[lexterminator]

Got the Hugo 2 in the house as well. Will compare vs v590's DAC and the Bifrost 2.

The amp section is nothing to write home about. DAC part is more interesting.

Have you had a chance to compare the 590 DAC against the Bifrosoft 2 and the Hugo 2 ? Curious to hear your feeback about this. I have too many DACs (V100 with Xmos 24\192), SMSL M300MKII (AK44997), Gustard A18 (AK4499), Teac UD-505 (AK4497), Schiit Modi MultiBit so I will probably at some point get a Violectric 590 without a DAC unless the price difference is low compared to the 590 with DAC and that the DAC section is excellent.

 

[Slim1970]

That has to be a typo. The German CMA site did not include Femto for the V380.

That info is straight from Violetric's website:

https://power-holdings-inc.com/Violectric-V380-Headphone-Amp-DAC-p238871968

 

[Fegefeuer]

Again, it's wrong info. Time to let go.

 

[project86]

Have you had a chance to compare the 590 DAC against the Bifrosoft 2 and the Hugo 2 ? Curious to hear your feeback about this. I have too many DACs (V100 with Xmos 24\192), SMSL M300MKII (AK44997), Gustard A18 (AK4499), Teac UD-505 (AK4497), Schiit Modi MultiBit so I will probably at some point get a Violectric 590 without a DAC unless the price difference is low compared to the 590 with DAC and that the DAC section is excellent.

I can't speak to all of those specific DACs but knowing some of them, and understanding the class that general class, I'd say the integrated V590 DAC is a clear step above. If sold by itself (which may one day be something Violectric does), I'd put it somewhere in the US$1500 range, give or take. It's a very, very good DAC.

 

[vkenz]

V590 @US$3500 vs V380 @US$2500. I think V590 has better value (Femto, AES and BAL inputs and somewhat better aesthetics).

Anyway, still waiting for next gen of V280/281.

one thing I cannot accept is the RCA input/output is not as good looking as my V281. What a downgrade of connectors for that price.

 

[project86]

one thing I cannot accept is the RCA input/output is not as good looking as my V281. What a downgrade of connectors for that price.

I could be wrong, but to my (admittedly getting older) eyes they all look like the same tried-and-true Neutrik RCA connectors.

 

[Fegefeuer]

I would pick the V590 DAC over the Hugo 2 any day. The detail in your face and strong separation all out attack is more smoke bombs than real fire. Treble is less natural and its brightish nature somewhat claims transparency more than it truly delivers. It is still ok in my book but not worth at that price.

I should try the Qutest.

Bifrost 2 beats it handily. Better, denser tone, more natural. Hugo 2 and V590 do separation better, V590 does a good middle ground when rendering images, has the best field of view. Hugo 2 renders images, instruments smaller on a deeper stage. Feels more stretched than filled. Bifrost 2 has the best density, instruments appear large though. Some might want to have more overview though but I don't think it's an issue.

Hugo 2 is tonally colder than both and also softer in bass slam and sustain.

I understand the appeal when listening to to it but for me it's not for the long game.

standout features of the Hugo 2:

-macrodetailing or sharpening through "enhanced" treble
-separation
-in your face liveliness

negatives:
-less of a jackhammer, more of a sewing machine (softer, less grunt)
-weird staging

 

[bluenight]

I would pick the V590 DAC over the Hugo 2 any day. The detail in your face and strong separation all out attack is more smoke bombs than real fire. Treble is less natural and its brightish nature somewhat claims transparency more than it truly delivers. It is still ok in my book but not worth at that price.

I should try the Qutest.

Bifrost 2 beats it handily. Better, denser tone, more natural. Hugo 2 and V590 do separation better, V590 does a good middle ground when rendering images, has the best field of view. Hugo 2 renders images, instruments smaller on a deeper stage. Feels more stretched than filled. Bifrost 2 has the best density, instruments appear large though. Some might want to have more overview though but I don't think it's an issue.

Hugo 2 is tonally colder than both and also softer in bass slam and sustain.

I understand the appeal when listening to to it but for me it's not for the long game.

standout features of the Hugo 2:

-macrodetailing or sharpening through "enhanced" treble
-separation
-in your face liveliness

negatives:
-less of a jackhammer, more of a sewing machine (softer, less grunt)
-weird staging

How did you compare? Just as dacs feeding external amp? If so what amp did you use? Or as standalone dac/amp products using there own internal amp?

I like the clean articulate sound of hugo 2 on its own. But yeah gets to bright many times with HD800S if played loud. HD650 Works better with hugo 2. But also Lake People RS02 can get to bright also with HD800S when listening from my cambridge streamers rca output to LPRS02. So maybe the flaw of the HP or to be fair because of many times poor recordings but the bright nature of HD800S make it worse.

Also i have always wondered in what way the more expensive LP/Violectric amps excell over the cheaper priced ones like mine or LP G111 https://power-holdings-inc.com/Lake-People-G111-Headphone-Amplifier-p137192152

 

[Fegefeuer]

I used 3 amps. The V590's amp, the US4+ and the Crimson. I did not have the HPA-1 in the house at the moment, it wouldn't have changed anything though.

