# Violectric HPA V550 - Blue's Brother and the successor to the V281



## Fegefeuer (Dec 29, 2020)

Now available in Europe

https://www.cma.audio/detail/index/sArticle/2230


https://drop.com/buy/violectric-hpa-v550-headphone-amp
download the manual below


























*POWER*


HP ImpedanceUa (dBu)Ua (V)Pa (mW)60028,721,174030028,620,9145010028,520,743005027,317,964003224,012,347001617,35,72000812,33,2130046,81,7700


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## gimmeheadroom

I guess these are the outputs SE because the V280 is rated around 2.65 WPC at 300 ohms balanced.


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## sahmen

I'm assuming the answer is a "no," but I shall ask anyway :  "Any early reviews yet, anywhere?"


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## Fegefeuer

Take the V590, remove the DAC and you got yourself a V550.


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## Lambeek

Fegefeuer said:


> Take the V590, remove the DAC and you got yourself a V550.


The V550 PRO edition is confirmed in the manual. Any ideas about when and where can we pre-order that?


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## Fegefeuer

Sometime 2021. Since this is @ArthurPower territory he will know it better.


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## gimmeheadroom

Lambeek said:


> The V550 PRO edition is confirmed in the manual. Any ideas about when and where can we pre-order that?


Don't try it with those Fostex


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## Slim1970

Would like to hear this, a Niimbus US 4/4+, and Luxman P-750U for an ulitmate amp comparison.


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## Nostoi

Slim1970 said:


> Would like to hear this, a Niimbus US 4/4+, and Luxman P-750U for an ulitmate amp comparison.


Yes to this alongside the Sparkos Aries. 

Any sense on when the V550 will be available in EU?


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## Slim1970

Nostoi said:


> Yes to this alongside the Sparkos Aries.
> 
> Any sense on when the V550 will be available in EU?


Not sure that it will be since it's a Drop exclusive. Not sure if shipping internationally is an option at this point. It wouldn't hurt to inquire with the folks over at Drop to check.


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## Fegefeuer

No need for Drop if you can wait a bit and are from the EU.


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## project86 (Nov 29, 2020)

I'll just leave this here...





Keep in mind this is pre-order for the moment. I'm told the amps will leave Germany on 12/18 to arrive at the US distributor in New Jersey, who will then ship them out to each customer. Based on that, should arrive just a bit after Christmas.


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## attilais

I almost pulled the trigger on V590 standard version this morning, then I saw this.
Should I give up the relay volume and add $350 to get the built-in DAC is a real headache to me now.

I assume the DAC is a step up from my Berkeley alpha 1st gen, which was expensive but is a product w/ 10+ years age; but how much it's better is hard to judge... and V550 provides a perfect reason for future upgrade...


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## project86

I would stick with the Berkeley Alpha, that's still an excellent DAC. Add in a good DDC like the Matrix X-SPDIF II if you need modern USB interface.


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## attilais

project86 said:


> I would stick with the Berkeley Alpha, that's still an excellent DAC. Add in a good DDC like the Matrix X-SPDIF II if you need modern USB interface.



Thanks for the suggestion! Pre-ordered V550.


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## Roasty

Can someone enlighten me? If the v550 is the v590 minus the dac, how come the v550 is listed more expensive than the v590 on the power holdings website?


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## SQ13

i guess v590 is 10% off and v550 is the pro version. yes, v550 is v590 without dac. i think drop also has non pro v550


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## Fegefeuer (Nov 30, 2020)

Yep

PRO nomenclature means reed relais volume pot or +600 Dollars compared to the non-PRO version.

Except for the current deal. Absolute no-brainer. Get the best version for the same price.


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## SQ13

don’t flame me, i remembered Drop was selling V550 for $2.5k without pro upgrade. So it’s the same cost when you factor in the upgrade


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## buzzlulu

Yes - and no
One could buy the V590 PRO for $3749 - Headphone Amp AND DAC
or
V550 PRO for $$3399 Headphone Amp ONLY
so

ONLY +$349 to also include the built in DAC

It seems like the Headphone Amp only version is priced on the high side
or they are figuring that the included DAC does not have much value???


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## attilais

It's easier to compare retail prices due to different promotions going on.
I remember drop V550 (standard) page has list price as $2799 and discounted price as $2499; the list price matches pre-orders above.

Based on prices on both sides, DAC value is 
    3500 - 2800 = $700 using retail prices
    3150 - 2500 = $650 using discounted prices

So it depends on how important each feature is to you: AIO w/ DAC, the relay volume.
Although I chose V550, I actually quite like the standard V590 - you get a decent DAC (assuming it is), save all the mess of an extra device w/ a power cord and a pair of signal cable, all at $700.


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## buzzlulu

buzzlulu said:


> Yes - and no
> One could buy the V590 PRO for $3749 - Headphone Amp AND DAC
> or
> V550 PRO for $$3399 Headphone Amp ONLY
> ...



Actually I stand corrected (did not apply the promo code) - so today prices are :

V550 Pro $2800 - AMP only
V590 non Pro $3149 - AMP + DAC


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## project86

Yes it's a little confusing initially, because the V550 has the promo code (which reduces the posted price) while the V590 instead is listed under the reduced price already. Once you figure that out, the disparity between them makes a lot of sense.

I still think the cost of getting the DAC part of V590 is absolutely worth it for most people... the exception would be those who already own a really high end DAC, or those who intend to buy one in the near future. And by "really high end DAC" I'm talking stuff in the $2-4k range (or beyond). And even some of those wouldn't compete with the V590 DAC imho.


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## buzzlulu




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## jlbrach (Dec 5, 2020)

the 550 will be a very interesting product, the 281 was an outstanding amp that stayed popular for a long time and a product that is indeed quieter with a black background a bigger soundstage could be a huge success


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## Fegefeuer

V550 Pro and V550 are now available in Europe


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## Rob the Comic

Slim1970 said:


> Would like to hear this, a Niimbus US 4/4+, and Luxman P-750U for an ulitmate amp comparison.


I’d include the Phonitor XE in the line up 👍


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## vonBaron

Would to hear compare GS-X mini to V550.


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## buzzlulu (Jan 1, 2021)

vonBaron said:


> Would to hear compare GS-X mini to V550.



Give me some time.  My Mini is still here having vanquished all competitors  (with the exception of my Stax rig) - even the V281.
UPS will be delivering my V550 Pro on Monday


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## jlbrach

I would expect the 550 pro to best the mini fairly easily


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## vonBaron (Jan 1, 2021)

I don't think so...
At least i hope not


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## jlbrach

personally I think the 281 is better than the mini but thats me....I expect the 550 pro to be a real hit


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## vonBaron (Jan 1, 2021)

Never head V281, soon i will be listen Niimbus.
Read that V281 is warm amp and V550 can be even warmer?


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## Fegefeuer

No, the V550 is a middle-point between the US4+ and the V281.


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## jlbrach

the way it has been reported to me is the 550 is a bit more powerful, quieter with a larger soundstage...that sounds like a hell of a combo to me


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## vonBaron

Fegefeuer said:


> No, the V550 is a middle-point between the US4+ and the V281.


Well i can see that.


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## buzzlulu

Fegefeuer said:


> No, the V550 is a middle-point between the US4+ and the V281.



And my understanding is that the Nimbus is in the direction of less warm so a V550 would be slightly less warm than the V281 - correct?



jlbrach said:


> the way it has been reported to me is the 550 is a bit more powerful, quieter with a larger soundstage...that sounds like a hell of a combo to me



Quieter is what I want as that was my problem with the V281.  Other than that I quite liked it.
Larger soundstage?  That would be nice for my main cans the Utopia


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## Fegefeuer

Yes, Niimbus is the most neutral, followed by the V550 and then the V281. V550 is already a departure from the 281 so while it's a successor it's not the same sound. It eases off the V281's euphonic slider and turns up technicalities. If people are happy with the V281's signature there's no need to change. However happiness around here is not about settling so let's not get carried away. 

I still suggest getting the V590 Pro since its DAC is so good and pretty undersold. However the AKM fire has terrible consequences now.


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## sahmen

Fegefeuer said:


> Yes, Niimbus is the most neutral, followed by the V550 and then the V281. V550 is already a departure from the 281 so while it's a successor it's not the same sound. It eases off the V281's euphonic slider and turns up technicalities. If people are happy with the V281's signature there's no need to change. However happiness around here is not about settling so let's not get carried away.
> 
> I still suggest getting the V590 Pro since its DAC is so good and pretty undersold. However the AKM fire has terrible consequences now.



Nothing against the V590 (pro), but setting aside DACs, do you know whether or when the V550 or the pro version might ever return to Drop (or Massdrop)?


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## Fegefeuer

No idea. No Pro version for drop though. Just get it from @ArthurPower


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## born2relax

is the DAC in the 590 better than the Bifrost 2?


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## Men1608

Fegefeuer said:


> Yes, Niimbus is the most neutral, followed by the V550 and then the V281. V550 is already a departure from the 281 so while it's a successor it's not the same sound. It eases off the V281's euphonic slider and turns up technicalities. If people are happy with the V281's signature there's no need to change. However happiness around here is not about settling so let's not get carried away.
> 
> I still suggest getting the V590 Pro since its DAC is so good and pretty undersold. However the AKM fire has terrible consequences now.


I’m happy with V281 signature and shall not be ‘upgrading’ to V550 / 590.


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## buzzlulu

Fegefeuer said:


> I still suggest getting the V590 Pro since its DAC is so good and pretty undersold.



Sorry however I come from high end 2 channel land (Naim,Linn,dCS) and take a different approach
from many on HeadFi. When system building I spend the biggest part of my budget with a “source first” rule. Amplifier and speaker (headphone) budget come afterwards. 
I will be using the V550 Pro primarily with a Linn Klimax DS.  dCS Rossini after that.


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## jlbrach

I agree with you for the most part...DAC first followed by amp although of late I am starting to amend that slightly


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## Lolito

buzzlulu said:


> Sorry however I come from high end 2 channel land (Naim,Linn,dCS) and take a different approach
> from many on HeadFi. When system building I spend the biggest part of my budget with a “source first” rule. Amplifier and speaker (headphone) budget come afterwards.
> I will be using the V550 Pro primarily with a Linn Klimax DS.  dCS Rossini after that.



That sounds like a fabolous approach. Many people saying all dacs are the same, but it is not true and it is the source. In vinyl people spend lot o fmoney on cartridges and what not. No point on making any expensive digital setup without a decent dac. Have you heard Denafrips ARES II dac?


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## jlbrach

if all DAC's were the same nobody would ever buy a chord dave or a bartok or more expensive DAC's and would only buy inexpensive ones...


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## Fegefeuer

buzzlulu said:


> Sorry however I come from high end 2 channel land (Naim,Linn,dCS) and take a different approach
> from many on HeadFi. When system building I spend the biggest part of my budget with a “source first” rule. Amplifier and speaker (headphone) budget come afterwards.
> I will be using the V550 Pro primarily with a Linn Klimax DS.  dCS Rossini after that.



Good for you but I didn't quote you regarding my last paragraph.

I'd just get the V590 Pro over the 550 Pro any time as the internal DAC is a "pretty small" additional cost in the grand scheme, given its great value, price/performance. That's all. I didn't hint at it replacing 10k DACs or it being endgame or anything. I'd get it before a Hugo 2 + V550 Pro for instance. Nothing more to it.


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## jlbrach

I would MUCH rather have the h2 with the 550 if the money is available


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## Fegefeuer

Have you heard the V590's DAC?


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## jlbrach

I have not but I have heard numerous DAC's included with top notch amps over the years and a separate amp like the H2 will always be better...has to be, no way to include such a quality DAC and keep the cost down....perhaps this is the exception?..I am doubtful


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## buzzlulu

Fegefeuer said:


> Good for you but I didn't quote you regarding my last paragraph.
> 
> I'd just get the V590 Pro over the 550 Pro any time as the internal DAC is a "pretty small" additional cost in the grand scheme, given its great value, price/performance. That's all. I didn't hint at it replacing 10k DACs or it being endgame or anything. I'd get it before a Hugo 2 + V550 Pro for instance. Nothing more to it.



Sorry if there was a misunderstanding.  I was not implying that.

I agree with the above poster however re the Hugo2.  The bottom line is the internal DAC in the V590 is still an off the shelf ESS chip.  Violectric is also not known for their DAC's but rather their headphone amplifiers.  The DAC's seem like afterthoughts (although that is perhaps too harsh of a word).  Instead I am saying they are not known as a DAC manufacturer pushing the envelope in research and design of digital conversation.  Not that I am against off the shelf DAC chips however other companies such as Mytek etc. utilize the same ESS chips however are primarily know as DAC companies so their R&D concentrates there.

I have just finished building a small second two channel system to go with my big Naim/dCS/Linn.  It is fronted by a vintage Naim Nait2 integrated.  I have a Chord Qutest inbound and I will be curious to see how it sounds - and then later how it sounds with the V550 Pro with arrived last night.


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## project86

jlbrach said:


> I have not but I have heard numerous DAC's included with top notch amps over the years and a separate amp like the H2 will always be better...has to be, no way to include such a quality DAC and keep the cost down....perhaps this is the exception?..I am doubtful



I think generally speaking, integrated DAC/amp units tend to have some compromise. That's typically by design rather than an inherent limitation - what's the target market, and which functions are they primarily interested in? Thus we end up with DAC products featuring a "bonus" headphone stage (Mytek, Benchmark) or headphone amps with an optional (and relatively affordable) DAC section (V281, Simaudio 430HA, etc). Typically there's a main focus and then the other function which some people may not even need/want.

It certainly is possible to go all-out with a DAC/amp unit, or for that matter an integrated amp (for speakers) - it's just not as common. When you think about it, you are really just building two components into one enclosure. If the power supply is well done and beefy enough, there's plenty of room to "share" it between the two sections. Think about a really really high-end CD player though - isn't it really just a transport and DAC built into the same chassis? Do you have any conceptual problem with those?

I admit that it's not so common but I really do think you'd be surprised at how great the V590 DAC section is. I also prefer it to a Hugo 2 after direct comparison, as well as quite a few other DACs in the $1k-3k range. Is it meant to compete with dCS or Esoteric or EMM Labs etc? Nope. Save that for the upcoming Niimbus dedicated DAC. But the V590 DAC is most certainly the real deal regardless of being built-in, and will no doubt thoroughly satisfy most listeners. 



buzzlulu said:


> Sorry if there was a misunderstanding.  I was not implying that.
> 
> I agree with the above poster however re the Hugo2.  The bottom line is the internal DAC in the V590 is still an off the shelf ESS chip.  Violectric is also not known for their DAC's but rather their headphone amplifiers.  The DAC's seem like afterthoughts (although that is perhaps too harsh of a word).  Instead I am saying they are not known as a DAC manufacturer pushing the envelope in research and design of digital conversation.  Not that I am against off the shelf DAC chips however other companies such as Mytek etc. utilize the same ESS chips however are primarily know as DAC companies so their R&D concentrates there.
> 
> I have just finished building a small second two channel system to go with my big Naim/dCS/Linn.  It is fronted by a vintage Naim Nait2 integrated.  I have a Chord Qutest inbound and I will be curious to see how it sounds - and then later how it sounds with the V550 Pro with arrived last night.



The V590 doesn't use an ESS chip but rather dual mono AKM chips combined with a resampling circuit. You are correct in saying Violectric is more known for their headphone amplifiers, but they were also one of the first companies to build an outboard DAC many decades ago (under the Lake People brand). So they have been around the block longer than most and know how to do it right. 

In any case, your V550 Pro should sound great with the Qutest - arguably my favorite of the Chord lineup for various reasons. Enjoy!


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## buzzlulu

Correct me if I am wrong however just like the V281 the new V550 can accept single ended RCA inputs and it will internally convert to a fully balanced signal to then drive balanced headphones??


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## jlbrach

yes correct


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## attilais

Received my V550 pro 3 days ago; connected to bricasti M3 (ethernet input) and had some short listenings:

- HD800S with stock single ended cable - works fine but too loud; for classical music, I need to set pre-gain to -18 to be able to turn volume to 12 o'clock. (M3 level is 0db)
- K1000 through XLR input - set pre-gain to -6 to be able to turn volume to 11~12 o'clock. However, left and right channel are reversed.

In both K1000 and V550 manuals, the XLR pin definition is:
1: left +
2: left -
3: right +
4: right -

What could the problem here? Inputs appreciated!


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## elisiX

No experience as yet with the updated amps on offer, but regarding the earlier discussion on integrated DAC's, I have the V281 FE (build in DAC) paired with my RME ADI-2. In comparing the V281 solo vs. V281+RME I find the RME to be a much better pairing with the V281 than the internal DAC of the V281. To me it feels like the cooler RME paired with the warmer V281 operates more naturally than the V281 FE on it's own.


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## vonBaron

I was thinking about V550 Pro but i think he will don't match SQ of Niimbus, and i don't think he will be worth buying if i still have GS-X mini.


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## Arniesb

vonBaron said:


> I was thinking about V550 Pro but i think he will don't match SQ of Niimbus, and i don't think he will be worth buying if i still have GS-X mini.


I think so too. i liked their v280 paired with neutral dacs and thought non step attentuator version of niimbus would cost 3k at most when it was announced...
It cost like frickin Cambridge Audio Edge M and Niimbus looks nowhere near expensive when it comes to parts.
Why it cost so much? I dont see any magical parts.
V280 and v281 cost was fair, but now...


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## vonBaron

For me price of Niimbus is resonable for what i hear...


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## project86

Arniesb said:


> I think so too. i liked their v280 paired with neutral dacs and thought non step attentuator version of niimbus would cost 3k at most when it was announced...
> It cost like frickin Cambridge Audio Edge M and Niimbus looks nowhere near expensive when it comes to parts.
> Why it cost so much? I dont see any magical parts.
> V280 and v281 cost was fair, but now...



I totally get the price is very high on the Niimbus products, and it's a sticking point for potential buyers. But I also think the comparison to the Edge M is apples/oranges. You can't just go by looks. Edge M is a power amp for speakers while the Niimbus is a preamp/headphone amp. Consider the complex reed-relay volume solution alone - it doesn't really look like much but certainly adds to the cost and complexity of the build. That's just one factor among many.

Plus, Cambridge makes all their gear in China. They have done so for years if I remember correctly. Meanwhile Niimbus gear is hand built in Germany. Cambridge Audio also mass produces their products in far greater numbers - even the relatively expensive Edge stuff is far more widely distributed than the Niimbus components (which are pretty much textbook examples of boutique specialty gear). 

I'm not knocking Cambridge Audio in any way, it's just a very different approach and two very distinct products.


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## Arniesb

project86 said:


> I totally get the price is very high on the Niimbus products, and it's a sticking point for potential buyers. But I also think the comparison to the Edge M is apples/oranges. You can't just go by looks. Edge M is a power amp for speakers while the Niimbus is a preamp/headphone amp. Consider the complex reed-relay volume solution alone - it doesn't really look like much but certainly adds to the cost and complexity of the build. That's just one factor among many.
> 
> Plus, Cambridge makes all their gear in China. They have done so for years if I remember correctly. Meanwhile Niimbus gear is hand built in Germany. Cambridge Audio also mass produces their products in far greater numbers - even the relatively expensive Edge stuff is far more widely distributed than the Niimbus components (which are pretty much textbook examples of boutique specialty gear).
> 
> I'm not knocking Cambridge Audio in any way, it's just a very different approach and two very distinct products.


I understand, but even non fancy wolume control version cost just as much. Ofc i understand that they sell them even at that price, so why lower it? Ofc there are some good options when it comes to amps, but not everything is sold in europe and none have such good support and build quality as Violectric stuff. I doubt i could even try it cause not many can afford it.


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## Arniesb

On another note. My friend what do you think is bigger step up? V280 to v550 or V550 To Niimbus?
Thanks.


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## buzzlulu

Curious on that as well


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## project86

Arniesb said:


> I understand, but even non fancy wolume control version cost just as much. Ofc i understand that they sell them even at that price, so why lower it? Ofc there are some good options when it comes to amps, but not everything is sold in europe and none have such good support and build quality as Violectric stuff. I doubt i could even try it cause not many can afford it.



I think your comment about Violectric (and therefore Niimbus) having such good support and build quality ties directly in with the pricing aspect. Plus the company has always been open about wanting to pay their workers a proper living wage, and to do a good job with the builds in order to minimize any issues (which lead to returns, which cost more money for warranty repair etc). No, it's not budget gear, and it is certainly possible to get excellent amps or DACs for lower prices if that's the goal. Thankfully the market is able to support various products and pricing, and it's up to us to choose which ones are the best fit. 



Arniesb said:


> On another note. My friend what do you think is bigger step up? V280 to v550 or V550 To Niimbus?
> Thanks.



Well I'd be extrapolating a bit as I mainly have experience with V281, V590, and Niimbus US4+. Can't say for sure how much that translates to V280, V550, and Niimbus US4 (non plus) but it should be vaguely in the same ballpark.

In any case I think the degree of improvement really depends on the rest of the setup. If one has a highly resolving rig (and listens to excellent recordings etc), the step from V550/V590 to Niimbus is remarkable. While the V5X0 sounds great, the Niimbus gives that "last few percent" improvement which can translate from "great sounding HiFi" to "convincingly lifelike" - yes I know I'm using a lot of quotation marks here but you get the point. 

V28X to V5X0 is certainly an appreciable upgrade though, and if one listens to a more broad collection of music (some not particularly amazing in terms of quality) then it's a similar jump compared to V5X0 to Niimbus.


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## vonBaron

project86 said:


> I think your comment about Violectric (and therefore Niimbus) having such good support and build quality ties directly in with the pricing aspect. Plus the company has always been open about wanting to pay their workers a proper living wage, and to do a good job with the builds in order to minimize any issues (which lead to returns, which cost more money for warranty repair etc). No, it's not budget gear, and it is certainly possible to get excellent amps or DACs for lower prices if that's the goal. Thankfully the market is able to support various products and pricing, and it's up to us to choose which ones are the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Did you listen GS-X mini?


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## Arniesb

project86 said:


> I think your comment about Violectric (and therefore Niimbus) having such good support and build quality ties directly in with the pricing aspect. Plus the company has always been open about wanting to pay their workers a proper living wage, and to do a good job with the builds in order to minimize any issues (which lead to returns, which cost more money for warranty repair etc). No, it's not budget gear, and it is certainly possible to get excellent amps or DACs for lower prices if that's the goal. Thankfully the market is able to support various products and pricing, and it's up to us to choose which ones are the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Understandable. Niimbus is probably out of my reach, but V550 is on my radar. Previously thought about Headamp mini, but you have to send it to Usa for repair and deal with customs and while i liked Topping a90 a lot i would feel set for life with German build quality and support.


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## project86

vonBaron said:


> Did you listen GS-X mini?



I've heard it a handful of times but never in my own setup, and never for long enough to make any serious judgements on it. It seems like a great amp but that's as far as I can go.



Arniesb said:


> Understandable. Niimbus is probably out of my reach, but V550 is on my radar. Previously thought about Headamp mini, but you have to send it to Usa for repair and deal with customs and while i liked Topping a90 a lot i would feel set for life with German build quality and support.



Support is something people seem to gloss over for some reason, but I think you have a good point here. Audio gear tends to be pretty reliable but failures do happen even with high-quality products, and in those unfortunate cases it's important to have solid support. Will the company still be around? And what is their reputation for handling issues? In the case of Violectric we have good answers to both of those inquiries.


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## JCANs

attilais said:


> Received my V550 pro 3 days ago; connected to bricasti M3 (ethernet input) and had some short listenings:
> 
> - HD800S with stock single ended cable - works fine but too loud; for classical music, I need to set pre-gain to -18 to be able to turn volume to 12 o'clock. (M3 level is 0db)
> - K1000 through XLR input - set pre-gain to -6 to be able to turn volume to 11~12 o'clock. However, left and right channel are reversed.
> ...


Curious to hear if you figured out what caused the channel reversal...


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## JCANs

elisiX said:


> No experience as yet with the updated amps on offer, but regarding the earlier discussion on integrated DAC's, I have the V281 FE (build in DAC) paired with my RME ADI-2. In comparing the V281 solo vs. V281+RME I find the RME to be a much better pairing with the V281 than the internal DAC of the V281. To me it feels like the cooler RME paired with the warmer V281 operates more naturally than the V281 FE on it's own.


I am in the same boat - looking to pair my RME with one of the Violectric amps... Are you considering trying the 550/590?


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## GiBGUN

+1 here as well. Looking for a stellar amp to go with the ADI-2 FS and have been considering the V550.


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## gimmeheadroom

GiBGUN said:


> +1 here as well. Looking for a stellar amp to go with the ADI-2 FS and have been considering the V550.


If you can find a V280/281 you can save some money. If not, probably impossible to go wrong with any Violetric/Nimbus. The DAC is optional on the V281 btw.


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## ecva

Hi, I have been looking for reviews specifically for the vs550 alone but I'm not sure if there are any yet? I am contemplating on getting it but due to the lack of reviews i might just hold off for the meantime. I am coming from an auralic taurus mk2 amp and I have always felt that I missed out on the v281 for my hd800. Looking at the v550 this might be a chance for redemption. I might just have to wait a bit longer for more reviews and impressions.


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## gimmeheadroom

There is no need to wait for reviews. Anything stamped Violectric, Lake People, Nimbus is worth buying if the price is what you want to pay.


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## ecva

gimmeheadroom said:


> There is no need to wait for reviews. Anything stamped Violectric, Lake People, Nimbus is worth buying if the price is what you want to pay.



You're right.


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## dkar

Any thoughts on wether the v550 Pro is worth the upgrade?  I’m considering a v550 and this would be an amp I’m looking to build a system around over time. Would I notice a difference between the v550 vs v550 Pro?


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## attilais

JCANs said:


> Curious to hear if you figured out what caused the channel reversal...


Not yet.
I connected my HD800S to the XLR extension cable of K1000 and tried to drive it with F1J, and heard only noises.
It looks pin definitions of K1000 and HD800S are different.


----------



## ecva (Mar 8, 2021)

Wow I am continuously getting impressed with the v550. I thought the Taurus was end game for me as far as amps go but luckily my curiosity kicked in again and no regrets at all. The sound is more controlled in both my headphones. The Taurus is definitely brighter being the more analytical amp. The blacker background from the V550 is also a welcome surprise. I am not a reviewer but I can say the Vio has more air and separation than the Taurus. Also just a tad bit warmer with no loss of detail. I am surprised this amp is not getting more traction and reviews online but between H2 and the Vio, this is my end game (wishful thinking).


----------



## zelkop

ecva said:


> Wow I am continuously getting impressed with the v550. I thought the Taurus was end game for me as far as amps go but luckily my curiosity kicked in again and no regrets at all. The sound is more controlled in both my headphones. The Taurus is definitely brighter being the more analytical amp. The blacker background from the V550 is also a welcome surprise. I am not a reviewer but I can say the Vio has more air and separation than the Taurus. Also just a tad bit warmer with no loss of detail. I am surprised this amp is not getting more traction and reviews online but between H2 and the Vio, this is my end game (wishful thinking).



Do you have a PRO version and, if yes, do you hear any noise while using the volume control? I am about to pull a trigger on the V550 and unsure whether to go for a PRO version, after reading experiences with v590 PRO in another thread. Thanks in advance.


----------



## ecva

zelkop said:


> Do you have a PRO version and, if yes, do you hear any noise while using the volume control? I am about to pull a trigger on the V550 and unsure whether to go for a PRO version, after reading experiences with v590 PRO in another thread. Thanks in advance.



I am using the non pro version. No noise whatsoever with the volume control. Not sure about the difference in sound vs the pro though as the local distributor only had the regular version. Hope this helped.


----------



## dkar

zelkop said:


> Do you have a PRO version and, if yes, do you hear any noise while using the volume control? I am about to pull a trigger on the V550 and unsure whether to go for a PRO version, after reading experiences with v590 PRO in another thread. Thanks in advance.


I should be receiving my v590 Pro today. I’ll let you know if I hear any noises with the volume control.


----------



## zelkop (Mar 10, 2021)

dkar said:


> I should be receiving my v590 Pro today. I’ll let you know if I hear any noises with the volume control.


