient.  I know the v800 could be better but it's adequate.  I had the Bifrost with the Lyr and I'm hearing things I didn't hear before.  It may well be the v200 for sure, but the optional dac is good enough so that I don't miss the Bifrost or any other dacs I had.  But than most of my dacs were budget dacs accept for the dac in the corda symphony.
   
  So if you have the Bifrost already, than use it with the V200.  But if not, get the optional dac until you have enough for the v800.


----------



## LifeAspect

guess I'll just do that (use my bifrost + v200 for the time being). For the people that own the V800 + V200. What Xlr cables would you guys recommend. (not cheap ones but not really expensive ones either)


----------



## esn89

I got these ones:

The Belden 1800F, 1 foot, the price is pretty reasonable, $23.50 for one, so close to $50 for two. Really makes my v800 and v200 sing 

What made me purchase from them is their "About me": http://www.bluejeanscable.com/aboutus.htm

seems honest.


----------



## Bolardito

The V200 is a gem.. I curretly have it paired with the Yulong D18 as DAC, Signal silver balanced interconnects and the HD800 ...the sound is pure bliss. My Mjolnir will be soon on the for sale forum.


----------



## sling5s

Yes, I'm listening to JH13pro with it.  And it's amazing.  The layers.  I never had layering of music with a tube like 3D (holographic) even with the Mad Ear and Woo Audio tube amps.  For that matter, even when I had the JH-3A with JH16pro which was supposed to be the best.  I didn't get this kind of magic.
   
  I've played for little over 10 hours but had it on for 48 hours and it just keeps getting better and better.  Best amp I've ever heard.  And all I'm using at the moment is the optional dac.  But even than, it's the best I've heard with JH13pro and LCD-2.


----------



## tokendog

I ordered the Vioelectric V200 from Aphrodite CU 48 hours ago, but have not received a confirmation e-mail or any thing of that nature to let me know it went through alright.  I emailed him yesterday to check on the status and more so to make sure they got the order and payment, but no reply as of yet.
   
  I'm looking forward to seeing how the V200 matches up with the TH-900 and the rest of the headphones I own.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





bolardito said:


> The V200 is a gem.. I curretly have it paired with the Yulong D18 as DAC, Signal silver balanced interconnects and the HD800 ...the sound is pure bliss. My Mjolnir will be soon on the for sale forum.


 
  I thought you prefer the schiit in the Mjolnir thread and plan to sell the v200 ?
  Quote: 





tokendog said:


> I ordered the Vioelectric V200 from Aphrodite CU 48 hours ago, but have not received a confirmation e-mail or any thing of that nature to let me know it went through alright.  I emailed him yesterday to check on the status and more so to make sure they got the order and payment, but no reply as of yet.
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing how the V200 matches up with the TH-900 and the rest of the headphones I own.


 
   
  I'm listening to the combo right now and they pair beautiful together. I'm thinking of upgrading my dac but I haven't found any dac that really impressed me yet.


----------



## tokendog

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> I thought you prefer the schiit in the Mjolnir thread and plan to sell the v200 ?
> 
> I'm listening to the combo right now and they pair beautiful together. I'm thinking of upgrading my dac but I haven't found any dac that really impressed me yet.


 
   
   
  Nice photo.  You managed to capture how the TH-900s look in person.  I am going to be using the Gungnir and will report back once I can on how the two pair with one another.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





tokendog said:


> Nice photo.  You managed to capture how the TH-900s look in person.  I am going to be using the Gungnir and will report back once I can on how the two pair with one another.


 
  thanks I had to take a few to get that. The urushi is stunning in person but it's hard to capture its look under daylight and the head-fi uploading image mess up with it a bit 
  here's the original 
  http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/2000/pb260123.jpg
   
  I'm looking forward to your impression. I personally prefer a small footprint dac some thing similar size with the v200 but the v800 didn't give me a solid sonic upgrade for the price so still on the hunt


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





tokendog said:


> I ordered the Vioelectric V200 from Aphrodite CU 48 hours ago, but have not received a confirmation e-mail or any thing of that nature to let me know it went through alright.  I emailed him yesterday to check on the status and more so to make sure they got the order and payment, but no reply as of yet.
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing how the V200 matches up with the TH-900 and the rest of the headphones I own.


 
   
  That is a common experience with Aphroditecu29.  Robert has serious family commitments that keep him tied-up.  He's currently re-cabling my HD800s and it sometimes takes a week or two between communications . . . I figure it's worth the wait . . .


----------



## tokendog

I'll admit one of my vices is impatience.  I have been spoiled by Amazon Prime that when I order something it can be here the next day.  I ordered from Robert because all reports seemed to say that it would be shipped and received quicker that way vs. ordering direct.  
   
  I'm learning patience is a necessity and of course family always comes first.    Thanks for the information, btw.


----------



## mafiamike

Hello, so there should be no worries ordering from aphroditecu29. I am from Canada and I am thinking about ordering the v200 from him shortly.


----------



## Loevhagen

If the CAD:EUR ratio is good for you; why not order from Violectric directly over at Europe?


----------



## mafiamike

I did not think of that but i will check it out. Thanks


----------



## cired

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


> guess I'll just do that (use my bifrost + v200 for the time being). For the people that own the V800 + V200. What Xlr cables would you guys recommend. (not cheap ones but not really expensive ones either)


 
   
  Been using this brand for years on my home theater stuff. Decided to give the XLR cables a try with my V200/V800 combo, sounds good to me. If you don't like them they have a return policy.
http://www.bettercables.com/xlr-balanced-interconnect-cables.aspx


----------



## brat

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> Just received the v200.  Listening with LCD-2 and JH13.  Kind of underwhelmed.  Maybe I expected too much.  Expected a little more magic-tube magic.
> But it's not warm but neutral.  At least to my ears.  It does have deep bass extension but I expected it to be more dynamic with a little more punch.
> Maybe I was expecting a Lry sound but only solid state.  It does remind me of the O2 amp, except with just a hint of more warmth and midrange fullness.
> But I don't know if I can justify the price between O2 vs V200.
> ...


 
  The "ultimate high-end" - live music - is quite unimpressive. It never amazes with punch, dynamics and sound. It just flows. Think about that when appreciate components.


----------



## sling5s

I did revise my impressions & comments if you follow my posts. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  This really is a tube lovers solid state.  It's liquid layered presentation. 
  Quote: 





brat said:


> The "ultimate high-end" - live music - is quite unimpressive. It never amazes with punch, dynamics and sound. It just flows. Think about that when appreciate components.


----------



## LifeAspect

ordered the V200 from thomann.de as the actual site of lake people = down. Waiting for payment details. Hopefully I won't regret buying this amp, but the reviews are all great so I doubt it


----------



## cired

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


> ordered the V200 from thomann.de as the actual site of lake people = down. Waiting for payment details. Hopefully I won't regret buying this amp, but the reviews are all great so I doubt it


 
  I ordered direct and I remember it arriving surprisingly quick.
   
  You wont regret it. It's a nice quality amp. However in a year or possibly less, you may be wondering if there's something else better and how much better?  It's a crazy hobby


----------



## beyerlove

Violectric website is going back to normal and I placed an order for V200.


----------



## sling5s

Can someone verify this or try this out.  I can only here with my IEM (JH13pro) but when the music is playing and volume turned all the way down, there is a slight ring tone that does not stop.  It's very low but I can hear it. It may be the optional dac in the V200.  The amp is dead silent when the volume is turned up with no music playing. It only happens when my itunes is playing and volume set all the way down.  When I turn the volume up, the music than becomes louder than the ring so I can't really here it but I believe it's there.


----------



## Loevhagen

Start of tinnitus?
  Quote: 





sling5s said:


> ...there is a slight ring tone that does not stop. .


----------



## sling5s

It's only when the itunes is on play with volume all the way down.  When the itunes is stopped, the ringing stops.  And again, it's on JH13pro.  It seems to be the dac.
  When nothing is playing, with the amp volume all the way up, there is no ringing.
   
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Start of tinnitus?


----------



## Loevhagen

I see. That was a relief. 
   
  Is it USB, OPTO or Coax that you have chosen? I use OPTO and hear no ringing (but have no IEMs either). Maybe it would be beneficial for the IEMs to have lower gain - and that the gain of the V200 should be set lower (-6dB, -12dB, -18dB) via the dip switches on the back. And, look in the manual regarding ground lift, etc. Try one thing at a time - and maybe you'll nail it.


----------



## sling5s

Thanks.  Robert suggested lowering the gain too. Will try.  I have USB.
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> I see. That was a relief.
> 
> Is it USB, OPTO or Coax that you have chosen? I use OPTO and hear no ringing (but have no IEMs either). Maybe it would be beneficial for the IEMs to have lower gain - and that the gain of the V200 should be set lower (-6dB, -12dB, -18dB) via the dip switches on the back. And, look in the manual regarding ground lift, etc. Try one thing at a time - and maybe you'll nail it.


----------



## autarch1

I'm thinking about getting the v800 DAC to go with my v200. My other options are the Audio-GD Ref 5.32 and the Rega DAC. I am returning my Anedio D2. I believe that the Sabre DACs aren't for me. Has anyone heard both the v800 and one of the others I listed with the v200? or any of the Audio-GD 1704 DACs with the v200?


----------



## hduong

Quote: 





mafiamike said:


> Hello, so there should be no worries ordering from aphroditecu29. I am from Canada and I am thinking about ordering the v200 from him shortly.


 
  I bought my from Aphroditecu29.  Shipped out after 2 days of the order and arrived 10 day after that.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





autarch1 said:


> I'm thinking about getting the v800 DAC to go with my v200. My other options are the Audio-GD Ref 5.32 and the Rega DAC. I am returning my Anedio D2. I believe that the Sabre DACs aren't for me. Has anyone heard both the v800 and one of the others I listed with the v200? or any of the Audio-GD 1704 DACs with the v200?


 
   
  I've heard the Rega DAC with the V200 and liked it but didn't love it. It's smooth, musical, fun to listen to, and ultimately priced just around where it should be. Not a world killer, but very enjoyable. The V800 is more neutral and accurate imho, but not overly analytical.
   
  I also had the Audio GD Reference 7 for a while, with 8x PCM1704 architecture. I really enjoyed it quite a bit - somewhat similar to the Rega but on a higher level. EDIT - my error, I was looking at the NFB 5.32. The Ref 5.32 has 4x PCM1704 but I still don't know how it would compare to the Ref 7. Sorry.


----------



## autarch1

The Audio-gd reference 5.32 is a 1704 dac starting at 909.00. Similar to the Rega pricing. I can spend a bit more but I can't have one of the massive reference 7 DACs. It is way to big for me to use at the office. The reference 5.32 is pushing my limits as far as size goes. I'm also curious about the RWA Isabellina dac with the v200.


----------



## LifeAspect

I wonder how my v200 will sound with my bifrost


----------



## Dubstep Girl

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I've heard the Rega DAC with the V200 and liked it but didn't love it. It's smooth, musical, fun to listen to, and ultimately priced just around where it should be. Not a world killer, but very enjoyable. The V800 is more neutral and accurate imho, but not overly analytical.
> 
> I also had the Audio GD Reference 7 for a while, with 8x PCM1704 architecture. I really enjoyed it quite a bit - somewhat similar to the Rega but on a higher level. EDIT - my error, I was looking at the NFB 5.32. The Ref 5.32 has 4x PCM1704 but I still don't know how it would compare to the Ref 7. Sorry.


 
   
  ooooh. sounds like a fun combo. 
   
  i've never had a chance to hear the rega dac, i've seen it though. from what i've heard, its supposed to be on the warmish side.


----------



## TokenGesture

So I've got the M_DAC and V200 - would I benefit from XLR cables? The cheapest ones in my local hifi shop are about £125 - I won't ask if I'll get £100 worth of value because I know it doesn't work that way, but will I get a noticeable improvement in SQ over my existing RCA?


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> So I've got the M_DAC and V200 - would I benefit from XLR cables? The cheapest ones in my local hifi shop are about £125 - I won't ask if I'll get £100 worth of value because I know it doesn't work that way, but will I get a noticeable improvement in SQ over my existing RCA?


 
   
  Depends on the implementation, but usually balanced is preferred. You could check out your local pro audio store. I use this cable, which I bought together with my Lake People G100:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/cordial_cpm_10_fm_sw.htm


----------



## esn89

There isn't a difference between rca and xlrs


----------



## project86

I'm not that familiar with the M-DAC so I can't say for sure - some devices do better through their XLR outputs, and some through their RCA outputs. A lot of times it depends on how the signal is created: is it a single ended design internally, and the XLR output is created via use of a phase splitter? Or the other way around? That will usually matter, but even then it doesn't always make an audible difference.
   
  It's possible that RCA and XLR will sound identical. I'd read up on the M-DAC and see how it works, and don't spend much money on cables unless you can figure out a compelling reason to do so.


----------



## fengwei007

I'm connecting my V200 and V800 with balanced cables after I talked to Mr Fried Reim from Lake People through email, he suggested to connect them this way to get the best sound. The very obvious difference I felt immediately was that the volume was much higher than RCA connection when the volume knob was set at the same position. 

I'm very happy w this set up matched w my HD800 and RS1.


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





fengwei007 said:


> I'm connecting my V200 and V800 with balanced cables after I talked to Mr Fried Reim from Lake People through email, he suggested to connect them this way to get the best sound. The very obvious difference I felt immediately was that the volume was much higher than RCA connection when the volume knob was set at the same position.
> I'm very happy w this set up matched w my HD800 and RS1.


 
   


 You have the RS1 and the HD800 with your v200 and v800?  Can you please tell me more, I have the same amp, dac and rs1. I am planning on getting the HD800.  How does it compare?
   
  Furthermore, what positions are your volume knobs on your amp and dac when you listen to the rs1?


----------



## fengwei007

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> You have the RS1 and the HD800 with your v200 and v800?  Can you please tell me more, I have the same amp, dac and rs1. I am planning on getting the HD800.  How does it compare?
> 
> Furthermore, what positions are your volume knobs on your amp and dac when you listen to the rs1?


 
   
  Yes, I have the following setup:
   
   

   
  I use RS1 mostly for pops and rocks, or some other vocal stuff. HD800 for jazz and classical musics. HD800 isn't bad for pops or rocks, but RS1 just feel more intimate. My RS1 is the oldest version, pretty well used, I don't have any problem wearing it for a few hours. But HD800 still feels more comfortable. When the weather gets hot (happens all the time here in Singapore), I'd use RS1 more often 'cause HD800 makes me sweat more easily. 
   
  I didn't do any gain setting change on V800 or V200, all w/ default settings. V800 front dial turned to max, the volume knob on V200 is at just below 9 o'clock (8:45 to 8:50) when I'm using RS1. With HD800 it depends on musics. For jazz, I set it to just above 9 o'clock. For classical, I'd set it to near or almost 10 o'clock position. With unbalanced connection, it'd be 1 hour higher to get the same volume.


----------



## Loevhagen

Looking very good.  Natural colours and sharp. Quite nice to see the Grado / Sennheiser side by side.


----------



## beyerlove

nice setup fengwei007.
  mine will arrive in a week or two. can't wait to hear V200 sound!


----------



## LifeAspect

my new toy
   
  I like the difference with my lyr, especially the bass is better. There is also no background noise. In general my HD800 hasn't sounded this good ever with my Lyr


----------



## Hooster

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> There isn't a difference between rca and xlrs


----------



## dallan

I actually found the rca's better by a good margin and returned the xlr's.


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





fengwei007 said:


> Yes, I have the following setup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Very awesome rig you have there.  All I am missing is the HD800 and the warm-looking headband wrappers.
   
  aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah i need 1.5k lol.


----------



## Hooster

Quote: 





dallan said:


> I actually found the rca's better by a good margin and returned the xlr's.


 
   
  Yes, it varies and depends on many things. That is why the statement: "There isn't a difference between rca and xlrs" is wrong in my opinion. Seems like you agree.
   
  Of course sometimes there may actually be little or no difference, sometimes rca's are better, but every time I have compared the two in my setups XLR has come out ahead.


----------



## Loevhagen

If I compare RCA vs. XLR - the RCA wins. If I play music - it doesn't matter.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> If I compare RCA vs. XLR - the RCA wins. If I play music - it doesn't matter.


----------



## Poladise

Hi all, i got hold of a new v200 demo unit (about 40-50hrs use) a few days ago, but i'm really puzzled about the sound. From all the comments and reviews i read it appeared to be the perfect amp for my lcd-2 r2. I auditioned it at the hifi store alongside the burson conductor (amp only) connected to my naim cd5 player.

 Comparison Notes

 V200

 - Increased bass presence, but less natural, slightly artificial
 - Vivid & lucid female vocal tones
 - More exciting. A kind of high energy "electric-y" sound, but not lush like tubes
 - Rolled off highs
 - Mid range glare
 - Wood instruments sound like they're being played through an amped up guitar speaker

 Soloist

 - Much more natural bass notes
 - Vocal tones similar to v200, but less "colourful"
 - Higher resolution sounding, greater high frequency clarity
 - Wider soundstage
 - Slightly pale sounding


 Prior to listening I'd made the decision to go for the amp that was most engaging, regardless of detail retrieval. I felt the v200 won here, but obviously wasnt 100% on buying it. I took that demo model home to give it a chance, because i did enjoy part of the sound and wasnt sure if the unpleasant aspects i'd noticed were due to my cd player or if maybe i just needed to get used to the sound.

 Its been 3 days now and i've tried both my naim cd5 and my asus xonar essence st with flac format. The mid range glare is there on both sources. That glare isnt there when using the built-in asus amp or my little dot i+ amp. The asus and little dot amp are a much nicer listen compared to the v200 even though the v200 sounds fuller, wider and more vivid.

 My amps sound more like hifi and the v200 sounds like a good PA sound system, but with little finesse. There's a kind of hardness and the usual dead space between instruments seems to be filled with glare. There's never any of the softness and lushness to the sound that i'm used to with my other amps.
   
  This is why its puzzling. I'm sure this isnt the sound that so many have raved about. Makes me suspect there's something wrong with it. Any ideas?


----------



## Hooster

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Poladise* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> The asus and little dot amp are a much nicer listen compared to the v200 even though the v200 sounds fuller, wider and more vivid.
> 
> ...


 
   
  No ideas, but why did you get the v200 if you like the asus and little dot?


----------



## Poladise

I dont think i'm getting the best out of the lcd-2 with those amps though and the v200 is a big improvement in some areas "sounds fuller, wider and more vivid". Thats why i'm trialing it at home to give it a chance. I expected my initial issues might disapear as i got used it, but they havent yet.


----------



## Rico613

I get the feeling that the V200 is more like a Ferrari than a Ford -- meaning that it is more sensitive than other amps to things like the DAC, cables, volume adjustments, etc.  I had to make a few adjustments with all those before my V200 showed it's stuff.  Of course it is possible, but unlikely, that you somehow have a bum unit . . .


----------



## sling5s

I know most don't use the optional dac, but I got to say, to my ears, I really like it and prefer it to all the budget dacs I had(pico dac, hrt II+,bifrost, odac, audio gd nfb-3), maybe except for the corda symphony.
  I think it's definitely a good option to get it if budget dacs are all you going to use.  Honestly, I used to be detail freak who had to hear every little thing, but now I care more about the tone, timbre and presentation. 
  So having said that, the optional dac is really sufficient.  To me, after a certain minimum point(at which most budget dacs suffice), the amplifier becomes more important than the dac.  This is just my opinion but just wanted to share for those struggling about the optional dac in v200. Cheers.


----------



## sling5s

When I told Robert at aphroditecu29 that I was enjoying the V200, he said, wait until you get to 200-300 burn in.  Is there any significant change?


----------



## Rico613

ha ha . . . he said the same thing about my HD800s  I just got them back last week.  The headphones were used when I sent them in for balanced cables.  So I'm a little skeptical that breaking in copper wires makes a big difference.  When it comes to breaking in vacuum tubes or the mechanical parts of headphones, it seems more plausible.  So breaking in transistors in the V200? -- why not.  Who knows, my newly balanced headphones sound better and better every day.  Maybe it's the wires being broken-in, or other adjustments made to the system.  I chalk it up to headphone lore and enjoy . . . .


----------



## paceee

ok so i've got it set up like this right now:
   
  computer --> Nuforce HD amp/dac --> V200 --> HD800.  i want to include my 5.1 speakers + receiver... so that when I unplug the headphones, the sound goes directly to the receiver/5.1 speakers.  how can I do this?


----------



## kkl10

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> I know most don't use the optional dac, but I got to say, to my ears, I really like it and prefer it to all the budget dacs I had(pico dac, hrt II+,bifrost, odac, audio gd nfb-3), maybe except for the corda symphony.
> I think it's definitely a good option to get it if budget dacs are all you going to use.  Honestly, I used to be detail freak who had to hear every little thing, but now I care more about the tone, timbre and presentation.
> So having said that, the optional dac is really sufficient.  To me, after a certain minimum point(at which most budget dacs suffice), the amplifier becomes more important than the dac.  This is just my opinion but just wanted to share for those struggling about the optional dac in v200. Cheers.


 
   
  I might be able to score a V100 in the short term and I was wondering if retrofitting it with Violectric USB Dac would give me acceptable performance compared to other budget alternatives...
  sling5s if it's not asking to much from you could you elaborate a bit more on your impressions of the Violectric Dac?
  Using the USB input version hopefully shouldn't mean much differences sonically...
   
  I'm going to use this amp to power my modified GMP400 and I expect to hear an improvement over the Yulong D100 amp (sold), and I'm hoping that the Violectric USB Dac doesn't become a noticeable bottleneck...
   
  Does anyone else some use a built-in Dac in the V100/200 amps?
  Any more impressions to share?
   
  Thanks!


----------



## Rico613

What inputs do you normally use on the receiver?  Are there alternative inputs to the receiver?


----------



## Rico613

paceee  What inputs do you normally use on the receiver?  Are there alternative inputs to the receiver?


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> When I told Robert at aphroditecu29 that I was enjoying the V200, he said, wait until you get to 200-300 burn in.  Is there any significant change?


 
   
   
  I have had my stack for about 4-5 months and it is sounding better than ever!


----------



## paceee

i used to do this:
   
  computer --> Nuforce HD via USB --> receiver via RCA cables (red and white)
   
  when i plug my headphoens into the Nuforce HD, it would play music through headphones.  once unplugged, it would play music on my 5.1 speakers.
   
  so the answer is that the receiver takes RCA cables for sure.  what else should I be looking for?
   
  thanks rico.


----------



## Rico613

Does your computer have 5.1 surround output?  Look for an optical / digital 'Toslink' connection.  You could then split the signal with a optical/digital spliter from Monoprice.com ($6) + some extra cables.  Thus, you would be sending the signal to both the Nuforce DAC and the receiver.  This assumes the DAC will take a Toslink connection.  The DAC shown below lists a optical digital line in but the connection doesn't look right.
   
  If your computer doesn't have an optical digital output then you probably don't have 5.1 output from your computer.  I assume you could just connect the analog outputs on the Nuforce DAC to the receiver using RCA cables (assuming you have the DAC shown below).  The signal will be stereo to your receiver, not 5.1 surround.
   
  If none of this works and no one has a fix here, maybe a Nuforce thread would be more helpful.
  .


----------



## paceee

thanks so much for your help.  my computer does have a toslink connection, but my nuforce dac doesn't.
   
  what cables/splitter should I buy?


----------



## beyerlove

Mine has arrived today.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> Mine has arrived today.


 
   
  Congratulations and please share your thoughts!


----------



## sling5s

Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> I might be able to score a V100 in the short term and I was wondering if retrofitting it with Violectric USB Dac would give me acceptable performance compared to other budget alternatives...
> sling5s if it's not asking to much from you could you elaborate a bit more on your impressions of the Violectric Dac?
> Using the USB input version hopefully shouldn't mean much differences sonically...
> 
> ...


 
   
  To elaborate.  It's my personal feeling that dacs do not vary too much in sound signature like amps.  They do but not as much.  Secondly, the law of diminished returns is greater with dacs than amps.
  You are paying for subtle refinements.  Therefore having said, that, I think the optional dac (24bit) is really a good option.  Especially considering, if violectric were to put the optional dac board in it's own stand alone case, with other options added like optical and coaxial or some other extra options, you are looking at a $400-500.  So my conclusion is, the optional dac really competes with other dacs in the $400 to $500 range and to my ears, I feel it does.  And to me it's sufficient. But this is all me and my own assumptions and speculations. 
   
  Edit: I doubt violectrics would put a dac that would compromise their amp.


----------



## kkl10

Thanks for the reply, sling5s.
  I'm not sure where I got the idea that you have the optical input...
  Are you using the USB input?


----------



## sling5s

Yup.  Fried recommends Optical but Robert at Aphroditecu29 recommends USB.  Robert says the USB sounds more analogue and Optical more digital.
  Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> Thanks for the reply, sling5s.
> I'm not sure where I got the idea that you have the optical input...
> Are you using the USB input?


----------



## kkl10

Plug-and-play?
  And will it accept 88.2Khz sample rate data input?


----------



## project86

Yes PnP, no on 88.2kHz.


----------



## kkl10

Will it work with Linux? (I'm, rarely, on Linux though)
  Hope it's easy to retrofit it inside the amp case, I'll have to do it this way if I get a used V100... on the website it's stated that it's just "pluging and screwing".
  I'll probably go for the V100 (equivalent to G109 FWIR and can get it almost at the same price), hope I'm not losing much from the Apex Butte performance if any, can't find this one anywhere other than on TTVJ...


----------



## kkl10

Oh, bummer...
  Of topic, but I just went to TTVJ Audio website and saw that the Butte price will lower down to 400$ after it's added to shopping cart.
  Pfffffffffffft... Can't decide!
  I still much prefer the V100 added functionality and versatility so I'll try to stick to it now...


----------



## Mr Blonde

I´ve joined the club right now. Hd 800 and V200 is a real pleasant combination.


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> Will it work with Linux? (I'm, rarely, on Linux though)
> Hope it's easy to retrofit it inside the amp case, I'll have to do it this way if I get a used V100... on the website it's stated that it's just "pluging and screwing".
> I'll probably go for the V100 (equivalent to G109 FWIR and can get it almost at the same price), hope I'm not losing much from the Apex Butte performance if any, can't find this one anywhere other than on TTVJ...


 
   
  The Tenor TE7022L works well on Linux, but as project86 said it won't accept 88.2KHz. The best USB receiver I've have tried is the XMOS, but prices start at around the same price as Violectric's built-in DAC (and this is only for digital-to-digital converter). I guess the cheapest DAC with XMOS is the Cambridge DacMagic 100.
   
  How much is the Apex with VAT and shipping to Portugal?


----------



## beyerlove

HPA V200 is very good amp.  
  much warmer, and slightly drier sound than my previous schiit Asgard.
  resolution and detail, 3-Dish soundstage is greatly improved.
  and harshness in treble on some of my Tesla beyers are much reduced. 
   
  It's really worth the price, and now I have to think about new DAC


----------



## kookoo

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> It's really worth the price, and now I have to think about new DAC


 
  Speaking of DAC, is anyone tempted on the schiit Modi?
  I know this has been discussed recently but can anyone confirm that the add in DAC card for the violectric amps is worth the price of admission? Because in Australia it still turns out to be $15 more expensive for the add in card than buying the modi


----------



## kkl10

Quote: 





anda said:


> The Tenor TE7022L works well on Linux, but as project86 said it won't accept 88.2KHz. The best USB receiver I've have tried is the XMOS, but prices start at around the same price as Violectric's built-in DAC (and this is only for digital-to-digital converter). I guess the cheapest DAC with XMOS is the Cambridge DacMagic 100.
> 
> How much is the Apex with VAT and shipping to Portugal?


 
   
  Depending on the shipping option choosen, it can go from ~450 to 524USD.
  No VAT is applied but there would be import fees when entering my country... unless I order by email, maybe.
  But I'm already set on a used V100, which I'll buy in few hours.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> HPA V200 is very good amp.
> much warmer, and slightly drier sound than my previous schiit Asgard.
> resolution and detail, 3-Dish soundstage is greatly improved.
> and harshness in treble on some of my Tesla beyers are much reduced.
> ...


 
   
  Nice thoughts. I, personally, would highly recommend the V800 DAC to complete your stack!
   
  Between the V800 DAC and the V200 AMP, the V800 DAC is sonically, the star for me out of the two components..........


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





kookoo said:


> Speaking of DAC, is anyone tempted on the schiit Modi?
> I know this has been discussed recently but can anyone confirm that the add in DAC card for the violectric amps is worth the price of admission? Because in Australia it still turns out to be $15 more expensive for the add in card than buying the modi


 
   
  I don't see why you would buy a $1000 amp and use a $100 DAC with it. I guess the built-in DAC is okay if you need a one-box solution, but I would use the money and some more on a quality DAC.


----------



## kookoo

Quote: 





anda said:


> I don't see why you would buy a $1000 amp and use a $100 DAC with it. I guess the built-in DAC is okay if you need a one-box solution, but I would use the money and some more on a quality DAC.


 
  I'm actually using the V100 amp not the V200. I only posted here because I couldn't find a thread for my amp. but thanks I will consider something else like the HRT MS II+


----------



## beyerlove

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> Nice thoughts. I, personally, would highly recommend the V800 DAC to complete your stack!


 

 Thanks for recommendation.
  I seriously consider buying V800 and started saving money for the DAC.
   
  These days I find myself hurring home because I want to listen to V200's sound as soon as possible. V200 is that good


----------



## hduong

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> HPA V200 is very good amp.
> much warmer, and slightly drier sound than my previous schiit Asgard.
> resolution and detail, 3-Dish soundstage is greatly improved.
> and harshness in treble on some of my Tesla beyers are much reduced.
> ...


 

 It's a never ending cycle isn't it?  I though I had everything set with my HD650.  Then I go an buy a HD800.  This prompted me to upgrade my headphone amp to the V200 and later on get a external power supply for my M-DAC.


----------



## hduong

Quote: 





kookoo said:


> I'm actually using the V100 amp not the V200. I only posted here because I couldn't find a thread for my amp. but thanks I will consider something else like the HRT MS II+


 

 Your V100 is not too shabby.  It's not much cheaper then a V200 either at $830usd.  I think your amp could definitely benefit from a better DAC.


----------



## beyerlove

Quote: 





hduong said:


> It's a never ending cycle isn't it?  I though I had everything set with my HD650.  Then I go an buy a HD800.  This prompted me to upgrade my headphone amp to the V200 and later on get a external power supply for my M-DAC.


 

 LOL, True!
  but you'll suddenly start to feel lonely if you find nothing to purchase for upgrade


----------



## mafiamike

Another v200 owner here shortly. Can't wait to test out my collection and listen to some tunes.


----------



## h2oxide

Simply amazing amp. Drives the LCD-2 effortlessly with authority. Enjoyed the write-up.


----------



## brat

In the past few weeks I'm confused. I feel the sound of LCD-2 r2+V200 exremely dark and congested. All instruments are one over another, the bass is overwhelming and lacks detail, this sound is anything but neutral. Using HD-800 with V200 for 3 days was as fresh air in my room. It's sibilant but has so much space and texture... Definitely V200 is for brighter headphones like HD-800, T1, K701...
  I've never tried before, but V200+K701 is a killer combo for rock! Extreme dynamics and impact. And K701 HAS BASS!


----------



## fengwei007

brat said:


> In the past few weeks I'm confused. I feel the sound of LCD-2 r2+V200 exremely dark and congested. All instruments are one over another, the bass is overwhelming and lacks detail, this sound is anything but neutral. Using HD-800 with V200 for 3 days was as fresh air in my room. It's sibilant but has so much space and texture... Definitely V200 is for brighter headphones like HD-800, T1, K701...
> I've never tried before, but V200+K701 is a killer combo for rock! Extreme dynamics and impact. And K701 HAS BASS!




If I didn't live in Singapore, I would have bought a LCD2 already. But it's hot and humid here all year long, I can't stand the earpads of LCD2. 

I've been using V200 together with my HD800 and RS1, and I really like what i hear from these. The other phones I have are a pair of DT770/80 which also sound fantastic with V200, but I use them for movies mostly. 

I know a lot guys said its never ending w this kind of hobbies, but to me I think I'm done with upgrading. Just try to find more time enjoying those musics I have


----------



## yours truly

Quote: 





brat said:


> In the past few weeks I'm confused. I feel the sound of LCD-2 r2+V200 exremely dark and congested. All instruments are one over another, the bass is overwhelming and lacks detail, this sound is anything but neutral. Using HD-800 with V200 for 3 days was as fresh air in my room. It's sibilant but has so much space and texture... Definitely V200 is for brighter headphones like HD-800, T1, K701...
> I've never tried before, but V200+K701 is a killer combo for rock! Extreme dynamics and impact. And K701 HAS BASS!


 
   
  I was looking to buy the V200/V800 + LCD2 combo in the next few weeks, but your comment has stopped me dead in my tracks. I can't get a chance to demo any of them so it would be a blind buy from me. I was thinking for electronica, this would be a great match but apparently not. All I know is, I didn't like the sound from the Black Cube Linear and HD800 - it was far too bright for me.
   
  I'm not quite sure what to do now.
   
  edit: just to expand on this a little. Do you think it's the sound signature of the LCD-2 which you don't like or the V200+LCD-2 combo? From reading all of the comments on this thread, I'm slightly confused. People say the LCD-2 is warm, packs a lot bass but lacks soundstage, yet the V200 seems to have similar qualities. So my understanding would be that the V200/LCD2 (could?) be overly warm, too much bass and a limited soundstage - which appears to be what you're saying, but other say the match up is very good.
   
  Urgh I too am confused.


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





brat said:


> In the past few weeks I'm confused. I feel the sound of LCD-2 r2+V200 exremely dark and congested. All instruments are one over another, the bass is overwhelming and lacks detail, this sound is anything but neutral. Using HD-800 with V200 for 3 days was as fresh air in my room. It's sibilant but has so much space and texture... Definitely V200 is for brighter headphones like HD-800, T1, K701...
> I've never tried before, but V200+K701 is a killer combo for rock! Extreme dynamics and impact. And K701 HAS BASS!


 

 Hmm I'd have to disagree with your impressions of the LCD2 and V200 paired up. I find the bass detailed and don't experience this overlapping of instruments. Subjective hobby is subjective.


----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





h2oxide said:


> Hmm I'd have to disagree with your impressions of the LCD2 and V200 paired up. I find the bass detailed and don't experience this overlapping of instruments. Subjective hobby is subjective.


 
  as far as I remember Brat has promoted his v200+lcd2 combo a lot. I think this impression maybe just one night thing ( kind of got tired of your wife and want something new 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





). Through I also found the v200 and lcd 2 to be quite congested some time to the point that I felt tired and that why I switched to the fostex


----------



## hduong

The V200 definitely took a bit of the edge off the HD800.


----------



## Poladise

Quote: 





brat said:


> "All instruments are one over another, the bass is overwhelming and lacks detail, this sound is anything but neutral."


 
   
  I've just finished a 2 week demo with the V200 and i agree with your description. It does some things really well with my LCD-2.2s such as vivid and smooth mid/upper-mid range, punchy and tuneful bass and there's hint of tube like sparkle in the low treble, but its bad points are far too distracting
   
  - highs too rolled off
 - bass is muddy at times and makes many instruments (lead guitars in particular) sound dull, thick and veiled
  - plastic / glassy sound quality occasionally
  - no sense of air around instruments
   
  I compared it directly with the Burson Conductor for one of those weeks, feeding both amps with the Conductors DAC, a Asus Xonar Essence St and a Naim CD5 player. The Burson had much more clarity, but too cold sounding for me.
  I would recommend others to demo the V200 before buying. I was all set to order one, just based off the comments in this thread. So far the best amp I've heard with the LCD-2 is the Red Wine Corvina that I'm demoing at the moment. I'm actually enjoying listening my LCD2s again with it. The Corvina lacks some power, but doesnt share any of the V200s bad points.


----------



## yours truly

Would the HE-500 be a better match than the LCD2 on the V200?
   
  Would the V200 drive the HE-500 to its full potential?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





yours truly said:


> I was looking to buy the V200/V800 + LCD2 combo in the next few weeks, but your comment has stopped me dead in my tracks. I can't get a chance to demo any of them so it would be a blind buy from me. I was thinking for electronica, this would be a great match but apparently not. All I know is, I didn't like the sound from the Black Cube Linear and HD800 - it was far too bright for me.
> 
> I'm not quite sure what to do now.
> 
> ...


 
   
  When I ordered my V200 from Fried Reim in June he specifically recommended the LCD 2.2.  Another Head-fier recently visited the Violectric plant and Fried was still recommending the LCD2.2  I didn't go for it because I'd already tried the HE500 and didn't like the weight of planar magnet headphones.  It will depend on the type of music you listen to, but if you want that deep bass extension and punch that planar mag headphones have I think the LCD 2.2 + V200 would work for you.  EDIT:  The HE 500 is highly regarded and the V200 has the power to drive it as well as the LCD2.2


----------



## yours truly

Many thanks for your reply Rico. I had my heart set on the V200/V800 and LCD2 combo but reading some of the comments has made me think.
   
  I was actually just thinking to do the unimaginable and let the upgrade bug pass me by and try saving some cash for the new year.
   
  Either way, thanks for the advice, and Happy Holidays Head-Fi!


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





yours truly said:


> Many thanks for your reply Rico. I had my heart set on the V200/V800 and LCD2 combo but reading some of the comments has made me think.
> 
> I was actually just thinking to do the unimaginable and let the upgrade bug pass me by and try saving some cash for the new year.
> 
> Either way, thanks for the advice, and Happy Holidays Head-Fi!


 

 Great.  Let us know how it works for you.  When I had the HE 500 I didn't like the cold feel of the steel cans.  I'm sure the wood on the Audeze is much nicer.


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





yours truly said:


> Would the HE-500 be a better match than the LCD2 on the V200?
> 
> Would the V200 drive the HE-500 to its full potential?


 
  For electronica, I would prefer LCD2 to HE-500.
  The V200 is fine with the HE-500 if you are seeking smooth and relatively warm (for SS) sound


----------



## esn89

I have the v200/v800 stack from Freid.  Originally it was for my LCD r2.2 that I was so desperate to get (afterall it has rave reviews here and adored with the v200 combo).

 But upon hearing the LCD on it, I can't help but agree with the user brat:

 "Originally Posted by *brat* 


  
  In the past few weeks I'm confused. I feel the sound of LCD-2 r2+V200 exremely dark and congested. All instruments are one over another, the bass is overwhelming and lacks detail, this sound is anything but neutral. Using HD-800 with V200 for 3 days was as fresh air in my room. It's sibilant but has so much space and texture... Definitely V200 is for brighter headphones like HD-800, T1, K701...
  I've never tried before, but V200+K701 is a killer combo for rock! Extreme dynamics and impact. And K701 HAS BASS! "
   
  It sounds so claustrophobic, so I am going to end up with the HD800s instead.


----------



## h2oxide

Maybe its because I listen to mostly electronica, but I definitely didn't notice any of the things being posted. I'll try some acoustic/rock and post back here.


----------



## hduong

I briefly listened to a HE-500 on a Bryston HPA-1 amp.  Didn't wow me as much as I thought.  Sounded a little dry to me.  It was too heavy for my liking as well.


----------



## mafiamike

Well I got my amp today and I have been listening to tunes with the hd800's for around 5 hrs now. A big improvement in sound quality with bass and treble. The sound is awesome and I am very satisfied with my setup. I have the pre gain set to +6 and the dial around 10 o'clock.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





mafiamike said:


> Well I got my amp today and I have been listening to tunes with the hd800's for around 5 hrs now. A big improvement in sound quality with bass and treble. The sound is awesome and I am very satisfied with my setup. I have the pre gain set to +6 and the dial around 10 o'clock.


 
   
  Try it on Flat or -6 and have the volume pot at 12-3 o'clock......normal listening levels.
   
  Also lift the grounds and also the pass filter internally!
   
  Glad you are enjoying the amp with the HD800...I have great fun on the combination too!


----------



## mafiamike

I'll try the pre gain setting but I am not to sure about the ground setting. Why do you have to lift the grounds to pass the filter internally?


----------



## mafiamike

Here's a quick picture with my Galaxy2.


----------



## beyerlove

Wow spkrs...
   
  I just set my pre-gain dip switches to -12db, in order to turn the volume up to 12 o'clock at my normal listening level, my T70s start to sing...!
  Thanks for nice tips!


----------



## beyerlove

Congrats mafiamike, Enjoy your new amp!


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





mafiamike said:


> I'll try the pre gain setting but I am not to sure about the ground setting. Why do you have to lift the grounds to pass the filter internally?


 
   
  It is two separate things, lifting the grounds, and the low pass filter on the volume pot if I remember correctly.
   
  For the low pass filter on the volume pot, it will give you a more textured bass, with better extension.
   
  Lifting grounds gives a cleaner clearer sound signature.
   
  The V200 scales up tremendously with all these little re-configurations. Also, power and interconnect cables makes quite a nice difference in tuning the V200 to your personal preference of sound signature.
   
  I really enjoy the V200/V800 with all my Headphones and IEMs.......


----------



## esn89

so how do you do all those things you just mentioned to the v200?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> so how do you do all those things you just mentioned to the v200?


 

  Experience!!!  (and reading this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 )


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Experience!!!  (and reading this thread
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  care to share the secrets of the trade?  haha
   
  i'm not too keen on scrolling through all the contents of this humongous thread


----------



## sunninho

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> care to share the secrets of the trade?  haha
> 
> i'm not too keen on scrolling through all the contents of this humongous thread


 
   
  Ditto!  I'm getting my V200 in the new year and would like to know all of its tips and tricks.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





sunninho said:


> Ditto!  I'm getting my V200 in the new year and would like to know all of its tips and tricks.


 

  Yea, but you might miss something by not reading up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 !!!
   
  There are different opinions, but what I found was that a good quality DAC and quality balanced (XLR) cables, and power supply, all make an audible difference.  I run my V200 volume at the 3:00 o'clock position and control the volume from the DAC.  This made a huge difference in the bass extension and overall clarity.  I never opened it up or lifted the grounds internally so I can't comment about that (it was well covered previously in this thread). 
   
  Happy listening . .  !!!


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> so how do you do all those things you just mentioned to the v200?


 
   
  The instructions are in the user manual that came with the unit. It takes about 15 minutes to make all the changes.
   
  I was highly recommended to make these changes by the official distributor/reseller in Hong Kong. He is very experienced with Violectric products and, if not mistaken, the first international dealer authorized by Violectric.


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Yea, but you might miss something by not reading up
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I would personally set DAC at 100% and control volume from head amp. Digital volume control is a nono.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





yours truly said:


> ...People say the LCD-2 is warm, packs a lot bass but lacks soundstage, yet the V200 seems to have similar qualities....


 
  Yes, they both have darker character which makes the combination far from neutral. Still, the V200 is a more neutral component but with natural warm character. I've never thought I would be tired of dark sound  People are usually complaining of sharp and bright headphones.


----------



## brat

Has anyone compared the RCA to XLR inputs?
  I've been listening with balanced cables since I have V200 (my DAC is balanced). And today tried single end cables for the first time. It sounds more natural and with smoother treble with them (I have Van den Hul The Second both XLR and RCA variants). I'll keep listening for some days before go back to balanced connection for AB comparisons.


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> care to share the secrets of the trade?  haha
> 
> i'm not too keen on scrolling through all the contents of this humongous thread


 
  From my experiences:
   
  - lift the ground (via internal dip switch)
  - gain/attenuation at zero (rear dips)
  - only plug in one headphone at a time, and that into the right hand jack
   
  KP


----------



## esn89

from a more "technical" standpoint what is a ground what does lifting it do?


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

From a practical point of view, it removed most of the hum I was getting when running long XLR's into the amp from the MC2200 which is in another room and on a different dedicated home run power drop.
   
  KP


----------



## kkl10

Google can't be that hard to use... Ground Lift


----------



## Golotripa

You mentioned this is your 2nd favourite amp.. What is your #1 favourite? Heck, What are your top 5?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





golotripa said:


> You mentioned this is your 2nd favourite amp.. What is your #1 favourite? Heck, What are your top 5?


 
   
  Who is this directed towards? If it's for me, I have a very hard time ranking amps because they tend to pair better with certain headphones and worse with others. So my favorite amp for my Audio Technica W1000X is the Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2. My favorite amp for the LCD-2 is the V200. Favorite amp for all my custom IEMs is the built in amp in the Anedio D2 DAC. Favorite amp for the Beyer T1 is the Icon Audio HP8 MKII. Favorite for the HiFiMAN HE400 is the Yulong Sabre A18. Some of these (especially the V200) have really good crossover appeal where they do very well with all my headphones, even if not being the absolute best choice. Others are more specific and only do well with a few models.


----------



## h2oxide

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Who is this directed towards? If it's for me, I have a very hard time ranking amps because they tend to pair better with certain headphones and worse with others. So my favorite amp for my Audio Technica W1000X is the Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2. My favorite amp for the LCD-2 is the V200. Favorite amp for all my custom IEMs is the built in amp in the Anedio D2 DAC. Favorite amp for the Beyer T1 is the Icon Audio HP8 MKII. Favorite for the HiFiMAN HE400 is the Yulong Sabre A18. Some of these (especially the V200) have really good crossover appeal where they do very well with all my headphones, even if not being the absolute best choice. Others are more specific and only do well with a few models.


 

 Very helpful post and I concur with your thoughts on the V200


----------



## Rico613

I copied this from the V282 thread.
   
  Quote:


tigzstudio said:


> Bit of an update
> 
> Talked to Fried Ram (designer), the V282 will not be released in 2013.  Currently the date is in 2014, but not set in stone.


 
   
  FYI:  I'd heard the same thing, that a balanced version of the V2xx series was on hold.  This is disappointing.


----------



## Kendoji

I'm actually oddly happy to hear that. Makes it easier to justify buying a V200 now.


----------



## project86

It's a tricky thing for Lake People and because they are a very small company. Their Violectric product line has become popular around here but let's be honest - they probably aren't selling near as many units as someone like Schiit. They don't have the marketing budget that Schiit has nor have they been picked up by more of the "mainstream" websites as Schiit has. Factor in the higher costs of running a business in their area as opposed to outsourcing their production to China like many other brands do. Factor in the very decent wages and benefits they pay their employees. It all adds up and I honestly don't think they are rolling in cash for new projects.
   
  At one point Fried told me the sales numbers on V200 compared to V181, and it seems that V181 is nowhere near as popular. To him, this probably indicates that demand for a higher end balanced unit may not be as strong as he thought. The V282 would probably be a significant price increase over the V200/V181, and when you get to that range of $1500 or $2000 or whatever it would be, the number of potential buyers dwindles compared to the $500-1000 range. Plus, as good as the V282 would likely be, it would immediately face existing competition, mostly in the form of high end tube amps like Eddie Current, DNA, Woo, Apex, etc. We'd all like to kick around the idea of buying a V282 but how many of us would actually do it? I suspect the numbers are not huge.
   
  Unfortunately for us, they are probably making the right choice by holding off on that sort of thing. Focusing on the brilliant but more affordable Lake People G103 and G109 was a very good move. I hope they sell a ton of those amps because they really are exceptional values. Maybe that way enough cash flow can be raised to make a V282 or even V284 worth the effort. 
   
  The only thing I'd like to see is better dealer representation. Robert at AphroditeCu29 is by all accounts a nice guy but it's not the most visible website and is really only accessible for those folks who already know about the brand. I'd love to see Lake People/Violectric be picked up by a larger seller - Music Direct, Audio Advisor, that sort of thing.


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Project makes excellent points on the previous post.
   
  I learned of this amp only because of this site, and to a large degree through this thread. I am new to headphones, but have beeen into high end adio for about 15 years. This is some of the best SS I've heard in my home, loosely comparable to a McCormack DNA amp which share similar sound characteristics as well as excellent value. I am a tube guy, but not fanatical. This is SS I can live with.
   
  Even if I move to tubes for my main headphone setup, the form factor and sound quality will ensure it permanent place but I do have one quibble: that volume knob continues to work its way loose. I gave up on this, it has been removed and put away in a bag for safe keeping. Has anyone else experience this, and if so did you find a permanent solution for it? I miss the knob, it makes it possible to adjust the volume with my toe when reclining in my La-z-boy... sorry for the mental....
   
  KP


----------



## preproman

Does the V200 use opamps?  Can they be rolled?  The sound signature sound much like the M^3.  I have a balanced M^3 and I'm now getting ready to roll the opamps.  This already my fav. amp to pair with the HD800s.
   
  I was just wondering if they sound more alike than different.


----------



## Kendoji

If I remember correctly from reading this thread, there are opamps in the V200 but not in a place that will affect the sound.  So rolling is unlikely to make any difference.  I believe one or two people tried, and confirmed that they didn't notice any difference.


----------



## brat

I wonder how Lake People's G109 compares to Violectric V200? Do they have similar schematic? We have precedents for pro- and audiophile products that share the same internal design but different enclosures and price 
  Has anyone made AB tests?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Does the V200 use opamps?  Can they be rolled?  The sound signature sound much like the M^3.  I have a balanced M^3 and I'm now getting ready to roll the opamps.  This already my fav. amp to pair with the HD800s.
> 
> I was just wondering if they sound more alike than different.


 
   
  Yep, it uses opamps for low gain tasks including impedance matching. They aren't in a spot where it really matters in terms of sound, and in this case these lowly NE5534 opamps are far better than "exotic" opamps because they are more stable at unity gain.
   
  They are socketed and I have swapped them out but never heard an audible difference. Which is exactly what I expected given the design. 
   
  Quote: 





brat said:


> I wonder how Lake People's G109 compares to Violectric V200? Do they have similar schematic? We have precedents for pro- and audiophile products that share the same internal design but different enclosures and price
> Has anyone made AB tests?


 
   
  I have, and they are similar but not exactly the same. The V200 is more dynamic, more punchy, more "vivid"  and lifelike overall, while the G109 comes across as comparably slightly restrained. It's certainly not a boring amp but is made to seem so (only a little though) when compared directly to the V200. Still, G109 is a fantastic amp for the price, and certainly approaches the V200 level of performance if not quite equaling it.
   
  Or, to put it another way, the V200 is better but not 2X better as the price would indicate.


----------



## fdg

Hi there,
   
  V200 has got an outstanding circuitry which is unique and is not part of any other Violectric or Lake People amp (until now).

 The circuitry of V100 and G109 is quite similar.
 But V100 uses a double-mono layout with standard (wired) components.
  G109 utilises SMD components for some parts - but not the big ones like transformer, potentiometers, large capacitors, sockets.
   
  Some measured negative side effects concerning intermodulation can be seen in the InnerFidelity plots.

 I dont think that these are hearable, but this is one of the differences between the Violectric and Lake People lines - and not only the case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  And, as I am posting right now:
   
*We from Lake People wish you all a happy, peaceful and successful new year !!*
   
  Greetz
   
  Fried


----------



## brat

@project86:




  @fgd:
  Thank you for the great amp!


----------



## RavenDog

Hello, I just joined.  I live in Austin, TX, USA...
   
  I am in the process of ordering the V200 with the USB option from Lake.  In reading these blogs, I notice that many people have commented on the Optional DAC (not the V800).  Is this listed in the Violectric purchasing options?  If so, which one is it?  They are not open today or I would ask them via E-mail.
   
  I just purchased an HD800 and from reading a great deal of blogs it appears this amp will moderately reduce the brightness of the HD800 which many have commented about.  My other consideration is the Burson Conductor but from most accounts it will be too bright for me.  Are my assumptions correct?
   
  In regards to the V800 DAC, does it serve as good DAC for a full stereo system with amps/speakers etc. or is it more predominately designed for the headphone amp?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> Hello, I just joined.  I live in Austin, TX, USA...
> 
> I am in the process of ordering the V200 with the USB option from Lake.  In reading these blogs, I notice that many people have commented on the Optional DAC (not the V800).  Is this listed in the Violectric purchasing options?  If so, which one is it?  They are not open today or I would ask them via E-mail.
> 
> ...


 
   
  You can email them and you'll get a quick reply - the owner of the company just posted here right above you. Not many other companies are as accessible as Lake People.
   
  I use the V800 in a speaker based system and it does a great job. There's not really any specific reason a DAC would work better in a headphone only scenario.


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> Hello, I just joined.  I live in Austin, TX, USA...
> 
> I am in the process of ordering the V200 with the USB option from Lake.  In reading these blogs, I notice that many people have commented on the Optional DAC (not the V800).  Is this listed in the Violectric purchasing options?  If so, which one is it?  They are not open today or I would ask them via E-mail.
> 
> ...


 
  The link for the USB option is:
   
http://www.violectric.de/Pages/en/products/usm-24-96.php
   
   
  If the HD800 is only moderately bright to your ears, then the neutreal and only slightly warm V200 is fine. If you find the HD800 really bright, I would suggest to look elsewhere


----------



## RavenDog

So, when simply running a CD player to the V200 and plugging in the HD800, no DAC is necessary for improved SQ.  The same for when using a MAC or PC (with the optional USB), V200 and HD800.  
   
  However, when not using the HD800 in the full stereo system, the V800 will do it's job?
   
  Are these assumptions correct or am I confused?
   
  Thanks!


----------



## RavenDog

Very good forum!


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> So, when simply running a CD player to the V200 and plugging in the HD800, no DAC is necessary for improved SQ.  The same for when using a MAC or PC (with the optional USB), V200 and HD800.
> 
> However, when not using the HD800 in the full stereo system, the V800 will do it's job?
> 
> ...


 
  When running a CD player to the V200 or a preamp, you use the CD player's dac. You can still improve the SQ if you feed an external dac better than the CD player's embedded dac through the CD player's digital output.
   