I don't think Hugo 2 is that overly articulate, it just throws macrodetail together with its slight brightness and high separation into your face and that's what certainly amazes people when listening for the first time or for an hour. As someone who dedicates time to listening or simply doesn't and is busy with other stuff the differences come through soon enough though. The Hugo 2 lacks the Bifrost 2's bass power and slam and is softer. The perceived clarity is no good tradeoff for what you lose. I'd rather be having the warmer character of the Bifrost 2 and the lesser perception of cleanliness and clarity than miss it's bass presence/power/slam, lesser softness and more natural separation with acoustic instruments and overall much denser tone.

 

[project86]

Finally have my full review posted, in case anyone wants to see my ramblings. If you've been following this thread then it's not anything you don't already know.

 

[sahmen]

Finally have my full review posted, in case anyone wants to see my ramblings. If you've been following this thread then it's not anything you don't already know.

It was an amazing review, no doubt about that. Still I have one of those pointed questions, to which I was looking for an answer, although I also felt it might be too idiosyncratically related to my own relative needs, which may not necessarily be aligned with those of others... My question is about this statement you make regarding the V590's ability to drive the Susvara :

"The V590 amp stage has enough grunt to make even the mighty Susvara sound exceptional. Is it on par with the Niimbus US4+ or a good speaker amplifier? Not quite. But it is, without a doubt, the best I've heard Susvara sound from an all-in-one device."

I was wondering whether you could recall with more precision in what respects the Susvara sounds better on the US4+ than it does on the V590 in spite of the latter's exceptional capability with the same can.

 

[project86]

Sure! While I didn't spend a huge amount of time going back and forth, I would say the Niimbus amp offers "more". There's a superior level of detail extraction, more realistic dynamic scale, better fleshed out soundstage, and just a generally improved sense of nuance and texture all around.

Part of this may strictly be the additional power (V590 should give Susvara just under 5 Watts while US4+ gives it almost 7) but beyond that it's also a question of refinement - unless you listen at crazy levels, both should have "enough" juice. As great as the V590 is, US4+ is just the better amp, and that shows through when listening via high-performance headphone like Susvara.

I am intrigued by your Flux Lab FA-10 but I have not heard it... definitely a powerful amp but that's not the only part of the equation. If that's what you typically use for Susvara, I don't have any input on how V590 or Niimbus might compare. Sorry!

 

[sahmen]

Sure! While I didn't spend a huge amount of time going back and forth, I would say the Niimbus amp offers "more". There's a superior level of detail extraction, more realistic dynamic scale, better fleshed out soundstage, and just a generally improved sense of nuance and texture all around.

Part of this may strictly be the additional power (V590 should give Susvara just under 5 Watts while US4+ gives it almost 7) but beyond that it's also a question of refinement - unless you listen at crazy levels, both should have "enough" juice. As great as the V590 is, US4+ is just the better amp, and that shows through when listening via high-performance headphone like Susvara.

I am intrigued by your Flux Lab FA-10 but I have not heard it... definitely a powerful amp but that's not the only part of the equation. If that's what you typically use for Susvara, I don't have any input on how V590 or Niimbus might compare. Sorry!

Thanks for the comparison of V590 and the US4+. I find it to be helpful, even though it does not answer all my questions, and I do not expect any answer on a forum to. Ironically, It's actually the difference between "having enough juice" and "bringing the best" out of the susvara that inspired my question, and I am of course aware that the two are not the same thing... I currently have about 5 amps on hand (which include the V281, the topping A-90, the Liquid Platinum, and the FA-10), all of which can drive the Susvara to insane, and ear-bleeding levels of loudness, if and when needed, which I never do. I am more interested in optimizing the performance of the Susvara to its potential pinnacle of sonic enjoyment and refinement (which, I assume, is the only objective that justifies getting it at its current price point). The problem is that all the amps I have are capable of driving the Susvara to different degrees of "wonderful" and "nice" without presenting any glaring downsides, and while I dream of a pinnacle of performance in theory, I do not really have any concrete idea as to how much better it can get, and for that matter, which exact model of amp can deliver that pinnacle. I suppose this issue is not new, and I am certainly not the only one who has faced such a question. I wish there were some well-stocked high end head-fi audio shop near me in the New England area where I could go and audition several amps with the Susvara (and the LCD-4 too), in deciding what model to consider as "endgame". That would be the most helpful solution for me under my present circumstances. Without that, all I'm left with are questions, such as the one I asked above.

 

[project86]

I feel your pain - definitely something you want to hear for yourself if at all possible before laying out substantial money on anything like an "endgame" amp (with corresponding pricing). I'm always jealous of those shops I see in Japan and other places which have like every headphone and amp in existence available for demo. That would be very very useful in so many cases.

The only complaint I can foresee with the Niimbus is that some people want Susvara to be darker, and the US4+ is not that. V590 is subtly more relaxed but I don't think it goes far enough for those types of listeners anyway.

 

[attilais]

I'm wondering if anyone tried K1000 on it. It's listed as 4.3W 20.7V on 100Ohms load, which looks promising.

My current setup is 1st gen Berkeley Alpha -> first watt F1J -> K1000, and HD800s was added recently. If V590 handles both headphones well, I'll be really interested in switching to this one-box solution.