This is now SOLD.

I hope this isn't too tacky, or against the rules - I just listed my V281 for sale. It's here: https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/violectric-v281.49351/ My unit is "the OG", being the demo unit John Grandberg reviewed on innerfideltiy way back when.

I’m selling my Violectric V281. This particular one has an interesting history - it is the actual unit that John Grandberg reviewed back in 2015 on Inner Fidelity. You can still find his review here: https://www.earsunlimited.com/uploads/V281-Inner-Fidelity.pdf As soon as that review was...

This was a draft version. The other listing is the correct one. I have only one of these to sell :)

How cool to see some new life in this old thread! Thanks panterarapida for getting it going again. And, really good timing too - I've been thinking about vinyl vs digital a lot lately. I went to Rocky Mountain Audio Fest this year - my first audio show. Everybody should go to an audio show...

Last night I received a replacement pair of Utopias under the warranty. I was very impressed with Focal's responsibility in this. The new pair sounds fantastic - off the bat I'd say at least as good as my original pair. I am experiencing a slight difference in the sound, but I can’t name it. The...

After buying the Utopias, I sold my HD800 and LCD3. I never preferred either to the Utopias, for any genre. Certainly that includes classical. I demo'ed the Abyss three years ago. I found them inferior at the time to my HD800 and LCD3. Too distant, too much "like speakers" than headphones should...

My left driver failed last week. Today I returned them to my dealer for a warranty repair. Can somebody tell me - what is this process like? How long until they come back? Do they repair or replace? Mine were made Oct 2016 and purchased Dec 2016. Has quality control improved (or declined)? Has...

It's great to see this is dropping again. For $250, I can highly recommend it. It's a pretty no-frills device - they clearly put the effort into the sound quality. I found the sound to be clear, detailed, and smooth. There is good texture to sustained notes. Instrument separation is good...

Thanks Fried. That makes perfect sense (of course). The adapter has been tossed in my bin of bad ideas.   And, for the low price of $15 and a little public embarassment, I've learned firsthand the principles of audio comparisons: (1) Volume-match with an SPL and a test tone before you try to...

Cool. Thanks zhgutov and all. That's a cool feature I was unaware of.   I'll continue to learn, and in the meatime, I've learned my lesson here: listen, then listen again, before you post.    (I edited my original post to note the ensuing information.)

Hey folks, I am fully prepared to be wrong on this, but I want to dwell on it a bit longer. First of all, it wasn't a blind test. It's certainly possible I was a little too impressed with my "clever" solution, and heard what I wanted to hear. Also, I didn't perfectly volume-match - I just did it...

Edit: don't do what I did! I've heard from enough people that I probably fooled myself into hearing what I wanted to hear, and also the point was made in the long run this could possibly even do some damage to the V281. I'm leaving this post intact (lightly edited) for the sake of the record...

22nd works for me! Earlier in the day is better. 

I'm so happy with my JH-13's. It's very tempting to take this opportunity to upgrade...

Hey Pittsburgh Headphiles,   I just posted my review of the Focal Utopias, if anyone is interested.   http://www.head-fi.org/products/focal-utopia/reviews/17726   Purchased, of course, at MTME.   -Aaron

Hey frankbunny,   Those are JH-13 (Jerry Harvey). The artwork is the album art from Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures. They did a great job with the look, not to mention the sound!   -Aaron

Hey all,   I've just undertaken some MAJOR rig upgrades. I bought a Clearaudio Concept turntable, a Violectric PPA V600 phono stage, AND, a pair of Focal Utopias.    My V281 is still the centerpiece, but these updates have brought me to a whole new level of musical delight.    I just...

http://www.head-fi.org/products/simaudio-230had/reviews/17728   Pros: Smooth and integrated sound presentation Cons: None, at this price-point I can give this amp a solid “buy” recommendation, if it is in your financial sweet spot. Better amps cost a lot more, and the 230HAD sounds better...

  Yes, I wonder if vinyl's effect on me is BECAUSE of its flaws, or DESPITE its flaws. Is it that there's more information in vinyl (though I can't imagine what that would be), or if the barely-audible noise somehow sets your ear's expectations and makes the sound more lifelike.   Here's an...