[cactus_farmer]

At present, the V200 can drive the Hifiman HE-6 (which apparently requires a minimum of 2W per channel into 50ohm). I like that the sound signature is darker than neutral and has powerful bass. I also like the price a hell of a lot more than the DarkStar.
 
And if the V200 can drive the HE-6 well, it can drive every headphone out there short of electrostatics.
 
However, what if, a year from now, Hifiman release the HE-7, which will require 10W. Or 40W. Or, heck, I don't know - 100W per channel into 50ohm. Or what if another manufacturer releases a planar magnetic headphone even harder still to drive?
 
Is Hifiman likely to release a new flagship that is harder to drive than the HE-6?
 
Would I be future-proofing myself sufficiently with the V200, or should I wait a few years for an amp that can put much more wattage per channel single ended (there are a few on the market that can do it balanced).
 
Upcoming headphone amps I've heard of that should be able to drive the HE-6 are the new Schiit balanced amps, and a new amp from Firestone Audio called the Rubby. The new Schiit will be balanced though, and I'm not too hopeful on the new Firestone Audio amp because their latest one (Libby) got very middling reviews...
 
Anyway, what should I do? Get the V200 or wait a few years to see if headphone amps get more and more powerful? Or wait to see what Hifiman/other planar magnetic headphone manufacturers do next? Are Violectric themselves currently developing a new amp?

 

[FSonicSmith]

Sorry dude, but this may be the silliest post I've read here in some time. 

 

[cactus_farmer]

??
 
Why?
 
I don't intend to buy a new headphone amp every few years, I intend to buy one which will last a lifetime and be powerful enough to be able to drive every sort of headphone (apart from electrostatics which are their own 'category') out there at the moment and every headphone that is likely to ever be released in my lifetime...
 
The Ray Samuels DarkStar is out of my price range, but I wonder if the V200 is the amp I should get or I should wait a few years to see what the trends are?
 
As planar magnetic headphones get more and more popular, do you think the trend will be for harder and harder to drive headphones with ultra-low efficiency and sensitivity? The average power of a dedicated headphone amp will have to pretty much quadruple?
 
Do you think, when Hifiman decides to release a new flagship, it will be harder to drive than the HE-7?

 

[FSonicSmith]

Here's why;
1) Headphone manufacturers have no choice but to take into account that most buyers are going to expect their head amps to drive the phones. To ignore the market is a recipe for financial disaster. Fang Bian probably regrets that he made the HE-6 so difficult to drive and if not, he is a smart guy but a bad businessman. 
2) There are no guarantees in life. You could step off a curb tomorrow and be hit by a bus. Either get out there and audition other folks' gear at can jams and the like or pull the trigger on the V200 and sell it on AGon or eBay if and when the day comes that it no longer fits the bill. I have never seen a used Violectric last long on either site (or in the used gear for sale forum on this Board). 
3) A corollary to 2) above-life is short. Buy when you are ready to buy and stop worrying. Or find some other hobby. 
 

 

[cactus_farmer]

Good point, but Fang Bian's plan may well be to make his flagships harder and harder to drive, and then tempt people to buy his more and more expensive dedicated headphone amps to drive them.
 
Do you think the Hifiman EF6 would have generated nearly enough interest as it did if the HE-6 could be driven as easily as the LCD2?
 
I predict he'll come up with an HE-7 which even the EF6 has not got enough juice to power, and he'll subsequently release the EF7 to drive it.

 

[Anda]

If I could afford it, I would buy the V200 right away. How long are you expecting to wait for the next flagship headphone or amp? You'll end up never buying anything in your search for the next big thing...

 

[BournePerfect]

Did you start this thread because you refused to believe everyone that answered these silly 'what if' questions of your's in the V200 thread? Just curious. Oh and on topic, just get the Master 6 and don't worry about anything ever again.
 
-Daniel

 

[rawrster]

How many of these threads do you need?

 

[3rdear]

Quote:

How many of these threads do you need?

Apparently, one for each query.