[Pharmaboy]

I certainly know less about electronics than you guys--but I agree it has to be shorted inputs on V281 (or something equivalent in electrical/interactive effect).

I hear exactly the same distortion @PHC1 describes, though not with my V281. I get it w/my Audio GD SA-31SE used as preamp/amp, so long as a second amp is connect and not turned on. When I hear that distortion through headphones (iparticularly evident in bass/lower midrange), then turn on the 2nd amp--distortion gone!

(there certainly are parallels here)

I'll have to recreate the V281 distortion by doing something I've never done--turn off the V281 while listening to the other amp.

 

[PHC1]

This could be a clue. http://www.analog.com/en/analog-dialogue/raqs/raq-issue-39.html

 

[Pinkfloyd0]

Hello,

I a new owner of V281. I came from a V200 and am now using V281 with V800 dac and NAD M50 streamer/cd. My cans are: Senn. HD 800 / Audeze LCD 2 fazor & AKG K712.

I am now reading this thread for the second time and I was wondering if somebody has had the same experience like Jark and me? His question back in 2015 was;

"First, is it me, or the V281 needs quite some time, lets say 30/45 min to perform at it best? From cold, the bass is not as detailed and controlled as when the amp has warmed up a bit. And the overall sound is Ok but not as spectacular, or is just me adapting to the sound?"

I have the same experience, but only with the balanced output! And I have the feeling that it's taking even more time to warm up, like 90 minutes. I did not have this with the (SE) output of the V200 (not with SE output of V281 also!).

I am curious if somebody else has had the same experience or if it's me being crazy or getting used to the new sound out of balanced output?

Thanks!

 

[zhgutov]

@Pinkfloyd0, I have seen recommendation (cannot find it now), where someone (probably Fried Reim) tells about ~30 minutes of the warm up time for the amp and the DAC.
In my experience, it seems like the sound may be slightly different after the warm up, but I am not 100% sure about that at all.

 

[Fegefeuer]

That's pretty normal. Amps, DACs and converters need half an hour up to many many hours more to reach thermal equilibrium. Multibit DACs are the worst of all.
My DU-U8 for instance has been measured to reach its peak after 90 mins. I just keep it always on since all my music runs through it.

V281 starts to sound best after an hour or so, it's why I turn it on immediately when I am at home after work even if I end up doing something else. Can't waste precious Feierabend hours.

 

[Pinkfloyd0]

@Pinkfloyd0, I have seen recommendation (cannot find it now), where someone (probably Fried Reim) tells about ~30 minutes of the warm up time for the amp and the DAC.
In my experience, it seems like the sound may be slightly different after the warm up, but I am not 100% sure about that at all.

@zhgutov; Do you still use v800 with max. output voltage +24? And v281 with pre gain set to -12? If so, can you tell what do you gain in quality of the sound? If not, which settings are you currently using and why?

Thanks!

 

[zhgutov]

@zhgutov; Do you still use v800 with max. output voltage +24? And v281 with pre gain set to -12? If so, can you tell what do you gain in quality of the sound? If not, which settings are you currently using and why?

I used 24 dBu until I found what at this level V281 can distort the signal when the input level exceeds ~23 dBu.
This is because the maximum input level of the V281 is 21 dBu (according to specification) for all inputs.
I was thinking this is because of the intersample peaks, because it was noticeable primarily with the music mastered close to 0 dBFS (I was wrong).
And I decreased the volume slightly in digital. But finally I measured the signal from the line out of V281 and found it distorted at 23+ dBu.
That's why I decreased the output level to 15 dBu. I also tried 18 dBu. With the accurate volume matching it sounds very close.
Some time ago I was thinking this pre-gain changes may lead to better sound (and I am sure they can with some equipment).
But finally I found that I used incorrect method to pick the best settings.
There may be some subtle difference between the settings, but it is hard to pick the best if the comparison is made accurately.

