[jerick70]

The Elekit TU-8500 tube preamp looks like a big winner. The only issue is it's SE only. If you need a balanced preamp look elsewhere.

http://www.elekit.co.jp/en/product/TU-8500

 

[Ragnar-BY]

My chain is as follows:
I stumbled onto the Violectric PRE V630 for a very good price - I ended up ordering one

It would be interesting to hear your impressions.

By the way, I suggest you to think about Violectric amp. Can`t say anything about their preamps, but all V2xx amplifiers are really great.

 

[13713]

My chain is as follows:
Fiio X3 > coaxial out (bypassing its dac) > Schiit modi multibit > Schiit Jotunheim > Yamaha HS8 powered monitors.
Or Jot > Sennheiser HD600s
Vinyl: Rega RP6 > Jot phono module > HS8s or HD600s

I'm currently using the Jot as both a headphone amp and the preamp to my powered monitors via balanced outs. I read in a review that using Schitt Saga is significantly better than the Jot as a preamp so was considering getting one mainly for use with my monitors but then I stumbled onto the Violectric PRE V630 for a very good price - I ended up ordering one after researching Violectric/Lake People and after asking their CEO Fried some questions. He was most helpful.

The V281 seems to get good reviews as a preamp but there isn't much info on the V630.

Nice let me know what you think of it. Good to see a fellow vinyl user!

My vinyl setup is: Sota Nova > VP600 > V281 > HD800 (originals no mod). I absolutely love it but it is an aquired taste for sure. How do you like your Rega? I was lookng at Rega or a Project as a secondary TT.

 

[fenstr]

It would be interesting to hear your impressions.

By the way, I suggest you to think about Violectric amp. Can`t say anything about their preamps, but all V2xx amplifiers are really great.

I would seriously consider a Violectric headphone amp if I didn't already own the Jotunheim. It's a great amp and the phono module that came with it is exceptional value.

V281 owners may have all the preamp / headphone amp qualities that they need in one little box without need for separates.

 

[fenstr]

Nice let me know what you think of it. Good to see a fellow vinyl user!

My vinyl setup is: Sota Nova > VP600 > V281 > HD800 (originals no mod). I absolutely love it but it is an aquired taste for sure. How do you like your Rega? I was lookng at Rega or a Project as a secondary TT.

I love my Rega - I've had no problems with it and no complaints. I can only recommend them based on my positive experience. I thoroughly enjoy the music that comes from it. I may upgrade the cartridge in it one day as a relatively inexpensive upgrade. Aside from that I get the feeling that I'd have to spend a whole lot more for minor gains in sound quality.

Your Sota Nova looks like a serious piece of equipment. Do you use the V281 only for headphones or do you also utilise its preamp for speakers?

 

[13713]

I love my Rega - I've had no problems with it and no complaints. I can only recommend them based on my positive experience. I thoroughly enjoy the music that comes from it. I may upgrade the cartridge in it one day as a relatively inexpensive upgrade. Aside from that I get the feeling that I'd have to spend a whole lot more for minor gains in sound quality.

Your Sota Nova looks like a serious piece of equipment. Do you use the V281 only for headphones or do you also utilise its preamp for speakers?

Only for headphones.

 

[Luke Thomas]

On a different note. Could someone suggest a reasonably priced dac to pair with the violectric amp. Im afraid my dragonfly red does not do the amp justice.

 

[13713]

On a different note. Could someone suggest a reasonably priced dac to pair with the violectric amp. Im afraid my dragonfly red does not do the amp justice.

It would help if there is a price range. The definition of reasonably priced varies widely especially in niche hobby communities.

 

[Luke Thomas]

It would help if there is a price range. The definition of reasonably priced varies widely especially in niche hobby communities.

Oh so true. Id like to say the least expensive one worth buying, I don't believe id spend more than $1000.

 

[13713]

Oh so true. Id like to say the least expensive one worth buying, I don't believe id spend more than $1000.

At that price point there are options. Schiit is always good and you can even look around and with a little patience you could possibly find a V850 used at the top of that budget.

 

[jerick70]

Oh so true. Id like to say the least expensive one worth buying, I don't believe id spend more than $1000.

The RME ADI-2 paired really well with my V281. If you don't need DSD the XMOS addin DAC was by far the best match of all the DACs I tried with the V281.

 

[Luke Thomas]

Thx, MQA option could be nice.

 

[jerick70]

Thx, MQA option could be nice.

All of the MQA capable DACs that I own didn't sound to my liking with the V281. I have an iFi Micro iDSD BL. The rest of the DACs under $1000, that do MQA, I'm not familiar with so couldn't tell you what pairs well or not.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I don't have MQA files & have no real interest in upgrading hardware to accommodate MQA (just my 2 cents).

Having said that, all the MQA-capable DACs I know of are delta-sigma designs. Which would be an issue for me, since my preference is multi-bit, specifically NOS multi-bit (I have 2 multi-bit DACs, one of them NOS).

• And the V281 w/either of those DACs sound so fine

Even if I had any interest in MQA, I'd probably choose the manifest sonic qualities of multibit & NOS over a new file variant.

(priorities)

 

[cj3209]

All of the MQA capable DACs that I own didn't sound to my liking with the V281. I have an iFi Micro iDSD BL. The rest of the DACs under $1000, that do MQA, I'm not familiar with so couldn't tell you what pairs well or not.

I use my SP1000 Cu (MQA-capable) balanced out to the V281 XLR inputs and the sound is very good to my ears. Digital out via the SP1000 to the V281 DAC is hit or miss for me...