  The optional USB dac module of V200 is significantly inferior to the V800 dac.


----------



## RavenDog

Quote: 





i019791 said:


> When running a CD player to the V200 or a preamp, you use the CD player's dac. You can still improve the SQ if you feed an external dac better than the CD player's embedded dac through the CD player's digital output.
> 
> The optional USB dac module of V200 is significantly inferior to the V800 dac.


 
   
  Thanks for the input! 
   
  So what plugs in to what?  CD player > DAC > V200 and then DAC > Preamplifier > Amplifier?


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> Thanks for the input!
> 
> So what plugs in to what?  CD player > DAC > V200 and then DAC > Preamplifier > Amplifier?


 
  If the CD player is good enough:
  CD player > V200 
  CD player > Preamplifier > Amplifier
   
  If the CD player is not good enough:
  CD player (digital out) > DAC > V200
  CD player (digital out) > DAC > Preamplifier > Amplifier


----------



## Golotripa

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Who is this directed towards? If it's for me, I have a very hard time ranking amps because they tend to pair better with certain headphones and worse with others. So my favorite amp for my Audio Technica W1000X is the Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2. My favorite amp for the LCD-2 is the V200. Favorite amp for all my custom IEMs is the built in amp in the Anedio D2 DAC. Favorite amp for the Beyer T1 is the Icon Audio HP8 MKII. Favorite for the HiFiMAN HE400 is the Yulong Sabre A18. Some of these (especially the V200) have really good crossover appeal where they do very well with all my headphones, even if not being the absolute best choice. Others are more specific and only do well with a few models.


 
  Yes, it was directed to you - Sorry didn't use the quoting properly. And thank you for that post, again it is very helpful - it is a joy reading your comments/opinion/reviews - Thank you!


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





brat said:


> Has anyone compared the RCA to XLR inputs?
> I've been listening with balanced cables since I have V200 (my DAC is balanced). And today tried single end cables for the first time. It sounds more natural and with smoother treble with them (I have Van den Hul The Second both XLR and RCA variants). I'll keep listening for some days before go back to balanced connection for AB comparisons.


 
  Catching up on my reading.  I like the RCA better after A/B test.  It surprised me that the balanced weren't better after my reading but it is what it is.  So I returned the XLR cables after four or five days.  Some others report preferring the XLR's in their systems, it was a long time back but they seemed more muffled as i recall and just not as dynamic.


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Errant volume control fixed, thanks to fdg.
   
  KP


----------



## brat

Quote: 





dallan said:


> Catching up on my reading.  I like the RCA better after A/B test.  It surprised me that the balanced weren't better after my reading but it is what it is.  So I returned the XLR cables after four or five days.  Some others report preferring the XLR's in their systems, it was a long time back but they seemed more muffled as i recall and just not as dynamic.


 
  My balanced inputs sound more harsh and less 3D than the single ended no matter what cables I use.


----------



## spkrs01

I was just wondering who leaves their V200 permanently switched on?
   
  I have noticed that it takes approximately an hour or two for the V200 to settle after each turn on to reach optimal. Otherwise, it is a little sharp/edgy sounding with less texture in the bass and a rather flat soundstage comparatively.


----------



## fengwei007

dallan said:


> Catching up on my reading.  I like the RCA better after A/B test.  It surprised me that the balanced weren't better after my reading but it is what it is.  So I returned the XLR cables after four or five days.  Some others report preferring the XLR's in their systems, it was a long time back but they seemed more muffled as i recall and just not as dynamic.



 
 To me I like the XLR interconnection between V800 and V200 better than RCA. Actually I did so after I talked to Mr. Fried in the emails. He suggested to connect them through XLR to get the best out of them, and I really heard the difference, won't go back.


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I was just wondering who leaves their V200 permanently switched on?
> 
> I have noticed that it takes approximately an hour or two for the V200 to settle after each turn on to reach optimal. Otherwise, it is a little sharp/edgy sounding with less texture in the bass and a rather flat soundstage comparatively.


 
   
  I always have it on. Same with DAC's, tube or otherwise. Actually recommend by DAC manufactured to leave on as it puts less stress on the tubes than power cycling, and does - like the amp - indeed sound better warmed up.
   
  KP


----------



## brat

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I was just wondering who leaves their V200 permanently switched on?
> 
> I have noticed that it takes approximately an hour or two for the V200 to settle after each turn on to reach optimal. Otherwise, it is a little sharp/edgy sounding with less texture in the bass and a rather flat soundstage comparatively.


 
  When I wake up I turn on all all the boxes and they work all day. Only the KGSS is always on because it takes many hours to reach it's full potential.


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





thekillerpiglet said:


> I always have it on. Same with DAC's, tube or otherwise. Actually recommend by DAC manufactured to leave on as it puts less stress on the tubes than power cycling, and does - like the amp - indeed sound better warmed up.
> 
> KP


 
   
  Quote: 





brat said:


> When I wake up I turn on all all the boxes and they work all day. Only the KGSS is always on because it takes many hours to reach it's full potential.


 
   
  Thanks for the reply....I will probably go the brat route


----------



## sling5s

I have a question.  I have the V200 with internal optional dac.  If I get the V800, will the V200 override the internal dac for the V800 dac?
  I also got the RCA in the "out mode" so I will have to use the XLR inputs.
   
  Any ideas?


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> I have a question.  I have the V200 with internal optional dac.  If I get the V800, will the V200 override the internal dac for the V800 dac?
> I also got the RCA in the "out mode" so I will have to use the XLR inputs.
> 
> Any ideas?


 
   
  The internal Dac will not override the V800 Dac as it will be fed directly, in your circumstances, by the XLR cables.
   
  It may, if you continue having the USB cable connected though to the V200 though


----------



## sling5s

Lol, I realized how dumb my question was. 
Thanks


----------



## thrak

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> I am in the process of ordering the V200 with the USB option from Lake.  In reading these blogs, I notice that many people have commented on the Optional DAC (not the V800).  Is this listed in the Violectric purchasing options?  If so, which one is it?  They are not open today or I would ask them via E-mail.


 
   
  Just to clarify as I don't think this question was answered very clearly and may still be causing some confusion.  The 'USB option' _*is*_ the 'optional DAC'.  Hope this helps.


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





thrak said:


> Just to clarify as I don't think this question was answered very clearly and may still be causing some confusion.  The 'USB option' _*is*_ the 'optional DAC'.  Hope this helps.


 
   
  You can choose between Coax, USB and Optical. They are listed in the shop:

http://www.violectric.de/Pages/en/shop/noneu.php


----------



## dallan

But the point is that the RCA and XLR inputs come either from an external dac, or cd player ect and the internal dac takes digital type, ie. usb/coax/optical.  There seemed some confusion above on configuration.


----------



## kkl10

No confusion at all, from Violectric website:
   
  "The converted digital data has priority over all other analog inputs and will mute these *when valid data is received*."
   
  Obvioulsy you can't have both inputs working at the same time.


----------



## Anda

DAC when data received > RCA > XLR
   
  When RCA is inserted the XLR is mechanically switched off. If RCA output is set to "out" the signal is fed directly from XLR to RCA at line level. Volume control is not involved in this case.


----------



## beyerlove

V800 arrived and it makes my V200 really shine.
  very nice combo indeed. I'm very happy with the sound!


----------



## TokenGesture

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> V800 arrived and it makes my V200 really shine.
> very nice combo indeed. I'm very happy with the sound!


 
  Glad to hear it - I'd be interested in your further impressions on the the sound of this combo - especially as you favour Beyer cans...


----------



## LifeAspect

so going to order the V800 of thomann in like a week and a half from now, what balanced cables would you guys recommend which are decent for the price and not 100€+


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





lifeaspect said:


> so going to order the V800 of thomann in like a week and a half from now, what balanced cables would you guys recommend which are decent for the price and not 100€+


 
   
  I use this: http://www.thomann.de/gb/cordial_cpm_10_fm_sw.htm
   
  Nice and flexible with great build quality.


----------



## LifeAspect

might just grab those Anda as those aren't that expensive and after having bought some more expensive cables for my speaker setup, I just don't think it's worth the money to pay lots for cables.


----------



## Rossliew

Guys, need some advice here. I live in Malaysia where voltage requirements are 230/240V. I see some used V200 units for sale but these are in the USA where voltage requirements are 115/120V. Other than using a step down transformer, is there a way to manually re-set the voltage requirements from 115V to 230V internally within the amp itself? Can i just get a decent electrician to help do it for me?


----------



## hekeli

Quote: 





rossliew said:


> Guys, need some advice here. I live in Malaysia where voltage requirements are 230/240V. I see some used V200 units for sale but these are in the USA where voltage requirements are 115/120V. Other than using a step down transformer, is there a way to manually re-set the voltage requirements from 115V to 230V internally within the amp itself? Can i just get a decent electrician to help do it for me?


 

 It should be a simple solder job:
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/480038/violectric-hpa-v200-why-not-sufficiently-appreciated/225#post_7186375


----------



## fengwei007

Quote: 





rossliew said:


> Guys, need some advice here. I live in Malaysia where voltage requirements are 230/240V. I see some used V200 units for sale but these are in the USA where voltage requirements are 115/120V. Other than using a step down transformer, is there a way to manually re-set the voltage requirements from 115V to 230V internally within the amp itself? Can i just get a decent electrician to help do it for me?


 
  I got my V200 and V800 from the US, both were set to be used w/ 110v power supply. I changed both by following the instruction from Mr. Fried (the CEO of the company who made these?). It's pretty straight forward, especially for the V200. You can either send him an email or I can forward it to you. Just pm your email address.


----------



## Rossliew

You got PM, Fengwei


----------



## fengwei007

Quote: 





rossliew said:


> You got PM, Fengwei


 
  Replied. 
   
  Have fun


----------



## sunninho

Just got my V200 back from the Lake People (switching it from 230V to 110V) and Fried personally made sure I was well taken care of.  He even switched the old volume knob out for the new version.  Pairing it with my LA7000 is a joy so far.  This has really made me look forward to the week ahead (at home recovering from surgery for a sports injury).
   
  Can't wait to get my Heir CIEMs back to try them out on the V200.


----------



## beyerlove

Replaced interconnect cables between my V200 and V800.
  Moon Audio Black Dragon RCA cables(unbalance) -> Procable Belden 8412 with XLR connectors (balanced).
   
  Significant SQ change detected. more energy, more dynamics, more bass.
  I can't tell which element, cables or connection type, affected those changes,
  But at least I can clearly say I'm very happy with the sound.
  And I'm happy that those Belden cables are way too cheaper than Black Dragon (almost 1/3 price).


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> Replaced interconnect cables between my V200 and V800.
> Moon Audio Black Dragon RCA cables(unbalance) -> Procable Belden 8412 with XLR connectors (balanced).
> 
> Significant SQ change detected. more energy, more dynamics, more bass.
> ...


 
  I found using the V200 balanced as you are is the best way it performs. I have a new V200 coming today and will use it balanced with the Oppo BDP95 for my AT3000ANV primarily. Looking forward to my second ownership


----------



## Pudu

frank i said:


> I found using the V200 balanced as you are is the best way it performs. I have a new V200 coming today and will use it balanced with the Oppo BDP95 for my AT3000ANV primarily. Looking forward to my second ownership





Well that's reassuring. I've pretty much decided on the V800/V200 for primary feeding duties of the W3kANV. I just want to finish making my way through this thread from the beginning (about 3/4s done) before I call Mr. Aphrodite.

One thing that's been slightly worrisome is the number of well spoken advocates early in the thread who seem to have moved on to something else eight months later and no longer have the V200 ... like yourself ... until now. I've got the T1 pretty much married to the Woo2. So I'm hoping the D7000 and W3kANV will do well switching between the Violectric and Pioneer as genre dictates. It seems that by many accounts (including some of yours), they should be okay.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





frank i said:


> I found using the V200 balanced as you are is the best way it performs. I have a new V200 coming today and will use it balanced with the Oppo BDP95 for my AT3000ANV primarily. Looking forward to my second ownership


 
   
  Frank, I knew you'd be back for more....


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





frank i said:


> I found using the V200 balanced as you are is the best way it performs. I have a new V200 coming today and will use it balanced with the Oppo BDP95 for my AT3000ANV primarily. Looking forward to my second ownership


 

 Welcome back Frank.  I wanted to let you know that I'm getting great results by keeping the V200 volume knob fixed at the 3:00 o'clock position and adjusting volume from the OPPO DAC.  (BTW I upgraded my OPPO BDP95 to BDP105 with noticeable improvement - w/ balance interconnects of course.)


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Welcome back Frank.  I wanted to let you know that I'm getting great results by keeping the V200 volume knob fixed at the 3:00 o'clock position and adjusting volume from the OPPO DAC.  (BTW I upgraded my OPPO BDP95 to BDP105 with noticeable improvement - w/ balance interconnects of course.)


 
  WHAT DO YOU HAVE THE GAIN SET TO / RIGHT NOW THIS UNIT IS SET ON UNITY GAIN. I just tried it. I have never used the Oppo volume control before


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





pudu said:


> Well that's reassuring. I've pretty much decided on the V800/V200 for primary feeding duties of the W3kANV. I just want to finish making my way through this thread from the beginning (about 3/4s done) before I call Mr. Aphrodite.
> 
> One thing that's been slightly worrisome is the number of well spoken advocates early in the thread who seem to have moved on to something else eight months later and no longer have the V200 ... like yourself ... until now. I've got the T1 pretty much married to the Woo2. So I'm hoping the D7000 and W3kANV will do well switching between the Violectric and Pioneer as genre dictates. It seems that by many accounts (including some of yours), they should be okay.


 
  The biggest challenge for me always that I try to co mpare the solid state units to my CSP2 and none of them ever  are better. I like the v200 and I like the Soloist also. Both amps are good but different. The Burson is also an excellent alternative but honestly my Decware still is better than both but I need a change once in a bit and the low impedance cans are harder on my tubes than the HD800. So I decided to keep a solid state around.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





frank i said:


> WHAT DO YOU HAVE THE GAIN SET TO / RIGHT NOW THIS UNIT IS SET ON UNITY GAIN. I just tried it. I have never used the Oppo volume control before


 

  The pre-gain is set to -6 db.  I had not used the volume control on the OPPO either so it defaulted to 100 -- now it runs between 40 and 65.  You will be amazed at the difference.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> The pre-gain is set to -6 db.  I had not used the volume control on the OPPO either so it defaulted to 100 -- now it runs between 40 and 65.  You will be amazed at the difference.


 
  Not sure about how to set the OPPO. If I turn the oppo volume all the way down I get nothing out of the V200.  To set the -6db what switches are in what position on the v200


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





frank i said:


> Not sure about how to set the OPPO. If I turn the oppo volume all the way down I get nothing out of the V200.  To set the -6db what switches are in what position on the v200


 

 On the OPPO remote, use the volume - + buttons.  I'd set the V200 as shown in the photos and, while playing a CD, gradually increase the OPPO DAC volume from 0.  You can monitor the DAC volume from the display window or on your video display if that is installed.  If more volume is needed change the gain switches on the V200 an start the DAC volume from 0.  _*Remember to turn off the V200 before changing the pre gain switches.*_
   
  (image missing)(image missing)
  V200 set to -6 db above.  Foil tape added to volume knob set to 3:00 o'clock


----------



## Rico613

Quote:


frank i said:


> Not sure about how to set the OPPO. If I turn the oppo volume all the way down I get nothing out of the V200.  To set the -6db what switches are in what position on the v200


 

 I'd set the V200 as shown in the photos below and, while playing a CD, gradually increase the OPPO DAC volume from 0.  (On the OPPO remote, use the volume - + buttons. You can monitor the DAC volume from the display window or on your video display if that is installed.)  If more volume is needed change the gain switches on the V200 an start the DAC volume from 0.  _*Remember to turn off the V200 before changing the pre gain switches turn down V200 volume before turning on.*_
   
   
  Pre gain set to -6 db below. 

   
  Volume knob set to fixed 3:00 o'clock position. (foil tape added to knob)


----------



## Frank I

I had that part figured out Rico it was setting the Oppo without the monitor  attached was I was questioning. I will play with the setting and figure it all out. I have been listening primarily at the Unity Factory gain setting so far today and as you suggested. I need to let this amp run in also.


----------



## brat

Quote: 





beyerlove said:


> Replaced interconnect cables between my V200 and V800.
> Moon Audio Black Dragon RCA cables(unbalance) -> Procable Belden 8412 with XLR connectors (balanced).
> 
> Significant SQ change detected. more energy, more dynamics, more bass...


 
  I think it's subjective. Few weeks ago I felt the same change but... after replacing my XLRs with RCA cables of the same model (!). I heard siginificant improvement and I concluded that the chips that convert balanced to unbalanced signal in my V200 are not as good as these in my balanced DAC and it's better to convert the signal in the DAC. I shared my observations here then.
  BUT after replacing the power cables of the DAC and the amp the sound changed a lot and I went back to the XLRs because now they sound better.
  It's subjective.


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Curious, is there a way to bypass the volume control completely? If not, where on the dial is unity gain?
   
  KP


----------



## TokenGesture

I've followed your tip on setting the amp to 3 oc and using the DAC to control volume with my V200 and M-Dac, and so far I'm loving the results with my T1s!
   
  Any ideas why it sounds better with this configuration?
   
  Cheers


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





thekillerpiglet said:


> Curious, is there a way to bypass the volume control completely? If not, where on the dial is unity gain?
> 
> KP


 
  Unity gain is the factory setting. All dip switches down is the factory setting. I do not believe you can bypass the Oppo Volume control or the V200. The amp has an analog volume control which is superior to digital volume controls in theory. I just set the Oppo to a lower level and use the V200 control. 
  One way is to leave the V200 all tghe way down and then use the Oppos volume control. That would let you bypass the V200 but that not my preference. Wish I could bypass the Oppos volume control but can't figure out how to do that because if I turn the pop down all the way no volume comes out.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> I've followed your tip on setting the amp to 3 oc and using the DAC to control volume with my V200 and M-Dac, and so far I'm loving the results with my T1s!
> 
> Any ideas why it sounds better with this configuration?
> 
> Cheers


 

 This is the best explanation I've found so far.  Hearing is believing!
   
   
_Quote:_


> _Originally Posted by *Phil95* /img/forum/go_quote.gif_
> 
> _There is no doubt that a digital sound level setting, carried out from the DAC, is better than an analog setting from the amp -i.e., a potentiometer with its resistive tracks/wiper and all the associated circuitry and connections. And I'm talking about a good quality pot, in perfect condition. With my K-01/SRM007-tII/SR009 combo, I get a better sound quality by setting the amp pot to  "full volume" and using a -17 to -20 dB attenuation from the DAC; this is a way to partially bypass the amp pot. The best solution would be to totally bypass the volume control circuitry on the amp, with direct inputs like some power amps (for speakers) have._


----------



## spkrs01

Guys, I would be interested to know how many of you newer owners and re purchasers, have lifted the grounds in their V200/V800, plus the low pass filter in the volume pot?
   
  Thanks very much


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Quote: 





frank i said:


> Unity gain is the factory setting. All dip switches down is the factory setting. I do not believe you can bypass the Oppo Volume control or the V200. The amp has an analog volume control which is superior to digital volume controls in theory. I just set the Oppo to a lower level and use the V200 control.
> One way is to leave the V200 all tghe way down and then use the Oppos volume control. That would let you bypass the V200 but that not my preference. Wish I could bypass the Oppos volume control but can't figure out how to do that because if I turn the pop down all the way no volume comes out.


 
   


 I meant unity on the volume control, not via the dips. I am not planning on driving via a cdp, but rather was wondering how to best use it solely as an amp, driving it from a dedicated pre-amp.
   
  KP


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





thekillerpiglet said:


> I meant unity on the volume control, not via the dips. I am not planning on driving via a cdp, but rather was wondering how to best use it solely as an amp, driving it from a dedicated pre-amp.
> 
> KP


 
   
  If you plan on using it as a POWER amp driven by a dedicated pre amp, then just have it at max and take the volume pot out of the equation. I would imagine........


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> If you plan on using it as a POWER amp driven by a dedicated pre amp, then just have it at max and take the volume pot out of the equation. I would imagine........


 
   
   
  Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> If you plan on using it as a POWER amp driven by a dedicated pre amp, then just have it at max and take the volume pot out of the equation. I would imagine........


 
  I dont think you can bypass the volume pout. Most power amps have no preamp if its an integrated usually there are jumpers which can be removed so the pre amp would go directly into the power amp. There is no such feature on the V200 or most headphone amps that would do that or I could use my CSP2 as the preamp and drive the power section of the V200. I don't see any way to do that with the V200. The volume control on the V200 is not an issue.


----------



## spkrs01

Technically the volume pot is always going to be in play but if KP is going to use a pre amp, then the signal matching should be done between the output of the preamp and the input of the V200.

The volume pot on the V200 is just a resistor so leaving it on max is the best approach to simulate the V200 as a power amp with volume controlled via his pre amp.


----------



## Loevhagen

Once again the V200 makes a headphone shine. This time it is the TH-900. I have tried inter alia Burson Soloist - and even though it is clean and OK - the V200 add some nerve to the music. The V200 and TH-900 is quite good. 
   
  Not my picture - but I´ll post it anyway since it is a "no brainer".


----------



## Mr Blonde

Pictures are always nice.


----------



## Kendoji

I know it's been mentioned before in this thread (I have read all of it a few weeks back!) but can I ask again what some of you make of the V200 and V800 as a match for the HE-500?


----------



## Kendoji

Never mind, I'll know soon enough myself.  Just placed my order!


----------



## Loevhagen

The HE-500 and the Violectric stack (V200/V800) is a good match. No worries.


----------



## Kendoji

Thanks Loevhagen, it was partly your posts (and photos!) that got me fixated on getting this stack in the first place.


----------



## Frank I

I been told that if you can go to set to audio processing you can set theoutput volume to fixed and that would bypass the Oppo digital volume control. I am going  to try that so i can use the analog only controls of both my amps and see if that works better. Need to get as longer USB cable so i can use my apple macmonitor
  Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Quote:
> 
> I'd set the V200 as shown in the photos below and, while playing a CD, gradually increase the OPPO DAC volume from 0.  (On the OPPO remote, use the volume - + buttons. You can monitor the DAC volume from the display window or on your video display if that is installed.)  If more volume is needed change the gain switches on the V200 an start the DAC volume from 0.  _*Remember to turn off the V200 before changing the pre gain switches turn down V200 volume before turning on.*_
> 
> ...


----------



## TokenGesture

Really loving how the T1 sounds with the V200 at the 3oc position and the volume driven by the DAC - smoother, more powerful.  Such a pleasure.
   
  On the other hand - don't plug your Senn Momentum's in to the V200 - bloats the bass and destroys the sparkle - they sounded bad, even with the lowest Gain setting.  Looks like my search for a decent closed headphone for my home office stack continues...


----------



## Kendoji

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> Really loving how the T1 sounds with the V200 at the 3oc position and the volume driven by the DAC - smoother, more powerful.  Such a pleasure.
> 
> On the other hand - don't plug your Senn Momentum's in to the V200 - bloats the bass and destroys the sparkle - they sounded bad, even with the lowest Gain setting.  Looks like my search for a decent closed headphone for my home office stack continues...


 
   
  It's interesting that you say that about the Momentums.  I only got my V200 and V800 stack yesterday, but I had a good play with a few of my headphones last night.  I briefly plugged in the V-MODA M100 (vaguely equivalent to the Momentum) and I'm not sure if it was just brain-shock after listening to the fantastic HE-500 and RS1i, but I had a similar impression - it seemed to sound strange and muddy.  Normally I very much enjoy the M100 through my Leckerton.


----------



## mentt

Hello everybody!, Just got V200 AMP. What gain setting do you use with HD800?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mentt said:


> Hello everybody!, Just got V200 AMP. What gain setting do you use with HD800?


 
  I like the facotry setting for the hD800. All down is the standard setting.


----------



## mentt

What about ground lift switch? You have to open V200 for that I recon...


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mentt said:


> What about ground lift switch? You have to open V200 for that I recon...


 
  I have not messed with that. The manual tells you how to mess with other stuff but quite happy playing it the way ist comes out of the box. i have tried the other gain setting but always come back to unity gain(factory setting).


----------



## mentt

How much burn in V200 needs? 20 hours? 100 hours? More?


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





mentt said:


> How much burn in V200 needs? 20 hours? 100 hours? More?


 
  I have not noticed any change after I got used to the V200 sound signature (ca. 10 hours)


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mentt said:


> How much burn in V200 needs? 20 hours? 100 hours? More?


 
  I have not noticed much difference more so with the King Cobra XLR I am using that has changed after 40 hrs for the better. The amp pretty much ha shown little if any difference, It sounded good out of the box


----------



## beyerlove

mentt,
  My V200 sounded wonky right out box. I didn't find V200 was so good amp right out of the box.
  But after 20 hrs burn in, V200 started to shine and turn out to be really awesome.
   
  So, I can say it's safe for you too, to take about 20 hrs burn in time to evaluate your V200.
   
  Cheers.


----------



## sling5s

For me it was mostly the bass.  About 20-50 hours before the bass really settled. If you read headphonia's review, they comment about the same thing.


----------



## mentt

It was the same with my M-DAC, 50 hours burn in was necessary. Before that it sounded thin and unimpressive.


----------



## mentt

I have also opportunity to sell my HD800 and buy Hifiman HE-500 for good price. Which headphones do you prefer with V200 AMP?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mentt said:


> I have also opportunity to sell my HD800 and buy Hifiman HE-500 for good price. Which headphones do you prefer with V200 AMP?


 
  They are both excellent with the V200 the preference would be which one you like better. I preferred the hd800 but do like the HE500 I sold and who know it may also find a palace again in my setup.


----------



## project86

Agreed. Both are very good headphones, and both pair well with the V200. 
   
  It comes down to - do you like a more dry, neutral, analytical approach with big holographic soundstage? That's the HD800. Or do you like a slightly more musical sound that can dig deeper in the bass but isn't as open and expansive? That's the HE-500.


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Agreed. Both are very good headphones, and both pair well with the V200.
> 
> It comes down to - do you like a more dry, neutral, analytical approach with big holographic soundstage? That's the HD800. Or do you like a slightly more musical sound that can dig deeper in the bass but isn't as open and expansive? That's the HE-500.


 
  From your description I would chose HE-500. Or keep both, but I am afraid that one of them would lay on the shelf...


----------



## Loevhagen

Try both out - and move the one you don´t fancy anymore (after quite some time) over to the FS domain.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Try both out - and move the one you after quite some time over to the FS domain.


 
   
  This.
   
  If you buy from the FS forum, then later sell the one you don't use as often, you'll probably break even.


----------



## mentt

What do you think about LCD2 in comparison to He-500 and HE-500 on V200 AMP?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





mentt said:


> What do you think about LCD2 in comparison to He-500 and HE-500 on V200 AMP?


 

  Fried actually recommended the LCD2 with the V200, but lately I've read some not so complimentary things about them.  People seem to like the LCD3 much better.  As for the HD800 and HE500, I found the HE500 was heavy and not very comfortable to wear.  All planar magnet types are about 200 grams heavier than the HD800.  The HD800 is the ultimate headphone for classical and orchestral music because of the phenomenal sound stage.  The HE500 has strong tight bass that would be better for rock and other types of music that are bass intensive.  The Beyer T1 is no slouch on bass either and has a nice balance sound.  It is light weight and probably the most comfortable of all the above to wear.  Here is a good review of several headphones. 
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/612250/headphone-comparison-sennheiser-hd-600-hd-700-hd-800-hd-25-1-and-the-amperior-audio-technica-ath-m50s-audeze-lcd-2-rev-2-and-the-lcd-3


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> Fried actually recommended the LCD2 with the V200, but lately I've read some not so complimentary things about them.  People seem to like the LCD3 much better.  As for the HD800 and HE500, I found the HE500 was heavy and not very comfortable to wear.  All planar magnet types are about 200 grams heavier than the HD800.  The HD800 is the ultimate headphone for classical and orchestral music because of the phenomenal sound stage.  The HE500 has strong tight bass that would be better for rock and other types of music that are bass intensive.  The Beyer T1 is no slouch on bass either and has a nice balance sound.  It is light weight and probably the most comfortable of all the above to wear.  Here is a good review of several headphones.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/612250/headphone-comparison-sennheiser-hd-600-hd-700-hd-800-hd-25-1-and-the-amperior-audio-technica-ath-m50s-audeze-lcd-2-rev-2-and-the-lcd-3


 
   
   
  I absolutely _love _the LCD-2 (latest version in bamboo) from the V200. HE-500 is good as well but I prefer LCD-2 in this situation. If I were to make an arbitrary ranking where 10 is perfect I'd rank the V200 with LCD-2 a 9/10, the HE-500 an 8/10, and HD800 9/10. That means HE-500 still does great but I've heard better from other (expensive) amps. 
   
  As you mentioned, comfort is a key aspect. I thought the original LCD-2 in rosewood with the foam headband was decent but only for short periods. The newest model fits me way better and I could wear it indefinitely.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I absolutely _love _the LCD-2 (latest version in bamboo) from the V200. HE-500 is good as well but I prefer LCD-2 in this situation. If I were to make an arbitrary ranking where 10 is perfect I'd rank the V200 with LCD-2 a 9/10, the HE-500 an 8/10, and HD800 9/10. That means HE-500 still does great but I've heard better from other (expensive) amps.
> 
> As you mentioned, comfort is a key aspect. I thought the original LCD-2 in rosewood with the foam headband was decent but only for short periods. The newest model fits me way better and I could wear it indefinitely.


 

 I never wore the LCD's.  Although they are about the same weight as the HE500 they must be more comfortable with a warmer feel (wood vs steel).


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> I never wore the LCD's.  Although they are about the same weight as the HE500 they must be more comfortable with a warmer feel (wood vs steel).


 
   
   
  Not sure about "warmer" but they do have a different weight distribution. The HE series feels like it is sort of "sitting" on my ears, with a bit of support from the headband. It's not bad at all, and I guess is more like a "traditional" headphone (Sennheiser, Ultrasone, etc) fit with less clamping. 
   
  The LCD-2 has a seemingly weird system where the cups end up spread farther out than the headband width. It's kind of goofy looking but it works well for me. More of my head touches the headband which means better distribution.


----------



## mentt

What about T1 and V200? Is it good match?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





mentt said:


> What about T1 and V200? Is it good match?


 
   
  Yep, very nice combo. IMO the T1 needs a bit of help to sound its best - a cold, neutral amp with the T1 doesn't do much for me. I like T1 with tubes, or a warmish solid state. Not major coloration - just a bit of help.


----------



## mentt

Would you recommend T1 over HD800 and he-500 on V200? I listen to indie, alternative slower rock music. Today i auditioned LCD2, but it was not ideal sound for me. Is there something in between HD800 and LCD2 sound? T1 or he-500? What is you favorite headphones for this kind of music?


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Yep, very nice combo. IMO the T1 needs a bit of help to sound its best - a cold, neutral amp with the T1 doesn't do much for me. I like T1 with tubes, or a warmish solid state. Not major coloration - just a bit of help.


 
  Are T1 good alternative to HD800 or do they have similar sound. I don't like bright sound of HD800 and also their plastic sound(no full enough or not life like).


----------



## project86

Quote: 





mentt said:


> Would you recommend T1 over HD800 and he-500 on V200? I listen to indie, alternative slower rock music. Today i auditioned LCD2, but it was not ideal sound for me. Is there something in between HD800 and LCD2 sound? T1 or he-500? What is you favorite headphones for this kind of music?


 
   
  Personally I like the HE-500 better than the T1, but they both have their strengths. I'd consider both somewhere in between the HD-800 and LCD-2. 
   
  Did you try the latest LCD-2 version? Because to me it sounds far less dark than the older models.


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Personally I like the HE-500 better than the T1, but they both have their strengths. I'd consider both somewhere in between the HD-800 and LCD-2.
> 
> Did you try the latest LCD-2 version? Because to me it sounds far less dark than the older models.


 
  Yes, they were the latest LCD-2. Sadly they were with zero hours on them, brand new. I know that they will sound better after 30-200 hours, but I didn't know if I would use to to their sound  ...


----------



## project86

Quote: 





mentt said:


> Yes, they were the latest LCD-2. Sadly they were with zero hours on them, brand new. I know that they will sound better after 30-200 hours, but I didn't know if I would use to to their sound  ...


 
   
  I wouldn't worry about it then. Even if we assume burn-in is a real thing (which is hotly debated), I doubt it would fundamentally change the tone of the headphone enough to make you enjoy it. If it did nothing for you then it's probably best that you moved on. 
   
  I'd say buy an HE-500 or T1 from a good seller who allows 30-day returns. Or else buy at a good price from the forum here and resell it for the same price if it doesn't satisfy.


----------



## TokenGesture

Quote: 





mentt said:


> Are T1 good alternative to HD800 or do they have similar sound. I don't like bright sound of HD800 and also their plastic sound(no full enough or not life like).


 
  I have the T1 with the V200 - great sounding combination. They are not offensively bright, but very detailed AND musical. I havn't heard the HD800 for any length of time.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> I have the T1 with the V200 - great sounding combination. They are not offensively bright, but very detailed AND musical. I haven't heard the HD800 for any length of time.


 

 I agree, the T1 is great with the v200.  The T1 has tighter bass than the HD800, but the HD800 has better sound stage (spaciousness).  So it would depend on your music preference.  T1 better for rock / HD800 better for orchestral.  Another consideration might be that T1 comes up on Head-Fi Buy Sell Trade for around $800, often in like new condition.


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> I agree, the T1 is great with the v200.  The T1 has tighter bass than the HD800, but the HD800 has better sound stage (spaciousness).  So it would depend on your music preference.  T1 better for rock / HD800 better for orchestral.  Another consideration might be that T1 comes up on Head-Fi Buy Sell Trade for around $800, often in like new condition.


 
  I mostly listen to Indie, alternative rock(Radiohead, PJ Harwey ) music. So it is between T1 and HE-500


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mentt said:


> I mostly listen to Indie, alternative rock(Radiohead, PJ Harwey ) music. So it is between T1 and HE-500


 
  Thats going to need a side by side comparison. I like the T1 owned it for 2 years. If I were you like  Project86 said get both with a return policy and keep the one you dont want to. Shop around you can buy the T1 for 925.00 new if you haggle as I did twice. The hE500 has a return policy as well. This way you have a few weeks to really decide what you want more. The T1 is a great headphone. I have the hD800 which I slightly prefer more because of soundstage but the T1 has deeper bass and I also like the T1 focus and treble,


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





frank i said:


> Thats going to need a side by side comparison. I like the T1 owned it for 2 years. If I were you like  Project86 said get both with a return policy and keep the one you dont want to. Shop around you can buy the T1 for 925.00 new if you haggle as I did twice. The hE500 has a return policy as well. This way you have a few weeks to really decide what you want more. The T1 is a great headphone. I have the hD800 which I slightly prefer more because of soundstage but the T1 has deeper bass and I also like the T1 focus and treble,


 

 I agree.  The biggest difference between the T1 and HE500 would be the greater bass extension of the HE500.  The trade-off would be weight and comfort.  The T1 is much lighter and would be by far the more comfortable, imho.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





rico613 said:


> I agree.  The biggest difference between the T1 and HE500 would be the greater bass extension of the HE500.  The trade-off would be weight and comfort.  The T1 is much lighter and would be by far the more comfortable, imho.


 
  The T1 is more comfortable but the the HE500 IMO is more transparent. It gives up soundstage depth, air and focus to the T1 but its really a matter of what you want most. Both choices are really driven well by the V200. Whe I first reviewed the V200 I had the T1 in house. They are synergistic as is the hD800 and every other can I have used. Comfort is a T1 strong point. I think these arent bad but the velours pads on the he500 can be a little scratchy as well. mIf you like deep bass and planar transparency the hE500 is a better choice. If your listening to classical primarily the t1 or HD800 is the clear cut choice for me. It aint bad to have them all LOL.


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





frank i said:


> The T1 is more comfortable but the the HE500 IMO is more transparent. It gives up soundstage depth, air and focus to the T1 but its really a matter of what you want most. Both choices are really driven well by the V200. Whe I first reviewed the V200 I had the T1 in house. They are synergistic as is the hD800 and every other can I have used. Comfort is a T1 strong point. I think these arent bad but the velours pads on the he500 can be a little scratchy as well. mIf you like deep bass and planar transparency the hE500 is a better choice. If your listening to classical primarily the t1 or HD800 is the clear cut choice for me. It aint bad to have them all LOL.


 
  Just ordered HE-500. Thank all for help!


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mentt said:


> Just ordered HE-500. Thank all for help!


 
  Hope you like them. Congajulations


----------



## TokenGesture

One day I need to get some planars. Will the V200 drive the HE6?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> One day I need to get some planars. Will the V200 drive the HE6?


 
  no


----------



## mentt

Do you think think that* *HiFiMAN EF-5 AMP is better choice for HE-500 than V200? My v200 still has 30 day return policy...


----------



## Loevhagen

Yes
  Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> Will the V200 drive the HE6?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





frank i said:


> no


 
   
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Yes


 
   
  HA! I was going to explain how some people think it can drive HE-6, and some people disagree. But never mind.


----------



## Pudu

I think they summed it up nicely, leaving little room for confusion.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





project86 said:


> HA! I was going to explain how some people think it can drive HE-6, and some people disagree. But never mind.


 
   
  Can we take that as a 'Maybe' ?
   
  LMAO . . .


----------



## TokenGesture

Classic Head-fi
   
  ...
   
  So, which is it?


----------



## project86

Some people feel V200 is up to the task, others don't. Simple as that. There's no "right" answer to definitively say which of them is correct. 
   
  Obviously if you plug in the HE-6 you will get sound. Probably loud sound with the pre-gain set to high. Is it ideal sound for the HE-6? I don't know. I haven't even tried it myself so I have no personal opinion on the matter.


----------



## Loevhagen

Please do: "I was going to explain how some people think it can drive HE-6, and some people disagree. But never mind."
   
  I will, if we see the original question ("Will the V200 drive the HE6?"), answer as follows - since the original questions omits any adjectives.
   
  Will the V200 drive the HE-6 well - compared to other solutions? No. The V200 can´t compete with Mjolnir and dedicated stereo amps (Primare I32, Abrahamsen V2.0, Brio-R). However - it is not just W-output from the amp - it is so much more. 
   
  Q: Will the V200 drive the HE6?
  A: Yes
   
  Q: Will the V200 drive the HE6 - as good as a dedicated integrated stereo amp coupled to the speaker outputs?
  A: No
   
  Q: Will the V200 drive the HE6 to high volumes?
  A: Yes
   
  Q: Will the V200 drive the HE6 - and make the sound really engaging?
  A: It depends on your source - but I would say that the Mjolnir / Gungnir comes very, very close to the stereo amp. So close in fact, that the Schiit stack is sufficient to any stereo amp


----------



## negura

Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Q: Will the V200 drive the HE6 - and make the sound really engaging?
> A: It depends on your source - but I would say that the Mjolnir / Gungnir comes very, very close to the stereo amp. So close in fact, that the Schiit stack is sufficient to any stereo amp


 
   
  Much appreciate your detailed answer. Since I have the V200 and no other proper alternatives, I am quite interested how this would play with the HE-6 in principle. Assuming the source is V800, how would you say this combo will drive the HE-6 compared to the Schiit combo? Is it a worthy attempt/result from the V200/V800 or is your advice towards consider something else?
   
  Oh and to throw a bit more fuel, same question about LCD-3 and V200/V800 combo. Is this worth considering at all?


----------



## project86

I was merely going to point out how some people say it can do a good job with HE-6, and some disagree. I didn't have anything more enlightening to say on the matter.


----------



## Loevhagen

Just my experience (1 year+):
   
  a) HE-6 plays music and comes alive with Shiit Mjolnir / Gungnir - compared to the aforementioned stereo amps
  b) LCD-3: I love the LCD-2 on the V200 - but the LCD-3 needs something else. This is a nightmare to explain. The LCD-2 and the LCD-3 aren´t THAT different. The LCD-2 sounds fantastic with the V200 - the LCD-3 doesn´t. The LCD-2 is abs. fantastic via the Mjolnir - and so is the LCD-3. THe Mjolnir is relatively "bright & agile" sounding. That complements the LCD-3 - and for some of us also the LCD-2s
   
  The V200 is fantastic with the Fostex TH-900. Abs. love the combo.
   
  tl;dr - The Mjolnir is numero uno for LCD-3 - and the V200 is fantastic for TH-900 and LCD-2. If you have the LCD-34 and Mjolnir; the LCD-2 will come alive as well on the Mjolnir.


----------



## Loevhagen

I have the Burson Soloist here as well  -  but the Aussie is soooo (zzzzzz) boring compared to the V200 on the LCD-2 and TH-900 that it isn´t even "insignificant".


----------



## sling5s

Off topic.  But I so wish there was another U.S dealer than Robert at Aphrodite29cu.  He is so hard to get a hold of.  His email replies are really inconsistent. Especially before the purchase and after the purchase.  
  At least, that was my experience when I purchased the v200.  Now I'm trying to purchase the v800 and wish there was another dealer.  Too bad.


----------



## Pudu

That's a shame. I haven't had any experience with emails ... however when I ordered an amp/dac one morning, he'd shipped it and sent me the info by that evening.


----------



## negura

For those who have the V200 and Beyer T1s, what's the PRE-GAIN adjustment you find to work best?


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





negura said:


> For those who have the V200 and Beyer T1s, what's the PRE-GAIN adjustment you find to work best?


 

  I ran the pre-gain at -6 with v200 volume fully clockwise and DAC volume somewhere in the middle -- sounded great !


----------



## TheKillerPiglet

Quote: 





negura said:


> For those who have the V200 and Beyer T1s, what's the PRE-GAIN adjustment you find to work best?


 
  At unity, and use a preamp for volume with V200 pot maxed.
   
  KP


----------



## project86

Quote: 





negura said:


> For those who have the V200 and Beyer T1s, what's the PRE-GAIN adjustment you find to work best?


 
   
  I leave it at the 0 gain (factory setting) and have a good range of control with the T1.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I leave it at the 0 gain (factory setting) and have a good range of control with the T1.


 
  How about for the he400 or he500. I tried 12BDB and ^db,. 12DB gets very loud at 9 6db het loud also but not sur factory setting would be best for the he5-00. In your experience with various planars what would work best and why. Thanks John


----------



## negura

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I leave it at the 0 gain (factory setting) and have a good range of control with the T1.


 
   
  The default '0' is also perfect for me as far as control goes, so this is what I was going with.
  Since I've only very recently received my V200 (thinking of burn-in and not enough listening), this is only very preliminary observation. I am getting the impression of a slight improvement in the sound with the +6dB vs the default 0dB with the T1s. What's more difficult is getting the output volume on a similar level to confirm this in between.  But it's like they open up a little bit more.


----------



## Kendoji

I mostly use my HE-500 and have mine set to -6 at the moment, while following the Violectric advice of having the V800 DAC at maximum.


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





frank i said:


> How about for the he400 or he500. I tried 12BDB and ^db,. 12DB gets very loud at 9 6db het loud also but not sur factory setting would be best for the he5-00. In your experience with various planars what would work best and why. Thanks John


 
  Trying to use the V200 volume pot at 12-3 with HE-500, the suitable for me V200 gain depends on the dac signal (from -6db with dac at high gain and xlr, to +6db with dac at low gain and SE). I have settled for 0db with my preferred dac (high gain, SE only). But I am afraid I am addicted to (too) LOUD sound.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





i019791 said:


> Trying to use the V200 volume pot at 12-3 with HE-500, the suitable for me V200 gain depends on the dac signal (from -6db with dac at high gain and xlr, to +6db with dac at low gain and SE). I have settled for 0db with my preferred dac (high gain, SE only). But I am afraid I am addicted to (too) LOUD sound.


 
  I  sometime listen too loud as well. I have it set at plus 6db setting right now and listened all day yesterday at plus 12db.  Even at plus 6 db at 12 its very loud. I will keep tinkering with it. My oppo volume can be adjusted up or down


----------



## project86

I keep mine at 0 as it seems to work with most everything, and partially just because I'm too lazy to switch it. 
   
  Obviously your source is going to matter though. XLR versus RCA is one thing, and with all the variable output DACs on the market these days.... it probably isn't definitive to say "0 pre-gain works with headphone X" unless we also specify the input (a 2V signal in my case). 
   
  I tend to prefer the V200 on as low a gain as possible though. It seems like that would minimize noise and maximize the volume pot for the least amount of attenuation. Not that V200 has a noise problem, or a bad volume pot, but I just like it this way.


----------



## dallan

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I keep mine at 0 as it seems to work with most everything, and partially just because I'm too lazy to switch it.


 
  Sounds familiar.


----------



## dec69

Hi, guys! I'm new on this site. My combo consists in: Naim CDP- 5X, Vioelectric V200, Senn's HD800, VDH The Well cables.
  Can someone tell me what would be the best PRE-GAIN adjustment for me? Tks.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





dec69 said:


> Hi, guys! I'm new on this site. My combo consists in: Naim CDP- 5X, Vioelectric V200, Senn's HD800, VDH The Well cables.
> Can someone tell me what would be the best PRE-GAIN adjustment for me? Tks.


 
   
  Welcome to HeadFi! That's a nice setup you have there.
   
  As we were just saying, a lot of us use 0 (the factory setting) because it's the most versatile. Your Naim has a 2V output so the factory pre-gain setting should be just fine. But feel free to mess with it and settle on something _you _enjoy most.


----------



## rawrster

I think that gain is good for everything short of the HE6. I had the V200 on 0 gain when I owned it and the HE6 was the only thing I had trouble with.


----------



## Frank I

I am using the factory settings again for the he500 and it working well. Not as loud nor as aggressive. This could never drive the he6 to a satisfactory level and IMO will collapse on demanding classical recordings. I believe and have always felt that the he6 needed 15w to sound their best. Getting volume is one thing but driving the he6 the V200 falls way short as most headphone amps do. This amp drives the he500 effortlessly.


----------



## mentt

Quote: 





frank i said:


> I am using the factory settings again for the he500 and it working well. Not as loud nor as aggressive. This could never drive the he6 to a satisfactory level and IMO will collapse on demanding classical recordings. I believe and have always felt that the he6 needed 15w to sound their best. Getting volume is one thing but driving the he6 the V200 falls way short as most headphone amps do. This amp drives the he500 effortlessly.


 
  My he-500 arrived today. Sound is interesting... Do they need to burn in? How long?


----------



## dec69

Thank you!


----------



## Mr Blonde

I'm running my V200 at -6 db pre-gain setting. Based on what kind of music  is playing and my personal mood the volume knob is set between 10 and 15 o'clock position.
  I use XLR connectors.


----------



## dec69

I had also a Symphonic Line RG10 MK4 Reference, which has a PRE-OUT function. Would it be better to use it as a preamplifier, between Naim 5X and V200?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





dec69 said:


> I had also a Symphonic Line RG10 MK4 Reference, which has a PRE-OUT function. Would it be better to use it as a preamplifier, between Naim 5X and V200?


 
   
   
  I wouldn't think so. I'm not familiar with that unit - if it adds some type of pleasing coloration, then it could be nice to have in the mix if you enjoy that "flavor". But if it's a neutral and transparent device then I wouldn't bother.


----------



## Pudu

I finally added five more lights to evening listening.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I wouldn't think so. I'm not familiar with that unit - if it adds some type of pleasing coloration, then it could be nice to have in the mix if you enjoy that "flavor". But if it's a neutral and transparent device then I wouldn't bother.


 
  its a german Brand that Odyssey audio designed their amp in the US exactly like that. Klauus Bunge is the US distributor but his clones are cheaper


----------



## Frank I

I have both the lcd 2.2 and HE500 running off the  V200/ I am running it 24hrs to burn in the lcd 2.2 sounds great with either headphone.


----------



## dec69

I've tried my combo with RG10 as a preamplifier, before V200, the sound was clearly worse, no colour whatsoever, rather metalic without bass and some common trebles. Fewer devices and cables = better sound


----------



## dynix

Hi to all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





!
   
  I´m new to this forum and want to send many greetings from Germany.
  I´m operating the V200 with my Audeze LCD-2 and for me, it´s a wonderful combo.
   
  The only thing is, that the built-in USB-DAC has a clicking sound between two tracks while listening via my macbook pro and iTunes. I hate this and it´s really disturbing!
   
  So I have to search this forum to find some similar experiences with this problem.
  Otherwise I have to take plan B (V800...)
   
  Alexander


----------



## hodgjy

I don't have any firsthand knowledge about Violectric products, but it's not uncommon for USB DACs to click when switching between tracks of different bitrates.  If it is clicking between songs of the same  bitrate, that is unexpected.
   
  Quote:


dynix said:


> Hi to all
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## project86

Agreed - many DACs (most?) will have an audible click when switching between tracks with different sample rates. If all you play is 16/44.1 and it still clicks, then that's unusual and I'd email Violectric about it.


----------



## dynix

Thank you for your tips.
  It´s also clicking when playing albums with the same sample rates. I will contact Fried Reim from violectric.


----------



## roskodan

Quote: 





dynix said:


> Hi to all
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> Agreed - many DACs (most?) will have an audible click when switching between tracks with different sample rates. If all you play is 16/44.1 and it still clicks, then that's unusual and I'd email Violectric about it.


 
   
  Quote: 





dynix said:


> Thank you for your tips.
> It´s also clicking when playing albums with the same sample rates. I will contact Fried Reim from violectric.


 
   
  probably because there is no fade in fade out while changing track or navigating through the track,
  so there is a sudden cut of the stream and the analog signal deeps,
  like in the beginning and ending of a square impulse
   
  if you change track from a silent part of the previous it's not audible
   
  it happens in direct kernel streaming
   
  use DS in foobar, or use winamp or such players, which by default have fade setup to 100ms or so
   
  or maybe there is some setting in the player or add on for adding fade to kernel streaming
   
   
  edit: i'm using v800 usb, same clicking present


----------



## hodgjy

It may also have a mechanical mute between tracks versus a software mute.  The mechanical mute will make a click as the circuit is opened and closed.


----------



## dynix

Thank you again.
   
  I think the clicking comes, when the data stream ends between two tracks and the DAC stops and begins his work. So there is a little current that causes the click. Not very comfortable...
   
  But interesting, that the DAC 800 has the same effect. Hmmm..


----------



## project86

Quote: 





dynix said:


> Thank you again.
> 
> I think the clicking comes, when the data stream ends between two tracks and the DAC stops and begins his work. So there is a little current that causes the click. Not very comfortable...
> 
> But interesting, that the DAC 800 has the same effect. Hmmm..


 
   
  I don't recall ever hearing this from my V800 - at least not when playing the same format. I believe mine does click when switching from one sample rate to another.


----------



## Kendoji

My V800 generally never clicks when I change tracks or albums.


----------



## dynix

For my better understanding, we are talking about feeding the V200 with USB-Module via iTunes on a Mac or PC?
   
  Because I´m not sure, if this happens with e.g. the DAC800 connected via Coax or Toslink with a CD-Player.


----------



## roskodan

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I don't recall ever hearing this from my V800 - at least not when playing the same format. I believe mine does click when switching from one sample rate to another.


 
   
  because there is a gradual transient between tracks if u don't switch, go, forward backwards between tracks yourself, even just sliding fwd bck in one track makes clicks in players that doesn't have fade, using v200 that is
   
  Quote: 





dynix said:


> For my better understanding, we are talking about feeding the V200 with USB-Module via iTunes on a Mac or PC?
> 
> Because I´m not sure, if this happens with e.g. the DAC800 connected via Coax or Toslink with a CD-Player.


 
   
  it doesn't matter, at least in my case, if it's digital coax or usb, in v800, rca analog out to v200, the clicks r always there if i use v200 and players without fade, like foobar with kernel streaming or vlc, as opposed  to winamp or foobar with direct sound in which case fade is applied before cutting, starting the signal, so there r not clicks
   
  it's like the dust on vinyl clicks
   
  i use v800 to v200, rca analog, and tried m-audio fast track ultra to v200, rca analog, in both cases the clicks r present, but a little attenuated not so fast attacking with the m-audio,
   
  so the clicks are most probably just the v200 preamp gain amp section being very hi-fi and uber quick in correctly amplifying the signal presented to it, or it just doesn't turn itself on/off, when the D/A signal starts/stops, or maybe because it actually is turning itself on/off, could be any of these reasons
   
  in this case a sudden rise from 0V to Vx or drop from Vx to 0V in the signal
   
  that's why there is no audible click when switching between low volume parts of the tracks, or if you set the volume fairly low in your player, or when a track ends and another start without switching yourself fwd bck from/to a loud section
   
  if u hear no clicks it's either because u r using software fade, or using a source that fade, or ur amp is not as hi-fi as the v200
   
  if it does not clicks it's not uber hi-fi 
   
  i don't know exactly how the d/a pre and amp r configured or working together in the v200
   
  so i can't give a technical scientifically exact explanation to where and why the clicks forms, ask the people from the lake
   
  now i'm gonna enjoy Ryoji Ikeda 'no' Dataplex from my uber hi-fi can amp that is the v200


----------



## dynix

Thank you, roskodan, for your detailed explanation.
  I think in a few days I have an answer from Fried Reim and I will report here.
  And now I´m enjoying Ziggy Stardust  with the wonderful V200 and trying to ignore the clicks.


----------



## Anda

My guess is that it has something to do with the Tenor USB chip (7022 IIRC). The TE8802 in my NFB-17.2 does the same, whereas my Hiface Two with the XMOS chip is hardly noticeable using the same DAC.


