Introducing the new Continental V5 portable tube amp

[Vinnie R.]

All,
 
I'm really excited that ALO has announced the CV5 at CanJam this weekend!  So the cat is out of the bag! 

 
I've been working on the CV5 project for quite a while with the ALO team, and I predict that it is going
to be *very* popular (I'm guessing the most popular ALO amp so far, for reasons explained below).  
 
We learned a lot with the CDM, and for the CV5 some of our goals were:
 
- Much smaller size (same size as the Rx, but a tad bit thicker to fit the larger battery and tube that the Rx does not have).
- One dual-triode tube, ran in stereo instead of two tubes like the CDM.
- Cool running / no worries about heat. 
- Changeable tube (like the CDM), for tube rolling fun, and easy replacing
- 8+ hour play time
- Hi / Low gain switch to work comfortably with different sources and a wide range of IEMs / Headphones (yes, HE1000,
Audeze, Senn 800s, etc. - no problem!). 
- USB charging (charge from your computer, or via the included USB adapter)
- Low battery indication and battery charging status on the rear panel (just like the Rx)
- SE in, SE out (like the Rx)
- Very low noise / microphonics for a triode-based amp... no other tube-based portables that we've heard come close.  This
one is fine with IEMs.
- No turn ON/OFF pops
- 20 second turn ON delay (muted output) to allow tube to warm up (blue LED next to tube is ON during
warm up, and then turns off when ready after approx. 20 seconds).
- Awesome look / feel (ALO gets all the credit for that!).  Very slick! 
 
- With the increasing number of good quality d/a chips used in many high end DAPs, we decided
NOT to include a d/a converter with the CV5.  This cuts down on the size of the amp, the cost
to the customer, and increases battery life.
 
 
As for the sonic goals:
 
- Combine the best sonic attributes of the CDM and the Rx (the latest gen Rx). 
 
I must say that I was impressed/pleased to read WCDchee's post above, as he really pins down the sonic signature
that we were aiming for with the CV5:
 

 The continental V5 is so good that I would gladly have it has my only amp. It's lush, musical, without crossing the line, maintaining good definition, transients, and impact unlike many tubes, and throws an awesome soundstage with a big authoritative bass and midrange body.

 
I souped up the tubestage design quite a bit, and we are now easily getting > 90% of the CDM's dual mono tube stage performance
on a single dual triode - while taking up less space, and outputting way less heat in this newly tuned circuit. 
 
The output stage has been beefed up to actually be a bit stronger than the CDM's (now that we are running with one less tube, we put that saved battery power towards more max. output stage power, w/o taking a loss on battery life)... and with improved finesse.  So CV5 is more like the Rx in terms of micro-detail, speed, and ultimate top-end extension - but with the big soundstage, seductive midrange, and rich tone that CDM owners have become addicted to.  It's all there!
 
I hope you will find that CV5 is unmatched for its size / price.  You really get the best of both tube and solid-state, the ability to drive
IEMs and nearly any headphone comfortably (especially with 2Vrms output sources like the A&K players and many others), and
a very portable package.  It will start to play with your mind because what you'll hear contradicts the small enclosure - you are getting desktop level performance here... things that have never been done before sonically with previous ALO portables. 
 
We'll have to leave it up to the CV5 customers / reviewers, and anyone who gets quality time to listen for themselves - and hopefully you will 100% agree that for its size and price the CV5 is a real game-changer.  I'm very proud of it and am thankful for the opportunity to work with the ALO team on making this one happen!
 
Happy listening,
 
Vinnie

 

[kikouyou]

Ken when do you open the pre-order gates

 

[jmills8]

So No Bass boost ? No Treble boost ? Any Mute button ?

 

[Vinnie R.]

So No Bass boost ? No Treble boost ? Any Mute button ?

 
No bass boost.
No treble boost. 
 
No mute buttons.
 
All the CV5 features are listed my post above,  and Ken's 1st post.  

 

[WCDchee]

Honestly, the v5 doesn't need it. It sounds awesome as it is!

