[valkolton]

FEATURE #101 - VAMP CAN BE LASER ENGRAVED WITH ANY LOGO...

 

[AnakChan]

IMHO, if someone spends a lot of time listening to music off their iPhone & truly enjoy good SQ, then the VAmp is $$ well spent. & I do truly mean listening a lot - e.g. I could easily spend 4-7 hrs during the day listening, and maybe squeeze in another 1-2 hrs at night.

Having said that, I had the luxury of the job that allowed me to do that. When I had my headphones on, it was pretty much a sign that "drive by shootings" (as we termed it) by my desk are not welcomed. If you want me, drop an e-mail, or use the chat messenger...no walk-in conversations .

 

[shigzeo]

Laser engraving? I can think of a couple of great uses for that.

 

[kiteki]

     Quote:

Sorry for delays, was travelling for Miami music week and to see my brother off on his tour of duty.  David Kolton, Co-Founder of V-MODA, is a captain of the US Air Force, who flies C-17s.  He definitely is fully loaded with new products, and will gain real life testing with the troops and fellow pilots!  
 
On the amp, the first production sample will be ready April 20th for me to do some demos!
 
OPAMP + DAC
It uses a AD8397 OpAmp and AK4353 DAC, which we found had the best sound on our headphones.  I tried so many, it was a very long process.  In fact, it delayed the acoustic development of M-100 and other headphones a bit with so many variables.  I apologize, but I wanted to get a more perfect "match", and tuning one product is hard yet alone two, or three together.  
 
As a side note, I'll never forget the hotel rooms and factory rooms we did our long "tuning sessions" in, and the terrible room service. 
 

 
That's awesome you're releasing a portable DAC/Amp, using an AKM chip no less!
 
I'm sure the AD8397 sounds really good from your extensive tuning sessions, and it seems like a very popular headphone driver, still I think it would be cool if you offered one or two op-amp alternatives, like Leckerton does in their UHA-4 amp, AD8610 or OPA627 at an extra cost, just an idea!
 
Nice avatar btw, looks very Ayami Kojima!
 
kiteki
 
 

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

I'm sure the AD8397 sounds really good from your extensive tuning sessions, and it seems like a very popular headphone driver, still I think it would be cool if you offered one or two op-amp alternatives, like Leckerton does in their UHA-4 amp, AD8610 or OPA627 at an extra cost, just an idea!

 
I dont know, from what I read in the STX thread, opamps are a cheap way to modify the sound signature by messing with the voltage spec.
 
Higher end products (which this falls into price wise) don't offer those options because they are built to sound a certain way, and changing components could mess up the delicate balance, and catering for it could cause compromises that overall degrade quality. My thoughts anyway, I am in no way an expert.
 
@Val  not bad for the first run! if it sells then I should keep my mouth shut

 

[kiteki]

 
The AD8397 is a good headphone driver, but I don't think it's as famous for it's sound quality as AD8610 or AD797, for example.
 
I hope Leckerton isn't offering the OPA627 upgrade to "mess with voltage" lol.
 
Just my two cents, anyway.
 

 

[shigzeo]

I think the headphone world has been waiting for the Vamp, Val. We welcome it. Op-amp choices sound good, too.

 

[AnakChan]

 
Quote:

 
The AD8397 is a good headphone driver, but I don't think it's as famous for it's sound quality as AD8610 or AD797, for example.
 
I hope Leckerton isn't offering the OPA627 upgrade to "mess with voltage" lol.
 
Just my two cents, anyway.
 

 
 
I'm pretty sure I saw a post that Val was changing the OpAmp away from the AD8397 but I can't seem to find it anymore. The post may have been trashed.
 
But the AD8610 & AD797 have slightly different pinout - i.e. won't be able to be a drop-in replacement without circuit board re-routing going on.

 

[kiteki]

 
Cool.  Well it's possible AD8397 is actually better at driving full-size headphones in portable applications, looking at that fixup.net link in post #94...... and may have good synergy with the DAC used or V-Moda HP signatures.
 
It's just... AD797 (for example) has more appeal by it's name alone.
 

 

[valkolton]

 
Quote:

 
Cool.  Well it's possible AD8397 is actually better at driving full-size headphones in portable applications, looking at that fixup.net link in post #94...... and may have good synergy with the DAC used or V-Moda HP signatures.
 
