[godmax]

Nice, bring on the comparisons!

Will take some more time to make a profund comparison

How would you describe the GSX-Mini vs. V281?
Headphone pairings for each amp would be amazing also.

From my current inital impression they tend to be in a similar category regarding build, soundstage, noise level, etc., but I need some more time and comparision with both to make an qualified statement. From my first impression paired with the Audiophonics Evo-Sabre Balanced DAC combined with the Quad ERA-1, I liked the V281 a little more than the GS-X mini with this specific combination.

How do you like the Aeres II?

Yes, I like the Ares II very much, especially for the expanded soundstage capability. For now I only paired the Ares II with the GS-X mini. But probalby will also try with the V281 soon.
I also want to try Audio-gd products at some point in the future. Even I personally did not hear any of them yet, I guess these are also very good choice from what I read so far.

may i know the name of the stack stand and where can we buy it?

This was created by myself using 4mm aluminum sheets and 3d printed parts for the lateral construction, since I did not find anything with a small foodprint.

 

[fiiom11pro]

This was created by myself using 4mm aluminum sheets and 3d printed parts for the lateral construction, since I did not find anything with a small foodprint.
[/QUOTE]

thanks.

 

[godmax]

After more then 2 month of use the V281 I can now clearly understand why many people here praise the engaging sound presentation of this amplifier! It magically adds some volumetric depth to the image that draws you in.

On certain headphones this quality is more apparent than others, especially with my Elegia and A2C I enjoy this very much.
I still like to listen to my GS-X mini, but the V281 definitely gets more play time currently.
As an DAC I use the Audiophonics Evo-Sabre Balanced DAC (ESS) and the Questyle CMA 400i(AKM) with the V281 depending on mood and music, but I might want to try an AKM 4499 based DAC soon.

With my Elegia using balanced connection I get some minor hum when the volume knob is before noon position, at max this is gone (but can't play music at that level!) , when I use them unbalanced the hum does not exist. Does not matter if a source is connected by RCA/XLR or not. Anyone else experienced this behaviour?

 

[Pharmaboy]

After more then 2 month of use the V281 I can now clearly understand why many people here praise the engaging sound presentation of this amplifier! It magically adds some volumetric depth to the image that draws you in.

On certain headphones this quality is more apparent than others, especially with my Elegia and A2C I enjoy this very much.
I still like to listen to my GS-X mini, but the V281 definitely gets more play time currently.
As an DAC I use the Audiophonics Evo-Sabre Balanced DAC (ESS) and the Questyle CMA 400i(AKM) with the V281 depending on mood and music, but I might want to try an AKM 4499 based DAC soon.

With my Elegia using balanced connection I get some minor hum when the volume knob is before noon position, at max this is gone (but can't play music at that level!) , when I use them unbalanced the hum does not exist. Does not matter if a source is connected by RCA/XLR or not. Anyone else experienced this behaviour?

Glad to find another convert to the V281 school of sound.

Does your V281 have the standard analog pot--or the 128 step motorized pot? And is it near/on top of any other device?

Hum is famously a bitch to figure out. On my desktop system I have a longstanding, seemingly impossible to eradicate ground loop (I've tried many things to eradicate it, but it's always there). Certain components' operation is affected by the ground loop, but luckily my V281 is immune.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Since it's there in XLR and gone in SE, which is kinda unimaginable, I suspect the balanced cable is faulty, incipient short etc.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Since it's there in XLR and gone in SE, which is kinda unimaginable, I suspect the balanced cable is faulty, incipient short etc.

That's interesting. A bad cable (blinky soldering or grounding) might explain it.

Did you buy this new or used? I ask because the least likely thing is that there's a problem in the V281 itself (very unlikely, though).

 

[sahmen]

Quick question about using the "Pre gain" settings on the v281. To drive a power hungry can like the Susvara or the LCD-4, is it possibly better to set the Pre gain lower than unity, for example at -6 db? By the way, I am aware that the V281 can drive those two comfortably from the unity gain setting, I am just wondering whether the lower setting might help bring more refinement or enhancement to the table.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Quick question about using the "Pre gain" settings on the v281. To drive a power hungry can like the Susvara or the LCD-4, is it possibly better to set the Pre gain lower than unity, for example at -6 db? By the way, I am aware that the V281 can drive those two comfortably from the unity gain setting, I am just wondering whether the lower setting might help bring more refinement or enhancement to the table.

