Violectric HPA V181

See full review here:

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/548608/review-violectric-v181-balanced-headphone-amp#post_7395114

In summery, this is an excellent sounding amp. Warm, punchy, smooth but still highly detailed and well balanced overall. Sounds even better in balanced mode. Highly recommended. 

I went from yamamoto HA-02 to WooAudio WA6SE to the Violectric to support my move from Denon D500 to LCD-2 HP's.

The WA6SE just sounded stressed trying to drive the bass and sound levels I wanted from the LCD-2. The bass sounded bleded without distinct punch and oomph betwen notes and instead just sounded kind of bleneded together. I figured I was beyond the normal driving levels of the WA6SE so I hunted for an amp with a track record of driving low impedence, efficinet HP's to outragous levels.

First I bought the HPA181 and used it with the Audio-gd Ref5 but then I got hooked on the balanced output and decided to go wit the V800 Balanced DAC as well. The combo of V800 and V181 is quite good. I do miss a little of what the Audio-gd had that the V800 does not and without going into long explanations, suffice to say that the ref5 packed more detail into fast demanding music than the V800 is able to. The V800 comes off a bit mre analytical and dry in comparison but it may be due to the Wolfson DACs and big power supply in the ref5 that made it make the V181 sound better to my preference than the V800 does. But I will probably stay with the v800 and V181 combo for some time becaseu when the day is done, I enjoy the more detailed anayltical sound of this combo ecasue the bass and dynamic headproom offered by the V181 is so substancial with the LCD-2 that I find myself enjoying the music more than I ever had.

My only wish is that the V181 did not require me to disconnect the balanced XLR to listen to the RCA input of my TT and vice versa. I sent them an eail asking whay, and they told me this was how it worked. The system could not switch from balanced to unbalcned or reverese without unplugging the input for the current source. Not a big deal, just though they could have taken care of it somehow.

I just simply love this amp, it sounds better in every way than y little dot mkvi +. 

I want  to thank Robert from Aphrodite Cu29 for his second to none technical advise and great customer service. 

This amplifier might not be the ultimate out in the market ,but in my opinion it is good or excellent at everything that amp are supposed to do.

It has beautiful midrannge , highs and bass . Soundstage is very 3 dementional, separation of instruments is even more amazing. Detail is plentiful and it is very easy to hear.

This headphone will power any headphone, yes including the ridiculous HE6 with power left to use with ther cans te same time. I know this is hard to believe but I have 0 reasons to lie.