Violectric v590 / v550 / v380 / v340 Headphone Amps

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Anyone every compairef the V280/V280FE/V281/V281FE? Just kinda currious if a V280FE may compete with a V281 and if the V281FE is actualy enough of a step up to wait for one. I have fair experience with the V280 and V281 but never side by side and they are quite close from memory even

The final editions are just the same amp with a special faceplate and fully loaded from what I know, so no sonic change from a similarly loaded normal edition

I do think the 281 vs 280 can be closer with some headphones, but can be a larger step up with others, I still think the 281 is a bit of a step ahead overall with a similar signature, so Iā€™d go for that one if you can regardless of headphone. If you have to stretch for a 281 and you have some less demanding headphones power wise, the 280 is still a pretty great option

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Ah, got it. I thought the FE had a revised power supply for some reason.

If anyone is interested, I am here to say that I have been working a 1266 Phi TC from my v550 for a week now, and they both sound really good. I do not get any feeling that I am missing out or running the headphones underpowered etc. They sound like an upgrade and that I am benefitting by having them connected, so much so, that I am wanting now to audition a Susvara next to see how it will sound.

Could it be better (the 1266) with better source - no doubt it would, but that can come in time as time allows, but I feel I am able to begin enjoying better sound now from either or both of these headphones, and that the v550 is both economical and powerful enough to help me do so.

The current system consists of: Holo Audio Spring3 KTE as DAC my source originates from a roon core running a mix of local FLAC (various sample rates), and Qobuz via ethernet to a PC running the Roon (raat) client via USB into the DAC and then balanced xlr to the amplifier.

FYI - the v550 pre-gain is set at defaults 0 dB ā€¦ room to go higher if needed

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Must be a good combo with the Spring 3!!

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A written review of the V340

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

Would have been nice to see some similarly detailed reviews of the V550/V590 when I was looking around. Even today there is not much in the way of reviews.

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Agree. Not much at all, yet they seem to be selling fine. I see them ā€œin the wildā€ in forums, etc

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I was going to be silly earlier and say ā€œWell, they get enough positive word of mouth it doesnā€™t really matterā€, but I did not want to come across poorly. For the money I can recommend Violctric amplifiers as being really good value to performance pieces if the signature and technical characteristics suits you and your gear.

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FYI - Adding the Susvara to the reply to myself in the right hand corner ->ā€¦

Iā€™m like why did I avoid trying these for so longā€¦ There is something special happening and no reason to not enjoy either of these headphones now, noneā€¦ Jackpot!!!

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So you like Susvara it seems. Thatā€™s what I was afraid of lol. But seriously I believe it was expected and I am glad to hear you are enjoying them.

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I do, yes. I am putting it on for each listen session and reluctant to take it off, I just donā€™t want to. Thing is, I also have a LCD-5 on loan that I need to listen to as well. I tried for a while the day the 5 came in but I was not in the proper space and should have waited and listened to it first, then the Susvara, as I feel may have biased myself.

I was rooting secretly for the LCD-5 because it should - technically speaking - work better from the V550 and that could even be an endgame ss amp for the LCD-5. However, as Iā€™ve mentioned the little V550 that could is pulling the Susvara (and 1266 TC) train and doing alright as far as my experience and perception is concerned.

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Can someone tell me if there is a way to bypass volume control on the vio and control it from something different in the chain?

I donā€™t think thereā€™s a setting for that at least to bypass the volume control to the headphone side of things. Your best option would just to be to turn the volume all the way up or almost all the way up to bypass it enough

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So I see it is not as simple as have a pre-amp that can do that for me. I guess I have to roll with that clicking bastard :slight_smile:

You can 100% use a preamp. Just max the volume knob and use the pre. This is how I use the liquid crimson as its volume pot is realy just not very good.

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Oh cool. So I can use pre amp in my feliks and max volume pot on vio and control it with feliks volume pot?

This is just to trying it and obviously learning something along the way.

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Yup! That should works perfectly fine from a technical stand point (no comments on sq since i havent heard either amp)

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Wondering where the Meier - Lake People collab, the Corda Soul might slot into this lineupā€¦

Itā€™s tough to find much info on the amp, but what little there is, Iā€™ve seen some bold claims of Yggy level DAC performance with an amp that can fully take advantage of it.

Perhaps Meier needs its own thread, but since it was a Lake People build with a shared design aesthetic, thought Iā€™d start here

Opened up my Violectric V281 today and it was fun to take a look inside (very cleanly organized with many safety covers). Was able to loosen up the back, so I didnā€™t have to remove the front plate and then just pulled up the top cover. So here are pictures for anyone who cares :ok_man:

Disclaimer: crappy phone pics as always

Various pics of the inside (turned the power on partway through to appreciate the LEDs)



The top cover is rippled like that for cooling effect

There's a switch inside to toggle between 230V and 115V

That's the board that connects to the volume and balancer knobs. Feel like they solved that very elegantly by tilting the board (stock pick for face plate reference)


Fun discovery: there's a hole that doesn't seem to serve a purpose which they covered with a plastic plate on the outside


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