----------



## smoothtalker

My v200 click on every song with wasapi. This is normal due to the relay in the usb module not receiving any signal in 8sec or something. mine also click every time sample rate changes. My burson also clicks the same way

You can verify this with fried reim.


dynix said:


> Hi to all  !
> 
> I´m new to this forum and want to send many greetings from Germany.
> I´m operating the V200 with my Audeze LCD-2 and for me, it´s a wonderful combo.
> ...


----------



## roskodan

Quote: 





smoothtalker said:


> My v200 click on every song with wasapi. This is normal due to the relay in the usb module not receiving any signal in 8sec or something. mine also click every time sample rate changes. My burson also clicks the same way
> 
> You can verify this with fried reim.


 

 must be related to any usb and/or maybe the D/A , my m-audio ftu usb do the same,
   
  while connecting my v200 via rca to analog out of my mbp headphones jack using wasapi foobar cs4206a ab39 doesn't result in any clicking whatsoever
   
  but it's interesting how there is clicking, while using usb and/or maybe the D/A, only when interrupting the signal when it's fairly loud, like its volume, of the click, is proportional to the volume of the output signal in the moment of the interruption of the same
   
  another thing is that the same clicking is present, if using wasapi or ds without fade, while connecting pc opt digital out to v800 opt in and than out to v200 rca analog, the possibilities are 2, the v800 usb component is active in the optical digital path of the v800 too, or the actual clicks are actually something within the D/A and/or further down the chain
   
  and it clicks when switching between opt and coax digital streams on the v800 too


----------



## jronan2

Is aphroditecu29 the only vendor to buy the V200 new? His website looks kinda silly. I'm looking to get this amp for the TH900. Having a hard time trying to find one in the US.


----------



## hodgjy

You can order directly from Violectric.  Even with shipping, it is cheaper than buying from ACu29.  Although, depending on your city and state, you might get slapped with import taxes.
   
  Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> Is aphroditecu29 the only vendor to buy the V200 new? His website looks kinda silly. I'm looking to get this amp for the TH900. Having a hard time trying to find one in the US.


----------



## sling5s

I've had the v200 for couple months now and the v800 for a week now.  Really loving the combo.
  They really complement each other.  I think this is the best amp and dac I've had so far.  Very content with both.
  The amp is musical but not colored and the dac resolving but not clinical.  Together, they present the music in a very lively, detailed and holographic way. 
   
  Got to thank all those who review here like project86 for introducing gear like this.


----------



## sling5s

Here's my v200/v800 setup.  Hopefully for a long while.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





sling5s said:


> Here's my v200/v800 setup.  Hopefully for a long while.


 
   
   
  Nice!


----------



## preproman

Any word on the new balanced amp yet?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





preproman said:


> Any word on the new balanced amp yet?


 
   
  Not that I've heard. Fried mentioned a bunch of ideas for new products - the latest he talked about was expanding the DAC line to include lower priced models (maybe branded as Lake People models but I'm not sure) as well as a flagship design positioned higher than the V800. But these were all just ideas and I have no clue when or if any of them will actually launch.
   
  Fried hasn't mentioned the new high end amps in a while. I'm not sure they are even in the works at this point. But he could surprise us, you never know.


----------



## Synthax

How about pairing V200/V100 with Beyerdynamic T70, T5p and Grado (325) ?


----------



## beyerlove

T5p and T70 go quite well with V200. espacially T70.
  Since I paired my T70s to V200, I seldom use my T5p. the pairing is that good.
   
  Cheers.


----------



## Synthax

How about sibbilances? Are they as smooth as possible on t70 with V200? And how about lower mids? are they rich?


----------



## beyerlove

V200's sound signature is slightly warmer side, but that doesn't effect sibilant headphones because V200 is basically a neutral sounding amplifier. I started to feel my T70s less sibilant after I acquired V800 as a DAC.
   
  The T70 on V200 (considering T70's impedance, V100 will do) + V800 stack is amazing.
  they are so lively and smooth and powerful. If you have T70s I fully recommend this setup.


----------



## necker

Hi, I wanted to know that this worked the v200 with sennheiser hd650 and akg k701.
  thanks


----------



## OICWUTUDIDTHAR

I wish this amp wasn't so ugly


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





necker said:


> Hi, I wanted to know that this worked the v200 with sennheiser hd650 and akg k701.
> thanks


 
  V200 is fine with both hd650 and akg k701


----------



## Kendoji

Quote: 





oicwutudidthar said:


> I wish this amp wasn't so ugly


 
  
 Are you saying that based on photos or real life?  I was always thought the Violectric stack looked great, but it looks even better in person than it does on photos.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





kendoji said:


> I was always thought the Violectric stack looked great, but it looks even better in person than it does on photos. 
   
  Me too.


----------



## esn89

v200 aesthetics wise is kinda on the ugly side.  When I think of beautiful amps, I think of the ones made by Ray Samuels.
   
  But the thing with v200, this german made product seems like it is built for war.  It uses a Nextel coating (as seen here: http://www.eldeco.be/Nextel.htm) so that the unit is scratch resistant, and if you spill something on it such as coffee mug stains, you cna just wipe it off and it's like nothing was there. 
   
  Just read that this Nextel coating was used inside the NASA space shuttles


----------



## Kendoji

It definitely has a quality and premium feel to it.  My sister has a Graham Slee amp, which looks nice in photos, but picking it up it feels incredibly light and unsatisfying in comparison.  When I pick up a V200, though, I feel the need for a quiet moment of reverence.


----------



## TooPoor

Mine shipped from Lake People in Germany today and will be here Friday! Talk about quick turnaround. It'll be powering my HD800's. Now I just need a better DAC...


----------



## diabelli

Quote: 





toopoor said:


> Mine shipped from Lake People in Germany today and will be here Friday! Talk about quick turnaround. It'll be powering my HD800's. Now I just need a better DAC...


 
   
  I'm also looking for a new DAC for my V200, perhaps with DSD, I'll wait for the annoucement of the new Concero even if I don't like the lack of balanced output...


----------



## Kendoji

Nothing looks better stacked under a V200 than a V800.


----------



## TooPoor

I'll also be awaiting the new Concero. The V800 has some stiff competition at it's price point, in my opinion. But hey, that's me.


----------



## Rico613

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> v200 aesthetics wise is kinda on the ugly side.  When I think of beautiful amps, I think of the ones made by Ray Samuels.


 
  No question RSA units look good, but then you pay for all that bling . . .  while I'm at it, I don't get those spiky things on amps.  I can understand having spikes on speakers to isolate vibration, but on other gear?  Just looks cool I guess . . . well, glad that's off my chest !!!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I think the low profile and solid feel of the V200 is really nice.  My V200 just sits on top of a cherry wood cabinet not looking for attention, not taking up a lot of space, just kicking out some great sounds.


----------



## guido

About to become a member of the V200 club!!


----------



## Rico613

^ Clearly a man of distinction and good taste.  Felicitazioni !


----------



## guido

I will be using a Concero > V200 > HD800 .....and later perhaps I will use the Concero in USB-SPDIF bridge mode into a DAC V800 > V200


----------



## esn89

Quote: 





guido said:


> I will be using a Concero > V200 > HD800 .....and later perhaps I will use the Concero in USB-SPDIF bridge mode into a DAC V800 > V200


 
   
  am i missing something here?  how come you are going amp->dac-> amp?


----------



## FlySweep

> Originally Posted by *esn89* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> am i missing something here?  how come you are going amp->dac-> amp?


 
   
  I think you just misread his post:
   
_Concero > V200 > HD800_
   
  (Resonessence) Concero is a DAC > (Violectric) V200 is an amp > (Sennheiser) HD800 is a headphone.


----------



## xzobinx

I think his question is about the concero>v800>v200 chain however the concero is a dac and it can also act as a usb s/pdif interface that what Guido means 
  Quote: 





flysweep said:


> I think you just misread his post:
> 
> _Concero > V200 > HD800_
> 
> (Resonessence) Concero is a DAC > (Violectric) V200 is an amp > (Sennheiser) HD800 is a headphone.


----------



## guido

Yes, absolutely correct..
   
  Concero DAC [in USB-SPDIF bridge mode] > V800 DAC > V200 amp > HD800 Senns


----------



## Synthax

Could anyone please tell me the differences between popular cmoy BB, and v200. Please do not think it is stupid question, but in my country I have no opportunity to hear V200. But I do have cmoy. After reading many posts about v200 I'm pretty ready to order it, but I'd like to know what are this adventages due to cmoy. I use T70 and look for warmer, fuller lower mids. Should I change the phones or buy v200 ? Will it satisfy thes now very weight sound of cmoy? I know the T70 can play very full, if good amplified. I do have descreet architecture hi fi preamp, which drives T70 very nice, but I need more details, and imaging which are present in cmoy, but again with no 'weight of sound'


----------



## Synthax

or..... buy HD650 and stay with cmoy?


----------



## dfarina

Just got my new V200,out of the box it didn't sound good with my LCD's,but with 12 hours of burn time it's improved quite a bit,anxious to hear what 100 hours of burn time will do.My headphones are basically new as well,so the burn process is helping both components.


----------



## dec69

To Synthax: Neither do I had the possibility to listen the V200, nor to see it, I bought it after I red this thread, knowing that this is a fact to do NOT. I got it 3 months ago, is paired with HD800, and I'm about to be happy, the burn-in period is about to  end.


----------



## Synthax

Yeap, I know it is one of black horses in headphones amp space.


----------



## richbass

Is V200 better than G190P ?


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





richbass said:


> Is V200 better than G190P ?


 
  Assuming you mean G109-P, the only comparison I have seen is
   
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/lake-people-g103p-and-g109p-headphone-amplifiers
   
  G109 should be closer to V100


----------



## wolfetan44

Anyone compare the Schiit Mjolnir to the V200? Any comparisons in this thread or elsewhere? I'm not looking through 144 pages


----------



## zigy626

I am looking forward to hearing from someone who had the Meier Jazz and can compare that to V200 using the Sennheiser HD800.


----------



## NewMexiCat

_Quote:_


> _Originally Posted by *wolfetan44* /img/forum/go_quote.gif_
> 
> _Anyone compare the Schiit Mjolnir to the V200? Any comparisons in this thread or elsewhere? I'm not looking through 144 pages_


   
*I believe Loevhagen comes the closest to answering your question, although he is referencing specific headphones that may or may not be applicable to you.  Maybe he can expand on it:*
   
  Quote: 





loevhagen said:


> Just my experience (1 year+):
> 
> a) HE-6 plays music and comes alive with Shiit Mjolnir / Gungnir - compared to the aforementioned stereo amps
> b) LCD-3: I love the LCD-2 on the V200 - but the LCD-3 needs something else. This is a nightmare to explain. The LCD-2 and the LCD-3 aren´t THAT different. The LCD-2 sounds fantastic with the V200 - the LCD-3 doesn´t. The LCD-2 is abs. fantastic via the Mjolnir - and so is the LCD-3. THe Mjolnir is relatively "bright & agile" sounding. That complements the LCD-3 - and for some of us also the LCD-2s
> ...


----------



## project86

Aside from Loevhagan, I know of only two people who have experience with both the Mjolnir and V200. One is Rawrster who liked the Schiit better and sold his V200. The other wants to be anonymous (lurker around here) but went the other way around, replacing Mjolnir with the V200.


----------



## jronan2

I have both. Mjolnir is a very aggressive amp, absolutely perfect with LCD2 or LCD3. V200 is definitely a lot warmer, not too laid-back, but not as aggressive as the Mjolnir. I also confirm the V200 is very good with the TH900 and the D7000 for that matter. Absolutely dead quiet, and very deep bass. I think the LCD's sound better out of the Mjolnir personally. I think it really depends on what headphones you want to use them with. V200, imo is more versatile. I hope to be getting the HD800 in the next few months to see which amp I prefer them with. If I had to guess, most likely the V200. Hope this helps.


----------



## RedBull

Quote: 





jronan2 said:


> I have both. Mjolnir is a *very aggressive amp*, absolutely perfect with LCD2 or LCD3. V200 is definitely a lot warmer, not too laid-back, but not as aggressive as the Mjolnir. I also confirm the V200 is very good with the TH900 and the D7000 for that matter. Absolutely dead quiet, and very deep bass. I think the LCD's sound better out of the Mjolnir personally. I think it really depends on what headphones you want to use them with. V200, imo is more versatile. I hope to be getting the HD800 in the next few months to see which amp I prefer them with. If I had to guess, most likely the V200. Hope this helps.


 
   
  While I heard a lot of good things V200-HD800 pairing. 
   
  I can't help wondering how a very aggressive amp Mjolnir paired with HD800, for _smooth_, grandeur, classical music. 
  I am afraid it sounds like bang-bang-boom-boom-pow and lost it's finisse, fine texture and charm? 
  The reason I ask is, "very aggressive" reminds me about my comparison between the very aggressive T1 to HD800. 
  T1 suffers badly in terms of subtle ambience detail to HD800.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





redbull said:


> While I heard a lot of good things V200-HD800 pairing.
> 
> I can't help wondering how a very aggressive amp Mjolnir paired with HD800, for _smooth_, grandeur, classical music.
> I am afraid it sounds like bang-bang-boom-boom-pow and lost it's finisse, fine texture and charm?
> ...


 
   
  I wouldn't say it's a very aggressive amp. It does tilt towards the aggressive side but it is very sensitive to what kind of DAC you have or at least when paired with the HD800. The better the DAC the better it will sound. I have the HD800, Mjolnir and have paired it with my Yulong D18 as well as an Anedio D1 dac. Neither setup is very aggressive imo but the D18 is slightly more smooth.
   
  Also the Mjolnir and HD800 is one of the better pairings I've heard. It's not the best but the most reasonable cost and size for my uses.
   
  As for the V200 and Mjolnir both amps are good but they serve different purposes. The obvious one is that the Mjolnir only has balanced ouputs while the V200 has single ended. The best way I can think of it is the V200 is much more versatile while the Mjolnir serves a specific purpose. The V200 can have the gain changed depending on your headphone. It can go from sensitive custom iem to harder to drive headphones with a few exceptions. It also like a slight warmth to it that may or may not be desirable. The Mjolnir on the other hand has a slight aggression with lots of power and transparency. The warmth of the V200 makes it a bit more forgiving while the Mjolnir is not so forgiving. The V200 is not optimal for the HE6 which was the main reason I sold it. The Mjolnir is better for the HE6 and sounds great but not as good as my speaker amp. It also sounds amazing with the HD800.


----------



## RedBull

Thanks rawster.
   
  How do you say Mjolnir micro detail (not just sparkle and slam) compared to V200?
   
  Recently I listen HD800 with small amp/DAC ATH-HA26D

   
  and then I compared with RSA Darkstar
   

   
  To my surprise 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, the ATH is much more resolving and smoother than the Darkstar.  Darkstar has more punch though.
  Quite a fine performer those ATH amps.


----------



## rawrster

Microdetail is hard to compare without having both. I haven't noticed anything lacking since I got the Mjolnir compared to when I had the V200.


----------



## wolfetan44

So if I want a versatile amp, get the V200?


----------



## Kendoji

The V200 is very versatile, seems to work well with just about any headphones.


----------



## zigy626

How much does the source make a difference when listening to V200? I have was thinking of buying a Arcam rPac and buying the V200 for my HD800's. In the process getting rid of my Audiolab M-Dac and Corda Jazz. Would the V200 still sound good if the source is not that great?


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





zigy626 said:


> How much does the source make a difference when listening to V200? I have was thinking of buying a Arcam rPac and buying the V200 for my HD800's. In the process getting rid of my Audiolab M-Dac and Corda Jazz. Would the V200 still sound good if the source is not that great?


 
  It will sound as good as the source allows (in other words, prefer a good source to a good amp if you cannot have both)


----------



## zigy626

Quote: 





i019791 said:


> It will sound as good as the source allows (in other words, prefer a good source to a good amp if you cannot have both)


 
  Thanks. I guess that brings things more into prospective. Maybe I should not be so hasty in getting rid of my M-DAC after all.


----------



## negura

Quote: 





zigy626 said:


> How much does the source make a difference when listening to V200? I have was thinking of buying a Arcam rPac and buying the V200 for my HD800's. In the process getting rid of my Audiolab M-Dac and Corda Jazz. Would the V200 still sound good if the source is not that great?


 
   
  This is a tough one. The source matters a lot, and so does the amp. Whichever you choose to upgrade first, it's worth planning to end up with both the DAC&AMP on a similar level.
   
  That said I did use my V200 with a budget DAC and it did ok, but as expected moving to a higher quality DAC brought back a lot more of the music.


----------



## NewMexiCat

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I wouldn't say it's a very aggressive amp. It does tilt towards the aggressive side but it is very sensitive to what kind of DAC you have or at least when paired with the HD800. The better the DAC the better it will sound. I have the HD800, Mjolnir and have paired it with my Yulong D18 as well as an Anedio D1 dac. Neither setup is very aggressive imo but the D18 is slightly more smooth.
> 
> Also the Mjolnir and HD800 is one of the better pairings I've heard. It's not the best but the most reasonable cost and size for my uses.
> 
> As for the V200 and Mjolnir both amps are good but they serve different purposes. The obvious one is that the Mjolnir only has balanced ouputs while the V200 has single ended. The best way I can think of it is the V200 is much more versatile while the Mjolnir serves a specific purpose. The V200 can have the gain changed depending on your headphone. It can go from sensitive custom iem to harder to drive headphones with a few exceptions. It also like a slight warmth to it that may or may not be desirable. The Mjolnir on the other hand has a slight aggression with lots of power and transparency. The warmth of the V200 makes it a bit more forgiving while the Mjolnir is not so forgiving. The V200 is not optimal for the HE6 which was the main reason I sold it. The Mjolnir is better for the HE6 and sounds great but not as good as my speaker amp. It also sounds amazing with the HD800.


 
   
  rawrster, obviously you preferred the Mjolnir to the V200.  However, does the "slight aggression" of the Mjolnir ever lead to fatigue while listening to the HD800's?  I just wondered if you ever missed the "slight warmth" of the V200 in taming the highs on the HD800?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





zigy626 said:


> How much does the source make a difference when listening to V200? I have was thinking of buying a Arcam rPac and buying the V200 for my HD800's. In the process getting rid of my Audiolab M-Dac and Corda Jazz. Would the V200 still sound good if the source is not that great?


 
   
  My $0.02 on this - V200 is a highly resolving amp, so it will show the flaws in your signal chain. This is true of all nicer amps. However, as expensive amps go, V200 is a bit more forgiving than some of them, due to it's slightly warm and smooth presentation. When I use one of my lower priced DACs like the Audinst HUD-mx2 I would rather pair it with V200 than with any of my other $999+ amps. 
   
  Source versus amp and where to spend money first is always a tough thing to figure out. If it's the choice between V200 paired with the rPac, or a $250 amp paired with a $999 DAC.... it could really go either way. I guess it depends on the combo as well as your headphones.


----------



## zigy626

Quote: 





project86 said:


> My $0.02 on this - V200 is a highly resolving amp, so it will show the flaws in your signal chain. This is true of all nicer amps. However, as expensive amps go, V200 is a bit more forgiving than some of them, due to it's slightly warm and smooth presentation. When I use one of my lower priced DACs like the Audinst HUD-mx2 I would rather pair it with V200 than with any of my other $999+ amps.
> 
> Source versus amp and where to spend money first is always a tough thing to figure out. If it's the choice between V200 paired with the rPac, or a $250 amp paired with a $999 DAC.... it could really go either way. I guess it depends on the combo as well as your headphones.


 
  Thanks project86 for your input. I have just discovered that Voilectric offers the V200 with a USB input (24/92khz) all for 1000 Euros. I guess it would be worth a try to go for this option.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





newmexicat said:


> rawrster, obviously you preferred the Mjolnir to the V200.  However, does the "slight aggression" of the Mjolnir ever lead to fatigue while listening to the HD800's?  I just wondered if you ever missed the "slight warmth" of the V200 in taming the highs on the HD800?


 
  I'm quite happy with my current HD800 rig and don't miss the V200 with the HD800. I don't really find the HD800 to be fatiguing. With the HD800 the old saying of source coming first holds true in my experience. With lesser dacs there is some fatigue but with the two DACs I currently own that is not the case.


----------



## Synthax

Due to my budget I'm considering V100, will it be a big loose of imaging and bass vs V200? I do have HD650 and T70.


----------



## Fegefeuer

V200 can be total endgame to you for so many years, so in the long run I think the money is well invested in the V200. Image all the years this thing could run vs. price difference. Does it really matter then?


----------



## guido

I see a Lake People G109-S for sale in the classifieds


----------



## Anda

Quote: 





zigy626 said:


> Thanks project86 for your input. I have just discovered that Voilectric offers the V200 with a USB input (24/92khz) all for 1000 Euros. I guess it would be worth a try to go for this option.


 
   
  I would definitely keep the M-DAC. Heard the HD 800 on Woo Audio WA-22 paired with M-DAC. Best experience I've ever had with HD 800. Some of the credit obviously goes to the amp, but I think the M-DAC is great. If you can afford it, then go for M-DAC + V200 + HD 800


----------



## zigy626

anda said:


> I would definitely keep the M-DAC. Heard the HD 800 on Woo Audio WA-22 paired with M-DAC. Best experience I've ever had with HD 800. Some of the credit obviously goes to the amp, but I think the M-DAC is great. If you can afford it, then go for M-DAC + V200 + HD 800




Thanks. Great to hear your experience with the M-DAC. I think for the time being I am going to stick with my current setup. But an amp upgrade is going to be the first thing I do once I have some money saved up. With the Meier Corda Jazz the bass is thin and the highes can be a bit too bright. Generally I find my current setup as unsatisfactory.


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





zigy626 said:


> Thanks. Great to hear your experience with the M-DAC. I think for the time being I am going to stick with my current setup. But an amp upgrade is going to be the first thing I do once I have some money saved up. With the Meier Corda Jazz the bass is thin and the highes can be a bit too bright. Generally I find my current setup as unsatisfactory.


 
  Could be that your real problem is the HD800.
  Have you ever heard it with other upstream gear and felt fine ?
  Is your current dac+amp satisfactory to you with other headphones ?


----------



## zigy626

Quote: 





i019791 said:


> Could be that your real problem is the HD800.
> Have you ever heard it with other upstream gear and felt fine ?
> Is your current dac+amp satisfactory to you with other headphones ?


 
  I have not heard the HD800 with other upstream gear. But I have heard many good things about the HD800 from people who have used it with tube amplifiers and V200. I did try out the Denon D7100 with my current setup and it had too much bass. Time and time again I have heard that HD800 is a neutral headphone and is very much source dependent. So I am going to give the HD800 the benefit of doubt.


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





zigy626 said:


> I have not heard the HD800 with other upstream gear. But I have heard many good things about the HD800 from people who have used it with tube amplifiers and V200. I did try out the Denon D7100 with my current setup and it had too much bass. Time and time again I have heard that HD800 is a neutral headphone and is very much source dependent. So I am going to give the HD800 the benefit of doubt.


 
  I have not heard the Denon.
  With your upstream gear (which I suspect is neutreal to brightish) I would check Sennheiser HD 650, Audeze LCD2 or - at the extreme - Hifiman HE 500.
  For the HD 800 you will probably need coloration upstream, the V200 is neutral (just a little warmer from competitive SS amps) to my ears. I suggest you go the tube way or check the Audio-gd Musical Series.


----------



## project86

I'm not at all surprised you find that setup bright. The M-DAC and HD800 are two pieces of gear that people commonly struggle with in that area... they are very resolving, and some people love them, but it isn't a stretch to call them bright. I haven't heard the Jazz but your description seems to exactly follow the "new" Meier sound. The older stuff like Cantate and Opera were warmer and smoother. The Concerto and everything since (that I've heard anyway) was more on the bright side. Better detail, yes, but also kind of hard to stomach over long periods, especially with HD800. 
   
  It might be a simple matter of swapping out the Jazz with a warmer amp. That could do the trick nicely.


----------



## fengwei007

Quote: 





anda said:


> I would definitely keep the M-DAC. Heard the HD 800 on Woo Audio WA-22 paired with M-DAC. Best experience I've ever had with HD 800. Some of the credit obviously goes to the amp, but I think the M-DAC is great. If you can afford it, then go for M-DAC + V200 + HD 800


 
   
  About a week ago my friend asked to demo my V800 in his system, the next day he gave me some cash in return   I had to buy another DAC, luckily I found a second hand M-DAC almost in a day. Pair it together with my V200 for T1 headphones, really love the combo. After a week play, I don't feel too sorry about passing the V800 to my friend 
   
  Used to have a pair of HD800, but somehow I always felt its bass is a bit lacking, and sounded a bit thin, even driven by V800/V200. Changed to T1, much happier.


----------



## zigy626

For sure the Jazz needs to go, as it does not help in anyway combined with the M-DAC and HD800. Thanks for the clear explanation Project86, now it makes more sense as to what is going on with my gear. Fengwei007, glad you like the M-DAC more than the V800 that really says a lot looking at the price difference between the two. iO19791, I tried the HE500 with my current setup but the soundstage was too narrow compared the HD650 so had to sell them. But you are right the HD650 was a perfect match with my current gear, with the M-DAC and Jazz both being on the bright side I never really found the HD650 to have a veiled sound.


----------



## i019791

Quote: 





zigy626 said:


> I tried the HE500 with my current setup but the soundstage was too narrow compared the HD650 so had to sell them.


 
  Not my experience, but fine.


----------



## esn89

There seems to be some white noise, almost like a low/quiet background hissing when i listen to my hd800 on my v200/v800 stack.
   
  My volume pot for the amp is at 9.  with all the gain settings at 0.  (all switches flipped up)  and  i maxxed the volume pot on my dac. 
   
  any ideas?


----------



## roskodan

0dB pre gain would be all switches down not up, maybe that's the problem


----------



## esn89

if they are all up....what lvl is that?


----------



## Kendoji

You should never have all up, only one at a time. With only the one on the right up it would be max gain.


----------



## esn89

Man I am so confused with all this ground lift and gain talk.
   
  Right now I am using a v800 and v200 with an HD800.
   
  I have the volume pot at the max using my v800 and for my v200 the knob is at 8 o clock barely touching nine because it will rip my ear drums apart if it's any higher.  The gain on the v200 is all set to the lowest, which is 0.
   
  1)  What does it mean with the -6, -12?  If I flip the -6 switch does it make my amp volume decrease?  Or does it increase the volume?
  2)  Can I adjust the "gain" in the v800 so that it is still at the max, but I can bring the volume up on the v200 closer to the 3 o clock without ripping open my ear drums?  If so, which settings so I tinker with in the internal v800 switch?
  3)  Does lifting the gorund bypass the ground?  Will it **** up my violectric stack?


----------



## guido

Just set both dip switches on your V200 to -12db


----------



## Calypso

Quote: 





esn89 said:


> any ideas?


 
  Who needs ideas, when you have a manual?..
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




http://www.audiophysics.hk/downloads/pdf/16/V200-E%20Manual.pdf


----------



## esn89

Thank you.
   
  Can someone confirm on the v800 internals:
   
  If all the dip switches are UP, it is 0db?
   
  And when they say " lift" the gorund, they mean to place the little red caps ON the two lift pins, right?


----------



## dallan

I just use my v200 at unity, normal gain. I never touch anything and it works great. Maybe if I used iems I would lower the gain but otherwise just playing around.


----------



## Kendoji

Yep I never touch any of the switches and it works great with everything.


----------



## esn89

what is unity?


----------



## dallan

esn89 said:


> what is unity?




No plus or minus, just standard setting. It's been so long I would have to look at the switches in the back after work to tell you the switch setting that is but I'm sure others out here know.


----------



## Kendoji

Unity is the default with all the gain switches on the back set to down.


----------



## dallan

There ya go


----------



## dvmrp

Hi, I've just bought it and hoped that it can push my old AKB K1000, which was sitting in the beautiful woody box for a long time.
   
  It's not difficult for V200 to drive K1000 to sound loud enough to turn me to a deaf, just with +6db. However, the sound is quite thin and metallic. So far I think the best I get is +0db for piano playback but the volume is turned to 4pm position.
   
  Anyone are using V200 and K1000, can you please kindly to share your experience? Thanks.


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





dvmrp said:


> Hi, I've just bought it and hoped that it can push my old AKB K1000, which was sitting in the beautiful woody box for a long time.
> 
> It's not difficult for V200 to drive K1000 to sound loud enough to turn me to a deaf, just with +6db. However, the sound is quite thin and metallic. So far I think the best I get is +0db for piano playback but the volume is turned to 4pm position.
> 
> Anyone are using V200 and K1000, can you please kindly to share your experience? Thanks.


 
  I don't think the V200 can drive a K1000, or even come close.


----------



## dfarina

I found my V200 to sound the same out of the box as well with my LCD-2's,after a couple hundred hours it sounds much better.Maybe it's just in my head,but let the amp burn in for some time and then re evaluate it.


----------



## kkl10

Hey guys, could someone please help me get a grip on a mystery?
   
  To begin with, I would like to ask you guys if anyone has found their V200 or V100 to impart some channel imbalance on any headphone connected to it?
   
  I have a V100 and just recently found that on any headphone hooked up on it the physical left channel always sounds slightly louder than the right channel...
  I've noticed this imbalance months ago but I thought that it was coming from the headphones themselves, but recently I actually verified that the problem was coming apparently from the amp.
   
  I've tested all possible variables: digital sources, interconnects, software (channel reverse), pre-gain settings (of course!, I used the same for both channels duh!), volume knob position, etc... and the imbalance remains always the same regardless of the above configurations... The left channel of the headphones sounds louder than the right one.
  So it seems that it's an issue within the amp....
   
  My ears detect this imbalance mostly on the upper midrange - treble frequencies, on the lower frequencies I'm not sure I was able to discern any imbalance as strange as it seems...
  I'm not sure if it's right to call it an imbalance, it's a sort of sound image shift to the left channel...
  As if a sound that was supposed to appear in front center position of the sound field appeared to be coming slightly from the left (channel)... it's like a slight incoherence between the channels, and the left channel always seems to sound a bit more dynamic or detailed? than the right channel which sounds comparativelly kinda dead... but this could just be the impression caused by the volume mismatch.
   
  This is not simple to describe.
  I hope I'm making sense here... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  My amp is currently at Lake People instalations undergoing inspection, but they already informed me that they measured the channel imbalance to be within norms, nothing major, way below 0,5 dB...
  But the difference I hear is most certainly of several dBs it's quite apparent in the higher frequencies...
  I'm not sure if they tested it at 1000Hz tone only though...
   
  I don't get this channel imbalance from my other sources my PC integrated HP-out nor my Sansa Clip+, so it seems to be a real issue with my V100...
   
  Note that this is not the usual low volume channel imbalance, this is omnipresent regardless of how loud the sound/volume knob position is.
  And it's always the left physical channel of the headphone that sounds louder.
  Even if I reverse channels through software (foobar2000, for example) and swap channels in my head it's the left channel of the headphone that sounds louder, regardless of being routed the left or right channel stereo signal from software.
   
  I'de like to ask if anyone has noticed this behavior with their amps Violectric or not?
  Is this a normal occurence with amps?
  What could possibly be causing this issue on my V100?
  AFAIK the previous owner didn't mess within the amp, but could this be caused by DC coupling issues or incosistency between the opamps/transistors used for each channel?
   
  Any help or clarification would be much apprecciated.


----------



## roskodan

well, it might be your ears, hearing, that are imbalanced
   
  mine are a terrible match, but i really notice it only with sine swipes tests
   
  to check your ears, use your usual setup and just wear the headphone normally, and then wear them backward, meaning left earcup on right ear and right earcup on left ear
   
  if the imbalance is always on the same side, regardless if wearing the headphones normally or backwards, it's your ears that are unmatched
   
  use some signal generator and a sine sweep tone for test, something like this http://www.tolvan.com/index.php?page=/tone/tone.php


----------



## Rico613

^ If your amp is with Lake People and they say it is OK, then I don't think there is much more that can be said.  What you are hearing is not normal for Violectric, or other headphone amps from what little I know.  Do you get this imbalance with other headphones?  Maybe you need to consult an audiologist and get your hearing checked . . . just a thought . . .


----------



## kkl10

I get this imbalance on any headphone connected to the amp.
   
  I think I didn't make myself quite clear:
   
  On any headphone connected on the V100, the left physical channel of the headphone itself, not my ears, is always louder than the right channel of the headphone.
  If I hear a pink noise tone or a sinus sweep (I do this often to test all my headphones) with the headphone channels swapped on my head then it will sound louder on my right ear, if in normal position it will be louder on my left ear. Same with music.
   
  My hearing is not perfectly simetrical, I have more high frequency perception on my left ear than on the right, but the imbalance is detected on both ears the same way.
   
  It's not my ears and it's not my headphones, I've figured that out before sending the amp to Lake People.
  They still didn't definitelly say that the amp is fully OK, they only mentioned one channel imbalance test but there could be other things for them to check, it's still under testing until they contact me again.
  But, yeah I see how anyone other than Lake People could have little to say...
  I was just hoping that someone knowledgeable could chime in with possibilities, or at least to know if anyone has experienced this issue...


----------



## roskodan

once one of my xlr cables had a fase conductor shorting with the shield and the level on that channel was a lot lower than on the other


----------



## kkl10

I forgot to mention that I only use the RCA inputs, haven't tested XLRs yet.
  But with different sources and different interconnects to the RCA inputs the imbalance remains...


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> I get this imbalance on any headphone connected to the amp.
> 
> I think I didn't make myself quite clear:
> 
> ...


 
   
  I will be interested to know what type of music you listen to?


----------



## roskodan

Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> I forgot to mention that I only use the RCA inputs, haven't tested XLRs yet.
> But with different sources and different interconnects to the RCA inputs the imbalance remains...


 

 what pre gain settings did you use on the amp
   
  maybe u mismatched the dip switch configuration for the right and left channel, set it to R-6 L+6 instead of R-6 L-6, to match, or something like that


----------



## kkl10

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I will be interested to know what type of music you listen to?


 
   
  Pretty much everything Electronica, Rock, Classical, Electroacustic, Folk, Vocal, Jazz, everything...
  The imbalance is noticeable with everything, but with some IDM (Autechre) it's particularly noticeable how the center image is shifted to the headphone's left channel...
   
   
  Quote: 





roskodan said:


> what pre gain settings did you use on the amp
> 
> maybe u mismatched the dip switch configuration for the right and left channel, set it to R-6 L+6 instead of R-6 L-6, to match, or something like that


 
   
  Nope, always set the Pregain switches correctly and sent the amp with the pregain settings I mostly use, -6 dB for both channels.
  I've verified the imbalance to be present with any pregain setting select.
  I do suspect that it might be something related with the Pregain settings circuitry inside the amp because the imbalance is very consistent and always the same, but I don't really know...


----------



## spkrs01

Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> Pretty much everything Electronica, Rock, Classical, Electroacustic, Folk, Vocal, Jazz, everything...
> The imbalance is noticeable with everything, but with some IDM (Autechre) it's particularly noticeable how the center image is shifted to the headphone's left channel...


 
   
  I asked as a lot of recordings were biased to be louder on the left channel for the benefit of vinyl and turntables...I hear a slight shift to the left also but not as severe as you appear to hear it....


----------



## sling5s

I have had many amps and dacs that I loved initially but for one reason or another I sold.  
  But what makes the v200/v800 combo a keeper is that:
  a. It is revealing
  b. But also musical
  c. Finally, it's versatile. It pairs well with all the headphones I have.  
   
  Having all three is very hard to find.


----------



## kkl10

Well, nevermind about my issue, Lake People just informed me that they found no problems at all with my amp, it's just fine...
  So I guess it has to be something else, I just don't see what it can be, though...
  It would be very bad luck if all the interconnects I have are busted somehow...
  I'll just wait for it to arrive and see.


----------



## kkl10

Quote: 





spkrs01 said:


> I asked as a lot of recordings were biased to be louder on the left channel for the benefit of vinyl and turntables...I hear a slight shift to the left also but not as severe as you appear to hear it....


 
   
  I do indeed have alot of 60/70's Jazz recordings that have a very weird image shift to the left or to the right with some instruments (_Conquistator_ from Cecil Taylor comes to my mind) but my issue is present with everything I hear.
  But on these recording the shift is much more severe than the imbalance I heard with everything.
  The omnipresent imbalance I heard is not at all severe, it's _almost_ subtle and could pass unnoticed if I wasn't listening critically for imbalances as I usually do.
  But should be very noticeable for anyone with discerning ears, I was literally shocked when I thought to have pinpointed the amp as the source of the problem...
  I'm aliviated to know that it's not the V100, but frustrated without knowing the source of the problem yet.


----------



## diabelli

I'm stuck in the searching of a companion DAC for my V200, the most recent candidates are: V800, Mytek and XSabre.
  Obviously they have pros and cons (price, DSD, look...) I have no possibility to hear any of them with the V200 so it's a "blind" purchasing...
  Which should be the best with V200? Is the V800 a no brainer choice?
  The headphones are in my sign, I'm thinking to add a LCD2-2 (or a HE500) later in 2013...


----------



## Kendoji

I haven't heard the others you mention, but the complete Violectric stack sure is a beautiful thing to behold...    Certainly don't think you can go wrong with the V800.


----------



## dfarina

Quote: 





diabelli said:


> I'm stuck in the searching of a companion DAC for my V200, the most recent candidates are: V800, Mytek and XSabre.
> Obviously they have pros and cons (price, DSD, look...) I have no possibility to hear any of them with the V200 so it's a "blind" purchasing...
> Which should be the best with V200? Is the V800 a no brainer choice?
> The headphones are in my sign, I'm thinking to add a LCD2-2 (or a HE500) later in 2013...


 

 I also have the V200,LCD-2 combo and just went through the same dilemma,couldn't part with $1300 for the V800,so I opted for the Rein X-DAC,has good reviews and looks nice stacked on the V200.If you do a search on the reviews they seem to think it mates up well with our equipment when tested,goes for $680.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





kendoji said:


> I haven't heard the others you mention, but the complete Violectric stack sure is a beautiful thing to behold...    Certainly don't think you can go wrong with the V800.


 
   
  Agreed. See my sig for X-Sabre review where I compare the V800 with X-Sabre. It's not a clear victory for either unit, and both are quite enjoyable.


----------



## diabelli

Quote: 





kendoji said:


> I haven't heard the others you mention, but the complete Violectric stack sure is a beautiful thing to behold...    Certainly don't think you can go wrong with the V800.


 
   
   

   I see, they are perfect together and I love the "look and feel" of my V200...

  Anyway, I think that the V800 is a little bit overpriced for what it's offering in today market, and DSD it's the hype of the moment...
  But I'm also a promoter of the brand synergy (my main system is full Naim...)






   
  Quote: 





dfarina said:


> I also have the V200,LCD-2 combo and just went through the same dilemma,couldn't part with $1300 for the V800,so I opted for the Rein X-DAC,has good reviews and looks nice stacked on the V200.If you do a search on the reviews they seem to think it mates up well with our equipment when tested,goes for $680.


 
   
  Thanks, I'll make a search for the X-DAC...


----------



## diabelli

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Agreed. See my sig for X-Sabre review where I compare the V800 with X-Sabre. It's not a clear victory for either unit, and both are quite enjoyable.


 
   
  I've read carefully your reviews (both the V800 and X-Sabre) and I have understood there isn't a clear winner between the two.
  I'll forgot to write that I'll be eventually feeding the V800 with a HiFace EVo so the limit of the USB input it's not a big problem, it's more a "take the DSD train or wait the next turn" thing...




  Btw thanks a lot for your reviews, my English is not good at all but your reviews are clear and understandable even for me...


----------



## FlySweep

I love how this looks & sounds.  I'm not a big stickler for gear aesthetics.. but in this case, I couldn't resist getting the V200 when I knew the V800 was on its way.  In terms of performance, I can't recommend the V800 highly enough.


----------



## dfarina

Here is a review from this forum on the Rein X-dac,part of his equipment in the review is the V200 and LCD-2.The V200 and X-dac are very similar in size as seen in the review,so visually they look better together than any other dac out there with the exception of the V800


----------



## Kendoji

When I'm in any doubt I just follow project86 around these forums and buy whatever he tells me to.


----------



## jronan2

I have the X-Sabre, V200 for the Fostex TH900 and hopefully HD 800 down the road. I have never tried the V800, but I think the X-sabre wins out if they perform similar just in more options and better usb. The only gripe you will find with the X-sabre is no optical. They also looks great together, almost like they were made for each other. You probably can't go wrong with either one.


----------



## roskodan

...


----------



## roskodan

Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> Hey guys, could someone please help me get a grip on a mystery?
> 
> To begin with, I would like to ask you guys if anyone has found their V200 or V100 to impart some channel imbalance on any headphone connected to it?
> 
> ...


 
  try setting your v100 to dc operation and/or gnd position for the ground lift jumper
   
  edit: is the imbalance the same regardles of it being cold or warmed up ?


----------



## kkl10

^ Nevermind....
  I received the amp back from Lake People few days ago and after some more careful listening, it's clear now that the amp has no imbalance at all.
  It turns out all my headphones have the same imbalance, some more than others but while these mismatches can be quite subtle when hooked up on my Sansa Clip+ or my PC HP out, on the V100 they're more consistently noticeable for some reason...
   
  It's in my headphones after all.


----------



## roskodan

anyway, changing the ground to gnd instead of lift and switching to dc operation in some cases can give more focus and clarity, worth a try
  
  edit: ofc with gnd you can expect noise issues with iems if your electrical mains aren't grounded properly
   
  if you change some of the settings inside be sure to screw the whole case back together before listening as the screws are the ones that makes the electrical contact, the nextel coating really seems to be a bed conductor, so that the case is grounded properly


----------



## kkl10

I still didn't touch the ground lift and the DC coupling but I plan to, thanks for the advice.


----------



## roskodan

i questioned, some time ago, violectric ceo about the fact that my devices, v800 and v200, and all those pictured in the reviews, where set to lift by default, while in the manual gnd is stated as being the "ex works" setting
   
  it turned out that was the configuration of the prototype only, i didn't question why they changed that however i think they tried to maximize thd+n figures, while i can clearly hear how going from lift to gnd, and from ac to dc, somehow enhance, a lot in my case, the driving capabilities, and balance, extension on both ends, and purifies the mids
  
  edit: oh, and yeah, lcds + dc coupling, shake it baby


----------



## smoothtalker

Quote: 





kkl10 said:


> Hey guys, could someone please help me get a grip on a mystery?
> 
> To begin with, I would like to ask you guys if anyone has found their V200 or V100 to impart some channel imbalance on any headphone connected to it?
> 
> ...


 
  [size=10pt]I own a V100 with HD800 and I think there is some merit to your points. I experience some channel imbalance to the right sometimes and a power off/on seem to solve the issue. I don't know.. Persistently there seems also to be a slight shift to the right.. I can't really confirm. It could be my ear or headphone too, but it's annoying I know. [/size]


----------



## roskodan

listening feedback anyone? about ac/dc and lift/gnd comparison


----------



## roskodan

i see that very few took the time to try the v200 set to dc (and gnd)
   
  probably from fear to bust their cans
   
  however if you have the hd800 or beyer t1 or lcd or such high resolution cans the difference is huge
   
  Quote: 





fdg said:


> At least, DC operation is a little bit ingenuity and a bigger portion marketing so we can say " we can do that " - but to say it frankly, it is not very reasonable.


 
  lol i almost fell for that
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> I'd check with Violectric before doing that just to get a feel for their opinion. I guess if you know the specs of your source then it might be worth trying though. If you are the type to believe a single capacitor can greatly color the sound.


 
  who said there's only a capacitor, the change in performance is huge, did you try it? no? to bad, the review is not complete than...
   
  Quote: 





theophile said:


> Since that warning comes from the manufacturer, it is worth repeating.
> 
> Let anyone who read my post weigh my observations via the warning. I'm not going back to AC however.


 
  amen


----------



## kindval

Since a few weeks I connected my V200 with a Lessloss original power cord. In my revealing system (Zodiac gold dac and audeze LCD2vs2) it is like listening to a new, better amp. Everything sounds now much more natural and more  like real music...better timbres, much more holographic stage better bass, etc. A very, very worhwile improvement...


----------



## Greenleaf7

kindval said:


> Since a few weeks I connected my V200 with a Lessloss original power cord. In my revealing system (Zodiac gold dac and audeze LCD2vs2) it is like listening to a new, better amp. Everything sounds now much more natural and more  like real music...better timbres, much more holographic stage better bass, etc. A very, very worhwile improvement...




I recently had a chance to try the V200 using a ZTRON Python Power Cable, and boy was I impressed with the bass and soundstage improvement.


----------



## FlySweep

Both my V800 & V200 are (internally) stock: V800 at default gain (6dB); the V200 is factory default as well (has no jumpers set to DC/"Lift" mode.  The V800's pot is always fully open in my system.. up until now, I had kept the V200 set to unity (0dB) gain.. the pot rarely (if ever) traveled past 12pm when using any of my phones.
   
  Playing around with the V200's (external) gain settings..  I noticed my FA-002w "High Edition" _really sing_ when the V200's gain is set to -12dB.  The 002w HE is one. picky. phone. when it comes to finding ideal upstream synergy.. it's practically on par with the HD800 in this regard.  The V800/V200 functioned admirably with the HE.. but there was a certain 'roughness' to the sound (when I had the V200's gain at 0dB)... and _roughness_ is certainly not something one typically associates with the V200 (unless the tracks recording quality possesses it).
   
  Dropping the V200's gain to -12dB allowed me to use the pot in the 12pm to 3pm range more freely.. and, boy, did the 002w-HE clean up!  I'm hearing noticeably better control and smoothness now from the HE now.  In particular, dynamic swings sound more fluid and articulate.  With the lowered gain, I sense better balance in the freq. presentation.  It's less tipped toward the upper mids & now possesses a more neutral, even tone.  The soundstage appears more coherent, as well.  I'm simply relieved to be able to capture a sense of 'calm' with this (wily) phone now.. something I wasn't able to (consistently) attain when the V200's gain was set to 0dB.  I've been enjoying the results so much that I haven't even glanced at the HD800 (for the past two days)... LOL.
   
  So, as has been previously mentioned in this thread by some other members (spkrs01, etc.), the V200 does seem to have a sweet spot in the 12pm-3pm range... at least with the couple of phones I've used (so far).


----------



## roskodan

the harshness has something to do with the dc decoupling filter and ground lift high pass rf filter
   
  are you using v800 balanced out into v200 or rca? cos v800 balanced out is at 15dBu default while you are probably using rca out which is at -9dBu in regard to the balanced output, so 6dBu
   
  with the ac operation and lift settings there seems to be a tremendus amount of peak, musical power
   
  i'm using v800 balanced out at the default 15dBu into the v200 at 0dB pre-gain but with ground jumper set to gnd and dc coupling, jumpers set to dc
   
  the dc offset with the v800 v200 combo is almost non measurable,
   
  i measured the max, while heaving the v200 pot at max, dc offset
   
  of 5mV for left and right channel while set to ac operations
   
  and of 0mV and 3mV for the left and right channel respectively when set to dc operations !!!!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  try setting the v200 to 0dB pre-gain, dc operation, and the ground lift jumper to gnd on both the v200 and v800, and be amazed
   
   
   
  i know this is a hopeless monolog but is there anyone who want to share more in depth impressions about the v200 set to gnd and dc, 0dB pre-gain, vs ac lift settings


----------



## FlySweep

Quote: 





roskodan said:


> the harshness has something to do with the dc decoupling filter and ground lift high pass rf filter
> 
> are you using v800 balanced out into v200 or rca? cos v800 balanced out is at 15dBu default while you are probably using rca out which is at -9dBu in regard to the balanced output, so -6dBu
> 
> ...


 
   
  Appreciate the insights, roskodan.  I forgot to mention: I am using balanced cables between the V800 & V200... so the V800's gain is running at 15 dBu, in this case?
   
  I'll take a shot at tweaking the jumper settings tonight.  So aside from changing the ground lift jumper to "GROUND" on the V800, nothing else needs to be changed on the DAC side?  On the V200, I will change it to GROUND as well, and change to DC operation.


----------



## roskodan

that's right groundlift jumper from lift to gnd for the v800 and v200, plus for the v200 set the two jumpers that are near the pot from ac to dc
   
  before you disassemble the devices, while still at their default settings, you may want to try connecting the v800 and v200 by rca, with the v200 at 0dB pre-gain, and comparing with the balanced interconnections
   
  which gives really a different experience
   
  default for the v800 is 15dBu for balanced outs, and the rca outs are at 6dBu, -9dBu lower


----------



## FlySweep

Dug into the V800 & V200's internal settings tonight.. upon opening them, I was surprised to see the XLR-GROUND settings (on both devices) to be set to GND.. so I've been listening to both devices in this 'experimental' mode.  Coupling on the V200 was set to AC, though (I changed it to DC).  I left the V800's internal (XLR) gain at 15 dBu.
   
  I'm not sure I hear any change after switching the V200 to DC coupling... I'll need more time listening & comparing.  But when I changed the V200's gain to -6dB, the HD800 most certainly yielded some very pleasing results.  The resulting improvement in sound was much like what I heard when I dropped the gain to -12 dBu (for the FA-002w HE):  the HD800 had (noticeably) more fluid dynamic swings.  Gone was the harshness I experienced (when the gain was at 0 dBu).  With the V200's gain at -6 dBu, the HD800 still tilts to the bright side (as it's natural tuning dictates).. but the upper mid-through-treble freq. sound less peaky and unruly.  It's smoother in that region without losing any of the detail and resolution I'm accustomed to.  In fact, those qualities seems heightened as there's less stridence muddying up things.  Bass sounds distinguishably more linear, better extended, and cleaner.  I've gained a renewed appreciation for just how fast the HD800's bass really is, too.  Moving through the pot range, the sonic balance remains even over a much larger area (than what I heard when the gain was at 0 dBu).  With well recorded tracks, I can comfortably reach between 2 and 3pm.. the sound has a silky "decadence" that I'm more than willing to indulge in.


----------



## Kendoji

Ha I'm willing to try this, but have been holding off as I'm fairly sure I won't be able to hear any difference.


----------



## roskodan

Quote: 





flysweep said:


> I was surprised to see the XLR-GROUND settings (on both devices) to be set to GND.. so I've been listening to both devices in this 'experimental' mode.


 
  nope, thats the default setting
   
  i was refering to the groundlift jumper not the xlr ground, try again
   
  when just adjusting to dc the difference is less noticeable but still substantial
   
  Quote: 





> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  did you change the groundlift jumper or just thought i was referring  to the xlr?
   
  did you try the single ended rca interconnection from the v800 to v200 with the v200 at 0dB pre-gain?
   
  Quote:  





> I'm not sure I hear any change after switching the V200 to DC coupling...


 
   
  make sure v200 is at 0db pre-gain, i don't know , setting the v200 to gnd, for the groundlift jumper (not xlr ground), plus to dc operation, yielded a huge difference in my case, maybe my devices are faulty 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Quote: 





kendoji said:


> Ha I'm willing to try this, but have been holding off as I'm fairly sure I won't be able to hear any difference.


 
   
  well, would appreciate your feedback, the change is so evident on my shure se530, beyer t1 and audeze lcd2v2
   
  remember groundlift jumper to gnd (not the xlr ground), both for v800 and v200, and pot jumpers from ac to dc for v200, everything else default, v800 xlr out 15dBu and v200 0dB pre-gain
   
  with gnd and dc i can go v200 pot to the metal with any recording, without getting any bad harshness
   
  the bass is very much more extended, low mids and mids with much more body and space, highs smooth and ultra detailed and airy


----------



## FlySweep

Thanks for the clarification, roskodan.. When I read GROUND-LIFT jumper.. I assumed *XLR* GROUND-LIFT jumper: since I don't use the RCAs and thought changing the (non-XLR) GROUND LIFT jumpers would have no effect (or be tied to the RCA inputs.. which I don't use).
   
  I'll try using the RCA inputs (with V200 at 0dBu) before changing the (non-XLR) GLJ to "GND."


----------



## roskodan

if you like the v200 at -6dB pre-gain, you will like the v800 rca out into v200 0dB pre-gain too, than you can try lowering the v800 xlr out from 15dBu to 12 or 6, into the v200 at 0dB pre-gain
   
  i tried all the options and in the end the default along with the dc/gnd was the best for me, between the two i don't know yet, i find myself going back and forth
   
  edit: but ofc the objective best is always all default with just a touch of +6dB pre-gain on the v200... seriously 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  oh... and for rising +3dB, leave v200 at 0dB pre-gain and rise v800 from the default 15dBu to 18dBu 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  actually i'm starting to like this better
   
  omg... this is so...
   




   
  for those who didn't get it...
   
  it's so fascinating...
   
  what's next from Violectric i wonder...


----------



## Synthax

What is best power cable for V200 ? My phones: T70 + HD650, source: Pioneer PD-9700 (rather warm CDP) IC: Reson Eichmann Plugs


----------



## FlySweep

I've been fiddling with & comparing the gain/jumpers on the Vio stack for the last few days.. trying to find the best combo between the HD800, FA-002w HE.. and my ears.  My issues with the V800/V200's stock gain settings (15dB & 0dB, respectively) have been detailed in previous posts.. I'm going to keep it short for now.  It mostly revolved around harshness, aggressiveness, and glare in the upper mids-through-treble, unevenness in the bass, and an unnaturally forward midrange.
   
