[project86]

  Hi Guys,
 
I have placed the order for the V281 and considering getting the aftermarket power cable. I have a budget of around $300-$500. Those who already own this amp or have significant experience with cables can you please give me your recommendations and does it make any difference with the upgrade?
 
 
Thanks

 
 
To be honest, I would wait until you are extremely familiar with your wonderful new amp before you attempt any sort of cable shenanigans. I personally use reasonably priced (by my standards) quality cables mainly from Cabledyne but also Charleston Cable Co, Toxic Cables, and some other smallish cable houses. But I don't consider them absolutely necessary by any means. If you don't hear a difference or have some philosophic issue with cables then by all means, do not spent more than necessary. Use stock cables or monoprice and be happy, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
 
If you DO decide to go down the slippery slope of cables, be reasonable and take it one step at a time. Again, if you think you hear a difference, or enjoy the looks/feel of the cable, or just feel more confident knowing you have upgraded every part of the chain, then that's perfectly fine as well. Try a few with good return policies, settle on something, and don't let anyone tell you it was a bad choice or you are crazy for spending more than $5. It works both ways and we need to respect individual choices. 
 
 
 

  Can I order just a different DAC module, for instance the one with optical input and install it myself? Seriously considering buying a SACD to connect to V281. Or is there an interface USB-Optical around which can make the job satisfactorily enough?

 
 
Yes, as someone else mentioned it is possible. Though I have to clarify - SACD players don't normally allow for passing their digital output to an external DAC (except for via HDMI or a few other proprietary connections). So if you have an SACD player you'll want to connect via RCA outputs, and therefore won't need the DAC option. 

 

[lunz]

Hi John,
 
Do you have any ETA for your review on the V281 ?
 
Rgds

 

[Ultrainferno]

 
Considering what happens to the electricity and the conditioning that goes on once it reaches the unit, imo power cables are an utterly useless 'investment'. I'll pay a pint to anyone who can reliably identify a difference between one of those gazillian bucks cables and a basic el cheapo model.  Same for headphone cables and interconnects, btw.  Friend of mine owns interconnects costing a couple of thousands a pair.  I tried them extensively:  no audible difference with my 100 EUR pair.  If you feel the need to burn money, I think there are better pyres around.

 
I agree on the power cables, but I have heard a lot of differences with headphone cables. That being said, we have very good and clean power where you and I live, maybe it's different in other parts of the world. (but then maybe a power conditioner would be better)
With interconnects there do was an audible difference when I switched years ago from 1€ cables to some decent hand made cables.
 
If someone believes his power cords or interconnects make a difference, let them think so and enjoy their purchase.
 
Absolutely loving my V281 btw, Will be putting the V200 up for sale soon!

 

[Megalomaniak]

 
Considering what happens to the electricity and the conditioning that goes on once it reaches the unit, imo power cables are an utterly useless 'investment'. I'll pay a pint to anyone who can reliably identify a difference between one of those gazillian bucks cables and a basic el cheapo model.  Same for headphone cables and interconnects, btw.  Friend of mine owns interconnects costing a couple of thousands a pair.  I tried them extensively:  no audible difference with my 100 EUR pair.  If you feel the need to burn money, I think there are better pyres around.

+1
 
Ive tried a couple power cables and never noticed a single difference under blind testing, so at home for my amps I use Antec PSU cables (computer hardware stuff) because they are extremely long and I got 'em for free years ago, my desk is quite wide
 
And never had an issue with interferences, background sound, nothing. 
 
Also loving my V281 each day more!

 

[plakat]

While the cable itself won't matter after countless meters of cheap wall-cabling, the choke on the pictured cable may help if you have high-frequency noise on your power line. But something like that can be added to a cheap cable as well...
 
What remains is the bad optics of combining a cheap cable with this good looking amp... but if a solution to that is worth 300,-, 500,- or even more is up to each owner I guess.

 

[TMY168]

Interesting discussion about the after-market power cable...
If one wants to get the feet wet, try Shunyata Venom 3 (entry level Shunyata.) It's not so expensive. Somehow, I do hear the difference between these power cords. But hey, I'm just a newbie here.