It's just... AD797 (for example) has more appeal by it's name alone.
 

 
Turns out the AD8397 won't work long term, it gets too hot.  OPA1612 is rocking in our tests.

EDIT:  PS - we gave a way a voucher for a VAMP at the Head-Fi meet this last weekend in LA with a raffle ticket, what a great time!  Will the winner say something here?

 

[Currawong]

 
Quote:

WHY DOESNT APPLE SUPPORT FLAC?  It is odd.

 
Apple doesn't like to have to depend on third parties for any software. For years, their software development on the Mac was hijacked and screwed up having to want for other companies to fix and update their products, so they have been writing their own versions of some software, such as iWork and iLife, as well as securing the ability to deliver audio and video via ALAC, AAC and H.264 and depreciating unnecessary third party stuff, such as Java and Flash.
 
Quote:

Not to be a cynic, but someone has to play devils advocate (sorry val, just doing this on your behalf to avoid "group think")
 
But where is the market for this realistically? I understand its made to work with V-Moda products, but at 2x the price of the M100 I HIGHLY doubt any of the M100 owners will fork out that much, if they could they would buy a level higher in headphones. The level of money prospective M100 owners will spend on amping is between $100 and $250, and if you think about it, its true.
 
Also being designed for apple products kills alot of potential USE, if it includes support for PC, and USB class audio then it fills other gaps and gives buyers more excuses to buy it.
 
And finally if this is indeed designed to work with the M100, but mainly for the future "REVOLVER" which MSRP we don't know yet, I am going to guess $600-$1200 then it may make sense to make this, but at its price the usage limitation is still a problem.
 
I know this doesn't sound good, but I honestly dont want V-MODA to produce a good product and pay so much for production if there is no use for it (and I know Val isn't a fan of following trends or market needs analysis.)

 
The portable market here is huge. When I started, portable rigs consisted of an iMod with an expensive LOD or even a very expensive box with VCAPs (yes, just a couple of capacitors!) attached to an amp for use with, say, Ultrasone Edition 9s. The only custom IEMs well-known on the market were from Ultimate Ears and HD-650s were high-end headphones (ignoring Stax) or the MDR-R10s and HP-1000/HP2 etc, both discontinued. 
 
Have a read of this thread to see how crazy it was. Now, with the digital out available on the iPod and companies coming out with genuine solutions that aren't just a change of capacitors and very expensive wire, along with a wide variety of custom IEMs, there is actually the possibility of truly portable high-end audio. 

 

[valkolton]

 
Quote:

 
 
Apple doesn't like to have to depend on third parties for any software. For years, their software development on the Mac was hijacked and screwed up having to want for other companies to fix and update their products, so they have been writing their own versions of some software, such as iWork and iLife, as well as securing the ability to deliver audio and video via ALAC, AAC and H.264 and depreciating unnecessary third party stuff, such as Java and Flash.
 
 
The portable market here is huge. When I started, portable rigs consisted of an iMod with an expensive LOD or even a very expensive box with VCAPs (yes, just a couple of capacitors!) attached to an amp for use with, say, Ultrasone Edition 9s. The only custom IEMs well-known on the market were from Ultimate Ears and HD-650s were high-end headphones (ignoring Stax) or the MDR-R10s and HP-1000/HP2 etc, both discontinued. 
 
Have a read of this thread to see how crazy it was. Now, with the digital out available on the iPod and companies coming out with genuine solutions that aren't just a change of capacitors and very expensive wire, along with a wide variety of custom IEMs, there is actually the possibility of truly portable high-end audio. 

 
Apple IMO should include FLAC, but WAV files do NOT have the ability to carry meta data so I've switched to Apple's AIFF for producing/performing.  
 