  Cutting to the chase.. I settled on all _ground/lift_ settings set to 'gnd' (on both devices).. V800 at 6dB (internal gain).. and V200 @ 0dB, with the pot in DC mode.  Eventually, I'll piece together the more coherent parts of a PM I wrote (to another member) in regards to what I'm hearing.. but I'll leave it at this for now:
   
_The HD800 (and FA-002w HE) sounds absolutely breathtaking out of the Violectric V800/V200 stack: undeniably smooth, lively, dynamic, precisely controlled, supremely neutral, tonally pure, astonishingly fast, and possessing an aquatic-like fluidity._
   
  I don't know if what I'm hearing is purely attributable to the gain/jumper setting changes I've settled on, though.  The fellow I bought my V200 from mentioned the unit was practically brand new.. with only 25-50 hours of (controlled) usage on them.  I must've logged at least another 100-150 hours since getting it... so it could be a case of this amp and/or DAC "opening up" (I experienced that with the G109).  Whatever the case, it sounds much cleaner & linear now.  Not in the mood to wax (more) poetics.. but I can tell you what I'm hearing now is everything I'd have hoped for.. and more.  The Vio stack will be my desktop's solid state 'end game' rig.  I'm 110% satisfied with the sound & have no inclination to search for 'something better' (as far as solid state gear goes).


----------



## roskodan

guess it paid off messing with the settings
   
  at least to experience the fact that the performance changes
   
  i didn't try the v800 xlr out at 6dB, only the rca, i'll make sure to try your stated settings when i get back to base (traveling around with my mdr-1r and se530, love both)
   
  the hd800 are really natural out of the, at default settings, v800 rca to v200 combo too, brightness or harshness nowhere to be heard
   
  i will not unbalance myself and say that one setting sounds better than the other but one thing is sure
   
  the combo can be setup to mach any headphone gorgeously


----------



## guido

Which is the correct position for GND?
   
  I see on the PCB and on the diagram of the instructions they are inverted....


----------



## project86

Doesn't look inverted to me.... based on the orientation as seen in your picture, covering the right two pins would result in lifted ground.


----------



## guido

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Doesn't look inverted to me.... based on the orientation as seen in your picture, covering the right two pins would result in lifted ground.


 
  On the photograph the GND is on the right while on the diagram it shows it on the left.
   
  I suppose the ones printed on the PCB must be correct


----------



## roskodan

Quote: 





guido said:


> On the photograph the GND is on the right while on the diagram it shows it on the left.
> 
> I suppose the ones printed on the PCB must be correct


 

 yes the pcb labeling is the correct one, while the scheme in the manual is from an early prototype, which is inverted


----------



## zhunter

For those who are using the Violectric stack with low impedance phones like the TH900, I set the gain of V200 as -12db and resulted a better sounding experience. Could it be the placeboo effect? But as some folks said that the V200 has the sweetest spot at 12 to 3 o'clock, so adjust your gain properly.

 I haven't changed the lift gnd jumper yet, just playing around with gain.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





guido said:


> On the photograph the GND is on the right while on the diagram it shows it on the left.
> 
> I suppose the ones printed on the PCB must be correct


 
   
  I see it now. That's what I get for viewing the picture on an iPad - it looked fine at the time!


----------



## Tony1110

Has anybody tried this amp with the inbuilt DAC section? I no longer have an amp or DAC and my headphones are collecting dust. I'm wondering if this would be a good all-in-one solution.


----------



## project86

Some folks have and report the built-in USB as being pretty good if not knock-your-socks-off amazing. Which is not really something you'd expect for the price. I haven't tried it myself but I know people who have sold their solid, entry level stand-alone DACs from HRT and Musical Fidelity, because the built-in DAC was just as good or better.


----------



## walkman666

project86, do you know if anyone has reported about the optional optical or coaxial add-on DACs for the V200?  I have the v200/v800 Violectric stack myself, but am potentially in the market for a dac/headamp combo for my LR, and was leaning towards the Anedio D2 or Bel Canto 1.5, but if the V200 + Coax/optical DAC is considered excellent, I'd have another choice.  thx


----------



## wolfetan44

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Some folks have and report the built-in USB as being pretty good if not knock-your-socks-off amazing. Which is not really something you'd expect for the price. I haven't tried it myself but I know people who have sold their solid, entry level stand-alone DACs from HRT and Musical Fidelity, because the built-in DAC was just as good or better.


 
  How much is it for the built in DAC?


----------



## Tony1110

project86 said:


> Some folks have and report the built-in USB as being pretty good if not knock-your-socks-off amazing. Which is not really something you'd expect for the price. I haven't tried it myself but I know people who have sold their solid, entry level stand-alone DACs from HRT and Musical Fidelity, because the built-in DAC was just as good or better.




Just bought the V800


----------



## project86

Quote: 





walkman666 said:


> project86, do you know if anyone has reported about the optional optical or coaxial add-on DACs for the V200?  I have the v200/v800 Violectric stack myself, but am potentially in the market for a dac/headamp combo for my LR, and was leaning towards the Anedio D2 or Bel Canto 1.5, but if the V200 + Coax/optical DAC is considered excellent, I'd have another choice.  thx


 
   
  That's what I was just commenting on, in the post right above yours. I don't think the V200 with built in DAC card would be on the same level as those others you mentioned, but it will be cheaper and smaller and still sound pretty nice I expect.
   
  Quote: 





wolfetan44 said:


> How much is it for the built in DAC?


 
   
  Web site shows ~126 Euro which is currently around $165 USD. 
   
  Quote: 





tony1110 said:


> Just bought the V800


 
   
  Nice!


----------



## Tony1110

I found this review very helpful. Thanks.


----------



## kindval

I just changed the jumpers of my V200 to gnd and dc current. With my Zodiac gold dac and lcd-2 headphones I now experience a substantial better sound: more transparent purer sound, better timbres, more lively, more air,  tighter bass etc. It is like listerning to a better amp. Everybody should give this a try if the best possible sound quality is important to you. It is very easily done and it only takes a few minutes to do...


----------



## Kendoji

Hmm I've been holding off on doing that, but it is tempting...


----------



## Tony1110

kindval said:


> I just changed the jumpers of my V200 to gnd and dc current. With my Zodiac gold dac and lcd-2 headphones I now experience a substantial better sound: more transparent purer sound, better timbres, more lively, more air,  tighter bass etc. It is like listerning to a better amp. Everybody should give this a try if the best possible sound quality is important to you. It is very easily done and it only takes a few minutes to do...




I'm going to try it tomorrow. Looks like it's just a case of loosening a few screws and pressing a switch or something. Can't be that difficult. If the improvements are as significant as people are claiming, the sound must be very special indeed.


----------



## Tony1110

...It does make a little difference. Noticeable but not hugely significant.


----------



## Viper2005

This amp looks like it will match perfectly with my LCD2's


----------



## recca_cool

Me too  I'll be getting it next week hopefully, can't wait! ^_^


----------



## Kendoji

The V200 is great, enjoy it!


----------



## Tony1110

Quote: 





viper2005 said:


> I just pulled the trigger on the V200 tonight, from AphroditeCu, should be here by next week at the latest!


 
   
  It is great and probably one of the most versatile headphone amps on the market. It's superb with the LCD-2.
   
  Next buy the V800 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 It's an "end game" set up as far as I'm concerned.


----------



## FlySweep

tony1110 said:


> It is great and probably one of the most versatile headphone amps on the market. It's superb with the LCD-2.
> 
> Next buy the V800
> 
> ...




Agreed.. The V200 is absolutely terrific. It's very proficient with just about any phone you throw at it.. but it seems to have a _special_ affection for orthos. I remember the HE-400 sounding stunning out of it.. I'm even more excited to get my Paradox back (they've been on tour for nearly seven months!) and take them for a spin with the V200.

The V800 is a lovely DAC in its own right.. but an especially awesome match with the V200.. I definitely sense some synergy when they're used together. Outside of a Headamp GS-X MKII, I've got no desire to upgrade my (solid state) rig from the V800/V200.


----------



## Fegefeuer

It's superb with the TH-900 as well.


----------



## guido

i wonder how the V200-V800 combo compares to the new Sennheiser DAC\amp...


----------



## Mr Blonde

I don't know. But I decided to go to the Violectric camp, beacause Sennheiser has to pay higher wages than Violectric. In my opinion the two Violectric units look more sturdy than the HDVD 800. The investnor/marketing director also claimed that Violectric units are the best to drive a Senn HD 800 before they decided to invent an own amp/dac.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





mr blonde said:


> I don't know. But I decided to go to the Violectric camp, beacause Sennheiser has to pay higher wages than Violectric. In my opinion the two Violectric units look more sturdy than the HDVD 800. The investnor/marketing director also claimed that Violectric units are the best to drive a Senn HD 800 before they decided to invent an own amp/dac.


 
   
  That was Mr. Grell from Sennheiser who used the V100 for the HD800 dev. (if I remember correctly)


----------



## recca_cool

FINALLY, got V200 & V800 ^_^
  can't wait to see the sound on HD800! and it sounds great~ more when I actually listen to it more.
   
  any recommendations for pre-gain? Is it normal for volume knob to be at 12-1 for normal listening?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





recca_cool said:


> FINALLY, got V200 & V800 ^_^
> can't wait to see the sound on HD800! and it sounds great~ more when I actually listen to it more.
> 
> any recommendations for pre-gain? Is it normal for volume knob to be at 12-1 for normal listening?


 
   
  Play with it and see. Some people leave it at 0, others like it -6 or even -12. It's easy to change (make sure you power off first!) and mess with. 12 or 1 is pretty normal, some people feel the V200 sounds better with the pot more wide open - hence lower pre-gain.


----------



## zhunter

Jut wanted to share with you guys that I found the V200 to be an awesome pre-amp!
 I recently purchased a ZD, and my V200 was left untouched when the ZD arrived. And I was curious if using the V200 as pre, so I opened it, changed the jumper setting (see the manual p.26) of the unbalanced as outputs. And tell you what? Rightaway I noticed a big improvement in sound quality! 
 I'm not good at describing sound but after trying the V200 as pre, the bass was smoother and well extended, I also felt that the impact has a well mix of solid state amp, which is fast, tight and transparent. The overall result was very impressive! I've never heard the Zana sounded this good since it arrived.

 If you own better amp than V200 in your chain, try it as a pre, and see the differences.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Btw, I did set the Lift GND, and also DC-coupled jumper settings on the V200 before.


----------



## Kendoji

That's good to hear! Once I get my Taboo MKIII I'll probably try it out with the V200 as pre-amp at some stage. Especially when driving speakers.


----------



## FlySweep

zhunter said:


> Jut wanted to share with you guys that I found the V200 to be an awesome pre-amp!
> 
> I recently purchased a ZD, and my V200 was left untouched when the ZD arrived. And I was curious if using the V200 as pre, so I opened it, changed the jumper setting (see the manual p.26) of the unbalanced as outputs. And tell you what? Rightaway I noticed a big improvement in sound quality!
> 
> ...




Great to hear.. I might use the V200 as a pre-amp to feed the Crack.. it doesn't need a pre, but this will be a fun thing to try.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





project86 said:


> Play with it and see. Some people leave it at 0, others like it -6 or even -12. It's easy to change (*make sure you power off first*!) and mess with. 12 or 1 is pretty normal, some people feel the V200 sounds better with the pot more wide open - hence lower pre-gain.


 
   
  And use the same setting L and R


----------



## Priidik

Hi,
   
  A Yulong A18 vs Violectric V200 dilemma here!
   
  I have read several threads but still could not decide which would be better for HD800's.
   
  I am about to purchase HD800 and need a solid state amp solution in 1000€ region.
  I already have Yulong D100 and i liked (a loaned pair, probably some early model of 2010) HD800's out of its hp out, with the exeption of midrange, which felt  dry and lifeless,. 
  I was not offended by highs of HD 800 at all, although i prefered to eq highs down by a few dB.
  D100 would be used as DAC for some time on due to budget constraints. 
   
  I am looking forward to get improvement from D100 hpa in terms of:
   
  -midrange fullness and lifelikeness (euphony?) to the point that vocals and woodwind instruments would sound more real
  -bass impact (i felt the control was good already, improvement would be beneficial still)
  -maybe a hint of overall warmth
   
  I do not want to lose any tightness and technical proficiency of D100 hpa.
   
  Music preferences: Classical, rock like stuff (Radiohead, Tool, Puscifer etc), fast paced electronica (dubstep, edm),  vocal stuff.
   
   
  From what i have read V200 is a bit held back in terms of soundstaging. How would V200 compare to D100 hpa in this?
   
  Between A18 and V200:
  Which one would have edge in terms of detail across freq range?
  Which has better control over bass?
  Which is more transparent?
  Soundstage depth?
   
  I am aware there are not many who have listened to both amps, so project86 i am counting on you!  Did i read right, that by the time You auditioned D18 You have departed from HD800-s ?
   
  Any input towards *Yulong A18 vs V200 * from people who has experience with both would be much appreciated.
   
  Priidik


----------



## project86

It's a tough choice. V200 is more spacious than the D100 amp section, but A18 is massive in presentation. I'd say V200 is slightly more detailed overall but the two are quite close. A18 is maybe the more colored presentation, warmer and more fun, but not by a massive amount.
   
  So the question is this: do you want a larger soundstage with a bit less accuracy and some more fun? Or do you want a more detailed but still very musical presentation that's not quite as large? 
   
  I did give up HD800s for a while but now they are back! I use them with both amps and like both quite a bit. Sorry, that doesn't help.... two good choices.


----------



## Priidik

Thanks, project86.
  I am closer to deciding in favor of V200. Mostly because im inside EU.
   
  Which (A18 or V200) would benefit more from DAC upgrade? To somewhere Anedio D2 level?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





priidik said:


> Thanks, project86.
> I am closer to deciding in favor of V200. Mostly because im inside EU.
> 
> Which (A18 or V200) would benefit more from DAC upgrade? To somewhere Anedio D2 level?


 
   
   
  Both respond well to source improvements, with the V200 getting a bit more benefit due to the extra detail.


----------



## sling5s

I know this is a V200 thread and I personally have V200 but I'm hearing that the new Senn. HDVD800 amp/dac has the best synergy with HD800.
  If I had only the HD800, I would definitely consider the HDVD800.  I mean the amp was designed by Senn. to drive their HD800.
   
  Quote: 





priidik said:


> Hi,
> 
> A Yulong A18 vs Violectric V200 dilemma here!
> 
> ...


----------



## dallan

Haven't heard it but i believe it costs over 50% more that the v200 at least around here.  When you start jumping up in price you get a lot more, that price is getting you half way to a Zana Deux for instance.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (see sig)


----------



## sling5s

Or the HDVD600.  The Senn. amp without the dac.


----------



## Tony1110

sling5s said:


> I know this is a V200 thread and I personally have V200 but I'm hearing that the new Senn. HDVD800 amp/dac has the best synergy with HD800.
> If I had only the HD800, I would definitely consider the HDVD800.  I mean the amp was designed by Senn. to drive their HD800.


 That doesn't necessarily make it the best amp for Sennheiser. Look at that awful CMoy amp that was made for Grado by Grado. And isn't it the general consensus amongst T1 owners that tube amps are vastly superior to Beyerdynamic's own A1?


----------



## project86

tony1110 said:


> That doesn't necessarily make it the best amp for Sennheiser. Look at that awful CMoy amp that was made for Grado by Grado. And isn't it the general consensus amongst T1 owners that tube amps are vastly superior to Beyerdynamic's own A1?




True... That Grado thing was atrocious. I actually thought that beyer amp sounded pretty decent - for a $200 amp maybe. At almost $1k? No way. 

I've heard very mixed things about the new Sennheiser amps. Some love them, including my pal frank l who was a former V200 lover. But then others report the Sennheiser amps as being just so-so and nowhere near the V200. So I dont really know what to think.


----------



## sling5s

Jude loves them too. But I have never heard them nor do I still have the HD800.  I got tired of trying different amps with them.  I may try them again someday now that I have the V200.
   
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> True... That Grado thing was atrocious. I actually thought that beyer amp sounded pretty decent - for a $200 amp maybe. At almost $1k? No way.
> 
> I've heard very mixed things about the new Sennheiser amps. Some love them, including my pal frank l who was a former V200 lover. But then others report the Sennheiser amps as being just so-so and nowhere near the V200. So I dont really know what to think.


----------



## Priidik

project86's review of Yulong DA-8 drew my attention recently. A bit off topic, but i am very curious.
   
  Would DA-8 be better than Yulong D100 + V200 with HD800's? 
   
  HP amp on DA-8 is supposedly somewhere between HP amp on D100 and V200, so i am hoping it should have ample juice to drive HD800.
   
  I wonder how would the dynamics and soundstage depth compare...
   
  The DAC upgrade should be significant, and i have read that in general DAC has more impact on HD800 sound than amp (assuming amp has the electrical capabilities for HD800) ?!


----------



## project86

Quote: 





priidik said:


> project86's review of Yulong DA-8 drew my attention recently. A bit off topic, but i am very curious.
> 
> Would DA-8 be better than Yulong D100 + V200 with HD800's?
> 
> ...


 
   
  It would be roughly the same, give or take. The D100/V200 system would have more drive, would be more musical and "fun", deeper bass, that sort of thing. Definitely more dynamic.
   
  The DA8 has more subtleties, texture, nuance, detail. Imaging would be more precise and soundstage more layered.
   
  Basically they would be be very enjoyable but for slightly different reasons. Either way you'd enjoy it, but probably be tempted to upgrade the "lesser" component down the road.


----------



## Priidik

Thanks project86! 
   
  Tough call still though. 
  I might try DA-8 first, i was sort of forgeting that i have 5000$ speaker set that would benefit from dac aswell.
   
  Still, that V200 will hount me for this..


----------



## 2000impreza

Quote: 





project86 said:


> It would be roughly the same, give or take. The D100/V200 system would have more drive, would be more musical and "fun", deeper bass, that sort of thing. Definitely more dynamic.
> 
> The DA8 has more subtleties, texture, nuance, detail. Imaging would be more precise and soundstage more layered.
> 
> Basically they would be be very enjoyable but for slightly different reasons. Either way you'd enjoy it, but probably be tempted to upgrade the "lesser" component down the road.


 
   
  Agreed for the most part. The V200 would be able to drive to louder volumes due to higher current and voltage gains. Quality is subjective from that point on. I would give the edge to the DA8 over the D100/v200 in overall quality.


----------



## FlySweep

V200 sounds excellent with all my phones.. but the Vio stack seems to have a _special_ affinity for the Beyer DT880/600.  Oh my.. what a terrific combo!  I email Fried and told him how great it sounded, in fact.  I'm convinced Beyer used a lot of Vio/LP gear when they were tuning the 880/600... LOL.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





flysweep said:


> V200 sounds excellent with all my phones.. but the Vio stack seems to have a _special_ affinity for the Beyer DT880/600.  Oh my.. what a terrific combo!  I email Fried and told him how great it sounded, in fact.  I'm convinced Beyer used a lot of Vio/LP gear when they were tuning the 880/600... LOL.


 
   
  Maybe, but I bet they would _claim _to have used their own A1 amp.


----------



## FlySweep

project86 said:


> Maybe, but I bet they would _claim _to have used their own A1 amp.


 
  But, of course.. LOL.
   
  Though the DT880's been around for a little while, no?  I'm not sure when Beyer started developing the A1.. but I'd suspect even the prototypes (and in-house use) post-dates the DT880 release?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





flysweep said:


> But, of course.. LOL.
> 
> Though the DT880's been around for a little while, no?  I'm not sure when Beyer started developing the A1.. but I'd suspect even the prototypes (and in-house use) post-dates the DT880 release?


 
   
  Good point. A1 released in the USA in late 2009, early 2010, but I could have sworn it was well known prior to that. Maybe international models made their way here or something. But you're right, DT880 has been around forever. Probably not many dedicated amps around when they built the early DT880s.


----------



## TokenGesture

Any one tired the Beyerdynamic T5p with the V200? To my ears it is very disappointing, thin, harsh sound. Quite unlike the T1 pairing which sounds excellent.
   
  Still looking for a closed headphone that pairs well with V200


----------



## project86

That pretty much describes the T5P regardless of amp, IMHO. It's just not a very good headphone period.


----------



## FlySweep

> Originally Posted by *project86* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> That pretty much describes the T5P regardless of amp, IMHO. It's just not a very good headphone period.


 
   




   
  Tell us how you really feel, John.. LOL!


----------



## TokenGesture

Ha ha. Well I'm not going to get into an argument about the T5p - I've heard it sound a lot better than it does from V200 is all ill say 

Any closed can have a particular synergy with V200?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





tokengesture said:


> Ha ha. Well I'm not going to get into an argument about the T5p - I've heard it sound a lot better than it does from V200 is all ill say
> 
> Any closed can have a particular synergy with V200?


 
   
  Yeah I can understand that - imo T5P would need some extreme coloration from the source and amp to sound halfway decent. I'd imagine a really warm, really smooth tube amp would do the trick, but finding one of those with a low output impedance would be the problem.
   
  I liked the W1000X with the V200, and I currently use the Thunderpants with fantastic results. They take a lot of juice to really wake up, and the V200 does that better than most. I imagine the same thing would follow with a Paradox or Mad Dog/Alpha Dog.


----------



## dallan

I am currently using the V200 with a closed phone, the W3000anv.  I use them often together and sounds great.  I also used to use it with the DX1000 and that worked well as i recall too.


----------



## RockyRoad

I used to listen RS1i and K701 with v200. But I sold them all. Now I'm kind of missing v200. Are there any news about v282?


----------



## esn89

right now i am running the rs1i with the v200, there is definitely chemistry with the two


----------



## project86

esn89 said:


> right now i am running the rs1i with the v200, there is definitely chemistry with the two


 
  
  
 I'm not a huge Grado fan these days, but I gotta admit - they sound better on the V200 than most other amps. Low output impedance for quality bass with good damping factor, and smooth, well controlled highs for less sharp/edgy sound. 
  
 Now that I've talked about it, it reminds me - I need to try the PS500. Measurements on that thing look better than any Grado I've yet seen.


----------



## RockyRoad

project86 said:


> I'm not a huge Grado fan these days, but I gotta admit - they sound better on the V200 than most other amps. Low output impedance for quality bass with good damping factor, and smooth, well controlled highs for less sharp/edgy sound.
> 
> Now that I've talked about it, it reminds me - I need to try the PS500. Measurements on that thing look better than any Grado I've yet seen.


 
  
 I believe this combo would be good. V200 is very suitable for Grado.


----------



## qawsedrf

project86 said:


> I'm not a huge Grado fan these days, but I gotta admit - they sound better on the V200 than most other amps. Low output impedance for quality bass with good damping factor, and smooth, well controlled highs for less sharp/edgy sound.
> 
> Now that I've talked about it, it reminds me - I need to try the PS500. Measurements on that thing look better than any Grado I've yet seen.




Hey project86, if you ever had the chance to try the PS500, let us know what do you think about it ya.  Had been contemplating on a lighter pair of headphones, alongside my HD650 for some time.


----------



## belisk

the clicking on my V200 w/USB is starting to get really annoying, i have it connected to my computer using JRiver and it'll click on every single sound my computer makes, music, games etc.


----------



## roskodan

hi, i don't think it's the v200, it must be the dac or something down the chain
  
 i had it like
  
 pc -> usb -> m-audio fast track ultra -> spdif -> v800 -> xlr -> v200 -> beyer t1 (very sensitive hp despite the 600ohms)
  
 thought it was the v800 but it really was the m-audio over the spdif
  
 what os are you using
  
 what method ds, wasapi, ks, asio?
  
 edit: actually the v800 clicks too but way less


----------



## belisk

PC(Windows) > V200 w/ built in DAC > HD800

JRiver is using DS.


----------



## roskodan

that's strange never happened to me over ds
  
 when you say "it'll click on every single sound my computer makes, music, games etc." you mean when such sounds star/stop or random during playback?
  
 is it single clicks or cracking noise?
  
 try another player
  
 in foobar one can set up for ds streaming the fadein fadeout delay, maybe you can try this in jriver
  
 i usually disable windows sounds in cp -  sound - sounds - sound scheme - no sound


----------



## belisk

Windows will play a sound if i do generic things like click on a folder, change the volume, empty the recycle bin etc, thats when my V200 will click, then 8 seconds later it will click again, they are single clicks.

JRiver is set to fadein between songs, there are no clicks between tracks, even in Windows Media Player which has no fadein.

I guess whats happening is the device clicks when a audio signal passes through, then when inactive for 8 seconds, clicks again because no signal is passing through.

I should really turn off windows sounds to stop this.

At any rate I dont like the built in DAC, i'll just pass it through my Concero which at least doesn't click, and is a far superior DAC anyway.


----------



## roskodan

belisk said:


> At any rate I dont like the built in DAC, i'll just pass it through my Concero which at least doesn't click, and is a far superior DAC anyway.


 
  
 aaaa, you have the v200 with the dac option, now it's all clear, didn't realize that
  
 edit: or one can use ks,asio, wasapi to listen to music, it will automatically cut of windows or any other sound while the music player is running, and you can set windows and application sounds to run trough another device while having the player using the v200 with ks,wasapi


----------



## belisk

yeah i gave up using it, its pretty much a waste of $$, this Tenor chip is garbage, had another thing happen just now.... was running music and decided to play a game at the same time, suddenly a horrible crackle started happening swapping from left to right which would not stop even when i closed every application forcing me to restart the amp

Thanks for the replies though.

To anyone who is reading this....

Warning: Do not buy the internal USB DAC option


----------



## guido

belisk said:


> yeah i gave up using it, its pretty much a waste of $$, this Tenor chip is garbage, had another thing happen just now.... was running music and decided to play a game at the same time, suddenly a horrible crackle started happening swapping from left to right which would not stop even when i closed every application forcing me to restart the amp
> 
> Thanks for the replies though.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 or perhaps do not buy Windows PCs...


----------



## roskodan

you may want to try change the ground jumper from lift to gnd or vice versa, sometimes it's up to the rest of the setup, not really the usb chip, more likely the dac having issues, cracking is typical of devices without proper grounding, like laptops, sometimes you can feel on the metallic cases of such devices a tingling, piercing, sensation on your skin
  


guido said:


> or perhaps do not buy Windows PCs...


 

 macs ain't better in this aspect


----------



## Rico613

Has anyone heard from Freid recently?  I was emailing with him a week ago and never heard back . . .  he said he was going to Rocky Mountain Canjam . . . maybe he's traveling?


----------



## smoothtalker

belisk said:


> the clicking on my V200 w/USB is starting to get really annoying, i have it connected to my computer using JRiver and it'll click on every single sound my computer makes, music, games etc.


 
  
  
 the clicking is normal as discussed by many some time ago. Just set to a constant sample rate and you wont hear the clicking. also.. the relay will reset every 8 seconds or so. so yea.. make sure the relay is always active then you won't hear that click. if not it will click on everything.
  
 Another way, best way, is to set the default audio in your computer to something else. only the music player to the dac. it will not click then.
  
 My 24/96 usb works great. love it. and the dac is powered by the internal psu. save me the cost of a usb psu too.


----------



## project86

I chatted with Fried the other day and got some updates about their plans for the future - and he gave me the go-ahead to share it here. This is all tentative, nothing set in stone yet and no hard dates available (sorry). 
  
 The first news is about the upgraded USB option. Apparently customer feedback indicates that people do want a quality USB input, making the device a viable all-in-one DAC/amp. Fried considers the current 24/96 solution to be pretty good but this new version will be "top notch". It's a 24/192 capable design based on the PCM1798 DAC and the Tenor TE8802 USB chipset (coaxial and optical models will also be available). Fried says they beefed up the analog output circuitry so it's a lot more sophisticated than the current version. Pricing will be higher, maybe double what the current option goes for. The target for release is "hopefully by the end of the year". 
  
 Aside from that, the big news is the upgraded V-2xx series amps. The current plan is for a single ended model called the V220, and a balanced model called V281. These use a double-height enclosure which is equal to stacking a pair of V200s, and the depth is greater too (maybe 12 inches). The basic design builds off the V200 but has double the output transistors (so 16 per channel!), a significantly beefed up power transformer (25W instead of the current 10W), a front panel knob for left/right balance control as well as inputs being selectable from the front panel. V281 will have XLR and 1/4" outputs just like V181 did. Similar to outfits like Woo or HeadAmp, Violectric intends to give the user options for volume control - a "basic" version using a quality pot, or a motorized pot with remote capability, or a high-end option using a 128-step relay-based design (each step is .75dB) that is also motorized. Depending on options, pricing starts at 1100 Euro and goes to over 2000 Euro "fully loaded" which I assume means the on-board DAC option as well (which will also be updated, see my V800 thread for info on that). 
  
 This is all in the planning stages for now, not sure if anything will change or how soon they can pull this off. It's tricky because although some of us may be more excited about these new V2xx models (and I know I am!), it probably makes more business sense to get the lower priced Lake People DAC models out the door first. Lake People/Violectric is still a small firm, has hired some more people but they won't be cranking this stuff out at the same pace as some of their Chinese competitors. Still, I'm excited to see (and hear) this stuff when it does eventually become available.


----------



## BournePerfect

"End of the year" meaning this year I hope. I'd be very highly interested in the v281 amp. Please keep us apprised as to any further status updates John-I'd like to get on any preorder list asap if they do that...
  
 -Daniel


----------



## belisk

Awesome news, dont suppose you can relay our feedback?
Heres my list incase they're reading.


 First off is the clicking DAC, please remove it, highly annoying.
 Anything but Tenor, i've read alot of bad rep around here, including my own findings, maybe XMOS?
 One of the main reasons I purchased the V200 was because it was quite slim compared to its competitors, and still packed a punch, I hope we can keep the same form factor.
 I find the blue LED on the V200 is pretty good, but it could use improvement, or even tone it down 80% or something.
 Better gain switch mechanism, easier to access, more elegant look.


----------



## project86

bourneperfect said:


> "End of the year" meaning this year I hope. I'd be very highly interested in the v281 amp. Please keep us apprised as to any further status updates John-I'd like to get on any preorder list asap if they do that...
> 
> -Daniel


 
  
 Read closely though - the "end of the year" comment was specifically in reference to the updated 24/192 DAC card which goes in current V-series amps. the V281 and V220 almost certainly will not be ready so soon.
  
 Fried is no Kingwa.... and I don't mean that in a disparaging way (to either of them). Just pointing out the differences in each operation. 
  


belisk said:


> Awesome news, dont suppose you can relay our feedback?
> Heres my list incase they're reading.
> First off is the clicking DAC, please remove it, highly annoying.
> Anything but Tenor, i've read alot of bad rep around here, including my own findings, maybe XMOS?
> ...


 
  
 I believe Fried checks in on this thread from time to time, so he should see your notes. Not sure Tenor is good or bad - like anything else, implementation is key. I'm sure Fried could have chosen XMOS or VIA or C-Media or whoever else he wanted to. Must be a reason why he went with the TE8802. 
  
 Form factor on the new V series models will be the same width, double height, increased depth. So not tiny but still smaller than a lot of TotL amps.


----------



## daerron

I would love a XMOS/Amanero USB interface combined with something like the PCM5102 DAC and then a selectable pre-amp function so I could alternate between my headphones and speakers and change the volume for both of them. I'd very happily pay $1200 for a Violectric unit like that!
  
 The Tenor chipset doesn't have a particularly good rep, Audio-GD stopped using it, and I've seen plenty of complaints about it in the Burson Conductor thread. Firestone Audio also used that Tenor chipset in one of their DACs, the ILTW, and stopped using that chipset for their following DAC. Was hoping for a refresh on the V800 DAC as well to add 24bit/192khz via USB there.
  
 Part of the attraction for me of the Violectric units are their compact form factor and incredible finish and build quality. I don't feel they really have to do anything different from they are really doing now, would just love to see some added functionality or perhaps adding upgrade modules to their units.


----------



## project86

daerron said:


> I would love a XMOS/Amanero USB interface combined with something like the PCM5102 DAC and then a selectable pre-amp function so I could alternate between my headphones and speakers and change the volume for both of them. I'd very happily pay $1200 for a Violectric unit like that!
> 
> The Tenor chipset doesn't have a particularly good rep, Audio-GD stopped using it, and I've seen plenty of complaints about it in the Burson Conductor thread. Firestone Audio also used that Tenor chipset in one of their DACs, the ILTW, and stopped using that chipset for their following DAC. Was hoping for a refresh on the V800 DAC as well to add 24bit/192khz via USB there.
> 
> Part of the attraction for me of the Violectric units are their compact form factor and incredible finish and build quality. I don't feel they really have to do anything different from they are really doing now, would just love to see some added functionality or perhaps adding upgrade modules to their units.


 
  
 I've heard really great examples of XMOS and Amanero, so I wouldn't disagree with you, but I wouldn't discount the Tenor just yet. Maybe Fried has mastered it. PCM5102 is a lower grade DAC though, and I can't see it fitting in a more expensive DAC. It "upgrades" the PCM179x range by having 32-bit registers and being 384kHz capable, but at the cost of SNR and dynamic range which are just mediocre. 
  
 The initial mock up I saw of the new V-series models does have selectable preamp capabilities. Selectable as in it can be set to fixed or variable. No switch to turn it completely off though.
  
 But definitely keep the suggestions coming. If Fried reads a ton of feedback, he may be able to implement some of these ideas. This won't be a collaborative effort like the HiFi-M8 but feedback is still good.


----------



## daerron

I don't think that the Tenor hardware was bad, it was more a question of driver support and probably more related to Windows where there have been issues. I think Mac users were fine?
  
 Agreed, the PCM1798 would be a definite step up. Only suggested the PCM5102 as it quite an integrated DAC and would fit into a compact board as it has the output stage integrated so less discrete components to worry about, so something like that with an amanero module should nicely fit into the current chassis!
  
 Excellent that the pre-amp options made it into the new design!


----------



## smoothtalker

Fried seems to be away. He has not reply my email! haha..


----------



## fdg

Hello there,
  
 I just wanted to announce that we will attend the 2013 CanJam in Denver in a few days.
 Maybe you are interested to take a closer look on Violectric !?


----------



## Viper2005

One thing that I have sorely missed from the Violectric was a switchable input on their amps. To be able to hook up two separate sources I would need two amps at the moment. Since there is already two inputs on the back , why not throw in a toggle switch (or even better, a front panel button)?


----------



## preproman

project86 said:


> I chatted with Fried the other day and got some updates about their plans for the future - and he gave me the go-ahead to share it here. This is all tentative, nothing set in stone yet and no hard dates available (sorry).
> 
> The first news is about the upgraded USB option. Apparently customer feedback indicates that people do want a quality USB input, making the device a viable all-in-one DAC/amp. Fried considers the current 24/96 solution to be pretty good but this new version will be "top notch". It's a 24/192 capable design based on the PCM1798 DAC and the Tenor TE8802 USB chipset (coaxial and optical models will also be available). Fried says they beefed up the analog output circuitry so it's a lot more sophisticated than the current version. Pricing will be higher, maybe double what the current option goes for. The target for release is "hopefully by the end of the year".
> 
> ...


 
  
 V281:
  
 Why a knob on the front panel for left/right balance control - why would this be needed?   Maybe for studio use.. 
  
 I agree on the Tenor comments.  I had bad experiences with the drivers on windows machines.  XMOS / Amanero worked flawlessly.


----------



## i019791

preproman said:


> I agree on the Tenor comments.  I had bad experiences with the drivers on windows machines.  XMOS / Amanero worked flawlessly.


 
 The drivers can improve. I also had some issues with Audio gd dacs using the TE8802 usb chip, but their latest drivers' version goes very well on windows 7.


----------



## project86

preproman said:


> V281:
> 
> Why a knob on the front panel for left/right balance control - why would this be needed?   Maybe for studio use..


 
  
 Well, the company does have pro audio roots, so perhaps it's a nod in that direction. SPL does it on their Phonitor, Bryston does it on the BHA-1, and Stax does it on all their current driver units. Can't say I'd use it all that often but I won't complain that it's there either.


----------



## belisk

i see Burson has released a new optional USB module thats _not _Tenor, lets hope the Violectric gets the same treatment.


----------



## project86

I'll ask Fried about it, but I seem to recall that he already tried a bunch of models and found the TE8802 to be the best choice for his application. Not sure if it really matters that Burson or anyone else had issues with it - if Fried can perfect it, then why not use it?


----------



## roskodan

yup, i think an easier way to select gain, a switch or dial perhaps, and a input selector, both on the front panel, is the first thing they should look for, it's so flexible yet such a pain to change settings, i often switch from rca to xlr, and setting the gain when going from iems to hd800 or lcd, fix usability !!!!!!
  
 sound quality wise i would change nothing, maybe price it a little better
  
 maybe ditch any unnecessary luxury


----------



## Fegefeuer

Make a fancy case, enter some buzzwords about scientific breakthroughs in circuitry and molecular design, tripple the price, watch the summit go nuts.


----------



## roskodan

+1, for the sarcasm ofc
  
 didn't see any shot of the violectric boot from canjam yet
  
 they must be a real threat to the industry


----------



## hekeli

roskodan said:


> maybe ditch any unnecessary luxury


 

 violectric = luxury
 lake people = bang for the buck


----------



## roskodan

i don't know, you had both, by what's on your profile, you tell me...


----------



## hekeli

roskodan said:


> i don't know, you had both, by what's on your profile, you tell me...


 
  
 Well that's how it is and it should be quite obvious. I don't see how Violectric as brand should strip anything from "luxuries" (coating? pot? extra components?) or price (which is quite decend).
  
 Front gain and source switch would be cool.


----------



## roskodan

i don't know, you had both you tell me what's the difference in performance, than i'll make a judgement for myself


----------



## hekeli

Read project86 reviews and comments, my generic impressions would be worthless ("they sound pretty much the same").


----------



## roskodan

night session with HD650 und some binaural stuff on the SE530


----------



## tiabyuzhou88

+1 for v200, how about v181


----------



## Norway

Got a used V200 a couple of days ago and have been listening to it a lot with HD 650. Conclusion; amazing combo. Switched over to a pair of original Denon AH-D7000's today, and it sounds amazing with these too. Tomorrow the LCD-2's go in! 
  
 Great amplifier for sure!
  
 Sexeh!


----------



## roskodan

impressions please, especially about the d7000 and lcd2 and hd650 compared 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 in terms of listening pleasure 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 all the stereo speaker setup audioholics and audiophiles that came by for a listen, had the beyer t1, hd800, hd650, lcd2.2 in my v800 v 200 setup, all agreed that the lcd2.2 was the most truthful representation to live listening !  and to some the d7000 was the ultimate can !
  
 and said that hd800 sounded much more closer to the real thing than in other setups they tried,
  
 most said hd800 did sound more detailed in other setups with much more expensive sources, but brighter too, very often brighter feels more detailed so take that with a grain of salt 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 especially when you listen to speakers you realize how detail retrieval isn't really the hardest thing to get to a satisfactory level even in mid end setups, even more so in headfi setups, i could perfectly live with my hd650 and se530 for that metter
  
 that said, the violetric setup really never failed at delivering a pleasant experience with any of the cans i thrown at it


----------



## project86

norway said:


> Got a used V200 a couple of days ago and have been listening to it a lot with HD 650. Conclusion; amazing combo. Switched over to a pair of original Denon AH-D7000's today, and it sounds amazing with these too. Tomorrow the LCD-2's go in!
> 
> Great amplifier for sure!
> 
> Sexeh!


 
  
 D7000 are very enjoyable. Too bad D7100 is a complete fail. But V200 plus LCD-2 is an excellent match, as I'm sure you'll find out today. Have fun!


----------



## asmoday

norway said:


> Got a used V200 a couple of days ago and have been listening to it a lot with HD 650. Conclusion; amazing combo. Switched over to a pair of original Denon AH-D7000's today, and it sounds amazing with these too. Tomorrow the LCD-2's go in!
> 
> Great amplifier for sure!
> 
> Sexeh!


 
 Any updates or thoughts on the LCD-2's? 
  
 I am leaning heavily on a v200 to use with LCD-2's and HE-500's.


----------



## roskodan

as once a hi-fi "opinionist" said, the 1st kHz is the most important kHz, if you don't get that right all the other virtues ain't gonna do much good
  
 the v200 and lcd2 not only get it right but makes it wonderfully beautiful as well
  
 and going up the frequency range things get only better 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 ofc some quick impressions from the heart about d7000 lcd2 and hd650 would be nice
  
 my v200 miss the lcd2 sooooo much buawawawawa awwwwww...


----------



## TokenGesture

Anyone heard the LCD-X with V200 yet?


----------



## project86

tokengesture said:


> Anyone heard the LCD-X with V200 yet?




No, but I have an LCD-XC coming soon and will definitely give that a go. Not quite the same thing, but close.


----------



## Contrails

Anyone have their v200 hooked up to a MDAC via balanced xlr? I am curious as to how different would it be to the v200/v800 combo. Planning to use it with the he500.


----------



## daerron

I haven't heard the V800, but I am sure the M-DAC will sound a lot less laid back. The M-DAC has a tendency to make music sound larger than life and the sound is very tweakable via the digital filters. Its sound staging and details doesn't compare to other (more expensive) ESS9018 based DACs I've heard. FWIW, I like the Resonessence Labs Concero more than the M-DAC, but the Concero is only single ended.


----------



## Contrails

Thanks for the reply mate, I guess I will find out soon enough when I get my hands on the V200.


----------



## Contrails

Got another query for you guys. Can I use the v200 as a preamp and connect them to a pair of desktop speakers (microlab 6c) as they have a built in amp into them with RCA inputs? I will use the mdac xlr outs to connect to the v200 and the RCA outs from the v200 to the speakers.


----------



## daerron

I tried looking into this some while back, but don't believe it is possible. Afaik the RCA output is not coupled to the volume control.
  
 You could also use the M-DAC as a pre-amp.


----------



## Contrails

Thanks Daerron, much appreciated.


----------



## FlySweep

I had the V200 quite some time back (and still regret selling it).  I seem to remember the manual detailing the instructions to flip the RCA inputs from input to output.. so I think this feature is actually available (you'll have to get into the case and probably move some jumpers or something).


----------



## daerron

flysweep said:


> I had the V200 quite some time back (and still regret selling it).  I seem to remember the manual detailing the instructions to flip the RCA inputs from input to output.. so I think this feature is actually available (you'll have to get into the case and probably move some jumpers or something).


 
  
 You can flip it, but I believe its a fixed 2Vrms output. The V800 gives you variable output.


----------



## roskodan

actually, from the manual
  
 Quote: v200 manual 





> Cinch socket as outputs:
> The cinch sockets can also be operated as outputs. This offers the
> possibility of using a refreshed balanced or USB input signal for further
> purposes.
> ...


 
  
 so the output V will be whatever is at input, means that those that have a source with "pot", like the v800, can use it to set the volume


----------



## project86

Anybody considering buying Violectric gear for black Friday (or anytime in the near future)? Violectric USA is now open for business! This is the new North American distributor for all Violectric products. It's not Violectric directly, but handled by someone I can personally vouch for. This same distributor also handles Matrix Audio products and has shown great customer service on that end (see the Matrix X-Sabre thread for some examples of impressed customers). 
  
 Not exactly a black Friday special, but you can call it one if it makes you feel better..... they have some demo units on sale. These were used by Fried Reim at CanJam at RMAF a few months back, so they have seen very little use. There's a V200 with the 24/96 USB DAC option for $799! Then another V200 with no DAC for the same price, since that USB DAC model is going to disappear quickly I'm sure. There's a V181 for $799 - despite living in the shadow of V200, V181 is an excellent balanced headphone amp. And even a V800 DAC with a $260 discount. Get them while they last because those prices are great.
  
 The good part about Violectric USA is that he keeps a physical stock of (most) product. So one can order without worrying about import duties - which was a common thing when ordering direct from Violectric in Germany. The new 24/192 USB modules are not quite ready but as soon as they are, Violectric USA will have some units with that option as well. I have not yet asked him about Lake People models but I suspect those will be available at some point as well - which is excellent news (G109, my favorite sub-$500 amp).


----------



## belisk

project86 said:


> The new 24/192 USB modules are not quite ready




thanks for the update.

I'd sell my concero if the USB chip/implementation is top notch, that's how much I like my V200.


----------



## kn19h7

By the way, any news on V282?


----------



## project86

belisk said:


> thanks for the update.
> 
> I'd sell my concero if the USB chip/implementation is top notch, that's how much I like my V200.


 
  
 You are welcome! I hope the new USB implementation is excellent. I expect so given the time and attention it is receiving. I know Fried likes the idea of having a viable one-box solution that takes very little space and sounds great. As more and more people migrate to PC only and don't need multiple SPDIF inputs, it makes sense. 
  


kn19h7 said:


> By the way, any news on V282?


 
  
 Sorry, nothing yet. I haven't talked with Fried since before RMAF and I'm sure he is busy working on it, but I don't know any new info. Will update when I have anything for you though.


----------



## smoothtalker

I spoke to fried recently. I stand to be corrected, but fried mentioned the opto and coax 192k DAC will be ready by january 2014. the USB version will take longer..


----------



## SMG52

tokengesture said:


> Anyone heard the LCD-X with V200 yet?


 
 I am also very interested in this pairing.


----------



## RockyRoad

Is there a review of v200 and th900 combo?


----------



## tyom86

rockyroad said:


> Is there a review of v200 and th900 combo?


 

 Fresh brief review of TH900 (V200 comparsion with Teac UD501) there in the russian forum:
forum.doctorhead.ru/index.php?app=tutorials&article=92
  
 You can use Google-translator


----------



## project86

tyom86 said:


> Fresh brief review of TH900 (V200 comparsion with Teac UD501) there in the russian forum:
> forum.doctorhead.ru/index.php?app=tutorials&article=92
> 
> You can use Google-translator


 
  
 Link is broken, try this: http://forum.doctorhead.ru/index.php?app=tutorials&article=92
  
 Seems like the poster really enjoys V200 with TH900.


----------



## SMG52

project86 said:


> No, but I have an LCD-XC coming soon and will definitely give that a go. Not quite the same thing, but close.


 
 Any chance to listen to the LCD-X or XC with the Violectric V200?
  
 I also have [the clue) speakers. Great performers.


----------



## project86

smg52 said:


> Any chance to listen to the LCD-X or XC with the Violectric V200?
> 
> I also have [the clue) speakers. Great performers.


 
  
 My LCD-XC should be arriving soon, but I don't know exactly when. Demand for those things is through the roof!


----------



## SMG52

project86 said:


> My LCD-XC should be arriving soon, but I don't know exactly when. Demand for those things is through the roof!


 
 If it performs anything like the LCD-X, I can understand why!


----------



## hennessys

kn19h7 said:


> By the way, any news on V282? h34r:




I asked Fried the same question in September and he said that the major guidelines are set, but there are  still lots of details open. It's planned to hit the market in 2014.


----------



## SMG52

project86 said:


> My LCD-XC should be arriving soon, but I don't know exactly when. Demand for those things is through the roof!


 
 Just ordered a V200 to go with my LCD-X. Got a 20% off deal with full warranty. It was hard to pass up. From your review of the Vio and everything I've read, I'm pretty confident I'll enjoy the combo. The X headphones are not as lush or warm as the LCD-2s or 3s, they are somewhat more neutral. I prefer a warm, darker sound signature to overly bright or hyper detailed. I understand some felt it was too much of a good thing with the 2s and 3s, but with the somewhat 'lighter' tonal balance of the Xs, should be a very good match. And I understand the V200 will put out about 1 1/2 watts into a 22ohm load. Should be plenty of juice.


----------



## tyom86

Recently a russian guy asked in violectric' e-mail: responded that v220 can release by mid 2014 year. 
 uff. long wait..


----------



## Norway

V200 is an amazing piece of hardware and will continue to be long after the new balanced amp comes out, haha.  Maybe the new balanced version doesn't have the same dark, yet detailed & clear magical flavor of the V200? All I can say is that if you like dark, yet detailed and clear, spacious sound, V200 should definitely be checked out.
  
 Has anyone tried using V200 as a preamp? How did that turn out?
  
 Same question about the V800.


----------



## SMG52

norway said:


> All I can say is that if you like dark, yet detailed and clear, spacious sound, V200 should definitely be checked out.


 
 Absolutely agree with this. Pairing it with my Audeze LCD-X headphones is a match made in heaven, for me. Most like Apogee Scintilla and Diva set ups I heard many years ago in some hi fi shops. Something I could never have afforded, financially or space wise. It is nice to finally have a touch of that magic I heard many years ago


----------



## F1REStarter

smg52 said:


> Absolutely agree with this. Pairing it with my Audeze LCD-X headphones is a match made in heaven, for me. Most like Apogee Scintilla and Diva set ups I heard many years ago in some hi fi shops. Something I could never have afforded, financially or space wise. It is nice to finally have a touch of that magic I heard many years ago


 
 I've been wondering about this, since I have the V200 and am seriously considering getting the LCD X. Does it sound as good or better with the LCD X as it does the LCD 2.R2? Pairing the LCD X with the V200 won't give me any issues as with the V200/LCD 3 pairing right?


----------



## SMG52

f1restarter said:


> I've been wondering about this, since I have the V200 and am seriously considering getting the LCD X. Does it sound as good or better with the LCD X as it does the LCD 2.R2? Pairing the LCD X with the V200 won't give me any issues as with the V200/LCD 3 pairing right?


 
 Although I have listened to the LCD2 (latest), it was with another amp. I have not heard the LCD-3. Not sure what sort of issues you may be referring to, but I'm a very happy camper with this set up. Of course, from a purely enjoyment level, ymmv....etc.


----------



## hennessys

norway said:


> Has anyone tried using V200 as a preamp? How did that turn out?


 
  
 As far as i know it does not amp the signal, just runs it through.


----------



## F1REStarter

Okay, it's good to know you're not having any issues with the pairing. I didn't think it would anyway considering the LCD X's 22 ohm impedance, etc.


----------



## roskodan

got my lcd3 today, out of the v800 xlr to v200 combo it's like taking all the good stuff from the lcd2, hd800 and beyer t1 and putting it in one can, beautiful sounding !


----------



## brat

I see here many positive opinions on using V200 with audeze headphones. I find this combination far from neutral to the dark side unless you use the amp at its +12db setting. And still remains unnaturally dark. It's definitely not my choise for acoustic music, jazz, chamber or orchestral.


----------



## roskodan

the lcdz are supposed to be dark, being the king of darkness, just saying


----------



## rmilewsk

brat said:


> I see here many positive opinions on using V200 with audeze headphones. I find this combination far from neutral to the dark side unless you use the amp at its +12db setting. And still remains unnaturally dark. It's definitely not my choise for acoustic music, jazz, chamber or orchestral.


 
 Trust me. The darkness is not with the V200.


----------



## brat

rmilewsk said:


> Trust me. The darkness is not with the V200.


 
 Yes, but LCDs need more airy/clinical frontend instead the mellow V200. They become more energetic witch V200 at +12db but still not a good combo for people who listen to acoustic music. Right now I'm listening to Parov Stelar with LCD-2.2+v200 and it's OK but any well mastered orchestral music is veiled and congested.
 I'm saying this to prevent disappointments of people who listen mainly to jazz or classical.


----------



## roskodan

interesting, i find on the v800 xlr v200 that the lcd2 is actually best suited for jazz and acoustic folk and slower rock, as well as for classical despite the simpler sound stage
  
 most of the audiophiles actively engaged in classical and canonical music strongly agreed that the pairing was excellent, for tonal accuracy and presence
  
 i had the lcd2, sold them cos they were a little slow and mellow for high octane metal, but missed them really bad, so i got the lcd3, and they really fixed the slow aspect of the 2, and add a ton of detail and a really good soundstage, toe to toe with the hd800, and plus the overall sound is something really beautiful, liquid, dark but at the same time tons of detail, separation, resolution, and the tone is just perfect
  
 now i'm really interested to know what is your setup, source interconnections etc... and is the v200 at default settings, did you get it 2nd hand?
  
 cos with the v800 xlr to v200 the lcds are really loud and fast as it gets... +6 and +12 would be to much in my setup
  
 and if you are into electronica, 8bit, and such, i find the v800 xlr v200 lcd2 to be really good, and the lcd3 are just magic


----------



## tyom86

*roskodan, *hello 
 How V200-V800 combo with HD 650? (speed and depth bass for techno, trance, space for ambient..)
  
 I really don't know what to buy: V200 or Burson Soloist for 650 and, may be LCD2 or HD800 sometime :\


----------



## roskodan

this is hard for me cos i haven't listened to the burson
  
 read this
  
 http://www.headfonia.com/burson-vs-violectric-conductor-vs-v200v800/


----------



## project86

I'd say this was a matter of preference - one person says "liquid" and loves what he hears. Another person hears the same thing, calls it slow or dark, and doesn't care for it. We all hear things differently and we all have our own expectations about what we'd like our gear to do.


----------



## brat

roskodan said:


> interesting, i find on the v800 xlr v200 that the lcd2 is actually best suited for jazz and acoustic folk and slower rock, as well as for classical despite the simpler sound stage
> 
> most of the audiophiles actively engaged in classical and canonical music strongly agreed that the pairing was excellent, for tonal accuracy and presence
> 
> ...


 
 My system is:
 All components are fed by Furman Elite 16 PFEi power conditioner
 PC (Win 8 64bit; JRiver MC18)---->
 Proel Die Hard firewire cable---->
 Weiss DAC202U---->
 Van den Hul The Second XLR or Eagle Cable Condor Blue MC 3.1 RCA (depends on my mood, the latter compensates part of the darkness)---->
 Violectric HPA V200.


----------



## roskodan

> XLR Output
> 8.15Vrms +20.44 dBu with a 0 dBFS sinewave input
> 4.15Vrms +14.57 dBu with a 0 dBFS sinewave input
> 2.12Vrms +7.74 dBu with a 0 dBFS sinewave input
> 1.06Vrms +2.72 dBu with a 0 dBFS sinewave input


 
 on your dac you can choose between those settings for the xlr output, the v800 equivalent would be the 4.14V +14.57dBu, and with that setting the v200 should be good at 0dB pre-gain
  
 other things you could check is that the dac volume is at 100% and that the v200 is at the default settings, AC operation and main ground set to LIFT


----------



## brat

roskodan said:


> on your dac you can choose between those settings for the xlr output, the v800 equivalent would be the 4.14V +14.57dBu, and with that setting the v200 should be good at 0dB pre-gain
> 
> other things you could check is that the dac volume is at 100% and that the v200 is at the default settings, AC operation and main ground set to LIFT


 
 Thank you, I'll check with these settings and report here 
 Now I'm listening the weiss with volume bypassed and at 1.06Vrms +2.72 dBu.
 And how can I set the AC operation and main ground of V200?