Thank you both for your answers, ecva and dkar. I am planning to pair v550 with the existing Rockna Wavedream dac and Empyrean headphones. I do not think that minor difference in sound quality between regular and PRO versions would matter to me (expect it to be minor), it is more about smoothness of operation and durability. I would consider paying more for a PRO if the volume control really feels solid and pleasantly smooth, without background noise (with or without playing the audio file). Violectric also says that PRO's volume control is contactless and hence more durable. I am now using the older Violectric v200 which has an Alps-type stepped volume control - not noisy but also not very smooth in operation (steps are quite large). I wish I could try before buying


----------



## dkar

zelkop said:


> Thank you both for your answers, ecva and dkar. I am planning to pair v550 with the existing Rockna Wavedream dac and Empyrean headphones. I do not think that minor difference in sound quality between regular and PRO versions would matter to me (expect it to be minor), it is more about smoothness of operation and durability. I would consider paying more for a PRO if the volume control really feels solid and pleasantly smooth, without background noise (with or without playing the audio file). Violectric also says that PRO's volume control is contactless and hence more durable. I am now using the older Violectric v200 which has an Alps-type stepped volume control - not noisy but also not very smooth in operation (steps are quite large). I wish I could try before buying



On my v590 Pro there’s a very faint clicking when changing volume. It’s not very noticeable and I have to listen to it with normal operation to hear it. This is not something that bothers me at all and I would suspect that this is normal.

The volume pot itself is buttery smooth and a joy to use.


----------



## zelkop (Mar 10, 2021)

dkar said:


> On my v590 Pro there’s a very faint clicking when changing volume. It’s not very noticeable and I have to listen to it with normal operation to hear it. This is not something that bothers me at all and I would suspect that this is normal.
> 
> The volume pot itself is buttery smooth and a joy to use.


Thank you, it seems like this is the way to go for me! Relay pots tend to give some sign of life when changing volume, this is normal Violectric says.


----------



## Relaxasaurus

Are there photos showing the internals of this puppy?


----------



## ecva

Relaxasaurus said:


> Are there photos showing the internals of this puppy?



There are some images for the internals of V590 in google but not of the v550 I think. I am too afraid to open mine as a guinea pig though.


----------



## sahmen

ecva said:


> There are some images for the internals of V590 in google but not of the v550 I think. I am too afraid to open mine as a guinea pig though.



Yeah, about this topic of the internals, could those of the V590 successfully serve as a useful starting point for those of the V550, while we wait for Lake People or Reviewers to make those of the V550 available on the internet?










Personally I can't quite tell from the looks where the "DAC parts" end and where the "Amp parts" begin in these interiors of the V590 models, but I am sure more savvy observers and forum participants might do better than me in that particular task.

On a lighter note, I wonder why PCB images in some V590 models are dominated by the color green, while others are dominated by blue. Whatever happened to "Blue Velvet," and why aren't they consistently sticking with the color Blue.  I do not know about anybody else, but "Green Velvet" sounds sooo much less sexy.  And let's not even begin talking about "Green Blue Velvet," which sounds disastrously catastrophic, but that is just my own ears and eyes talking. We are saying nothing about performance or sound quality here on purpose


----------



## Fegefeuer

Blue is final, green prototype.

White=Niimbus
Blue=Violectric


----------



## lexterminator

The V550 is back once again on Drop at 2499$US. Estimated ship date is *May 14, 2021 PT*.


----------



## wgkwgk

Any thoughts on v550 with ZMF cans? Auteur, VC


----------



## vonBaron

I don't know if that helps but now i listen VC with Niimbus and im really enjoy them.


----------



## wgkwgk

Yes. I have the Liquid Platinum now. Many ZMF zealots say ya gotta have a tube amp for ZMFs.  Hence my question.


----------



## JCANs

Curious about the odds on whether the new V5x line will get the 4.4 balanced somewhere in the future (seeing that the Niimbus line just got it). Would save me another adapter...


----------



## hawk13

ecva said:


> You're right.


Agree.


----------



## sahmen

I really wish I could judge what the performance deltas are, first between my Violectric V281 and this V550 (or V590 amp section), and between this latter and the Niimbus (US$ or US 5), especially for driving the Susvara. In other words, if I should buy one of the V550s that are currently on Drop today, am I going to regret not waiting, saving up a little more, and buying a Niimbus US4 or US5 instead for my Susvara?  It's a burning question that I cannot satisfactorily answer until I have listened to my Susvara on both the V550 and the Niimbus US4 or US5, or heard the opinions of other enthusiasts who have heard a susvara on both amps.

This is the second time that the V550 is running on Drop.  The first time, I avoided buying one for these same reasons.  This is one of those times that I definitely hate everything about experiencing a pandemic lockdown.


----------



## attilais

sahmen said:


> I really wish I could judge what the performance deltas are, first between my Violectric V281 and this V550 (or V590 amp section), and between this latter and the Niimbus (US$ or US 5), especially for driving the Susvara. In other words, if I should buy one of the V550s that are currently on Drop today, am I going to regret not waiting, saving up a little more, and buying a Niimbus US4 or US5 instead for my Susvara?  It's a burning question that I cannot satisfactorily answer until I have listened to my Susvara on both the V550 and the Niimbus US4 or US5, or heard the opinions of other enthusiasts who have heard a susvara on both amps.
> 
> This is the second time that the V550 is running on Drop.  The first time, I avoided buying one for these same reasons.  This is one of those times that I definitely hate everything about experiencing a pandemic lockdown.


Agree. Even without lockdown, it's not easy to audition susvara on either amp.

A used Niimbus will make the risk lower, but I never found one. I'll be willing to trade my V550 pro for a US4, but I doubt anyone will down-grade like this.


----------



## lexterminator

sahmen said:


> I really wish I could judge what the performance deltas are, first between my Violectric V281 and this V550 (or V590 amp section), and between this latter and the Niimbus (US$ or US 5), especially for driving the Susvara. In other words, if I should buy one of the V550s that are currently on Drop today, am I going to regret not waiting, saving up a little more, and buying a Niimbus US4 or US5 instead for my Susvara?  It's a burning question that I cannot satisfactorily answer until I have listened to my Susvara on both the V550 and the Niimbus US4 or US5, or heard the opinions of other enthusiasts who have heard a susvara on both amps.
> 
> This is the second time that the V550 is running on Drop.  The first time, I avoided buying one for these same reasons.  This is one of those times that I definitely hate everything about experiencing a pandemic lockdown.


I resisted buying the V550 on the two Drop runs. Was interested in upgrading my V100 and V200 for the V550 or US4. In the meantime I purchased a few weeks ago the Singxer SA-1 and SDA-6 (Advanced) combo for my "B" system while eventually upgrading "A" system with higher end stuff. In the end the Singxer combo is so musical that it became my "A" system, I sold my V200 and I will look to sell my V100, Teac UD-505 and Gustard A18. I'm leaning towards the smoother and more musical route. I'm sure the V550/590 and US4/5 are awesome but I will wait, most likely I will shoot for Denafrips Venus / Artemis combo or see what Singxer would come up with in the future. Still interested to know how much of an ugrade the US4 is compared to V550/590 and V280/281.


----------



## ecva

Sharing my custom mat for the v550.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Beautiful job!


----------



## ddtomas

any idea of the differences between v340 vs v550?


----------



## Ichos

Easter holidays are going to be great!


----------



## vonBaron

Mine too but in Niimbus topic.


----------



## Ichos

This is of course a loaner and not mine


----------



## Relaxasaurus

Ichos said:


> This is of course a loaner and not mine



More importantly, what are your initial impressions of it?


----------



## Ichos

Relaxasaurus said:


> More importantly, what are your initial impressions of it?


Smitten... speechless...


----------



## Ichos

Jaw dropping experience...





Denafrips Ares II courtesy of KVS Audio


----------



## Ichos

Tonality
Timbre
Weight
Body
Dynamics
Harmonies
Transient response
Speed
Fine details
Depth
Layering
Width
Positioning
Articulation
Decay
Reverb
Space
Musicality
Evolvement

Eye watering expensive - Eye watering satisfaction


----------



## vonBaron

You are sure that is not a Niimbus?


----------



## Ichos

Yeap...


----------



## jlbrach

I briefly owned a 550 and had a very bad experience....to my ears the empyrean while extremely comfortable and beautiful to look at doesnt compete with the TOTL HP's but that is just one mans opinion


----------



## Ichos

So it seems the bad experience was Empyrean related and not to V550.


----------



## jlbrach

nope, the bad experience was with the 550...I just do not think the empyrean compares to the likes of the abyss TC..sr1a or susvara ....


----------



## Relaxasaurus

sahmen said:


> I really wish I could judge what the performance deltas are, first between my Violectric V281 and this V550 (or V590 amp section



This is what I'm most curious about. I'm ready to upgrade from my V280 which I adore, but I don't know if the V550 will give me those upper frequency details that I'm after. One article I read said it is a step up in that region but I'm so curious if it will resolve close to the level I've heard in other amps.


----------



## Terriero

@Ichos , when you move the volume pot, you can listen some sounds through your headphones? That's what I suffer now with my Asus Xonar Essence One and I'm in the process to find a substitute AMP but don't want to suffer the same issues.


----------



## Ichos

Terriero said:


> @Ichos , when you move the volume pot, you can listen some sounds through your headphones? That's what I suffer now with my Asus Xonar Essence One and I'm in the process to find a substitute AMP but don't want to suffer the same issues.


No , the pot is dead silent.
No noise whatsoever.


----------



## Ichos

jlbrach said:


> nope, the bad experience was with the 550...I just do not think the empyrean compares to the likes of the abyss TC..sr1a or susvara ....


So if you don't mind to share what is the case with the V550?


----------



## Ichos

Relaxasaurus said:


> This is what I'm most curious about. I'm ready to upgrade from my V280 which I adore, but I don't know if the V550 will give me those upper frequency details that I'm after. One article I read said it is a step up in that region but I'm so curious if it will resolve close to the level I've heard in other amps.


What other amps resolve better for you?


----------



## alekc

Ichos said:


> Yeap...


Have you heard Niimbus before? This is starting to be very interesting.


----------



## Ichos

alekc said:


> Have you heard Niimbus before? This is starting to be very interesting.


No haven't heard Niimbus.
Only V280/V281.
Owned V280.


----------



## Relaxasaurus

Ichos said:


> What other amps resolve better for you?


Comparing to the Burson Soloist 3X and SingXer SA-1 now and they resolve higher frequency microdetails better to my ears than my V280. I found this comparison to be intriguing:



> Another area that I kept noticing between these two was the superior upper-mids and treble refinement on the V590 compared to the V281. The V281 is not an overly bright amplifier in the scheme of things but sometimes its treble does not come off as the more refined sounding.



There's more here: 
https://headfonics.com/violectric-dha-v590-review/2/


----------



## Ichos

Comparing by memory since I have sold my V280 , the V550 is more resolving , faster , extended , wider , more defined , refined and precise.
Frequency response is dead flat so there is no way this amp will favor a certain part of the spectrum.
Now while more resolving the house sound and the approach to music presentation is the same.
The amp is analogue like sounding , not analytical , it is more like a precious instrument than an electronic amplifier.
It is dead neutral but plays music like a champ.


----------



## jlbrach

NYanakiev said:


> Now with my new Roon endpoint





Ichos said:


> So if you don't mind to share what is the case with the V550?


the unit delivered to me had to be returned due to no volume out of one channel after working for a couple of days..also had some softness issues before the channel went bad...that was just my experience certainly does not suggest a general problem


----------



## Ichos

Sorry to hear that , nothing is perfect even if it is made in Germany.


----------



## rmsanger

I think the fact that none of these are coming up used in classifieds at this point says alot about the 550/590 quality.


----------



## goldwerger

I debating getting the V550 or the somewhat similarly priced Benchmark HPA4 or XIAUDIO Formula S - has anyone had a chance to compare any of these? many thanks..


----------



## supervisor

goldwerger said:


> I debating getting the V550 or the somewhat similarly priced Benchmark HPA4 or XIAUDIO Formula S - has anyone had a chance to compare any of these? many thanks..



As a XIAUDIO Formula S owner, also very curious...


----------



## jlbrach

formula s /powerman is head and shoulders better


----------



## Relaxasaurus

jlbrach said:


> formula s /powerman is head and shoulders better



Can you expand on that statement? Curious myself.

I guess a fairer comparison would be a Nimbus vs Formula S.


----------



## jlbrach

the formula s with the powerman has a blacker background and better detail and wider soundstage to my ears...


----------



## Arniesb

jlbrach said:


> the formula s with the powerman has a blacker background and better detail and wider soundstage to my ears...


Not suprising considering Niimbus is v200 design which is very underwhelming amp to be fair.
Yes balanced version and much better parts can improve things, but its still is old design.


----------



## vonBaron

Arniesb said:


> Not suprising considering Niimbus is v200 design which is very underwhelming amp to be fair.
> Yes balanced version and much better parts can improve things, but its still is old design.


What? Are you drunk? He didn't compare Formula S to Niimbus but to HPA4.


----------



## Fegefeuer

That's Arniesb for you


----------



## Arniesb

Fegefeuer said:


> That's Arniesb for you


You mad for opinion? Just move on if you dont agree. Not everybody should praise things that you like.


----------



## Arniesb

vonBaron said:


> What? Are you drunk? He didn't compare Formula S to Niimbus but to HPA4.


Where is hpa4 mentioned?


----------



## vonBaron

Arniesb said:


> You mad for opinion? Just move on if you dont agree. Not everybody should praise things that you like.


Did  you ever heard Niimbus to make that opinion?


----------



## Pastwa

To my sober eyes, *jlbrach *wasn't referring to HP4 but to V550.


----------



## Fegefeuer

Arniesb said:


> You mad for opinion? Just move on if you dont agree. Not everybody should praise things that you like.



Oh, I'm not mad about about your "opinion", it's just mostly nothing but noise since you never lay out your impressions so people can relate. or see where you're coming from.
That's all.


----------



## jlbrach

Pastwa said:


> To my sober eyes, *jlbrach *wasn't referring to HP4 but to V550.


your sober eyes are correct


----------



## rmsanger (May 19, 2021)

I’m in the same boat.  Shopping the V550 (drop),  Niimbus US4 (used),  Flux Volot (new direct), and  Formula S /powerman (used).   Hell I even might just wait for Soloist 3XP to come up used and settle upon that.
Benchmark and mini gsx were crossed out long ago along with v281.


----------



## chrisnyc75

Has anyone heard both the V550 and GS-X Mini?  Wondering how they compare.


----------



## alekc

rmsanger said:


> I’m in the same boat.  Shopping the V550 (drop),  Niimbus US4 (used),  Flux Volot (new direct), and  Formula S /powerman (used).   Hell I even might just wait for Soloist 3XP to come up used and settle upon that.
> Benchmark and mini gsx were crossed out long ago along with v281.


May I ask why you crossed out Mini and Benchmark when considering Soloist?


----------



## rmsanger

alekc said:


> May I ask why you crossed out Mini and Benchmark when considering Soloist?


The problem is these responses always get very personal when you say why you don't like something.  There is always an owner of said product that wants to rebuff the reasons.

I had the A90, 789, SP200 and hated them all; benchmark is an extension of that sound signature but perhaps more of it.   Mini was technically a great amp but was on the bright side for my preferences.  I had the Soloist 3xp for a few weeks and for ~$850 used it's a helluva a good amp especially after rolling amp amps. 

I'm hoping between the V550, Niimbus US4, and Volot I can find an amp with great technicals but also a bit on the warmer side (V281 but better).  My concern is both Niimbus and V550 have gone away from the tuning that made the V281 such a great amp.  I'd love to get a V281 with more power and better technical performance.


----------



## thecrow

rmsanger said:


> I'd love to get a V281 with more power and better technical performance.


To a large extent, isn’t that the us4?

Maybe not exactly the same but that is how i have found it - ymmv, imho, my 2c
(Having owned the v280 and now us4, and heard the v281 a couple of times)


----------



## alekc

rmsanger said:


> The problem is these responses always get very personal when you say why you don't like something.  There is always an owner of said product that wants to rebuff the reasons.
> 
> I had the A90, 789, SP200 and hated them all; benchmark is an extension of that sound signature but perhaps more of it.   Mini was technically a great amp but was on the bright side for my preferences.  I had the Soloist 3xp for a few weeks and for ~$850 used it's a helluva a good amp especially after rolling amp amps.
> 
> I'm hoping between the V550, Niimbus US4, and Volot I can find an amp with great technicals but also a bit on the warmer side (V281 but better).  My concern is both Niimbus and V550 have gone away from the tuning that made the V281 such a great amp.  I'd love to get a V281 with more power and better technical performance.


Thank you @rmsanger ! I'm not here to criticize anybody's opinion and I don't own any of mentioned amps (yet), but some of them are on my "potential buy" list hence my question.


----------



## rmsanger (May 20, 2021)

thecrow said:


> To a large extent, isn’t that the us4?
> 
> Maybe not exactly the same but that is how i have found it - ymmv, imho, my 2c
> (Having owned the v280 and now us4, and heard the v281 a couple of times)



The feedback I've gotten from owners who have had V281, Niimbus US4+, and V590:



> Be careful with the niimbus, it sounds excellent but man it can be unforgiving at times lol, it’s a really good amp but if you prefer the smoother warmer wider sound of the vio gear, this is a more studio neutral no nonsense type of sound compared to the v281





> I haven’t heard a v590 yet, but from everyone I hear from and trust, it’s way closer leaning to a niimbus signature wise than the older violectric, which is both a good and bad thing, but personally I would hope they give us both options for those that still really like the classic vio sound lol. The v590 also apparently reacts similar to the niimbus when it comes to dac pairing, so that would further suggest that its very niimbus leaning (and the soekris don’t play as well with the niimbus imo)





> Yeah if you enjoy what the v200 can offer, the most direct upgrade is the v280 or v281 (I would go for 281 if you can), the niimbus is a step up from that technicality wise (from the v281) but might be a signature change that some may not be ready for or would want. The new vio tries to meet in the middle somewhere, but still ends up more niimbus or lake people signature leaning


----------



## Terriero

@rmsanger do you feel that your Phonitor E is on the lean, neutral or dry side (boring) and looking for something warmer? I ask that because one of the amps I'm considering is the Phonitor 2.


----------



## thecrow (May 20, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> The feedback I've gotten from owners who have had V281, Niimbus US4+, and V590:


as my main experience is with the v280 (having owned it) that's what i can best compare the us4 to.
also note theat i use a metrum NS hex dac that does have an "analogue sound" to it and brings a bit of that analogue character into the mix.


this is what i found:

the v280 is a little warmer than the us4 but the solid sound is similar in nature
the v280 sounds somewhat veiled compared to the us4
music/instruments are illuminated with the us4 that may otherwise be missed with the v280. Rather than being in the background this level of detail comes "forward" so that too can be heard. It is not pushed forward as such but the "lights on the stage are turned on", lets say. so you can see a lot more.
there is great texture to the music on the us4
the us4 has more of that back background that we read about with gear

so are they exactly the same? No, the v280 is a little warmer but it also somewhat veiled IN COMPARISON
is it far to say they sound like they are from the same house? i believe yes

_i do not find any issues with the us4 being unforgiving at all. It is not dry at all. it is all about texture , detail and clarity_

the us4 is not inexpensive but i am extremely happy with it and have absolutely no need for another ss amp again.

i have read a few comments re how the v550/v590 sits with the us4 and v280/1 and i believe within those three options the v280/1 is the slightly warmer one and one of the others are more neutral and one in the middle but i can not remember in which order and i have nt herd the v550 or v590

in a nutshell if someone likes the v280/281 I strongly recommend they consider the niimbus us4 and demo if you can. It could well be a fantastic/ suitable / perfect upgrade but as this stuff is all subjective it may not be ideal for what you are after....but it could well be 

a friend of mine has the v281 ad he highly rates it. After hearing the us4 he rates that higher and was impressed and surprised

hope that helps a bit and all the best


----------



## Relaxasaurus

thecrow said:


> as my main experience is with the v280 (having owned it) that's what i can best compare the us4 to.
> also note theat i use a metrum NS hex dac that does have an "analogue sound" to it and brings a bit of that analogue character into the mix.
> 
> 
> ...



There's a Niimbus 4 in the classifieds, that seems to be the only place where you can buy one as the Niimbus 5's are out now. Unless Arthur has some stock he needs to unload.

https://power-holdings-inc.com/Niimbus-c34633355


----------



## rmsanger

Relaxasaurus said:


> There's a Niimbus 4 in the classifieds, that seems to be the only place where you can buy one as the Niimbus 5's are out now. Unless Arthur has some stock he needs to unload.
> 
> https://power-holdings-inc.com/Niimbus-c34633355


I’m watching it... I won’t pull the trigger on a US4 base until it’s at $3k or under.  That guy is asking way to much money for a used product.


----------



## rmsanger (Nov 11, 2022)

thecrow said:


> as my main experience is with the v280 (having owned it) that's what i can best compare the us4 to.
> also note theat i use a metrum NS hex dac that does have an "analogue sound" to it and brings a bit of that analogue character into the mix.
> 
> 
> ...



thanks for this write up!


----------



## Ichos

Terriero said:


> @rmsanger do you feel that your Phonitor E is on the lean, neutral or dry side (boring) and looking for something warmer? I ask that because one of the amps I'm considering is the Phonitor 2.


The Phonitor 2 is not lean or boring or dry.
It is neutral and with good weight and dynamics but it plays in the safe side of things.


----------



## Terriero (May 21, 2021)

Ichos said:


> The Phonitor 2 is not lean or boring or dry.
> It is neutral and with good weight and dynamics but it plays in the safe side of things.


Thanks. I asked that to rmsanger because I have watched the video he linked and I was wonder if the Phonitor would be a good choice because @Relaxasaurus mentioned that it's signature remind him a little to active monitors, which I hate to listen to music with them, and I use only briefly when I'm cleaning the house or to play videogames with my son.

Time to put all my efforts to save money... So difficult here  ... After my DT 1990 Pro purchase, my only audio purchase was yesterday (but, so cheap, just some foam pads to change a little the 1990s signature, suggested by the people of it's thread).


----------



## Ichos

Since this is a Violectric thread and to be honest , I would personally choose the V500 or the V340 over the Phonitor without thinking twice...
Only chance to get the Phonitor 2 is for the Matrix which I don't need.


----------



## Fegefeuer

I doubt an V5XX amp happens with the V281 signature. That train never existed anyway. 
The V550 is a good middle ground, it just goes beyond the V280's performance so you will get more of the Niimbus' technicalities and traits rather than the V281. 

Also, where would you place that thing in the product line? Doesn't make sense. Better get a V280/V281 FE and look to the future.


----------



## MichalZZZZ

Hi everyone. Is Violectric HPA V550 Pro with Matrix X Sabre Pro Mqa a good idea? Someone tried? I already have Pathos Aurium, but I need one more amp with a 4-pin XLR balanced headphone output.

Thank you all and best regards,

Michal.


----------



## vonBaron

Why not, imo it will be great synergy.


----------



## MichalZZZZ

Has anyone tried Violectric HPA V550 with Audeze LCD3f, Meze Empyrean, ZMF Verite Closed, ZMF Atticus or Sony MDR-Z1R and can share the experience? Which headphones should sound best with this amp?


----------



## Ichos

MichalZZZZ said:


> Has anyone tried Violectric HPA V550 with Audeze LCD3f, Meze Empyrean, ZMF Verite Closed, ZMF Atticus or Sony MDR-Z1R and can share the experience? Which headphones should sound best with this amp?


I have been using it with Empyrean and it is a great combo.

I haven't tried any other of the above mentioned headphones but I have with a various others like the 650 , 660s , Ananda , HEDD etc and this amplifier plays well with everything.

It is headphones agnostic , it can run and match with everything on the planet.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Afternoon folks, head-fi newbie here, name is Francis, based in Northampton, UK. I've been reading this thread on the Violectric V550 Pro with interest. A couple of you have asked if anyone has reviewed the Benchmark HPA4 and how it lines up against the V550 Pro. I'm currently auditioning a Benchmark HPA4, i've had it a couple of weeks and so far so good. I'm now waiting for the arrival of a V550 Pro (sometime next week i hope) to match up against the HPA4. I'll let you know how i get on and which one i'm going to buy and why.


----------



## Relaxasaurus

ROMEROTECH said:


> Afternoon folks, head-fi newbie here, name is Francis, based in Northampton, UK. I've been reading this thread on the Violectric V550 Pro with interest. A couple of you have asked if anyone has reviewed the Benchmark HPA4 and how it lines up against the V550 Pro. I'm currently auditioning a Benchmark HPA4, i've had it a couple of weeks and so far so good. I'm now waiting for the arrival of a V550 Pro (sometime next week i hope) to match up against the HPA4. I'll let you know how i get on and which one i'm going to buy and why.



Welcome to the forum.  

Those are some killer amps, looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Which headphone(s) will you be using if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## Giru (Jun 25, 2021)

rmsanger said:


> The problem is these responses always get very personal when you say why you don't like something.  There is always an owner of said product that wants to rebuff the reasons.
> 
> I had the A90, 789, SP200 and hated them all; benchmark is an extension of that sound signature but perhaps more of it.   Mini was technically a great amp but was on the bright side for my preferences.  I had the Soloist 3xp for a few weeks and for ~$850 used it's a helluva a good amp especially after rolling amp amps.
> 
> I'm hoping between the V550, Niimbus US4, and Volot I can find an amp with great technicals but also a bit on the warmer side (V281 but better).  My concern is both Niimbus and V550 have gone away from the tuning that made the V281 such a great amp.  I'd love to get a V281 with more power and better technical performance.



Completely agreed on the THX amps.

Here's my story:

Two years ago (Pre covid) I was looking for a reference amplifier for some technical work. My eyes were set on the benchmark hpa4. However I couldn't find a unit to audition. I tried all other thx amps in the mean time (both on the bench and subjectively). It's true these measure well but they are probably the most unengaging amps I've ever heard (thx789, smsl sp200). Finally i found an hpa4 and I thought it would be different but honestly it was only "marginally" better than the sp200. For 3k usd that was probably the most overrated piece of gear i have ever heard. Measures well sounds absolutely sterile. I also found it rather underwhelming for current hungry cans like the he6se. All in all a complete flop show on the ears.

In the process I also auditioned the GSX-MK2, GSX Mini, kinki thr-1, sparkos aries, pass hpa1, beta 22 (balanced), bryston bha1, and a few others. Out of all these I found the GSX-MK2 and the bryston to be worth their salt (also maybe the kinki to some extent) (beta 22 was a diy project so I'll exclude that).

Meanwhile I had never considered the V281 or other Violectric amps as most people called them "warm" and grainy. Luckily I met a fellow over another forum who had just got the V550 and I went to his place to listen to it. I found it to be very detailed and clean although for the same price I was favouring the GSX MK2.

Two weeks later, one of my friends introduced me to this guy who had the V281. I wasn't keen on visiting him initially but since the lockdowns had lifted I took a small holiday and went to his place. Oh boy was I surprised!! The 281 was unlike anything I had heard. I still can't understand why people call it warm coz it was nothing like that at all. I think the right word is "organic". The only amp that does well with any headphone you can throw at it while at the same time maintaining that sweet old school solid state sound (old naim or leben speaker amps come to mind). The transient response and decay of the notes was something I had not experienced ever on my fostex 909s. It is transparent and detailed but has that well rounded "non-hifi" sound that most modern amps lack. The newer generation amps strive for detail and dynamics but end up sounding sharp and unnatural.

I had a budget of 4k usd and still bought the V281 (Got the FE version). Couldn't be more happier. This amp will be inherited in my family.


----------



## goldwerger

Giru said:


> Completely agreed on the THX amps.
> 
> Here's my story:
> 
> ...


It doesn’t look like the V281 is still being manufactured - would you know which of the current model is its natural successor/similar?:

https://power-holdings-inc.com/Violectric-c34633356

thanks for any insight!


----------



## Giru

goldwerger said:


> It doesn’t look like the V281 is still being manufactured - would you know which of the current model is its natural successor/similar?:
> 
> https://power-holdings-inc.com/Violectric-c34633356
> 
> thanks for any insight!


I think the V550 is the rightful "technical" replacement of the V281 but both amps sound slightly different. The V550 is more cleaner and faster sounding of the two. The 281 on the other hand is laid back and slightly more authoritative (esp with high z cans).

The 550 is good but at its asking price the GSX MK2 is a very worthy competitor if you're looking for that "hifi" sound. Although be careful as the GSX doesn't like neutral/bright cans (esp hd800 and the likes) much. I think the 550 is slightly more forgiving in those terms. 

Since I've mentioned the HD800, the V550 is not a sympatico pairing with the 800s; as the V281 is. The 550 strives a bit more for transparency and the highs tear through the 800s. This is unlike the V281 which has very a very tame and detailed upper end that is not "in your face" like the V550 (and defintely not the GSX MK2).