Run it at 0 dB. Minus values are intended to give you more range on the volume knob with headphones that are too loud with no attenuation.

 

[godmax]

Does your V281 have the standard analog pot--or the 128 step motorized pot? And is it near/on top of any other device?

Hum is famously a bitch to figure out. On my desktop system I have a longstanding, seemingly impossible to eradicate ground loop (I've tried many things to eradicate it, but it's always there). Certain components' operation is affected by the ground loop, but luckily my V281 is immune.

I got the standard analog pot version. I got device(s) above the V281 in my self-made rack.
I suspect in this case its not a ground loop issue, since this happens also, when no source device at all is physically connected and only with the Elegia on the V281, not with other headphones or amplifiers. Besides that I already use an Intona USB 3.0 isolator to seperate my sources from the noisy PC (without it I had a ground loop in the CMA400i headphone output).

Since it's there in XLR and gone in SE, which is kinda unimaginable, I suspect the balanced cable is faulty, incipient short etc.

I use Hart Audio Cables modular cables, so I can switch the inter-connector from SE to XLR without changing the headphone cable. But maybe its worth to try a completly different cable.

That's interesting. A bad cable (blinky soldering or grounding) might explain it.

Did you buy this new or used? I ask because the least likely thing is that there's a problem in the V281 itself (very unlikely, though).

I did buy the V281 brand new, but had it already in for repair at Violectric, since the unit did switch on the protection mode randomly after some hours play time. But I guess they also checked everything before sending it back to me. Maybe the cable is faulty, even it works with all my other gear without flaws.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I would definitely try a normal non-gadgety cable.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Quick question about using the "Pre gain" settings on the v281. To drive a power hungry can like the Susvara or the LCD-4, is it possibly better to set the Pre gain lower than unity, for example at -6 db? By the way, I am aware that the V281 can drive those two comfortably from the unity gain setting, I am just wondering whether the lower setting might help bring more refinement or enhancement to the table.

I use the pre-gain settings on the V281 (both for HPs/back of unit & for preamp out/inside case) to adjust overall system gain--reflecting the fact that my DAC has a rather "hot" fixed output of 3V. I do not adjust pre-gain of either output for different headphones or to get potentially better sound...it's not all that easy to do this on the V281, vs amps w/front switchable HP gain (admittedly w/way less granularity of gain choices than the V281's dipswitch array).

I have tried different gains settings on several other amps and never could hear any qualitative difference in the sound, once the volume levels were matched by ear. You can find any number of detailed, informative, occasionally argumentative posts in various threads here about gain vs sound quality--but I just can't hear any sonic differences that make me want to chase gain settings for each headphone.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

The V280/281 have such huge power it's hard to match them to all the headphones anybody might have. I figured out recently that I could run my Brooklyn DAC+ with -3 dB trim and that kinda helped since even at -12 dB the V280 is bordeline too much for some of my cans.

 

[Pharmaboy]

The V280/281 have such huge power it's hard to match them to all the headphones anybody might have. I figured out recently that I could run my Brooklyn DAC+ with -3 dB trim and that kinda helped since even at -12 dB the V280 is bordeline too much for some of my cans.

I love my DAC (MHDT Labs Orchid w/2 X RCA outputs & rolled buffer tube), but feel cursed that it has that fixed 3V output. So even w/my V281 set at -12 dB, the system is borderline high gain, especially the DAC output that drives the entire 2 channel amp + passive monitors + sub.

But the same -12 dB setting on the HP output works out pretty well. I can get my powerhog ZMF Ori up to ~10-10:30 tops on the dial; the high impedance HPs like ZMF Aeolus and JAR650 can go up to 11:30 or so, tops.

PS: Given that balanced DACs output something like double the voltage, I can't even imagine using a balanced DAC IMS. Even if I just used the balanced outputs for one leg (ie, HPs) and the SE output for another (say, the speakers/sub leg), whichever leg got the balanced output would be severely overdriven.

 

[Giru]

------ edited-------

 

[gimmeheadroom]

It's odd, most people seem to be running their Violas at -12 dB. We better hope Fried doesn't read the posts and start shipping low power amps for girly-men