[jmac1516]

This probably belongs on the LCD-4 forum but I was just reading this review of the LCD-4 today—http://www.hdphonic.com/en/headphones/audeze-lcd-4/— and they have this to say about it with the WA5LE:
“The thrust and the yield of transients was good, just as the reconstruction of the sound scene was precise. The voices and the acoustic instruments take on a realism that gives us almost the distinct sensation of being in the same studio where the recording took place. There is a lack of materiality in the low register, but the musicality that was missing in the two previous combinations, here comes to life, giving rise to that very pleasant, warm sound full of harmonics that is typical of tubes.”
They don’t compare it to the V281 but they do seem to prefer the LCD-4’s with powerful solid state amps over tube amps. I finally bit the bullet myself and sprung for a pair of the LCD-4’s (not at full price, don’t be silly!) which I should be getting this week. Gotta say one of the great virtues of owning the V281 is that I never have to worry if it’ll power my headphones adequately or be a good match for any cans I want to try. It sounds great with everything I’ve thrown at it—probably almost 10 headphones since I bought it. Some headphones I’ve found preferable on my tube amp but it is nowhere near as versatile overall as the V281.

Do you prefer the V281 or the Pendant for your Eikons?

 

[Malcolm Riverside]

Do you prefer the V281 or the Pendant for your Eikons?

Well the Pendant was made to go with ZMF headphones and I think specifically the Eikon and Atticus, so it’s pretty hard to top the synergy it has with those cans. The Pendant adds some lushness that the Eikons lack with the V281 without sacrificing the speed, imaging and clarity that are the Eikon’s strengths. But Zach from ZMF told me he had a V281 for a while himself and regretted parting with it, so I think he’d agree it is also a great pairing with the Eikon.
I will say that I had the ZMF Auteur for a while and preferred that headphone with the V281 over the Pendant. The Auteur has a more languid sound signature compared to the Eikon and it needed the extra power and precision the solid state offered to sound its best to me.
Don’t sleep on using the V281 as a preamp with other headphone amps either. I often use it as a preamp with the Pendant (and vice versa) to lend a slightly drier tonality when I feel that’s called for. When I used the V281 as a preamp with the Massdrop CTH i felt it vastly improved that amp, which already sounded pretty good to begin with.

 

[jmac1516]

I agree with your assessment of the V281 and Atticus. Excellent! I am curious to try a solid tube amp as well but always hesitate as the V281 is so versatile with all my phones.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Gotta say one of the great virtues of owning the V281 is that I never have to worry if it’ll power my headphones adequately or be a good match for any cans I want to try.

Great post. I own 6 solid state amps, each with its own personality & sonic profile. The V281 actually isn't the most powerful (that title goes to the Audio GD SA-31SE, which outputs 10WPC @40 ohms (insane power). Still, the V281 sounds & acts like the most powerful of all. And it clearly is the most flexible & adaptable, both sonically & operationally. Of all the headphones I've heard on the V281 (some near-endgame quality), I've only had 1 sound less than wonderful (the very source-finicky ZMF Atticus). But it sounded no better on any of the other 5 SS amps, so one can hardly lay that on the V281.

I have yet to hear the LCD-4, but I own pre-fazor versions of the LCD-2.1 (an early example) & LCD-3. Both sound superb on the V281.

I've also had the interesting experience of comparing sonic results w/3 X 300 ohm headphones (ZMF Eikon & Auteur, HD650) on the V281 vs an OTL, the Woo WA3 (all using V281's SE output to match the SE WA3). The WA3 sounds somewhat different from the V281, but certainly not better.

The V281 is also my day-to-day preamp in this desktop audio system--a job it does superbly well.

"A bit darker and precise" ... well said. I would add that dynamics (macro & micro) and bass depth/impact are world-class on the V281.

There is very little this amp cannot do...

 

[stemiki]

Happy Holidays!

 

[raoultrifan]

Btw, I keep meaning to post this but always forget.

Please DO NOT use an adapter to run single-ended headphones from the balanced output of a V281. Or any Violectric headphone amplifier. Or any other brand of headphone amp, for that matter. Those adapters can DESTROY your amplifier. This is not a theoretical "maybe it's a bad idea...." type of thing. This is a DANGEROUS and very real way to kill your amp, and it's happened before on several occasions that I know of. Don't be tempted!

Balanced headphones can use an adapter to run from a 1/4" jack. That's fine. But the other way around is a big problem!