Overall I liked the V550. It's a cleaner more accurate amp than the V281 but does not have the same zing as the V281. Anyway, I think its safe to say that if you're getting the V550 its gonna be a good deal esp if the V281 has been discontinued. If you get a v281 used then nothing like it. Grab one with both hands.

Hope this helps.


----------



## goldwerger

Giru said:


> I think the V550 is the rightful "technical" replacement of the V281 but both amps sound slightly different. The V550 is more cleaner and faster sounding of the two. The 281 on the other hand is laid back and slightly more authoritative (esp with high z cans).
> 
> The 550 is good but at its asking price the GSX MK2 is a very worthy competitor if you're looking for that "hifi" sound. Although be careful as the GSX doesn't like neutral/bright cans (esp hd800 and the likes) much. I think the 550 is slightly more forgiving in those terms.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this very detailed reply!

I actually got the Benchmark HPA4 recently and returned it within the 30-day demo period. While I found it clean in sound, it didn't really add much value in the chain. So I was nodding in agreement with your comments, and suspect may share your tastes.

My current go-to are the Kennerton Thekk (which I absolutely love), and my second would be the Arya (different moods/genres/etc). I have a ZMF VC on order but not sure yet how that will sound/work.

I might look for a used 281, may be worth it.

I'm also curious about the AudioValve (Solaris or Luminaire). Definitely an eye candy, but no clue on sound, and no practical way to demo. Curious if you heard it or about it.

Many thanks


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Jun 25, 2021)

Relaxasaurus said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> Those are some killer amps, looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Which headphone(s) will you be using if you don't mind me asking?


Thank you 👍 The HPA4 is super quality in almost every way. The HPA4 Pre-Out is outstanding, one of the best i've ever heard. I'm led to believe the HPA4 is regarded as one of the very best HPA's you can get at any price, some claim the best at any price, it is excellent but not perfect. All the reviews i've read, this whole V550 Pro thread, also lead me to believe the Vio is also one of the very best HPA's at any price so i'm in very good company. I'm very excited to be trying the Vio out soon. I'm in pursuit of my endgame HPA so i hope one of these is it. ETA: I forgot to add which cans i'm working...  Sennheiser HD250 Linear II, HD540 Reference II, HD800 (Modified), Audeze LCD-XC.  I don't think any of these will be an issue for the Vio. The HPA4 certainly had no issues, plenty of current for low impedence power hungry cans and plenty voltage for high impedence drivers like my Senns.


----------



## Giru

goldwerger said:


> Thank you for this very detailed reply!
> 
> I actually got the Benchmark HPA4 recently and returned it within the 30-day demo period. While I found it clean in sound, it didn't really add much value in the chain. So I was nodding in agreement with your comments, and suspect may share your tastes.
> 
> ...


Yes the HPA4 did not impress at all. Glad to know that people have started to atleast acknowledge this. Over at the hpa4 thread I was lietrally lynched by owners who didn't like my opinions😅😅

Some great set of cans you got there! I had the Odin for a while but since then have moved to the Erzetich Phobos. My main pairs are the Phobos, 800S and the Fostex TH909 (Soon to be replaced). I'm considering the VC too but let's see. Nothing set in stone yet.

I haven't heard any Audiovalve amps yet but have certainly read and watched a lot of good things about them. They certainly look cool😅

But I guess for that budget there are some more "serious" tube amps makers to consider (ampsandsound, eddie current, DNA, Alo audio; just to name a few).


----------



## goldwerger

Giru said:


> Yes the HPA4 did not impress at all. Glad to know that people have started to atleast acknowledge this. Over at the hpa4 thread I was lietrally lynched by owners who didn't like my opinions😅😅
> 
> Some great set of cans you got there! I had the Odin for a while but since then have moved to the Erzetich Phobos. My main pairs are the Phobos, 800S and the Fostex TH909 (Soon to be replaced). I'm considering the VC too but let's see. Nothing set in stone yet.
> 
> ...


Yes indeed. And tube amps arr a rabbit hole i haven’t yet committed to digging. I’m afraid I will be digging too deep 😂😂

how are the Phobos btw? Been curious about them but honestly the weight has been a deal breaker to date


----------



## Giru

goldwerger said:


> Yes indeed. And tube amps arr a rabbit hole i haven’t yet committed to digging. I’m afraid I will be digging too deep 😂😂
> 
> how are the Phobos btw? Been curious about them but honestly the weight has been a deal breaker to date


It truly is a rabbit hole😅 

The Phobos are probably the most neutral Planars I've heard. They have the punchy bottom end but still the bass doesn't bleed into the mids at all unlike some planars. It may not be as overly melodious as the LCD4 but it's defintely more detailed and dynamic. It's the type of can that sounds inoffensive regardless of what you're playing. A big plus in my books. 
It's Weight and size is a different story though. Also the pads could've been better (not saying they're bad but still). Also the finish of the headphones is very rustic and understated (no furniture grade wood finishes here). On the flipside the stock cable is excellent and of very good quality. So yeah, a very balanced overall package. Don't have the urge to upgrade from this for a while.


----------



## goldwerger

Giru said:


> It truly is a rabbit hole😅
> 
> The Phobos are probably the most neutral Planars I've heard. They have the punchy bottom end but still the bass doesn't bleed into the mids at all unlike some planars. It may not be as overly melodious as the LCD4 but it's defintely more detailed and dynamic. It's the type of can that sounds inoffensive regardless of what you're playing. A big plus in my books.
> It's Weight and size is a different story though. Also the pads could've been better (not saying they're bad but still). Also the finish of the headphones is very rustic and understated (no furniture grade wood finishes here). On the flipside the stock cable is excellent and of very good quality. So yeah, a very balanced overall package. Don't have the urge to upgrade from this for a while.


Thanks!!


----------



## Delta9K (Jul 6, 2021)

I may be a little premature, but I've ordered another DAC (Holo Spring 3 KTE). Obviously I've not been able to listen to that DAC with my current amplifier (V281) yet, but thinking ahead I'm wondering if those two pieces together may be a little too warm, and that's what brings me here. My current shortlist of potentials for a new amplifier include the V550 and GS-X MKII.

Just wondering what thoughts there might be with a Holo Spring and V550 matchup, especially if anyone happens to be using/used a Spring2 (closest obvious comparison) with a V550?


----------



## Ichos

The V550 is source and headphone agnostic.
There is no such thing as "matching" with this amplifier.
It matches with everything and you get what you have be it good or bad with all the extra benefits of high end amplification.
That is analogue timbre , astounding dynamics , full bodied and controlled bass , spacy mids , excellent treble extension without tonal artifacts , natural decay and texture , excellent timing , holographic soundscape and headroom to spare.


----------



## Slim1970

Ichos said:


> The V550 is source and headphone agnostic.
> There is no such thing as "matching" with this amplifier.
> It matches with everything and you get what you have be it good or bad with all the extra benefits of high end amplification.
> That is analogue timbre , astounding dynamics , full bodied and controlled bass , spacy mids , excellent treble extension without tonal artifacts , natural decay and texture , excellent timing , holographic soundscape and headroom to spare.


Sounds like the perfect amp !


----------



## Ichos

Yes it is , it should be at this price point!
It is also a very good preamp.
And build quality is supreme.


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Jul 7, 2021)

I'd like to echo what's been said about THX amps. I auditioned a Topping A90 before the Benchmark and i thought it was rubbish. It doesn't bother me how good it measures, good measurements don't equate to good sound. I felt it was harsh, cold, a bit bright, and imho didn't sound very nice with any of my cans.

Youtube reviewers are not to be trusted, they are mostly all full of crap and are only interested in maximum subscribers, views and money. Only a couple of very low subscription unknown reviewers that borrowed gear from friends told the truth.

The Benchmark i auditioned for 3 weeks doesn't come across the same as other THX amps, it wasn't cold, harsh or bright sounding with any of my sennheisers or my closed back Audeze. It sounded best with the Audeze, and just a bit too neutral with my modified HD800 but no complaints about the power output, soundstage, no distortion whatsoever even when turned up to ear splitting levels, they were clear and zero noise.

It's a heck of an HPA. Now i've heard it i would recommend it if you run warm sounding gear.

There is such a thing as too warm and they go a long way to taming overly warm cans or speakers. My Harbeth SHL5's are a bit on the warm side, the Preamp on the Benchmark did a wonderful job of taming some of the warmth and boominess of the Harbeths and equally warmth/darkness of my Audeze LCD-XC.

The Violectric is turning up this afternoon and chomping at the bit is an understatement. It's refreshing to hear you guys giving your honest impressions and your feedback on the Violectric which is telling me i'm probably going to like it a lot. If it turns out not to be the case i think i'd still be pretty happy to buy the Benchmark.

There is another amp i've been reading lots about with interest, Pathos InPol Ear Hybrid HPA. Triode tube input stage with solid state Class A output.

Does anyone know very much about this amp. Steve Guttenberg on youtube rated it highly. He comes across as one of the more honest plain speaking reviewers, i like his laid back style.


----------



## Fegefeuer

@sahmen seems to have that amp. He now owns the US4 as well and is finally able to make his own impressions.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

My initial impressions of the V550 Pro after some running in...

It has a ton of power and voltage so it does run both the LCD-XC and the HD800 with zero problems and i doubt there is a set of dynamic driver or planar magnetic it can't run  however, i prefer the HD800 on the Vio and LCD-XC on the Benchmark. The Benchmark has more slam and impact at lower volume, the Vio has to be cranked up to get near similar amounts. The Vio is on the warm side of neutral and that's great for the HD800 but not so much for the XC. Lovely preout though, really nice presentation and great soundstage, a touch warm through the Harbeths but still lovely. I think i prefer the Vio preout because it sounds so good. 

Both amps deliver fabulous soundstage and imaging however, the Benchmark is a bit more detailed, and voices are are slightly forward which i like compared to the Vio slightly recessed voices that sometimes disappear into the music. It could be the Vio just needs more time to run in but it's been running almost continously since it arrived. 

In an ideal world and if money was no object i'd have both, one for the XC and the other for the 800. I'm very much still in two minds about which one i'll buy, i need more time with the Vio before i pull the trigger on either. 

My Mrs prefers the Vio for the warmer presentation, i'm a detail lover so we'll see what happens. To be honest i am slightly leaning towards the Benchmark at the moment but i really would like to give the Vio a chance to change my mind so watch this space. 

Someone wrote the Vio is headphone agnostic, that's not what i'm hearing.


----------



## Fegefeuer

That's the Niimbus, the V590/V550 absolutely leans towards a slight warmth, especially in the lower mids. It's just inbetween V281 and the Niimbus.


----------



## Ichos

ROMEROTECH said:


> My initial impressions of the V550 Pro after some running in...
> 
> It has a ton of power and voltage so it does run both the LCD-XC and the HD800 with zero problems and i doubt there is a set of dynamic driver or planar magnetic it can't run  however, i prefer the HD800 on the Vio and LCD-XC on the Benchmark. The Benchmark has more slam and impact at lower volume, the Vio has to be cranked up to get near similar amounts. The Vio is on the warm side of neutral and that's great for the HD800 but not so much for the XC. Lovely preout though, really nice presentation and great soundstage, a touch warm through the Harbeths but still lovely. I think i prefer the Vio preout because it sounds so good.
> 
> ...


I wrote it and I am still of the same opinion.
Can't hear any signs of deviation regarding frequency response linearity , so can't agree with your remarks regarding the mids.

The amp is a touch warm not because it favors some certain frequencies but because it deals with harmonics in a "tubey" way. 

But it is not warm in the sense to spoil the experience with warmish headphones like for example the Empyrean.

It is as good with the "brightish" Elex as is with the Empyrean or the HD650.

Cannot also feel that the amplifier is lacking in resolve and details depth.
But this is not the "served at your face" kind of details.

As always you opinion may vary and after all you are the one who is buying the product.


----------



## jlbrach

ROMEROTECH said:


> My initial impressions of the V550 Pro after some running in...
> 
> It has a ton of power and voltage so it does run both the LCD-XC and the HD800 with zero problems and i doubt there is a set of dynamic driver or planar magnetic it can't run  however, i prefer the HD800 on the Vio and LCD-XC on the Benchmark. The Benchmark has more slam and impact at lower volume, the Vio has to be cranked up to get near similar amounts. The Vio is on the warm side of neutral and that's great for the HD800 but not so much for the XC. Lovely preout though, really nice presentation and great soundstage, a touch warm through the Harbeths but still lovely. I think i prefer the Vio preout because it sounds so good.
> 
> ...


if the amp didnt have enough power to drive the xc it would be useless so that doesnt say much..I did have it for a brief time and power wasnt an issue


----------



## ROMEROTECH

I'm so glad we don't all feel the same way, specially when it's a not insignificant sum of money being spent.

It's most definately all down to personal preference and i mark the HPA4 slightly ahead at the moment but i haven't had enough time with it and maybe it takes time for the Vio to run in. 

As regards power, it certainly does have a baring on impact and slam but thats not the whole story. The fact that the Benchmark delivers more of that at lower volumes than the Vio just tells me the Benchmark designers intended it to be that way and vice versa the Vio.  

I never said the Vio is underpowered, in fact i really like that both amps have more than enough power to drive just about any can, they do however deliver that power differently. To use an automotive analogy it's a bit like saying the Vio has more bhp but the HPA4 has more Torque. I'm a torque junky, i may feel differently a couple of weeks from now.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Ichos said:


> I wrote it and I am still of the same opinion.
> Can't hear any signs of deviation regarding frequency response linearity , so can't agree with your remarks regarding the mids.
> 
> The amp is a touch warm not because it favors some certain frequencies but because it deals with harmonics in a "tubey" way.
> ...


I know all about solid state with a tubey flavour, my DAC, Monoblocks and current HPA are Graham Slee. I'm trying to move away from that tubey flavour dark side and trying to steer towards a more neutral listening experience. 

I don't know right now if i want to keep a little of that warmth however, if i stay with that in mind i'll likely opt for the Vio. It has to be said compared to my Graham Slee hpa the Vio is a much cooler customer.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Fegefeuer said:


> That's the Niimbus, the V590/V550 absolutely leans towards a slight warmth, especially in the lower mids. It's just inbetween V281 and the Niimbus.


I've seen the price of the flagship Nimbus+, it ain't cheap and as much as i'd love to try one out i don't think i want to spend that much on an HPA.  The Benchmark is about the upper level for me at £3600 with the remote control.


----------



## monkey4054

What's everyone's opinion on this amp compare to the V281?

Currently deciding between the V550 and V281 for driving the Focal Clear, Final D8000, and Fostex TH-900.
Looking to add an Abyss AB1266 and/or HE6SE in the future.

Also, anyone have any suggestions for a good DAC pairing with the Violetric amps?

Thanks.


----------



## Ichos

ROMEROTECH said:


> I know all about solid state with a tubey flavour, my DAC, Monoblocks and current HPA are Graham Slee. I'm trying to move away from that tubey flavour dark side and trying to steer towards a more neutral listening experience.
> 
> I don't know right now if i want to keep a little of that warmth however, if i stay with that in mind i'll likely opt for the Vio. It has to be said compared to my Graham Slee hpa the Vio is a much cooler customer.


Maybe an SPL Phonitor will suit you better.


----------



## vonBaron

monkey4054 said:


> What's everyone's opinion on this amp compare to the V281?
> 
> Currently deciding between the V550 and V281 for driving the Focal Clear, Final D8000, and Fostex TH-900.
> Looking to add an Abyss AB1266 and/or HE6SE in the future.
> ...


For this set of cans i recommended Sonnet Morpheus, i have tested D8000, 1266 TC and TH-900 with V590 (it's V550 with DAC) and all of them sound very good.


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Jul 13, 2021)

Ichos said:


> Maybe an SPL Phonitor will suit you better.


If i decide not to go with the Vio i'll stick with the Benchmark. I haven't auditioned the Phonitor although i've seen and read reviews just like i did for the Benchmark and Vio.

I decided to audition the Benchmark and Vio because of reviews i felt were honest and genuine and it looks like i made the right choices.

I auditioned the Topping A90 as well out of curiosity, i knew i wasn't going to buy it, i just wanted to know what all the hype was about. The hype was total BS and just goes to show what a load of dishonest rubbish a lot of these reviewers talk. They have other agendas at play that have nothing to do with honest and unbiased reviewing. After auditioning the A90 i knew for sure it was a sound i didn't want.

I wouldn't purchase a high end high value hpa without auditioning, and you have to draw the line somewhere otherwise you'll never ever buy anything.

I'm very pleased with my choices and whichever one i plump for i know will keep me very happy for at least the next 5 or 6 years. I'm not one for following fashion or trends, i bought my last HPA 6yrs ago so the timing is just about right for me.


----------



## Ichos

I agree with you and I can assure you that I write only unbiased and no secret agenda reviews.

Sometimes I read reviews for units I have reviewed or owned and I wonder that I must be deaf...

Anyway both amplifiers you test are high end stuff to keep you happy for more than 5 years.

Since I have reviewed both 550 and Phonitor 2 , I give the edge to 550 but I liked very much the matrix implementation of the Phonitor.

BTW if you don't need the preamp out then the V340 is essentially the same amp sans the preamp.


----------



## bouscadie

ROMEROTECH said:


> I'm so glad we don't all feel the same way, specially when it's a not insignificant sum of money being spent.
> 
> It's most definately all down to personal preference and i mark the HPA4 slightly ahead at the moment but i haven't had enough time with it and maybe it takes time for the Vio to run in.
> 
> ...


then it is certain that your comparison between the Violectric and the Benchmark is much better understood in the light of the upstream tubey devices !


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Jul 13, 2021)

Ichos said:


> I agree with you and I can assure you that I write only unbiased and no secret agenda reviews.
> 
> Sometimes I read reviews for units I have reviewed or owned and I wonder that I must be deaf...
> 
> ...


I know we can agree and disagree on stuff without tearing chunks out, that is what is so refreshing about coming to this forum to read other peoples points of view without taking offence if someone writes stuff you don't agree with, you just have to put your point of view across without taking offence. After all it's just someones opinion and that's all it is.

I'm not an expert, i just know what i like and i really like both Vio and Benchmark, i wish i could buy both but then someone might say,
"forget that, just buy the Nimbus+". 😂

We all hear things differently, it's a very subjective hobby and i'm always happy to be educated. I love music and i care about the sound. I think many of you feel the same way and that's why we're here.

I really like the pre-out on both amps, they both go some way to taming the warmth of my DAC and monoblocks and my Harbeth SHL5's are also a tad warm too so i'm very happy these amps have this facility.

I haven't listened to my Cyrus CD transport on the Vio yet, it's very neutral so it should be an interesting session tonight.

ETA: Ichos, one of the reasons i chose to audition the Vio is down to this thread on the Vio that i felt gave honest opinions about this amp. It was likely reading some of your posts that went a long way to persuading me the Vio was a good choice so many thanks for your input. 👍


----------



## Ichos

Great , I like people with a mature and educated thought.
Good luck , I am sure that you are going to make the right decision!


----------



## Delta9K (Jul 13, 2021)

HPA V550
"Maximum power (balanced output, both channels driven): 6.4 Watt @ 50 Ohm"
How is this supposed to be read, is it 3.2 Watt per channel total 6.4 Watts or, 6.4 Watt per channel total 12.8 Watts?


----------



## Ichos

Delta9K said:


> HPA V550
> "Maximum power (balanced output, both channels driven): 6.4 Watt @ 50 Ohm"
> How is this supposed to be read, is it 3.2 Watt per channel total 6.4 Watts or, 6.4 Watt per channel total 12.8 Watts?


From what I know is per channel.


----------



## alekc

ROMEROTECH said:


> I haven't listened to my Cyrus CD transport on the Vio yet, it's very neutral so it should be an interesting session tonight.



Basically any dedicated cd transport should be neutral and the rest of chain should shape SQ from my perspective.


----------



## Giru

ROMEROTECH said:


> My initial impressions of the V550 Pro after some running in...
> 
> It has a ton of power and voltage so it does run both the LCD-XC and the HD800 with zero problems and i doubt there is a set of dynamic driver or planar magnetic it can't run  however, i prefer the HD800 on the Vio and LCD-XC on the Benchmark. The Benchmark has more slam and impact at lower volume, the Vio has to be cranked up to get near similar amounts. The Vio is on the warm side of neutral and that's great for the HD800 but not so much for the XC. Lovely preout though, really nice presentation and great soundstage, a touch warm through the Harbeths but still lovely. I think i prefer the Vio preout because it sounds so good.
> 
> ...


Interesting observations.

Frankly, I personally never understood why people call the Violectric amps to be "warm". This was one of the reasons why I never auditioned the Violectrics when I was looking for a solid state amp. This presumption broke when I actually listened to the V281 (which BTW I now own) and I wouldn't call it warm at all. It's pretty neutral. The same holds true for the V550.



ROMEROTECH said:


> I'm so glad we don't all feel the same way, specially when it's a not insignificant sum of money being spent.
> 
> It's most definately all down to personal preference and i mark the HPA4 slightly ahead at the moment but i haven't had enough time with it and maybe it takes time for the Vio to run in.
> 
> ...


I was just at a meetup with a few friends for a TOTL DAC shootout and we had a HPA4 in the chain. There are 8 people who'll like to strongly disagree with you with regards to the power output of the HPA4. It had a hard time catching up with a gsx mini, I can only imagine how it would fare against the V550; never mind the V281.

The difference is more obvious when using balanced connections. The HPA4 just couldn't keep up. We had to constantly crank up the HPA4 just to get the same output as the gsx mini; even at higher gain setting. Anyway this was to be expected since the HPA4 is not technically a balanced HPA by design. Infact I feel the HPA4 is more of a do it all device than a dedicated headphone amp.


----------



## MichalZZZZ

Has anyone compared the HeadAmp GS-X Mini to the Violectric HPA V550 Pro and can describe this experience?


----------



## ROMEROTECH

The Benchmark lost. Vio purchased, job done!

Now for some more serious listening. It's really grown on me and i'm very happy with my choice. Thanks for all your comments to my posts. 👍


----------



## Terriero (Jul 20, 2021)

ROMEROTECH said:


> The Benchmark lost. Vio purchased, job done!
> 
> Now for some more serious listening. It's really grown on me and i'm very happy with my choice. Thanks for all your comments to my posts. 👍


Would you explain your decision a little more? Thanks in advance.

By the way, to the people of this thread, what kind of amp (class A, B, A/B, D) is the Violectric V550?. I can't find that info...


----------



## robm321

.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Terriero said:


> Would you explain your decision a little more? Thanks in advance.
> 
> By the way, to the people of this thread, what kind of amp (class A, B, A/B, D) is the Violectric V550?. I can't find that info...


Because the things i liked on the Benchmark like the screen and functionality i didn't feel were worth the extra £1000, i think thats where the extra money has gone. Sonically i didn't think the Benchmark was overall superior to the Vio, just different. I really like the very slightly warm of centre sound compared to the deathly neutrality of the Benchmark, it's just nicer on the ears. The Vio is a fine HPA and well worth the money, i think it's good value and for where i am with HPA's it's a very decent step up from my old amp. 

The Vio is a class A/B amp and fully balanced. The only thing i'm not super impressed with is the singlde ended HP outs. To me they don't sound as good as the balanced HP out and it's not just a power output thing, it's just a bit too soft for me nor as detailed as the balanced, i actually prefer the single ended HP out on my old amp but ultimately it's the fully balanced topology of the Vio i really wanted so unlikely i'll be using unbalanced out. Just to add, the PreOut on the Vio is just lovely and for me that is a bonus. I'd have paid the money anyway even if it didn't have the PreOut so it's all very good.


----------



## Giru

ROMEROTECH said:


> Because the things i liked on the Benchmark like the screen and functionality i didn't feel were worth the extra £1000, i think thats where the extra money has gone. Sonically i didn't think the Benchmark was overall superior to the Vio, just different. I really like the very slightly warm of centre sound compared to the deathly neutrality of the Benchmark, it's just nicer on the ears. The Vio is a fine HPA and well worth the money, i think it's good value and for where i am with HPA's it's a very decent step up from my old amp.
> 
> The Vio is a class A/B amp and fully balanced. The only thing i'm not super impressed with is the singlde ended HP outs. To me they don't sound as good as the balanced HP out and it's not just a power output thing, it's just a bit too soft for me nor as detailed as the balanced, i actually prefer the single ended HP out on my old amp but ultimately it's the fully balanced topology of the Vio i really wanted so unlikely i'll be using unbalanced out. Just to add, the PreOut on the Vio is just lovely and for me that is a bonus. I'd have paid the money anyway even if it didn't have the PreOut so it's all very good.


Congratulations on your new amp. I can wholeheartedly agree that the v550 is a definite upgrade over the HPA4 at least in terms of sound
Enjoy!


----------



## Terriero (Jul 21, 2021)

ROMEROTECH said:


> Because the things i liked on the Benchmark like the screen and functionality i didn't feel were worth the extra £1000, i think thats where the extra money has gone. Sonically i didn't think the Benchmark was overall superior to the Vio, just different. I really like the very slightly warm of centre sound compared to the deathly neutrality of the Benchmark, it's just nicer on the ears. The Vio is a fine HPA and well worth the money, i think it's good value and for where i am with HPA's it's a very decent step up from my old amp.
> 
> The Vio is a class A/B amp and fully balanced. The only thing i'm not super impressed with is the singlde ended HP outs. To me they don't sound as good as the balanced HP out and it's not just a power output thing, it's just a bit too soft for me nor as detailed as the balanced, i actually prefer the single ended HP out on my old amp but ultimately it's the fully balanced topology of the Vio i really wanted so unlikely i'll be using unbalanced out. Just to add, the PreOut on the Vio is just lovely and for me that is a bonus. I'd have paid the money anyway even if it didn't have the PreOut so it's all very good.


Thank you very much. I appreciate a lot your answer.

I have another question related to the V550. Anybody here pairs it with HD 800?, do you like the experience? Comparing to pairing with other amps? Thanks in advance.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Terriero said:


> Thank you very much. I appreciate a lot your answer.
> 
> I have another question related to the V550. Anybody here pairs it with HD 800?, do you like the experience? Comparing to pairing with other amps? Thanks in advance.


Yes, beautiful. Soundstage is awesome and there's a ton of voltage there to drive them. Very natural sounding, resolving, plenty of details, macro and micro. Great with live recordings, plenty of slam and impact, and bass is decent, makes my ear lobes tickle. Really great pairing. I've got HD800 with my own version of SuperDupont mod. Go for it!


----------



## Fegefeuer

Agree. And depending on how much you don't like that upper mid dip and the diffuseness of the stage you can trade both (more upper mids) for a smaller but more precise stage by adding rug liner


----------



## Delta9K (Jul 31, 2021)

I have a V281 and it is doing me well and I have no complaints, but I do have the urge to update (more of a want than need).
I have read through the posts in this conversation and I'm still uncertain of a few points. Would the V550 be an upgrade or, more of a refresh? Besides what can be gleaned from the data sheet,  are their audible improvements in technical ability over-all that are significant enough for one to say "Yes, I like the V281 but the V550 does X / Y / or Z much better?"


Why I'm considering the V550: 
1. I'm interested in SS only for this scenario. 
2. Because of personal experience with Violectric amps (v281 & v200). 
3. Budget - I am not prepared at this time to advance to Niimbus series and also, I like the signature of the Violectrics - understanding that there has been a slight shift in signature with this new generation. I like a little dash of color, and again without ever hearing personally, I understand the Niimbus to be more neutral.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Fegefeuer said:


> Agree. And depending on how much you don't like that upper mid dip and the diffuseness of the stage you can trade both (more upper mids) for a smaller but more precise stage by adding rug liner


I've not tried that mod yet, i'm pretty happy with the overall presentation but i'll give it a bash out of curiosity. 👍


----------



## Delta9K (Aug 9, 2021)

Fegefeuer said:


> If people are happy with the V281's signature there's no need to change. However happiness around here is not about settling so let's not get carried away.


I always appreciate what you have to say especially with regards to Violectric amplifiers/DACs. On this occasion I may have failed to heed your advice, at least the first sentence.  
Also, I guess now I'll find out for myself the difference's between the v281 & v550
New arrival this morning...


----------



## Terriero

Delta9K said:


> I always appreciate what you have to say especially with regards to Violectric amplifiers/DACs. On this occasion I may have failed to heed your advice, at least the first sentence.
> Also, I guess now I'll find out for myself the difference's between the v281 & v550
> New arrival this morning...


