[hoadie]

  Hello Everbody.
 
I like to inform you about our new (higher) prices for selected models valid from 1st of January 2015
The listed prices are the European prices without VAT.
Please aks Arthur Power from   www.violectric-usa.com  for detailed US prices.
 
New prices from beginning of 2015:
V200 = 756,30 Euro
V220 = 1176,47 Euro
V281 = 1596,64 Euro

All other Violectric products will have the current prices which are stable since 2010 !
 
So, if you want to save some money, dont hesitate to order THIS year.
We expect some delivery delays in the beginning of the new year
Please note that in case of an order you will not be charged with any (pre)payment until your unit is ready to be delivered !!
Also we grant your right of revocation which can be performed by simply not paying the pro-forma invoice which is send to you when your goods are ready to be delivered.
Of course (in case you changed your mind) it would be more polite to inform us in advance to ease things and not to produce office operations in vain ...
 
Best Regards
 
Fried Reim
(CEO of Lake People and Violectric)

Thanks for the heads-up!  Will Lake People products (G-103/G-109) go up in price, too?

 

[Jodet]

$1670 for a V220?  
 
That's kiss of death.   Just don't see that product being worth almost two grand. 
 
If I don't buy one before January I never will.  
 
A pity to see companies pricing themselves out of the market.

 

[Mehve]

That does seem like a fairly hefty price increase. I'm definitely loving my new V281, but that upcoming price would have made me look harder at some other options out there. On the other hand, if the market is supporting it, can't begrudge success.

 

[mulder01]

  Thanks for the heads-up!  Will Lake People products (G-103/G-109) go up in price, too?

 
No, just the 3 amps.
 
You actually quoted the answer to your question

 

[sugarshark]

  That does seem like a fairly hefty price increase. I'm definitely loving my new V281, but that upcoming price would have made me look harder at some other options out there. On the other hand, if the market is supporting it, can't begrudge success.

 
i finally got to demo a V281 today. sounded fantastic. Actually the V200 sounded great as well, but the 281 just had more authority on the balanced output. I came very close to buying it but decided to take the weekend to think it over instead.
 
i agree re price rise though, it's borderline for me currently, i'm not interested in paying higher. In australia we are about to get hit with another price rise due to currency fluctionations. Don't know how much it will go up exactly but i'd guess vc2 will go from current AUD$3050 to probably close to AUD$3800 when both come into effect...

 

[saxelrod92]

   
i finally got to demo a V281 today. sounded fantastic. Actually the V200 sounded great as well, but the 281 just had more authority on the balanced output. I came very close to buying it but decided to take the weekend to think it over instead.
 
i agree re price rise though, it's borderline for me currently, i'm not interested in paying higher. In australia we are about to get hit with another price rise due to currency fluctionations. Don't know how much it will go up exactly but i'd guess vc2 will go from current AUD$3050 to probably close to AUD$3800 when both come into effect...

Honestly I have been with the amp since it first came out in North America, and after all this time, and using a good selection of the high end headphones out today, I really can't see any logical reason to want another amp for a good long time. Unless you're into tube rolling. I would advise picking it up before the prices go up.

 

[TomNC]

@ saxelrod92
 
I read that the V281's sound signature is on the warm side. With your LCD-2, do you feel the amp makes it a bit too warm?
 
Have you ever just got a chance to listen to any Cavalli Liquid amp? I wonder how the V281 differs from the Cavalli in sound.
 
The upcoming price rise of the v281 makes it more appealing to me now. Thanks.

 

[Viper2005]

  @ saxelrod92
 
I read that the V281's sound signature is on the warm side. With your LCD-2, do you feel the amp makes it a bit too warm?
 
Have you ever just got a chance to listen to any Cavalli Liquid amp? I wonder how the V281 differs from the Cavalli in sound.
 
The upcoming price rise of the v281 makes it more appealing to me now. Thanks.

 
I find it is quite a bit less warm than the V200 was.    There is definitely more to the top end on the v281.

 

[TomNC]

@ Viper2005
 
Thanks for your comment. That is a good thing to hear about the V281. Since you got the Ragnarok as well, how would do characterize their differences?

 

[saxelrod92]

  @ saxelrod92
 
I read that the V281's sound signature is on the warm side. With your LCD-2, do you feel the amp makes it a bit too warm?
 
