[TigzStudio]

I figured it would be nice to have a thread for the future Violectric V282 amplifier, based on the V200 circuitry.  There is also a possibility of two new versions coming out in 2011.  
 
I recently emailed Violectric and got more in-depth details on the amplifier(s), which will hopefully be released in 2011....but this is not certain (it could be 2012).  
 
Edit:  V282 now pushed to 2014. 
 
Below is the email I received:
 
"
 
 
Hello Trevor.

We will bring out a headphone amp (or two) with balanced outs with V200 amp ciruitry in the future.
As we are very busy in the moment and we dont want to release more than 2 new model per year,
I dont know if we would release these amps (or one of these) in 2011. 2012 will be more realistic.

About the concept:

The backbone of new amps will be a case with more space in it.
We are very happy with our current case solution as it is looks good, feels good and serves good to protect the electronics.
For balanced solutions we need more space, also as we have got some other ideas in mind.
So the new case will have same depth, same width but more height (about 110 mm, aprox 4") 

The basic features which make the Violectric amps so famous will remain: 
 - low noise design
 - Pre-Gain for easy adaption to (nearly) all cans
 - high damping factor to control low impedance cans
 - high output voltage to feed high impedance cans
The high output voltage will even be doubled in balanced mode !!  

First will be a model with single power supply but balanced amp design based on the circuitry of V200.

Analog inputs will be balanced and unbalanced. 
A unbalanced active thru shall be present with its own cinch connectors.
Also there will be a digital input at extra cost.
Customers may choose from UBS 16/48 or 24/96, or optical PCM input or coax PCM input (both 24/96).
 
Standard will be a volume control with Alps RK27 which is highly reputated and very long lasting.

As an option there will be a more sophisticated volume control.
Turn-switch solutions with 24 steps are not efficient enough, also the feel of these switches whilst turning 
suffers from the low turning angel of 15 degrees.
So we are thinking of a more sophisticated solution with 64 steps made with relais.
All this will be controlled with a normal potentiometer to have a common feel.   
As far as I know this was never realized in a headphone amp before.

If this will be sucessful - and I think so -  we will make one more model with everything twice inside 
except the mains switch and mains socket.
Meaning there will be separated amps, and separated power supplies with transformers, rectifiers, capacitors, voltage regulators etc.
 
"
 
 
 
Update 12/23/2012
 
V282 is being pushed to 2014 for release (hopefully). 
There are some other products being released by Fried in 2013 before release of the new balanced headphone amplifier.
 
 
part of the latest email from Fried Ram: 
 
"
[size=x-small]I can tell you that V282 will not be released in 2013.[/size]
 
.....
[size=x-small]In many new designs we will feature the volume control in 3 different ways:[/size]
[size=x-small]Basic is a manual control with RK27 [/size]
[size=x-small]Optionally the customer may chose a motor driven and remote controlled volume control, also RK27.[/size]
[size=x-small]The sonically and technically best solution will be a 128 steps relais driven volume control - no channel mismatch, no crosstalk, only simple resistors in the signal chain[/size]
[size=x-small]"[/size]

 
So currently the thought is that there will be a basic version, and to have the top option volume control will be an added cost higher end version. 
 
 
 
 
Any future information I receive, I will update this thread with it.

 

[musicman59]

Wow! A dual mono violectric sounds very interesting.

 

[zenpunk]

The 64 for steps relais volume control is likely to be the same as the one devised by Jan Meier for Concerto. Very transparent and precise without unbalance between channels.

 

[Priyajeet]

Hrm, still far far away

 

[vrln]

Bump for a good cause! If Fried Reim is reading this, any chance we´ll be seeing the new model this year?