----------



## roskodan

no wonder you need +12 pre-gain, set the v200 at 0dB pre-gain and rise your dac to +14dBu with the volume bypassed or at 100%
  
 but remember to set the v200 pre-gain at 0dBu first to avoid distortion clipping etc.
  
 i found that leaving the v200 at the default 0dB pre-gain and rise or lower the source instead yield more consistent results, you can play with your dac settings and setup the sound to your taste, enjoy
  
 edit: for checking the v200 is set to AC and ground to LIFT you need to open the device, search for instruction in the manual and i posted some howto posts too
  


> first turn off and unplug the power mains cables and all the other cables as well
> 
> for the v800 one should first remove the metal cylinder of the volume pot and the nut underneath it, that holds the pot to the case,
> than the two hex, upper left and right screws on the front panel
> ...


----------



## brat

What is the technical explanation of the potential sonic improvement to use the higher voltage setting from the dac to the amp?


----------



## SMG52

project86 said:


> I'd say this was a matter of preference - one person says "liquid" and loves what he hears. Another person hears the same thing, calls it slow or dark, and doesn't care for it. We all hear things differently and we all have our own expectations about what we'd like our gear to do.


 
 +1
  
 So true. I am just loving the LCD-X and Vio V200 combination. I am sure some would say "too smooth", "too dark"......... whatever. I am transported, and could listen all day.


----------



## project86

brat said:


> What is the technical explanation of the potential sonic improvement to use the higher voltage setting from the dac to the amp?


 
  
 Your Weiss has what they call an analog/digital hybrid volume control. It should do a good job, better than most, but the fact remains you are throwing away some resolution running it at such a low volume. You then have been compensating for that lower volume with inordinate amounts of gain, which probably hurts THD and SNR to some degree. 
  
 It's always a good choice to do the least amount of digital manipulation possible. It's also best to do the least amount of amplification necessary. That way you capture more of the sonic purity coming straight from your DAC.


----------



## roskodan

my was only advices on some options that are worth trying out, there may be differences or may be not, of course in theory a gain of 12dB is a gain of 12dB no matter if it's achieved in the dac output stage or preamp of the v200, but in practice sources, preamps and amps all have they own signatures, else all the sources would sound the same, as well as preamps and amps
  
 the best is to try and be a judge for yourself since you have the options
  
 than you can try setting the v200 pot to max and control the volume in the digital domain with your dac


----------



## brat

Untill now I used to listen to my system using Weiss DAC202U at 1.06Vrms (+2.72dBu) and Violectric HPA V200 at 0db, the default settings of these components. In this way I find LCD-2.2 dark, congested and lacking macrodynamics with jazz and classics.
  
 Yesterday I've listened to two different settings, about 30min. each:
 1. Weiss DAC202U at 1.06Vrms (+2.72dBu) ----> Violectric HPA V200 at +12db ----> LCD-2.2 = more bright and airy sound, edgy highs, more controlled bass.
 2. Weiss DAC202U at 4.15Vrms (+14.57dBu) ----> Violectric HPA V200 at 0db ----> LCD-2.2 = more bright and airy sound, pronounced still smooth highs, lack of bass, compared to all other settings.
  
 For acoustic music my preference is for setting 2 because of the natural highs and instrument separation, but with modern music (trash metal, electronics) the defaults give more balanced tonal balance.
  
 Obviously the output settings of V200 and the outuput voltage of the source can give you substantial differences. I don't know which combination causes less distortions, i.e. which is the technically "right" setting


----------



## roskodan

agree feel the same way with the v800, it's nice to have golden ears


----------



## StalkerAssassin

The Chinese made an exact copy: *DAC V800*, *HPA V181*, *HPA V200*. Who ever heard of these devices?


----------



## belisk

wow thats dirty

pretty close replica apart from the volume knob, even has similar stats and insides.

at least they know they are copying the best.


----------



## project86

I've seen those. Need to show them to Fried Reim as I imagine he isn't aware of them. Not much he can do about it I suppose.
  
 While everything appears to be more or less the same, we don't really know for sure. Are all the parts legit and not clones? Are all the values the same? Is the ground plane all funky due to poor construction? Do we really trust the measurements of a company making blatant clones? It doesn't take much to screw up a design royally, even when things look close enough to us casual observers.
  
 I'm especially concerned about the V800 clone - jitter is a tough nut to crack, and there are a lot of things that can go wrong between the ASRC, the instrumentation amplifier, the actual DAC itself.... even mismatched impedances can derail an otherwise well done layout. 
  
 But hey - maybe they are identical. In that case I guess it comes down who you want to support. An original designer who admits to charging a premium price so he can pay his workers a good wage? Or.... the alternative.


----------



## Contrails

Hey everyone,

I just bought a v200. Gonna be running it balanced from Mdac and powering he500. Is there any settings or changes I need to make before plugging in the xlr cables in the input?


----------



## i019791

contrails said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I just bought a v200. Gonna be running it balanced from Mdac and powering he500. Is there any settings or changes I need to make before plugging in the xlr cables in the input?


 
 Nothing to do before.
 Try to listen at 12-3, adjusting the gain if needed.


----------



## Contrails

Thanks mate, plugged it in, put the gains to zero/OFF and turned the music on, instant WOW! Smooth, clean and analogue comes to mind.  The V200 is brand new and it's suppose to get better with a few hours on the clock, but I am very happy.  I am using an aftermarket powercord and the MDAC is supplying a balanced signal so that's helping a little I hope.  But this is very very nice.  I could listen to this for days - I have a date in two hours and I am hoping the chick cancels!


----------



## SMG52

I have a V200 driving a set of LCD-X headphones. Love it. I use the Oppo BDP105 as front end. The 105 has balanced outputs, but I am presently using the single ended connection from the Oppo to the V200. Is there any consensus (tricky, I know) about whether balanced out from the 105 to balanced in of the V200 would be the preferable way to go?
  
 thanks!


----------



## project86

smg52 said:


> I have a V200 driving a set of LCD-X headphones. Love it. I use the Oppo BDP105 as front end. The 105 has balanced outputs, but I am presently using the single ended connection from the Oppo to the V200. Is there any consensus (tricky, I know) about whether balanced out from the 105 to balanced in of the V200 would be the preferable way to go?
> 
> thanks!


 
  
 I'd run balanced simply based on the 105 having a true balanced DAC on board. It has to be summing to create the single ended output. Is it completely transparent in that process? Maybe. Conceptually, I usually prefer to stick with the native format, whichever way it goes. 
  
 You could always pick up some cheap pro-audio style XLR cables and give it a shot. Don't have much to lose. 
  
 EDIT - hello to a fellow (the clue) user! You are obviously a man of refined taste.


----------



## Shaffer

smg52 said:


> I have a V200 driving a set of LCD-X headphones. Love it. I use the Oppo BDP105 as front end. The 105 has balanced outputs, but I am presently using the single ended connection from the Oppo to the V200. Is there any consensus (tricky, I know) about whether balanced out from the 105 to balanced in of the V200 would be the preferable way to go?
> 
> thanks!




I also have a 105 hooked into a V200. Single-ended. I auditioned both sets of outputs and there is an advantage to balanced, albeit it's not night and day. I run balanced into my main system, as it's my primary focus. Good luck.


----------



## SMG52

Thanks for the responses about balanced vs single ended. The interconnect I'm using is not very expensive (by 'high end' standards 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) and I like it  very much, so it may be worth buying one wired for balanced use.
  
 With regard to (the clue) speakers, yes I like them a lot. I've had so many speakers over the years, but most of them were pretty demanding in terms of placement, usually far out into the room. It's great to have such good sound with a speaker actually _designed _to be against the wall. Lars is a nice guy to deal with as well.


----------



## project86

Agreed! If I ever want to replace (the clue) in my system, the choices are very slim. I was considering the Von Schweikert VR-22 or one of the Larsen speakers, either model 6 or model 8. Then I realized those are all way more expensive than (the clue), and I don't do enough critical speaker listening to justify the expense. Maybe some day if I have a larger room to fill I'd consider it.


----------



## brat

project86 said:


> You could always pick up some cheap pro-audio style XLR cables and give it a shot. Don't have much to lose.


 
 It would be a big mistake to decide balanced vs.unbalanced using _cheap_ XLRs. I've tried many different balanced and unbalanced cables with my Weiss DAC202U and V200, and found that it's up to cable's quality which one I choose. I haven't heard any sonic advantages of XLR or RCA inputs itself.
 If the signal is transformed from balanced to unbalanced it's matter of personal preferences to choose which component does the transformation better - the source or the amp.


----------



## Contrails

I picked up some van damme xlr cables for $30. These have really good reviews.


----------



## brat

This amp deserves much better cable, $30 cables will spoil the sound for shure. It's very transparent device, you'll hear every problem before it, no matter what induces it, source, cables or power.
 $30 cables may have good reviews but they may be _good cables for $30_, not _really good cables_.


----------



## guido

Until you do an A-B comparison there is no way anyone can say a $30 cable will ruin the sound...there is absolutely NO correlation between cable price and performance


----------



## brat

I've made too many cable comparisons by mayself, not metnioning hundreds similar in internet by other people.
 There are few good cheap cables. Just right now I'm listening to $66 speaker cables by Blue Jeans and RCA ICs by Eagle Cable which cost 60 euros. These cables replaced more expensive cables in my system. But still there IS a correlation between price and performance in cables. Companies like Blue Jeans and Eagle Cable are exceptions, they're famous and successful because of their extremely good price/performance ratio. I've tried MANY cheap cables from local stores and no other _chinese_ production got even closer to them. Never a cheap chinese cable sounded similar to some of my carbon van den huls or solid core silver ICs. Believe me, V200 is an amp that reveals every subtle nuance of the sound and the crappy cables are very "audible".


----------



## project86

I had no idea what the poster was using as far as RCA cables. I figured if he was a big "cable person" he would fill in the blanks himself as far as using an XLR of similar quality to his current RCA. Or at least take into account the differences between his favorite RCA cables and some generic stuff he tries. Or maybe he doesn't care about cables and can therefore use any basic cable.
  
 For what it's worth, I think the affordable Monoprice XLRs do a good job. Stepping up from there is the Signal Cable stuff, which looks and sounds as good as some far more expensive name-brand options, without costing a fortune.


----------



## SMG52

In my many years in the audio hobby, I have used a multitude of different brand interconnects and speaker wires. I agree with those of you who feel there IS a sonic difference among cables (including usb cables). What I am presently using in my headphone system between the Oppo BD105 and the V200 is a Mogami single ended interconnect. After a couple hundred hours of break in, I feel they 'sound' excellent. Although there may be interconnects that perform significantly better than these, the question I would need to ask is 'for how much more money?' I have used wires from Van Den Hul (the first), Audioquest, Museatex/Meitner, 47 Labs, Analysis Plus, Harmonic Technology, Clear Day, and  Purist Audio, to name a few. These are not all cables I have used in my present system, but within the context of the different audio systems I have owned over the years, I did hear a difference between the various cables I tried. In my present headphone system, I am very happy with the Mogami interconnect. Unless someone has heard something significantly better and has experience with this Mogami wire as well, I will likely stick with the Mogami if I experiment with going balanced. I feel it does not color the sound in any appreciable way. BUT, it really needs several hundred hours of break in. I listened to it at various points along the break in process, and it didn't sound as good as it did after a couple hundred hours. (If you don't believe in break in, that's fine and I understand, but just relating my own experience.) 
  
http://www.10audio.com/market.htm


----------



## Shaffer

smg52 said:


> In my many years in the audio hobby, I have used a multitude of different brand interconnects and speaker wires. I agree with those of you who feel there IS a sonic difference among cables (including usb cables). What I am presently using in my headphone system between the Oppo BD105 and the V200 is a Mogami single ended interconnect. After a couple hundred hours of break in, I feel they 'sound' excellent. Although there may be interconnects that perform significantly better than these, the question I would need to ask is 'for how much more money?' I have used wires from Van Den Hul (the first), Audioquest, Museatex/Meitner, 47 Labs, Analysis Plus, Harmonic Technology, Clear Day, and  Purist Audio, to name a few. These are not all cables I have used in my present system, but within the context of the different audio systems I have owned over the years, I did hear a difference between the various cables I tried. In my present headphone system, I am very happy with the Mogami interconnect. Unless someone has heard something significantly better and has *experience with this Mogami wire* as well, I will likely stick with the Mogami if I experiment with going balanced. I feel it does not color the sound in any appreciable way. BUT, it really needs several hundred hours of break in. I listened to it at various points along the break in process, and it didn't sound as good as it did after a couple hundred hours. (If you don't believe in break in, that's fine and I understand, but just relating my own experience.)
> 
> http://www.10audio.com/market.htm




Which Mogami wire is it, exactly? It should say so on the cable.


----------



## SMG52

shaffer said:


> Which Mogami wire is it, exactly? It should say so on the cable.


 
 Mogami 2549 for my single ended interconnect,purchased from 10audio. 
  
 I believe the fella at 10audio finds that a different Mogami wire sounds better for balanced applications. Don't know which one that would be, though.


----------



## brat

@SMG52: Try the balanced Van den Hul The Second. It's the most neutral cable I've ever heard, and has nothing in common with the other carbon cables. I use it in all my systems and everywhere it is the winner compared to other XLRs, I mean with dynamic and electrostatic amps, as well as a couple of speaker amps


----------



## SMG52

brat said:


> @SMG52: Try the balanced Van den Hul The Second. It's the most neutral cable I've ever heard, and has nothing in common with the other carbon cables. I use it in all my systems and everywhere it is the winner compared to other XLRs, I mean with dynamic and electrostatic amps, as well as a couple of speaker amps


 
 Interesting. I still have a pair of  Van den Hul The First single ended interconnects. Always liked them. Very nice treble....no etch or brightness at all. Have not compared it with the Mogami, but then again you say The Second is not similar in sound to The First anyway.


----------



## belisk

the new m-stage has a nice USB board exactly what the V200 needs.



> The M-STAGE HPA-2 (USB) uses a XMOS interface chip along with a BURR-BROWN PCM1793 D/A converter and LME49720 OpAmp.






hope we get something similar


----------



## GoldfishX

At this point, I'm about 95% sure I'll be picking up a V200. BUT...just putting myself through the paces and looking for an extra go-ahead (hint, hint to V200 fans)
  
 My situation: I'm running a single ended setup with my computer through USB into a Peachtree Dac It. I have an HD800, but I'm quickly running out of patience with it and almost willing to move on. I need something to take the edge off the highs, particularly the 6Khz spike these cans are known for (EQ is somewhat effective, but I prefer not to have to use it on my computer). I also want something that's flexible with a wide range of cans, particularly the Mad Dogs/Alpha Dogs, the HD600/650, the Beyer T1, DT660 and T90 and some of the newer orthos coming out (the Oppo PM-1 and He-560). Finally, I'm also interested in something I can haul off to work on certain days. The amp seems small enough to do that.
  
 I like the idea of tubes and how they influence sound, so the Woo Audio 2 is on my radar, but I understand it doesn't offer up the flexibility of the V200 and that once you factor in the cost of tube upgrades, you're looking at nearly twice the price of the V200 ($1000 is about where my comfort zone is, anything past that is stretching it). I've about reached my limit with the Lyr/HD800 pairing, every pair of tubes I use is too bright with that pairing. Very detailed, but too fatiguing to be any fun. I want to try Mullards, but I also don't want to throw any more money into that amp.
  
 So, does anyone else see a V200 purchase in my future?


----------



## hennessys

Picking the right amp should be based on your personal preference, so i would suggest giving a try to the amp before you pull the trigger.
  
 If it helps, I was in a similar situation when I got my HD800. I loved the sound, the soundstage and the details, but the highs were way too much for my taste. I also have the T1 and the HE-6 (which is very difficult to drive)
  
 Upgrading to v200 helped and I have a sound which I’m very happy with, but if you’re expecting the HD800 to change completely it won’t happen. I added an aftermarket cable and anaxilus mod, but I believe the HD800 is just not made for every type of music. It’s a very picky headphone with the quality of the recordings and the genre of the music, but can give you goose-bumps when the song suits it.


----------



## hennessys

smg52 said:


> Mogami 2549 for my single ended interconnect,purchased from 10audio.


 
  
 +1 for Mogami. I use  W2534 RCA with Neutrik plugs.


----------



## GoldfishX

hennessys said:


> Picking the right amp should be based on your personal preference, so i would suggest giving a try to the amp before you pull the trigger.
> 
> If it helps, I was in a similar situation when I got my HD800. I loved the sound, the soundstage and the details, but the highs were way too much for my taste. I also have the T1 and the HE-6 (which is very difficult to drive)
> 
> Upgrading to v200 helped and I have a sound which I’m very happy with, but if you’re expecting the HD800 to change completely it won’t happen. I added an aftermarket cable and anaxilus mod, but I believe the HD800 is just not made for every type of music. It’s a very picky headphone with the quality of the recordings and the genre of the music, but can give you goose-bumps when the song suits it.


 
  
 I don't want it to change complete, I just want to kill those highs. The headphone is pretty much perfect without the treble spike.
  
 Listening to most of this stuff first isn't really an option, sadly. Oh well, I ordered it last night. Wish me luck. If it fails, I'll probably give up on the HD800. I've spent way too much money on it and trying to get it sounding good.


----------



## Shaffer

goldfishx said:


> I don't want it to change complete, I just want to kill those highs. The headphone is pretty much perfect without the treble spike.
> 
> Listening to most of this stuff first isn't really an option, sadly. Oh well, I ordered it last night. Wish me luck. If it fails, I'll probably give up on the HD800.* I've spent way too much money on it and trying to get it sounding good.*




What source material do you listen to?


----------



## GoldfishX

shaffer said:


> What source material do you listen to?


 
 FLAC from either my computer or DX50 coax out, Peachtree Dac-It (Sabre 9018). mp3 only when I can't find FLACs.
  
 Genres are mostly 80's pop/rock (about 80% female vocals), heavy metal and videogame music. I actually really like the HD800's speed for stuff like metal, I'm not really interested in impact, more interested in making out dense double-guitar passages and riffs underneath the vocals.
  
 The headphone would be perfect if I could tame the treble energy. The V200 arrives today, so I'll have a status report on it.


----------



## GoldfishX

hennessys said:


> Picking the right amp should be based on your personal preference, so i would suggest giving a try to the amp before you pull the trigger.
> 
> If it helps, I was in a similar situation when I got my HD800. I loved the sound, the soundstage and the details, but the highs were way too much for my taste. I also have the T1 and the HE-6 (which is very difficult to drive)
> 
> Upgrading to v200 helped and I have a sound which I’m very happy with, but if you’re expecting the HD800 to change completely it won’t happen. I added an aftermarket cable and anaxilus mod, but I believe the HD800 is just not made for every type of music. It’s a very picky headphone with the quality of the recordings and the genre of the music, but can give you goose-bumps when the song suits it.


 
  
 No place to try these amps. I was happy just to find out they had a US online store. Great service, very friendly.
  
 I actually like hearing bad recordings on the HD800. Picking out all the little problems with mic placement and whatnot, extra studio processing (especially on glossy 80's pop albums...too much fun). On lesser headphones, you're left wondering if the problem is your gear. Led Zeppelin drives me crazy on lower end setups, I love how the HD800 picks up EVERYTHING!


----------



## Kendoji

Haha yeah I sometimes love the bad recordings too. You can fully appreciate the badness exactly as it is.


----------



## hennessys

You guys are crazy, but i have to admit I also like Led Zeppelin with the HD800...


----------



## GoldfishX

Very first impression: Not as dark as some impressions would leave me to believe. The HD800 is still tilted forward as far as brightness goes, but the mids are fantastically layered now, even with minimal burn-in and I have yet to detect any sibilance examples. Again, these are out of the box impressions. Really hoping the amp gets a hold of the hot treble at some point and melts it a bit, but the boost to the layering in the mids and upper bass is pretty impressive.
  
 I also tried my Denon D2000 and found them very harsh and sibilant with the pairing. That was a bleh pairing. I'll have to try these later on. Won't be able to try my Mad Dogs for a few days, as they're at work. 3 day weekend for this amp to burn, burn, burn...
  
 Edit: In My Time of Dying with this pairing is ******* EPIC. About to rip through Physical Graffiti right now. Something about Plant's vocals still aren't right, like they are nearly off the soundstage half the time (and the soundstage on the album is massive), plus he is moving around quite a bit. I think the burn in is starting to happen. Some recordings too bright still, but I seem to be having more successes than misses. Hopefully will continue to improve.
  
 Another Edit: Around 4 hours in, I heard a loud crackle through the headphones. I have had tubes do this before as they are burning in. Hopefully that is the amp getting acclimated with itself and the stuff hooked up to it. So far, I am really noticing the speed of the headphones, which is not really noticeable on lower headphones or set-ups.


----------



## roskodan

guess the source (dac etc.) play a big role in making the sound (mellow, bright, harsh, crisp, etc.), had 3 different hd800 in my setup and wasn't able to make them harsh and/or excessively bright, must be the dac v800 which is on the liquid (non metallic) side of sound, i tried some other dacs, some of which were really bright
  
 than i don't get why violectric ships the amp and dac with the general ground jumper set to "lift", sound is much more, musical, extended, crispier and airy with faster attack when set to "gnd", at least in my case, and the ac/dc coupling setting changes the sound too, worth a try
  
 got the he-6 yesterday, must say the violectric combo does a good job with this really hard to drive can too


----------



## GoldfishX

Letting the amp burn in for a good 40 or so hours, will try it again when I get off work. I'm starting to suspect though I am just extremely sensitive to treble and the HD800 just isn't for me, regardless of the amp. I need to experiment with EQing the higher frequencies (6khz - 10khz) down on top of running it through the V200.
  
 Can anyone recommend a darker headphone with a fast decay? Amp would be either the V200 or Lyr. Audeze would be my first thought, but I hate the fit on the LCD headphones. I'm watching that new Oppo PM-1 that is coming out like a hawk. I probably will look into the HD650, although it's not really recommended for faster music (metal).
  
 One thing I like about the V200...It seems to pair well with a variety of headphones. My AD2000X that I have up for sale seems to enjoy it, the amp really brought out the mids on it (the mids were almost missing on the Lyr), only up for sale because of the fit. Even though the treble is still there on the HD800, the mids and bass got a real shot in the arm and are layered much better.


----------



## hennessys

If you want to give some more try to the HD800 check out the anaxilus mod. Changing the cable also worked for me.
  
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/diy-modification-sennheiser-hd-800-anaxilus-mod
  
 Even with the changes i have to admit, I’m reaching for the HE-6 more often than the HD800. It has more organic sound with excellent bass and the highs are great without annoying sibilance. It just suits me better with wider variety of music


----------



## Suopermanni

Has anyone heard the Meier Audio Corda Classic versus the V200? I'm in the market for an amp and these two are on my shortlist.


----------



## GoldfishX

Starting to play around with the gain switches on the back. The HD800 treble is still too hot on neutral, but at -6 and -12, it really dampens it pretty nicely. I'm using -6, as -12 dampens everything else too much. I also had MUCH better luck going back to using my DX50 as a source via coax output instead of my computer through USB (regardless of EQ). Plus factor in around 30 hours of burn in. NOW this amp is making my HD800 sing, hard to believe it is the same headphone. The sound is as a lot of reviews have described, warm and detailed like a tube solid state, virtually zero fatigue. Small soundstage and separation isn't that amazing (vocals or guitars tend to dominate the soundstage), but very intimate sounding just the same.
  
 Just goes to show, the whole chain is important, not just one aspect of it.


----------



## guido

My HD800s sold yesterday...
  
 I tried a few amps with them including Mapletree Purist HD+ , Mapletree  250 , Woo Audio WA2 and eventually settled on the V200...but I was never truly happy.
 I never managed to tame that treble to my satisfaction and get the right bottom end for my tastes.
  
 The HD800s  did some amazing things but not enough of the time and eventually I realized the HD800s were simply not for me so they have hopefully gone to a more appreciative home...
  
 Now ...what to try?
 I am seriously interested in the Audeze LCD-X...any more opinions on how they work with the V200-V800 stack?
  
 Any other considerations?


----------



## tyom86

Hellow all 
 How is Violectric' power with the dual outputs?
 example: V100 @ 50 Ohm - 2200 mw
 if plugged 2 headphones 50 Ohm, then we have 1100 mw into 1 out?
 or 2200 mw into each left and right hole?


----------



## roskodan

it drives the 2 headphones in parallel
  
 so it would be 1/Rtotal=1/Rhp1+1/Rhp2 for the total equivalent resistance of both headphones, Rtotal, than you need to look how much power the amp gives in Rtotal and divide by 2, and that is how much power a single hp gets
  
 for 2 headphones, of 50ohm impedance each, in v100, Rtotal would be 1/Rtotal=1/50+1/50
  
 Rtotal=25 Ohm
  
 Power of V100 into 25 Ohm ~ 1250mW
  
 1250/2= *625mW* for each of the two headphones connected


----------



## tyom86

> 1250/2= *625mW* for each of the two headphones connected


 
 Thank's 
  
 and if only 1 hedaphone plugged,  it results full 1250 mw?


----------



## guido

roskodan said:


> it drives the 2 headphones in parallel
> 
> so it would be 1/Rtotal=1/Rhp1+1/Rhp2 for the total equivalent resistance of both headphones, Rtotal, than you need to look how much power the amp gives in Rtotal and divide by 2, and that is how much power a single hp gets
> 
> ...


 

 Howdy Roskodan
  
 I see you are moving your Violectric stack...what are you getting if I may ask?


----------



## roskodan

tyom86 said:


> > 1250/2= *625mW* for each of the two headphones connected
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 when having just one headphone all you need to know is the impedance of the headphone (25, 50, 300, 600 Ohm ???), and than look up in the manual, under specifications, how much power you get for the respective impedance, but for more than one headphone connected, you need to follow the procedure in my previous post 
  


> Originally Posted by *guido* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Howdy Roskodan
> 
> I see you are moving your Violectric stack...what are you getting if I may ask?


 
  
 Come Ti Va In Riva Al (la Citta) Lago...
  
 i was contemplating to leave head-fi waters, maybe some ciem and portable setup, but kinda starting to realize i'm to deep into it to just bail out, so ultimately i'll probably just add some more gear instead... amp, dac... seems the easier way... maybe some diy, since i have a good setup for comparison...
  
 interesting you got rid of the hd800, i run it v800->xlr->v200, and brightness was never an issue, but i'm kind of used to harsh, edgy music and had a beyer t1 that trained (read damaged) my ears well
  
 i'm curious about dacs and amps that wouldn't just be a trade-off in sound from my current setup...
  
 maybe attend some meets in europe (any suggestion?)


----------



## guido

Riva del Garda is simply awesome...and being a mountain bike and road bike addict I am in paradise!  Ride today ...  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/435262327
  
  
  
  
 The HD800 was amazing in many situations but there were numerous times when it made me cringe...I find myself using my IEMS [Heir Audio5] and DX50 with a Xin SM3 OPA627 most of the time and  the combo makes me happy.
  
 I would like to try some Audeze LCD-X with the Violectric stack but besides ordering one there is no other way for me to try one....


----------



## roskodan

i see from the photos linked under your profile, looks like a paradise, passed by quite a few times but never stayed, here in the "Istria Croata" cycling is quite popular, so i like to do my fair share of mtb, cross country too
  
 how did you connect your v800 to v200, xlr, rca?
  
 i had the lcd2.2 and now the lcd3, while the lcd2 are forgiving, the lcd3 really are more lively in the treble, and very revealing in tonality and dynamics


----------



## guido

Yes...V800 to V200 with XLRs...
  
 I just did not get along with the HD800s...
  
  
  
 Croatia is definitely on my list of places to visit..I have heard so many good things and it is pretty close to where I live.


----------



## roskodan

yes i understand that, was wondering what music were you listening to and how much loud do you usually turn the volume on the v200, for the hd800? and how much pre-gain, on the v200, do you use?


----------



## hennessys

I don’t know about you guys, but I always end up with something on the top of my amp. 

I used to put some magazines, to protect it from scratches, but i scored some material sample heading to the trash at work and here is my new sexy looking V200.




A true beauty. What do you think, ain't she sweet?


----------



## roskodan

good idea since it holds your headphone stand on its back, you don't want to scratch the expensive nextel
  
 mamma mia quant'è bello, pare un bijoux


----------



## hennessys

roskodan said:


> mamma mia quant'è bello, pare un bijoux


 
  
 Sorry mate, i just live in Italy, but i don't speak the language...
  
 Actually i should start. Shame on me.
  
 @guido:
  
 Man, +1 for roskodan. Your place really looks like a paradise. Those photos are something…


----------



## hekeli

roskodan said:


> you don't want to scratch the expensive nextel


 
  
 What's the point of nextel if not being scratch resistant?


----------



## hennessys

Well, it was due for long time, but i've never found the right material. I think this is used for casino  tables, nice and soft on the other side. I think my amp feels goooood and comfy for now.


----------



## project86

hekeli said:


> What's the point of nextel if not being scratch resistant?


 
  
  
 Scratch resistant, yes. Scratch proof? No. It's like using a screen protector on a modern phone that has gorilla glass.


----------



## roskodan

Spoiler: Originally Posted by hennessys






hennessys said:


> roskodan said:
> 
> 
> > mamma mia quant'è bello, pare un bijoux
> ...


 
  


 what setup, chain, settings, do you use for the he-6?


----------



## hennessys

project86 said:


> Scratch resistant, yes. Scratch proof? No. It's like using a screen protector on a modern phone that has gorilla glass.


 
  
 I wish not to worry about scratches, but when i got the itch and swapping headphones I’m anything but careful. I never buy gear which I’m intent to sell, but I shouldn’t ruin the visual enjoyment of the next generation, if I let something go 
  
 @*roskodan*
 Hiface2 + Eastern Electric Minimax with a nice set of tubes and rolled opamps + some cable experimet +6db  for now. I'm in game for speaker amps for the HE6. Even though this can is great with the v200, but I can’t shake the feeling of finding an old fashion power house with this.


----------



## roskodan

wow you have a lot of options there
  
 i find my setup good with the he-6, but when comparing with any other can i have/had, it kind of misses the same authority, or it's maybe just the he-6 signature to be so neutral, there are the same details, the sound is still full but the tone is very neutral, like it misses the coloration of the other cans, the he-6 have this very well controlled, technical sound, boosts environmental and nature sound recordings in realism, it's fast and soundstaging is really good and big, but kind of lacks the euphony
  
 and then it requires much more gain than any other can, which implies you need to change settings when switching with other cans
  
 so i guess a good speaker amp is indeed the way to go... to add some meat, euphony etc...
  
 edit: in terms of euphony with the violectric stack if the general ground is set to gnd and the v200 set to dc operation, it improves substantially, but again only for the he-6, the other cans suffer from it


----------



## Maxvla

Here's my take on the V200 and V181.

http://www.head-fi.org/products/violectric-hpa-v200/reviews/10370
http://www.head-fi.org/products/violectric-hpa-v181/reviews/10371

(Same review contents, different ratings)


----------



## Synthax

Dear Head-Fiers,
 Today I received V200. Actually I do listen with T70. These particular headphones have opinion of being lean on bass and bright. Well, I have checked them with many amplifiers. Finally Espressivo-E OTL amp with russian tubes gave these headphones right power and timbre. For many months this pairing was great. What can I say today, it is even better. Bass has better control, and is same power and quantity than with OTL, but now even with better control and texture. V200 seems to be dedicated to them. There is absolutely no harshness, peaks and other fatiguing elements that can be found with these headphones on other solid state amps. 
 To me Lampizator Level 4 DAC -> V200 -> T70 is brillant setup. Very well balanced, detailed and spacious with 'thunder' bass (...really it is). Please not that well powered T70 got better bass (deeper) than HD650 which I also have but find a bit lower quality to T70.
  
 Hope to write something more about V200 after more time


----------



## hennessys

Welcome to the club


----------



## roskodan

maxvla said:


> Here's my take on the V200 and V181.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/violectric-hpa-v200/reviews/10370
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/violectric-hpa-v181/reviews/10371
> ...


 

 good to see an "foots on the ground" review,
  
 kind of confirms the wishes of violectric to do a balanced v200 version, which would than give the best of both devices in one,
  
 i would like to know how did you connect each amp to the v800 (rca, xlr), and what were the pre-gain values used?


----------



## Maxvla

XLR interconnection. 1/4 TRS on headphone jack for both amps. I wanted to keep it on a fair playing field. The balanced connection of the V181 gave me slight soundstage enhancements, but they were slight enough I could have been imagining it. Unlike both using TRS, switching XLR cable and TRS cable takes too long to compare small differences.

I left the gain switches at stock. I can look when I get home from work if you need the specific amount.


----------



## roskodan

oh, i see, in that case it doesn't really matter, thx


----------



## Lillee

Hi guys,
  
 I've pulled the trigger on a V200 / V800 stack and boy I am blown away. Firstly thanks for all the contributors on this thread, I read the whole thing and it helped alot with the decision to buy.
  
 I am running:
  
 MSI Wind U100 with Jriver and Fidelizer --> HiFace Two --> Silver/Gold Coax --> V800 --> twin Silver/Gold XLR --> V200 --> Stock Cable --> MrSpeakers Alpha Dogs
  
 It truly brings out the best in the Alpha Dogs!! Sensational grip and control. I came from a iPod / Fostex HPP1 / Triad L3/LLP setup and although the L3/LLP hits well above it's weight range, it's no match for the V200's immense power output and circuitry. But it's the V800 that truly is the star in the combination. I thought the 32bit Wolfsen DAC in the Fostex was resolving, boy I am hearing new things in music I've heard a 1000 times! I know it sounds like a cliche but by Joe, its true.
  
 Firstly the settings: I am using WASAPI on Jriver. I have scaled up all formats to 24bit/192. Running latest HiFace Two drivers (1.7). I've lifted the ground on the V200 and removed the low pass filter, I've had to set the pregain to -12 so I can have the V800 on max volume and V200 at around 12-3 O'clock. Resampling set to best although Jriver already set to 24/192 anyway (switching around to off makes no difference to my ears).
  
 These were my initial impressions:
  
 Quote initial impressions: 





> It's effortless. Gobs of power. Authoritative. Excellent control of dynamic range, from smallest detail to tsunami levels.
> 
> Smooth yet extremely detailed and balanced. Detail retrieval is flat out the best I've ever heard. Hog dang I am hearing things I've not heard before on some classical 24/192 and I've listened to them alot. but never rough or harsh. Very analogue. Very musical, never in your face. I attribute this to V800 resolving power.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Music I listened to include: Queen Remastered best of, Michael Jackson's History, Norah Jones 24/192, Enya, Adele 21, Daft Punk Musique and Random Access Memories, Fleetwood Mac, Sade, Alica Keys, Celine Dion many more.
  
 I know this is a controversial topic but I really do feel that experimenting with the cabling of the Vio stack, in particular the Coax from the HiFace and the Balanced XLR's, makes a huge difference. About as much of a difference as using a HiFace Two and not using a HiFace Two. In unison the whole system scales up very well.
  
 Next on the agenda, recabling the AD's, external clean USB power for the HiFace two and perhaps power cables.


----------



## project86

Maxvla - I'm interested in your reviews of the Violectric gear, because I hear it very different from you. Which is weird because you seem to hear the Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 USB _exactly _how I do.
  
 I'll agree that massive, expansive, layered soundstage is not Violectric's strong point. What I don't hear is the smearing of textures you mentioned. To my ears, that's just not an issue. I finally got to hear the Mjolnir recently and while it was surprisingly good (the person who brought it over hated it and assumed I would hate it too - which I didn't), I'd place it below the V200 for its somewhat aggressive character and lack of finesse. The BHA-1 is a closer match based on my limited memory of it, but definitely does not blow the V200 away imho.
  
 Anyway, it's just an interesting observation that we hear the M-Stage so similarly and the Violectric stuff so differently. Have you heard the HiFiMAN EF-6 by any chance? Curious to know if our thoughts line up on that or not.
  
  
  
 Lillee - Thanks for the impressions. I got the Alpha Dogs not long ago and am slowly getting around to using them with all my amps. So V200 is among the very best matches, along with AURALiC Taurus.


----------



## Maxvla

I have heard the EF-6 but only with the HE-6 and it did nothing to help the HE-6 become favorable.


----------



## Viper2005

roskodan said:


> good to see an "foots on the ground" review,
> 
> kind of confirms the wishes of violectric to do a balanced v200 version, which would than give the best of both devices in one,
> 
> i would like to know how did you connect each amp to the v800 (rca, xlr), and what were the pre-gain values used?


 
 Has there been any new news on the V282 front?


----------



## roskodan

the lull before the storm...


----------



## hennessys

Ok, just to stir up the waters a bit. I was in touch with Fried Reim in December and i asked him about the new amps. I hope he doesn't mind, if i share  it with you guys. 

Here is what he wrote:

_About amps to come ...
 
We are working on successors of V181 and V200, named V281 and V220.
To save costs V220 will be the base of V281.
 
They will have double height cases so 2 "standard" units will meet the height of the new amp(s),
also the cases might be a little deeper.
The basic V200 circuitry will remain and will be implemented into the balanced V281.
The transformer will be bigger to have a bit more amp-juice and the ability to feed some nice options.
The inputs (balanced, unbalanced and the optional digital input) are selectable from the front.
There will be a (balanced ?) line output on the back.
This can be set to be adjustable or fixed to the input source.
The basic version will have a manual volume control and a manual balance control.
1st option is the remote control with motorized potentiometer for the volume and for input selecting.
2nd option is a 128-step relais based volume, also together with the inputs remote controlled.
Finally 1 of 6 digital input options may be chosen: USB/Opto/Coax with up to 96 or 192 kHz sample rate.
 
We hope to release these new amps middle of 2014.
 
Also there will be some nice priced but high featured Lake People DACs to be released soon
to establish Lake People even more as a "budget" solution under Violectric_.
 
As i had the V100 i was extremely happy and had no thoughts of changing amp until i've got the power hungry HE-6. I listen to a coupe of other amps, but i ordered the v200 trusting the brand even without trying it. It didn't disappointed me and i'm not thinking about let the V200 go, but when these new gears hit the market i might fall in love again. There are a couple of yummy option and the V281 sounds very interesting.


----------



## Viper2005

Thanks Hennessys for sharing that bit of news.
If these amps are to be released this year, I I will be really excited to try them out. The V200 is the best amp I have at the moment, and a balanced/beefier version of that would be awesome!


----------



## guido

Can anyone comment on how the HE-500 headphones pair up with a V200-V800 stack?


----------



## hennessys

guido said:


> Can anyone comment on how the HE-500 headphones pair up with a V200-V800 stack?


 
  
 Xenophon put down a couple of thoughts here


----------



## project86

hennessys said:


> Xenophon put down a couple of thoughts here


 
  
 I agree with those. V200/V800 is really great with HE-500, though of course one can possibly achieve a more desirable sound (with tube coloration) from other amps. Depends on your preferences I suppose.


----------



## roskodan

tyom86 said:


> *roskodan, *hello
> How V200-V800 combo with HD 650? (speed and depth bass for techno, trance, space for ambient..)
> 
> I really don't know what to buy: V200 or Burson Soloist for 650 and, may be LCD2 or HD800 sometime :\


 

 stay tuned, impressions in a few days !!!
  

  
 edit: so much about selling my gear and bailing out of desktop head-fi, resistance is futile


----------



## tyom86

*roskodan* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 Thank you)
 But V100 already coming to me


----------



## Contrails

Just read the review on headfonia and v200/v800 is the best stack they have heard for the he-6.  Anyone else share similar views?


----------



## hennessys

contrails said:


> Just read the review on headfonia and v200/v800 is the best stack they have heard for the he-6.  Anyone else share similar views?


 
  
 Well, not everybody thinks that way. Check around on this forum: amps-that-can-drive-the-hifiman-he-6-planar-headphones


----------



## roskodan

yup over xlr it was like listening to hi-end monitors, but imo still misses a watt or two, just didn't have the easiness and articulation of the lcd3, but that could be just the he-6 being the he-6, very neutral and good soundstage, unusually wide and airy for the violectric and with excellent positioning, treble the best i ever heard, mids needed a touch more of body, lows were super tight and controled, maybe a little too much for my taste
  
 i sold the he-6 cos i felt it needs a specialized solution dedicated for itself, it's just too much hard to drive to have it in the same setup with the other cans, maybe the next violectric balanced amp will be perfect
  
 i was actually contemplating to keep either the he-6 or the lcd3/hd800 as a combo, the he-6 falls just in between having most of the good proprieties of both the other two
  
 edit:
  
 another thing is the he-6 is uber revealing of the chain, on the violectric dead neutral and maybe boring, on some other more powerful amps that were just slightly U shaped with other cans, with the he-6 it was a mess
  
 so to limit the problem to simply, can it drive the he-6, is pretty inaccurate and won't give you any insight about getting the sound right, but it's a good start


----------



## hennessys

roskodan said:


> so to limit the problem to simply, can it drive the he-6, is pretty inaccurate and won't give you any insight about getting the sound right, but it's a good start


 
  
 I cannot comment on the V800, but i personally like the HE-6 with the V200. I tried speaker amps and they give surprisingly good result, but somehow I missed something that I found in the V200.
  
 I’m still looking for a good speaker amp for the HE-6, because we usually listening 2 headphones at the same time and it’s impossible to have the HE-6 and HD800/T1 on the same amp due to the difference in loudness.


----------



## project86

V200 was the best I'd heard for HE-6, until I got the AURALiC Taurus. V200 is quite good though.


----------



## roskodan

no wonder, with almost double the output power, and 12V input capability, price as well doubles... good to know there is something like that around


----------



## project86

Right. It says a lot about the V200 that it almost matches the Taurus, with less power, smaller enclosure, for less money.


----------



## hennessys

project86 said:


> V200 was the best I'd heard for HE-6, until I got the AURALiC Taurus. V200 is quite good though.


 
*Taurus* MK2 or the MK1?


----------



## roskodan

mk2, and i read project86 review of it is soon to be published on inner fidelity, really looking forward reading that one


----------



## hennessys

+1 I heard opinions from different sources praising the HE-6 with the Taurus MKII. I wonder how it compares to the HE-6 & V200...


----------



## project86

hennessys said:


> *Taurus* MK2 or the MK1?


 
  
 Both - I had the original and later replaced it with the MKII, and both do an exceptional job. Honestly I don't think the sound changed at all, but other aspects did. Which is good because the original sounds excellent!
  


roskodan said:


> mk2, and i read project86 review of it is soon to be published on inner fidelity, really looking forward reading that one


 
  
 Should be up in the next week or less.


----------



## roskodan

tyom86 said:


> *roskodan* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Thank you)
> But V100 already coming to me


 

 excellent choice !
  
 for the hd650 it's sure on par with the v200, and with the hd800 it may even be the better choice, rumors have it that...
  


waterlogic said:


> Axel Grell from Sennheiser is the designer of HD800.
> He also listens to his HD800 with his personal HPA V100 !!!


 
  
 i'm sure it does great with low impedance headphones and hard to drive orthos too


----------



## hennessys

> for the hd650 it's sure on par with the v200, and with the hd800 it may even be the better choice, rumors have it that...


 
  
 I had both the V100 and the V200 together for a while. With my wife we did some A-B comparison out of curiosity with the AKG K550, HD650, HD800, DT880 (600 Ohms), T1 & the HE-6.
  
 IMHO the v100 and the HD650 is a great pairing. I found the V200 too dark with it, but it’s also depending which version of the HD650 you have.
  
 The HD800 is great with both amps. The V100 was a bit more analytical, but larger sound-stage. The V200 more warm and musical, but brings the instruments perhaps a bit closer.


----------



## vian

Just ordered a V200 for my HE-500! I'm very exited! 
 I was searching for an "end of game" setup for a while, so I really hope I found it!
 To be honest, I was hasitateing for a while between the V200 and the Yulong A18, mainly because of the soundstage difference. But since project86 said in one of his reply in the A18 thread that he would go for the V200 with the HE-500 if he had to do single ended, and I have  to do single ended, there was no question for me anymore.
 It may sound a bit silly to make such a decision based on just one opinion, but since I also purchased my m-stage amp for my AKGs after reading his ( also excellent ) review about it, and had no regret at all, I knew I can trust his words. That's a great amp too, "simple, cheap, and excellent" indeed. But obviously just can't make the HE-500 to sing at its best. So I'm selling it now ... ( already sold the AKGs )
 Anyway, I will receive my V200 next week, and really-really looking forward to it!!


----------



## guido

vian said:


> Just ordered a V200 for my HE-500! I'm very exited!
> I was searching for an "end of game" setup for a while, so I really hope I found it!
> To be honest, I was hasitateing for a while between the V200 and the Yulong A18, mainly because of the soundstage difference. But since project86 said in one of his reply in the A18 thread that he would go for the V200 with the HE-500 if he had to do single ended, and I have  to do single ended, there was no question for me anymore.
> It may sound a bit silly to make such a decision based on just one opinion, but since I also purchased my m-stage amp for my AKGs after reading his ( also excellent ) review about it, and had no regret at all, I knew I can trust his words. That's a great amp too, "simple, cheap, and excellent" indeed. But obviously just can't make the HE-500 to sing at its best. So I'm selling it now ... ( already sold the AKGs )
> Anyway, I will receive my V200 next week, and really-really looking forward to it!!


 

 I am absolutely loving the HE-500 on the V200....I do not miss the Sennheiser HD-800 one bit!


----------



## vian

guido said:


> I am absolutely loving the HE-500 on the V200....I do not miss the Sennheiser HD-800 one bit!


 
 Thanks guido! That really tells me something! I will have a secret affair my wife shouldn't know about...


----------



## roskodan

anyone with the v800/v200 combo that would like to give impressions about:
  
 v800 -> RCA -> v200 +6dB pre-gain
  
 vs
  
 v800 -> XLR -> v200 +0dB pre-gain
  
 which setup do you prefer?


----------



## tyom86

Today I got my V100, but have to wait ( Y ) until tomorrow: 2-week frost shipping
 Violectric looks awesome, better than the photo


----------



## roskodan

congratulations !!! make sure to "defrost" it before use, he he... it's about time someone review it and open an appreciation thread


----------



## Kendoji

vian said:


> Just ordered a V200 for my HE-500! I'm very exited!
> I was searching for an "end of game" setup for a while, so I really hope I found it!
> To be honest, I was hasitateing for a while between the V200 and the Yulong A18, mainly because of the soundstage difference. But since project86 said in one of his reply in the A18 thread that he would go for the V200 with the HE-500 if he had to do single ended, and I have  to do single ended, there was no question for me anymore.
> It may sound a bit silly to make such a decision based on just one opinion, but since I also purchased my m-stage amp for my AKGs after reading his ( also excellent ) review about it, and had no regret at all, I knew I can trust his words. That's a great amp too, "simple, cheap, and excellent" indeed. But obviously just can't make the HE-500 to sing at its best. So I'm selling it now ... ( already sold the AKGs )
> Anyway, I will receive my V200 next week, and really-really looking forward to it!!




I think you'll be very happy with the V200.


----------



## vian

Thanks Kendoji! Yeah, I can feel that this is going to be my amp, and paired with the HE-500 I'm gonna have a wonderful rigg I've never had before.


----------



## roskodan

kendoji said:


> I think you'll be very happy with the V200.


 
  
 let's not forget it's good with pretty much everything you can throw at it, beyer t1, hd650, hd800, lcd2, lcd3... and perfect for iems too !
  
 i was inspecting closely the front aluminum faceplate, the finish, the laser engraved labels, perfect, has nothing to envy the conductor !


----------



## vian

roskodan said:


> let's not forget it's good with pretty much everything you can throw at it, beyer t1, hd650, hd800, lcd2, lcd3... and perfect for iems too !
> 
> i was inspecting closely the front aluminum faceplate, the finish, the laser engraved labels, perfect, has nothing to envy the conductor !


 
 Yes, I've read in the review, that it's a really versatile amp and it was another good reason for me to buy the V200 instead of the Yulong A18. 
 Though the HE-500s are going to be my only full size phones, but I'm thinking about to upgrade my IEMs ( sound magic ) to a Hifiman RE-400, since I've read a lot of good things about them.
  
 Yes, it's another great example of the famous german craftsmanship!


----------



## guido




----------



## hennessys

Sexy


----------



## guido

thanks!
  
 complete system..


----------



## roskodan

fits great
  
 reindeer 8 o'clock !
  
 soldering iron station 5 o'clock !
  
 is the cable diy ?


----------



## guido

and coelacanth 12 o clock!
  
  
 Its a balanced Zycable from my HD650s which I reterminated for the HE-500s


----------



## vian

guido said:


> thanks!
> 
> complete system..


 
 WOW!! That's very impressive and stylish! That furniture is beautiful! Love the fish too!


----------



## guido

Thanks...
  
 Since moving from Cape Town to Italy we have down scaled the size of our house...I really need a music room again to put the Norh 9 marble speakers on their proper stands and give them some room to breathe..


----------



## asmoday

Anyone have any experience with the Bifrost and V200? 
  
 I plan on getting the V800 at some point, but do to financial reasons it wont all happen at one time.


----------



## roskodan

guido said:


> and coelacanth 12 o clock!
> 
> 
> Its a balanced Zycable from my HD650s which I reterminated for the HE-500s


 
  
 did you use the hd650 with the violectric? still have them?
  
 i love it with the violectric, it's dark, meaty and at the same time detailed, precise soundstage and musical, always amazes me for it's full range dynamic capability
  
 the violectric really controls it with exceptional authority, like all the other headphones btw... ha, ha
  
 i think that contribute to the smaller (or maybe just more dynamic in the technical sense of the term) soundstage
  
 anyway just wanted to point out the rediscovered sensation of authoritarian control with the violectric (v800->xlr->v200 0dB pre-gain) since comparing it with the conductor, which is no slouch but the violectric seems untouchable in that regard
  


asmoday said:


> Anyone have any experience with the Bifrost and V200?
> 
> I plan on getting the V800 at some point, but do to financial reasons it wont all happen at one time.


 

 you can't go wrong with the v200, i find it more reference sounding when connected to the v800 over the higher output xlr connection, tho it works great with lower signals and bumping up the pre-gain, but again from the v800 xlr and at 0dB pre-gain it's untouchable


----------



## hennessys

vian said:


> WOW!!


 
  
 +1 Agree


----------



## guido

I did try the HD650 on the V200 and it was a gorgeous match...but I am totally in love with my HE-500 now...I may have found my soul mate!


----------



## asmoday

Thanks roskodan. 
  
 I would like nothing more than to get both of them at the same time, but it isnt going to happen. I just didnt want to get the v200 and be put off because of the Bifrost. I have had my eye on the v200 for a very long time.


----------



## Fegefeuer

If anyone of you that contacted Mr.Reim has more info about the V281, please add it to http://www.head-fi.org/t/705318/violectric-hpa-v281-vorsprung-durch-balanced


----------



## Contrails

I hope everyone is doing well, anyway it's time for me to let go of the he500 and get something a little more bassy and comfortable. I have decided on the th900. What gain settings do I need to use for this headphone? Select -12 as it's a sensitive headphone or leave everything to off?


----------



## roskodan

from my experience a lower gain gives more bass and fullness, less separation maybe, even more so using rca instead of the xlr inputs, tho Mr. Reim do not believe there is any difference except in volume
  
 i usually A/B different settings on a couple of different tracks' segments
  
 however it mostly depends on the input signal, source, maybe set on 0dB pre-gain and try what's better between the mdac rca and xlr outputs first, this will probably yield a bigger difference in sound


----------



## Contrails

Thank you : )


----------



## trhee

Anyone compare the V200 to the Graham Slee Ultra Linear? Having a tough time deciding between the two to drive HE-500's using a Mytek 192 DSD DAC and Mac Mini as the source.

Sent from my SHV-E300S using Tapatalk


----------



## Synthax

I have been comparing them very carefully. These amp are quite different indeed. If you prefare clarity and a little bit of brightness in sound go with Graham. If you like fuller sound take V200. But you should be careful. Graham can be to bright with some headphones and may have to lean bass with some headphones. It is absolutely calssy amp but I can describe it that clarity is prority.
 For example V200 sound great with my T70, while Graham was too bright. But V200 is tu muddy with HD650, while Graham was absolutely brillant with Sennheisers. Many can live happy with both, both are dead silent, very well made amps. But if you like this 'darker' more audiophile way of listening - V200 is better.


----------



## trhee

Interesting. Some of the reviews I've read make them sound to be more similar than different with both offering a "tube like analog" sound signature. My assumption has always been that the V200 was the darker of the two but didn't think the differencea would be as much as you describe.

Sent from my SHV-E300S using Tapatalk


----------



## Synthax

Well, I do have tube amp and to me 'tube like' sound is not right description. And also a bit strange approach. SS should be the best in its way. Same the tube. If I have to decide which amp is more tube like (even If I do not like this phrase) to me it is V200... But it far from real tube ; ) But please understand me right - Graham and V200 are very good amps. Just different from real tube. What I remember is that Graham has wider soundstage, probably due to presence of more treble tones.


----------



## Synthax

Och I forgot, for HE-500 go absolutely with V200.


----------



## trhee

I understand where you're coming from. When people describe "tube like" I always understand it as warm but I agree that it's not really an appropriate term especially with modern tube amps.