A comparison between both (and also the sinergy with your current headphones) would be appreciated. Enjoy a lot your new AMP


----------



## kdbrink

Anyone using the V550 with Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000?

Ken


----------



## Delta9K (Aug 19, 2021)

Terriero said:


> A comparison between both (and also the sinergy with your current headphones) would be appreciated. Enjoy a lot your new AMP


V550 compared to the V281? Tough one, as I hold the V281 in high regard. Also, I should state I am not a reviewer, only an enthusiast. I’m not an eloquent writer, and I do not have a vast treasure chest of experience. What I do have is a passion for music, gear that reproduces music, and a willingness to share what I can in hopes that others may find some value.

I am really enjoying the V550 it is a fantastic amplifier and is a keeper. I really want to say one is not better than the other, but rather that they are just different. Though, deep down I think the V550 may be better for me because of its improved technical abilities. What I’ve noticed with the 550 is:

Blacker background than the v281, which I considered already as having very a black background, one of the things that blew me away when I first heard the v281 compared to other amps I had heard.
More transparent; This for me is related to the blacker background highlighted above and was another aspect which knocked my socks off when hearing the V281 for the first time, but the V550 is even cleaner, clearer allowing me to hear more individual components and detail in the music.
Better with Macro/Micro dynamics. Instruments, vocals, ambient, all sounds in the recording space appear more apparent and recognizable, no matter their stage position.
Texture; I’m picking up more texture through the entire frequency range, where with the v281 it was more perception of textures, less definitive.
For the bullets above alone, after hearing both, if I was forced to pick only one - I would personally choose V550. However, If I did not have either amp, and was looking for a new amp and considered myself more in the “musical” camp than “analytical”, I don’t think there is a “wrong” choice with selecting either one.

I can confirm that the V550 does not appear to tilt as warm as V281. Does it lean more that direction than the V281, yes but there is still a warmth and smoothness to it that for myself, I find very appealing. In no way would I describe the V550 as being dry, thin or peaky.

Transitioning from the V281 to the V550 hasn’t resulted in any thinness, there is no lack of reproduction in the lower frequencies or any weakness in harmonics or less full sound, which honestly, I was expecting based from my interpretations of the terminology used to describe signature differences between these two amplifiers. What I detect is that the V550 is even cleaner and more transparent than the V281. I used the descriptor “transparent”, because now when connecting different DACs. I’m better able to hear the differences in the DACs as individual pieces of kit vs. as part of a chain, more so than with the 281. My feeling is that the additional transparency, blacker background and overall enhanced technical abilities are what makes the V550 _appear _more neutral at first listen, especially if coming directly from an amp like the V281.

My preferences are a warmer organic sound and I don’t feel I am missing any of that which I had in the V281 with the V550, even when using a cooler leaning DAC as the Soekris dac1541, the V550 still delivers all you’d expect from the V281, just that the V550 is better at delivering a truer representation of the upstream sources feeding it, good or bad. That is the difference IMO.

Operational details
-DACs used with the both V281/V550: Soekris dac1541 (Butterworth Filter) , Holo Spring 3 KTE. NOS (only mode on the new Spring 3)
-Source PC via Shunyata Venom USB cable, (Qobuz/Roon) PCM only, 24/192 max bit/sample
-Headphones: HE1000 V2, TH909, TH900mk2
-Both amps input gain setting set to -6 dB (mainly to accommodate higher sensitivity of the Fostex phones to get a bit more range on the volume control)
-Balanced input / output used on both amplifiers


----------



## Terriero

Thank you very much for your detailed impressions.


----------



## bouscadie

Delta9K said:


> Holo Spring 3 KTE



Thank you also for your interesting story.

I have the 590 and I agree with your impressions.


I have had the 1541 and sometimes want to go back to the R2R, how do you compare it with the Holo?

Thanks


----------



## vkenz (Aug 22, 2021)

I think for me the V281 just sits at the right spot of warmth.  The V550/590 is if you want an AIO.  I think both have the capability to bring a colorful life to a neutral headphones like the Thror, just a bit more so on V281.  Truly this still amazes me.  You haven't heard the side of thror until you V281 it in.


----------



## Delta9K

vkenz said:


> I think for me the V281 just sits at the right spot of warmth.  The V550/590 is if you want an AIO.  I think both have the capability to bring a colorful life to a neutral headphones like the Thror, just a bit more so on V281.  Truly this still amazes me.  You haven't heard the side of thror until you V281 it in.


The V281 is a very capable amp and a piece that I’ve been proud to have and listen with. I’m glad you are enjoying yours as well.


----------



## Fatdoi

Hi new to this thread... Like to ask will Vio release V550² with 4.4mm output?


----------



## Ichos

Fatdoi said:


> Hi new to this thread... Like to ask will Vio release V550² with 4.4mm output?


Hi , I doubt it, this is a new product and Vio is pro oriented.
What about using something like this?
https://www.ddhifi.com/productinfo/700663.html


----------



## ROMEROTECH

I've got a very similar 4pin xlr to 4.4mm female socket adapter but mine allows me to have two 4.4mm jack cabled headphones plugged in at the same time. It's nice to share. 😁


----------



## Fegefeuer

Fatdoi said:


> Hi new to this thread... Like to ask will Vio release V550² with 4.4mm output?



No. Maybe next year. If at all.


----------



## Fatdoi

Ichos said:


> Hi , I doubt it, this is a new product and Vio is pro oriented.
> What about using something like this?
> https://www.ddhifi.com/productinfo/700663.html


thanks, I have a few of those adapters... just that if i'm getting a TOTL HPA i'm looking for a native 4.4mm output as most of my HP and IEM cables are 4.4 terminated.



Fegefeuer said:


> No. Maybe next year. If at all.


maybe I'll wait bit more whilst saving up for the V590²


----------



## Giru

vkenz said:


> I think for me the V281 just sits at the right spot of warmth.  The V550/590 is if you want an AIO.  I think both have the capability to bring a colorful life to a neutral headphones like the Thror, just a bit more so on V281.  Truly this still amazes me.  You haven't heard the side of thror until you V281 it in.


Completely agree.

I had a chance to listen to the V550 again last week and frankly both sound quite different. The V550 is a bit leaner and more airy with a cleaner/blacker background, while the V281 is more meatier and laid back; not overly warm but just "natural"/"organic". The most noticeable difference is the decay of the notes on V281 which is something I'm yet to find on another amp. Things just spring to life on the V281.

Again, this is not to say that the V550 was bad. Nah. Faaarr from it. If I was in the market for a modern amp with all the bells and whistles with performance to match, the 550 would be in my top 3 for sure😊


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Fatdoi said:


> thanks, I have a few of those adapters... just that if i'm getting a TOTL HPA i'm looking for a native 4.4mm output as most of my HP and IEM cables are 4.4 terminated.
> 
> 
> maybe I'll wait bit more whilst saving up for the V590²


Why don't you just buy a new cable for your cans with a male 4pin xlr connector on the end if you're not happy with good quality adapters. 

I've come to the conclusion that 4.4mm is good as xlr but because 4.4mm works better for portable audio it's going to be more popular however i don't think using a decent quality xlr to 4.4mm adapter is going to alter your enjoyment or change the sound one bit. I have 4 sets of cans, each with seperate single ended and 4.4mm terminated cables, and xlr adapters, and i am a very happy camper.

I can highly recommend Custom Cans in the UK for all your HP cables and adapters. I don't have shares in this company but i have spent a fair bit of money with them and can testify to their cables being neutral sounding, flexible and very nicely constructed in paracord, beautifully terminated with top quality connectors, and available in a multitude of colours. Reasonably priced too.


----------



## Delta9K (Sep 6, 2021)

Fatdoi said:


> maybe I'll wait bit more whilst saving up for the V590²


Well if its TOTL head amp you are seeking w/4.4 pentacon there is the Niimbus US5 pro... if wanting to stay in the Lake People family of amplifier offerings.
Otherwise using an adapter (Double Helix Cables has nice ultra short amp termination adapters) is not a bad option with minimal, if any, loss in SQ. As @ROMEROTECH and others may have suggested (and what I do) is have new cables made up - but that can get pretty expensive if you have a large collection of headphones.

Honestly from reading what you described with most of your cables terminated with 4.4 - I'd go the adapter route, just a good quality like the DHC ulta short as exampled in the link provided.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Delta9K said:


> Well if its TOTL head amp you are seeking w/4.4 pentacon there is the Nimbus US5 pro... if wanting to stay in the Lake People family of amplifier offerings.
> Otherwise using an adapter (Double Helix Cables has nice ultra short amp termination adapters) is not a bad option with minimal, if any, loss in SQ. As @ROMEROTECH and others may have suggested (and what I do) is have new cables made up - but that can get pretty expensive if you have a large collection of headphones.
> 
> Honestly from reading what you described with most of your cables terminated with 4.4 - I'd go the adapter route, just a good quality like the DHC ulta short as exampled in the link provided.


I have a 1.5mtr pure silver double-helix single ended cable for my HD800, it's excellent. Unfortunately i have many pairs of headphones so it's an unavoidable expense but IMHO well worth it.


----------



## MichalZZZZ

Hello everyone,

How would you describe the bass in Violectric V550 Pro? Is this a right amp for someone who loves bass?


----------



## Fegefeuer

How about you tell us what headphones and DAC you use and what your reference for "loves bass" is?


----------



## vonBaron

Yes, Niimbus has even greater bass, deaper, thicker, faster.


----------



## MichalZZZZ

I really like the bass in Audeze. I have LCD3f and ZMF Atticus and I expect Verite Closed. I'm also thinking of the new Empyrean - Elite. DAC - Matrix X Sabre Pro Mqa


----------



## vkenz

MichalZZZZ said:


> I really like the bass in Audeze. I have LCD3f and ZMF Atticus and I expect Verite Closed. I'm also thinking of the new Empyrean - Elite. DAC - Matrix X Sabre Pro Mqa


With the amp you will be able to articulate the 50 shades of bass that each of your headphone is capable of producing.   There is gonna be winners and losers in your headphone collections.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

vkenz said:


> With the amp you will be able to articulate the 50 shades of bass that each of your headphone is capable of producing.   There is gonna be winners and losers in your headphone collections.


Vio 550 Pro and Audeze LCD-XC is a great combi👍


----------



## jjthorn

I was considering purchasing a HPA V550 until I saw in the manual that “The time-lag fuse is soldered in place on the circuit board. In case, it must be replaced with a fuse of the same type only.”

Doe this imply that if the fuse blows the HPA 550 will need to be sent back to the manufacturer to have the original circuit board removed and a new circuit board containing the new fuse installed in the HPA V550?


----------



## jonathan c

I have owned a Violectric V280 for a number of years: sonically outstanding. BUT my only gripe has been the same as yours. I have wanted to switch the fuse out to a HifiTune or Synergistic Research model but cannot (or do not want to risk board damage) 😒😒.


----------



## vkenz

jjthorn said:


> I was considering purchasing a HPA V550 until I saw in the manual that “The time-lag fuse is soldered in place on the circuit board. In case, it must be replaced with a fuse of the same type only.”
> 
> Doe this imply that if the fuse blows the HPA 550 will need to be sent back to the manufacturer to have the original circuit board removed and a new circuit board containing the new fuse installed in the HPA V550?


hmmm.. interesting.... purchasing decision based on a fuse.


----------



## jlbrach

not silly, I had a fuse issue and fortunately I was able to replace the fuse myself with another amp.....


----------



## jonathan c

vkenz said:


> hmmm.. interesting.... purchasing decision based on a fuse.


More like the impediment to the replacement or substitution of the fuse…


----------



## jjthorn (Sep 6, 2021)

vkenz said:


> hmmm.. interesting.... purchasing decision based on a fuse.


 
Not if it blows and costs several hundred dollars to replace and for the postal costs, and of course not knowing how long it will take to repair and ship back.

Plus any inconvenience needed to pack and deal with custom, as I have had to do before for my DAC which was sent to Canada for upgrade.


----------



## Slim1970

jlbrach said:


> not silly, I had a fuse issue and fortunately I was able to replace the fuse myself with another amp.....


Too funny !


----------



## jlbrach

I think I might have been misunderstood...what I meant to say was I had a different brand amp that allowed me to change the fuse by myself saving me the hassle of shipping back to manufacturer...


----------



## Slim1970

jlbrach said:


> I think I might have been misunderstood...what I meant to say was I had a different brand amp that allowed me to change the fuse by myself saving me the hassle of shipping back to manufacturer...


Got it!


----------



## vkenz

I never could relate to this need, since life has so far denied me of such experience.  is there anything to the fuse that I am missing here?


----------



## Fegefeuer (Sep 7, 2021)

According to a few guys a fuse can elevate any device to upper heavens if chosen correctly. Now imagine if the guys behind kilobuck DACs and amps knew this secret. I found a particular example about the Rockna Wavelight very entertaining. Imagine Nicolae designing one of the best DACs you can buy for money and developing stuff for MSB etc. missing the last important ingredient: DA FUZE.

Especially those magical fuses from Alibaba. Imagine how much they'd be opening up the stage:

إفتح يا سمسم


----------



## jjthorn

vkenz said:


> I never could relate to this need, since life has so far denied me of such experience.  is there anything to the fuse that I am missing here?


 
Yes, you are probably missing the fact that there is a hifi equipment manufacturer that would consider installing a fuse in a circuit board, when normally practise is to make a fuse removable because it is provided as an expected to be replaced item,  if it blows it will need to be replaced, easily, quickly and cheaply.


----------



## tholt

jjthorn said:


> Yes, you are probably missing the fact that there is a hifi equipment manufacturer that would consider installing a fuse in a circuit board, when normally practise is to make a fuse removable because it is provided as an expected to be replaced item,  if it blows it will need to be replaced, easily, quickly and cheaply.


+1. I wonder the reasoning behind this, and how it outweighs typical implementation of the fuse, as it certainly has its drawbacks.


----------



## Delta9K

ROMEROTECH said:


> Vio 550 Pro and Audeze LCD-XC is a great combi👍


The V550 and Audeze LCD-24 are also a sweet matchup (for my tastes). The DAC I am using with the 550/LCD-24 is a Holo Spring3 KTE.


----------



## jonathan c

Delta9K said:


> The V550 and Audeze LCD-24 are also a sweet matchup (for my tastes). The DAC I am using with the 550/LCD-24 is a Holo Spring3 KTE.


Do you use / prefer the Holo Spring in NOS mode?…(I have V280, LCD-X, Mojo Audio EVO (R2R, NOS)…🎼🎶🎼…)


----------



## Delta9K

jonathan c said:


> Do you use / prefer the Holo Spring in NOS mode?…(I have V280, LCD-X, Mojo Audio EVO (R2R, NOS)…🎼🎶🎼…)


The latest Spring DAC (3) is NOS only and yes, I like it very much.


----------



## MichalZZZZ

Hi,

Has anyone tried a V550 with Audeze LCD4 and ZMF Verite?

Thanks.


----------



## Swisstoni

Hi, just ordered the V550 along with a pair of AUDEZE LCD 5's. Reviews very thin on the ground but some are saying that the LCD 5's needs a more powerful amp than the specs AUDEZE say is required. Will the V550 be powerful enough ?


----------



## Ichos

Swisstoni said:


> Hi, just ordered the V550 along with a pair of AUDEZE LCD 5's. Reviews very thin on the ground but some are saying that the LCD 5's needs a more powerful amp than the specs AUDEZE say is required. Will the V550 be powerful enough ?


The V550 can drive any headphone on the planet (sans some exotics) to ear defending levels.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Ichos said:


> The V550 can drive any headphone on the planet (sans some exotics) to ear defending levels.


Spot on. I've got my LCD-XC's and Senn HD800 set to -6db on the gain switches and that is more than plenty for both. On some recordings with headroom i can turn them up full on the volume knob, everything still sounds really clear and so loud that my ear lobes start dancing around which is most pleasurable. 😂 That's a lot more than 85db for sure so if you want your ears to blead pleasurably get the V550.  Hard to drive headphones like HIFIMAN Susvara and Abyss 1266 would be no problem at all, there's plenty voltage for high impedence dynamic drivers and current for low impedence planars. Fill your boots! 👍


----------



## chrisnyc75

Swisstoni said:


> Hi, just ordered the V550 along with a pair of AUDEZE LCD 5's. Reviews very thin on the ground but some are saying that the LCD 5's needs a more powerful amp than the specs AUDEZE say is required. Will the V550 be powerful enough ?


While the prevailing assumption is that V550 will drive anything, I would point out that the power specs do not look particularly synergistic with lcd-5 specifically:


HP ImpedanceUa (dBu)Ua (V)Pa (mW)60028,721,174030028,620,9145010028,520,743005027,317,964003224,012,347001617,35,72000812,33,2130046,81,7700

lcd-5 is 14ohms impedance with a sensitivity of 90db.  That's very low impedance AND very low sensitivity, and puts it in the <2 watt row of the V550's power specs.  Is <2W enough to drive a 90db sensitive planar sufficiently?  I'm not sure.  I can tell you that Arya, which is also 90db sensitivity, is rather hard to drive and generally likes more than 2W (I drive mine on Schiit Lyr 3 on high gain (+7.5db) @ 6W, with the volume around 12 o'clock)


----------



## Swisstoni (Sep 27, 2021)

chrisnyc75 said:


> While the prevailing assumption is that V550 will drive anything, I would point out that the power specs do not look particularly synergistic with lcd-5 specifically:
> 
> 
> HP ImpedanceUa (dBu)Ua (V)Pa (mW)60028,721,174030028,620,9145010028,520,743005027,317,964003224,012,347001617,35,72000812,33,2130046,81,7700
> ...


Thank you, you have come to the same conclusion as myself and it concerns me. Everyone says the v550 will power pretty much anything but the numbers don't stack up !! Think I may have to reconsider my amp !!


----------



## chrisnyc75

Swisstoni said:


> Thank you, you have come to the same conclusion as myself and it concerns me. Everyone says the v550 will power pretty much anything but the numbers don't stack up !! Think I may have to reconsider my amp !!


To be clear I am not certain they won't pair well, but as someone who is giving thought to both the lcd-5 and V550, the specs give me pause, too.  It seems Violectric rolled the power down below 50ohms - presumably for iem compatibility? - not foreseeing the release of the most unusual combination of low impedance AND low sensitivity in the same headphone.  I'm thinking you want an amp that provides more power the lower the impedance, all the way down to 8ohms.


----------



## jonathan c

chrisnyc75 said:


> To be clear I am not certain they won't pair well, but as someone who is giving thought to both the lcd-5 and V550, the specs give me pause, too.  It seems Violectric rolled the power down below 50ohms - presumably for iem compatibility? - not foreseeing the release of the most unusual combination of low impedance AND low sensitivity in the same headphone.  I'm thinking you want an amp that provides more power the lower the impedance, all the way down to 8ohms.


Plus, being a planar-magnetic hp, the LCD-5 will be more purely resistive - the ‘effective’ impedance will not swing too far from the ‘stated’ impedance: 14 ohms.


----------



## jlbrach

chrisnyc75 said:


> While the prevailing assumption is that V550 will drive anything, I would point out that the power specs do not look particularly synergistic with lcd-5 specifically:
> 
> 
> HP ImpedanceUa (dBu)Ua (V)Pa (mW)60028,721,174030028,620,9145010028,520,743005027,317,964003224,012,347001617,35,72000812,33,2130046,81,7700
> ...


the 550 has more than ample power for the lcd-5...whether it pairs well is another issue but there will be zero problem driving them.....they are more efficient than the abyss tc which is driven brilliantly by the formula s which outputs 2.3 watts into it...


----------



## Ichos

According to Audeze

Min recommended power >100mW

Recommended power level >500mW

A headphone with 14Ω and 90db/1mW sensitivity will need

Painful - 120 dB SPL

3.74 Vrms - 267.14 mA - 999.11 mW

The V550 is a high current amplifier and will have no problem to power the LCD-5.


----------



## monkey4054 (Oct 20, 2021)

Can anyone tell me whether the Pro version is worth it or not? Where I am it costs about $800 more for the Pro version. What difference does the relay volume pot make compared to the stock volume pot?   Also, would it be worth also owning the V281 as well, or is the V550 better?  Lastly, has anyone tried the V550 with the HE-6/SE yet? Any thoughts? Thanks.


----------



## Ichos

monkey4054 said:


> Can anyone tell me whether the Pro version is worth it or not? Where I am it costs about $800 more for the Pro version. What difference does the relay volume pot make compared to the stock volume pot?   Also, would it be worth also owning the V281 as well, or is the V550 better?  Lastly, has anyone tried the V550 with the HE-6/SE yet? Any thoughts? Thanks.



The relay pot offers precise volume adjustment per fixed increments and minimal channel imbalance at low volume settings.

Regarding the sound I prefer the V500 over the V281 because it is more clear/clean, faster, better dynamics and more precise/transparent without losing the analogue/organic house sound.


----------



## monkey4054

Ichos said:


> The relay pot offers precise volume adjustment per fixed increments and minimal channel imbalance at low volume settings.
> 
> Regarding the sound I prefer the V500 over the V281 because it is more clear/clean, faster, better dynamics and more precise/transparent without losing the analogue/organic house sound.


Thanks for your reply. In your opinion is the Pro version worth the extra $800 or just save the money?


----------



## Ichos

monkey4054 said:


> Thanks for your reply. In your opinion is the Pro version worth the extra $800 or just save the money?


Since I have reviewed the V550 and I found the volume pot excellent regarding the adjustment and I didn't experience any channel imbalance, my opinion is get the V550 and save the money.


----------



## Giru

monkey4054 said:


> Can anyone tell me whether the Pro version is worth it or not? Where I am it costs about $800 more for the Pro version. What difference does the relay volume pot make compared to the stock volume pot?   Also, would it be worth also owning the V281 as well, or is the V550 better?  Lastly, has anyone tried the V550 with the HE-6/SE yet? Any thoughts? Thanks.


Can't say if the extra 800 for the Pro is justified but if you don't upgrade your gear often and have already auditioned (and liked the 550), I think getting the Pro would not be a bad idea in the long run. 

As far as 550 vs 281 is concerned, the 550 is defintely a more modern sounding amp. More clean and agile. While the 281 sounds more organic, cohesive and powerful. It's more akin to a vintage ss amp in that regard. Completely boils down to your personal taste and partnering equipment.

Good luck with your purchase! Cheers!


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Before anyone blows £2600 on a Vio 550 Pro, is anyones' volume pot noisy?  Mine is, easily audible and distorts the sound quite badly at times as it's moving round until it stops. I think it's getting worse. It's wasn't this loud or prominent when i first bought it. The Benchmark HPA4 i auditioned had a tiny crackle as it went through each step but that was it and it was a well used amp.


----------



## bouscadie

I have a 590 pro and I had noticed it, apparently no one else had this problem, I was very surprised, I hope everyone was sincere. Yes it does make noise, I feel it less and less in my case, but I don't know if it's because I'm getting used to it and I like it a lot. Also I made an output gain adjustment by attenuating. Frankly now I have no problem with the pot, although I almost sent it back at the beginning because of that.


----------



## Ichos

I have had the plain V550 for two months and I didn't notice anything wrong with the volume control.


----------



## Giru (Oct 21, 2021)

Edit: Sorry. Just checked. The stepped attenuators on all Vios are relay based (as are on the HPA4). 
Better contact Vio for this issue.


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Oct 21, 2021)

I know these kinds of pots have some noise, apparently it's unavoidable and just the way it is. Compared to the Benchmark which had exactly the same level of quiet crackle for every step from 0-max the Vio is very loud and really does interfere with the sound quite badly until it stops turning and It's worse when using the remote. I think this might be a job for Vio tech support/repair as has been suggested. Lucky for me i haven't sold my other HPA so not such a biggie for this to go back but still it's bit of an inconvenience and i wasn't expecting to have to do this at all never mind so soon. I feel disappointed because it's not a cheap amp and i expected better. It's a fabulous sounding amp and i know i'll miss it if it has to go away but i have a big problem with the noisy pot that is getting worse. 😭


----------



## MichalZZZZ

I wonder if Niimbus has the same problem?


----------



## Delta9K

monkey4054 said:


> In your opinion is the Pro version worth the extra $800 or just save the money?


I opted not to go for the Pro version. The V281 I have doesn't have the stepped pot and I never felt like I was missing anything so, I could not justify the extra $600 USD for the Pro option for the V550 when I ordered mine. I'm still content with out the stepped pot and normal or not, any audible noise from using the stepped pot would bother me personally, so avoiding it all together was the best option for myself.


----------



## Fatdoi

some on this thread said the Pro 256 step relay volume improves the audio quality.. but i'm not sure if that's true or not as most of us when buying amps, we only get one or the other and mostly impossible to compare the 2 versions except maybe during head fi meets...


----------



## Fegefeuer

Ok, so what's your actual point now or what do you want to imply?

Volume controls are no joke and an essential part of amp design. It's not something that just gives you volume, unnoticable crosstalk, channel balance after a certain threshold and then you're good.

What about  ensuring maximum bandwith at any position (low impedance too), low distortion, linearity etc? The reed relais gives you plenty that. Of course you can go beyond that. Look at autoformers for instance as controls for power amps. You're at 2k already with some designs, "just" for volume.

Does one lose out? No, the US4/5, v550 are still damn good, but if you want to maximize there is no way around it.
500 Dollars is less than what most people who shop in these waters spend for cables and here you're buying a more critical component.

Btw. The Niimbus which came before the V5, V3 generation came in three versions before production, all quite different in their volume control design. Unfortunately the most exciting (just from a rarity perspective) turned out to be rather lifeless sounding, blunted in the treble, cold. Volume controls always impact the sound.


----------



## townes

I wonder if the step relay volume control in the V550 has been improved compared to the one in the V281?
I am asking because:
I had the V281 (with step relay vol) and sold it a few years ago. The only reason was, that I found the noise caused by volume adjustments very disturbing. The noise was mixed into the audio signal, i.e. you heard the noise through the headphones, sometimes both channels, sometimes only one channel. Even more disturbing was that the noise sometimes did not yet stop after volume adjustment was done/finished. The irregular popping noise could easily last for several seconds more. It felt like the step relay control was in a fuzzy state, like not knowing for which of the 256 step it should decide (depending on the pot position).

If the step relay volume control is technically still the same as in the V281 amp, I will select the V550 Non-pro version. It's really not about the price difference.



Fegefeuer said:


> 500 Dollars is less than what most people who shop in these waters spend for cables and here you're buying a more critical component.


I agree to this.


----------



## bouscadie

I don't know what it says when it's translated, but in French they say: "le mieux est l'ennemi du bien".
I'm a bit of a maniac, and often the sight of this perfect world I'm looking for has played tricks on me and often disappointed me. Sometimes you have to compromise. That's what happened with this "special" pot: in fact Fried's machine is very, very well tuned, it's a great daily pleasure that makes life better, and it's rare.  I don't regret at all that I was able to accept it when I was ready to send it back. Trust it, relax, and you won't be disappointed, the cocktail is valid.

tchin tchin


----------



## ctrlm

Delta9K said:


> I opted not to go for the Pro version. The V281 I have doesn't have the stepped pot and I never felt like I was missing anything so, I could not justify the extra $600 USD for the Pro option for the V550 when I ordered mine. I'm still content with out the stepped pot and normal or not, any audible noise from using the stepped pot would bother me personally, so avoiding it all together was the best option for myself.


I see you have both the V281 & V550.

Could you describe the differences in both SQ and operation?

Thanks.


----------



## SaiSai (Oct 30, 2021)

Happy owner of Violectric Head amp again. (owner of V200 from 2011 to 2018). Ordered V550 last Saturday and arrived on Thursday. Great price from Thomann (a bit cheaper since its a b stock) Burning in now, sounds very spacious and comfortable to me. Only downside to me is that I have to use a Furutech ADL iHP-4M3 Adaptor for my Sennheiser HD800s.


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Oct 30, 2021)

SaiSai said:


> Happy owner of Violectric Head amp again. (owner of V200 from 2011 to 2018). Ordered V550 last Saturday and arrived on Thursday. Great price from Thomann (a bit cheaper since its a b stock) Burning in now, sounds very spacious and comfortable to me. Only downside to me is that I have to use a Furutech ADL iHP-4M3 Adaptor for my Sennheiser HD800s.


HD800 works really well with a balanced cable. My cable has a 4.4mm Pentaconn jack, i had an adapter made by Custom Cans in the UK and it works really well with 4pin XLR. Why is it a downside?