Just for illustration, picture taken from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/SX-T-3-Balanced-Headphone-Cable-Adapter/dp/B01MYS8DG8

The above adapter is the best way to cook ANY balanced headphone amp.

What happens:
A true balanced amp has 4 amp sections, left inphase, left out of phase, right in phase, right out of phase.
Using this adapter will shorten the left and right out phase amps in a way that they will act against each other.
They will get hot because of overload.
With some luck only fuses will blow.
With less luck the transformer and/or both amps will be blown.
Further damages may also ruin the remaning amps.
Please note that all this is not a design issue.
You will also have no garantee repairs when filling diesel in your car instead of gas.
Cheers, Fried

If this cable adapter has only the non-inverting pins from the XLR connected to Left & Right from the jack and the other XLR 2 pins remain not connected, and the ground from the jack gets connected to the XLR metallic plug, which is connected to amplifier's ground, then it might work actually...or at least amplifier will not get blown away. Something similar is inside my Matrix HPA-3B that is fully balanced, from head to tail (there are 4 little amplifiers inside connected to the XLR-output and 2 of these amplifiers are connected to the 6.3mm output-jack). By XLR metallic plug connector I mean a plug having the 5'th pin that needs to get soldered to GND, like this plug https://ro.farnell.com/productimages/standard/en_GB/250752-40.jpg.

However, if at least one of the 4 XLR pins gets connected to the ground, then amp probably dies or fuses get blown or output resistors (if any) will get smoked instantly.

The above assertion can be verified with a multimeter (ohm-meter to measure the cable/adapter, volt-meter while playing a sinewave and then measure the voltage directly on the XLR's amplifier's plug relative to GND/case) or scope.

 

[jerick70]

If this cable adapter has only the non-inverting pins from the XLR connected to Left & Right from the jack and the other XLR 2 pins remain not connected, and the ground from the jack gets connected to the XLR metallic plug, which is connected to amplifier's ground, then it might work actually...or at least amplifier will not get blown away. Something similar is inside my Matrix HPA-3B that is fully balanced, from head to tail (there are 4 little amplifiers inside connected to the XLR-output and 2 of these amplifiers are connected to the 6.3mm output-jack). By XLR metallic plug connector I mean a plug having the 5'th pin that needs to get soldered to GND, like this plug https://ro.farnell.com/productimages/standard/en_GB/250752-40.jpg.

However, if at least one of the 4 XLR pins gets connected to the ground, then amp probably dies or fuses get blown or output resistors (if any) will get smoked instantly.

The above assertion can be verified with a multimeter (ohm-meter to measure the cable/adapter, volt-meter while playing a sinewave and then measure the voltage directly on the XLR's amplifier's plug relative to GND/case) or scope.

When I see an adapter like this I usually say this is a big no no. Excellent info. But I'm still just going to buy a balanced cable instead. It will cost much more to replace your headphones or get your amp fixed, than buying a balanced cable, if the adapter does go sideways on you....

 

[DrWhite]

Hi,

Does the clicking noise on the relay control cause harm to the equipment? Heaphone or active speaker?

 

[13713]

Hi,

Does the clicking noise on the relay control cause harm to the equipment? Heaphone or active speaker?

No, it takes some getting used to but it is fine. The clicking is from the unit nothing else.

 

[raoultrifan]

When I see an adapter like this I usually say this is a big no no. Excellent info. But I'm still just going to buy a balanced cable instead. It will cost much more to replace your headphones or get your amp fixed, than buying a balanced cable, if the adapter does go sideways on you....

Risk with adapters like these is huge and chances to blow up the headamp is high, indeed. However, it's good that many headamps today are able to drive natively both single-ended and balanced headphones.

 

[DrWhite]

Anyone compared v281 and benchmark hpa4?

 

[cj3209]

...I am using lcd i4 on -12db pregain and tbh this the closest sound to analogue I have ever heard.( really close).

V281 is for life imho.

Cheers

@lithiumnk: I too, thought the V281 would pair very well with my i4s. Can't wait to try it out!

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

[commtrd]

I imagine i4 does sound sweet with that amp. They sound pretty darn good with Hugo2 and GLMk2 also. Basically they scale up real well. Amazing really.

 

[bluenight]

@Malcolm Riverside
I see you have the Thx 789. How does it stand up to the V281? I have one Thx coming my way. Got really great specs on paper.

 

[reprobyte]

What is the difference on the PreAmp Out stage comparing the v281 to the v220 - does the v281 use 4 amplifiers to output on its XLR outputs, and does the v220 only use 2, or does it not work like that, can someone explain?