Sent from my SHV-E300S using Tapatalk


----------



## trhee

This seems to be the consensus. Many express that this combo is a match made in heaven.

Thanks for confirming.



synthax said:


> Och I forgot, for HE-500 go absolutely with V200.




Sent from my SHV-E300S using Tapatalk


----------



## Fegefeuer

It is indeed. Another excellent match is V200 + TH-900.


----------



## punit

Between GSUL & Vio200, which is better suited for HD 800 & Beyer T1 ?


----------



## Fegefeuer

punit said:


> Between GSUL & Vio200, which is better suited for HD 800 & Beyer T1 ?


 
  
 V200 by far. The V220 will be released in a few months though albeit a tad more expensive.


----------



## punit

Will V220 be balanced output ?


----------



## Fegefeuer

punit said:


> Will V220 be balanced output ?


 
  
 V281 is the balanced one, check the thread I made a few days ago.


----------



## punit

Yes, I have read that thread. What would be the diff between V200 & V220 ?
  
 Thanks
  
 Edit :
  
 Got it. It will be an unbalanced version of V281. Right ?


----------



## trhee

punit said:


> Yes, I have read that thread. What would be the diff between V200 & V220 ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> ...


 
 Curious here too.  Wondering if I should wait it out for the V220 or just go ahead and get a V200.


----------



## trhee

fegefeuer said:


> It is indeed. Another excellent match is V200 + TH-900.


 
 That's good to know.  The TH900 is something I'm very interested in as an alternative to my HE-500.


----------



## Helstar

I think the match between the v200, Mytek 192 DSD and Fostex TH900 is great. My 1st impression was that the combo was a bit bright, but now that the v200 has burned in I love the sound. Can't really say that the v200 is warm/tubey, I think it's pretty neutral but perhaps that's because of the combo with the Mytek.  Havent experimented with cables yet.


----------



## project86

punit said:


> Yes, I have read that thread. What would be the diff between V200 & V220 ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> ...


 
  
 V220 will have some upgrades over V200 - reworked power supply with upgraded transformers, tweaked output stage, and a ton more options. It works as a dedicated preamp now, including XLR and RCA outputs. Then there's the expanded upgrade list where you can choose between several digital input options, as well as remote volume control or the custom-made relay based volume option.
  
 For someone who doesn't care about digital inputs, remote controls, or preamp capabilities, the interesting question will be - how different is the base V220 from the V200? It's almost a $400 price increase so we'd expect there to be some noticeable improvement, but I don't know how big it will actually be.


----------



## r one

Hi guys,

 I just bought V800 and v200. I'd rather put the v200 below the V800 on my desk. Is this a problem for heat dissipation? someone used this way?


----------



## Maxvla

Not at all. When I had the V181, V200, and V800 all stacked 3 tall they never even got warm.







Temporarily set up all on one shelf while I had quite a lot of demo gear for a meet.


----------



## r one

Beautiful set ! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 it is true that there is not even a window for heat dissipation on the V200 ..


----------



## guido

r one said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I just bought V800 and v200. I'd rather put the v200 below the V800 on my desk. Is this a problem for heat dissipation? someone used this way?


 
  
 no problem...my V200 sits under the V800 even when room temperature is 30 deg plus in summer and it never gets too hot..


----------



## r one

thanks for your response. i'm in the north of France, in summer it's not so hot as in your country..


----------



## esn89

I stack them with the v200 on the bottom and they are left on around the clock and are never off.
  
 So far nothing has happened to them, and I doubt anything will.  Still the same awesome Violectric sound.


----------



## shotgunshane

I love this amp but I'm letting my desktop stuff go, so it's for sale in the classified section if anyone is interested.


----------



## r one

guido said:


> no problem...my V200 sits under the V800 even when room temperature is 30 deg plus in summer and it never gets too hot..


 
 Guido, you use this configuration for a long time? I found the V800 is still quite heated by the V200 placed below! not a problem for you ?


----------



## guido

No problem either way , above or below...


----------



## r one

Thanks. So I'll continue in this configuration.


----------



## N3ox

The new Violectric 24/192 USB DAC module is now available.
  
 Will try to do a comparison with my Meridian Explorer DAC.
  
 Can be bought directly from Violectric or from Thomann.
  
 http://n3ox.free.fr/head-fi/photo1.jpg
 http://n3ox.free.fr/head-fi/photo2.jpg
 http://n3ox.free.fr/head-fi/photo3.jpg


----------



## belisk

tenor...noty


----------



## project86

belisk said:


> tenor...noty


 
  
 Write off the whole thing because of the brand of one chip? Isn't that premature? Granted, I was surprised when they chose Tenor rather than XMOS, but still.... let's give it a chance and see if people have any issues or not. Supposedly it's been extensively tested.


----------



## N3ox

Can anybody please explain what are the common problems with the Tenor chip so I can check whether the Violectric module is problematic in the same way or not?


----------



## project86

n3ox said:


> Can anybody please explain what are the common problems with the Tenor chip so I can check whether the Violectric module is problematic in the same way or not?


 
  
  
 You have to search for them, but I believe a lot of it was documented in the Audio GD threads around here. Kingwa was using the TE8802 but a lot of users had issues (driver related I believe) so he eventually switched to another USB solution from VIA instead of Tenor. 
  
 If you have stable performance with no dropouts, or spikes in CPU use, or random freezing/glitches, then you're fine. Despite all the complaints there were some people who had no issues with the Tenor chip in their Audio GD gear. It seemed kinda random.


----------



## i019791

project86 said:


> You have to search for them, but I believe a lot of it was documented in the Audio GD threads around here. Kingwa was using the TE8802 but a lot of users had issues (driver related I believe) so he eventually switched to another USB solution from VIA instead of Tenor.
> 
> If you have stable performance with no dropouts, or spikes in CPU use, or random freezing/glitches, then you're fine. Despite all the complaints there were some people who had no issues with the Tenor chip in their Audio GD gear. It seemed kinda random.


 
 Using WIN7, I had minor issues with two Audio gd TE8802 units when using their initial drivers and no issues with their latest drivers


----------



## N3ox

n3ox said:


> Have not experienced any problem with the module so far.
> 
> Everything seems to be fine with this Tenor TE8802L chip, at least on Mac OS 10.9.
> 
> ...


----------



## Kendoji

I've been mostly using my Taboo MKIII the last months, but this morning I hooked my HD 800s up to the V200 and suddenly remembered what a fantastic amp it is, especially with the Sennheiser.  I just love how clear, detailed, full and smooth it sounds out of the Violectric.  
  
 I really don't need more amps, but if / when Violectric come out with something even better (balanced) than the V200, I'll be highly intrigued.


----------



## Red Jacket Mike

I have the HD-800/V-200 combo also.  I agree, it does sound great.  I read somewhere that when the HD-800s were designed, they were voiced using that amp  (or was it the other way around...?)


----------



## Shaffer

kendoji said:


> I've been mostly using my Taboo MKIII the last months, but this morning I hooked my HD 800s up to* the V200 and suddenly remembered what a fantastic amp it is, especially with the Sennheiser.  I just love how clear, detailed, full and smooth it sounds out of the Violectric. *
> 
> I really don't need more amps, but if / when Violectric come out with something even better (balanced) than the V200, I'll be highly intrigued.




I love mine. Even though I have another amp that's a bit more transparent, I use the Vio 90% of the time. Just sounds so good. Ironically, when choosing electronics for my main system I prefer a presentation that's almost a complete opposite of the Vio. I can only attribute that to the cans sitting centimeters from my ears, while my speakers hit my head at the exact point of their time alignment - 10', as a start.


----------



## project86

kendoji said:


> I really don't need more amps, but if / when Violectric come out with something even better (balanced) than the V200, I'll be highly intrigued.




V281 is just a few months away. Fully balanced design based on a tweaked V200 circuit (unbalanced version will be called V220). I'm excited to hear it! Fried Reim is not the type of designer to just make stuff because he needs a new product launch.... So this must be something pretty significant.


----------



## Kendoji

Yeah definitely excited about the V281! Violectric seems to be one of those companies that stays under the radar. There's been a little bit of hype around them at times on head-fi, and they're definitely respected, but it seems that lots of people end up selling their V200s and moving on to more exotic gear. I don't think I could ever let my V200 go, though. I can probable eke out a bit more air or detail by spending a lot more money somewhere else (I sort of do on my Taboo), but I am still quite in love with the Violectric and keep coming back to it.


----------



## jmm007

Hello
 I have a Burson Soloist that I use with a *Resonessence Labs​* Concero HD (Used as a DAC ONLY), Audeze LCD-3 with my MacMini as a source for PCM. I was looking at the HPA V200. I was wondering the following:
  
 1. How would I connect the Concero to the V200? The concero has RCA analog out. Right now I run USB from the MacMini into the Concero, then from the Concero RCA analog out to the pre-amp on the Burson.  I don't see any analog (not XLR) inputs on the back of the V200. 
  
 2. Do most people use the balanced XLR inputs? I understand the the amp sounds better with the XLR balanced inputs. So if I don't use the amp in this capacity would it be a waste of a good amp for me?
  
 Thanks so much


----------



## Helstar

The V200 has rca inputs, I use them connecting my Mytek to the V200 with RCA cables. Not tried the xlr connections yet, but I read that it should't make much of a difference (if any) if you use cables that aren't too long.


----------



## project86

You would use RCA cables to connect the Concero HD to the V200, which has both XLR and RCA analog inputs. Just like you do now with the burson. I think more people use XLR just because it's there, but personally I don't find there to be much difference between the XLR and RCA inputs. 

Some DACs have both types of outputs and sound different depending on which one is used, and I suspect that is often the reason why people think v200 has a difference between inputs. 

For what it's worth, I love the Concero HD/V200 combo. It just sounds "right" to me. Not thin, not too dark, not anything.... Just enjoyable, no matter what headphone is used.


----------



## jmm007

helstar said:


> The V200 has rca inputs, I use them connecting my Mytek to the V200 with RCA cables. Not tried the xlr connections yet, but I read that it should't make much of a difference (if any) if you use cables that aren't too long.


 
  
 Ok , for some reason I thought those were digital inputs. 
 Thanks I appreciate it.


----------



## jmm007

project86 said:


> You would use RCA cables to connect the Concero HD to the V200, which has both XLR and RCA analog inputs. Just like you do now with the burson. I think more people use XLR just because it's there, but personally I don't find there to be much difference between the XLR and RCA inputs.
> 
> Some DACs have both types of outputs and sound different depending on which one is used, and I suspect that is often the reason why people think v200 has a difference between inputs.
> 
> For what it's worth, I love the Concero HD/V200 combo. It just sounds "right" to me. Not thin, not too dark, not anything.... Just enjoyable, no matter what headphone is used.


 
  
 Thanks so much for the help and clarification of the XLR and RCA inputs.  And, thanks it's good to hear someone is using the Concero HD with the V200 as a combo. Most of what I read pertains to the V200/V800.  
  
 I like the Burson, but I think a "warmer" amp like the V200 would be better for me.  I will need to find one around I can borrow.
  
 Thanks again


----------



## jmm007

Hi
 One more question. I am a newbie so please forgive this simple question. 
  
  My Soloist is rated at 4W in 16 Ohms.
  
 and the V200 is rated at: 
  

 Output Voltage in 16 Ohms
  
  
  
 4 Veff
 Output Power in 16 Ohms
  
  
  
 1000 mW

  
 So am I correct in assuming the V200 is rated  1W at 16 Ohms?  So the Soloist is about 3x higher in output power? 
  
 Hum, I though they were both similar in power.  
  
 Does the V200 do well with the LCD-3?  HE-6? other difficult to drive HP?
  
 Thanks again


----------



## Maxvla

jmm007 said:


> Ok , for some reason I thought those were digital inputs.
> Thanks I appreciate it.



I thought the same thing when I had the V200 loaner here because they are black and not red/white, but I figured it out when mix-matching components for my review.


----------



## jmm007

maxvla said:


> I thought the same thing when I had the V200 loaner here because they are black and not red/white, but I figured it out when mix-matching components for my review.


 
  
 Thanks so much for the pic and securing my understanding. 
 I appreciate it.


----------



## r one

a very good amp !


----------



## Poladise

jmm007 said:


> My Soloist is rated at 4W in 16 Ohms.
> and the V200 is rated at:
> 
> Output Voltage in 16 Ohms
> ...


 
 Depends what the headphones resistance is in ohms. With the 50ohm lcds, the soloist measures at 1.8W and the V200 states 2.7W.


----------



## project86

poladise said:


> Depends what the headphones resistance is in ohms. With the 50ohm lcds, the soloist measures at 1.8W and the V200 states 2.7W.


 
  
 This.
  
 Max output is different for each amp based on topology. Take a look at the SPL Phonitor or Auditor - they do max current into 600 ohm loads, while low impedance headphones only see a fraction of that.
  
 This is a good lesson as to why headphone enthusiasts should have a bit of technical understanding... You might have a HiFiMAN HE-6 and look at the SPL amps and say "max output 1700mW, that should be enough" without realizing that the HE-6 will only see ~1/3 of that.
  
 The Burson max output at 16 ohms doesn't quite seem ideal to me. Not many headphones dip that low. But it _is_ generally good in that it delivers more current into lower impedances.


----------



## jmm007

project86 said:


> This.
> 
> Max output is different for each amp based on topology. Take a look at the SPL Phonitor or Auditor - they do max current into 600 ohm loads, while low impedance headphones only see a fraction of that.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks so much for nice summary, project86. I have a lot to a learn.


----------



## daerron

Does anyone have an updated picture of the new 24/192 USB module? I see its advertised on Thomann.de but the picture still looks like the older 24/96 USB module as it has the Tenor 7702 chip and PCM1793 DACs on it.
  
 If anyone has this module then I would love some impressions on it! I'm quite eager to pull the trigger on a V200 with the USB module if its quality is anywhere near that of a stand alone DAC, as I would have to sell the Concero to fund the V200 purchase.


----------



## N3ox

Here is a picture: http://www.head-fi.org/t/705318/violectric-hpa-v281-vorsprung-durch-balanced/30#post_10355816
  
 Compared to my Meridian Explorer using Sennheiser HD 650 & Violectric V100 I would say that:
 - Bass are more present with the Explorer
 - Violectric module is more detailed / less smooth (same impression I had comparing Dragonfly v1 with Explorer)
 - Difference is definitely not night & day
  
 There is no problem with Tenor USB implementation on Mac OS X Mountain Lion.
  
 I would suggest waiting for additional reviews anyway: hard to give a certain impression.


----------



## daerron

n3ox said:


> Here is a picture: http://www.head-fi.org/t/705318/violectric-hpa-v281-vorsprung-durch-balanced/30#post_10355816
> 
> Compared to my Meridian Explorer using Sennheiser HD 650 & Violectric V100 I would say that:
> - Bass are more present with the Explorer
> ...


 
  
 Thanks a lot for the info and photos in the other link. Sounds like a better strategy to keep the Concero and wait it out for the V220.


----------



## Guzmeister

I'm really looking forwards to this easter! I've had the V200 with 24/96 USB and the HE-500 for almost 2 years, and now i have ordered the V800 and LCD-2 which i'll be getting when i get home next week!


----------



## Guzmeister

So far, i'm loving what i hearing! So much detail!


----------



## r one

good choice


----------



## acidogio

can someone confirm which is the new volume knob between the two?

 I have the chance to buy a V200 used, and I want to make sure I'm getting the newest version.

 cheers


----------



## Guzmeister

acidogio said:


>


 
 I believe it's this one, that's the one i have on my 2012 model.


----------



## N3ox

There is an even earlier version with different faceplate: http://cdn.head-fi.org/8/87/800x600px-LL-8791434f_V20013Front.jpeg
  
 I guess everything is the same as Guzmeister's picture inside. Volume knob with white line is older with different volume pot.


----------



## dallan

I have the older version and it is the lower picture.


----------



## BeyerMonster

I just bought a new one from violectric-usa within the last month and it's the same as Guzmeister.


----------



## jmm007

acidogio said:


> can someone confirm which is the new volume knob between the two?
> 
> I have the chance to buy a V200 used, and I want to make sure I'm getting the newest version.
> 
> cheers


 
  
 Hello
 I have the the unit with the "white" line on the volume control. Is there a major difference in SQ comparing new with old? If so, can The Lake People upgrade my amp?
 Thanks


----------



## guido

jmm007 said:


> Hello
> I have the the unit with the "white" line on the volume control. Is there a major difference in SQ comparing new with old? If so, can The Lake People upgrade my amp?
> Thanks


 
 Both versions are identical..


----------



## jmm007

guido said:


> Both versions are identical..


 
 Thanks guido


----------



## BeyerMonster

guido said:


> Both versions are identical..


 
 The new version has detents, but I thought the old version did not. I can't speak to SQ differences, but I definitely think there is a usability one. The new knob itself does allow for volume settings between detents, but it's a bit of a pain to do so and slightly counterintuitive. It's not as though I could properly level match 2 completely different headphones using different detents.
  
 IMO, I've found it difficult to converge upon a desired volume with the V200 if an upstream V800 was set to max volume (I could have swore this was the recommended mode of operation). That being said, I have not yet tried playing with any of the pre-gain jumpers. I think setting my V200 to something like -6 might give me more usable volume range.
  
 I have not encountered a V200 with the old detents, so I can't directly compare.


----------



## fdg

V200 made some changes during production.
 The first items had a nextel coated front panel - dark grey.
 Also there was a volume knob with a white line.
  
 The front panel changed to be black anodized.
 The volume knob changed to be our own design with a slotted marker.
  
 The volume potentiometer itself was, is and will be the RK27 from Alps.
  
 But the first items had no detent, since about 2 years they have a 41-detent which is a nice feature to exactly reproduce a specific volume setting.
 But it is still a potentiometer, no switch, because those switches only have 12 up to 24 positions which is not enough for a gain control.
 So you can also position your desired volume between two detents if 41 positions are not enough.
  
 Since last year the front panel from V200 was slightly altered to get closer to the appearance of DAC V800.
 The milling around the volume knob has more diameter so that the scale is now in the deeper area.
 The milling around the phone jacks was altered to be more straight also the milling around the power knob was slighly changed.
  
 See at  www.violectric-usa.com  the new and actual style from V200 and compare it with the pics of V100 to have the look before.


----------



## Guzmeister

For you that are on the fence whether to get the DAC module, or a seperate DAC, i must say after having the USB 24/96 for almost to years, and just recently having upgraded to the the V800, the V800 is indeed a huge upgrade in sound quality, the HE-500 have never sound sound so good before, and my new LCD-2 just is amazing with this combo!


----------



## r one

same for me. Violectric combo is magical with my w3k.


----------



## sotto123

I'm looking to use the V200 without the need of an adapter in the UK.
  
 Does anyone know if something like this is okay? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PC-LCD-TV-Kettle-Cable-CE13-UK-Mains-Power-Lead-IEC-13A-Amp-1M-2M-3M-10M-/301072292599?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item46194e9af7


----------



## belisk

that will work fine, i had to replace all my power cables for my computer, including the V200, due to my UPS


----------



## sotto123

Good to know. Thanks.


----------



## latimerfripp

anyone using the Violectric V200 with a Schiit Bifrost DAC?(with USB and Uber mods) I have the Bifrost and thinking about buying a V200 for my LCD2 and HD800. thanks.


----------



## project86

Just an update for those who might be interested: Violectric USA is now taking pre-orders for the new models. HERE is the V220 and HERE is the V281. I believe they will ship sometime late this month or early next month.


----------



## Quinto

Anyone heard the V200 with AKG K501? I'm considering buying a Violectric amp and later on HD800..


----------



## project86

quinto said:


> Anyone heard the V200 with AKG K501? I'm considering buying a Violectric amp and later on HD800..


 
  
  
 It's been a while, but yes, great combo.


----------



## project86

Final pics of the new V220 and V281, if anyone is interested. To reiterate: V220 is an improved version of the V200 circuit, with a lot more options like remote, more inputs, etc. V281 is essentially a balanced V200 - like cramming two V200's into the case, one for each channel.


----------



## hennessys

quinto said:


> Anyone heard the V200 with AKG K501? I'm considering buying a Violectric amp and later on HD800..




Agreed with project86

The K501 goes well with Violectric amps. I found it a little bit better with the v200, than with the v100.


----------



## dfarina

I suspect there could be some used V200's coming on the market soon as the newer amps start to ship.I had a V200 in the past,regretted selling it,could be interested in picking up another unit if the price is right.


----------



## roskodan

with your 110Ohm lcd3f you should consider the 220/281


----------



## r one

hennessys said:


> Agreed with project86
> 
> The K501 goes well with Violectric amps. I found it a little bit better with the v200, than with the v100.


 

 and sure, V200 with HD800 is a really great match too. Warm body of the V200 is a good association with the clarity of the HD800.


----------



## hennessys

r one said:


> and sure, V200 with HD800 is a really great match too. Warm body of the V200 is a good association with the clarity of the HD800.:wink_face:




Both hedadphones on hand; tested; agreed


----------



## Justin_Time

r one said:


> and sure, V200 with HD800 is a really great match too. Warm body of the V200 is a good association with the clarity of the HD800.:wink_face:




Agreed. The V200 is a good match for the HD800.

Actually, I could not find any other SS amps in that price range that can do a better job than the V200, in particular in the area of reducing the sibilance to a tolerable level--the Burson Soloist, Schiit Mjolnir and Bryston HPA-1 (?) all failed in this area. I had to go to the HeadAmp GS-X Mk2 or the Bakoon HPA-21 at three times the price to clearly out perform the V200 with the HD800 in this area.

With hybrids, I found that the Red Wine Audio Corvina (now discontinued and available at only $1,000) was clearly a better match for the HD800 in almost every department including sibilance and midrange richness.

I am not saying that the RWA Corvina or the V200 are better amps than the other "affordable" amps I listened to--I own all of them so I have no reason to play favorite--I am saying that to my ears they are better matches for the HD800.


----------



## dfarina

Hope someone can help me out with a quick question.Do the earlier versions with the knurled volume knob sound identical to the current offerings?Looking for a used V200,would like this info ahead of time


----------



## roskodan

it's the same, i like the earlier knob better, the new smooth surface one doesn't feel as good, but i think the newest version comes with a stepped knob, like it clicks into positions, the attenuator is always the same alps rk27, as everything else specs wise, so yes it sounds the same


----------



## roskodan

@dfarina i knew i saw this somewhere, from the previous page of this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





fdg said:


> V200 made some changes during production.
> The first items had a nextel coated front panel - dark grey.
> Also there was a volume knob with a white line.
> 
> ...


----------



## dfarina

Thanks for the info!!


----------



## dfarina

Just picked up a used unit,waiting for it to be shipped.Does anyone know the overall height of the amp including the feet?The height is listed as 49mm,but that has to be not including the feet?Reason I am asking is I am making a little shelf for it,want to do it while it's being shipped


----------



## jorge8

that's right: 49mm on the faceplate excluding the feet.
 With the feet is 57mm


----------



## dfarina

Perfect,thanks very much!!!


----------



## dfarina

Has anyone got any feedback on the 24/192 digital input?Currently have a Yulong DA8 DAC,would like to downscale my system but don't want to sacrifice too much in the way of sound quality.


----------



## Justin_Time

dfarina said:


> Just picked up a used unit,waiting for it to be shipped.Does anyone know the overall height of the amp including the feet?The height is listed as 49mm,but that has to be not including the feet?Reason I am asking is I am making a little shelf for it,want to do it while it's being shipped


 
 Here are the different heights:
  
 Chassis:                  ~45 mm
 Face plate:              ~48 mm  (the face pate is taller than the chassis)  
 Chassis + feet:        ~52 mm
 Face plate + feet:    ~55 mm  (the feet are attached to the chassis, not the face plate)


----------



## project86

dfarina said:


> Has anyone got any feedback on the 24/192 digital input?Currently have a Yulong DA8 DAC,would like to downscale my system but don't want to sacrifice too much in the way of sound quality.


 
  
  
 From what I hear and what I see of the design, the optional DAC add-on should be pretty good but nowhere on the level of your DA8. It's kind of like the headphone amp on the DA8 - it's there, it's handy, it sounds good, but it doesn't compete with dedicated higher end devices. So the DA8 is an excellent DAC with a pretty good headphone amp built in, while the V200 is an excellent amp with a pretty good DAC available as an option. 
  
 The DA8 is already pretty small. Not sure there's a ton of room for downsizing unless you went with a Chord Hugo (expensive) or a Resonessence Concero HP (excellent but only headphone output, no line-out).


----------



## dfarina

Yea that what I was thinking,by downsizing I meant having one component instead of two.I will experiment around,but will probably just keep the DA8/V200 combo,should do well with the LCD-2 fazor


----------



## dfarina

Sorry,one more question about the length.Its documented as 225cm,does that include the volume knob and rca connectors on the back,or just the Chassis itself??Cheers


----------



## Justin_Time

dfarina said:


> Sorry,one more question about the length.Its documented as 225cm,does that include the volume knob and rca connectors on the back,or just the Chassis itself??Cheers


 
 I kneww\ this one was coming 
  
 Overall depth:  almost 10 inches or 252 mm (not 225 cm or that would be over 2 meters !).


----------



## dfarina

Lol,just testing u with the cm's,yup u were paying attention.


----------



## roskodan

haha don't worry, commonwealth people are exempt from handling anything metric, peace ! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 hopefully i'll get my hands on a lcd2f soon too, but don't have my violectric stack anymore


----------



## dfarina

Thanks for all the help with the dimensions,finally got my V200.I have it stacked with a Yulong DA8,there dimensions are opposite to each other,one being long and narrow,other being wider than its depth.My little wood bracket worked OK,but not great,gonna have to do...


----------



## project86

Looks pretty good to me....


----------



## Jodet

dfarina said:


> I suspect there could be some used V200's coming on the market soon as the newer amps start to ship.I had a V200 in the past,regretted selling it,could be interested in picking up another unit if the price is right.


 
  
 I'll be selling my V200 as soon as the V220 is shipping. 
  
 Funny, I had one in the past, regretted selling it and bought a second one used.


----------



## hennessys

Do you guys know the jumper settings to use the unbalanced output? I followed the manual, but no luck...


----------



## hennessys

Ok, it's working. I messed up the settings with the other amp.


----------



## petezjunior

Is the violectric-usa.com the correct site to purchase the amps from?


----------



## project86

petezjunior said:


> Is the violectric-usa.com the correct site to purchase the amps from?


 
  
  
 Yep. That's the official North American distributor (and a nice guy too).


----------



## musicus

Due to kids, work commitments etc. I was off the hobby for about three years until about 6 months ago when I put together a little portable rig consisting of AKG K550 + FIIO E12 + iPhone 4s loaded with 44/16 aiff files for listening in the car as that was the only time I could have for myself (sad but true and who has kids and a full time job would probably understand). And man I got bitten again! What a sound, what a joy, what a pleasurable commute! I've been on this and other forums ever since and found things had moved on significantly in the past 5 years or so: SACD grabbing now possible using an old jailbroken Playstation 3, a bit-perfect and DSD playback via USB / DoP, availability of hi-res downloads, plenty of DACs around with asynchronous USB and DSD capability, good choice of playback software for MAC OS X and WINDOWS, even my iPhone can now play DSD files using Onkyo Player app! Happy times! I decided on selling my heavily unused STAX SRM 727ii + SR404 + Marantz SA7001KI SACD player and replacing them with a Violectric HPA200 amp, a Matrix X-Sabre DAC and a Sennheiser HD600 headphones (all based on reflections from users on this and other forums) using a JRiver Media Centre on a Mac BookPro as a source. And again - what a sound, what a musical pleasure! A league above the STAX system on sound quality, two leagues above it on practicality and all that for more or less the same money. True the Violectric is a bit laid back / dark / suppressed but hey if one wishes for more forward / brighter sound signature it is very easy to use the 64-bit equaliser / DSP built into the JRiver Media Centre! IMHO the Violectric HPA200 is a well sorted little headphone amplifier that could be all that one will ever need as long as he's happy with just one input and a single-ended output.


----------



## petezjunior

My HE-560s are all the way on 5 o clock, nearing all the to max. Should I change the Audio GD NFB (connected to v200 - used as my dac b/c of the sabre chip) from Fixed to Variable instead? The violectric is almost at max. Any thoughts? Thanks.


----------



## project86

Check the pre gain setting on the V200. Sounds like yours is set to -12, the lowest setting. Raise that up and you'll be in business.


----------



## hennessys

I suggest trying gradually. I’m on +6 with the HE-6…


----------



## spbach

Just got the best deal of my life! $1000 for a V200, V800, and Blue Dragon interconnects.


----------



## project86

Wow, that's $2300 worth of Violectric gear, not even including the cables. Deal of the century.


----------



## spbach

I can only hope he delivers. I thought it was too good to be true, but after reviewing his profile it seems like a win. (I think he really wanted to get into tubes.)


----------



## Justin_Time

petezjunior said:


> [COLOR=222222]My HE-560s are all the way on 5 o clock, nearing all the to max. Should I change the Audio GD NFB (connected to v200 - used as my dac b/c of the sabre chip) from Fixed to Variable instead? The violectric is almost at max. Any thoughts? Thanks.[/COLOR]





Check the dip switches in the back of the V200. Then select the one for + 6 or + 12 dB (check your manual but I think they are the last two to the right) and you are in business.


----------



## molika

hi, how is the pre-amp on the v200. im thinking of picking up one to drive my lcd x but also want to connect to my active speakers. the speakers are on the bright side, would they benefit from the v200. i do like a bit of warmth to my music. my dac is the chord hugo. cheers


----------



## hennnkee

Hi.

 I'm a lucky owner of a pair Audeze LCD-X

 Right now i'm using a very neutral setup, (Hegel HD11 and Holographic Audio Ear One)
 Because of this neutral set-up, i find the lack bass quite boring when listening to bassy music and watching movies. Note that i'm not a basshead... But sometimes it's nice.

 I'm wondering if the V200 would give the LCD-X some more body in this matter? And yes the X is quite a neutral headphone i know, so an amp might not do wonders, in that perspective i'm clear


----------



## project86

I think you're on the right track. The V200 will probably bring out a little warmth but don't expect a transformation into an early model LCD-2 (which was VERY warm indeed).


----------



## hennnkee

project86 said:


> I think you're on the right track. The V200 will probably bring out a little warmth but don't expect a transformation into an early model LCD-2 (which was VERY warm indeed).


 

 The problem with living in sweden is that I have 150 miles to the closest store that retails Violectric amps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 So it's not very easy to get a demo. And i just feel like an a-hole when I order something and sending it back, because it's not of my liking
  
 No, i'm not expecting anything like that, just a little more bottom and overall warmth


----------



## HiFiRobot

hennnkee said:


> Hi.
> 
> 
> I'm a lucky owner of a pair Audeze LCD-X
> ...




You might want to try the Pan Am also.


----------



## kali77

Can I use two sets of cans simultaneously with the two front outputs? Say if my wife and I wanted to listen together. Thanks.


----------



## HiFiRobot

kali77 said:


> Can I use two sets of cans simultaneously with the two front outputs? Say if my wife and I wanted to listen together. Thanks.


 
 On V200 the answer is yes.


----------



## roskodan

hennnkee said:


> project86 said:
> 
> 
> > I think you're on the right track. The V200 will probably bring out a little warmth but don't expect a transformation into an early model LCD-2 (which was VERY warm indeed).
> ...


 

 i can vouch for the v200 that if you set the dc coupling jumpers to DC, lower the gain and set the ground to jumper to GND, it's gonna be as mellow as one could possibly cope with
  
 also if you go for a used unit look in the classifieds perhaps post a wanted ad, if you go for a new one drop an email to audition6@gmx.de from http://www.audition6.de/ to check prices and demo units for sale


----------



## kali77

Great. Thanks hifirobot


----------



## Poleepkwa

Violectric V100 owner here, but I though I would ask here if there is anyone that can comment on the USB 25/192 module for these amps. I have not really found any impressions anyware. If there is some please point me in the correct direction.
 Currently using a Dacmagic to feed the Violectric and I am planning to simplify my setup.


----------



## project86

poleepkwa said:


> Violectric V100 owner here, but I though I would ask here if there is anyone that can comment on the USB 25/192 module for these amps. I have not really found any impressions anyware. If there is some please point me in the correct direction.
> Currently using a Dacmagic to feed the Violectric and I am planning to simplify my setup.


 
  
 Judging from the 24/192 USB option in my V281, I'd say it's a pretty good DAC if not quite a great one. _Very_ good for the price they charge though, much better than any stand alone $240 DAC I've heard.
  
 Will it beat your DacMagic? That's hard to say, as it's been a while since I heard that device. It should at least be competitive though. Not as many options, obviously, but pure SQ should be in the same ballpart or maybe even somewhat better. Especially over USB if we are talking about the original DacMagic.


----------



## Poleepkwa

project86 said:


> Judging from the 24/192 USB option in my V281, I'd say it's a pretty good DAC if not quite a great one. _Very_ good for the price they charge though, much better than any stand alone $240 DAC I've heard.
> 
> Will it beat your DacMagic? That's hard to say, as it's been a while since I heard that device. It should at least be competitive though. Not as many options, obviously, but pure SQ should be in the same ballpart or maybe even somewhat better. Especially over USB if we are talking about the original DacMagic.


 

 Thank you for the input and thoughts. I have the Dacmagic Plus so the usb implementation is good. I also have been thinking that it will probably be rather close in performance to each other. Sure there are beter dac's than either one of these. They also cost a LOT more and used with my "lowly" HD650 the incremental improvement will probably be rather small.


----------



## project86

poleepkwa said:


> Thank you for the input and thoughts. I have the Dacmagic Plus so the usb implementation is good. I also have been thinking that it will probably be rather close in performance to each other. Sure there are beter dac's than either one of these. They also cost a LOT more and used with my "lowly" HD650 the incremental improvement will probably be rather small.


 
  
  
 The DacMagic + is a more complex DAC implementation, with the dedicated upsampling chip on board. Then again it's a tough comparison - the Violectric USB board can rely on the existing power supply already in the enclosure, which typically consumes a large portion of the real estate in a DAC.


----------



## Poleepkwa

Luckily I can get one from Thomann and return the USB module if it needed. Guess there is nothing else but to test myself.


----------



## satbaba

I bought violectric v200. Sennheiser HD 800 has matched very well with V200 (the pre gain to 0 dB)


----------



## project86

Nice! Oh, and the silver Xsabre is killer too.


----------



## RRod

I'm running a USB from my Linux box to the Bifrost. I like to set pulseaudio and all my apps to 0dB and just use the amp pot, and I found I had to put on the V200's -6dB jumper; does this sound strange to anyone? I have the common and annoying likeness for both classical music and metal, and -6dB lets me use more than the first ten degrees of pot for the latter while maxing out at about 2:00pm for my more dynamic classic tracks.


----------



## project86

That sounds right to me. I prefer -6dB or 0dB most of the time.


----------



## DJ Bobo

Hi, project86!
  
 Thanks for great reviews on the V181 and V200! You give plenty of information on sound character, performance, et c!
  
 How is the general quality feel of terminals, buttons, and knobs? Is there ANY wiggle on the volume knob? This tends to put me off even with an otherwise superior product!
  
 /DJ Bobo


----------



## Jodet

satbaba said:


> I bought violectric v200. Sennheiser HD 800 has matched very well with V200 (the pre gain to 0 dB)


 
  
 Yes, I enjoy my HD800's with the V200 as well - it's a nice match.


----------



## Synthax

Everything here is rock solid build.


----------



## musicus

You won't be disappointed, the volume knob has a luxurious feel to it and it is indexed so it clicks when rotated. Yummy! All terminals are good quality no doubt.


----------



## nicooo

To all *Mac *users with the *internal USB-DAC card* installed:
  
 Starting with Yosemite (Mac OS X 10.10) Apple requires all kernel extensions (i.e. your DAC driver) to be signed. Unfortunately, Lake People / Violectric have not updated their driver with the right signature yet. As a consequence the driver will not be loaded by the OS and your music will sound funny to say the least. If you already updated to Yosemite and have no way to roll back to the old OS version you can circumvent the problem by disabling the signature check with the following procedure:
  
 - Open a terminal (open Spotlight and type "terminal", a text console will appear)
  
 - Type the following: *sudo nvram boot-args="kext-dev-mode=1"*
  
 - Press enter
  
 - Type in your admin/root password and press enter.
  
 The next time you plug in your Vio the driver should be correctly loaded (maybe reboot if not). You have to repeat this procedure after resetting the PRAM of the Mac.
  
 HTH,
 nicooo
  
 PS: When you look around the internet you will notice that Violectric isn't the only company without up to date drivers. Apparantly a lot of USB DACs suffer from the same problem since the drivers are usually supplied by the chip manufacturers (Tenor in this case) who can't be bothered to sign their drivers. If you haven't updated to Yosemite yet I suggest you hold off until the situation has cleared.


----------



## fdg

Hello Everbody.
  
 I like to inform you about our new (higher) prices for selected models valid from 1st of January 2015
 The listed prices are the European prices without VAT.
 Please aks Arthur Power from   www.violectric-usa.com  for detailed US prices.
  
 New prices from beginning of 2015:
 V200 = 756,30 Euro
 V220 = 1176,47 Euro
 V281 = 1596,64 Euro

 All other Violectric products will have the current prices which are stable since 2010 !
  
 So, if you want to save some money, dont hesitate to order THIS year.
 We expect some delivery delays in the beginning of the new year 
 Please note that in case of an order you will not be charged with any (pre)payment until your unit is ready to be delivered !!
 Also we grant your right of revocation which can be performed by simply not paying the pro-forma invoice which is send to you when your goods are ready to be delivered.
 Of course (in case you changed your mind) it would be more polite to inform us in advance to ease things and not to produce office operations in vain ...
  
 Best Regards
  
 Fried Reim
 (CEO of Lake People and Violectric)


----------



## Quinto

I'm considering buying a V200 amp for my K501.. Yesterday I bought a Grado SR225e headphone.
  
 Anyone heard the Grado 225 on the Violectric?
  
 -edit-  just ordered me a V200


----------



## xaval

quinto said:


> I'm considering buying a V200 amp for my K501.. Yesterday I bought a Grado SR225e headphone.
> 
> Anyone heard the Grado 225 on the Violectric?
> 
> -edit-  just ordered me a V200


 
 When I bought my V220 the K501 were the first to get plugged in. It's jaw dropping how much those headphones scaled. Stayed with those cans for 4 days exclusively. No "need" to get more "music" out of that!
  
 Listening to anything with horns on those babies is just pure magic. I'm now certain that those headphones need a special amp to show all they can give.
  
 On Grados there really wasn't anything miraculous going on. They just sound great as always. 
  
 Of course, there are a few differences between the V200 and a V220 but I don't really think sonically it will be a night and day difference.
  
 Please share some feedback later. I'm curious


----------



## Shaffer

FWIW, I've found the V200 to be an excellent match for K702 and K550. It's my go-to amp for the K702 ~90% of the time. With recordings that are almost flawless, I prefer the internal headamp in the Oppo105.


----------



## natra084

Hi is the V200 a Class A amplifier


----------



## Shaffer

natra084 said:


> Hi is the V200 a Class A amplifier




Yes.


----------



## i019791

It is not. Class A amps are marketed as such. You will not find Class A mentioned for any Violectric amp up to now.


----------



## natra084

Now I'm confused which class is it then


----------



## i019791

Most likely Class AB


----------



## xaval

I don't remember ever being mentioned about any Vio amp being Class A. What class it is I won't dare to speculate.
 Mine barely gets warm


----------



## spbach

I've noticed the pot on my unit has started to become scratchy, does anyone know how easy it is to get to and lubricate?


----------



## Shaffer

spbach said:


> I've noticed the pot on my unit has started to become scratchy, does anyone know how easy it is to get to and lubricate?




Do you mean that it's touching the chassis in parts, or the sound it makes through the cans when you adjust the volume?


----------



## spbach

shaffer said:


> Do you mean that it's touching the chassis in parts, or the sound it makes through the cans when you adjust the volume?




Ah, forgot to mention the only effect is how it feels when I turn it. No audible changes. I think it's just the wiper.


----------



## Shaffer

spbach said:


> Ah, forgot to mention the only effect is how it feels when I turn it. No audible changes. I think it's just the wiper.




I had a similar issue with mine. There's a set-screw on the side of the knob. Once loosened, the knob can be moved at will. I set mine a few millimeters above its previous position. It solved the problem, as the knob was lightly rubbing against the faceplate.


----------



## dallan

xaval said:


> I don't remember ever being mentioned about any Vio amp being Class A. What class it is I won't dare to speculate.
> Mine barely gets warm


 

 Class A amps generally run much warmer.
 V200 is not Class A.


----------



## Quinto

I really like this amp with my K501..the mids are wonderfully seductive..first thing I listened was Anner Bylsma's Bach suites (on the slightly bigger Stradivarius Servais cello)
  
 What a trip... Beethoven string Quartets (Alexander Q) sounds splendid as well as does Bill Evans 1961 Village Vanguard rec)
  
 The treble is just right for me, the bass is lacking though in Mahler symphonies.. of course this is a K501 issue, so I'm considering the Philips Fidelio X2 for Mahler..
  
 Anyone heard these on the V200?  Any thoughts on alternatives around the same price level?
  
 Thanks guys for contributing in this thread, which made my buy this great amp! Cheers


----------



## RRod

quinto said:


> I really like this amp with my K501..the mids are wonderfully seductive..first thing I listened was Anner Bylsma's Bach suites (on the slightly bigger Stradivarius Servais cello)
> 
> What a trip... Beethoven string Quartets (Alexander Q) sounds splendid as well as does Bill Evans 1961 Village Vanguard rec)
> 
> ...


 
  
 Well they're 30ohm cans with 100db/mW, so I'd expect the V200 to be able to literally blow them up.


----------



## Quinto

rrod said:


> Well they're 30ohm cans with 100db/mW, so I'd expect the V200 to be able to literally blow them up.


 





 
  
 I have my gain on -12db on my K501, so I'm using the volume knob between 12-3 o'clock..I never listen loud, but I wonder if the V200 has any influence at all on the X2 treble.. or maybe even tames it a bit?
  
 I'm selling my brand new SR225e, it's too bright for me..   darn tinnitus


----------



## RRod

quinto said:


> I have my gain on -12db on my K501, so I'm using the volume knob between 12-3 o'clock..I never listen loud, but I wonder if the V200 has any influence at all on the X2 treble.. or maybe even tames it a bit?
> 
> I'm selling my brand new SR225e, it's too bright for me..   darn tinnitus


 
  
 It shouldn't really. Part of the Vio. mantra is neutrality so all the amp should be doing is making things louder for you.


----------



## xaval

quinto said:


> I really like this amp with my K501..the mids are wonderfully seductive..first thing I listened was Anner Bylsma's Bach suites (on the slightly bigger Stradivarius Servais cello)
> 
> What a trip... Beethoven string Quartets (Alexander Q) sounds splendid as well as does Bill Evans 1961 Village Vanguard rec)
> 
> ...


 
 A bit of EQ on them can sort the bass out, at least that's how I roll with them. A think you should give it a try before moving on to other cans. K501 have something inherently unique with them and that's why they're so special.
  
 I get my Mahler (and Progressive/Doom metal) bass stuffed through the woodied Magnum drivers with G-Cush pads. I think you could have a go with those pads before letting the Grados go


----------



## Ultrainferno

I just put up my V200 for sale (shameless plug, I know 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## Shaffer

ultrainferno said:


> I just put up my V200 for sale (shameless plug, I know  )




Wish I could buy; would love a second one for the turntable. GLWS


----------



## dallan

ultrainferno said:


> I just put up my V200 for sale (shameless plug, I know
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I thought about doing it to fund another expensive purchase but then after listening to it, just couldn't. Too good.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Thanks, I still have the V281 so I don't have a problem selling it


----------



## dallan

Yes I saw that when I visited your sales page. Cool.


----------



## Quinto

xaval said:


> A bit of EQ on them can sort the bass out, at least that's how I roll with them. A think you should give it a try before moving on to other cans. K501 have something inherently unique with them and that's why they're so special.
> 
> I get my Mahler (and Progressive/Doom metal) bass stuffed through the woodied Magnum drivers with G-Cush pads. I think you could have a go with those pads before letting the Grados go


 

 I agree the K501 is special..I sold the SR225e and bought a fidelio X2 for my Mahler (&Shostakovich), which sounds awesome with the V200, very balances and really good bass and as a bonus it works wonders with my tinnitus..


----------



## Wgard8

Looking at buying a V200 and found a seller on Ebay. Before I jump in and purchase, just wanted to check if they are legit dealers and if anyone here had used them before.
  
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Violectric-by-Lake-People-HPA-V200-UVP-900-/351294351229?pt=DE_Elektronik_Computer_TV_Video_Elektronik_Verst%C3%A4rker&hash=item51cac6677d&autorefresh=true
  
 Thanks in advance


----------



## Ultrainferno

wgard8 said:


> Looking at buying a V200 and found a seller on Ebay. Before I jump in and purchase, just wanted to check if they are legit dealers and if anyone here had used them before.
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Violectric-by-Lake-People-HPA-V200-UVP-900-/351294351229?pt=DE_Elektronik_Computer_TV_Video_Elektronik_Verst%C3%A4rker&hash=item51cac6677d&autorefresh=true
> 
> Thanks in advance


 
  
 I'd advise getting it here: http://www.thomann.de/gb/violectric_hpa_200_kopfhoererverstaerker.htm
 It's cheaper too and it's a reputed seller. That being said, the Ebay seller seems to have good evaluations. personally I'd rather buy it from a "real" shop


----------



## Wgard8

Thanks for the reply. 
  
 I did look at thomann initially but was thinking that if the eBay seller was legit, I would put in a cheeky offer and save some money as it seems from past sales they have accepted as low as £450.
 But as you say, buying from an actual shop is always better in terms of after sales.


----------



## Wgard8

Seems they are legit, just had a reply on ebay. Company name is Audition 6. Also found the below comment in the HPA V281 thread.
  
 "For EU buyers I recommend Heiko Boss at Audition-6. Great guy to deal with and he allows you to haggle a bit on the price. Very quick delivery too."


----------



## JahJahBinks

Has anyone listened to HE-560 or HE-6 through the V200/V100 amp? I am trying to decide between the Violectric and Burson soloist, please post your impression.


----------



## hennessys

jahjahbinks said:


> Has anyone listened to HE-560 or HE-6 through the V200/V100 amp? I am trying to decide between the Violectric and Burson soloist, please post your impression.




I loved my v100, but when i've got the HE-6 it made me switch to v200. The v200 was decent with it, but that Hifiman is a power hungry beast. Give it more power and it will open up...

I've got an old stereo amp from the early 80’s for less than 100 bucks and never looked back. It's hooked straight to the speaker tap and the v200 in the chain as a run through pre-amp. It's great to try A/B/C comparisions or using multiple cans at the same time. I'ld reconsider the Soloist also. Check the HE-6 forum. Some guys actually using power amps or Krells to drive the HE-6.


I'm not sure abt the HE-560.

The v200 rules with everything else, mainly with the T1(on my head now) and the HD800 for me.

 V281?


----------



## rawrster

I'll second that with the he6. When I had the he6 and v200 the pairing while better than others was very mediocre.


----------



## Quinto

My V200 does very well with the Fidelio X2 the rumble in Mahler's 3rd are awesome and not there on my Beresford Bushmaster amp/dac


----------



## errorosus

I have V200 for a few months now, I'm greatly satisfied. Pairing with Linnenberg Vivace DAC is specially wonderful- aesthetically pleasing B/W combo with way better sound than Violectric USB 24/192, much more detailed, spacious and it add that very needed right amount of “sparkle”, but also a way expensive than Vio USB 24/192...


----------



## peetsCoffee

I need a little help. I just received the HD800 and V200. The volume knob on V200 is at 1 o'clock for normal listening levels. Pre gain settings on the amp is default. I wonder there is an issue with my gears or settings. From many reviews I read about V200, it should have enough power to drive HD800, but the volume knob at 1 o'clock is not loud. Could any other HD800 users help with this?
  
 I'm using MacBook Pro + Concero DAC + V200 + HD800.
  
 Thanks in advance.


----------



## dallan

I don't think mine is over 10 or 11 but i don't blare my music. I even listen around 9 often.


----------



## errorosus

With my 300 ohm HD600 (minus 6dB gain), I'm ussually around 9-10 o'clock... To this day I have never reached 12


----------



## Ultrainferno

peetscoffee said:


> I need a little help. I just received the HD800 and V200. The volume knob on V200 is at 1 o'clock for normal listening levels. Pre gain settings on the amp is default. I wonder there is an issue with my gears or settings. From many reviews I read about V200, it should have enough power to drive HD800, but the volume knob at 1 o'clock is not loud. Could any other HD800 users help with this?
> 
> I'm using MacBook Pro + Concero DAC + V200 + HD800.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


 
  
 I guess that also depends on your DAC's output volume.
 And don't forget it's very easy to up the gain (don't forget to turn the V200 off).


----------



## peetsCoffee

errorosus said:


> With my 300 ohm HD600 (minus 6dB gain), I'm ussually around 9-10 o'clock... To this day I have never reached 12


 
 Let me try -6 gain settings. I doubt but I hope this will work.


----------



## peetsCoffee

dallan said:


> I don't think mine is over 10 or 11 but i don't blare my music. I even listen around 9 often.


 
 What is your gain settings? Is it default? Mine is very soft at 9 o'clock.


----------



## peetsCoffee

ultrainferno said:


> I guess that also depends on your DAC's output volume.
> And don't forget it's very easy to up the gain (don't forget to turn the V200 off).


 
 My DAC is Concero and it doesn't have a volume pot. I set the volume MAX at iTunes and still around 12 o'clock is normal listening level. I will try gain settings.  
  
 Thanks!


----------



## dallan

I'll look later but in truth the v200 is not in my current rotation due to changes.


----------



## Shaffer

FWIW, with an Oppo105 as the source running balanced, with -6dB pre-gain, I see ~11 o'clock as max listening volume with HD600. DT800/600, ~2 o'clock. K702, ~12-1 o'clock. Some may prefer more amplitude, but that's the max for me.


----------



## project86

Concero has a lower than normal output voltage. At max volume setting it is something like 1.2Vrms, in order to take full advantage of the particular parts used. So it makes sense that you would need to crank V200 volume up higher than usual. It's no problem as long as you aren't running out before it gets loud enough.


----------



## Ultrainferno

That's the output volume I was talking about


----------



## project86

ultrainferno said:


> That's the output volume I was talking about


 
  
  
 I know 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I was just fleshing out that idea since I have experience with the Concero.


----------



## project86

Just doing a little math on the Violectric sale which is happening now....
  
 G109S comes down to about $522. That's all the amp many people would ever need, and sounds fantastic even with tougher loads like Alpha Dogs.
  
 V281 is now $1955 in standard form (without remote). Still not cheap by any means, but at least it comes in below the $2k barrier which can be a mental block some times.
  
 G103S is $340 - an excellent choice in that price range, where there aren't a ton of powerful amps to choose from. If I was a newbie I'd snag this with a used HE-500 and call it a day.


----------



## peetsCoffee

project86 said:


> Concero has a lower than normal output voltage. At max volume setting it is something like 1.2Vrms, in order to take full advantage of the particular parts used. So it makes sense that you would need to crank V200 volume up higher than usual. It's no problem as long as you aren't running out before it gets loud enough.


 
 I didn't know DAC affects sound volume as well. I might need a DAC with higher output voltage if I upgrade DAC. 
 I feel better now that my gears have no issues.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 V200/Concero are my first Amp/DAC though. So exciting.
  
 Thanks a lot Mr.P.


----------



## peetsCoffee

project86 said:


> Concero has a lower than normal output voltage. At max volume setting it is something like 1.2Vrms, in order to take full advantage of the particular parts used. So it makes sense that you would need to crank V200 volume up higher than usual. It's no problem as long as you aren't running out before it gets loud enough.


 
  
 Do you think a lower output voltage affects sound quality?  Is a voltage just about the volume?


----------



## project86

peetscoffee said:


> Do you think a lower output voltage affects sound quality?  Is a voltage just about the volume?


 
  
  
 Nope, it's not so low where it causes problems. Don't be afraid to turn your volume knob higher if needed. Technically speaking a volume potentiometer opened wide is more transparent than at low volumes.


----------



## daerron

peetscoffee said:


> I didn't know DAC affects sound volume as well. I might need a DAC with higher output voltage if I upgrade DAC.
> I feel better now that my gears have no issues.
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Adjust the pre-gain setting on your V200 till you are comfortable with the volume range. I think I'm running +6dB pre-gain with the Concero on my V100 and think I'm on 11-12 o'clock on the volume that is comfortable for me. I think I later set it back to 0dB so that I can never put it too loud. I really appreciate the adjustment range, with the Emotiva Mini-X I was always worried that a slip of volume knob would blow up my headphones. With the Violectric and gain set up correctly I know that will never happen.


----------



## errorosus

Few photos of Vio V200+ Linnenberg Vivace -great Black and White pair


----------



## fdg

Hello There.
 Most of you know that we have to face some problems concerning our 24/192 USB drivers.
 We voted for the “Tenor” Chip-Set for our 24/192 USB solution because we had good
 experience with the 24/96 USB solution from this manufacturer.
 “Tenor” seems to be a chips fab, they got no own web site and the only contact to purchase
 the silicon is (was) through a company called “GFEC”.
 Well, everybody who has the experience knows that dealing with Asian companies is not so easy.
 You need at least 10 times more emails than with companies coming from Europe or the USA to deal with them.
 But finally we got the 24/192 USB chips and also the drivers.
  
 Out of a sudden by the end of 2014 they discontinued the production of the chips and the software support …
 We, as well as many others, had been left outside standing in the rain.

