[manpowre]

Nice to see new product coming from Lake-People. Makes their sales better with a better priced balanced Amp. and that can make their research able to mabye come up with the next killer.

 

[3083joe]

Is it as warm as Woo amps? 

Not as warm as my wa22 maybe 50% less

 

[manpowre]

The V281 isnt particularly warm, compared to my Oppo Ha-1 its cold.

 

[thomascrown]

Looking forward to reading a comparison with the bigger brother

 

[manpowre]

Looking forward to reading a comparison with the bigger brother

 
I wish I could afford both.

 

[Fegefeuer]

*updated with photos* availability should start soon after the High End Fair.
 
Will anyone of you be there during May 5th-8th?

 

[phonomat]

Yep, I'll be there on Thursday. Really looking forward to it, had a blast last year. And I'll probably swap my 200 for a 280.

 

[socks mk2]

[redacted]

 

[Fegefeuer]

The V280 is a clear upgrade to the V181. More authority, slam (these two are imo the biggest deal here), bigger soundstage and imo smooth, effortless treble. The V280 also marks the end of a generation the V181 belonged to. No more opamps on the output. Pure transistors now. 

 

[phonomat]

Went for the 281 instead. Secretly, I've always wanted a bigger knob. 

 
 
I couldn't hear any difference between the balanced outs of the 280 and 281, but since I'm about to expand my desktop setup with some active monitors, I figured it would make sense to go "all in" and put the 281 on double duty as headamp/preamp.

 

[Fegefeuer]

yeah, V280 is still powerful and drives cans with an iron grip, it's not in the shadows of its bigger brother. The slim design I checked out during the High End show really had its own appeal.
The knob of the V281 is just a sight to behold and giving really good tactile feedback, but I guess you need to be a fan of Anfassqualitäten.

 

[phonomat]

That I am!

 So much so that I special requested the smooth, unstepped relay version. I don't even need the remote since im desktop only, just didn't want the little stops anymore when turning the volume knob, and Fried was happy to oblige, so now my amp is "one of a kind", I guess.

  It should arrive today, and I'm curious to see how it compares to my V200 before I let the lil' one go.

 

[mofu]

  The V280 is a clear upgrade to the V181. More authority, slam (these two are imo the biggest deal here), bigger soundstage and imo smooth, effortless treble. The V280 also marks the end of a generation the V181 belonged to. No more opamps on the output. Pure transistors now. 

Do you have a source for the opamp statement? What would be the benefit of only eliminating them from the output and not the complete design?
http://www.violectric.de/produktdetails/HPA_V280.html states that there are opamps in the signal path.

 

[plakat]

  Do you have a source for the opamp statement? What would be the benefit of only eliminating them from the output and not the complete design?
http://www.violectric.de/produktdetails/HPA_V280.html states that there are opamps in the signal path.

One argument to use opamps in the early stages is that the elements within the opamp are on the same operating temperature due to the tight packaging, so thermal effects might be handled in a cleaner fashion.
 
I really love discreet designs though... looking at the row of transistors in the V280 does have something going for it. Still I think I can live with opamps in the preamp stage...
 


That one was on show in Munich... did not listen though, just not enough time...

 

[ArthurPower]

I wanted to let everyone know the V280 are now in stock in the USA.