 
EXACTLY ^.  V-MODA's goal is to "unleash the audiophile" from home/car speakers, headphones and amps that aren't portable and give custom options WHEREVER you are.  You can choose to be as minimal branding as you like w LP2 (virtually no branding) or maximal with customization.  HEARING LOSS + AMP +DAC + CONTENT MASTERING + CONTENT COMPRESSION +  HEADPHONES + ERGO + TASTE + ENVIRONMENT are only a FEW of the sound chain variables we dedicate our lives to solve.  MUSIQUE APP and M-80 are a huge start to this initiative... VAMP is huge, it truly is a big step in VERTICAL CONTROL of the sound chain without using gimmicky EQ or marketing. Gimmicks will NOT work as it is a long road ahead to reverse the 96/128 MP3 movement to bad uncompressed sound.  
 
VAMP is revolutionary extreme gear for gadgeteers.. fit for spys and super agents, and any AUDIOPHILE on-the-go 

 
CLUB/STUDIO AUDIO TEST SYSTEMS @ V-MODA FORTRESS
I use my B&W Sig 805 + Rotel AMPS during home producing sessions and they are in all my offices (red and grey tigers eye), but I only used my mega sound proof room including the Nautilus, crazy-$ CLASSE AMPS, SACD W silver cables about 10 hours TOTAL. IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRYSTAL CLEAR, PM ME TO BUY IT. My club system is EAW Avalon 1 system w 4 subs, sometimes i switch to a special portable "DJ CLUB" sound system you may have seen if I dont want the subs out.
 
HOME SYSTEM HEAD-FI AND CONSUMER BENEFIT = I can compare our flagships with both a top-of-the-line audiophile system as well as best and future DJ systems with my setups in both virtual "club" and "audiophile" environments.  This gives us real life usage of our consumer bases we target...
 
here is vid of me & Tiesto DJing w older gear during test phase of LP, we didnt use V-MODA until I felt I BEAT my favorite old headphone (HDJ-2000)...
 

 
 
 
HISTORY: V-MODA FIRST TAGLINE 
HEAR. THERE. EVERYWEAR. - Alicia Kolton, an owner of V-MODA and hand trained artist/font-drawer (made up)) owned her own advertising and graphic design company for years that taught me about fine design.  She also coined and trademarked the word "hearwear" that other companies tried to use... 
 
FAMILY OWNERSHIP + ADVANTAGE
Alicia Albanese (maiden name) is a proud mother and wife of three other V-MODA owners, Timothy David Kolton (lawyer/CFP), Timothy Val Kolton (me) and David Anthony Kolton (Air Force Pilot).  She still works for V-MODA today in many areas including PR, recruiting, concepts, "mediator" with small issues, legal contracts and mental support for me.
 
As a family owned brand along with Joe Bucknall's graphics, we truly appreciate the word of mouth and reviews on Amazon and other sites... We are a LONG TERM company, short term means nothing to us. I have thousands of emails from big companies and banks wanting to buy or invest in V-MODA, but I am ignoring most and I want to do something special with this brand that nobody has done before....  a BRAND for the people that spends $ on metal and innovation vs marketing?  My goal is that we go down in history books and HBR in both our business model and product concepts.  Quarterly earnings and "10x" flip VC models seem like they will destroy our core virtues...  There is NO way to develop an amazing product in timeframes that could appease short term' investors, somehow Apple did it, but even they had issues with all the $ in the world.
 
PS- we own all "headphone museum" IP, that's how long term we think!
 

 

[bowei006]

Val....you are a boss of a CEO, just want to let you know. I usually see "the brand" and what the brand thinks...nuh uh...for Vmoda......dude.. IT'S WHAT VAL THINKS. I think that's pretty boss!
 
Anyway, the HP-P1 and CLAS are pretty popular on Head-Fi and amongst audiophile's so it's not like using it with an iPod Touch or iPhone currently limited to 64GiB's is not a super impossible thing. This should also work for the iPod Classic and others if I am not mistaken right? So then their 120GiB Hard Drives should be able to handle most of your ALAC's.

 

[sluker]

 

[shigzeo]

You can run FLAC just fine in the iPhone. I'm using an app called Equalizer Pro which includes FLAC playback. It doesn't seem to work with cue sheets, but at least FLAC runs fine. Battery life takes a huge hit though. But you can run from a finder-like interface, or use iPod Library files just as you would with Music app. It's as easy as pie. But FLAC isn't necessary with Apple stuff as you still need to run iTunes. I put my CD's into ALAC and say to hell with the rest.
 
So, the VAMP should play FLAC just fine.