Have you ever just got a chance to listen to any Cavalli Liquid amp? I wonder how the V281 differs from the Cavalli in sound.
 
The upcoming price rise of the v281 makes it more appealing to me now. Thanks.

I have not heard a cavalli amp yet, but the V281 definitely does not sound warm to me. its pretty much dead neutral, slightly organic. If it was warm then the hd800, and he-560 I tested using this amp would not have sounded the way they are supposed to sound (hd800 bright, but full, he-560 neutral but hollow). and lcd-2 sounds exactly like an lcd-2 sounds. I have the pre-fazor version though, and am selling it because it was too laidback. I either will stick with the alpha primes right now, or return them, and just get the fazor lcd-2. Either way, the amp doesnt feel like it imparts a sound signature at all. I honestly feel like I'm listening to my dac, and then the audio source more than anything. The amp kinda just disappears, but is always effortlessly doing its job with high levels of quality. I'd say, and it seems others have also said, that this is a great all rounder amp. If just want an amp that will do everything, extremely well, no matter what, this is it. Only specific situations, when you want a specific coloration, would warrant some other amp. I will say it definitely gave me piece of mind when I got this amp, and I dont feel any reason to spend more money on anything for a long time. It just works, thats the best praise I can give it lol.

 

[TomNC]

@ Saxelrod92
 
Thanks for your input, which makes the V281 even more attractive.

 

[mulder01]

   
i finally got to demo a V281 today. sounded fantastic. Actually the V200 sounded great as well, but the 281 just had more authority on the balanced output. I came very close to buying it but decided to take the weekend to think it over instead.
 
i agree re price rise though, it's borderline for me currently, i'm not interested in paying higher. In australia we are about to get hit with another price rise due to currency fluctionations. Don't know how much it will go up exactly but i'd guess vc2 will go from current AUD$3050 to probably close to AUD$3800 when both come into effect...

 
I got my v281 a couple of months ago as part of a package deal and paid in the low 2000's (AUD).  
 
If you wait until next year and pay the retail price for the top model, all that you'll get for your extra $1500ish is a better volume knob (which is unnecessary IMO).  I'd jump on it now if you can.

 

[project86]

It's never fun to see a price increase, but I gotta say it does make sense. I've thought the V281 was underpriced right from the start. It was slightly less expensive than the Auralic Taurus for example, and now it is slightly more than that device (but not by much). Meanwhile Violectric doesn't have the benefit of cheaper labor - they build it all in Germany. The two units are vaguely similar in complexity so it seems like a fair comparison. 

 

[Xenophon]

I don't know but at these price levels and if you think you really need all that power, I'd seriously consider a low power, low noise speaker amp to drive my headphones or efficient speakers.  I still own a V200 but for my HE-6 (and HD-800) I also use a FirstWatt F5 clone speaker amp.  Built for around 1k EUR.  Of course, no volume control on the unit so you'd need a passive pre or good dac volume control and you don't have a remote.  Oodles of power, very low noise floor and a VERY clean, quick sound (in fact more neutral than my V200, perhaps too neutral for enjoyment by some) at a fraction of the price.
 
Depends of what one wants I suppose.  Anyway, I'd still like to audition a V281 but my last effort stranded when a shop assistant told me they didn't ave the unit (which I booked for auditioning) available.  Unfortunately after I drove 250 km to get there.

 

[Viper2005]

  @ Viper2005
 
Thanks for your comment. That is a good thing to hear about the V281. Since you got the Ragnarok as well, how would do characterize their differences?

 
Still trying to articulate my thoughts on the two.  But my impression so far is, that the Rag is smooth.  Very smooth.  I find the 281's new top end can be strident at times, giving slight sibilance to poorly mastered songs where I don't hear that sibilance on the Rag.  Iggy Azalea's album "The New Classic"  is a prime example of this.  I'm not sure if I can say the very top end of the Rag is rolled off, but it sounds like it.  The 281 seems overall warmer though, there is definitely more there in the lower mids and bass.  The Rag sounds a bit leaner in that regard, but digs deeper into the lowest of the bass, if that makes any sense...  anyways I still need more time to listen, and I will come back with a better comparison!
(FYI the comparison was done with Yulong DA8 DAC on the Rag, and I tried both the DA8 and the internal DAC (coax) on the V281.  Headphone used was LCD-X.  I've not done any critical listening with the HD800 yet)