----------



## realmassy

Ichos said:


> Since I have reviewed the V550 and I found the volume pot excellent regarding the adjustment and I didn't experience any channel imbalance, my opinion is get the V550 and save the money.


Do you think the Violectric is worth the extra money over the FluxLabs? You could literally buy a Volot for the same money


----------



## SaiSai

ROMEROTECH said:


> HD800 works really well with a balanced cable. My cable has a 4.4mm Pentaconn jack, i had an adapter made by Custom Cans in the UK and it works really well with 4pin XLR. Why is it a downside?


Because I used to have Luxman P750u which has dual 3 pin XLR outputs.


----------



## ctrlm (Oct 30, 2021)

What I find strange about the V550 is that the power ratings are increased on lower impedances and decreased on higher impedances compared to the V281.

I'm only getting decent volume range with easier to drive headphones on my V281 having it set to to it's lowest gain of -14dB, it seems to me that this range would be decreased with the V550? It also seems to fly against industry trends of new released headphones being lower impedances.

Edit: I just noticed that the V550 has a -18dB and a -6dB switch.


----------



## Ichos

realmassy said:


> Do you think the Violectric is worth the extra money over the FluxLabs? You could literally buy a Volot for the same money


Sound wise I would be certainly happy with something from Flux.
If you want upgraded build quality, aesthetics and all the functionality like fully balanced and two single outputs, special gain control  and a very good pre then you should pay premium.


----------



## realmassy

Thanks, that’s what I wanted to hear 😂


----------



## ecobest

SaiSai said:


> Happy owner of Violectric Head amp again. (owner of V200 from 2011 to 2018). Ordered V550 last Saturday and arrived on Thursday. Great price from Thomann (a bit cheaper since its a b stock) Burning in now, sounds very spacious and comfortable to me. Only downside to me is that I have to use a Furutech ADL iHP-4M3 Adaptor for my Sennheiser HD800s.


I was looking at this one (b stock) at Thomann and Saturday evening I decided to buy it. However it was already gone.
Now I know why 
Enjoy it!
I will wait the Black Friday to see if they have any special offer.


----------



## SaiSai

ecobest said:


> I was looking at this one (b stock) at Thomann and Saturday evening I decided to buy it. However it was already gone.
> Now I know why
> Enjoy it!
> I will wait the Black Friday to see if they have any special offer.


Cheers mate!


----------



## SaiSai

ecobest said:


> I was looking at this one (b stock) at Thomann and Saturday evening I decided to buy it. However it was already gone.
> Now I know why
> Enjoy it!
> I will wait the Black Friday to see if they have any special offer.


https://www.thomann.de/intl/violectric_dha_v590_mk2_b_stock.htm
£2,141.20 (no VAT)


----------



## ecobest

SaiSai said:


> https://www.thomann.de/intl/violectric_dha_v590_mk2_b_stock.htm
> £2,141.20 (no VAT)


Thx. I would go for the amp only.
What are your impressions about V550?


----------



## dkar

Has anyone tried the v550/v590 and the Benchmark AHB2 with the Susvara?  I'm considering getting an AHB2 for the Susvara's and using the Violectric as a pre-amp.  Is there a noticeable difference in driving the Susvara's from the v550/v590 compared to an AHB2?  From what I've been reading, it may be a worthwhile upgrade but interested in thoughts from anyone that has tried this, or something similar with a speaker amp.


----------



## Fatdoi

SaiSai said:


> Because I used to have Luxman P750u which has dual 3 pin XLR outputs.


Since you had a P750u, how do you compare it to V550?


----------



## SaiSai

Fatdoi said:


> Since
> 
> 
> Fatdoi said:
> ...


----------



## sebiambrus

Hi all. I am using a V281 with RME adi2dac balanced runing a HD800 in balanced mode. 
Anyone can compare the new HPA V550 vs the V281 ?  Also i found out there is a new VIOLECTRIC HPA V340 but that one do not have balanced analog input.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

I run HD800 via balanced from a V550 Pro. There's a ton of voltage to drive them and because the V550 is very slightly the warm side of neutral the presentation is a real pleasure. The detail is all there but not so sharp it hurts your ears as can be the case sometimes and sibilance is a tad reduced on top of the significant reduction i experience from my version of the SuperDupont mod. I'm sorry i can't give a comparison to the V281 as i've never heard it but i did choose the V550 over a Benchmark HPA4 i auditioned back to back. Give the V550/Pro an audition. From comments i've read on this thread my understanding is the V281 is a warmer sound.


----------



## sebiambrus

ROMEROTECH said:


> I run HD800 via balanced from a V550 Pro. There's a ton of voltage to drive them and because the V550 is very slightly the warm side of neutral the presentation is a real pleasure. The detail is all there but not so sharp it hurts your ears as can be the case sometimes and sibilance is a tad reduced on top of the significant reduction i experience from my version of the SuperDupont mod. I'm sorry i can't give a comparison to the V281 as i've never heard it but i did choose the V550 over a Benchmark HPA4 i auditioned back to back. Give the V550/Pro an audition. From comments i've read on this thread my understanding is the V281 is a warmer sound.


Thank you for the reply, maybe off topic, but I not SDR modded My HD800 , what is the difference with and without SuperDupont mod?


----------



## Fatdoi (Nov 21, 2021)

sebiambrus said:


> Thank you for the reply, maybe off topic, but I not SDR modded My HD800 , what is the difference with and without SuperDupont mod?


my understanding is SDR takes the edge off 2-6khz


----------



## ROMEROTECH

sebiambrus said:


> Thank you for the reply, maybe off topic, but I not SDR modded My HD800 , what is the difference with and without SuperDupont mod?


The original SD mod did the job with respect to significantly reducing sibilance but it took the sparkle right out of the presentation and left this veil of dullness across all frequencies. I didn't like it. 

I put some thought into what i could do about the dullness and to bring the sparkle back whilst keeping sibilance down. I looked at the materials and came to the conclusion two of the materials are just too dense.

I don't care what the measurements say about the original SD mod, (you can google it or look via YouTube) it didn't sound right to me and was evident straight away. 

Using the materials i opted for the sparkle came back, the dullness disappeared and still much reduced sibilance although not 100% gone but so much better than without the mod. Even with the original mod the sibilance hasn't completely gone but imho i think my version sounds better. 

I listen to tracks that used to sound sibilant and it's amazing how much they are improved, and other tracks i expect to be  sibilant on any cans are still sibilant so that is all good.

I still haven't heard the HD800S but i don't believe they are significantly different or better than my trusty old HD800 with my own version RSD (RomSuperDupont) mod. I would however like to do a back to back comparison just to hear what the difference is. Sennheiser will be bringing out a new flagship can but i don't think it will be anything like the current flagship DD offerings, maybe they'll go planar, who knows.


----------



## amele

hi i am buying a new amp for Heddphones but i am wondering if there is a good synergy between the HPA V550 and i am also leaning towards the SPL Phonitor xe maybe also the Flux Volot.


----------



## Dobrescu George

Do you like Balanced Headphone Amplifiers with tons of power, but musicality too?

Today I am sharing my review on the HPA V340 Headphone Amplifier / Preamplifier from Violectric, a German company known for pioneering the multibit DAC technology in the past, now coming to bring us their Headphone Amplifiers with Pre Functions, Gain functions, and a blend of musicality, transparency, speed and resolution! 

I included over 9 comparisons and pairings to help you, and if you have questions, don't forget to comment as I'm here to help  

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2...amplifier-preamplifier-german-musicality.html


----------



## vkenz

Dobrescu George said:


> Do you like Balanced Headphone Amplifiers with tons of power, but musicality too?
> 
> Today I am sharing my review on the HPA V340 Headphone Amplifier / Preamplifier from Violectric, a German company known for pioneering the multibit DAC technology in the past, now coming to bring us their Headphone Amplifiers with Pre Functions, Gain functions, and a blend of musicality, transparency, speed and resolution!
> 
> ...


it is so compact.  👍


----------



## Fegefeuer

@Dobrescu George You could post it here too. Maybe @Wyville  can change the thread title to include the V340?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/violectric-dha-v380-dac-amp-pre-amp.947124/


----------



## Dobrescu George

Fegefeuer said:


> @Dobrescu George You could post it here too. Maybe @Wyville  can change the thread title to include the V340?
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/violectric-dha-v380-dac-amp-pre-amp.947124/



Woah, thanks a lot, will post it there too! 

I'lll also be making a product page on HEad-fi since it doesn't seem to have one yet


----------



## Relaxasaurus

No better feeling than getting a head-fi delivery right before the weekend starts


----------



## rmsanger

Relaxasaurus said:


> No better feeling than getting a head-fi delivery right before the weekend starts



Looking forward to your review and how you like it compared to the V280/V281 sound signature.  Wondering if the lack of warmth in the new model will be a detractor for your findings.


----------



## Ichos

You are in for a good treat, the weekend is definitely going to be very interesting!


----------



## Delta9K

Relaxasaurus said:


> No better feeling than getting a head-fi delivery right before the weekend starts


I remember that feeling oh so well - Enjoy your weekend my friend!!


----------



## Slim1970

Relaxasaurus said:


> No better feeling than getting a head-fi delivery right before the weekend starts


Definitely should be a fun weekend. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.


----------



## hontored

I am also curious of a comparison with v281. I like the "warmness" of the v281 so I am wondering if the v550 would be an improvement.


----------



## Ichos

hontored said:


> I am also curious of a comparison with v281. I like the "warmness" of the v281 so I am wondering if the v550 would be an improvement.


It is an improvement in technical performance but you lose the warmth in favor of a pure neutrality but with very musical presentation.


----------



## hontored

Ichos said:


> It is an improvement in technical performance but you lose the warmth in favor of a pure neutrality but with very musical presentation.


Thanks, sounds like what I am looking for. And have you by chance heard the benchmark HPA 4 ? I would be very interested in your opinion.


----------



## Ichos

hontored said:


> Thanks, sounds like what I am looking for. And have you by chance heard the benchmark HPA 4 ? I would be very interested in your opinion.


You are welcome, unfortunately never heard the Benchmark but if I could afford the V550 I should definitely have bought one as my end game ss amp.
Now I am waiting for the V226 to review.
This should be closer to the V280 but we shall see.


----------



## smutnyjoe

Hello everyone, I'm joining the v550 club 
As an owner of Chord TT2 and Abyss 1266 Phi Tc, I wanted to add something a bit smoother and less-forward sounding to my rig.
After serious comparison of Ferrum Oor, v550 and direct output of TT2 (in my opinion, it has enough power, I just want to find my desired sound signature), I decided to order the v550


----------



## ROMEROTECH

I auditioned the V550 Pro back to back with the Benchmark HPA4. The Benchmark is absolutely dead straight down the middle neutral, it made my Audeze LCD-XC sound like electrostats which is no bad thing but not so fantastic with my modified HD800, too neutral, too bright, just no body/soul. The V550 is slightly on the warm side of neutral but no more than that. It pairs well with my HD800 and the LCD-XC, great sounstage, clarity and detail. Most important it has a ton of power and voltage for both kinds of demanding cans, high impedence or low impedence there is absolutely no issue. It's a great amp, has a lovely sounding pre-out and gain adjustments for input and output make it incredibly versatile to support a wide range of cans and other connected gear. Suffice to say i went for the V550 Pro but the Benchmark is a very fine HPA and the user interface and features imho was brilliant. I'd love to see a Vio with a touchscreen and similar functionality. Now i'm hunting round for a new DAC but i can't find one with XLR balanced inputs although they mostly have XLR balanced outputs. Good luck with whatever you choose.


----------



## Delta9K (Dec 23, 2021)

Help me understand why I would want to increase the pre-gain setting if I were running a Susvara.  What benefit is being realized if the Susvara is already "Loud" enough and and the attenuation pot is in a working range of up to 12-1 oClock before it is too loud for comfort?  I am not understanding why it is suggested to increase the pre-gain if this is already the case?  I have read some say that the mids filled out and there were improvements to bass realized after adjusting the pre-gain higher. I don't get it seems to me the basic amplification is still the same. Is that not correct?

Scenario is Spring 3 DAC (balanced 5.8V)  -> HPA v550 -> Susvara


----------



## Fegefeuer

pre-gain is about volume control range. If you are in the sweet spot already, it's totally fine. Don't worry about it. As your DAC is outputting more than 4V it's normal to not need any more gain for your music choices compared to 4V regulars.


----------



## JeffMann

smutnyjoe said:


> Hello everyone, I'm joining the v550 club
> As an owner of Chord TT2 and Abyss 1266 Phi Tc, I wanted to add something a bit smoother and less-forward sounding to my rig.
> After serious comparison of Ferrum Oor, v550 and direct output of TT2 (in my opinion, it has enough power, I just want to find my desired sound signature), I decided to order the v550


Why did you prefer the V550 over the Ferrum Oor? 

Jeff.


----------



## ChJL

I am wondering about that to plus:

Any advice on which amp would be fitting better? Oor + Hypsos Vs. Vio 550pro???

I usually don't write in Forums but read threads from first to last page if the topic is of interest to me.

Set up:
SOtM 200 Ultra - Gustard X26 Pro - ??? - Focal Clear OG /// future HP has to be anything other than Dynamic - having either Audeze LCD-X or even LCD 5 in mind!!!
Most importantly: music is electronic, not your typical EDM, most of it not found on streaming platforms, techno in it's various forms, D&B and ambient type... 
Hesitant to ask audiophiles who probably wouldn't consider that music, but to be honest I have YouTubers and reviewers attitudes in mind. Not to forget the importance of bass performance which should go without saying...
Any suggestions welcome, even if you think of something (DAC, hp, amp) entirely different. Peace and greetings from austria.


----------



## smutnyjoe (Jan 13, 2022)

Sorry, I missed your post. I've just read it.

I decided to go with v550 despite Oor being a bit better technically. In my opinion, oor is really a high class amplifier and can be compared with the best. Everything was right and I had a hard time when making a decision. I liked the visuals and size, too. However, in my long term setup (I just can't see myself selling 1266 or tt2 in foreseable future) v550 introduced more changes, some different sonic character. Lets put it like that: I have a perfect studio quality from my TT2, I really consider it being almost perfect at digital audio reproduction and, what is interesting, powerful enough for 1266.

OOR introduced a (tiny) bit more energy at the lower frequency range, but at a cost of (tiny) less bass detail than TT2. Which is expected, there is always some degration when connecting something external to such an accurate dac/amp. This is very positive opinion about oor, because it keeps the signal almost uncolored, the quality that is desired by many.

However, I wanted to have an option to pług my headphones to TT2 or to something else. Oor was almost the same, while v550 sounded different. A bit less forward, less harsh in bad recordings, a bit more bass slam (although I realize it may just be an added distortion 😅 but I don't care if I enjoy it). I really liked it and will be using both outputs (tt2 directly or tt2-v550) depending on my mood or an album.


----------



## realmassy

I haven’t listened to the Oor or the Violectric, but this seems like a sensible decision: I think to keep this hobby fresh we need diversity (hence why some of us have multiple head in their collection), and having a different flavour in the amp will help


----------



## Marutks

ChJL said:


> Any advice on which amp would be fitting better? Oor + Hypsos Vs. Vio 550pro???



Maybe Niimbus US5 Pro?

Is Niimbus US5 Pro better than Violectric V550?   What are differences?   Only stepped attenuator?


----------



## hikaru12

Ichos said:


> It is an improvement in technical performance but you lose the warmth in favor of a pure neutrality but with very musical presentation.



How's the bass compared to the V281? That was one of the things I read about that I thought would make it an ideal pairing with the LCD-4.


----------



## Ichos

hikaru12 said:


> How's the bass compared to the V281? That was one of the things I read about that I thought would make it an ideal pairing with the LCD-4.


From memory by now but I found the V550 better in every single way.
Bass is not of a concern with the 550.
Thunderous and technical.


----------



## 9bphillips

Can anyone tell me if the v550 pairs well with the Verite Closed?


----------



## ROMEROTECH

9bphillips said:


> Can anyone tell me if the v550 pairs well with the Verite Closed?


No idea about Verite closed but i can say Audeze LCD-XC closed are a great match, plenty of current and a ton of headroom to make them sing. Lots of impact and clear detailed bass, solid mid range and nicely rounded off highs, not too sharp, edgy or crispy.


----------



## 9bphillips

ROMEROTECH said:


> No idea about Verite closed but i can say Audeze LCD-XC closed are a great match, plenty of current and a ton of headroom to make them sing. Lots of impact and clear detailed bass, solid mid range and nicely rounded off highs, not too sharp, edgy or crispy.


I have the lcd x too but what I really need to know is about the VC. What I am looking for is an amp with higher output impedance  to go with the VC. I don't understand what that means for the v550 pro. It says< 0,2 Ohms and damping factor> 250. I don't understand this.


----------



## Benno1988

Is the V550 much of a step from the V340?


----------



## ROMEROTECH

9bphillips said:


> I have the lcd x too but what I really need to know is about the VC. What I am looking for is an amp with higher output impedance  to go with the VC. I don't understand what that means for the v550 pro. It says< 0,2 Ohms and damping factor> 250. I don't understand this


----------



## ROMEROTECH

There is a shed load of resource on this topic, very easy to locate but this won't let me post any links.


----------



## OMB66

Benno1988 said:


> Is the V550 much of a step from the V340?


Hello,

I have both the V550 and a DHA V380, which has the same amplifier section as the V340. Nominally, the V340 is a little weaker than the V550 in terms of power, but in terms of sound, the two are almost identical.


----------



## 9bphillips

OMB66 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have both the V550 and a DHA V380, which has the same amplifier section as the V340. Nominally, the V340 is a little weaker than the V550 in terms of power, but in terms of sound, the two are almost identical.


Is the v550 a good match with a Verite Closeda and Lcd x? They are completely different as one is dynamic driver and 300 ohms and the other is planar and 20 ohms. I am have a Burson Soloist 3xp but next week I am upgrading between the Soloist GT and the V550 pro. I can't find many reviews or even many opinions from owners regarding the v550 pro.


----------



## Malcolm Riverside

9bphillips said:


> Is the v550 a good match with a Verite Closeda and Lcd x? They are completely different as one is dynamic driver and 300 ohms and the other is planar and 20 ohms. I am have a Burson Soloist 3xp but next week I am upgrading between the Soloist GT and the V550 pro. I can't find many reviews or even many opinions from owners regarding the v550 pro.


The LCD-X has great symmetry with Violectric amps across the board in my experience. Oftentimes they demo their amps with that headphone, so it’s a pairing they have confidence in. You will get the max out of those headphones with the V550. 
I have a Verité C and Niimbus amp and it’s a very good combination but the synergy is not as great as with the planars. I think ZMF cans really need a tube amp to hit their full potential but that can be a big time and money investment! The totl Violectric amps are about as versatile as it gets in terms of solid state amps though; the V550 will play very nicely with anything you throw at it.


----------



## 9bphillips

Malcolm Riverside said:


> The LCD-X has great symmetry with Violectric amps across the board in my experience. Oftentimes they demo their amps with that headphone, so it’s a pairing they have confidence in. You will get the max out of those headphones with the V550.
> I have a Verité C and Niimbus amp and it’s a very good combination but the synergy is not as great as with the planars. I think ZMF cans really need a tube amp to hit their full potential but that can be a big time and money investment! The totl Violectric amps are about as versatile as it gets in terms of solid state amps though; the V550 will play very nicely with anything you throw at it.


I have plans to buy tubes next actually. I am trading a few things in for and Amp at headphones. Com because they have a 1 year return policy. I wish I had a comparison between the Soloist GT and the V550. Do you know what the output impedance of the v550 by chance?


----------



## Malcolm Riverside

9bphillips said:


> I have plans to buy tubes next actually. I am trading a few things in for and Amp at headphones. Com because they have a 1 year return policy. I wish I had a comparison between the Soloist GT and the V550. Do you know what the output impedance of the v550 by chance?


If you look at the site below it says 0.2 ohms for the headphone output. I think most quality solid state amps from the last 5-10 years have no more than 1 ohm or so for output impedance. 
https://power-holdings-inc.com/Violectric-V550-Headphone-Amp-p262209263


----------



## jonathan c

9bphillips said:


> I have plans to buy tubes next actually. I am trading a few things in for and Amp at headphones. Com because they have a 1 year return policy. I wish I had a comparison between the Soloist GT and the V550. Do you know what the output impedance of the v550 by chance?


From the specifications on the website: < 0.2 ohms.


----------



## 9bphillips

Malcolm Riverside said:


> If you look at the site below it says 0.2 ohms for the headphone output. I think most quality solid state amps from the last 5-10 years have no more than 1 ohm or so for output impedance.
> https://power-holdings-inc.com/Violectric-V550-Headphone-Amp-p262209263


I noticed it had 0,2. I didn't know if the comma was a mistake or what? I agree most are under 1 ohm. Zach suggest having an Amp with higher output impedance because the lower it is the more the sound will be dampened. My Soloist 3xp is 0.5ohms. I'm just curious what an Amp with higher output impedance would sound like. I have found out that it is hard to find a good amp that I want that is like that.


----------



## Malcolm Riverside

9bphillips said:


> I noticed it had 0,2. I didn't know if the comma was a mistake or what? I agree most are under 1 ohm. Zach suggest having an Amp with higher output impedance because the lower it is the more the sound will be dampened. My Soloist 3xp is 0.5ohms. I'm just curious what an Amp with higher output impedance would sound like. I have found out that it is hard to find a good amp that I want that is like that.


The comma is a European thing, take it as a decimal point. Off the top of my head, I know Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser have some older solid state amps w/a higher output impedance to match their 300-600 ohm headphones, but if you have more ZMF-focused questions you should post them over on those message boards. They’re quite active and you’ll get a lot of replies.


----------



## 9bphillips

Malcolm Riverside said:


> The comma is a European thing, take it as a decimal point. Off the top of my head, I know Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser have some older solid state amps w/a higher output impedance to match their 300-600 ohm headphones, but if you have more ZMF-focused questions you should post them over on those message boards. They’re quite active and you’ll get a lot of replies.


Honestly I don't think I'm really that worried about it. When I heard Zach say that about output impedance it worried me but I love the way my VC sounds on the Soloist.  I'm not going to worry about output impedance and miss out on other qualities an Amp can have.


----------



## jonathan c

9bphillips said:


> I noticed it had 0,2. I didn't know if the comma was a mistake or what? I agree most are under 1 ohm. Zach suggest having an Amp with higher output impedance because the lower it is the more the sound will be dampened. My Soloist 3xp is 0.5ohms. I'm just curious what an Amp with higher output impedance would sound like. I have found out that it is hard to find a good amp that I want that is like that.


The only solid-state headphone amplifier, that I can think of, with a ‘high’ output impedance is the Beyerdynamic A2. It has a switch underneath which has 0-ohm and 100-ohm settings. (Incidentally, Zach at ZMF Headphones is said to favour the Beyer h/p/a as a solid-state alternative because of the impedance.)


----------



## 9bphillips

jonathan c said:


> The only solid-state headphone amplifier, that I can think of, with a ‘high’ output impedance is the Beyerdynamic A2. It has a switch underneath which has 0-ohm and 100-ohm settings. (Incidentally, Zach at ZMF Headphones is said to favour the Beyer h/p/a as a solid-state alternative because of the impedance.)


I'm sure they are great with ZMF but I have other headphones too. I don't think I am going to worry with it because I will eventually have tubes for the VC


----------



## Fegefeuer

High damping factor, low impedance will "dry" the VC more up, shorten the decay etc, making them more technically impressive rather than maintaining their euphonic part.

That's how I would describe it, having heard the Verite with the Niimbus, V590, HPA-1, Crimson.

The Cavalli Liquid Crimson for instance was the best pairing among those, for the tone Zach intended.

I think in general @zach915m recommends competent, clean power at 300 Ohms, less damping and tubes in general.

That said I still enjoy the Verité on all the other amps.


----------



## Marutks

My ECP T4 amplifier has output impedance switch.   VC (and VO) sounds much better on high output impedance. 






From solid state amps Zach recommends SparkoS Labs Aries.


----------



## nickyhkg

Hello guys! +1 for proud owner of the V550! I am just in love with it!


----------



## 9bphillips

nickyhkg said:


> Hello guys! +1 for proud owner of the V550! I am just in love with it!


What is the sound like? More weight and meaty sound or dry and clinical? Good dynamics? Also what headphones are you using?


----------



## nickyhkg

9bphillips said:


> What is the sound like? More weight and meaty sound or dry and clinical? Good dynamics? Also what headphones are you using?


A very balanced sound with a huge soundstage. Natural but a tad on the warm side not clinical at all very musical can listen to all day long. Dynamics were great and bass are deep. I own a pair of Focal clear mg 2nd gen and a pair of Campfire Audio Solaris OG IEM. Any suggestions on what headphones should be on my list?


----------



## 9bphillips

nickyhkg said:


> A very balanced sound with a huge soundstage. Natural but a tad on the warm side not clinical at all very musical can listen to all day long. Dynamics were great and bass are deep. I own a pair of Focal clear mg 2nd gen and a pair of Campfire Audio Solaris OG IEM. Any suggestions on what headphones should be on my list?


Have you given any thought to a closed back? I just got my Verite Closed 2 weeks ago today and the hype is 100% real with those! I fell in love with them instantly.


----------



## nickyhkg

9bphillips said:


> Have you given any thought to a closed back? I just got my Verite Closed 2 weeks ago today and the hype is 100% real with those! I fell in love with them instantly.


Wow good point! Something I never tot of! Never really considered closed back. Let me check on those! Thanks for the info!


----------



## nickyhkg

Does anyone know the specs for the internal fuse used for the v550?


----------



## jonathan c

nickyhkg said:


> Does anyone know the specs for the internal fuse used for the v550?


The back of the V550 says T1A. Timed (slow-blow), 1 ampere. Note that internal mains fuses in Violectric headphone amplifiers are typically soldered to the pcb - no spring clips.


----------



## PreeminentPeace

I love my v281 but I always had issues with the relay volume at lower volume levels... I wonder if violectric fixed that in these new models... SO tempted to pull the trigger on this. Been powering straight out of my Hugo TT2 for awhile now though and not playing the amp rolling game has been nicer to my wallet. Hmmm what is a little more debt though.


----------



## Delta9K

PreeminentPeace said:


> tempted to pull the trigger on this.


If you are seriously considering it and will be buying new, you might want to do it before March as the prices are going up according to an email I got from Arthur at Powerholdings Inc.


----------



## PreeminentPeace

Delta9K said:


> If you are seriously considering it and will be buying new, you might want to do it before March as the prices are going up according to an email I got from Arthur at Powerholdings Inc.


Thanks so much for the heads up. I will have to highly consider my options then. I quite enjoy the power coming out of the hugo tt2 at the moment but sometimes it does push the low end to a point I find overwhelming to the overall sound signature in some setups. I will have to read some sound comparisons to this and the v281 to see were it falls. May skip the rely volume on this one if its an option though.


----------



## shwnwllms

I took the plunge and bought a used V550 Pro today. I was keeping my eye out for a used V281 but couldn’t pass up a very generous offer from another head-fier on the V550 Pro. Now the waiting begins.


----------



## Ichos

shwnwllms said:


> I took the plunge and bought a used V550 Pro today. I was keeping my eye out for a used V281 but couldn’t pass up a very generous offer from another head-fier on the V550 Pro. Now the waiting begins.


A wise choice!


----------



## shwnwllms

My V550 Pro showed up today. (Right now its basically an ice block). Any thoughts on how long I should wait to stabilize it to room temperature before plugging it in?


----------



## 9bphillips

shwnwllms said:


> My V550 Pro showed up today. (Right now its basically an ice block). Any thoughts on how long I should wait to stabilize it to room temperature before plugging it in?


I would be patient just in case! Lol. I got my WA22 in a couple of days ago and it was pretty cold. I waited 20 min and it was fine. I'm sure a solid state would be even sooner.


----------



## JeffMann

shwnwllms said:


> My V550 Pro showed up today. (Right now its basically an ice block). Any thoughts on how long I should wait to stabilize it to room temperature before plugging it in?


I normally wait 2 - 4 hours depending on how cold it was at arrival.

My V550 is due to be delivered today.

Jeff.


----------



## Relaxasaurus

shwnwllms said:


> My V550 Pro showed up today. (Right now its basically an ice block). Any thoughts on how long I should wait to stabilize it to room temperature before plugging it in?



Hah I thought I was the only one who thought about this. I waited several hours myself. Even though the outside case would get warmer I wasn't sure of the temperature inside.


----------



## hke3g2006

does anyone know if  v550 is capable of driving 1266TC well??