But I still use V281 @ -14 dB pre-gain, because it allows me to change the volume smoothly (provides optimal range for my headphones/usecases).

For the last few years with the LP/Vio gear I made tons of experiments, which lead me to thinking this gear is pretty linear.

 

[musicmaker]

I pulled the trigger on a V281 with relay remote in black with gold feet. So excited !

Arthur is the one of the very best in the business. Very knowledgable and so customer oriented. My first experience with Violectric has been fantastic.

 

[PHC1]

I pulled the trigger on a V281 with relay remote in black with gold feet. So excited !

Arthur is the one of the very best in the business. Very knowledgable and so customer oriented. My first experience with Violectric has been fantastic.

Congrats, you will love it

 

[Pharmaboy]

I pulled the trigger on a V281 with relay remote in black with gold feet. So excited !

Arthur is the one of the very best in the business. Very knowledgable and so customer oriented. My first experience with Violectric has been fantastic.

Hard to predict sonic tastes, but odds are good this amp will rock your world. It's said to "play nice" w/even the most efficient IEMs...and I know from experience that it's crazy/good w/headphones--the more horsepower a given pair of headphones has in terms of design & sonics, the higher the V281 can drive it. This is pretty much top of the heap in SS...

 

[WilliamWykeham]

I took some notes comparing the HE1000 and HD800 through the Violectric on 0 gain. HD800 came out on top on nearly every recording except for Fleetwood Mac and Mozart. My gear is a Yggy connected to a Mac with an Audioquest Carbon, and using a Niagara 1000 power conditioner. Silver Dragon balanced cable with the HE1000 and Venus balanced cable with the HD800.

It's possible that the greater emphasis on treble with the HD800 makes it sound better on A/B testing, and that you really have to settle into the HE1000s. Nevertheless over extended listening sessions I'm still preferring the HD800. The HE1000 had a lot of synergy with my prior amp, the BHA1, which was brighter than that V281 (I didn't like the HD800 through that setup). Now have to decide whether to keep the HE1000 or get a brighter amp light the GS-X. Or trade up for Focal Utopias (anybody interested in trading HE1000 with Silver Dragon cables for Focal Utopia let me know).

Fleetwood Mac, Tusk - HE1000, although the HD 800 is not far behind. Nice round, balanced sound with the HE1000. HD800 might actually be slightly bright on this one.
REM, Murmur - HD800. Tons of bass, excellent balanced sound. Not a hint of brightness on this. HE1000s are just a sludge of force and bass. Strongly prefer HD800 on this.
M83, Junk - HD800. Everything nicely balanced. HD1000 was too dark and bassy.
Fiery Furnaces, EP - HD800 (barely). Interestingly there was an odd high frequency boost on the vocals that was slightly annoying with the HE1000, but not with the HD800.
Modest Mouse, The Lonesome Crowded West - tie. On Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine, HD1000 - guitars sound awesome. Not too dark. HD800 sounds a little thin, guitars sound not as great as the HE1000. On Trailer Trash the HD800 won out.
WHY?, Ooh Lhean - HD800. This headphone has a ton of punch and low end with the V281 while maintaining excellent high frequencies. HE1000 is too dark.
Frank Ocean, channel ORANGE and Blonde - HD800. Clear winner. Everything sounds excellently balanced.
Kelela, Take Me Apart - HD800.
D’Angelo, Black Messiah - HD800. Not surprising. This is already a dark bassy recording. HE1000 isn’t too far behind.
The Beatles, Help! - HD800.
Ryhe - HD800 (barely).
Run the Jewels 3 - HD800. People who complain about a lack of bass with HD800 need to hear it through the V281 Tons of bass. HD1000 was actually too bass heavy on this.