 The current drivers work with Linux, Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, except 8.1 and with all Mac OS except “Yosemite” .

 I am glad to report that there is now a working solution for Mac OS-X “Yosemite” that can be downloaded from the VIOLECTRIC web site.

 I am sorry to tell that there is still no solution in sight for Windows 8.1

 Best regards,

 Fried Reim
 CEO of Lake People


----------



## RRod

project86 said:


> Nope, it's not so low where it causes problems. Don't be afraid to turn your volume knob higher if needed. Technically speaking a volume potentiometer opened wide is more transparent than at low volumes.


 
  
 But adjusting that sweet, sweet pot is one of the joys of the V200


----------



## Shaffer

FWIW, I prefer to have the knob between 11 o'clock and 3 (ie 15) o'clock. Better performance from the pot and more leverage for adjusting the volume.


----------



## project86

shaffer said:


> FWIW, I prefer to have the knob between 11 o'clock and 3 (ie 15) o'clock. Better performance from the pot and more leverage for adjusting the volume.


 
  
  
 How do you figure "best performance"? Theoretically speaking, shouldn't a wide open pot be the closest thing possible to no pot at all?
  
 I love the V200 pot and I honestly don't think it colors the sound or does any harm, just speaking theoretically here.


----------



## Shaffer

project86 said:


> How do you figure "best performance"? Theoretically speaking, shouldn't a wide open pot be the closest thing possible to no pot at all?
> 
> I love the V200 pot and I honestly don't think it colors the sound or does any harm, just speaking theoretically here.




Experience. IME, high-performance manufacturers, like Audio Research, as an example, suggested 12-1 o'clock. The pot can add a degree of resistance, depending on design. Too, the sweepers inside the pot tend to be at their most linear state at ~12 o'clock. I don't mean to suggest that it makes a night and day difference with the Vio, but as the option is available, why not?

Edit: This has traditionally been an issue with passive preamps. The output impedance can change with the position of the pot, again, depending on its design.

Edit2: This may be of interest:

http://sound.westhost.com/project01.htm


----------



## fdg

@ Shaffer,

 an excerpt from the V200 manual might answer your questions
  
 The V200 is specially designed to drive headphones. Headphones however can present load impedances from 8 to 2000 ohms and efficiency ratios from 85 to 115dB per milliwatt.
 Thus it can be quite tricky to fulfil all demands, since...
 … owners of high-effectivity headphones will rarely set the volume control higher than 9 o'clock in order to exclude hearing damage, while
 ... the maximum setting may still be too soft for low-efficiency headphones, but
 … all users expect highest quality at lowest noise and distortion.
 Thus, the _circuitry_ must adapt itself as the headphone won't !
  
 WE CALL THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM *PRE-GAIN*
  
 The alignment between amplifier and headphone is provided by the preamp stage, which can boost or attenuate the input signal in four steps of 6 dB each.
 For this purpose, two switching devices are located on the rear panel for left and right channel individually.
  
 If you find your HPA V200's volume could be somewhat softer (in order to improve volume control range e.g.),
 push the switch labelled "-6dB" (half gain) or "-12dB" (quarter gain) in upward direction.
 If you find your HPA V200 should provide more gain,
 do so with the switch labelled "+6 dB" (double gain) or "+12 dB" (quadruple gain).
  
 Ex-factory, all switches are set to their lowest position - i.e. 0 dB or unity gain - which should be sufficient for most applications.


----------



## Shaffer

Thank you for chiming in, fdg. The pre-gain is a fantastic feature.


----------



## vrln

I´m thinking about getting back into desktop headphone gear and getting an amp would be the first step. I´m mostly into IEM´s these days so one requirement for amp candidates is that they play nice with balanced armature IEM´s. In other words the output impedance has to be very low, there has to be configurable gain and the volume pot needs to be high quality. So here I am  As a side story I actually had a V200 for a while a very long time ago and always regretted letting it go.
  
 Do any V200 owners here use it with very sensitive and low impedance balance armatures? Is the lowest pre-gain option enough? Is it safe for the IEM? I´m a bit concerned as the V200 swings tons of power around and I don´t want to break my expensive new toy. While I´m sure I´ll add a Sennheiser HD 650 or a planar to the mix someday, but in the beginning I´d be using it with the Shure SE846 and Sennheiser IE 800. The Shure especially isn´t an easy task for a desktop amp as they are generally made for very different headphones. I think it´s the ultimate test for judging an amp´s versatility. Extremely sensitive, 9 ohms and as such very prone to noise. Probably one of the nastiest tests for any desktop amp, just on the different side of the spectrum to the typical "does it have enough power for  [insert planar headphone X]?"


----------



## leithen

A bit late to the party, but thank you for a great review.


----------



## ledpro

Does anyone use the v200 with the hifiman he 400i and the hd650 and can describe the synergy or can make a comparison between this two combinations?
Thanks


----------



## Ultrainferno

That has been done multiple times in this thread already and I also did that in my reviews


----------



## ledpro

ultrainferno thank you for the answer !!! I alredy saw the relate descreptions for the hd650 behavior and for some ather headphones (hd800 , he500 , he400 , ... ). However i have not see anything about the he400i and v200 synergy  ....


----------



## Rockcoon

I'm on a hunt for mid fi combo. The primary targets for now are violectric v200+matrix x sabre.
So here is the deal:
V200 has small soundstage. Matrix x sabre has big soundstage. If i combine these two, the soundstage should be average size? Or all of this things don't work such way?

I will be greatful if someone just describe his impressions with this pairing.


----------



## Shaffer

rockcoon said:


> V200 has small soundstage.




It does?


----------



## Rockcoon

shaffer said:


> It does?



Most reviews, including this, says "yes".


----------



## derbigpr

rockcoon said:


> Most reviews, including this, says "yes".


 
  
 Most reviews on amps really greatly exaggerate the "sound stage size" of headphone amps. I would never say the V200 has a small sound stage, at least not when paired with the T1's, it just has a regular sound stage typical for all headphone amps in general. Small compared to what? Compared to a cheap amp? Nope. To a similarly priced SS amp? Maybe slightly "smaller" in comparison to brighter sounding amps. Small compared to tube amps? Maybe, but that's because of the specific colorations you get with tube amps. Small compared to listening to speakers? Yes. Whatever the case, even if you compare the amps with "biggest" and "smallest" sound stages, the difference would still be extremely small, because we're talking about headphones here. What you need to remember is that headphones in general, let alone headphone amplifiers, don't do sound stage well and you can't do much to fix that. It's just how it is, you can't go over the fact that the physical layout of headphones combined with neurophysiology of hearing does not allow the open feeling and the sound stage projection you hear in real life or that you get from even a very cheap pair of speakers, it just doesn't happen, and whoever claims otherwise is simply over-exaggerating. I've heard HD800's out of excellent balanced amplifiers, and have been listening to my T1's for a long time and am very used to their sound, but they still image worse and project a smaller sound stage than a properly placed pair of 30 dollar Logitech PC speakers, and these are both headphones that have a very good reputation when it comes to sound stage and imaging. It just doesn't work without some kind of cross feed or DSP. If you really care a lot about the sound stage in general when listening to headphones, then go for the SPL Phonitor Mini or a similar amplifier that has a built in crossfeed circuit, only that way can you really get a semi-good sensation of what could be considered sound stage.
  
 I would say test it and see if you like how it sounds, don't bother thinking too much about what you read in various reviews, trust yourself only when it comes to audio gear, that way you'll be most satisfied.


----------



## inseconds99

Can someone tell me if this is the same amp made by a different company or not. This looks to be the exact some thing as this amp for half the price with a different name on the front. I am confused.
  
 http://www.amazon.com/Nobsound%C2%AEHifi-Transistor-Headphone-Amplifier-Violectric/dp/B00WU1X0OU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433965007&sr=8-1&keywords=Violectric+V200


----------



## Ultrainferno

I'm not saying it is the same but I do know the V200 was copied by the chinese market. Vio was not amused.


----------



## inseconds99

ultrainferno said:


> I'm not saying it is the same but I do know the V200 was copied by the chinese market. Vio was not amused.


 
 Ok that makes sense now, I was about to order it on amazon for my HD800's and then I realized it had a different name. Can anyone recommend a USB Dac to use with this amp?
  
 P.S. Looks like Vio doesn't sell on amazon which is a shame as I will not order online unless from amazon.


----------



## Ultrainferno

It's perfectly safe to order drom Vio directly or via their US distributor. I like pairing my Vio gear with Resonessence Labs DACs


----------



## Shaffer

inseconds99 said:


> Can someone tell me if this is the same amp made by a different company or not. This looks to be the exact some thing as this amp for half the price with a different name on the front. I am confused.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Nobsound%C2%AEHifi-Transistor-Headphone-Amplifier-Violectric/dp/B00WU1X0OU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433965007&sr=8-1&keywords=Violectric+V200




It's a clone. Not a real Violectric. If you take your time and regularly look through the classifieds, you can get the real thing for not that much more.

On a personal note, having looked through the company's offerings, I can't believe the prices. The DAC is ~$740 (!). From an unknown Chinese clone manufacturer. If anything, the company has balls. I'd rather opt for brains.


----------



## inseconds99

shaffer said:


> It's a clone. Not a real Violectric. If you take your time and regularly look through the classifieds, you can get the real thing for not that much more.
> 
> On a personal note, having looked through the company's offerings, I can't believe the prices. The DAC is ~$740 (!). From an unknown Chinese clone manufacturer. If anything, the company has balls. I'd rather opt for brains.


 
 I agree, absolutely not ordering at this point.


----------



## Rockcoon

*derbigpr*
 Good thoughts.
 Afterall my only comparison will be with nad d1050 built in amp. Violectric should destroy it in any matter.


----------



## derbigpr

rockcoon said:


> *derbigpr*
> Good thoughts.
> Afterall my only comparison will be with nad d1050 built in amp. Violectric should destroy it in any matter.


 
  
  
 Haha what a coincidence, I actually had the D1050 for a while, and with T1's, I didn't feel much difference in amping when going to Musical Fidelity M1HPAP or Schiit Asgard 2, and in addition, I didn't find the Lehmann BCL or V200 to be much better than the M1HPAP with T1's or HD650's when I compared them, just subtle differences, nothing major, they are in the similar price range anyway. In any case, don't expect the V200 to destroy the D1050 output, it will be a small differences at best because that actually has quite a powerful amp with a really clean and transparent sound, especially for the price, while the V200 is going to be slightly warmer and slightly more bass heavy. My biggest fault with D1050's amp was slightly lean bass with the T1's because of high impedance (over 1300 ohms in the low frequencies), but with easier to drive headphones like HD650's or K701's differences were even smaller between them.


----------



## Rockcoon

derbigpr said:


> In any case, don't expect the V200 to destroy the D1050 output, it will be a small differences at best because that actually has quite a powerful amp with a really clean and transparent sound, especially for the price, while the V200 is going to be slightly warmer and slightly more bass heavy. My biggest fault with D1050's amp was slightly lean bass with the T1's because of high impedance (over 1300 ohms in the low frequencies), but with easier to drive headphones like HD650's or K701's differences were even smaller between them.



Powerful, but not enough for planars. Nad can't even drive my HE500's to desirable volume level. If i read trough Head fi at first, i should bought hd650 or ath r70x instead of he500. But in that case it was different story :rolleyes:


----------



## derbigpr

rockcoon said:


> Powerful, but not enough for planars. Nad can't even drive my HE500's to desirable volume level. If i read trough Head fi at first, i should bought hd650 or ath r70x instead of he500. But in that case it was different story


 

  Oh yea, I didn't know you had planars, in that case the V200 will make a big difference in power.


----------



## inseconds99

shaffer said:


> It's a clone. Not a real Violectric. If you take your time and regularly look through the classifieds, you can get the real thing for not that much more.
> 
> On a personal note, having looked through the company's offerings, I can't believe the prices. The DAC is ~$740 (!). From an unknown Chinese clone manufacturer. If anything, the company has balls. I'd rather opt for brains.




Thanks for this, I am currently looking for a v100/200 on the forums now as the clone looks a shady. Here's to hoping I find a seller soon.


----------



## derbigpr

inseconds99 said:


> Thanks for this, I am currently looking for a v100/200 on the forums now as the clone looks a shady. Here's to hoping I find a seller soon.


 
  
 Just wondering, are you aware of the Lake People amps? They're basically the exact same company as Violectric, except the Lake People branded amps are made for the more professional market. They're  virtually the same designs, parts, specs, sound, etc. but without the fancy expensive chassis and all the other cosmetic stuff you get with Vios.  They're almost half the price as well. Check out the Lake People G109 or G105 amps, they're excellent amps, in many German hi-fi reviews they've actually beaten stuff like Lehmann BCL and several other highly regarded amps around here. They all have extremely low output impedance, huge dynamic range, huge power, etc.
  
 http://www.lake-people.de/produktdetails/G109-S.html
  
 I mean, I'd rather get a new LP amp than a used Vio amp, but that's me.


----------



## inseconds99

derbigpr said:


> Just wondering, are you aware of the Lake People amps? They're basically the exact same company as Violectric, except the Lake People branded amps are made for the more professional market. They're  virtually the same designs, parts, specs, sound, etc. but without the fancy expensive chassis and all the other cosmetic stuff you get with Vios.  They're almost half the price as well. Check out the Lake People G109 or G105 amps, they're excellent amps, in many German hi-fi reviews they've actually beaten stuff like Lehmann BCL and several other highly regarded amps around here. They all have extremely low output impedance, huge dynamic range, huge power, etc.
> 
> http://www.lake-people.de/produktdetails/G109-S.html
> 
> I mean, I'd rather get a new LP amp than a used Vio amp, but that's me.




I'm aware of the lake people amps but I have not heard many people recommend them with the hd800's. Why would anyone buy the v100/200 amps if the only difference is cosmetics? Are you positive if I purchase a g109 it will sound identical to the v200 with my hd800's?


----------



## Shaffer

inseconds99 said:


> I'm aware of the lake people amps but I have not heard many people recommend them with the hd800's. Why would anyone buy the v100/200 amps if the only difference is cosmetics? Are you positive if I purchase a g109 it will sound identical to the v200 with my hd800's?




Lake People explains the differences on their site, IIRC. They're not just cosmetic.


----------



## inseconds99

shaffer said:


> Lake People explains the differences on their site, IIRC. They're not just cosmetic.




That's what I figured, I wonder what the difference is between the g109 vs gustard h10 vs v200.


----------



## Shaffer

inseconds99 said:


> That's what I figured, I wonder what the difference is between the g109 vs gustard h10 vs v200.




Heh, how did the Gustard make its way in here? It's a Chinese clone of a V200 that sounds little like it. I've had both side-by-side.


----------



## inseconds99

shaffer said:


> Heh, how did the Gustard make its way in here? It's a Chinese clone of a V200 that sounds little like it. I've had both side-by-side.




Just was doing a little research and it got brought up by some people. My goal is to purchase an amp for my hd800 that tames the treble slightly a warms up the sound without going to a tube amp. This is when I first came across the v100/200. I then lost an opportunity, because of miscommunication, on a v100 for $500. Now I am trying to find either a v100/200 or something nearly identical for that price range.


----------



## Shaffer

inseconds99 said:


> Just was doing a little research and it got brought up by some people. *My goal is to purchase an amp for my hd800 that tames the treble slightly a warms up the sound without going to a tube amp.* This is when I first came across the v100/200. I then lost an opportunity, because of miscommunication, on a v100 for $500. Now I am trying to find either a v100/200 or something nearly identical for that price range.




Then, you want a V200, not a V100.


----------



## inseconds99

shaffer said:


> Then, you want a V200, not a V100.




Thank you for you're quick responses. Hopefully I can come across someone selling one at a reasonable price soon.


----------



## Shaffer

inseconds99 said:


> Thank you for you're quick responses. Hopefully I can come across someone selling one at a reasonable price soon.




You're in NY? If you're Upstate, you're more than welcome to come over and listen to a variety of amps with your cans, including a V200. Good luck.


----------



## inseconds99

shaffer said:


> You're in NY? If you're Upstate, you're more than welcome to come over and listen to a variety of amps with your cans, including a V200. Good luck.




Thanks for the offer, I live in eastern Long Island and unfortunately I ended up missing the NY meet a few weeks back and missed out on some excellent opportunities to listen to equipment and meeting some fellow headfiers. I might pm you some questions that I might have if you don't mind. Thanks.


----------



## derbigpr

inseconds99 said:


> I'm aware of the lake people amps but I have not heard many people recommend them with the hd800's. Why would anyone buy the v100/200 amps if the only difference is cosmetics? Are you positive if I purchase a g109 it will sound identical to the v200 with my hd800's?


 
  
  
 I'm not sure they'd sound identical, but they should be very similar considering their similarities in the build, but you'd have to compare them side by side. They probably have a differently tuned sound, as I said, LP are pro focused products, they aim for absolute accuracy and neutrality, whereas the V200 in particular is a bit warm, but technically, they're on the level of Violectric's, meaning they use the same quality components, very similar if not identical layouts, etc. Even their measurements are very similar.


----------



## Shaffer

derbigpr said:


> I'm not sure they'd sound identical, but they should be very similar considering their similarities in the build, but you'd have to compare them side by side. They probably have a differently tuned sound, as I said, LP are pro focused products, they aim for absolute accuracy and neutrality, whereas the V200 in particular is a bit warm, but technically, they're on the level of Violectric's, meaning they use the same quality components, very similar if not identical layouts, etc. Even their measurements are very similar.




Am I incorrect in interpreting your comment as one big guess?

Edit: typo


----------



## 0rangutan

I own both a G109 and a V200 - they sound identical to me (slightly warm, effortless control).
 I will most likely keep the V200 simply because it matches my DAC800, however if you are looking for something with a Vio/LP sound to tame the HD800 then the G109 would be the best value option for doing so.


----------



## inseconds99

0rangutan said:


> I own both a G109 and a V200 - they sound identical to me (slightly warm, effortless control).
> I will most likely keep the V200 simply because it matches my DAC800, however if you are looking for something with a Vio/LP sound to tame the HD800 then the G109 would be the best value option for doing so.


 
 Appreciate that, I am still torn on which direction I am going and I can't seem to find anyone selling one in good condition.


----------



## Rockcoon

Save 500 bucks, ofcource, it's very seducive offer. But i'm done with used gear, cheap chinese clones, "similar soundings" e.t.c. Only original, only hardcore. IMHO.


----------



## project86

After comparing both the G109 and the V200 side by side (from the same V800) I don't believe they are identical to my ears. G109 is very similar in design to the V100, and should thus sound very close to that model. V200 is different enough to where it makes sense that it sounds unique.


----------



## derbigpr

shaffer said:


> Am I incorrect in interpreting your comment as one big guess?
> 
> Edit: typo


 
  
  
 No, it's not a guess, I know how similar they sound with every other headphone, so it's safe to assume they'd sound very similar with HD800's as well. Identical? Probably not. But the fact is that for half the price you get the same level of quality, just an ever so slightly different tune in sound. .


----------



## Shaffer

derbigpr said:


> No, it's not a guess, *I know how similar they sound with every other headphone*,...




How?


----------



## Ultrainferno

It kind of depends on you interpretation of "similar". I bought the V100, sold it after I got the V200. Then I sold that one after I bought the V281. I have reviewed all 3 of them and sure I could explain how similar they are, but I could do just the same in how different they are.


----------



## inseconds99

ultrainferno said:


> It kind of depends on you interpretation of "similar". I bought the V100, sold it after I got the V200. Then I sold that one after I bought the V281. I have reviewed all 3 of them and sure I could explain how similar they are, but I could do just the same in how different they are.




I am 100% sure that I don't want to go to a balance system, but maybe you could recommend one for the HD800 wanting to tame the treble peak some and maybe adding a small boost to the low end to make the 800 a little more musical and less analytical.


----------



## Ultrainferno

inseconds99 said:


> I am 100% sure that I don't want to go to a balance system, but maybe you could recommend one for the HD800 wanting to tame the treble peak some and maybe adding a small boost to the low end to make the 800 a little more musical and less analytical.


 
  
 That sounds like the V200 to me.


----------



## project86

Link to my review of the V281 if anyone is interested.


----------



## Monahans67

Hey guys I have a question.  Just ran across this info on the violectric 200 amp.  I am presently using a PS Audio DL III DACthat has the Cullen stage 4 mods done.  I really like the Audio Technica W5000 headphones that I have but have been stuck on getting an amp for them. If I go with the Audio Technica HA5000 it would be great for the W5000 but if I wanted to get other very good headphones I would be rather limited.  I guess my question is if you all think this amp since it is more on the warm side would do well with the W5000. other amps I have considered are the Woo WA2 and the Schiit Lyr 2 but not sure I want to get into the tube rolling end of it all.  Any advice you all could give would be appreciated.


----------



## Monahans67

One thing I forgot is that with the Violectric 200 I would be able to use the XLR output of the DAC to the XLR input of this amp.


----------



## Shaffer

monahans67 said:


> One thing I forgot is that with the Violectric 200 I would be able to use the XLR output of the DAC to the XLR input of this amp.




Yes. Congratulations on choosing one of the best amplifiers in this sector of the market.


----------



## Monahans67

How do you think it will go with the w5000. I sent violectric a email also to ask that question


----------



## Shaffer

monahans67 said:


> How do you think it will go with the w5000. I sent violectric a email also to ask that question




I've never heard the W5000. Perhaps some of the other folks in the thread have.


----------



## Monahans67

This thread seems pretty active so hopefully someone can answer it.  Talked to Art by email and he even answered within an hour on a saturday evening.  Unreal.  He said with the warm attributes of the amp it should sound good.  He said they have a 15% spring sale going on so it is 928.00 shipped.  Not too bad.


----------



## project86

I like the V200 with the AT woodies. I've heard most of em at one time or another and V200 goes very well - warm and slightly smooth to offset their occasional brightness, and a bit of extra oomph to help them not sound thin. I think you'll be pleased.


----------



## petezjunior

Looking for a dac under 500 to pair with audeze el 8 and v200s. Any suggestion?


----------



## project86

If you can snag a Parasound Zdac, that could be a good match. The V2 model is $549 but a lot of places had the original model on clearance for a low price. Not sure if they are still available by now though. 

Other options might be the iFi stuff and the NuPrime uDSD.


----------



## petezjunior

Thanks for the quick response! Which ifi product would you recommend? Is it efficient enough to run the audeze el 8


----------



## project86

petezjunior said:


> Thanks for the quick response! Which ifi product would you recommend? Is it efficient enough to run the audeze el 8


 
  
  
 I haven't kept up with the latest models of theirs, so I'm not sure which is which these days. But I did forget to mention the Resonessence Labs Herus - that's one I _absolutely _recommend with the setup you described. You could even take it on the go if you ever travel and want a transportable setup.... bring along a laptop or maybe just your phone, the Herus, and the EL-8. It wouldn't sound as good as when the V200 is in the chain, but it would still be very enjoyable.


----------



## Rockcoon

Just orderer v200. Shippment will takes about two weeks. Now i'm looking for a desktop dac in area of 1k, to pair with it. And my favorite so far is matrix x sabre. I do believe, that v200 can easily handle sabre treble, that sometimes could be edgy. But read extendet impressions of users, who heard that combo, would be better, than mine imagination 

so noone didn't stack this two units together? :rolleyes:


----------



## thecrow

Hi. I'm thinking of picking up a v200 to use with my arcam irdac listenng to my hd800. 

I've had the following match ups and listening experiences in using my hd800s:

* the v100, my irdac, hd800s -did not impress me much and bought thd soloist amp instead that in enjoying

* the v200, nfb 1 (sabre dac), hd 800s - really enjoyed the combo - power/meat and colour. This dac and amp had balanced connections. 

Wondering, was the difference likely to be just me on 2 different days, or v100 vs v200, the dacs, or perhaps the fact that I was using balanced connections with the v200? Is there are a difference in using balanced connections here?

Your experienced views are very welcomed

Thanks
Peter


----------



## project86

Your conclusions make sense - V100 is said to be more neutral than V200, and the Arcam DAC is definitely more on the thin side. Not sure about that particular Audio GD DAC but chances are it's at least a bit warmer than the Arcam. The combined result is more warmth. 
  
 I don't think there's a difference on the V200 as far as balanced or RCA in. But the output of the DAC may actually be different - a lot of DACs have unique output stages for each output.


----------



## thecrow

project86 said:


> Your conclusions make sense - V100 is said to be more neutral than V200, and the Arcam DAC is definitely more on the thin side. Not sure about that particular Audio GD DAC but chances are it's at least a bit warmer than the Arcam. The combined result is more warmth.
> 
> I don't think there's a difference on the V200 as far as balanced or RCA in. But the output of the DAC may actually be different - a lot of DACs have unique output stages for each output.




Thanks for the info. 
As a general rule are burr brown dacs more neutral than sabre dacs then? I'm thinking I've had the wrong impression that sabre dacs (such as the es9018 in the conductor) are leaner/more analytical and the burr brown slightly warmer and more musical. 

Even though I didn't hear them side by side I was thinking (I won't put my life on it) that the audio Gd sabre dac and soloist combo was a little leaner than my Irdac and soloist combo hence the difference in my dac perception. 

When I heard the v100 with the irdac I wouldn't at all have called the v100 neutral. And even though I heard the v100 and v200 1 month apart with the 2 different dacs the v200 did make me sit up and take note of the extra detail and balanced quality/smoothness in sound. 

It sounds like the irdac and the v200 could well work together.


----------



## project86

It's the wrong approach to call this or that DAC chip "neutral" or "warm" etc. The DAC chip is but one element of a system, and the end result is dependent on many aspects like power supply, output stage, digital filter, jitter elimination, and on and on. The DAC chip itself is nowhere near the sole determining factor. 
  
 For example, take the Yulong D18 and compare it to an Audiolab M-DAC. Both use the same ES9018 and are just about polar opposites in terms of sound.


----------



## thecrow

project86 said:


> It's the wrong approach to call this or that DAC chip "neutral" or "warm" etc. The DAC chip is but one element of a system, and the end result is dependent on many aspects like power supply, output stage, digital filter, jitter elimination, and on and on. The DAC chip itself is nowhere near the sole determining factor.
> 
> For example, take the Yulong D18 and compare it to an Audiolab M-DAC. Both use the same ES9018 and are just about polar opposites in terms of sound.


That would explain some inconsistencies as you mentioned. 

Would it be fair to say though that dac producers, say, wanting a more neutral detailed dac would more often than not go to, say a sabre dac? ie would something like that play to a dacs strengths or would what the dac itself brings into the equation not be a majority of the influence? 

I appreciate your info on these factors
Peter


----------



## project86

thecrow said:


> That would explain some inconsistencies as you mentioned.
> 
> Would it be fair to say though that dac producers, say, wanting a more neutral detailed dac would more often than not go to, say a sabre dac? ie would something like that play to a dacs strengths or would what the dac itself brings into the equation not be a majority of the influence?
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 It's tough to make a generalization like that. I feel like any one I come up with is fundamentally flawed. Each chip has its own specs, its own complexities, its own requirements. Integrating that chip within the confines of a successful design which accomplishes the designer's intent - that is the goal. And it's easier said than done. Does your design call for current or voltage output? Integrated line driver? Low power draw? Built-in digital receiver? What are the clocking requirements? Can it be easily customized to disable the internal filter or upsampler, should your design have a custom filtering or upsampling? There are many things to consider. 
  
 I'm convinced a skilled designer could make a good to great DAC with any chip, and likewise a poor designer could screw up even the most elite chip on the market. 
  
 Plus, there are other concerns to be weighed.
  
 Cost: the top ESS Sabre chips go for quite a bit more than the competition. Paying $30/chip doesn't sound like much but compared to less than $10/chip for much of the competition, multiplied by the thousands of units you hope to sell.... it adds up.
  
 Marketing: ESS is hot right now. The top Cirrus or Wolfson chips are perceived by some as old/unremarkable. So even if they may be the best fit in your design, they may not fit from a marketing standpoint. Then again, there's a bit of backlash among some groups, so Sabre is not necessarily a sure thing either. 
  
 Supply: The TI PCM1704 is discontinued and harder to come by in large batches. That would have to be figured out. Even newer, mainstream chips may be hard to source from reliable suppliers at certain times. You don't want your product on backorder for something as simple as this, nor do you want to be forced to revise your DAC 1 year into the life cycle because TI changed from PCM1792 to PCM1792A which called for tiny changes to be made. 
  
  
 See where I'm going with this? You gotta judge each DAC on its merit and not simply the brand of chips involved.


----------



## thecrow

project86 said:


> It's tough to make a generalization like that. I feel like any one I come up with is fundamentally flawed. Each chip has its own specs, its own complexities, its own requirements. Integrating that chip within the confines of a successful design which accomplishes the designer's intent - that is the goal. And it's easier said than done. Does your design call for current or voltage output? Integrated line driver? Low power draw? Built-in digital receiver? What are the clocking requirements? Can it be easily customized to disable the internal filter or upsampler, should your design have a custom filtering or upsampling? There are many things to consider.
> 
> I'm convinced a skilled designer could make a good to great DAC with any chip, and likewise a poor designer could screw up even the most elite chip on the market.
> 
> ...


Thanks again for info. So much for narrowing dac choices down in a simple manner. 

This will help in terms of how to approach future upgrades of amps and/or dacs. 

Also thanks for your reviews on this site. I've looked over the matrix x sabre review a few times and tge comparisons available there are great.


----------



## Rockcoon

Recieved my v200 yesterday. Currently have no desktop dac, so the only acceptable source in my house was prehistoric dvd player from early 2005. And the only CD disc, that i could find was... Pet (if you heard Crow City of angels OST, you proably know this). 
on 6db gain v200 pushed HE500s far beyond driven, with volume knob, turned half it's way. My ears could take no step further  
The sad side of this story, that lg g2 smarthphone can't give enough power trough headphone out to feed v200.
Notebook was better in that mean, almost good, as dvd player, but the sound...

It will takes up to two months for me to earn extra bucks on matrix x sabre. So it will be two monts of Pet and Lisa Papineau O______O


----------



## thecrow

rockcoon said:


> Recieved my v200 yesterday. Currently have no desktop dac, so the only acceptable source in my house was prehistoric dvd player from early 2005. And the only CD disc, that i could find was... Pet (if you heard Crow City of angels OST, you proably know this).
> on 6db gain v200 pushed HE500s far beyond driven, with volume knob, turned half it's way. My ears could take no step further
> The sad side of this story, that lg g2 smarthphone can't give enough power trough headphone out to feed v200.
> Notebook was better in that mean, almost good, as dvd player, but the sound...
> ...


My v200 is now on the way. Found one on ebay. 

I'll know in a week or so how the arcam irdac will match up with it.


----------



## Rockcoon

> My v200 is now on the way. Found one on ebay.
> 
> I'll know in a week or so how the arcam irdac will match up with it.



I did not dissapointed in v200, despite that have no normal source to feed it. It's powerful, smooth, lush and "meaty" 

Would realy like to hear your impressions from v200+ irdac combo. So far I decidet to go with x sabre. But who knows...


----------



## thecrow

rockcoon said:


> I did not dissapointed in v200, despite that have no normal source to feed it. It's powerful, smooth, lush and "meaty"
> 
> Would realy like to hear your impressions from v200+ irdac combo. So far I decidet to go with x sabre. But who knows...


youve probably read it already but project86 has written an extensive comparative review on the x sabre dac that highlights its value.


----------



## Rockcoon

thecrow said:


> youve probably read it already but project86 has written an extensive comparative review on the x sabre dac that highlights its value.



Yep, read it, and even post in the thread. Never saw negative feedback on Xsabre. It's good from build quality to the sound.


----------



## Ingruentem

Any recommendations for modern a DAC that will pair well with the V200 in the $600-1000 range?


----------



## Quinto

ingruentem said:


> Any recommendations for modern a DAC that will pair well with the V200 in the $600-1000 range?


 

 Audio_GD DAC19DSP does brilliant with V200 (now you can buy the 10th Anniversary version with much better USB!)


----------



## Ingruentem

quinto said:


> Audio_GD DAC19DSP does brilliant with V200 (now you can buy the 10th Anniversary version with much better USB!)


 
  
 Thanks for the recommendation.  I've also read some great things about the 10.32 Anniversary.  I'm leaning towards one of the following DACs at the moment:
  
 Matrix X-Sabre
 Anedio D2
 Resonessence Labs Concero
  
 Has anyone heard any of them with the V200 that might be able to weigh in on which DAC sound signature would better compliment the V200?
  
 (FYI, planning to use with HE500, HD600, HE400)


----------



## project86

ingruentem said:


> Thanks for the recommendation.  I've also read some great things about the 10.32 Anniversary.  I'm leaning towards one of the following DACs at the moment:
> 
> Matrix X-Sabre
> Anedio D2
> ...


 
  
  
 Had all three at one point. All sound very good. I'd say Concero is probably the best value, and could be ideal if you don't have use for more inputs and outputs and options. Just a simple, no frills, small device with no headphone amp, that doesn't take up much space. Honestly any of them will pair very well with V200 though. Anedio is the most detailed, X-Sabre the most exciting, and Concero probably closer to Anedio but not quite as transparent.


----------



## Ingruentem

project86 said:


> Had all three at one point. All sound very good. I'd say Concero is probably the best value, and could be ideal if you don't have use for more inputs and outputs and options. Just a simple, no frills, small device with no headphone amp, that doesn't take up much space. Honestly any of them will pair very well with V200 though. Anedio is the most detailed, X-Sabre the most exciting, and Concero probably closer to Anedio but not quite as transparent.


 
  
 After careful consideration I think I'm going with the Anedio.  I'm looking forward to comparing and contrasting with my current Schiit Modi / Vali.  Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## project86

ingruentem said:


> After careful consideration I think I'm going with the Anedio.  I'm looking forward to comparing and contrasting with my current Schiit Modi / Vali.  Thanks for the feedback!


 
  
 Excellent choice, you'll love it!


----------



## daerron

I've got a Violectric V100, but recently noticed that the left output jack has a slightly grainier sound than the right output jack? Anyone else perhaps noticed this on their V100/V200 units? Do the two outputs differ by design or is there perhaps something faulty with the one output?
  
 I've always had my headphones plugged in on the left since I've gotten the amplifier and never really used the right one and thought it was just part of the sound signature, or perhaps not entirely gelling with the Concero.. With the Theta in the loop though it became really noticeable. Now using the right output the graininess disappeared entirely. A surprising find to be honest.
  
 Edit: See I had the pre gain still set to +6dB for the Concero for it low output, that wouldn't have helped matters. I'd suggest setting the pre gain to the lowest setting possible. Now using -12dB pre gain with the Theta and is sounding very good now.


----------



## Shaffer

FWIW, my mint V200 is listed in the forum classifieds:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/779185/fs-violectric-v200


----------



## Thenewguy007

Had a few question to v200 owners.
  
 What happens when you upo two of the gain switches to the up position?
 Like if I up the +12 & +6 gain to the on position.
  
 Will it give me double the gain or will the +12  gain override the +6 gain?
 What happens if I up all the switches to the up position?
  
  
 Trying to figure out the best possible setup for it with the HD800.
  

 Using a 3pin balanced cable with this amp will do nothing as this is not a balanced amp, correct?
 It's just an extra option for people who have sources with only balanced outputs.


----------



## fdg

When you push up 6 dB and 12 dB the result is 14 dB and not 18 dB.
When you push all up the result is 0 but some noise will be added.
V200 offers balanced 3 Pin INPUTS,
No chance to connect a HD800 with 2x 3 Pin connectors. Those would need outputs.
If you want to connect HD800 balanced go for V181 or V281 but with more reasonable 4 Pin connectors.

Best Regards
Fried


----------



## Rockcoon

fdg said:


> When you push up 6 dB and 12 dB the result is 14 dB and not 18 dB.


 
 Wow, i didn't know that. Is it safe for amp? Or better don't use this option? 2 extra db looks pretty nice.


----------



## fdg

Hey,
 I would not give all these hints if they were not safe !!
  
 You can also operate all these switches during operation but at least the headphones should not be plugged.
 Because some cracks/crickless might appear which may ruin your headphones when you push the switches.
  
 There are also some adjustments which are not senseful.
 For example to push + 6 dB and + 12 dB = 14 dB Gain and to push also the -6 dB switch to come to -8 dB ...
 Again, nothing bad will happen - except my believe in common sense will suffer ...
  
 Greetz
  
 Fried


----------



## phonomat

fdg said:


> For example to push + 6 dB and + 12 dB = 14 dB Gain and to push also the -6 dB switch to come to *-8 dB* ...


 









 You mean +8? That would still not make sense, mind you, but I could at least trail their train of thought ...
  
  
 BTW, congratulations on your 100th post, Fried!


----------



## Rockcoon

Well, i'm glad that self destruction is not applied.

P.S
all mods successfully tested. +6 is just a doctor ordered for HE500's. +14 can drive death metal session direct in your brain. Amazing amp, non a bit of regret from buying it.

*UPD*.
*As expected. Match flawlessly with my new Metrum Acoustics Musette DAC. 
V200 gives to it aditional sense of analoglike soundig. Rich and full sound body, with powerful bass section, liquid clean mids and comfortable HF. 
Also no more +12 db gain needet, how it was, while connecting amp direct to notebook 3.5 out. 
On pair with Musette in +6 db mode, I can't push volume knob further, than 10 o'clock even with most silent vinyl records, cuz it turn heaphones into airblast gun. From sound to funcionality- everything is exelent.
*


----------



## waxdoctor

I am a proud owner of a V200 + 24/96 USB module now!
  
 Fantastic!!!!! Sooooo relax-listening-music!!!!
  
 IMAC --> USB 24/96 V200 --> HD650


----------



## ArthurPower

waxdoctor said:


> I am a proud owner of a V200 + 24/96 USB module now!
> 
> Fantastic!!!!! Sooooo relax-listening-music!!!!
> 
> IMAC --> USB 24/96 V200 --> HD650




Congatulations, the V200 is the most popular model Violectric amplifier still to this day!


----------



## project86

Yep that's a winning combo, V200 plus HD650 and call it a day.


----------



## waxdoctor

...and by the way - Mr Fried Reim is a perfect contact - very very friendly and helpful and so fast with his answers - THANK YOU!!!
  
 I wish a lot of companies could have a CEO like him!!!!
  
 For my own I try to support companies like Lake People - perfect quality in products and support and private !


----------



## sebbaan

project86 said:


> Right. It says a lot about the V200 that it almost matches the Taurus, with less power, smaller enclosure, for less money.


 
 Would you (or anyone with experience for that matter) answer me this:
  
 I used to own the Auralic Taurus mkII and used it together with a pair of LCD2F, that combo hit all the right spots for me. Unfortunately I had to sell the Taurus of financial reasons.
 I have now gotten myself a v200/v800 stack and use it together with my LCD2F. As I experience it, the sound i get from this combo is somewhat more muffled and muddy than the sound that I got from the LCD2/Auralic combo. I almost find it mandatory to use an EQ to get that little extra clarity and spark to the high end.
  
 Is this something that makes sense from your experience or do I just simply remember "wrong" from my days with the LCD2/Auralic amp.


----------



## Orejo

Can anyone tell me about your experience with the V200 and the Hifiman HE-560? I'm curious to hear how this combo performs and would like to know, what DAC you used with it. I'm thankful for every reply!


----------



## hifuguy

For what it's worth, I used my Violectric V200 with Hifiman HE500s for quite a while. I loved the combination, though obviously that isn't the same as the 560s.  By an interesting coincidence, I just listed my Violectric V200 for sale today! That's only because I've decided to go all-in on a portable rig. Please check it out if you're interested in Head-Fi's "Full-Size Amplification For Sale" forum. I used a Wyrd-4-Sound DAC-2 DSD with the Violectric V200. I have yet to get it listed, but it's going up for sale as well.


----------



## chiggah

Hi, how well does the V200 pair up with the HD650 ? Thinking to get one


----------



## sebbaan

sebbaan said:


> Would you (or anyone with experience for that matter) answer me this:
> 
> I used to own the Auralic Taurus mkII and used it together with a pair of LCD2F, that combo hit all the right spots for me. Unfortunately I had to sell the Taurus of financial reasons.
> I have now gotten myself a v200/v800 stack and use it together with my LCD2F. As I experience it, the sound i get from this combo is somewhat more muffled and muddy than the sound that I got from the LCD2/Auralic combo. I almost find it mandatory to use an EQ to get that little extra clarity and spark to the high end.
> ...


 
 Examined the lift/ground settings on both units and it turned out the v800 was in gnd position. I changed it to lift and the sound immediatley became significantly clearer and less veiled. Now my LCD 2 sound a little more as I remember them. Still I would say that my memory tells me that the Taurus made the LCD 2 even more transparent.


----------



## Rockcoon

sebbaan said:


> Examined the lift/ground settings on both units and it turned out the v800 was in gnd position. I changed it to lift and the sound immediatley became significantly clearer and less veiled. Now my LCD 2 sound a little more as I remember them. Still I would say that my memory tells me that the Taurus made the LCD 2 even more transparent.



V200 also have this lift/ground settings?


----------



## sebbaan

rockcoon said:


> V200 also have this lift/ground settings?


 
 Yes it does. Lift is the "stock" setting on both devices from what I understand. I now have both devices set as follows:
  
 V200:
 Groundlift jumper set to lift
 Lo-cut jumper set to AC
  
 V800:
 Groundlift jumper set to lift
 Internal gain switches all set to off (down position)
  
 This fits my ears the best as I like a bit clearer and more transparent sound. Especially with the LCD 2 these settings in my opinion are superior.
  
 Below are links to the manuals for both the V200 and the V800
  
  
 http://violectric-usa.com/download/Violectric%20V200%20Manual.pdf
  
 http://violectric-usa.com/download/Violectric%20V%28000Manual.pdf


----------



## Rockcoon

sebbaan said:


> Yes it does. Lift is the "stock" setting on both devices from what I understand. I now have both devices set as follows:
> 
> V200:
> Groundlift jumper set to lift
> ...



Thank you. Russian manual have only 5 pages. So i didn't know that these jumpers even exist.


----------



## Orejo

If I go with the Violectric V200, will I still need to buy balanced cables or is that just necessary with specific DAC and Amp combinations? I know, some really basic questions, lol.


----------



## sebbaan

orejo said:


> If I go with the Violectric V200, will I still need to buy balanced cables or is that just necessary with specific DAC and Amp combinations? I know, some really basic questions, lol.




V200 sports single ended inputs as well as balanced, you are not required to use balanced cables with V200.


----------



## Orejo

sebbaan said:


> V200 sports single ended inputs as well as balanced, you are not required to use balanced cables with V200.



Ah, I see, forgot about that. Thanks


----------



## Quinto

chiggah said:


> Hi, how well does the V200 pair up with the HD650 ? Thinking to get one


 

 I love it


----------



## waxdoctor

quinto said:


> I love it


 

 me too - all you need...


----------



## Kon Peki

I just purchased the V200.  Should be here by the end of the week.  Can't wait to hear it!
  
 I am upgrading from Modi (original) and Asgard 2 to Bifrost Multibit and V200.  Hopefully I will be able to hear the difference!


----------



## Orejo

kon peki said:


> I just purchased the V200.  Should be here by the end of the week.  Can't wait to hear it!
> 
> I am upgrading from Modi (original) and Asgard 2 to Bifrost Multibit and V200.  Hopefully I will be able to hear the difference!




Are you going to tell us about your experience? Great purchase, would love to head it once on my own.


----------



## Kon Peki

Yes, for sure!


----------



## Rockcoon

i set "lift" jumper to the "ground" but didn't notice any diference. Is there any other way to add transparency? 

Before the burn in my v200 soundet much clearer.


----------



## sebbaan

rockcoon said:


> i set "lift" jumper to the "ground" but didn't notice any diference. Is there any other way to add transparency?
> 
> Before the burn in my v200 soundet much clearer.




What headphones are you using?


----------



## Rockcoon

sebbaan said:


> What headphones are you using?



HE500.


----------



## sebbaan

rockcoon said:


> HE500.




Hmm. Haven't tried the He500 with the V200 but have given it some serious thought as I think the LCD-2 is a bit veiled on the V200.
The setting I proposed a few posts earlier are the settings I thought gave the LCD-2 the most clarity.

I'm thinking about trying out a silver cable for the LCD-2 to get the sound a bit closer to what I want.

Otherwise I don't know. Maybe I just have to realize that the V200 just isn't for me.
Or maybe it's the LCD-2 that isn't for me. It's just that I remember the LCD-2 sounding excellent with the Auralic Taurus.

Ahhh decisions, decisions..


----------



## Rockcoon

sebbaan said:


> Hmm. Haven't tried the He500 with the V200 but have given it some serious thought as I think the LCD-2 is a bit veiled on the V200.
> The setting I proposed a few posts earlier are the settings I thought gave the LCD-2 the most clarity.
> 
> I'm thinking about trying out a silver cable for the LCD-2 to get the sound a bit closer to what I want.
> ...



Yep, i also decidet to try "transparent" aftermarket cable.

First time i noticed that amp sounds much clearer, when turned from +6db gain to default position. But now turning between any of gain jumpers does not help anymore.


----------



## sebbaan




----------



## Kon Peki

I've had my V200 for a short while.  Very impressed by the build quality, and it sounds amazing paired with HD600 and HE-560.
  
 This is the end game solid state amp for me


----------



## blacknile

Hi guys
  
 I was wondering if there is a set of recommended settings for the V200 + HD800 combo. I'm using the Violectric USB 24/96 DAC module FWIW. The back jumpers on the V200 are currently at the -6db position - and my listening volume is mostly at the 11-13 o'clock range, depending on the input signal. I think it sounds stunningly effortless - just wondering if there are any tricks I'm missing. Thanks!


----------



## Quinto

blacknile said:


> Hi guys
> 
> I was wondering if there is a set of recommended settings for the V200 + HD800 combo. I'm using the Violectric USB 24/96 DAC module FWIW. The back jumpers on the V200 are currently at the -6db position - and my listening volume is mostly at the 11-13 o'clock range, depending on the input signal. I think it sounds stunningly effortless - just wondering if there are any tricks I'm missing. Thanks!


 

 I don't think the jumping settings will change much except volume knob settings


----------



## Synthax

Waiting for a parcel with my V200.
  
 One question: why V200 has balanced inputs while it does not have balanced headphone output?


----------



## plakat

synthax said:


> Waiting for a parcel with my V200.
> 
> One question: why V200 has balanced inputs while it does not have balanced headphone output?


 
  
 Congratulation on your purchase!
  
 Balanced inputs and balanced headphone outputs are two quite separate things, the inputs help you bridge a longer distance without picking up as much noise as an unbalanced connection might get, the balanced out primarily helps by providing more power to insensitive headphones. And the V200 is already very powerful, so there's little to gain I think.
 There is a version with a balanced out, the V281, which is much larger and quite a bit more expensive due to it containing much more hardware that you won't need in most cases.
 Many believe that there's an inherent value in balanced out, but for the more common amp topologies (which amount to 4 amps for balanced) I don't see those advantages beyond more power.


----------



## Synthax

@plakat thank You!


----------



## Sinarca

Good morning.
  
 I would like to buy V200 with USB input, but as a digital source I would use the Sony walkman ZX2.
 It has a VM port, but with an adapter it's possible to have a USB type B output (digital signal).
  
 I don't know if it works with Violectric USB module.
 Anybody have tested this combo ?
 Thanks


----------



## ArthurPower

It should work fine. I have not had the opportunity to try the Sony walkman ZX2 however, every Android device that I have tried so far has worked. I currently have a V200 with the USB DAC option plugged into my Google/LG Nexus 5 (2 year old phone) using an adapter and it works perfectly.


----------



## Sinarca

Thank for the answer. It' s a good thing.
The bad one is that here in Italy (Milano) I have no found any hifi shop which has any Violectric to test my possible combo. But I could try to buy an Lg Nexus 5 used or a similar model to be pretty sure it works...
We' ll see...


----------



## Synthax

And how about pairing Mytek 192 Stereo with V200 amp? I'm considering this DAC.


----------



## Fegefeuer

too bright and overly "exciting"


----------



## project86

fegefeuer said:


> too bright and overly "exciting"


 
  
  
 Agreed, I'm not a fan at all. Maybe their new models with names of US cities will fare better?


----------



## eysikal

Just purchased a V200 from a fellow board member. Excited to try it out with my HD600 soon! 

I also bought the add-on DAC board. Hopefully that DAC is sufficient.


----------



## emptymt

how does the ETHER sounds through this amp?
 I will be using chord mojo as dac.


----------



## Digital-Deviant

emptymt said:


> how does the ETHER sounds through this amp?
> I will be using chord mojo as dac.




Considering doing the same, although I may get the V800 at some point if for any reason the Mojo doesn't work out as a desktop DAC?


----------



## GiantAssPanda

Looking for a decent, fairly inexpensive DAC to go along with the V200 and Sennheiser HD 800 (SuperDupont mod). Would Schiit Bifrost do the job? Any other recommendations in the same price range?
  
 Thanks in advance.


----------



## Fegefeuer

Lake People RS 06. Are you from the US? If yes, then ask Violectric USA for a price.
  
 Else, Schiit Bifrost Multibit.


----------



## Seth Warshavsky

How does it compare to the Bakoon HPA 21?


----------



## Otterji

I'm a new owner of the rather awesome Ether C headphones, and after lot of different pairings (Lehmann Black Cube, Fostex HP-P1, Justaudio AH120) I've settled on running them just with the Violectric V200. I've discovered that for me the combination is certainly transparent (plenty of the black background the V200 is known for) but much more significantly the amp gives the Ether Cs the weight and bass that can be a bit light - but there's no loss of accuracy, just a sense of solidity. There's also plenty of thrilling slam. I've tried using the HP-P1s with the amp solely as a DAC but find it becomes too ethereal. It runs off with itself. Funnily enough the only new component I'm toying with is the Chord Mojo as DAC - so wonder if you went in the end with that combination and whether it was nice. By way I find the Ether Cs infinitely better with the V200 than Audeze LCD2 Rev2. It's defintely a sweet match IMHO.


----------



## GiantAssPanda

fegefeuer said:


> Lake People RS 06. Are you from the US? If yes, then ask Violectric USA for a price.
> 
> Else, Schiit Bifrost Multibit.


 
 Thanks. For now I'll be using my NFB-11 DAC but will look into upgrading it later this year/next year.
  
 By the way, just ordered the V200 from Thomann.de for 699€ (B-stock). Super excited right now. Can't wait for it to arrive.
  
 Also, I am a bit confused about the pre-gain options in the amp:
  

  
 What would be the best settings for the HD-800?


----------



## Quinto

giantasspanda said:


> Thanks. For now I'll be using my NFB-11 DAC but will look into upgrading it later this year/next year.
> 
> By the way, just ordered the V200 from Thomann.de for 699€ (B-stock). Super excited right now. Can't wait for it to arrive.
> 
> ...


 

 Best start at 0 gain and try out for yourself..just make sure power is off when you switch gain


----------



## jbarrentine

Can anyone compare the V200 with a capable, but budget amp like my Project Polaris?
  
 I'm using HD600.


----------



## John Willett

giantasspanda said:


> Looking for a decent, fairly inexpensive DAC to go along with the V200 and Sennheiser HD 800 (SuperDupont mod). Would Schiit Bifrost do the job? Any other recommendations in the same price range?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


 
  
 What about the Violectric internal DAC board for the V200?
  
 There is a choice of 7.


----------



## GiantAssPanda

john willett said:


> What about the Violectric internal DAC board for the V200?
> 
> There is a choice of 7.


 
 I'm currently using the amp with my NFB-11 and it sounds great. Don't really feel like I need an upgrade anytime soon.


----------



## Quinto

Wow the HD600 sounds awesome on the V200..


----------



## Ultrainferno

Our interview series continues. This week we chatted with Fried Reim. CEO of Violectric and LakePeople

https://www.headfonia.com/q-n-a-saturday-violectric/


----------



## escknx

Is there any way to connect 4 pin xlr balanced headphones if there is no 4 pin xlr output?

what is the way to go:  2 x 1/4 TRS to 3 pin XLR adapter --> 2 x 3pin XLR to 4pin XLR ?

or something like that 
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B073P6Y24P/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

or V200 has no balanced outs?


----------



## davidespinosa

escknx said:


> Is there any way to connect 4 pin xlr balanced headphones if there is no 4 pin xlr output?



With TRS, the two signals share a ground.
With 4-pin XLR, the two signals have separate grounds.
So you need an adapter that connects the two XLR grounds (the minus signals) to the S (shield) of the TRS.


----------



## ArthurPower

If you only have a 4 pin balanced cable for your headphones you can use a 1/4 (6.35mm) Male to 4-pin XLR Female adapter. This will enable your balanced headphones to plug into an unbalanced amplifier like the V200.


----------



## eysikal (Dec 14, 2017)

Anyone else having issues with their Violectric setup since Apple updated to macOS High Sierra?

I have an add-in USB DAC board from Violectric based on the Tenor chip. (http://violectric-usa.com/accessories/usb-24-192-tenor)

It does not play nicely with High Sierra at all. As soon as I power up my amp my wired keyboard locks up and my bluetooth mouse loses connectivity. I've spoken with Arthur of violectric-usa.com and he says the solution is to use the XMOS board instead. (http://violectric-usa.com/accessories/usb-24-192-xmos) Violectric does not have a driver that is supported on macOS High Sierra.

Anyone want to buy my Tenor board for cheap? Verified with Arthur that it still works great on Windows.


----------



## davidland

nice review!


----------



## davveswe

You can´t use the V200 as balanced? If you use the both outputs with two 6.3mm. One right,one left.


