[project86]

That't a nice chart there, makes total sense of a rather complex idea.

My biggest fear or hesitation is when someone, who has never experienced any of these amps, reads this and walks away thinking V281/V280 are warm, syrupy, dark amps. Totally not the case at all. It's just a touch of flavor, mainly caused by the lows being so potent and well defined. Likewise I wouldn't want anyone to think the Niimbus sound is bright, thin, etched, etc. The US4+ is absolutely effortless in dynamics, weighty, rich, textured bass, etc. It just has such clear midrange and treble that the focus is not drawn to the lower registers like it might be on the V281.

 

[Slim1970]

That't a nice chart there, makes total sense of a rather complex idea.

My biggest fear or hesitation is when someone, who has never experienced any of these amps, reads this and walks away thinking V281/V280 are warm, syrupy, dark amps. Totally not the case at all. It's just a touch of flavor, mainly caused by the lows being so potent and well defined. Likewise I wouldn't want anyone to think the Niimbus sound is bright, thin, etched, etc. The US4+ is absolutely effortless in dynamics, weighty, rich, textured bass, etc. It just has such clear midrange and treble that the focus is not drawn to the lower registers like it might be on the V281.

Is the V590’s bass potent like the V281’s or is it more refined and defined with presence like the US4+ bass?

 

[project86]

Is the V590’s bass potent like the V281’s or is it more refined and defined with presence like the US4+ bass?

Sort of half way between the two.

 

[mat.1]

any other opinion on the sound ?

 

[project86]

The other day someone described the Niimbus US4+ as being "tubelike", and initially it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. US4+ is not at all rolled off, overly smooth, dark, mushy, or heavy-handed. But then I kept reading, and that's not the sort of tube sound they were referring to at all. They meant "high-end" tube which for them equates to solidity, glow, liquidity, and transparency. And that is something I can definitely agree with.

So looking at it that way, the V590 also has some of that same "tube" presentation. Definitely not peaky or sharp up top but still has superb treble articulation, very free of grain. Midrange is weighty, with rich tonality. Bass texture and refinement is superb, which is an area where many tube amps (even really good ones) will probably not be able to keep up. The sound would not be out of place coming from a nice 300B tube amp, if that makes any sense.

 

[Fegefeuer]

"The best tube amps sound like solidstates and the best solidstates sound like tubeamps." That's indeed what he referred to.

 

[Fegefeuer]

Hm, the V590 with the Niimbus volume control is listed as V590 PRO on the German site.

 

[AnimalOnDrums]

Thats cool, I like that designation...makes me feel better about spending $600 extra on a relay-controlled volume because without it you are not a pro, just some amateur with an amp ha ha ha, kidding. I do like the "pro" designation though.

 

[Fegefeuer]

That volume control is absolutely worth it. Heard a US4+ with an alternate control and it didn't keep up. Less transparent in the finest treble. Slight hardness actually. A bummer, it was much cheaper.

Anyway, here's a shot of the final PCB. From green to blue.

also, something new for the front page

 

[HalloweenJack]

On CMAs official site for this amp ( https://www.cma.audio/en/detail/index/sArticle/2057 ) it says:

"High Output Voltage - through 50 V internal operating voltage."

Does this mean +/- 50 V or +/- 25 V ?

The previous Violectric series has +/- 30 V (60 V).

 

[HalloweenJack]

Side-note:
After checking the manuals of different Violectric manuals, it seems that my HPA V90-model (discontinued) gives the most voltage to 600 ohm cans (unbalanced)in the Violectric series:

600 ohm load:
V90: dBU 28,6 / V 20,9 / 730 mW
V200: dBU 27,6 / V18,5 / 570 mW

DHA V590 lists 21 volts @ 600 ohm so about the same as my V90.

 

[AnimalOnDrums]

That volume control is absolutely worth it. Heard a US4+ with an alternate control and it didn't keep up. Less transparent in the finest treble. Slight hardness actually. A bummer, it was much cheaper.

Anyway, here's a shot of the final PCB. From green to blue.

also, something new for the front page

Oh cool! Love the blue!

Yeah, I know its worth it. I am just messing around. I never considered this amp without the relay based volume control. Did they ever actually produce a Niimbus amp with that volume control? Or was it pre-production or something? I though the Niimbus amps came with the stepped relay controlled volume, no? Just curious

 

[Fegefeuer]

US4 is using an ALPS pot. US4+ and V590 pro use the same reed relais control.

Alternate control was something entirely different but just not at the same performance level

 

[TDon]

I noticed an update to the Power Holdings ordering page today. Pre-order by July 31, and get the volume control upgrade for free.....

Pre-Order a V590 by July 31st and get a free upgrade to the Pro model with the 256 step relay volume a $600 value!
Ship date Aug 14th

-TD

 

[Fegefeuer]

Oh, that's pretty nice.