Isabelle Faust, Bach: Sonatas & Partitas - HD800 (barely). Deciding on a winner with solo classical pieces is tougher, but I give the edge to HD800.
Teodor Currentzis, Mozart: Don Giovanni - HE1000. One of the few classical works that sounds better with the HE1000. All the instruments sound more fleshed out, 3D. Balance is excellent. Not sure why the HE1000 excels here but this could be a highly engineered album which just happens to by symbiotic. The HD800s sounded a little thin and brittle.
Concerto Italiano - Bach: Brandenburg Concertos - HD800. Clear winner. HD1000 was not pleasant at all. Instruments poorly separated. Wider soundstage of the HD800 helps a lot with this one.
Musica Antiqua Köln, Bach: Brandenburg Concertos - HD800. HE1000 wasn’t far behind on this, but I still thought it was too dark and bass heavy. HE1000 really excels with brass, whereas the HD800 is better with strings.
Tokyo String Quartet, Brahms String Quartet Nos. 1-3 - HE800. Clear winner. Again HE1000 is too dark and bass heavy.
Herreweghe, Mahler: Symphony No. 4 - HD800. This recording is highly symbiotic with the HD800. Everything sounds right. HD1000 just doesn’t cut it.
Benvenue Fortepiano, Schumann: Piano Trio No.2 - HD800. Clear winner.
La Petite Bande, Bach: Matthaus-Passion - HD800. Clear winner

 

[S Crowther]

I took some notes comparing the HE1000 and HD800 through the Violectric on 0 gain. HD800 came out on top on nearly every recording except for Fleetwood Mac and Mozart. My gear is a Yggy connected to a Mac with an Audioquest Carbon, and using a Niagara 1000 power conditioner. Silver Dragon balanced cable with the HE1000 and Venus balanced cable with the HD800.

It's possible that the greater emphasis on treble with the HD800 makes it sound better on A/B testing, and that you really have to settle into the HE1000s. Nevertheless over extended listening sessions I'm still preferring the HD800. The HE1000 had a lot of synergy with my prior amp, the BHA1, which was brighter than that V281 (I didn't like the HD800 through that setup). Now have to decide whether to keep the HE1000 or get a brighter amp light the GS-X. Or trade up for Focal Utopias (anybody interested in trading HE1000 with Silver Dragon cables for Focal Utopia let me know).

Fleetwood Mac, Tusk - HE1000, although the HD 800 is not far behind. Nice round, balanced sound with the HE1000. HD800 might actually be slightly bright on this one.
REM, Murmur - HD800. Tons of bass, excellent balanced sound. Not a hint of brightness on this. HE1000s are just a sludge of force and bass. Strongly prefer HD800 on this.
M83, Junk - HD800. Everything nicely balanced. HD1000 was too dark and bassy.
Fiery Furnaces, EP - HD800 (barely). Interestingly there was an odd high frequency boost on the vocals that was slightly annoying with the HE1000, but not with the HD800.
Modest Mouse, The Lonesome Crowded West - tie. On Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine, HD1000 - guitars sound awesome. Not too dark. HD800 sounds a little thin, guitars sound not as great as the HE1000. On Trailer Trash the HD800 won out.
WHY?, Ooh Lhean - HD800. This headphone has a ton of punch and low end with the V281 while maintaining excellent high frequencies. HE1000 is too dark.
Frank Ocean, channel ORANGE and Blonde - HD800. Clear winner. Everything sounds excellently balanced.
Kelela, Take Me Apart - HD800.
D’Angelo, Black Messiah - HD800. Not surprising. This is already a dark bassy recording. HE1000 isn’t too far behind.
The Beatles, Help! - HD800.
Ryhe - HD800 (barely).
Run the Jewels 3 - HD800. People who complain about a lack of bass with HD800 need to hear it through the V281 Tons of bass. HD1000 was actually too bass heavy on this.

