[Mediahound]

I just checked the usually dependable V281 manual. No real answer there.

FYI, the V281's balance adjustment is unusual--it raises or lowers the level of only the right channel. Weird, but it totally works. On the other hand, you say you get no effect from it, and that's something I can't explain. The +/- adjustment is not huge, but it still should be audible...

Indeed. I feel I don't need this knob, and I never use it. I guess it could come in handy in a pro studio environment however.

 

[hifimckinney]

Is it a wise idea to replace my current (expensive) passive preamp with V281? Alternatively, those who are using V281 as preamplifier, could you please share your thoughts?

 

[Pharmaboy]

Is it a wise idea to replace my current (expensive) passive preamp with V281? Alternatively, those who are using V281 as preamplifier, could you please share your thoughts?

Your question is simple enough, but possible answers are anything but simple. The reason is that sound produced by a passive preamp is rather different from that produced by an active device--because the passive device will "sound" like the impedance & wire capacitance ahead of it, and even more, on the output of it; whereas the active device will "sound" more like the sum of its electronic components & power supply.

I had a long love affair w/passives, but it came crashing to a halt when I realized (after spending ~$600 on the wrong device)--that the good sound I heard from my first passive, an NHT PVC, derived from its use of a transformer...and to get anything more complicated, w/more inputs/outputs, required spending really serious $$. I bagged it and returned to active devices and have been very happy ever since.

One significant advantage of going active is that a single device (amp/preamp) like the V281 combines are high-quality active preamp with a high-quality & powerful amp. No passive preamp can do that. And the V281 has the most flexible, full-featured I/O set up & gain matching capability of any preamp/amp I've ever seen (it's far and away the best of the 3 amp/preamps I have in that regard).

There are other factors in this conversation, having to do with greater dynamics & damping factor in active devices, that IMO skew the answer towards actives.

 

[KcMsterpce]

I love my V281 as a standalone amp. It's got the juice to power all my headphones, AND it sounds spectacularly clean and resolving.
Then again, it's fun to plug into the Bottlehead amps using the V281 as a go-between from the DAC to the amp... I don't know if most of my friends would notice a difference, but I like how the notes feel a little bit more 'rounded', and the tubes do add a slight hint of wetness and tangibility to the aural proceedings.

 

[Fegefeuer]

I agree with these impressions. The preamp is so clean, detalied and resolving it makes my fingers itch to get better studio monitors again. Something like the APS Klasik, hypothetical (but surely incoming) Neumann KH120 DSP or Focal Shape Twin.
However there is Niimbus on the Horizon. Maybe. Maybe not. Must resist.

 

[MC242]

Hallo to all V281ers! I'm new here and I just got myself a used V281. This thread is awesome and it's stuff to read for months to come...
But I also have a question to the experts. Actually I don't know if the unit I got has a remote control option inside or not. There was no remote that came with it.
But the volume knob seems to be stepped and there's a remote receiver under the volume knob. So maybe I'm lucky.

I have a little picture here from the inside of my unit and maybe someone here knows by looking at it if its remote controllable or not.
Any help would be highly appreciated.

https://ibb.co/k2cCAq

 

[Mediahound]

Hallo to all V281ers! I'm new here and I just got myself a used V281. This thread is awesome and it's stuff to read for months to come...
But I also have a question to the experts. Actually I don't know if the unit I got has a remote control option inside or not. There was no remote that came with it.
But the volume knob seems to be stepped and there's a remote receiver under the volume knob. So maybe I'm lucky.

I have a little picture here from the inside of my unit and maybe someone here knows by looking at it if its remote controllable or not.
Any help would be highly appreciated.

https://ibb.co/k2cCAq

How many steps does your volume have?

 

[Badas]

Is it a wise idea to replace my current (expensive) passive preamp with V281? Alternatively, those who are using V281 as preamplifier, could you please share your thoughts?

I use mine as a stand alone for listening sessions under 2 hours.
If I listen longer I use mine as a pre-amp to my Woo WA22 tube amp.
As a pre-amp it is fantastically clean and I have the remote volume option so it is great for control.
Highly recommended.

 

[MC242]

How many steps does your volume have?

Actually it’s hard to count them because they are so fine at the beginning and get more apart from each other at the end of the volume. But I would say around 110-130.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Actually it’s hard to count them because they are so fine at the beginning and get more apart from each other at the end of the volume. But I would say around 110-130.

Interesting. My internals didn't look much like yours, but I could be mistaken; there also could be changes year-to-year.

But if you really have 128 steps (which I'm pretty sure is only available w/remote control) + you see a remote receiver, then it sounds like you're just missing the remote.

My advice is to contact Violectric in Germany; give them your SN and ask to check that it's remote-operated (almost certainly it would be). Then just order a remote control from them.

 

[zhgutov]

Hallo to all V281ers! I'm new here and I just got myself a used V281. This thread is awesome and it's stuff to read for months to come...
But I also have a question to the experts. Actually I don't know if the unit I got has a remote control option inside or not. There was no remote that came with it.
But the volume knob seems to be stepped and there's a remote receiver under the volume knob. So maybe I'm lucky.

I have a little picture here from the inside of my unit and maybe someone here knows by looking at it if its remote controllable or not.
Any help would be highly appreciated.

https://ibb.co/k2cCAq

This should be remote controllable.
As I know, you can use widely available remote controllers (for TV, etc.).
Not sure about the models, but I think you can ask Violectric directly.

 

[MC242]

Okay, thank you for your help! I already wrote to Violectric parallel to my post and today I received a message from Fried Reim himself. He confirmed that it's the relay remote controlled version.
So I have ordered a One For All URC7140. Hope it comes tomorrow or on Saturday. Let's see if I'm so lucky because it was sold to me as the standard version for a steal then.

 

[jerick70]

Hallo to all V281ers! I'm new here and I just got myself a used V281. This thread is awesome and it's stuff to read for months to come...
But I also have a question to the experts. Actually I don't know if the unit I got has a remote control option inside or not. There was no remote that came with it.
But the volume knob seems to be stepped and there's a remote receiver under the volume knob. So maybe I'm lucky.

I have a little picture here from the inside of my unit and maybe someone here knows by looking at it if its remote controllable or not.
Any help would be highly appreciated.

https://ibb.co/k2cCAq

That circuit board is the relay attenuator. The black boxes are the relays. My V281 looks exactly like that.

 

[MC242]

That circuit board is the relay attenuator. The black boxes are the relays. My V281 looks exactly like that.

Fantastic! Yes, I guess I am a lucky one right now.

 

[jerick70]

Fantastic! Yes, I guess I am a lucky one right now.

Yes very lucky. New that would cost $2880. I'm guessing that you purchased for quite a bit less?