----------



## Quinto

davveswe said:


> You can´t use the V200 as balanced? If you use the both outputs with two 6.3mm. One right,one left.


 nope


----------



## lexterminator

A few years ago the onboard dac of my venerable Arcam FMJ CD23 died so I got the Fostex HPA8C acting as a dac and headphone amp. Getting Beyerdynamic T1.2 and T5p.2 became an eye opener for me (or I should say an ear opener). The T5p.2 is easy to drive and the dragonfly red makes it pretty dynamic as a portable solution but I'm short on power with the T1.2 even with the Fostex HP8AC... it can get loud but clearly missing pace and dynamics. I was looking to get a second amp\dac for my other room and especially to drive the T1.2 with more authority. I just ordered the V200 along with a Schiit Modi Multibit. Looking forward to compare the V200 amp and Modi dac against the HPA8C. Will post impressions in a near future. Cheers


----------



## eysikal

lexterminator said:


> I just ordered the V200 along with a Schiit Modi Multibit.



I have this exact setup. 

To my recollection, I think the amp sounded better on my HD600s when using the add-in DAC card from Violectric. The Multibit sounded harsher to me. 

I use the word recollection becauase I haven’t been able to use the Violectric DAC card ever since the update to High Sierra. Even the new drivers do not support it. 

The DAC card works great on Windows, if anyone wants to buy it from me for cheap.


----------



## lexterminator

I was debating to get an inboard dac for the V200 but I figured I would give the Modi multibit a shot and eventually get a Magni to bring it at work along with the Modi and get another external dac for home. I’ll use the Modi for a while and will compare it with the AKM4399 dac of my Fostex. Initially I was aiming for Mcintosh Mha150 or Moon 430 but before shelling such an amount I decided to start with a smaller footprint yet powerful and see how that goes. If the V200+Modi exceeds the Fostex by a nice margin then I will probably sell the Fostex and get something bigger to accompany the V200+Modi. Cheers


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Just picked up a used but very good condition Violectric V100.  Since the V100 doesn't seem to have its own thread, figured I'd ask here: do these amps still hold their own today?  I was looking for a good solid state amp to complement my OTL tubes so I can run planars.  Sounds like the one I purchased was bought in 2013, but looks brand new.  I imagine these amps last a very long time, build quality seems top notch.


----------



## davidespinosa

L0rdGwyn said:


> Just picked up a used but very good condition Violectric V100.  Since the V100 doesn't seem to have its own thread, figured I'd ask here: do these amps still hold their own today?  I was looking for a good solid state amp to complement my OTL tubes so I can run planars.  Sounds like the one I purchased was bought in 2013, but looks brand new.  I imagine these amps last a very long time, build quality seems top notch.



A V100 is (basically) a G109 in a nicer case.
Fried (the designer) has said that it's more accurate (but less musical) than a V200.
I have both, and I can't tell them apart.
Here's the G109 thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lake-people-g109-g103-thread.620082/


----------



## L0rdGwyn

davidespinosa said:


> A V100 is (basically) a G109 in a nicer case.
> Fried (the designer) has said that it's more accurate (but less musical) than a V200.
> I have both, and I can't tell them apart.
> Here's the G109 thread:
> ...



Thanks for the response.  You cannot tell the V100 and G109 apart, or the V100 and V200?


----------



## davidespinosa

L0rdGwyn said:


> Thanks for the response.  You cannot tell the V100 and G109 apart, or the V100 and V200?



I meant the V100 and V200.
But I can't tell the G109-P apart either.
In fact, the G109-P is my primary amp, because it stacks nicely with the RS 06 DAC.
G109-P = XLR inputs, G109-S = RCA inputs.
P stands for Professional.

While we're at it, I can't tell the RS 06 from the V800.
I'm middle-aged, and my ears are average (nothing special, but not impaired).
Phones are Audeze LCD-X.


----------



## L0rdGwyn

davidespinosa said:


> I meant the V100 and V200.
> But I can't tell the G109-P apart either.
> In fact, the G109-P is my primary amp, because it stacks nicely with the RS 06 DAC.
> G109-P = XLR inputs, G109-S = RCA inputs.
> ...



Thanks for the insight!  I had read that the V200 was darker while the V100 is more neutral,  but also glad to hear there isn't a huge audible difference, let's me save some money


----------



## L0rdGwyn

Well my Ebay V100 purchase fell through after the seller suddenly realized that his amp was locked at 230V rather than switchable.  So I am back in the market.  If anyone is interested in selling a used V200 in good cosmetic condition, I am offering $500 plus shipping.


----------



## jonathanvaljean

Hi everyone!

Does anyone know if a Violectric V200 will adequately drive the LCD-4 200 ohm version? I have heard that my Chord Hugo 2 is incapable. 

Thanks,

Jonathan


----------



## roskodan

power wise yes, signature wise it's a serious, reference, no magic, kind of sound,

it was great with the lcd2r2, less so with the lcd3, 'cos it will show if the can has an uneven FR


----------



## jonathanvaljean

Thanks for your input, Roskodan.  I can definitely relate to your thoughts on the LCD-2 Rev. 2 and the LCD-3.  I owned the former for a few years and really enjoyed it with the V200/V800 stack, but I found the V200 to infuse the latter with a bit too much bass.  

Good to hear that the V200 could amply power the LCD-4 200 ohm.  I am hoping to audition a pair on Friday, and I will be sure to take my V200 and test it out (alongside my Hugo 2).  

Cheers!


----------



## roskodan (Apr 28, 2018)

another amp that caught my interest is the audio-gd C-2 2017 version (tried the 2011 version, the new 2017 is supposed to be a refinement based on audio-gd's flagship amp), if u find the v200 lacks some magic/euphonics, and desire for a more expansive, bigger/dipper sound, i suggest checking the C-2 2017 out (or its balanced counterpart, NFB-1AMP),

i still find the v200 the reference sound, in term of texture retrieval, tonal accuracy, and keeping instruments' size proportions intact inside the head stage

value wise i can't really recommend the v200 by its MSRP, it's just too overpriced, i got it new for 800USD (including 19% german vat and s&h) in 2013, with the competition today, 500-600USD tops, if someone really digs the sound,

http://audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/C22015/C22015EN.htm

http://audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1AMP/NFB1AMPEN.htm


----------



## nachjos

fdg said:


> When you push up 6 dB and 12 dB the result is 14 dB and not 18 dB.
> When you push all up the result is 0 but some noise will be added.
> V200 offers balanced 3 Pin INPUTS,
> No chance to connect a HD800 with 2x 3 Pin connectors. Those would need outputs.
> ...


I own a Focal Clear and set the pre gain all way down to -12 dB. Bit it‘s still very loud at around 10 o‘clock. Pre gain -12db AND -6 dB doesn‘t change anything, it the same as with -12 dB only. Any idea to set pre gain lower as -12 dB to get more use of the volume knob?


----------



## ArthurPower

nachjos said:


> I own a Focal Clear and set the pre gain all way down to -12 dB. Bit it‘s still very loud at around 10 o‘clock. Pre gain -12db AND -6 dB doesn‘t change anything, it the same as with -12 dB only. Any idea to set pre gain lower as -12 dB to get more use of the volume knob?



What are you using for a source? It must have a really hot output.


----------



## roskodan

Also bare in mind that the gain switches illustration in the manual is misleading, since the switch position is indicated by the black square portion not the white portion. One could easily mistake it and set 3 switches ON and 1 OFF!!! Instead of having only 1 switch ON at all times (1 ON on each channel, and of course the same level on both channels).


----------



## nachjos

ArthurPower said:


> What are you using for a source? It must have a really hot output.


Ist's a Auralic Vega, Balanced Output, 4Vrms


----------



## ArthurPower

nachjos said:


> Ist's a Auralic Vega, Balanced Output, 4Vrms



That DAC is known to have a hot output but it also has a lossless digital volume control. I would suggest just turning the level down a little bit.


----------



## PointyFox

Does anyone else's V200 have an audible mains hum?


----------



## Wildcatsare1

No problem with mine, but it runs through a Monster Cable power strip.


----------



## PointyFox

I've tried different outlets, one of which has an ISOBAR power conditioning surge protector. I tried all the different jumper combinations. I tried different wires.  My Schiit Jotunheim hooked up to the same wires has no noise.


----------



## PointyFox (Aug 20, 2018)

Update: According to Violectric, I'm using a 220V model with 115V.  The models marked "115V/220V" are actually only 220V until converted via some soldering. It is only 115V when it has a "115V" sticker. Running a 220V unit on 115V halves the output voltage and causes some other issues. I will convert it to 115V and post an update here when I do.


----------



## PointyFox

Update again: It looks like someone DID convert it to 115v.  I can even hear the noise floor at average volume. I guess the V200 just isn't very good, especially compared to my Schiit Jotunheim which is completely quiet.


----------



## Wildcatsare1

PointyFox said:


> Update again: It looks like someone DID convert it to 115v.  I can even hear the noise floor at average volume. I guess the V200 just isn't very good, especially compared to my Schiit Jotunheim which is completely quiet.



*There must be a problem with your amp, I’m able to listen to mine with inears, with zero hum and noise. *


----------



## PointyFox

The Campfire Andromeda is ridiculously sensitive though. Does anyone have similarly sensitive IEMs and a V200?


----------



## roskodan (Aug 22, 2018)

you could drop the pre-gain to the lowest possible setting, if that's not enough, also lower the volume from your player and/or dac...

but usually it's easier to just lower the volume level of your software/player/dac, cos else you'll find yourself changing pre-gain every time you swap cans...

also if someone messed with the 220-110 bridges, ask violectric to give you the exact schematics for 110, and check if it's soldered right (they have a diy guide for that)


----------



## Darksoul

I've almost bought this, I read the manual there's a part that says:






How do I go about doing this? I continued reading the manual but I couldn't find any details?


----------



## PointyFox

You open the amp, slide out the PCB, push plastic pins out of the center of two white plastic pieces, remove the protective cover, then remove the connection between two different spots and connect the other two. They're marked on the board which is which. I'll upload the instructions once I get a chance.


----------



## chimney189

Has anyone tried this amplifier with the HD 800S?


----------



## Quinto

chimney189 said:


> Has anyone tried this amplifier with the HD 800S?



yes, workes like a charm..sometimes I prefer it over my NOS11


----------



## chimney189

Quinto said:


> yes, workes like a charm..sometimes I prefer it over my NOS11



Does it add a considerable amount of warmth?
I'm asking this because with my Burson Soloist SL it gets too bright when I turn up the volume when I really want to jam to music.


----------



## Quinto (Nov 7, 2018)

chimney189 said:


> Does it add a considerable amount of warmth?
> I'm asking this because with my Burson Soloist SL it gets too bright when I turn up the volume when I really want to jam to music.



It does add warmth and makes it more musical and less bright ..the soundstage is less artificial as well for some recordings. I think it's a great synergy, I can listen for hours.. & great bass!


----------



## KBerube80

Has anyone paired the v200 with a Chord Mojo for DAC???


----------



## Darksoul

KBerube80 said:


> Has anyone paired the v200 with a Chord Mojo for DAC???



I have a V200 with a Chord Hugo. It's alright, very clear sound and nice bass.


----------



## KBerube80

Darksoul said:


> I have a V200 with a Chord Hugo. It's alright, very clear sound and nice bass.



Thanks for the reply.  "alright" doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement.  LOL


----------



## Anaz

KBerube80 said:


> Has anyone paired the v200 with a Chord Mojo for DAC???



I have both and the combination sounds very good! ...Is it endorsement enough that I upgraded to a V281 and am thinking of getting a Qutest?  LOL


----------



## petezjunior

Selling mine cheap. Check my post on ebay, just type "The SPECTACULAR VIOLECTRIC V200 Amp - Including FREE Audiophile Cable."

I am including the Amp, power cable, black/gold legs AND Blue Jean's RCA audiophile cable. Let me know if you have any questions.


----------



## erics75

chimney189 said:


> Has anyone tried this amplifier with the HD 800S?


very late response, just found this now. i've used the hd800s with the v280, which is basically two v200 amps in one body for balanced output. i did listen to the v280 single ended (which runs only one side/amp) and liked what i heard quite a bit. compared to the v100 and rs-08, the v280 is warmer, with softer treble, but just as much resolution. going to the balanced output of the v280, the only major difference i heard was an increase in precision/driver control. micro detail seemed a bit more transparent and easily identified, less cloudy/muddy, if you will. and the soundstage seemed more holographic. but not a huge difference, imo. if you've heard the schiit mjolnir 2 with warm-ish tubes, that's what the v280 single ended sounds like, more or less. i find the v280 pairs very nicely with the hd800/800s as it doesn't exacerbate the senn's brightness. if outright resolution is your main want, there's better options, but for musicality and synergy, the v280/200 is a great choice.


----------



## erics75

KBerube80 said:


> Has anyone paired the v200 with a Chord Mojo for DAC???


its not a bad pairing, but not the best synergy, imo. the v200 is on the warmish side, with soft treble. i find the mojo to share that same basic signature as well, so i personally found the synergy lacking. it was a touch too soft and dull of a pairing for my tastes. but...depending on the headphones you use, it could work quite well. i'm thinking hd800 in that chain would be great as the hd800 needs some treble attenuation imo. but for the headphones i was using (dt 1770, alpha prime, hd650), it was just too dull. the v100 and mojo pair better imo as the v100 is more extended in the treble region, which is tempered by the mojo's softness.


----------



## PointyFox

I had a V200 and a V281. Could hear hum from the transformer in both when using IEMs. The V281's hum was about twice as loud which is expected considering it is essentially a double V200 with two transformers. They are definitely not the cleanest sounding amps.


----------



## reprobyte

Is there a list of the headphones that match best with this amp and its SE ports?


----------



## reprobyte

PointyFox said:


> I had a V200 and a V281. Could hear hum from the transformer in both when using IEMs. The V281's hum was about twice as loud which is expected considering it is essentially a double V200 with two transformers. They are definitely not the cleanest sounding amps.



Can you recommend me any IEMs for Violectric, which ones are a good match, I have the V220 so can yuo recommend what you use on your V200?


----------



## PointyFox

kanter said:


> Can you recommend me any IEMs for Violectric, which ones are a good match, I have the V220 so can yuo recommend what you use on your V200?



You could use an iFi ieMatch with the Andromeda. I guess the best "match" otherwise would be an IEM with low sensitivity? I don't have any low enough where I couldn't hear the hum without the ieMatch.


----------



## reprobyte

PointyFox said:


> You could use an iFi ieMatch with the Andromeda. I guess the best "match" otherwise would be an IEM with low sensitivity? I don't have any low enough where I couldn't hear the hum without the ieMatch.



Thanks for the reply, appreciated, checking them out


----------



## Ultrainferno

This week you can win a special 10th anniversary edition of the Violectric V200 amplifier. That's a +$1200USD prize! 
https://www.headfonia.com/giveaway-22-violectric-v200ae/


----------



## Quinto (Feb 11, 2019)

$1200,-  seems a bit much if you ask me..and I loved this amp, shame..


----------



## CaptainFantastic

922 € in Europe. Had it on my wishlist at Thomann for a while hoping for a price decrease, but it never did and I bought something else.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quinto said:


> $1200,-  seems a bit much if you ask me..and I loved this amp, shame..





CaptainFantastic said:


> 922 € in Europe. Had it on my wishlist at Thomann for a while hoping for a price decrease, but it never did and I bought something else.



Perfect time then to win one for free


----------



## roskodan

whaaaaaat, cool, if u don't win the price, remember to check the classifieds here on HF


----------



## PointyFox

$1200 is a lot for an amp with audible transformer hum and a resale price around $400.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I have to say I've never heard it in my units


----------



## Quinto

PointyFox said:


> $1200 is a lot for an amp with audible transformer hum and a resale price around $400.



never heard this said before and mine was dead silent


----------



## PointyFox

I hear it with IEMs. I know "these aren't meant for IEMs", but I have much cheaper amps that are silent and can drive regular headphones just as well.


----------



## pichu

PointyFox said:


> I had a V200 and a V281. Could hear hum from the transformer in both when using IEMs. The V281's hum was about twice as loud which is expected considering it is essentially a double V200 with two transformers. They are definitely not the cleanest sounding amps.


I wonder why you seem to be the only one dealing with this humming and noise issue ?


----------



## PointyFox

pichu said:


> I wonder why you seem to be the only one dealing with this humming and noise issue ?



How many people did you poll? FWIW, the same humming with my HPA V281, just twice as loud, which makes sense since it's basically a double V200, with two transformers.


----------



## Quinto

I do recall it being said that the V200 isn't ideal for IEMs, because of audible hum.. on headphones it's not a problem from what I heard


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## roskodan (Feb 12, 2019)

Seriously, there was louder hum in most modern audiophile recordings than the v200's hum that i could hear with my shure se530. I never lowered the pre gain below the default, medium, setting, the lowest setting may fix hum for most iems. Any seriuos hum is most likely due to other components in the chain, home electrical installation and power grid issues, etc...


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## pichu

PointyFox said:


> How many people did you poll? FWIW, the same humming with my HPA V281, just twice as loud, which makes sense since it's basically a double V200, with two transformers.



I’m reading through all of this thread and that’s what I’m using as my poll data. Cant go on the street and ask people if their V200 headphone amplifier is noisy; I’m only joking. I’m not calling you a liar I’m just wondering why you’re finding this and if it has to do with your other gear or if a lot of people just don’t have as good of hearing

Cheers,

Jonathan


----------



## PointyFox

I'd go with good hearing. I've tried them in multiple locations.


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## wadi

I was dealing with hum issues as well before i sold my V200.


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## lafeuill (Feb 20, 2019)

I'm using iems exclusively with this setup. On the picture, the Vision Ears VE8 & SuperBaX / V200 (-12dB) XLR / Aune S16 Coax / Schiit Eitr USB / Generic PC.

The VE8 is not a hiss diva like Campfire Audio or Empire Ears products, but a sensitive ciem nonetheless : 120dB SPL at 1 mW and a 22 Ohms impedance at 1 kHz.

I had the humming issue with a Gustard H10 and an Arcam rHead, with a Modi Multibit or the Aune as DAC.

No humming whatsoever with my current setup.

My educated guess : the humming is passed on by the amplifier, not generated by it. In my case, it was coming from my source : the pc feeding my dac directly via usb.
*
Since I added the Eitr, humming problem solved.*

When no music is playing, at -12dB gain, I can start perceiving the noise floor right before 12 o'clock, which is not an issue since it is plenty loud at 10 o'clock with the VE8. And gorgeous... 

I also regularly use Earsonics EM10 & EM32, Sony XBA-Z5, JVC HA-FW01 and IMR R1, for the record.


----------



## filip sebastian

Hello,i'm in a dilema.I have Beyerdinamic T1 first gen. and HD800 and i want an amplifier for them. I don't know what to choose: Violectric V200,wich is still at 1000 euro,or Felix Audio Elise,1300 euro.
I looked at this topic,i notice that there are people who have both amplifiers,i would like to know witch of the two is a better choice.


----------



## metalgear

i bought the vioelectric to drive my first gen t1 (sweet) and Hd800 (pure copper upgrade; stock cable was a bit too forward in the highs for me) and it is fantastic. especially so for the Hd800 lots of control and finesse even at low volumes. 

recently acquired the utopias and the vioelectric still fantastic.


----------



## roskodan

@filip sebastian  There are plenty of reviews for both, here on HF and around the web. The difference between a solid state amp and a OTL is big regardless of house sound nuances. Also, tube amps' signature really depends on the tubes in use. It may sound completely different with different tubes. For the HD800 and T1 gen1, i preferred tube amps exactly for that reason. If i wanted a faster decay sound (pop, rock) or a mellower (classical, jazz), i just had to switch tube sets. The problem is it gets expensive, good tube sets cost easily a  couple hundred bucks, at least. The V200 is a very balanced amp, sound wise, in between a classic solid state sound and the mellow tube sound. Will also work with any headphones, low or high impedance. Drawbacks are, serious presentations, no wow effect soundstage.


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## PointyFox (Aug 24, 2019)

filip sebastian said:


> Hello,i'm in a dilema.I have Beyerdinamic T1 first gen. and HD800 and i want an amplifier for them. I don't know what to choose: Violectric V200,wich is still at 1000 euro,or Felix Audio Elise,1300 euro.
> I looked at this topic,i notice that there are people who have both amplifiers,i would like to know witch of the two is a better choice.



I'd get an JDS Labs Atom and be done with it. IMO it's an upgrade over the V200 which has audible transformer hum. I've tried all sorts of fancy amps (up to $4600) and have never been able to detect any audible difference besides some having hum or being susceptible to EMI. The reality of it is that it's NOT HARD TO DRIVE HEADPHONES. A cheap amp will do more than a good enough job. There are amplifiers as big as your thumbnail which will drive most headphones. It's not even a question of diminishing returns. It's more like a brick wall once you get past the limit of audibility which occurs fairly quickly.


----------



## musicus

PointyFox said:


> I'd get an JDS Labs Atom and be done with it. IMO it's an upgrade over the V200 which has audible transformer hum. I've tried all sorts of fancy amps and have never been able to detect any audible difference besides some having hum or being susceptible to EMI. The reality of it is that it's NOT HARD TO DRIVE HEADPHONES. A cheap amp will do more than a good enough job. There are amplifiers as big as your thumbnail which will drive most headphones. It's not even a question of diminishing returns. It's more like a brick wall once you get past the limit of audibility which occurs fairly quickly.




No offence but looking at the details of this JDS Labs Atom I have the impression that it's a kiddie's toy compared to the Violectric! Not even in the same league!


----------



## PointyFox (Aug 24, 2019)

musicus said:


> No offence but looking at the details of this JDS Labs Atom I have the impression that it's a kiddie's toy compared to the Violectric! Not even in the same league!



You "looked at the details"? I've owned them both and call BS on the SNR of the V200 considering I could hear the transformer hum in both the V200 and the V281. (Approximately twice as loud on the V281 which isn't surprising since it's essentially a double V200 with 2 transformers.)


----------



## project86

I could cite anecdotal experience contradicting yours, but what would be the point?


----------



## Fegefeuer

Never had any transformer hum with the V200 or V281 or with the Valhalla 2 or with the Mjolnir 2 or with the Audio-GD whatever amp I used in all these years. 



project86 said:


> I could cite anecdotal experience contradicting yours, but what would be the point?



Pointless. He will always come back to retell the story of his traumatization.


----------



## roskodan (Aug 24, 2019)

maybe someone should've read the manual first, so to avoid any trauma later on... it's never too late to do it tho, it's good therapy as well


----------



## erics75

To be fair, he could have had power gremlins or other unusual interference issues that were causing the hum he was getting. My V100 and RS-08 are dead silent no matter where i've used them, but my V280, though silent at my work and home, was picking up odd static interference at my buddy's place. We tried power conditioners and moving it away from all other electronics, but it still had a low level hiss that only manifested at his place. Neither my V100 nor RS-08 would hiss though at his place. We never did figure out what the issue was. I have a theory it was the undead communicating via Violectric....


----------



## project86

Yeah I've had a few pieces of gear over the years that had transformer noise issues, including some really well-built/pricey stuff like a Mjolnir Audio electrostatic amp. It happens. Often times a power conditioner will reduce or even eliminate the issue, but not always.

I still don't find that to be a reason to dislike an entire brand. But then again, starting with the premise of "all decent amps sound the same", of course one will have negative feelings for more expensive amps - including fixating on a perceived problem like the transformer noise.

In the end, we like what we like, and it's usually tough for anyone to change our minds. There are plenty of excellent, lower priced amps out there (including some from Lake People) so if that's what you are after, enjoy them in good health.


----------



## Geezer Rock 001

Hello V200 people. I was fortunate to buy erics75's V100 amp a few weeks ago.  I called Violectric USA to inquire about rolling op amps. They told me the two op amps that were in the signal path and he was skeptical than any other op amp would be an improvement.

I have rolled Sparkos op amps in two other solid state and one hybrid amp with excellent results. So I ordered two dual op amps from Sparkos Labs for the V100.

They arrived today. I thought that the V100 was very good with the stock Texas Instruments op amps. The Sparkos took the V100 to another level in my humble opinion. From Wow to WOW!

If anyone is interested I will post a few more details and pictures


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## Nickol (Oct 21, 2019)

Hi guys! I own the device for about a year, but did not understand the following points:

*1)* I have already met two instructions for the device, which say differently in what position the jumper of the GND / LIFT jumper should be ? (see the attached images).




So in what position should be right?
*Is there a manufacturer here to explain it??* Why is it shown in one instruction and the same in another - already written and shown differently?

*2)* I still do not understand: What exactly does and what does the GND / LIFT jumper affect? The effect of ground loops on the level of interference and jitter?
Or specifically how does this jumper affect the sound?

*3)* Does anyone hear changes in sound from rearranging GND / LIFT?


----------



## roskodan (Oct 21, 2019)

Early units shipped with the ground jumper set to GND, which was later changed and since then all units ship with the ground jumper set to LIFT by default. While set to GND the device is directly connected to the ground, while the LIFT setting adds a filter to prevent eventual noise coming from the ground to affect the device.

About the difference in sound between the settings, i would say it's circumstantial, i felt the LIFT setting may have a little more "zingy" treble.

The thing that bothered me was the DC setting at the pot pcb jumpers, that made the sound very loose in the bass. Wired.


----------



## Nickol

Thanks for the answer!

Well, guys, *another question*:
Which is better to choose the gain for isodynamic headphones (parameters: 40 Ohm, sensitivity 100 db/1mW)

How to put the switches on the back of the amp: 0dB, or + 6dB? Or how?
Who thinks and knows for sure?


----------



## PointyFox

Nickol said:


> Thanks for the answer!
> 
> Well, guys, *another question*:
> Which is better to choose the gain for isodynamic headphones (parameters: 40 Ohm, sensitivity 100 db/1mW)
> ...



Only increase the gain if you're not getting enough volume.


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## roskodan

Default is all gain switches lowered (+0bB), that is what I used with lcd2/3, hd800, th-900... everything... except the HE6, which needed a speaker amp . You only rise one switch per channel, same one on both channels.


----------



## Geezer Rock 001

Can someone tell me the special tool or technique that is required to remove the volume knob from the pot on a V200??

    Thanks


----------



## Fegefeuer

It's best to ask Lake People themselves:  info @ lake-people.de


----------



## Geezer Rock 001

Arthur at Power Holdings advises that it requires a 1.5mm Allen wrench. He is a great guy and very helpful!


----------



## Anaz

Geezer Rock 001 said:


> Can someone tell me the special tool or technique that is required to remove the volume knob from the pot on a V200??
> 
> Thanks





Geezer Rock 001 said:


> Arthur at Power Holdings advises that it requires a 1.5mm Allen wrench. He is a great guy and very helpful!



Seconded. You need a 1.5 mm hex key (aka Allen wrench).


----------



## sysyphos

Hi,
Unfortunately, I do not have a chance to listen various amps to experience different sound characteristics in my city I live. Now, I am using ADI-2 DAC with HD800S and considering adding a dedicated amp into my combo to enrich the dynamics and bass quality. My budget is about 500-800 Euros. I will be very appreciated if any of you compares HPA V200 with RNHP, or advices a different amp. Thanks.


----------



## Quinto

sysyphos said:


> Hi,
> Unfortunately, I do not have a chance to listen various amps to experience different sound characteristics in my city I live. Now, I am using ADI-2 DAC with HD800S and considering adding a dedicated amp into my combo to enrich the dynamics and bass quality. My budget is about 500-800 Euros. I will be very appreciated if any of you compares HPA V200 with RNHP, or advices a different amp. Thanks.


The V200 would be a very good choice IMO..try to find one second hand since they are build to last a lifetime


----------



## Geezer Rock 001

I have owned an Rupert Neve RNHP and an HD 800S paired together and looking back at it, imo the RNHP was a little too cold and sterile for the 800S. It is a great amp but not a perfect pairing, again imo.

 The V200 is a great amp, especially if you can find one on the used market. I have owned a V100 and a V200. I rolled Sparkos dual op amps in both of their signal paths. imo they made a good thing even better.


----------



## sysyphos

Quinto said:


> The V200 would be a very good choice IMO..try to find one second hand since they are build to last a lifetime



Thanks for your reply



Geezer Rock 001 said:


> I have owned an Rupert Neve RNHP and an HD 800S paired together and looking back at it, imo the RNHP was a little too cold and sterile for the 800S. It is a great amp but not a perfect pairing, again imo.
> 
> The V200 is a great amp, especially if you can find one on the used market. I have owned a V100 and a V200. I rolled Sparkos dual op amps in both of their signal paths. imo they made a good thing even better.



Generally it is claimed that RNHP has a warm-body, your opinion is interesting. I will try to listen RNHP, thank you.


----------



## Geezer Rock 001

sysyphos said:


> Thanks for your reply
> 
> 
> 
> Generally it is claimed that RNHP has a warm-body, your opinion is interesting. I will try to listen RNHP, thank you.



  Since Rupert Neve products are revered in the recording industry, I would think that sonic neutrality be in their over arching design plan for the RNHP as well.


----------



## afrancois (Feb 10, 2020)

project86 said:


> Yeah I've had a few pieces of gear over the years that had transformer noise issues, including some really well-built/pricey stuff like a Mjolnir Audio electrostatic amp. It happens. Often times a power conditioner will reduce or even eliminate the issue, but not always.
> 
> I still don't find that to be a reason to dislike an entire brand. But then again, starting with the premise of "all decent amps sound the same", of course one will have negative feelings for more expensive amps - including fixating on a perceived problem like the transformer noise.
> 
> In the end, we like what we like, and it's usually tough for anyone to change our minds. There are plenty of excellent, lower priced amps out there (including some from Lake People) so if that's what you are after, enjoy them in good health.


I’m only an occasional listener to headphones, so my story is not as such related. I thought I had a great system and to some degree I certainly did. Then I bought a Jays Audio CDT2 MK2 CD transport and all of a sudden I had an audible transformer hum from the.CD transport’. I could hear it at my listening position. it was not in the signal but it was a mechanical vibration coming of the 2 transformers inside the housing of the CD transport. I sent a message to an electronic engineer I know and he told me that it was probably a DC offset on my AC mains power. it was not a ground loop that I knew. I tested and  subsequently immediately bought a Supra DC blocker. Problem gone, but more importantly my system suddenly sounded a lot better. This said,  physical hum and a signal hum is probably not the same. A hum in the signal feels more like a ground loop to me. Not all power regulators have a DC blocker built in of the quality of the Supra, if they have one to start with. btw I have a V200 and HD 600. A new DT 1990 Pro is underway. I hope the laid back nature of the V200 can somewhat calm down the known treble issue with these headphone. If not I will get myself a passive filter.


----------



## ChrisAll

afrancois said:


> Hi I've used the dt1990 quite a lot with the v200 and find this pairing a very good match in my opinion. It definitely tames the highs that's for sure, Plus adds a nice weight to the bass and upper mids.


----------



## lexterminator

I currently use the V200 along with Beyerdynamic T1.1, Astell&Kern T1P and Astell&Kern T5P (1st gen) and they pair very well with the amp. With the V200 I have used an onboard XMOS DAC card, a Schiit Modi Multibit and a Teac UD-505. The Teac sounds the best thanks to its AKM 4497 DAC. The Schiit Modi MB sounds quite good and is less edgy which you would probably enjoy more with the DT1990.


----------



## Deolum (Mar 24, 2020)

Is the V200 still worth buying in 2020? It's used for around 500€. I'm thinking about upgrading my Chord Mojo with it. Another plan would be getting the RME ADI-2 DAC instead. Third plan is getting the ADI 2 and the V200. That would require that the V200 Amp is better than the ADI-2 DAC Amp. Any thoughts on this?


----------



## Fegefeuer

ADI2 amp is nothing to write home about. What's the RS08 in your region going for?


----------



## Deolum

Fegefeuer said:


> ADI2 amp is nothing to write home about. What's the RS08 in your region going for?


Only new for 850. So the V200 would be much cheaper.


----------



## Kozwoz (Apr 28, 2020)

deleted


----------



## Kozwoz

Can someone help me understand the power delivery of V200. I'm a bit confused. Specification states - 570 mW (600 Ohm) | 2200 mW (100 Ohm) | 2700 mW (50 Ohm) | 2000 mW (32 Ohm) | 1000 mW (16 Ohm). 

Shouldn't there me more power going into 16 Ohm as there is a lighter load but theres twice as much power going into 32 Ohm and even more into 50 Ohm. So if I'm powering 15 Ohm such as Audeze 4z I can only get a max of one watt but harder to drive headphones get more power from V200? Apologies for the noob question.


----------



## roskodan (May 4, 2020)

Because the manufacturer design is current limited under 50 Ohms. This is done for allowing higher voltage swing for higher impedance headphones while also allowing compatibility with high efficiency low impedance headphones. I do not recommend this kind of amps for low efficiency low impedance headphones.


----------



## Kozwoz

roskodan said:


> Because the manufacturer design is current limited under 50 Ohms. This is done for allowing higher voltage swing for higher impedance headphones while also allowing compatibility with high efficiency low impedance headphones. I do not recommend this kind of amps for low sensitivity low impedance headphones.


The Audeze 4z has a 15 Ohm impedance but it's maximum power handling is 5 watts. It certainly feels underpowered at 500mW and have been told that I should really look for something above 1W. The output impedance of the V200 is 0.06 Ohm so really don't see why it wouldn't be a good match for the Audeze 4z.


----------



## roskodan (May 4, 2020)

Lake People amps are rated for both channel driven. So it's 500mW on each channel. 2x 500mW not 2x 1W, at 16 Ohms.

Also, low output impedance and current limited output together, sounds like garbage for low impedance low efficiency headphone.


----------



## project86

Isn't the whole point of the LCD-4z that it is easy to drive though? Sensitivity rated at 98dB/1mW, and they specifically claim it can be driven by most headphone jacks. "Experience the unrivaled quality of our flagship LCD-4 without the need for an amplifier" is the tagline on the product page. Audeze has been using that "maximum power handling 5W" on all the LCD models for years, and I interpret that to mean "don't use more than this or it might break something". 

I fully realize that not everyone will love the combination of V200 and (insert headphone here), but in this particular case I don't think the lack of current is in any way an issue.


----------



## Music Path (May 4, 2020)

Kozwoz said:


> Can someone help me understand the power delivery of V200. I'm a bit confused. Specification states - 570 mW (600 Ohm) | 2200 mW (100 Ohm) | 2700 mW (50 Ohm) | 2000 mW (32 Ohm) | 1000 mW (16 Ohm).
> 
> Shouldn't there me more power going into 16 Ohm as there is a lighter load but theres twice as much power going into 32 Ohm and even more into 50 Ohm. So if I'm powering 15 Ohm such as Audeze 4z I can only get a max of one watt but harder to drive headphones get more power from V200? Apologies for the noob question.



As for my experience goes with lake people/violectric amps, this tipe of power delivery gives you more room for the volume knob while mantaining the Hps well driven. I remeber using my LP109 Aniversary Edition amp which had similar output tipe and noticed that it gave me same range almost with HD800 , Beyer T1, and IE800 IEMs, all having different impedances. So the power of the amp is well distributed so to speak, which i particularly enjoyed. You won´t able use the full 12W output at 16ohm at the Ifi ican pro for example, unless you want to use speakers.

As for HPs the power supply of the V200 is enough, but since you want use the Audeze lcd-4z you can look at their bigger amps which are able to deliver 1.5W at 16ohm balanced. But you won´t go wrong with 0.5W, since its still above recomended and gives you much room which is very important IMO.

Doesn´t makes sence to me if i can´t go beyond 12 clock on the volume knoob with any Hp (because high volumes), it feels like i´m not using the amps full flexibility and drivability at respective impedance in my opinion.


----------



## Kozwoz

How does the V200 pair with the normal LCD4? Can't workout what the power delivery will be at 200 ohms but I suppose it will be enough?


----------



## Music Path

would recomend V280/281, recomended is 0,5W so it is on the limit
https://www.audeze.com/products/lcd-4


----------



## project86

I've only ever used an older LCD-4 with V200, with the original 100 ohm drivers. It sounded great. The 200 ohm drivers are higher impedance, slightly lower sensitivity, and generally have a slightly different tuning imho, so it's hard to say... but yeah I would probably be more comfortable with the V281 to get the most out of the 200 ohm drivers.


----------



## Kozwoz

Music Path said:


> would recomend V280/281, recomended is 0,5W so it is on the limit
> https://www.audeze.com/products/lcd-4


Why 0.5W? V200 puts out 0.57W at 600 Ohm and 2.2W and 100 Ohm. In any case the LCD4 will get more than 0.5W if I'm not mistaken? Probably closer to a 1W?


----------



## roskodan

@Kozwoz what is your goal? what are you trying to accomplish in terms of sound, signature? It's difficult to suggest a match without knowing what you are looking for.


----------



## Kozwoz

roskodan said:


> @Kozwoz what is your goal? what are you trying to accomplish in terms of sound, signature? It's difficult to suggest a match without knowing what you are looking for.


The V200 is what I'm looking for in terms of sound quality. It is smooth, punchy and powerful. At the moment I want to know how much power it will deliver to the LCD4 at 200 ohm. Music Path said 0.5W but looking at the specs this looks too low and I would suspect it gets closer to a 1W if not more. I'm not sure I want to go balanced with the V281. Does anyone know how can I contact Violectric? Can't seem to find contact information.


----------



## roskodan

www.violectric.com/contact


----------



## roskodan (May 4, 2020)

By my calculus 937mW per channel both channels driven. Or by Violectric terms 1874mW both channels driven, combined.


----------



## Music Path (May 4, 2020)

Kozwoz said:


> Why 0.5W? V200 puts out 0.57W at 600 Ohm and 2.2W and 100 Ohm. In any case the LCD4 will get more than 0.5W if I'm not mistaken? Probably closer to a 1W?



Yes, i was thinking at 16ohm, it puts around 1W at 200ohm, but keep in mind the lcd4 is not very sensitve either, so quite hard to drive, i wouldn´t be surprise if you would need up the gain on the V200 still. So fo get a fuller sound and more detail out the lcd4 you should still go to v280 or 281 on balanced mode especially and still with room left.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

I don't have the LCD-4 and I don't have a V200 unless you count my V280 which is supposedly two V200s 

But based on how the V280 drives the LCD-3 single-ended I think it is more than enough,


----------



## silversurfer616

I am interested in the V200/Lcd4 combo as well. Should have the amp next week and then I‘ll know...


----------



## Kozwoz

Violectrics got back to me and told me me the V200 absolutely has enough power for the LCD4 and should output 1700mW at 200 Ohm which is still a lot but recommend going balanced with the V280/281 but thats no surprise.


----------



## Fegefeuer

So what are you going to do now?


----------



## roskodan (May 6, 2020)

Kozwoz said:


> Violectrics got back to me and told me me the V200 absolutely has enough power for the LCD4 and should output 1700mW at 200 Ohm which is still a lot but recommend going balanced with the V280/281 but thats no surprise.



Keep in mind that is 1700mW into 2x 200 Ohms, combined. It's 850mW into 200 Ohms actually. I'm not arguing a lack in power. Just pointing out so you know when comparing with other amplifiers.


----------



## Kozwoz (May 6, 2020)

I'm going to contact them again and I want to know if the V281/V280 in SE is the same as the V220 in SE. If they say yes then i'll prob get the V281 and have the option to go balanced I guess as it's the V220 tonality I'm after. Also would like to know if the V281 is a better pre-amp than the V220 as I'm also looking to add this to my setup or are they the same? The difference between V220 and V281 just so you can go balanced is almost £400. I guess I'm reluctant because I really can't be bothered to re-terminate all my headphones, the added cost and hassle, I'm already spending so much... I have other sources I use regularly and cable swapping every time won't be good for the connectors. I have LCDX LCD2C and LCD4 and sending any of them in for repair will be such a hassle.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Balanced is not just about the cable ends, it's twice the power of single-ended and some noise rejection which may or may not make any difference. A decent balanced cable for the LCD is around 100 euros. The mini xlr connectors should be fine, they're made to be changed. Eventually the cables on the connector will fail but the connectors on the headphones look like they won't be affected.


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## roskodan

What I did is reterminate my cables to 4 pin xlr, and I made a couple 4 pin xlr to trs stereo adapters, from 15-25 cm of stock cable that I left on the original trs plug when I cut it off. I use Neutrik NC4F, NC4M and NP3X.


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## RestonDR

Hi everyone,

has someone compared the RNHP and the V200 ?
the V200 seems a lot more punchy and warmer but i can't define properly the "lot more" ...

thanks !


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## roskodan

RestonDR said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> has someone compared the RNHP and the V200 ?
> the V200 seems a lot more punchy and warmer but i can't define properly the "lot more" ...
> ...



Never heard the RNHP, but, going by reviews and tech specs, I don't see them in the same league (if one can get the V200 in the $450-650 price range). Except if there is a really synergetic match between some headphone and the RNHP.

The V200 can be too warm for some headphones, make them sound overly laid back, the likes of Audeze LCD series. Especially the more mellow models like the LCD2 and LCD3.
Which, with the LCD2, I actually liked for Jazz, Chamber and EDM music, but it really sucked for Hard Rock and Metal.

Both struggle with low impedance hard to drive headphones, like the MrSpeakers aka Dan Clark Audio, Hifiman HE-6, Susvara etc.

As for how warm is the V200 in general, let's say it's the amp one buys to pair with the HD800 rather than the LCD2, but, it won't be too warm for any headphone that is not too warm per se already.

I had only a few complaints with the V200, no gain switch and sub par performance with hard to drive low impedance headphones. Other than that, the sound and musical enjoyment it delivers is really hi-end level with most headphones. That said, I replaced it with a Schiit Mjolnir Mk1, which, sonically, imo does everything better and bigger. The V200 at it's current MSRP is just not competitive, although it's one of those amps that can easily be an endgame depending on the headphone match (till one gets to hear something better that is 🤣, yeah that's right, there is no endgame in this hobby, unless one is a quitter 😝).


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## RestonDR (Sep 9, 2020)

thank you

just got one used ( on it's way ) for 590 dollars ( shippment included ) ...
hard to know if it's a good value at this price compared to most recent material ...
it will be paired with a DT1990 or AKG 712 and a SMSL SU-8 as a source ...

but it wasn"t planned, i was on the go for a RNHP wich i already knew and liked very much, so ...
still wondering if it's a good shot as it's not my sonic preference ...


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## FiCurious

RestonDR said:


> thank you
> 
> just got one used ( on it's way ) for 590 dollars ( shippment included ) ...
> hard to know if it's a good value at this price compared to most recent material ...
> ...



If you're referring to picking up the V200, it's a great amp and that's a pretty solid price. I picked one up a couple months ago, and only decided to sell it because it was too similar to my iHA-6, and I found a good deal on a V280. I also have an RNHP. Overall, the V200 is a little wider and warmer than the RNHP without losing detail, has quite a bit more power (channel specific gain switch toggles on the back of the unit), and impact/speed is a little better than the RNHP. Where the RNHP excels is in its neutrality while maintaining musicality, natural timbre, and a holographic presentation with great spacial recreation.

The SU-8 should be a solid pairing with the ESS DAC providing some sharpness and more clinical input to counter the smooth and slightly warmer presentation of the V200. The V200 should also pair well with the 1990 and may slightly temper some of the treble energy that for some can be pushing tolerance limits.


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## RestonDR

thanks ...

qualities of the V200 are not in question ... i made a bet considering it's reputation, don't want to lose it  ...
hope the ESS sabre DAC and the technical habilities of the DT1990 will prevent the warm side to appear "muddy" ...

i only have an Audio GD once on the "warm side",  and if it wasn't bad at all, it hasn't kept me interested for long ...
music was nicely played, it was sympathic, but that's all ... with the RNHP the music seems a lot more real ( to me ... totally subjective )...

the only thing that bothers me is that i can't compare V200 and RNHP directly ... it's harder to make choices in those conditions ...


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## roskodan (Sep 10, 2020)

RestonDR said:


> thanks ...
> 
> qualities of the V200 are not in question ... i made a bet considering it's reputation, don't want to lose it  ...
> hope the ESS sabre DAC and the technical habilities of the DT1990 will prevent the warm side to appear "muddy" ...
> ...



Well, I've had the V200 for many years, I really liked it with top tire AKG, Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser. At the time my V200 + V800 stack, with LCD2 and HD800, was my endgame. Actually, I could go back to that setup and live happily forever, it covers all my music flawlessly. I sold it only after I went portable, the Hugo Mk1 and HD650 was my main rig for some time, till I got the Clear and Aeon (thx Tyll ), and with both needing an amp to really shine, I snatched a Mjolnir Mk1 from the classifieds.

I had the pleasure to listen to quite a few AGD amps, and imo, the V200 is less likely to be perceived as muddy than the average AGD amp. I always felt AGD house sound too be on the V shaped side. Definitely perceived it as warmer than the V200 Violectric house sound, with the AGD midrange being a little hollow vs Violectric. Violectric definitely maintains a strong grip on separation and clarity while giving more body to the presentation. AGD gave a more out of head presentation I guess, 'cos of it's specific house sound.


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## RestonDR

Thank you, really precious mark, considering my little experience ...
so many choices and materials ...


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## roskodan (Jan 31, 2021)

Aaaaaaaaand, here I go again, had to get it again, the older model without the fake stepped pot, and idk if anyone noticed, it also had a beefier transforme (2x 7.5VA vs 2x 5VA, or something like that).

EDIT: seems they changed for the 2x 5VA earlier than I thought. Sounds great 



Been A/B-ing between V200 and Mjolnir Mk1. Dang, both are really something. Also, I think I can finally put to rest my eternal inner debate about DC vs AC mode on the V200. DC mode definitely makes the V200 compete better vs the Mjolnir.


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## lukipela

Just got a deal on demo units at a semi local hi-fi shop. Got v200, 2xt1.1, T5p, he400 , t70, t90 and 6 various grados and alessandros for 1200 usd. One t1 and the T5p goes to friends. The v200 and the t1.1 is an old dream come true. It plays better than I thought it would.


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## spookanide

RestonDR said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> has someone compared the RNHP and the V200 ?
> the V200 seems a lot more punchy and warmer but i can't define properly the "lot more" ...
> ...


I did a demo of both on the same day. The v200 is warmer sounding to the point of bassy, just a bit more dynamic, but pulls apart the mids really nice to find details. The RNHP is an excellent all-rounder while the v200 is when you're sure you want some of the color. If you have warmer cans you might want to go for the Rupert Neve.


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## spookanide

roskodan said:


> What I did is reterminate my cables to 4 pin xlr, and I made a couple 4 pin xlr to trs stereo adapters, from 15-25 cm of stock cable that I left on the original trs plug when I cut it off. I use Neutrik NC4F, NC4M and NP3X.


Is the output balance good enough to do this on the v200?


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## roskodan

spookanide said:


> Is the output balance good enough to do this on the v200?


What? Sorry didn't get the question...


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## roskodan

If you meant getting balanced drive out of a V200, then, no, it's just one single ended output with two jacks for convenience.


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## spookanide

roskodan said:


> If you meant getting balanced drive out of a V200, then, no, it's just one single ended output with two jacks for convenience.


Yup, found that out myself now actually. I built a 4pin xlr balanced adapter and used one channel from either output. It is NOT meant to be used that way.


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## matts19 (Aug 14, 2022)

Recently bought V200 and loving it. I also feed its pre-out to my active desktop speakers (Vanatoo T0) and boy never did I know my speakers could hit so hard, so low.

But why? I thought RCA cables normally carried only small current over 2V . I have to assume there is something going on here. Is V200 pre-out ports more than 2V ? No other head amps I used could make my loud speakers hit so hard, so low. Not Singxer SA-1, not Asgard 3, not OTL amplifiers. It is like, I don't need to upgrade my speakers anymore.


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## spookanide

matts19 said:


> Recently bought V200 and loving it. I also feed its pre-out to my active speakers and boy never did I know my speakers could hit so hard, so low.
> 
> But why? I thought RCA cables normally carried only small current over 2V . I have to assume there is something going on here. Is V200 pre-out ports more than 2V ? No other head amps I used could make my speaker hit so hard, so low. Not Singxer SA-1, not Asgard 3, not OTL amplifiers. It is like, I don't need to upgrade my speakers anymore.


The V200 certainly has a color to the sound, it's not about the drive.


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## matts19 (Aug 14, 2022)

spookanide said:


> The V200 certainly has a color to the sound, it's not about the drive.


I tell ya, the speakers thump way more with V200. Much like it makes your headphones way more dynamic. But yeah I see what you mean, that (dynamics) could just be due to coloring.


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## jonathan c

An excellent pairing if one seeks natural and rewarding sound.


  [Cable is Lavricables Grand Silver. The Beyerdynamic DT-880 (600 ohm) was modified to ‘cable detachable’ by Custom Cans UK (jfunk.org)]


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## spookanide

matts19 said:


> I tell ya, the speakers thump way more with V200. Much like it makes your headphones way more dynamic. But yeah I see what you mean, that (dynamics) could just be due to coloring.


Not the dynamics, but I think the signature balance is skewed towards the bottom to get that satisfying rumble. I love it tbh. To me this very dynamic sound should always be the goal. It might be applying slight gain expansion as opposed to gain linearity or even compression, but who cares it sounds awesome. Amps like the THX AAA or certain DACs got on my nerves because it feels like it's all held back a bit.

How are you using pre-out though? I have an older model with RCA and XLR inputs, do the RCAs double as a pre-out?


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## Kozwoz

matts19 said:


> I tell ya, the speakers thump way more with V200. Much like it makes your headphones way more dynamic. But yeah I see what you mean, that (dynamics) could just be due to coloring.


What exactly do you have? The V200 doesn’t come with pre-amp out. Only ins.


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## gimmeheadroom

I think none of the 200 series do except for the V281.


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## Kozwoz

Actually I just checked are the RCA say “unbalanced in/out” - is this to mean they can’t either be used in or out? How does that work.


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## Fegefeuer

You can set jumpers to use the RCA as input or output. Line Level is fixed.


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## Kozwoz (Aug 17, 2022)

Fegefeuer said:


> You can set jumpers to use the RCA as input or output. Line Level is fixed.


Does this mean there is no volume control? And if not can you control gain via internal jumpers?


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## gimmeheadroom

Guys, if you decide to change the jumper it would be a good idea to use a labelmaker or at least some write kind of sticker on the back panel to remind yourself what mode the RCA jacks are set to.


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## gimmeheadroom

Kozwoz said:


> Does this mean there is volume control?


No, that's what he said. Fixed level, not affected by volume. Fried refers to this mode as "a buffer."


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## Kozwoz

Do you find that the sound is consistent when running to active speakers as it is with headphone out? Same characteristics?


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## gimmeheadroom

As far as I know it's a buffered passthrough. It does not go through the amplification circuit, it should not sound any different than what came in on the XLR inputs.


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## Kozwoz (Aug 17, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> As far as I know it's a buffered passthrough. It does not go through the amplification circuit, it should not sound any different than what came in on the XLR inputs.


That’s a bit confusing. @matts19 seemed to suggest a few posts ago his speakers were hitting a lot harder with the v200 and there is some colouring of the sound. How is that possible if it’s just a pass through?

Also if if you’re DAC isn’t putting in 2V into the v200 but it is outputting that then it’s clearly doing something to the sound apart from just pass through. Therefore some additional gain?


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## gimmeheadroom (Aug 17, 2022)

Kozwoz said:


> That’s a bit confusing. @matts19 seemed to suggest a few posts ago his speakers ‘thumped’ a lot harder and hitting a lot harder with the v200 and there is some colouring of the sound. How is that possible if it’s just a pass through?



I don't feel compelled to explain justify random statements on the net. I'm just telling you what I gathered from writing with Fried about this and using it on my V280 as he suggested, for my specific use case.



Kozwoz said:


> Also if if you’re DAC isn’t putting in 2V into the v200 but it is outputting that then it’s clearly doing something to the sound apart from just pass through. Therefore some additional gain?



I don't have a V200, I have a V280. And my DAC puts 4+ volts into the V280 using balanced XLR.


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## Kozwoz (Aug 17, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I don't feel compelled to explain random statements on the net. I'm just telling you what I gathered from writing with Fried about this and using it on my V280 as he suggested, for my specific use case.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't have a V200, I have a V280. And my DAC puts 4+ volts into the V280 using balanced XLR.


I was really asking if you had anecdotal experience and whether it does colour the sound in any way.

I’ve looked at the manual and the outs use buffer amplifiers in order to decouple the output signal. Therefore you can view it as a pass through - sure but it’s still changing the sound and imparting some change which was not inherent at the DAC stage. The manual says it ‘reconditions’ the signal and so it’s doing something to the sound.


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## gimmeheadroom

Kozwoz said:


> I was really asking if you had anecdotal experience and whether it does colour the sound in any way.



I did not expect any coloring, Fried suggests there is not, and I didn't hear any.



Kozwoz said:


> I’ve looked at the manual and the outs use buffer amplifiers in order to decouple the output signal. Therefore it’s you can view it as a pass through - sure.



Ok, ...



Kozwoz said:


> But it’s still changing the sound and imparting some change which was not inherent at the DAC stage.



I don't see any basis for that claim. Are you repeating what somebody else said which you have not verified or are you speaking from anecdotal experience?



Kozwoz said:


> The manual says it’s ‘reconditions’ the signal and so it’s doing something to the sound.



So write to Fried and get a decisive answer.


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## Kozwoz (Aug 17, 2022)

gimmeheadroom said:


> I did not expect any coloring, Fried suggests there is not, and I didn't hear any.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I’m not repeating what someone has told me. I’m literally reading the manual and it says it goes through an output buffer stage and reconditions the sound.  Therefore the sound won’t be 100% identical to your DAC. Whether you can hear a change is another matter. 

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/905914/Violectric-Hpa-V200.html?page=21#manual

I will write to Fried as you suggested.


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## Kozwoz

Deleted


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