----------



## Delta9K (Mar 14, 2022)

hke3g2006 said:


> does anyone know if  v550 is capable of driving 1266TC well??


I had an extended @ 1 month in home demo with a 1266 Phi TC and I thought that it sounded very good working from my v550. The v550 input gain setting was left at unity (default all switches down), I was working from Soekris dac1541 and Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE. Both DACs using balanced output into the v550, headphone was using stock Abyss XLR connected to v550. The amp had plenty of power to control the 1266 with authority throughout the FR. It was one of the best matchups with my setup that I've heard. IMO if you already have the amp and are thinking of that headphone - don't let the amp stop you.

I bought a Susvara first over the 1266.  I did not know at the time that Abyss would raise prices and make the 1266 TC more expensive for me than a Susvara (even with nice dealer discounts) or, I would have bought a 1266 TC first,  as it was good to go with the v550 and my setup out of the box so to speak, whereas the Susvara is very nice, but I am still fiddling to get the setup optimized to my liking.


----------



## shwnwllms

JeffMann said:


> I normally wait 2 - 4 hours depending on how cold it was at arrival.
> 
> My V550 is due to be delivered today.
> 
> Jeff.


Did your V550 arrive as scheduled? I'm absolutely blown away with mine given the small amount of time I've had with it so far.


----------



## Arion128 (Mar 18, 2022)

hke3g2006 said:


> does anyone know if  v550 is capable of driving 1266TC well??


yes it drives the abyss very welll, a good match, in fact I just ordered the v550 as to drive my abyss phi tc, I thought about buying the ferrum oor combo. v550 provides the big sound stage and the deep bass. With ferrum, it needs the combo as to be called good. so not worth it as need to spend more money. Sadly v550 has not arrived yet. Will do a YouTube review on my channel once I get it.

I was lucky to buy the Phi tc on October before the price went up. Never expected the price would go that high.


----------



## Delta9K

Arion128 said:


> I was lucky to buy the Phi tc on October before the price went up. Never expected the price would go that high.


Indeed you were lucky or smart.  I knew that after audition 1266 Phi TC and Susvara that I was going to want them both. I picked up a Susvara first thinking it would be hit by price increases if not for anything, other than increased cost to ship from overseas... I figured Abyss in the US was going to be easier to source and prices would be less or equal on the street. Boy was I wrong...


----------



## ctrlm

@Delta9K - would be interested in your thoughts on the V550 vs Ferrum Oor. I don't have hard to drive cans like Susvara or HE-6 and mostly use my HFM Edition XS and sometimes my Focal Clears or HD600 from my Spring 3 KTE, upsampled from HQ player.

My two current amps are the Holo Azure and Violectric V281, with the Azure being very neutral and somewhat airy and the V281 being on the warm side. Interestingly the Edition XS scales really well with the V281 with a lot more power and I assume - current around that 16 to 32 ohm mark, giving a bit more of a holographic presentation. As far as warmth goes I am looking for something between the two and the V550 looks like the ticket but I'd be interested in your impressions vs the Oor?

Just to complicate things I already have a Hypsos power supply but I would also prefer a remote control as I am out of reach in my listening position.

Where I live I can audition the Oor but not the V550.


----------



## F208Frank

Looks like a very clean looking amp, formula s owners have any experience with this amp? Comparisons?


----------



## Basco

hke3g2006 said:


> does anyone know if  v550 is capable of driving 1266TC well??


Hey you also have the Soekris2541 how do you like it so far? Also runing it together with a V280 FE. 

It’s hard for me to figure out the difference between the filters as they seem to be pretty  subtle 🤔


----------



## ajreynol

Can the V550/590 be upgraded from the normal pot to the "Pro" pot after purchase? Or do they need to come with those from the factory? I know some parts can be added/upgraded, but wasn't sure if this was one of them. 

Thanks.


----------



## shwnwllms

ajreynol said:


> Can the V550/590 be upgraded from the normal pot to the "Pro" pot after purchase? Or do they need to come with those from the factory? I know some parts can be added/upgraded, but wasn't sure if this was one of them.
> 
> Thanks.



It’s definitely not something you could do yourself, even a fuse replacement needs to be sent in. The fact that the upgrade isn’t listed on the Power Holdings website as a separate item (like the v281 remote control upgrade kit for example) makes me think it has to be ordered from the factory to begin with.

From the manual:

“ As an option (HPA V550 PRO), the attenuation is made in 256 steps of 0.4 dB each.
The steps are switched with special “reed relays”. Here, the switching contacts are situated in a tiny glass tube filled with a protective gas. The contacts are actuated by a magnetic field.”

Doesn’t sound like it’s something that can be easily upgraded if it didn’t come from the factory with the option installed but Arthur from Power Holdings would know for sure.


----------



## ctrlm

I've decided to pull the trigger on a V550. Now I just need to work out if the Pro version is worth the additional investment. I am usually one of those people that buys the top model to avoid any sort of regret later


----------



## Ichos

ctrlm said:


> I've decided to pull the trigger on a V550. Now I just need to work out if the Pro version is worth the additional investment. I am usually one of those people that buys the top model to avoid any sort of regret later


Everytime I bought a lower grade model / speaker / headphone I have always regret it.
Get the top if you can afford it.


----------



## Fatdoi

ctrlm said:


> I've decided to pull the trigger on a V550. Now I just need to work out if the Pro version is worth the additional investment. I am usually one of those people that buys the top model to avoid any sort of regret later


for an analogue device, imo the potentiometer does make a difference in sound quality.....


----------



## Fegefeuer

It absolutely does. If people are skeptical and possibly suspect marketing behind it just ask builders active in the diy scene about how important volume controls are for the sound.


----------



## shwnwllms

ctrlm said:


> I've decided to pull the trigger on a V550. Now I just need to work out if the Pro version is worth the additional investment. I am usually one of those people that buys the top model to avoid any sort of regret later



As someone who owns the Pro version, I say go for it. You will not regret it. I was actually going to get a standard version myself when a Pro came up for sale at a good price. One of the nice things is that there is no sweet spot on the Pro (12 o clock with the alps pot on the standard). The Reed relays ensure uniform performance at all steps. Also the sound some mentioned on the Pro when changing volume is totally normally, it doesn’t bother me at all.

(Disclaimer: I have not tried the standard version so I can’t compare the two)


----------



## ctrlm

Thanks to the enablers.......Pro version ordered


----------



## shwnwllms

ctrlm said:


> Thanks to the enablers.......Pro version ordered


One of us! One of us!


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Unfortunately my V550 Pro is going back to the audio shop because my volume pot is not operating correctly.  I love my amp to bits but the dodgy volume pot is driving me mad, it needs looking at. Only been with me 7mths! 😭


----------



## shwnwllms

ROMEROTECH said:


> Unfortunately my V550 Pro is going back to the audio shop because my volume pot is not operating correctly.  I love my amp to bits but the dodgy volume pot is driving me mad, it needs looking at. Only been with me 7mths! 😭


What's the issue exactly?


----------



## ctrlm

ROMEROTECH said:


> Unfortunately my V550 Pro is going back to the audio shop because my volume pot is not operating correctly.  I love my amp to bits but the dodgy volume pot is driving me mad, it needs looking at. Only been with me 7mths! 😭


Oops - better change my order 

Also interested in the exact issue....


----------



## JeffMann

shwnwllms said:


> Did your V550 arrive as scheduled? I'm absolutely blown away with mine given the small amount of time I've had with it so far.


My V550 arrived safely as scheduled. I am presently using it to drive my Susvara headphone while I am using my V281 to drive my Meze Empy Elite headphone. The V550 and V281 have a very similar sound signature. I previously owned a Niimbus US4, but I sold it because it sounded too cold and clinical from my musical taste perspective. I much prefer the sound of my V281/V550 headphone amplifiers, which sound warmer and more full-bodied.

Jeff.


----------



## ctrlm

JeffMann said:


> My V550 arrived safely as scheduled. I am presently using it to drive my Susvara headphone while I am using my V281 to drive my Meze Empy Elite headphone. The V550 and V281 have a very similar sound signature. I previously owned a Niimbus US4, but I sold it because it sounded too cold and clinical from my musical taste perspective. I much prefer the sound of my V281/V550 headphone amplifiers, which sound warmer and more full-bodied.
> 
> Jeff.


Congrats!

My V550 arrived at work today so I'll be putting it through it's paces tonight. I also have a V281 so it will be interesting to hear the differences.


----------



## ctrlm

So my V550 Pro has had a approx. 6 hours of use since arriving. I set it up next to the V281 this morning before going to work and will do a side by side comparison tonight from my Holo Spring 3 KTE, fed with up-sampled tracks from HQ Player. Both set at -12dB pre-gain. 

I don't have any _really_ hard to drive headphones:

HFM Edition XS
HFM Sundara
Focal OG Clear
Sennheiser HD600
Hopefully I'll hear some reasonably clear difference to justify the price gap.....which was eased quite a bit by a great deal I got from the retailer. First impressions from the V550 in isolation were that it definitely had that warmish/smooth Violectric house presentation and it was hard to ID any major differences to the V281 as they were in two different setups.


----------



## shwnwllms

ctrlm said:


> So my V550 Pro has had a approx. 6 hours of use since arriving. I set it up next to the V281 this morning before going to work and will do a side by side comparison tonight from my Holo Spring 3 KTE, fed with up-sampled tracks from HQ Player. Both set at -12dB pre-gain.
> 
> I don't have any _really_ hard to drive headphones:
> 
> ...



Curious, where does your volume dial land at -12db pre-gain on your HD600?

So far I’ve mainly been listening to my LCD-X 2021 at -6db pre-gain and it’s just shy of 12:00 (granted I EQ these so there is some headroom built in there as well)


----------



## ctrlm

shwnwllms said:


> Curious, where does your volume dial land at -12db pre-gain on your HD600?
> 
> So far I’ve mainly been listening to my LCD-X 2021 at -6db pre-gain and it’s just shy of 12:00 (granted I EQ these so there is some headroom built in there as well)



If my Edition XS (18 Ohms/92dB) is at 12:00 the HD600 is close enough to 2:00 for the same volume at -12dB.


----------



## ctrlm

Now I know why I stopped comparing components side by side in the past - I should just enjoy them and make long term conclusions. After a little under 2 hours of comparing the V281 and V550 Pro, I just ended up confusing myself. (LOL)

Some real quick notes using the Hifiman Edition XS for most of the testing with both amps set at -12dB pre-gain and hooked up to the Holo Spring 3 KTE getting upsampling from HQ Player:

I was surprised at the difference in volume position. 12 o'clock on the V550 versus just over 10 o'clock on the V281 for the same sort of volume?
After 15 minutes I was convinced that the V281 was my preferred amp out of the two. The V550 came across as having a more diffuse and less dynamic presentation, but acoustic guitar sounded really sweet. I think my initial impression was muddied by what I am used to and my expectation that the V550 would have a somewhat "cleaner" presentation than the V281?
I definitely think the V550 has a more "holographic" soundstage....as I once saw it described by someone.
I then moved the V550 to my desktop setup being fed from my Topping E50 DAC. The E50 is a decent mid Chi-Fi DAC that is quite frankly transformed into an amazingly good DAC with the Ferrum Hypsos powering it. I seemed to enjoy the 550 much more here.
It was at that point that I pulled out my 3rd amp and hooked it up to the Spring - the Holo Audio Azure. I actually have a 4th amp but the Topping A90 will only come out of storage when I sell it.
The Azure is a more "neutral" amp than both the Violectrics and I am starting to think it _might_ be the best partner for the Spring? (for my taste). It doesn't have the decay and atmosphere of the Violectrics but things like drums (especially toms), have more impact or slam to them.
By this time I'd had enough - I suck at this! My head was spinning with no certainty whatsoever. I'm going to leave the 550 in my desktop setup and the Azure in my living room setup and just enjoy the music for a while. The V281 can take a break in the meantime.

The only thing I can say with any conviction right now is that the V281 & V550 are different but tonally very similar - as you would expect, with some differences in soundstage etc. What confuses me are the opinions that I've read that say the 550 is more neutral, because I'm not really hearing that right now, at least not with the Holo Spring. If there's one thing I've learned in this hobby, it's more about the chain and how components work together than individual components.

@JeffMann - I would be interested in your thoughts as you have both of these amps.


----------



## ctrlm

Further to my rambling.....I've been enjoying the V550 in my desktop setup so I just compared it with the V281 there and now I can hear the slightly additional neutrality of the 550. Something isn't right with it in my Spring 3 setup, it's almost like there is added distortion? It's also now running quite a bit cooler?


----------



## jonathan c

ctrlm said:


> Further to my rambling.....I've been enjoying the V550 in my desktop setup so I just compared it with the V281 there and now I can hear the slightly additional neutrality of the 550. Something isn't right with it in my Spring 3 setup, it's almost like there is added distortion? It's also now running quite a bit cooler?


In what mode are you running the Spring 3: NOS, oversampling…?


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Apr 6, 2022)

shwnwllms said:


> What's the issue exactly?


Apologies for the late reply.

The issue with the volume pot is this... between 7 and 12 o'clock there is distortion and loudness issues at certain points on the volume scale so when adjusting the volume the sound goes loud-quiet/loud-quiet and badly distorts the sound as well. Very annoying and got worse over time to the point i didn't want to use the amp any longer.  i rarely manually turn the pot by hand in favour of the remote control that works really well so i don't actually get physical with the pot.

The amp has gone back to the audio dealer for investigation. They have an identical amp for reference and have confirmed there is indeed an issue with the pot.  Also, when you very gently wiggle the pot you can hear similar issue with scratching sounds in the background almost as if there is a dry joint somewhere or intermittent connection.

I don't believe this is a common issue because i don't believe anyone has experienced this before so it might be down to either a QC issue or something happened during transport from Germany.  Couriers aren't known for handling anything with care so that might be the reason. I understand Violectric QC is top notch so whilst i don't think this is a QC issue you never know if one got through the net.

The very quiet clicks in the background on a correctly functioning pot are meant to be there as this is the way these reed relay pots function, exactly the same as the Benchmark HPA4 i auditioned at the same time. These clicks should be there but should be very quiet.

If you are going to buy one of these go for it. It's a fabulous HPA and well worth the outlay so don't be concerned about my issue happening to you as it's probably just a one off.


----------



## shwnwllms

ROMEROTECH said:


> Apologies for the late reply.
> 
> The issue with the volume pot is this... between 7 and 12 o'clock there is distortion and loudness issues at certain points on the volume scale so when adjusting the volume the sound goes loud-quiet/loud-quiet and badly distorts the sound as well. Very annoying and got worse over time to the point i didn't want to use the amp any longer.  i rarely manually turn the pot by hand in favour of the remote control that works really well so i don't actually get physical with the pot.
> 
> ...


Hopefully its just a one off like you said, I certainly haven't experienced anything like that with mine but its good to know what to look out for if I start having issues. I hope the turnaround is quick on the repair


----------



## ctrlm

jonathan c said:


> In what mode are you running the Spring 3: NOS, oversampling…?


The Spring 3 only comes as NOS - no oversampling mode.


----------



## shwnwllms

ctrlm said:


> Now I know why I stopped comparing components side by side in the past - I should just enjoy them and make long term conclusions. After a little under 2 hours of comparing the V281 and V550 Pro, I just ended up confusing myself. (LOL)
> 
> Some real quick notes using the Hifiman Edition XS for most of the testing with both amps set at -12dB pre-gain and hooked up to the Holo Spring 3 KTE getting upsampling from HQ Player:
> 
> ...


regarding the difference in volume position between the V281/V550, have you tried setting the pre-amp on the V550 to -6db instead?

Did you do all your tests on your Spring 3 KTE over-sampled from HQPlayer or did you try some native files as well?

Interesting feedback, I wish I had a V281 to compare myself (although I am fairly sure I would drive myself crazy)


----------



## ROMEROTECH

shwnwllms said:


> Hopefully its just a one off like you said, I certainly haven't experienced anything like that with mine but its good to know what to look out for if I start having issues. I hope the turnaround is quick on the repair


I'm sure it's just a one off, i've not heard of a single complaint anywhere about this issue so i think it's just my lousy luck!


----------



## ctrlm (Apr 6, 2022)

shwnwllms said:


> regarding the difference in volume position between the V281/V550, have you tried setting the pre-amp on the V550 to -6db instead?
> 
> Did you do all your tests on your Spring 3 KTE over-sampled from HQPlayer or did you try some native files as well?
> 
> Interesting feedback, I wish I had a V281 to compare myself (although I am fairly sure I would drive myself crazy)


The difference in volume setting is what it is, for me the -12dB setting is ideal for the Edition XS with normal listening around 12 o'clock. I was just surprised by the difference given that the V550 published specs show more power than the V281 at the lower impedance levels as found on the EXS. I'm certainly no expert on this sort of stuff so I'm sure there is a good reason why the V281 was much louder on the same pre-gain setting.

Yes I did all the testing upsampling from HQPlayer, I will try again tonight after work playing native files from the Spring. I will even test using Audirvana instead of HQPlayer. what confuses me is that the V281 and Azure sounded fine with the same setup?

I finished the night using the V550 in my desktop setup and it sounded sublime - clear and punchy, so there is nothing wrong with the amp itself. The more I think about it the more I am convinced that there was some sort of distortion being introduced in the Spring 3 setup, as I said the sound was somewhat hazy and almost tube-like compared to the V281. The other interesting thing was the difference in operating temperature, the amp was quite hot to touch partnered with the Spring 3 and struggled to reach lukewarm levels partnered with the E50. Now the Spring 3 XLR outputs are quite hot @5.8V vs the E50 balanced outs @4.0V so maybe that accounts for the temperature difference? Are you running the balanced outs from your Spring?


----------



## shwnwllms

ctrlm said:


> The difference in volume setting is what it is, for me the -12dB setting is ideal for the Edition XS with normal listening around 12 o'clock. I was just surprised by the difference given that the V550 published specs show more power than the V281 at the lower impedance levels as found on the EXS. I'm certainly no expert on this sort of stuff so I'm sure there is a good reason why the V281 was much louder on the same pre-gain setting.
> 
> Yes I did all the testing upsampling from HQPlayer, I will try again tonight after work playing native files from the Spring. I will even test using Audirvana instead of HQPlayer. what confuses me is that the V281 and Azure sounded fine with the same setup?
> 
> I finished the night using the V550 in my desktop setup and it sounded sublime - clear and punchy, so there is nothing wrong with the amp itself. The more I think about it the more I am convinced that there was some sort of distortion being introduced in the Spring 3 setup, as I said the sound was somewhat hazy and almost tube-like compared to the V281. The other interesting thing was the difference in operating temperature, the amp was quite hot to touch partnered with the Spring 3 and struggled to reach lukewarm levels partnered with the E50. Now the Spring 3 XLR outputs are quite hot @5.8V vs the E50 balanced outs @4.0V so maybe that accounts for the temperature difference? Are you running the balanced outs from your Spring?



It certainly sounds like the common denominator is the Spring 3. I wish I had more insight there but I ended up buying a Pontus 2 & Iris instead of waiting the 4-6 week lead time for the Spring 3 KTE. I am running fully balanced, but the Pontus 2 is only 4.4V balanced out. I do notice the V550 run quite warm though. Maybe check on the Spring 3 thread to see if there are any V550 owners or if any might have a clue what’s causing it. I would have expected good synergy with the Spring 3 and V550. 

(Dumb question but did you check your matrix pipeline in HQP to make sure there wasn’t anything funky going on there)


----------



## shwnwllms

ctrlm said:


> The difference in volume setting is what it is, for me the -12dB setting is ideal for the Edition XS with normal listening around 12 o'clock. I was just surprised by the difference given that the V550 published specs show more power than the V281 at the lower impedance levels as found on the EXS. I'm certainly no expert on this sort of stuff so I'm sure there is a good reason why the V281 was much louder on the same pre-gain setting.



Doing a little research on this and apparently the V281 is more powerful on paper, specifically at lower impedance. Violectric rolled the power down below 50 ohms on the V550 so this could explain the difference in volume setting at the same pre-gain setting between the two when using your Edition XS.


----------



## ctrlm

shwnwllms said:


> Doing a little research on this and apparently the V281 is more powerful on paper, specifically at lower impedance. Violectric rolled the power down below 50 ohms on the V550 so this could explain the difference in volume setting at the same pre-gain setting between the two when using your Edition XS.


Actually that is incorrect, from the manuals I have for both:

*V281*




*V550*




The 550 is more powerful at lower impedances and the V281 is more powerful at higher impedances. Hence my surprise at the volume disparity using an 18ohm headphone?


----------



## ctrlm

shwnwllms said:


> It certainly sounds like the common denominator is the Spring 3. I wish I had more insight there but I ended up buying a Pontus 2 & Iris instead of waiting the 4-6 week lead time for the Spring 3 KTE. I am running fully balanced, but the Pontus 2 is only 4.4V balanced out. I do notice the V550 run quite warm though. Maybe check on the Spring 3 thread to see if there are any V550 owners or if any might have a clue what’s causing it. I would have expected good synergy with the Spring 3 and V550.
> 
> (Dumb question but did you check your matrix pipeline in HQP to make sure there wasn’t anything funky going on there)


Oops! For some reason I thought you were running a Spring - my mistake.

Yeah I checked the matrix pipeline. Let's see what happens tonight


----------



## shwnwllms (Apr 7, 2022)

ctrlm said:


> Actually that is incorrect, from the manuals I have for both:
> 
> *V281*
> 
> ...



I stand corrected.

Only other thought is it might have something to do with the fact the Edition XS is both low impedance and low sensitivity. How do your other phones fare at the same pre-amp setting on each amp?


----------



## ctrlm

shwnwllms said:


> I stand corrected.



Like a broken clock - I'm only correct twice a day


----------



## jonathan c

ctrlm said:


> Like a broken clock - I'm only correct twice a day


…a headphone amplifier has zero distortion when switched off…🤪


----------



## ctrlm

Well I plugged the V550 back into the Spring 3 DAC on my main setup and decided to start with everything the same as last night before trying any changes.......perfect! 

I don't know what the hell was going on yesterday? The only difference tonight was that the V281 wasn't plugged in next to it. I'm not going to try and work it out - time to enjoy. The V281 is now in place on desktop duty


----------



## jonathan c

ctrlm said:


> Well I plugged the V550 back into the Spring 3 DAC on my main setup and decided to start with everything the same as last night before trying any changes.......perfect!
> 
> I don't know what the hell was going on yesterday? The only difference tonight was that the V281 wasn't plugged in next to it. I'm not going to try and work it out - time to enjoy. The V281 is now in place on desktop duty


…I hope not as a paperweight…😮


----------



## sifulee (Apr 8, 2022)

Hello Guys,

Well I pulled the trigger on my HPA V550 (non pro) Monday and it got here today. I've been using a Jotunheim v1 for the last 5 years or so with the optional DAC. It was okay but soon as the Bifrost 2 launched I bought it and have been enjoying my setup ever since, well that is until I heard about the Violectric line and after watching several videos on the v280/281 I decided it was time to upgrade.

I am BLOWN away guys OMG wow, it's such a huge upgrade over the Jotunheim I really can't believe it as I was doubtful I would hear a big difference but just wow. I'm using a Hifiman edition xs and just so very happy, it really made that headphone come alive. So SMOOTH and detailed with lots more impact to every note, and the bass is so much better, but most of all the timber is so so much better, so natural with every note, every voice, wow.

Build is incredible but I kinda already new that from my research but yeah it's build rock solid and pretty heavy too. It has a great mat finish and stays very cool compared to the Jot.

But yeah it's a night and day difference from the Jot but guess thats expected with the 2K price price difference, but even still I didn't think it would be that much of an improvement. So yeah I'm very happy.

I have only one issue, remote is great but my volume wont go past 9 o'clock while using the remote, it just stops and I have to manually do it. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong. I reset the amp but still having that issue.


----------



## ctrlm

sifulee said:


> Hello Guys,
> 
> Well I pulled the trigger on my HPA V550 (non pro) Monday and it got here today. I've been using a Jotunheim v1 for the last 5 years or so with the optional DAC. It was okay but soon as the Bifrost 2 launched I bought it and have been enjoying my setup ever since, well that is until I heard about the Violectric line and after watching several videos on the v280/281 I decided it was time to upgrade.
> 
> ...


Congrats! Bummer about the remote though......

After a strange start with my V550 I am also loving it with the EXS.

I see in one of your pics that you are plugged into the left single ended output - just in case you didn't know:

*Please note:
The RIGHT phone jack is connected to the in-phase stereo signal, whereas the left phone jack is connected to the 180 degree phase shifted signal.*


----------



## jonathan c

sifulee said:


> I have only one issue, remote is great but my volume wont go past 9 o'clock while using the remote, it just stops and I have to manually do it.


Think of that as another opportunity to appreciate the tactility of the Violectric volume control…🤷🏻‍♂️🤣…


----------



## sifulee (Apr 9, 2022)

jonathan c said:


> Think of that as another opportunity to appreciate the tactility of the Violectric volume control…🤷🏻‍♂️🤣…


Not sure what you mean but I assume you're having a laugh at my mis fortune but not sure how that's helpful.


ctrlm said:


> Congrats! Bummer about the remote though......
> 
> After a strange start with my V550 I am also loving it with the EXS.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tip I missed that in the manual.


----------



## jonathan c

sifulee said:


> Not sure what you mean but I assume you're having a laugh at my misfortune but not sure how that's helpful.


If a remote control/volume control aberration is a ‘misfortune’, life is _indeed_ difficult…


----------



## sifulee

jonathan c said:


> If a remote control/volume control aberration is a ‘misfortune’, life is _indeed_ difficult…


Life for me isn't a misfortune nor difficult just to be clear, just wish everything worked correctly out the box.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

sifulee said:


> Life for me isn't a misfortune nor difficult just to be clear, just wish everything worked correctly out the box.


I like using the remote on my Pro, makes the pot go all the way clockwise from 7 o'clock to 5 o'clock so yours is faulty if it refuses to go past 9 o'clock. I also have a faulty volume pot for a different reason and my unit has just gone back to the audio shop that have confirmed there is a fault. So... Vio Pro Volume pot faults are like busses, wait for ages and then two come along at the same time. 😂 I'd be chatting to the audio shop you purchased it from and get them on the case. Good luck sorting it¡ 👍


----------



## claud W

I received my V 550 Thursday. Plugged it in and it sounded veiled and congested. I left it playing into Senn HD 650s and today it sounds much better. Arthur said to break in 250-300 hours, so its going to get better??? It already sounds GREAT!!!


----------



## claud W

My previous amp was a SPL Phonitor E. Even now, my V550 sounds better. Two things attracted me to the V550. The adjustable gain and the balance adjustment. I am an old duffer at 73 and one of my ears hears better than the other. In addition, I am an IEM hobbiest. The VERY adjustable gain is great when you are breaking in IEMs. My V550 is a new Pro model .
My other headphone amp is a DNA Stratus. It is in my CD system, My V550 and Matrix Sabre Pro MQA are my computer Hi Rez system.


----------



## shwnwllms

claud W said:


> I received my V 550 Thursday. Plugged it in and it sounded veiled and congested. I left it playing into Senn HD 650s and today it sounds much better. Arthur said to break in 250-300 hours, so its going to get better??? It already sounds GREAT!!!



I wasn’t aware there was a break in period (mine was bought 2nd hand, not sure how many hours were on it but I assumed any break in, perceived or otherwise had already happened). I did have a similar experience with mine, and was just discussing it with another member actually. “Veiled” was exactly how I described it as well. For me putting my Pontus II in standby for a few minutes and bringing it back online solved it and lifted the veil, full glorious Violectric sound. (I’m now going to use the standby mode on my Pontus II when I shut down the V550. I was previously leaving it on 24/7)


----------



## Ichos

With so many transistors and rectifying capacitors a break in time of at least 150 hours is necessary.
I liked the V550 much more than the Phonitor 2.


----------



## Benno1988

smutnyjoe said:


> Hello everyone, I'm joining the v550 club
> As an owner of Chord TT2 and Abyss 1266 Phi Tc, I wanted to add something a bit smoother and less-forward sounding to my rig.
> After serious comparison of Ferrum Oor, v550 and direct output of TT2 (in my opinion, it has enough power, I just want to find my desired sound signature), I decided to order the v550


Got any more comparisons of the OOR to V550 you can share?


----------



## smutnyjoe

Benno1988 said:


> Got any more comparisons of the OOR to V550 you can share?