I also replace the fuses in my amps (Burson Soloist & Bryston BHA-1) with Power-House Platinum fuses. It's much better than the Hifi-Tuning.

BTW, my V281 is arriving in a few days.


Cheers!
- ToMmY -

 

[roskodan]

 

  i don't know what do you refer to about being serious, if you could specify would be nice, anyway, true story, i got 4 more of those tagan cables since then

 
 
Hi there.  Those Tagan cables look quite nice. Where did you buy them? I would be interested to get some myself... and I'm located in Europe.
 
Cheers.

well i 'stole' em from a colleague at work who had higher end tagan psus on his pcs and replaced them with the plain cheap black ones XD, i'm sure any 'pro' cable with such specific resemblances will do (gold plated connectors, shielded, higher grade finish, ferrite ring etc.), try to find some at work or uni or somewhere like that XXXD
 
got some labeling on it:
 
Best Honour H05VV-F 3G 0.75mm^2 (OVE) (VDE) KEMA-KEUR +S+S+S FIDNS CEBEC
 
but actually one cold also make its own cables from some OFC PE speaker cable (i have some tasker C288 4x2.5mm i used for biwiring), or some shielded OFC PE cable (0.75mm or more) and see if that makes a difference against the plain black ones, something like these ones with 2 OFC conductors and PE insulation http://www.tasker.it/prodotti/famiglia.php?idCat=132&idFam=85

 

[alvinmate]

Hey everyone thanks for your feedback and honest opinion... I am also not sure whether its going to bring any sonic difference to the sound but hey its a beautiful looking power amp so thinking of making the whole package more '''presentable''..

 
Anyone has experience with Voodoo cables...?
 
I am thinking of getting this one... Voodoo Avatar I can get this one for special price at my local dealer..... what do u guys think?
 

 

[Xenophon]

Hey everyone thanks for your feedback and honest opinion... I am also not sure whether its going to bring any sonic difference to the sound but hey its a beautiful looking power amp so thinking of making the whole package more '''presentable''..

Anyone has experience with Voodoo cables...?

I am thinking of getting this one... Voodoo Avatar I can get this one for special price at my local dealer..... what do u guys think?

As long as you realize that what you're paying for is esthetics rather than sound quality, every cable is fair game and you should spend whatever you're comfortable with, same as with cars beyond a normal price point. No accounting for tastes, it's not because it's not my kind of thing that it should be prohibited. Enjoy!

 

[xaval]

Is there any impressions on V220? I'd be interested on gauging sound differences between these two models as I don't own any balance cables. 
 
I have the impression that V220 is based on V200 but, outside cosmetics, price, a couple nice-to-haves and powah, are there sonic differences between the two? Interested on a bit of warmth, but I can't live without micro / macrodynamics and rolled off highs.

 

[macdevign]

  Hey everyone thanks for your feedback and honest opinion... I am also not sure whether its going to bring any sonic difference to the sound but hey its a beautiful looking power amp so thinking of making the whole package more '''presentable''..

 
Anyone has experience with Voodoo cables...?
 
I am thinking of getting this one... Voodoo Avatar I can get this one for special price at my local dealer..... what do u guys think?
 

 
Before you purchase any cable or tweak, may be prudent to ask yourself what kind of sound improvement you looking at ?  Better soundstaging, better depth, better layering, warm , bright sound ? forward or laidback sound ? 

 

[Viper2005]

Anyone has experience with Voodoo cables...?

I am thinking of getting this one... Voodoo Avatar I can get this one for special price at my local dealer..... what do u guys think?

All I will say is: at least it's aptly named.

 

[xaval]

All I will say is: at least it's aptly named.

funnyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 

 

[lunz]

So after a week with the V281 on SE connected to the LCD2.2, I enjoyed the sound coming from the amp but I didn't feel completely satisfied with it (don't ask me the cause of it, I won't be able to tell why).
 
I finally received my stock unbalanced (Edit: Balanced, txs Pleasant Sounds ) cable. Might be placebo effect, but I just cannot stop smiling while listening to the music now
 
Funny when you are beginning in a hobby, you know that something is good but you don't have the words to describe why: you just feel it.

 

[PleasantSounds]

If you're talking about the difference between SE and unbalanced, it very well may be a placebo