Isabelle Faust, Bach: Sonatas & Partitas - HD800 (barely). Deciding on a winner with solo classical pieces is tougher, but I give the edge to HD800.
Teodor Currentzis, Mozart: Don Giovanni - HE1000. One of the few classical works that sounds better with the HE1000. All the instruments sound more fleshed out, 3D. Balance is excellent. Not sure why the HE1000 excels here but this could be a highly engineered album which just happens to by symbiotic. The HD800s sounded a little thin and brittle.
Concerto Italiano - Bach: Brandenburg Concertos - HD800. Clear winner. HD1000 was not pleasant at all. Instruments poorly separated. Wider soundstage of the HD800 helps a lot with this one.
Musica Antiqua Köln, Bach: Brandenburg Concertos - HD800. HE1000 wasn’t far behind on this, but I still thought it was too dark and bass heavy. HE1000 really excels with brass, whereas the HD800 is better with strings.
Tokyo String Quartet, Brahms String Quartet Nos. 1-3 - HE800. Clear winner. Again HE1000 is too dark and bass heavy.
Herreweghe, Mahler: Symphony No. 4 - HD800. This recording is highly symbiotic with the HD800. Everything sounds right. HD1000 just doesn’t cut it.
Benvenue Fortepiano, Schumann: Piano Trio No.2 - HD800. Clear winner.
La Petite Bande, Bach: Matthaus-Passion - HD800. Clear winner

I have the HE1000 and also HD800S playing out of the V281. They are fed from AK1000 via Chord TT.
I find that the HE1000 sound a lot better/brighter with the gain dip switches set to +5 or even +10. The HD800S is fine at neutral.
With these settings I prefer the HE1000 for say the Goebbels Brandenburgs, which I also have.

 

[ajreynol]

Well I went with this amp and I'm glad I did. It was a small nightmare getting it over from Germany (quite a bit of BS), but Arthur over at Violectric NA was good about it.

While waiting to receive this amp, I picked up a iCan Pro to eventually A/B test against the Violectric. Yea, the iCan really wasn't much of a competitor. Nice device, but with a lot of features that really felt like after-thoughts or otherwise throw-away in their usefulness. I ended up packing it up the same day after A/B'ing them for a couple of hours.

Good to be here, folks. Someone pass me a wine flute.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Well I went with this amp and I'm glad I did. It was a small nightmare getting it over from Germany (quite a bit of BS), but Arthur over at Violectric NA was good about it.

While waiting to receive this amp, I picked up a iCan Pro to eventually A/B test against the Violectric. Yea, the iCan really wasn't much of a competitor. Nice device, but with a lot of features that really felt like after-thoughts or otherwise throw-away in their usefulness. I ended up packing it up the same day after A/B'ing them for a couple of hours.

Good to be here, folks. Someone pass me a wine flute.

I own the V281 (a fine amp/preamp)--and a friend has a Pro iCan. Hope to compare them someday.

He's heard my V281 at length on multiple occasions (usually via his Eikon), also put in lots of time on the Pro iCan...says it's not really a contest (V281 is better in almost every way), but still, the Pro iCan has very good power, above average sound, and interesting/unique features--especially the switchable tube mode & bass boost (each works very well on certain headphones/not as well on others).

 

[ajreynol]

I own the V281 (a fine amp/preamp)--and a friend has a Pro iCan. Hope to compare them someday.

He's heard my V281 at length on multiple occasions (usually via his Eikon), also put in lots of time on the Pro iCan...says it's not really a contest (V281 is better in almost every way), but still, the Pro iCan has very good power, above average sound, and interesting/unique features--especially the switchable tube mode & bass boost (each works very well on certain headphones/not as well on others).

Yea. The problem was most of those features aren't very useful.

The Bass boost after maybe the first setting makes bass turn into mud for 90% of the songs I tried. The 3D knob did something but nothing I'd call "useful" or otherwise want to pay money for over other things. SS and Tube options were fine but didn't really stand out. Power was sufficient to be sure, however.

All I can really say is that you aren't missing anything. I picked up the iCan with the hope that maybe I could send the V281 back (it was unacceptably late to ship). I very quickly realized that wasn't how things were going to go.