My comparisons are on the same page, below the post you quoted:



smutnyjoe said:


> Sorry, I missed your post. I've just read it.
> 
> I decided to go with v550 despite Oor being a bit better technically. In my opinion, oor is really a high class amplifier and can be compared with the best. Everything was right and I had a hard time when making a decision. I liked the visuals and size, too. However, in my long term setup (I just can't see myself selling 1266 or tt2 in foreseable future) v550 introduced more changes, some different sonic character. Lets put it like that: I have a perfect studio quality from my TT2, I really consider it being almost perfect at digital audio reproduction and, what is interesting, powerful enough for 1266.
> 
> ...



It was the last time I had them both side by side, so this is the most precise answer I can give you


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Quick update on my V550 Pro. 

It was sent to Violectric over 3 weeks ago by the audio shop i purchased it from to diag/fix the volume pot, and it's been stuck at customs for a couple of weeks. Suffice to say I'm not a happy chappie.

Tracking info says it's with Vio, Vio say it's stuck at customs. 

Whilst i get red tape can be a pain and it happens it shouldn't affect this because it's repairs under warranty so with no financial transaction made there should be no customs charges to pay. 

I hope it is just red tape creating the hold up and it hasn't been mislaid/lost in transit.

I've given the audio shop a week before i contact them again. If it's still not shown up things may get ugly. Stay tuned! 😂


----------



## vonBaron

What was your problem with volume pot?


----------



## ROMEROTECH

vonBaron said:


> What was your problem with volume pot?


Please read back through my posts, i've posted about this in detail a couple of times. Thanks.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

ROMEROTECH said:


> Please read back through my posts, i've posted about this in detail a couple of times. Thanks.


Quick update... Violectric have informed that they now have my amp and will get it back here in the next couple of weeks or sooner. So long as it's fixed that's fine with me. 

And here is me wishing they'd lost it and compensated me with a Nimbus! 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## sifulee

I decided to exchange my V550 due to the volume knob very hard to turn. It seemed to get even worst, not smooth at all compared to the balance knob. I bought mine through Thomann and I was blown away by their customer service. I live in the US and they took care of everything and sent me back a bring new unit. I asked them if they could inspect for quality before shipping which they did. New unit is made it from Germany to Texas in 4 days, wow!

Another VERY important update for anyone that bought this unit from another country that uses 115-120v, be sure to adjust the internal power switch to 115v. I forgot to do that with the new unit for the first day and it sounded a lot worse then I remembered. Then it hit me right before I was getting ready for bed and I jumped up and changed the setting immediate (page 27 owners manual) and listened to a few songs and was BLOWN away. OMG couldn't believe how much a difference that made! So please everyone check the back of the amp to make sure it's set to the power requirements for your country. 



Cheers!


----------



## ROMEROTECH

sifulee said:


> I decided to exchange my V550 due to the volume knob very hard to turn. It seemed to get even worst, not smooth at all compared to the balance knob. I bought mine through Thomann and I was blown away by their customer service. I live in the US and they took care of everything and sent me back a bring new unit. I asked them if they could inspect for quality before shipping which they did. New unit is made it from Germany to Texas in 4 days, wow!
> 
> Another VERY important update for anyone that bought this unit from another country that uses 115-120v, be sure to adjust the internal power switch to 115v. I forgot to do that with the new unit for the first day and it sounded a lot worse then I remembered. Then it hit me right before I was getting ready for bed and I jumped up and changed the setting immediate (page 27 owners manual) and listened to a few songs and was BLOWN away. OMG couldn't believe how much a difference that made! So please everyone check the back of the amp to make sure it's set to the power requirements for your country.
> 
> ...



Maybe Vio are having one or two issues lately with volume knobs? There's been another volume knob issue recently, knob wouldn't move past 9pm with the remote control.

I'm glad you got it sorted and 4 days from Germany to USA is awesome. Better than my UK to Germany in over 3 weeks! Awesome amps, worth the hassle. 👍


----------



## Fatdoi

are your volume knob pro or normal version?


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Fatdoi said:


> are your volume knob pro or normal version?


Pro


----------



## centuriones

Has anyone guys ever compared the Violectric HPA V550  to the Burson 3X GT?
I have to decide which of the two amps to pair with the Meze Elite.


----------



## Fatdoi

centuriones said:


> Has anyone guys ever compared the Violectric HPA V550  to the Burson 3X GT?
> I have to decide which of the two amps to pair with the Meze Elite.


I kinda question the pc fan on the Burson which may introduce extra background noise.....


----------



## centuriones

Hi guys,
i just bought the Violectric HPA V550pro.
I am using it with a Meze Elite headset.
I wanted to ask how long it takes for burn-in and if the sound changes.
Currently it seems to me that the sound is a little harsh and that the bass is a little too thin.


----------



## Ichos

centuriones said:


> Hi guys,
> i just bought the Violectric HPA V550pro.
> I am using it with a Meze Elite headset.
> I wanted to ask how long it takes for burn-in and if the sound changes.
> Currently it seems to me that the sound is a little harsh and that the bass is a little too thin.


What source are you using?
I burned the review unit for about 150 hours but honestly I didn't monitored the progress.
But the last thing I would call the V550 is bass light and thin.
Regarding the treble it is not harsh but it is highly exposing.
The V550 has the warmish Violectric house sound but not that much like let's say the V280 so I don't think that it is harsh.
Give it some time.


----------



## centuriones

I use a Denafrips Pontus II DAC, a Denafrips Hermes DDC and a Meze Elite headset.
It is true that the Violectric has two days of use, but coming from a Burson 3XP I am very confused.


----------



## Ichos

centuriones said:


> I use a Denafrips Pontus II DAC, a Denafrips Hermes DDC and a Meze Elite headset.
> It is true that the Violectric has two days of use, but coming from a Burson 3XP I am very confused.


With this kind of set-up I find it very strange to sound harsh.
When I reviewed the V550 I had the Venus II into my possession and it was a match made in heaven.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

centuriones said:


> I use a Denafrips Pontus II DAC, a Denafrips Hermes DDC and a Meze Elite headset.
> It is true that the Violectric has two days of use, but coming from a Burson 3XP I am very confused.


Give the Violectric 200hrs of use, all kinds of music, pink noise, whayever you have, at 12 o'clock on the volume pot, and it'll come to you. If you still aren't happy after that send it back for a full refund.

It's a bloody good hpa, versatile with a lovely sounding pre-out, can run all kinds of hp's and iem's, has a ton of voltage and current, and sounds fabulous via balanced out, my preffered connection.

If you are still struggling, don't hang onto it, get it returned.


----------



## centuriones

Ichos said:


> With this kind of set-up I find it very strange to sound harsh.
> When I reviewed the V550 I had the Venus II into my possession and it was a match made in heaven.


Thanks for the reply


----------



## centuriones

ROMEROTECH said:


> Give the Violectric 200hrs of use, all kinds of music, pink noise, whayever you have, at 12 o'clock on the volume pot, and it'll come to you. If you still aren't happy after that send it back for a full refund.
> 
> It's a bloody good hpa, versatile with a lovely sounding pre-out, can run all kinds of hp's and iem's, has a ton of voltage and current, and sounds fabulous via balanced out, my preffered connection.
> 
> If you are still struggling, don't hang onto it, get it returned.


I also use the balanced.
I'll wait 200 hours for burn-in and then decide.
I hope you are right.
How long do you use it and what headphones do you have?


----------



## ROMEROTECH (May 27, 2022)

centuriones said:


> I also use the balanced.
> I'll wait 200 hours for burn-in and then decide.
> I hope you are right.
> How long do you use it and what headphones do you have?


I use it lots, specially at night, most nights with cans. I run vintage Sennheiser HD250 Linear II, HD540 Ref II, modified HD800, and Audeze LCD-XC. I cannot complain, the presentation from this HPA is tip top and the LCD-XC via balanced is my goto when i want to blow my head off, and even at very high sound pressure levels the presentation remains impeccably well behaved, controlled and clear as a bell. Lovely presentation, wide soundstage and whilst being very detailed, it is very slightly on the warm side of neutral.
ETA: I leave it switched on 24/7 like the rest of my audio gear so it's always warmed up and ready to go.


----------



## shwnwllms

For any V550 owners looking to make the leap to the next rung on the ladder…

Great price on a Niimbus US 5 Pro 👇🏻

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/niimbus-us-5-pro.26348/


----------



## Pharmaboy (Jun 6, 2022)

wgkwgk said:


> ZMF zealots


Love that phrase. It explains so much...

I could have joined a biker group; a political party; or a cult. But _noooooooo_--I became a *ZMF zealot*.


----------



## Diehard9er

Been away from cans for awhile. My V281 didn’t get much use for a long time. My DAC was average. Discovered how nice a remote for volume would be. I am going to upgrade almost exclusively to move to a remote. I also like black..

Again, been out of touch. This is the 281 replacement? It should sound very similar to what I have. Would that be a fair comment? 

I have moved from an Oppo I was using as source and have been using a Simaudio 280D streaming DAC which I just got a couple weeks back. I love it and cans are sounding pretty awesome. Missing is a remote and maybe a fresh black look.

I would imagine this is a good match. I do not want an analytical sound.I’m okay with a slight touch of color. 

I know this is the 550 thread but anything else I should at least do some homework on? Up to maybe $3k or so.

When in use the 281 was a good mate. The 550 looks excellent. Love the looks. But I guess sometimes it’s also nice to try different.

But the early running and the 550 looks to be a great move.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Ichos

For those interested, here is my review of the V550.

https://hxosplus.gr/reviews/headphones/violectric-hpa-v550-review/

Google translate is needed.

Thank you for reading!


----------



## Koren

Violectric dha v590 mk2 How can I tell if it is a pro or basic package, so it has a 256 step relay or alps?


----------



## Fegefeuer

P in the serial number and noticable while changing volume


----------



## Koren

Fegefeuer said:


> P in the serial number and noticable while changing volume


"noticable while changing volume" what do i have to experience here?Where is the serial number?


----------



## ctrlm

Koren said:


> Where is the serial number?


Should be on the back, immediately to the left of the headphone gain dip switches.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Update on my HPA... 
It came back from Violectric with the volume pot issue rectified, or so i thought. 

It's fair to say it was good for the first 30hrs or so use but then the issue i originally had started to creep back in. Eventually it was as bad as it was before and i had to approach my audio dealer. He wasn't impressed that we were back to square one and neither was i so he had a word with Violectric and i'm getting a brand new unit that is due here tomorrow. 

My dealer was well prepared to refund all my money no question but i love this amp. What would i replace it with for similar money (although i was prepared to throw another £1000 on top of the Vio price). 

When you're not adjusting the volume it's a wonderful bit of kit to listen to and i would have been so gutted to let it go. 

I cannot say enough good things about my dealer, they are called 'The Audiobarn' based in the UK. It has to be said, find a really good dealer wherever you are and they are worth their weight in gold.

Fingers crossed this issue is history. 

Just another thing... I have purchased a Shunyata VENOM V10-NR mains power cable on the recommendation of my audio dealer. He swears by it and reckons i'll note a genuinely perceptable improvement in audio. Does anyone have any experience with this cable? I'd sincerely welcome honest comments on this.


----------



## Alien HP

ROMEROTECH said:


> Update on my HPA...
> It came back from Violectric with the volume pot issue rectified, or so i thought.
> 
> It's fair to say it was good for the first 30hrs or so use but then the issue i originally had started to creep back in. Eventually it was as bad as it was before and i had to approach my audio dealer. He wasn't impressed that we were back to square one and neither was i so he had a word with Violectric and i'm getting a brand new unit that is due here tomorrow.
> ...


Knowing how the relay volume control is problematic, going back, would you pick the non PRO version instead? Or would you still go with the PRO version?


----------



## ROMEROTECH

Alien HP said:


> Knowing how the relay volume control is problematic, going back, would you pick the non PRO version instead? Or would you still go with the PRO version?


I'm not sure. 

I had my dealer's demo model here to compare against mine and it has to be said the volume pot on his isn't the quietest reed relay pot i've heard, there are some loudish clicks, cracks and pops on his, and a tiny bit of distorted sound as the pot is moving at around 8 o'clock but not to the same extent as mine which is really bad. 

I auditioned a Benchmark HPA4 and their reed relay pot was very quiet, the clicks/cracks were very faint and had zero baring on the sound.

There is a brand new unit arriving today, i hope i don't experience the same nonsense after a short time of use. If it does it will be going back and this time i'll get my money back and buy something else.

What else to buy i'm not sure. I just hope mine is an isolated bad unit and not part of a bad batch that my dealer has received. 

From what i've experienced i'm surprised nobody here has complained about it, maybe that's a good thing and it was just the one unit. I'll report back.


----------



## vonBaron

I am afraid it will be the same, Violectric uses a very strange reed relay in its amps.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

vonBaron said:


> I am afraid it will be the same, Violectric uses a very strange reed relay in its amps.


What is strange about it? Does this affect all V550 Pro? Do they not use the same pot in the Nimbus? Is that affected as well.


----------



## vonBaron

IDK, only heard V590 Pro and it have way more noise than my Niimbus. Maybe Niimbus have better qualtiy relay or better implementation.


----------



## ROMEROTECH

vonBaron said:


> IDK, only heard V590 Pro and it have way more noise than my Niimbus. Maybe Niimbus have better qualtiy relay or better implementation.


For me currently the only let down is this volume pot, the rest of the amp is brilliant but the pot is a major part of this amp and therefore has a big baring on the whole thing. I sincerely hope the pot in my new unit isn't any noisier than my dealers amp and doesn't get any worse over time. I can live with that no worries but any worse and it's goodbye Violectric. 

What do i replace it with? Has to be true balanced in and out, got to have a preout, and remote control operation. Not fussed any more about a reed relay volume pot, £2500 - £3500+. Any suggestions?


----------



## vonBaron

V550 is not fully balanced.
Maybe GS-X mini or used Niimbus US4.


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Jul 6, 2022)

vonBaron said:


> V550 is not fully balanced.
> Maybe GS-X mini or used Niimbus US4.


V550 is fully balanced, that's one of the reasons i purchased it. 

ETA: I've just checked the user manual, it is indeed balanced in and balanced out. There are unbalanced RCA/Single ended  in/out as well but it's the balanced operation of the amp i went for.


----------



## Ichos

V550 has four discrete amplifiers, one for each phase but I don't know if it is fully balanced.
Older V280 and V281 used to convert balanced input to single ended and then again to balanced.
That was the working principle as explained by Mr. Reihm.

Regarding the pot, I have used the review unit for more than a couple of months without any issues and it was dead silent.


----------



## Alien HP

vonBaron said:


> V550 is not fully balanced.
> Maybe GS-X mini or used Niimbus US4.





Ichos said:


> V550 has four discrete amplifiers, one for each phase but I don't know if it is fully balanced.
> Older V280 and V281 used to convert balanced input to single ended and then again to balanced.
> That was the working principle as explained by Mr. Reihm.
> 
> Regarding the pot, I have used the review unit for more than a couple of months without any issues and it was dead silent.


Is the V550 Pro fully balanced? I thought the only difference between the Pro and non Pro was the volume control.


----------



## Alien HP

By not fully balanced, are you referring to this section of the manual?



> SIGNAL PROCESSING
> 
> Inside your VIOLECTRIC HPA V550 the signal is always unbalanced. This is no disadvantage as the  so called “fully balanced” signal processing often generates more issues that solving them. It is not possible to preserve a reasonable symmetrical integrity of a signal inside a complex apparatus like HPA V550.  Further, only the unbalanced signal processing is capable to use the device also as a converter between unbalanced and balanced signals.


It sounds like it's not a bad thing. Am I wrong?


----------



## vonBaron

No, its same as in my Niimbus.


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Jul 6, 2022)

Ichos said:


> V550 has four discrete amplifiers, one for each phase but I don't know if it is fully balanced.
> Older V280 and V281 used to convert balanced input to single ended and then again to balanced.
> That was the working principle as explained by Mr. Reihm.
> 
> Regarding the pot, I have used the review unit for more than a couple of months without any issues and it was dead silent.


I've had a really good 2nd delve into the user manual and it does actually explain that the signal being processed is actually unbalanced regardless of the fact they state their amps are true balanced and you have balanced signals in and out. They state keeping a balanced signal for processing brings a lot of it's own issues so that's why signal processing is unbalanced. OK that's fair enough but they do call their amplifiers true/real balanced.

So, i have to apologise to the chap that stated the Vio isn't in fact true balanced and technically he was absolutely correct. He did mention the Nimbus is though and i wonder why? Is that where Vio spent the money making the Nimbus true balanced and the volume pot better designed/implemented?

It's very misleading when going through the manual and they state real balanced and true balanced amps yet there is a very small paragraph stating the signal being processed isn't balanced.

Thanks for the comment about the volume pot on your demo amp being very quiet, i can't say the same about my dealers amp and certainly not mine. I wonder if my dealer has a batch of suspect amps. The fact my original amp came back from repairs with the same issue after a few hours of use means they didn't fix it or some of these pots or the electronics controlling them are suspect.

Delivery has been delayed untill tomorrow so i'll report back when it's here.

ETA: Just read other replies, i can't say if it's a good or bad thing about the signal processing, are there amps that actually are true balanced right through. 

VonBaron... I thought you said the Nimbus is balanced right through, my apologies again that i've misread, i must find my reading glasses! 🤣


----------



## vonBaron

Well before Niimbus i have "full balanced" Pro ICan and GS-X, never look back


----------



## Fegefeuer

Th reed relais is the same

V590v1 and US4+ here, no problems with the reed relais since 2+ years. Hope you get the same experience.

V590 is balanced in the sense the US4+ is. For true balanced you would need every component twice, think monoblocks, just a bit more interwoven. I don't know who does. Would double the footprint and price increase would be significant.

Just a waste of resources.


----------



## Ichos

Alien HP said:


> By not fully balanced, are you referring to this section of the manual?
> 
> 
> It sounds like it's not a bad thing. Am I wrong?


Yes I am referring to this section of the manual and I would trust that Fried know what is he doing.
After all it sounds great and this is what it matters in the end.


----------



## Alien HP

Fegefeuer said:


> Th reed relais is the same
> 
> V590v1 and US4+ here, no problems with the reed relais since 2+ years. Hope you get the same experience.
> 
> ...





vonBaron said:


> Well before Niimbus i have "full balanced" Pro ICan and GS-X, never look back


So then how likely is it that the ifi Pro iCan is "fully" balanced? Is it then as balanced as the V550?


----------



## thecrow

as I understand it 
violectric and niimbus amps are not fully balanced in the true sense of the word.

balanced signal comes in. It is converted to signal (which helps reduce noise) and then the signal is amplified. And then converted to balance if you are using a balanced output hp cable.

i think there is sometimes a misunderstanding out there of what a balanced amp brings.

And lake people do what they do for a reason as they express in their manuals/user guides

imho, my 2c


----------



## vonBaron

But Niimbus is dual mono, V550 too?


----------



## ROMEROTECH

New amp arrived today. Plugged in and powered up. First impressions... 

The volume pot has an audible pop at 10 O'clock, the rest of the pot has those very faint clicks but exactly as i expect. This should not change in any way shape or form 6mths, a year, or 5yrs from now. 

I am keeping a diary on this so every time i use it i will write some notes. 6mths from today i expect the status quo to remain, if that is the case then i am very happy and it's problem solved however, there is always that nagging doubt at the back of my mind that this volume pot nirvana won't last and i'll be expecting a change for the bad sometime in the very near future. I hope not, fingers crossed. 😁🤞👍


----------



## Alien HP

I recently bought the V550 and I am pretty happy with it so far. I am currently using it with the iBasso DX300 with the Amp12 card. I've been comparing the sound with the headphones plugged into the DX300 and V550 back and forth. Obviously, as expected, the sound quality is so much better with the V550 and the difference is very noticeable. It's like comparing a closet with a concert hall. The sound stage and clarity are just amazing. The DT 770 PRO sounds significantly better with this amp.

The build quality is top notch and the design is good. But I have a few nitpicks and wishes. It gets pretty warm. This is probably normal but worth mentioning. The amp surface collects and keeps all stains from my fingers. Maybe I have oily fingers. I also read that the surface can be scratched easily. But I am not sure if I want to cover to avoid overheating. I wish it had a 4.4mm output like its brother the V590 model. I was considering it just for this reason. But I didn't want a DAC in it. I also wish there was another headphone XLR output in the back like the Ponitor XE. And my biggest complaint is probably the dip switches on the back panel. I would prefer a simple 3 way toggle switch on the front panel. It would be so much more convenient. And I don't see a lot of reason to control gain for each channel separately. It probably makes sense for some people deaf on one ear. But it seems like an edge case.

Overall, I can live with the above nitpicks and I love my new toy so far.


----------



## elementze

Does anyone here have recommendations for DAC pairings with the V550?  I'm currently experimenting with the BF2/64 and Pontus II DACs.  Curious if anyone has DACs that they think pair exceptionally well with it.


----------



## ROMEROTECH (Aug 2, 2022)

Alien HP said:


> I recently bought the V550 and I am pretty happy with it so far. I am currently using it with the iBasso DX300 with the Amp12 card. I've been comparing the sound with the headphones plugged into the DX300 and V550 back and forth. Obviously, as expected, the sound quality is so much better with the V550 and the difference is very noticeable. It's like comparing a closet with a concert hall. The sound stage and clarity are just amazing. The DT 770 PRO sounds significantly better with this amp.
> 
> The build quality is top notch and the design is good. But I have a few nitpicks and wishes. It gets pretty warm. This is probably normal but worth mentioning. The amp surface collects and keeps all stains from my fingers. Maybe I have oily fingers. I also read that the surface can be scratched easily. But I am not sure if I want to cover to avoid overheating. I wish it had a 4.4mm output like its brother the V590 model. I was considering it just for this reason. But I didn't want a DAC in it. I also wish there was another headphone XLR output in the back like the Ponitor XE. And my biggest complaint is probably the dip switches on the back panel. I would prefer a simple 3 way toggle switch on the front panel. It would be so much more convenient. And I don't see a lot of reason to control gain for each channel separately. It probably makes sense for some people deaf on one ear. But it seems like an edge case.
> 
> Overall, I can live with the above nitpicks and I love my new toy so far.


I'm down in my right ear so I use the balance control not gain controls. I have mine set to 0 gain factory setting and use the volume control appropriately. That works for me. The only time I get a difference in gain is between balanced and single ended inputs/outputs, 6db difference but again volume control sorts that out.

Once those gain controls are set leave them alone, you'll forget about them unless you connect something that has a partularly low or high output then adjust but for the most part leave them alone once set.

Yes it gets warm but never too warm, I leave mine on all the time.

I can split my 4 pin XLR into 2 x 4.4mm Pentacon with an adapter I have.  If you want to share your XLR connection or for doing A/B between cans it works great.

Wipe the surface with a large dry spectacle cleaning cloth, marks come right off. It is an unusual surface finish/coating but it's fine.


----------



## Alien HP

ROMEROTECH said:


> I'm down in my right ear so I use the balance control not gain controls. I have mine set to 0 gain factory setting and use the volume control appropriately. That works for me. The only time I get a difference in gain is between balanced and single ended inputs/outputs, 6db difference but again volume control sorts that out.
> 
> Once those gain controls are set leave them alone, you'll forget about them unless you connect something that has a partularly low or high output then adjust but for the most part leave them alone once set.
> 
> ...


Yes, it all makes sense. I would just add a couple of comments.

High sensitive IEMs pick up some hiss noise with the increased gain. So I probably won't be using them with the amp because I don't want to keep changing the gain settings.

I am using a DIY passive headphone switch with different output connectors. It's basically like an adapter for 6 headphones. It works great.

I am planning to get a wooden monitor stand big enough to cover the amp.


----------



## Delta9K (Aug 2, 2022)

elementze said:


> Does anyone here have recommendations for DAC pairings with the V550?


I like it with the Spring3 KTE very much and I've worked a number of headphones off that setup 900mk2/909, HEKv2, D8Kpro, Stellia, LCD-24, and 1266 TC  and currently I have it together with a Yggdrasil OG and working with Radiance, TH909 and HE6se. It will work the Susvara too, but I prefer the Sus with the Spring3 KTE & Ferrum OOR stack - but you already know all this I'm sure.

A DAC that would be fun to try but might could be too thick depending on HP is the Sonnet Morpheus, though I've never heard it personally. The Aqua LaVoce might be something to try as well but again I've not heard that DAC either so just ideas.


----------



## drummerdimitri

I'm torn between getting a V550 PRO and a Niimbus us 5 pro.

Everyone seems to agree that the Niimbus is the more neutral of the two but as I'm not using it for mixing/mastering but instead musical enjoyment, wouldn't the V550 suit me better?

My LCD-4z are quite warm and I love them to bits but since I can't try either before purchasing, I'm not sure how to decide between the two.

I listen to music to get pumped up and not to relax so dynamics and transient response are the most important audio characteristics for me but it has to sound as lifelike as possible to be convincing.

That being said, any opinions on which amp to get would be much appreciated thanks.


----------



## smutnyjoe

I only have V550 and listened to Niimbus once, but I wouldn't say V550 is not neutral. I've also seen some opinions that it's warmer but using all of my audio experience, I'd say it's maybe 2% from perfect neutrality (whatever that means) towards musicality (whatever that means too). It's not an amp that modifies the sound characteristics.


----------



## smutnyjoe

elementze said:


> Does anyone here have recommendations for DAC pairings with the V550?  I'm currently experimenting with the BF2/64 and Pontus II DACs.  Curious if anyone has DACs that they think pair exceptionally well with it.


I also have it with Spring3 KTE and they sound exceptionally well together. I believe it might be the case with more R2R DACs. I also use it with TT2 sometimes, but IMO whatever you connect to the TT2, it always degrades the perfectly clean sound of this DAC/AMP combo less or more. Of course, we don't always desire perfect sound reproduction and it's pleasing also for me, but in such cases I recommend some cheaper DAC or using an external tube amp


----------



## vonBaron

Niimbus is not only more neutral, it have significantly more resolution, better detali, is more dynamic and slam harder.


----------



## drummerdimitri

vonBaron said:


> Niimbus is not only more neutral, it have significantly more resolution, better detali, is more dynamic and slam harder.





vonBaron said:


> Niimbus is not only more neutral, it have significantly more resolution, better detali, is more dynamic and slam harder.


If I go the Niimbus route I will have to use it with my Chord Mojo until I get myself a Spring 3 KTE as I would not have the funds to do both.

There's always a tradeoff and I'm not sure if it's worth it.


----------



## cfranchi

if I fed V550 with RCA unbalanced input do I benefit of the full power of V550 ? Do I loss dynamic compared to XLR balanced input ?
I don’t see differences in V550 power spec.


----------



## drummerdimitri

cfranchi said:


> if I fed V550 with RCA unbalanced input do I benefit of the full power of V550 ? Do I loss dynamic compared to XLR balanced input ?
> I don’t see differences in V550 power spec.


It is my understanding that the V550 converts the unbalanced signal into balanced on the input stage prior to the actual amplification so you shouldn't be losing any power or dynamic range using RCA inputs.


----------



## cfranchi

drummerdimitri said:


> It is my understanding that the V550 converts the unbalanced signal into balanced on the input stage prior to the actual amplification so you shouldn't be losing any power or dynamic range using RCA inputs.



That’s great, thx


----------



## Ichos

cfranchi said:


> if I fed V550 with RCA unbalanced input do I benefit of the full power of V550 ? Do I loss dynamic compared to XLR balanced input ?
> I don’t see differences in V550 power spec.


You don't lose absolutely anything.


----------



## smutnyjoe

cfranchi said:


> if I fed V550 with RCA unbalanced input do I benefit of the full power of V550 ? Do I loss dynamic compared to XLR balanced input ?
> I don’t see differences in V550 power spec.


Earlier, I thought there is a difference, but then I did a blind test with the same cables in XLR and RCA versions... I agree it's completely the same even if you try very hard to hear the difference


----------



## Ichos

smutnyjoe said:


> Earlier, I thought there is a difference, but then I did a blind test with the same cables in XLR and RCA versions... I agree it's completely the same even if you try very hard to hear the difference


All Violectric amplifiers have single ended priority and convert the XLR inputs to single ended and then the signals enter the fully differential amplifier.


----------



## Arniesb

Ichos said:


> All Violectric amplifiers have single ended priority and convert the XLR inputs to single ended and then the signals enter the fully differential amplifier.


Only difference is that some dacs have better crosstalk with xlr cables. Not massive difference, but when audiophiles change their fuses for much likely less perf gain i would say going with xlr should be no brainer.


