*Mini Review + Pics* ~ (Lake People Gmbh) Violectric V200 (dual) Headphone amplifier

Just a really quick review of this fantastic amplifier,

This unit has been on my mind ever since I was fortunate enough to audition at a local retailer

who happens to be the main distributor.

'Violectric' is a brand name that Lake People give themselves for the audiophile market,

their primary industry is to manufacture high end audio devices for those working

primarily in the German TV, Radio and Music production arenas.

This model, the V200, is their top offering which succeeds other models including

the V90, V100 and V181.

The V200 features individual left & right channel gain switches for perfect matching

in between headphones and is marketed as being equally suited to current demanding

low impedance headphones and high impedance headphones requiring a decent

amount of voltage swing.

Dual headphone inputs on the front mean that two headphones can be used simultaneously.   

Packaging:-

As you can see the packaging is neat and minimalist. Inside the box, there is the all metal

V200, a color copied manual and power cord. Amp is rated for use at 230/115 V.

First early impressions :-

I fired up Stan Getz / Gilberto 'Corcovado' on the Grado 325i's and was pleasantly surprised to find

some of the sax high notes tamed in comparison to my other locally built amplifier. This unit is

still on it's first 5 hrs so I will exercise some restraint and wait until I'm a bit more familiar with

the unit and this combo.

The K601 on the other hand, really made use of the extra 'juice' off the bat, delving right into

John William's 'A New Hope: Star Wars' opening medley with new found gusto - excellent

separation and a much needed bolstered low end now filling my ears, aspects that were all but

absent from my Counterpoint desktop amp.

I'll leave it there for the time being and come back with a few more updates at the 20hr

and 100hr mark.

This V200 was purchased retail from 'Addicted to Audio' in Kew, Melbourne

for the sum of $1048AUD. A very good price for this sort of German made quality!

Thanks for reading everyone and feel free to shoot away!

@20 hour update

Very smooth amplifier, sound signature leans towards neutral ~ neither warm or bright in nature, only sticking point thus

far is with my combination of the Arcam rDAC and the V200 ~ tonnes of bass on the 325i's ~ an unusual result

some might say, but this is on bowls. The rDAC has a reputation for being bassy and the Violectric simply accentuates

this. Switching over to my electronic material eg, Benny Benassi, Daft Punk, Brian Eno only confirms that this

combination is right at the upper limit for bass quantity, the quality is great though but it almost threatens to start

eating into the fabled Grado mids. AKG on the other hand benefits greatly on the bass emphasis since it is inherently

a diet-lite bass headphone.

Such a shame that the K601 requires an amp of this quality to shine, stand out track thus far in these early

days has been :-

Camille Saens Saints ~ Danse Macabre

Wondefully open, textured and proves that this headphone can separate and layer a difficult composition.

An aspect of this 'phone that I started to doubt on my other amp.

My recommendation? If you're looking into the V200 and you like a moderate, textured amount of bass like myself

(read: you're not a hardcore basshead) then please consider a source that is already not bass savvy.

I can smell a new DAC on the horizon sooner rather than later..

One last note ~ this amp is pitch black without play, and I mean dead silent. You might want to keep an eye

on the volume control when you get back on the tunes