 

[kikouyou]

So No Bass boost ? No Treble boost ? Any Mute button ?

With proper gear I am not even using the EQ... so these are not needed. Size and performance is what matter here.

 

[jmills8]

With proper gear I am not even using the EQ... so these are not needed. Size and performance is what matter here.

depends on what style of music one listens to.

 

[raypin]

mmm.......Woo Audio WA8 or the baby CDM????? Or both?  Tough, tough, tough decision.......

 

[kikouyou]

Very tough indeed. For me out will be the V5.
To replace the trio which is the one i use the most because of portability. For desktop i am undecided still.

 

[gr8soundz]

  mmm.......Woo Audio WA8 or the baby CDM????? Or both?  Tough, tough, tough decision.......

 
I'm leaning toward the CV5 right now. Both are single ended and I don't really need the WA8's built-in DAC.
 
It's $1K less than the Woo, has twice the battery life, is much smaller, it's tubes can be rolled, and (according to impressions) it stays much cooler and sounds more detailed.
 
With all the improvements Ken and Vinnie have made, even the CDM is gonna be a tougher sell compared to the CV5.
 

 

[WCDchee]

The v5 is just incredible, it's got the best of tubes without losing what you normally do in tubes.

Vinnie R., I'm assuming this is a hybrid amp?

 

[WCDchee]

I'm leaning toward the CV5 right now. Both are single ended and I don't really need the WA8's built-in DAC.

It's $1K less than the Woo, has twice the battery life, is much smaller, it's tubes can be rolled, and (according to impressions) it stays much cooler and sounds more detailed.

With all the improvements Ken and Vinnie have made, even the CDM is gonna be a tougher sell compared to the CV5.

 

I don't know how it measures up against the wa8, but it's definitely detailed, and it definitely stays cool, more so than my solid state amps in fact!

 

[raypin]

I had the chance to try this out a few months back, and the V5 is something special. You guys, anyone into portable amps or tubes, you gotta give this a shot. It sounds incredible. I've always had Two portable amps, the pure 2 for its amazing soundstage and technical ability and the kojo for the lush sweetness. The continental V5 is so good that I would gladly have it has my only amp. It's lush, musical, without crossing the line, maintaining good definition, transients, and impact unlike many tubes, and throws an awesome soundstage with a big authoritative bass and midrange body.

Best of all, it's a tube that runs close to 10 hours and never getting warm, how awesome is that?

 
mmmmm......since you have listened to both, how does the baby CDM compare with the Vorzuge Pure II? I have the Pure 2 plus and it is a potent ss portable amp and a favorite.

 

[WCDchee]

mmmmm......since you have listened to both, how does the baby CDM compare with the Vorzuge Pure II? I have the Pure 2 plus and it is a potent ss portable amp and a favorite.

If you're looking purely at the technicalities, the pure 2 might be slightly ahead. Bear in mind that I did not get do a prolonged audition. But the soundstage is definitely capable of giving the pure 2 a fight (not an easy feat by any means).

What it Beats the pure 2 in is musicality, warmth and lushness, very full bodied indeed, making everything sound very authoritative.

The pure 2 might not be trumped just yet in terms of its technical ability, but as an overall package, the cv5 seems to steal the show for me. It's, like I mentioned earlier, one of the few tube amps that doesn't take away the speed, finesse and clean edge from the music.

 

[raypin]

If you're looking purely at the technicalities, the pure 2 might be slightly ahead. Bear in mind that I did not get do a prolonged audition. But the soundstage is definitely capable of giving the pure 2 a fight (not an easy feat by any means).

What it Beats the pure 2 in is musicality, warmth and lushness, very full bodied indeed, making everything sound very authoritative.

The pure 2 might not be trumped just yet in terms of its technical ability, but as an overall package, the cv5 seems to steal the show for me. It's, like I mentioned earlier, one of the few tube amps that doesn't take away the speed, finesse and clean edge from the music.

Mmm....headphones only, which would you prefer? Vorzamp P2+ or the baby cdm? I am less interested in using the baby cdm for in-ears as for headphones use. Which headphones and why?