----------



## Ichos

Arniesb said:


> Only difference is that some dacs have better crosstalk with xlr cables. Not massive difference, but when audiophiles change their fuses for much likely less perf gain i would say going with xlr should be no brainer.


I would certainly choose to use the XLR outputs of my DAC if it was a balanced design despite the conversion in the amp part.


----------



## smutnyjoe

That's correct. If you can choose, it's wiser to choose XLR. However, if you are like me and have two DACS connected to one amp and have to use RCA, don't be worried that it is a problem at all


----------



## Ichos

This is not the appropriate thread but here is my review of the V380².

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/violectric-dha-v380².26122/review/29418/

Masterpiece.


----------



## shwnwllms (Nov 11, 2022)

My V550 Pro is up for sale in the classifieds if anyone is interested.

*withdrawn*


----------



## jonathan c

shwnwllms said:


> My V550 Pro is up for sale in the classifieds if anyone is interested.
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/violectric-hpa-v550-pro.36060/


….a victim of ‘appendantcitis’…🤕🤒…🤣


----------



## shwnwllms

jonathan c said:


> ….a victim of ‘appendantcitis’…🤕🤒…🤣



I’ve got a bad case indeed. It’s going to require surgery to remove the V550 from my studio rack.


----------



## shwnwllms

jonathan c said:


> ….a victim of ‘appendantcitis’…🤕🤒…🤣


I slept on it and came to my senses. After tinkering a bit with my pipeline matrix settings in HQPlayer I'm keeping the V550 Pro after all.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

shwnwllms said:


> I slept on it and came to my senses. After tinkering a bit with my pipeline matrix settings in HQPlayer I'm keeping the V550 Pro after all.


----------



## jonathan c

shwnwllms said:


> I slept on it and came to my senses. After tinkering a bit with my pipeline matrix settings in HQPlayer I'm keeping the V550 Pro after all.


Good decision. Having a quality SS headphone amplifier to give the VT headphone amplifiers a ‘break’, to rinse the audio/cranial palate, makes a lot of sense (for me, anyway) 🤷🏻‍♂️.


----------



## shwnwllms

jonathan c said:


> Good decision. Having a quality SS headphone amplifier to give the VT headphone amplifiers a ‘break’, to rinse the audio/cranial palate, makes a lot of sense (for me, anyway) 🤷🏻‍♂️.



Says the guy who just listed his FA-22 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/flux-lab-acoustics-fa-22.36157/


----------



## jonathan c

shwnwllms said:


> Says the guy who just listed his FA-22 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/flux-lab-acoustics-fa-22.36157/


I still have HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II….and Violectric V200…😀


----------



## borkenarrou

Anyone ordered this amp from Thomann, is there any import taxes to be paid when it reaches the US, will ship to Oregon which is sales tax free, I ultimately will take it out of the US so may not require the warranty if I buy from Power-Holdings and price at Thomann is bit better at present.


----------



## Alien HP

borkenarrou said:


> Anyone ordered this amp from Thomann, is there any import taxes to be paid when it reaches the US, will ship to Oregon which is sales tax free, I ultimately will take it out of the US so may not require the warranty if I buy from Power-Holdings and price at Thomann is bit better at present.


I did and I had the same concern. But I didn't have to pay any import taxes.


----------



## borkenarrou

Cool


Alien HP said:


> I did and I had the same concern. But I didn't have to pay any import taxes.


That is nice!!!


----------



## Monsterzero

Question for all of the V550 owners;

How big of a difference in SQ is there between the SE and balanced jacks?


----------



## shwnwllms

There shouldn’t be any, but be sure to use the right jack if going SE (the left jack is reversed polarity)


----------



## Monsterzero (Nov 26, 2022)

shwnwllms said:


> There shouldn’t be any, but be sure to use the right jack if going SE (the left jack is reversed polarity)


Yeah someone had mentioned that to me prior. I'm more interested in using the SE jacks to do fast A/B comparisons between two headphones and then balanced jack for listening for fun.

So on the left SE jack, are the channels flipped or is there a significant difference in frequency response/sound?


----------



## Ichos

Monsterzero said:


> Question for all of the V550 owners;
> 
> How big of a difference in SQ is there between the SE and balanced jacks?


Do you mean outputs or inputs?


----------



## Monsterzero

Ichos said:


> Do you mean outputs or inputs?


 The SE output jacks, where you plug the headphone in.


----------



## Ichos

Monsterzero said:


> The SE output jacks, where you plug the headphone in.


The balanced output is much better.
You are using the four internal amplifiers and you get more expanded and holographic soundstage, deeper detail retrieval, more open sound, greater dynamics.
Well better.


----------



## Monsterzero

Ichos said:


> The balanced output is much better.
> You are using the four internal amplifiers and you get more expanded and holographic soundstage, deeper detail retrieval, more open sound, greater dynamics.
> Well better.


 I understand that and intend to use the balanced output for general listening.

 The dual SE jacks are of interest to me for doing A/Bing between two headphones for my headphone reviews, but if the left SE output sounds vastly different to the right SE output that defeats the purpose, or am I not understanding you guys correctly?


----------



## Ichos

Monsterzero said:


> I understand that and intend to use the balanced output for general listening.
> 
> The dual SE jacks are of interest to me for doing A/Bing between two headphones for my headphone reviews, but if the left SE output sounds vastly different to the right SE output that defeats the purpose, or am I not understanding you guys correctly?


The left and right single ended outputs sound *excaltly the same*.


----------



## Monsterzero

Ichos said:


> The left and right single ended outputs sound *excaltly the same*.


 Thank you!


----------



## shwnwllms

Ichos said:


> The left and right single ended outputs sound *excaltly the same*.



That’s not exactly correct (according to the manual anyway)


----------



## Alien HP (Nov 26, 2022)

It's interesting why an inverted polarity headphone output even exists. I could be wrong, but from what I understand, it can be used for certain poorly recorded songs where microphones might have been misplaced affecting the signal and making it out of phase or weak. I think the idea is that inverting the polarity would fix it and improve the weak signal. I don't know how frequent this problem is. I also don't know if the difference is noticeable if the signal is inverted on a good recording.

You can read more about it here and here.


----------



## Ichos (Nov 27, 2022)

shwnwllms said:


> That’s not exactly correct (according to the manual anyway)





Alien HP said:


> It's interesting why an inverted polarity headphone output even exists. I could be wrong, but from what I understand, it can be used for certain poorly recorded songs where microphones might have been misplaced affecting the signal and making it out of phase or weak. I think the idea is that inverting the polarity would fix it and improve the weak signal. I don't know how frequent this problem is. I also don't know if the difference is noticeable if the signal is inverted on a good recording.
> 
> You can read more about it here and here.


The internal amplifier is differential balanced.
This is the connection topology to get two single ended outputs (instead of the usual one) without further signal processing and further balanced to unbalanced conversion.




Both single ended outputs sound excaltly the same.
Everything else belongs into the sphere of imagination.

I have reviewed the amplifier and I am not just speculating.


----------



## Pharmaboy

Ichos said:


> The internal amplifier is differential balanced.
> This is the connection topology to get two single ended outputs (instead of the usual one) without further signal processing and further balanced to unbalanced conversion.
> 
> 
> ...


I checked the sound of both 6.35mm outputs on my V281 last night. At least using well recorded studio music (from Donald Fagen's "Morph the Cat" CD), I couldn't hear any difference between the two.

(chose this music because the instrument placements are well thought out & implemented, so changes would be easy to pick up)


----------



## Ichos

Pharmaboy said:


> I checked the sound of both 6.35mm outputs on my V281 last night. At least using well recorded studio music (from Donald Fagen's "Morph the Cat" CD), I couldn't hear any difference between the two.
> 
> (chose this music because the instrument placements are well thought out & implemented, so changes would be easy to pick up)


It would be again the laws of physics (electricity) if you could hear a difference.
Or serious placebo and psycho-acoustics bias


----------



## gshyoung

I have a V550 coming tomorrow 

What are your thoughts on the stock power cable?  Sufficient or would you recommend an upgrade? 

Thanks


----------



## Ichos

gshyoung said:


> I have a V550 coming tomorrow
> 
> What are your thoughts on the stock power cable?  Sufficient or would you recommend an upgrade?
> 
> Thanks


Depends whether you are a cable believer or not.
The stock cable is the usual "El cheapo" one.


----------



## headstef

gshyoung said:


> I have a V550 coming tomorrow
> 
> What are your thoughts on the stock power cable?  Sufficient or would you recommend an upgrade?
> 
> Thanks


Try to borrow a "good" upgrade cable. "Listen" to both extensively.* If* you find any differences then ask someone to help you with your blind listenings. Only true differences will show consistently in blind listenings: if you can tell the cables consistently by their "sound" you will have your answer.
(Chances are that you will not find any diffrences.)


----------



## ROMEROTECH

I bought the Shunyata Venom V10 NR to use with the V550 Pro. After a couple of chats with the UK dealer i use i opted for this cable.

I'm not normally a cable snob and just like to have decent quality audio cables, not normally too fussed about power cables although every piece of audio equipment i have comes with it's own dedicated external psu. As the V550 only comes with the standard power cable i felt it was a good idea to buy the Shenyata.

I'm usually pretty sensative to changes in sound and i am convinced the sound from my V550 is cleaner and clearer. 

Maybe i'm fooling myself and it's actually made no difference at all but my ears are telling me different.


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## headstef (Nov 30, 2022)

ROMEROTECH said:


> Maybe i'm fooling myself...


...or maybe you are not. The only way to know is by consistent results in blind tests. Random results (or no results) means no difference.


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## borkenarrou

I presume the pro volume control issue reported by some members earlier is no longer an issue as I haven't seen any report lately, maybe it's an early adopter problem which is resolved in later releases.


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## ROMEROTECH

borkenarrou said:


> I presume the pro volume control issue reported by some members earlier is no longer an issue as I haven't seen any report lately, maybe it's an early adopter problem which is resolved in later releases.


The issue hasn't gone away.  I had to send my first amp back it was so bad.  The new amp is a lot better than the first amp but still has some issues that have developed over time with use. I can live with it so long as it stays where it is. If others haven't experience this they are the lucky ones.


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## Monsterzero

ROMEROTECH said:


> The issue hasn't gone away.  I had to send my first amp back it was so bad.  The new amp is a lot better than the first amp but still has some issues that have developed over time with use. I can live with it so long as it stays where it is. If others haven't experience this they are the lucky ones.


Have you noticed the noise gets worse during winter months?


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## borkenarrou

ROMEROTECH said:


> The issue hasn't gone away.  I had to send my first amp back it was so bad.  The new amp is a lot better than the first amp but still has some issues that have developed over time with use. I can live with it so long as it stays where it is. If others haven't experience this they are the lucky ones.


That's sad to know, on hindsight would you have bought the non-pro one if you knew what you know now. I think the vanilla Alps pot will be more robust and time tested solution as it has been around for longer, the pro variant will likely be custom built so reliability is still a question though sound quality may improve a bit on the latter.


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## adeadcrab

Ichos said:


> This is not the appropriate thread but here is my review of the V380².
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/violectric-dha-v380².26122/review/29418/
> 
> Masterpiece.


Did you also review the Burson opamps?
Does the v550 share the same swappable opamps as the V380²?


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## Ichos

adeadcrab said:


> Did you also review the Burson opamps?
> Does the v550 share the same swappable opamps as the V380²?


Here is the full review of the Burson V6 Vivid.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bu...pamp-v6-vivid-and-classic.23186/review/29663/
If I am not mistaken the V550 uses exactly the same op-amps.


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## ROMEROTECH

Monsterzero said:


> Have you noticed the noise gets worse during winter months?


Season dependent? That's hilarious! "Audio gear catches a cold." 🤣


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## ROMEROTECH

borkenarrou said:


> That's sad to know, on hindsight would you have bought the non-pro one if you knew what you know now. I think the vanilla Alps pot will be more robust and time tested solution as it has been around for longer, the pro variant will likely be custom built so reliability is still a question though sound quality may improve a bit on the latter.


I wouldn't have swapped to the non-pro amp, my only problem with the Pro is during operation, as soon as the pot stops all is good with the world. 

Although the volume pot is what makes it the pro the rest of it does exactly what it says on the tin, and very nicely too.

Before buying this i auditioned the Benchmark HPA4 at the same time, much quieter pot with the faintest clicks in the background. Had that for a month, didn't miss a beat, just a bit too neutral to use with my HD800 but worked well with the LCD-XC. The Vio however works well with both. 👍


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## Monsterzero (Dec 1, 2022)

ROMEROTECH said:


> Season dependent? That's hilarious! "Audio gear catches a cold." 🤣


I was told in a phone call w/ Arthur Powers that the static/white noise seems to increase with low humidity, which causes static electricity.

I'm strongly considering the Pro version, but these reports of static are giving me 2nd thoughts. How prevalent is this issue, and does it only occur when adjusting volume and then goes away, or does the noise remain constant?


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## shwnwllms

Monsterzero said:


> I was told in a phone call w/ Arthur Powers that the static/white noise seems to increase with low humidity, which causes static electricity.
> 
> I'm strongly considering the Pro version, but these reports of static are giving me 2nd thoughts. How prevalent is this issue, and does it only occur when adjusting volume and then goes away, or does the noise remain constant?



If you are talking about the normal noise that occurs when adjusting the pot, that goes away as soon as you stop adjusting it. It’s a non-issue

I would still opt for the Pro model, the regular V550 has its own issues with the Alps pot (channel imbalance) which is why 12 o’clock is recommended on the base model (Pro it doesn’t matter)

I think there were only a couple (2-3) members posting issues with their volume pot on the Pro. Different issues and seemed like one offs (to be expected with any new product). Plenty of happy owners like myself and Violectric QC is top notch, their customer service even better. I wouldn’t hesitate recommending the Pro model


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## Monsterzero

shwnwllms said:


> If you are talking about the normal noise that occurs when adjusting the pot, that goes away as soon as you stop adjusting it. It’s a non-issue
> 
> I would still opt for the Pro model, the regular V550 has its own issues with the Alps pot (channel imbalance) which is why 12 o’clock is recommended on the base model (Pro it doesn’t matter)
> 
> I think there were only a couple (2-3) members posting issues with their volume pot on the Pro. Different issues and seemed like one offs (to be expected with any new product). Plenty of happy owners like myself and Violectric QC is top notch, their customer service even better. I wouldn’t hesitate recommending the Pro model


Thanks. I can live with what you're describing.

 How is the synergy with your VO? Does it project the stage in front of you, or is it more immediate sounding and stage is more like a dome around your head?


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## shwnwllms

Monsterzero said:


> Thanks. I can live with what you're describing.
> 
> How is the synergy with your VO? Does it project the stage in front of you, or is it more immediate sounding and stage is more like a dome around your head?



Synergy is about as good as any SS amp can expect to perform with ZMF. Plenty of power, minimal damping. Even with that being said it’s a bit on the dry side. Not completely clinical but it’s noticeable compared to my Pendant SE. it’s a versatile amp and it will handle planars and dynamics well, but ZMFs are always going to shine on tube amps. 

Stage is wide on the V550, 3D just not as holographic as my Pendant. Like a live show 3 rows back. The LCD-5 on the other hand is incredibly intimate like you pulled up a stool next to the musicians in the recording studio. 

V550 Pro is exclusively for my LCD-5
Pendant SE handles Verite & LCD-5 equally well


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## ROMEROTECH

Monsterzero said:


> I was told in a phone call w/ Arthur Powers that the static/white noise seems to increase with low humidity, which causes static electricity.
> 
> I'm strongly considering the Pro version, but these reports of static are giving me 2nd thoughts. How prevalent is this issue, and does it only occur when adjusting volume and then goes away, or does the noise remain constant?


Only the action of moving the knob. As soon as the volume knob stops everything is fine.

When i got the replacement amp summer just gone it was whisper quiet, within about 4 weeks though i started to notice louder popping clicks every few clicks along and sometimes it interacts with the sound as it clicks but it's not a problem so long as it doesn't get any worse.

I don't think this has anything to do with 'humidity', i'm more convinced this is a design/component issue and some wierd interaction between the vol pot motor and the reed relays causing an issue over time.

My first amp within 3 months started to get bad and by the time 5-6mths go by it's so bad it just had to go back.

The current amp, so far so good. Yes it's noticeable in places along the pot's travel but nothing like the first amp, and just about 5mths have gone by and it's reasonably ok. It doesn't affect the presentation at all.


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## borkenarrou (Dec 1, 2022)

Anyone paired this with the Bayer DT-880 600 ohm, do I have to max out the volume to have adequate volume level, I know the V281 paired well cos it has higher wattage @ 600 ohm, the newer Vio amps are reverse and more suited to new planars and focal h/ps.


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## ROMEROTECH

borkenarrou said:


> Anyone paired this with the Bayer DT-880 600 ohm, do I have to max out the volume to have adequate volume level, I know the V281 paired well cos it has higher wattage @ 600 ohm, the newer Vio amps are reverse and more suited to new planars and focal h/ps.


600ohm won't be a problem for the V550, there's plenty voltage there to drive your cans and that's at 0 gain setting which you can increase way beyond that. At 12 o'clock position and 0 gain setting my HD800 are being well driven, 3 o'clock is as loud as i need to go. Still a very clear presentation when it's thumping through, tons of slam and impact, and they even do thumping bass really well. That's sufficient SPL to move your ear lobes to the beat.


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## borkenarrou

I am considering pairing the Holo Spring 3 to my V550, will these synergize well or there are other better pairings (keeping the V550 constant), I am also considering the Yggy OG/LIM or Pontus II.


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## shwnwllms

borkenarrou said:


> I am considering pairing the Holo Spring 3 to my V550, will these synergize well or there are other better pairings (keeping the V550 constant), I am also considering the Yggy OG/LIM or Pontus II.


Depends

I have paired both Pontus II and Holo May KTE to my V550 Pro

Pontus II was very warm compared to May KTE, but at the sacrifice of detail. It was grainy compared to the May when running native PCM in NOS mode. (I know it’s not true NOS mode, just referring to the setting itself). Upsampling to DSD Pontus II sounded flat compared to the Holo May and I’m not convinced Denafrips handles DSD adequately.

May KTE and V550 Pro is a nice reference system. Just on the slightly warm side of neutral (but not as warm as a V281). I prefer this pairing but it also made me realize I needed a tube amp to compliment my V550 Pro, so I bought a Pendant SE (which gets more use than my V550 Pro now)

I would go with the Spring 3 in a heartbeat, just be prepared for a long break in period and plan to use HQPlayer to squeeze the best performance out of it.


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## borkenarrou

shwnwllms said:


> Depends
> 
> I have paired both Pontus II and Holo May KTE to my V550 Pro
> 
> ...


Thanks for your valuable opinion, so i am on the right track🙂


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## borkenarrou

Also I guess i don't need the pre-amp in the Spring as I understand the V550 has a very good pre-amp as well.


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## shwnwllms

borkenarrou said:


> Also I guess i don't need the pre-amp in the Spring as I understand the V550 has a very good pre-amp as well.


Correct. It’s DIP switches though so you won’t want to mess with them all the time. For me it works fine without needing a separate preamp as I’ve only got a couple of headphones. Once I got it dialed in I set it and forget it


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## ROMEROTECH

My dream combi pairing is a Holo May KTE and my V550 Pro. I've struggled to find one i can audition so when one comes up for sale used i might just throw caution to the wind and buy it.


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## borkenarrou (Dec 14, 2022)

Bit confused about warranty, isn't Violectric warranty supposed to be 5 years, I saw a used V280 listing which had 5 years, but in Thomann website its 3 yrs "Thomann warranty", or the warranty is reduced in recent times.


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## shwnwllms

borkenarrou said:


> Bit confused about warranty, isn't Violectric warranty supposed to be 5 years, I saw a used V280 listing which had 5 years, but in Thomann website its 3 yrs "Thomann warranty", or the warranty is reduced in recent times.


Power Holdings offers a 5 year warranty. Not sure about Thomann


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## ROMEROTECH

5yr watranty for my 550 Pro from my UK dealer, Audio Barn.


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## Fegefeuer

Thomann's warranty doesn't shorten Lake People's, it's just about what they offer if you need help through them.


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## borkenarrou

Fegefeuer said:


> Thomann's warranty doesn't shorten Lake People's, it's just about what they offer if you need help through them.


Excellent!!!


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## Koren

I really don't understand something... as it turned out in the past few days, because I misinterpreted the manual, the output of the dac line was all turned on, in the above position, because I thought it was turned off, but a few days ago it turned out that it was turned on... actually, now my problem is the fact that I turned them all off, so the preamp is turned off at the moment, and my active speakers, which are on the xl output, started humming... and it never hummed before, it didn't make any noise... how is this possible? and if we set all the switches in the program to the above position, i.e. on, what actually happens??? because the MANUAL does not write anything about this. there can be no ground loop because it was not connected to any of the power distributors, nor was it connected to any of the power cables.. I am sure that this phenomenon depends on the setting of the preamp... I just can't understand that since they are all switched off now, it is in off mode and right now my system is behaving badly... here is a picture of the current setup.(dha v590 mk2


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## ROMEROTECH

Koren said:


> I really don't understand something... as it turned out in the past few days, because I misinterpreted the manual, the output of the dac line was all turned on, in the above position, because I thought it was turned off, but a few days ago it turned out that it was turned on... actually, now my problem is the fact that I turned them all off, so the preamp is turned off at the moment, and my active speakers, which are on the xl output, started humming... and it never hummed before, it didn't make any noise... how is this possible? and if we set all the switches in the program to the above position, i.e. on, what actually happens??? because the MANUAL does not write anything about this. there can be no ground loop because it was not connected to any of the power distributors, nor was it connected to any of the power cables.. I am sure that this phenomenon depends on the setting of the preamp... I just can't understand that since they are all switched off now, it is in off mode and right now my system is behaving badly... here is a picture of the current setup.(dha v590 mk2


These amps come from the factory set to 0db . The manuals are in very plain english and well explained with lots of pictures. Make sure each of the XLR cables you use from the preout to your active speakers are proper 3 wire cables.

If your source is connected to the xlr inputs of the Vio make sure your xlr cable is earthed. I had a problem with a 4.4mm balanced jack to twin L and Right xlr cable adapter that wasn't properly earthed, i got humming through my speakers and cans until i got a cable that was fully earther. Hum gone. Try that.


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## KEKPOG

Guys, Im looking to get either V550 or the Burson soloist 3x GT.
How do you guys compare their sound signature and technicalities?


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## cernus

Hi everyone! Happy New Year!
I got a late Christmas present and was surprised to get a revised version of the V550. You will notice the 4.4mm on the right side instead of the 6.35mm.
There is no communication around this (yet?) - silent update? I wanted to get the V590 mkII just for that 
The version of the documentation I received is from December 2022.
Cheers!


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## shwnwllms

cernus said:


> Hi everyone! Happy New Year!
> I got a late Christmas present and was surprised to get a revised version of the V550. You will notice the 4.4mm on the right side instead of the 6.35mm.
> There is no communication around this (yet?) - silent update? I wanted to get the V590 mkII just for that
> The version of the documentation I received is from December 2022.
> Cheers!


Also looks like a silver bezel around the IR receiver (directly under the input selector)


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## cernus

shwnwllms said:


> Also looks like a silver bezel around the IR receiver (directly under the input selector)


Ah yes you are right. The back panel has been updated (slightly).


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## borkenarrou

cernus said:


> Hi everyone! Happy New Year!
> I got a late Christmas present and was surprised to get a revised version of the V550. You will notice the 4.4mm on the right side instead of the 6.35mm.
> There is no communication around this (yet?) - silent update? I wanted to get the V590 mkII just for that
> The version of the documentation I received is from December 2022.
> Cheers!


Awsome!!, can I ask where you purchased it from and shipping date, I purchased from Thomann and shipped on 9th Dec still on the way, hope I get the updated version too 🙂


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## cernus

borkenarrou said:


> Awsome!!, can I ask where you purchased it from and shipping date, I purchased from Thomann and shipped on 9th Dec still on the way, hope I get the updated version too 🙂


Sure. I bought it the 27th of November on Projekt Akustik. I only got it last Friday. There was a delay. Cheers!


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## borkenarrou

cernus said:


> Sure. I bought it the 27th of November on Projekt Akustik. I only got it last Friday. There was a delay. Cheers!


Nice!!! hopefull now  but either way am good, as I use the XLR port anyways.


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## Fegefeuer

Updated version has a more powerful sound when listening to lightsabers being drawn.


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## Contrails

I am thinking of getting this to power the Meze Elite and LCD-3 Pre fazor. One is 35ohms and the other 50ohms. Right in the sweet spot for this amp. 

Are the transients fast like the HPA4? And does it take time to sound it's best?


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## Ichos

Contrails said:


> I am thinking of getting this to power the Meze Elite and LCD-3 Pre fazor. One is 35ohms and the other 50ohms. Right in the sweet spot for this amp.
> 
> Are the transients fast like the HPA4? And does it take time to sound it's best?


I haven't compared to the HPA4 but the V550 is a fast amplifier, just as needed for the music to sound alive but natural.
As most electronic gear it will need about 150 hours to fully settle down.


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## ROMEROTECH (Monday at 4:18 AM)

Ichos said:


> I haven't compared to the HPA4 but the V550 is a fast amplifier, just as needed for the music to sound alive but natural.
> As most electronic gear it will need about 150 hours to fully settle down.


This reply is to contrails, not Ichos, apologies i pressed the wrong button. 😁

I have compared the two and i went for the V550 Pro. Both mighty amps that present slightly differently. The HPA4 is dead neutral right down the middle but not bright, dry or harsh in any way. The presentation was spacious and very accurate, everything was delivered with great control and what went in came out exactly as. Zero colouration of any sort

More than enough power and voltage to run anything you like. It made my LCD-XC sound a bit like electrostats, they loved the HPA4.

The reason i went for the Vio is because it's slightly the warm side of neutral and that suits my HD800 really well. It also runs my LCD-XC really nicely, and the same for the Vio as the HPA4 in terms of the way it deals with everything, just a warmer presentation.

In the UK there is £1000 difference between the two that i am happy to say didn't come into the equation,  i just preffered the Vio for my circumstances/requirements, they are both fabulous amps.

You should audition the two and let your ears/brain decide. I was lucky to be able to audition both at the same time with different cans, including HD250 Linear II, and HD540 Reference II, it was a fabulous 5-6 weeks. Go on treat yourself, life is too short. 👍


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## Giru

Contrails said:


> I am thinking of getting this to power the Meze Elite and LCD-3 Pre fazor. One is 35ohms and the other 50ohms. Right in the sweet spot for this amp.
> 
> Are the transients fast like the HPA4? And does it take time to sound it's best?


Neither the 550 nor the 281 are anything like the HPA4. 
For me the HPA4 was lacking in dynamics, drive and verve. The "faster transients" is what I'll call a relatively "brighter" presentation compared to the Vios.

I think the major difference between any of the TOTL Vios compared to most of their peers is the "Grip" these amps have on headphones. Transients are handled so deftly that switching to other amps you'll certainly miss the "control" that the Vios provide. 

I remember this specific moment when I had not purchased my 281 and was auditioning amps left and right; I usually do my test tracks one of which is the live rendition of "Hotel California" from "Hell Freezes Over" (1994 original pressing). A few seconds into the track after Felder's Guitar amid the audiences claps we are met with a very visceral thudd of a conga drum. This very "thudd" is one of the reasons I own a 281 eventhough I had earmarked budget for something twice the price. 

With the Vios you're paying for power and organics. The 550 is certainly a level or two over the HPA4 in this regard.


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## AudioPowerHead (Monday at 9:31 PM)

Giru said:


> Neither the 550 nor the 281 are anything like the HPA4.
> For me the HPA4 was lacking in dynamics, drive and verve. The "faster transients" is what I'll call a relatively "brighter" presentation compared to the Vios.
> 
> I think the major difference between any of the TOTL Vios compared to most of their peers is the "Grip" these amps have on headphones. Transients are handled so deftly that switching to other amps you'll certainly miss the "control" that the Vios provide.
> ...


This is also one of the songs I usually use to test on amps. And it is exactly what you said, the “thuds” , “grip”, and to me other additional attributes like power, smoothness and slightly warmer, more relaxed and euphonic sound presentation that Violectric amps has which won me over other more expensive and neutral SS amps.

Edit: typo


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## borkenarrou

Arrived today!


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## Ichos

borkenarrou said:


> Arrived today!


This seems like a killer set-up.


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## shwnwllms

Ichos said:


> This seems like a killer set-up.


----------

