Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
I'm probably repeating excerpts of any number of past posts in answering this. Apologies if I'm a broken record...I don’t have the V281. I am debating on upgrading my Milo or buying the limited V281. Any insights or recommendations on them? How does their sound differ?
The V281 and the Wells Milo are my favorite SS amps. I couldn't do without either. The V281 has a killer sound and is easily the best preamp I've ever had on the desktop. I own an OG V281 and also ordered the reissue, which tells you how I feel about the V281. I'm also on my 2nd Milo, which says something, too. The Milo is an exceptional SS amp for all the headphones I have.
These amps sound somewhat similar, with slight warmth and real musicality, but there are subtle differences that totally matter to me:
- The Milo has slightly more resolution, revealing "layering" and reverb tails quite easily. The Milo has above average soundstaging/spatial ability, but falls a little behind the V281 there (like every other SS amp I've heard here). The bass on the Milo amp is bonkers, top-shelf sound. The Milo has a wonderful way of goosing the Caldera to sound extra-good
- The V281 has above average resolution--nothing vague or glossed over here. It, too, has great bass. But it's the resolution of instrumental tonality/timbre that is exceptional. These are things tube amps do well, and the V281 is right there with them
- The other killer attribute of the V281 is its depiction of space & soundstage: expansive, spacious, unforced, space around each note, you can hear the ambience of the recording space, all of it very convincing, especially when heard via 4-pin balanced output. I haven't heard any SS amp that can better the V281 in this sense.
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