 

[fdg]

.... from the development point of view this year is nearly over ...
And there are still lots of other things to do.
So, chances to release V281 or even V282 this year are very low
 
Greetz
 
Fried

 

[vrln]

You should clone more engineers

 

[fdg]

we´re working on that

 

[DannyBuoy]

I for one will be ready to audition/buy a fully balanced amp based on the V200. I received my V181 yesterday and even with little burn-in time, I am VERY happy and pleased with my purchase. I am replacing a WA6SE which as you know has good dynamics with D7000 cans but the V181 totally dominates the WA in tight, control, extended bass. And the mids are revealing a lot of information that was masked in my music.
 
My two cents about what matters to me is this: I think the idea of the 64 step relais volume control is great. Any inbalance or noise in volume control is very upsetting.
 
I love the idea of a larger case with dividers between channels. Like an Audio-gd Ref7 you have huge seperator plates between channel components to shield them and although that takes up space, compared to the double chasis WA6SE the V181 is tiny, so more case size is not a problem for me.
 
I would love to have a fully balance integrated DAC and amp like a marriage of the V800 and V200. I am using the 24Bit USB module on the V181 and although it is very good, I was doing an hour of A/B comparison between my Audio-gd NFB-2 (dual 32bit Wolfson WM8741 DACs) with optical in and output to the analog of the V181 compared to USB in to the V181 and the NFB-2 definitely wins in the SQ department. The USB DAC had a thinner, less dynamic sound and lacked a bit in resolution of the mids. Not a huge difference but I could tell the SQ difference each time I switched (Running J.River Media Center I am able to switch sources on the fly with only have to stop the song and switch and start again. No swapping of anything. So now I am faced with buying a Ref5 or NFB1 to have a balanced DAC when I would be happy with an integrated high quality Dual WM8741 DAC or equivilant level of quality (PCM1704UK, or ESS Sabre 32 chips) in one unit and pay like $1,500 or $2,000 even for one DAC and Amp of great quality. You may want to put it oput there to a poll on Head-fi and see what kind of feedback you get (if the discussion does not turn ugly like they do when someone mentions cables or jitter...).
 
But this is my two cents based on what I like, and who knows what the best thing to do is? I am happy with the V181 right now, and on Monday my Balanced LCD2 arrive so I really get to enjoy the V181 more over the D7000 with SE which I am doing today.
 
BTW-To the Lake People...You guys ROCK!!! What a tremendous job you have done!
 
Thank-you!

 

[roachbro]

I noticed on their website description for the V200 that there are high quality opamps in the signal paths. Anyone knows what opamps are they?
 
Really wished the V200 had a stepped volume attenuator instead :/
 
Edit: Nevermind. I found the dedicated V200 thread. 

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

I noticed on their website description for the V200 that there are high quality opamps in the signal paths. Anyone knows what opamps are they?
 
Really wished the V200 had a stepped volume attenuator instead :/
 
Edit: Nevermind. I found the dedicated V200 thread. 

My Classe pre amp had a stepped volume attenuator and I really disliked it.  It seemed no matter what music was playing on my speaker rig one step was too high and one step was too low with the attenuator.  It annoyed me for a decade.
 
 

 

[WarriorAnt]

Just bumping this thread to see if there is any progress on a V282 or something new and balanced from Violectric.   

 

[Minh3184]

     I'd like to know also =)
 
Quote:

Just bumping this thread to see if there is any progress on a V282 or something new and balanced from Violectric.   

 

 
Sorry if this is a stupid question but here goes... 
 
Why not a balanced output on the V200 when there's a balanced input option?
 
edit:  I should pay more attention... "Violectric have their roots in studio equipment. Balanced cabling is very common in studio gear, so it only makes sense that the V200 should accept that sort of input in addition to standard RCA inputs" 

 

 

[TigzStudio]

A little update on the V282....
 
I talked to Fried recently (designer of violectric gear) and production for the V282 is most likely being pushed to 2013...
 
bummer!
 
I guess I will have to get some other amps to tide me over during the wait (ehem.. Liquid Fire here I come)
 
 
 
 

 

[Loevhagen]

Thanks for the update. I think I explore further in the stereo amp section, while waiting for a new bigger, bolder V2xx. Do we really need a V200+? No, but what is the fun in that.