[mvule]

I tried my RME w/out the V281 as I was contemplating selling it. While the RME sound was 'good' (left my 800s custom EQ alone), when I went back to the 281 I saw a marked increase in warmth, soundstage/depth, etc. that I think I'll just keep the V281.

I was impressed with the RME compared to the V281 tonally, but of course the V281 has more depth, a blacker background and tremendous bass (bass quality, usually tightness, being my main argument for using a separate headphone amp).

 

[jonathan c]

I tried my RME w/out the V281 as I was contemplating selling it. While the RME sound was 'good' (left my 800s custom EQ alone), when I went back to the 281 I saw a marked increase in warmth, soundstage/depth, etc. that I think I'll just keep the V281.**

** Good decision! Besides: once relinquished, not likely seen again .

 

[Bazaar]

I was impressed with the RME compared to the V281 tonally, but of course the V281 has more depth, a blacker background and tremendous bass (bass quality, usually tightness, being my main argument for using a separate headphone amp).

totally agree on the bass...for me being able to 'hear' the bass vs. 'feel' it, is a huge plus. The V281 sure does make an improvement.

** Good decision! Besides: once relinquished, not likely seen again .

Ha ha, I think you're right

 

[milkdudd]

I think I'll just keep the V281.

You realize that anytime one of us does this, we break the heart of a would-be buyer

 

[Pharmaboy]

You realize that anytime one of us does this, we break the heart of a would-be buyer

 

[jonathan c]

A few months ago, I was very lucky to find and purchase a virtually unused HPA V281: after a 1-1/2 to 2 year search. -> ->

 

[Pharmaboy]

A few months ago, I was very lucky to find and purchase a virtually unused HPA V281: after a 1-1/2 to 2 year search. -> ->

And left in your wake: wailing, gnashing of teeth, and rending of garments.

 

[jonathan c]

And left in your wake: wailing, gnashing of teeth, and rending of garments.

… in the seventh circle of solid-state mediocrity … ….

[Hieronymus Bosch: 1504]

 

[milkdudd]

Is the lady in this video Anne Elk, noted dinosaur expert?

 

[tezla7]

Bought a Chord Hugo TT2 yesterday to upgrade a Chord Mojo 2. Hopefully the TT2 goes through because no contact from the eBay seller so far and it's feeling a bit too good to be true

Sure enough- an eBay scam. Phoned up eBay to double check it because it seemed a tiny tiny bit scammy. They said it looked fine. Bought it. No response. No response 2 days later after sending 4 messages. I phone up eBay another 2 times to say I think I'm being scammed, they just said- wait and see if it gets delivered. This morning at 3am a fake spoofed delivery code showing item delivered 2 days previous. Phone up eBay- ok we'll put it through as not received, tell me to wait another 3 days...
I'm supposedly triple protected- eBay protection, paypal and credit card protection, nevertheless- you don't need me to tell you folks but, just be extra careful. Thought they'd just give me the money back straight away but no, I think it's going to be some messing about.

This was an eBay account with over 5000 feedback rating. I think it was a hacked/spoofed account. The tiny tell tale signs were copied photos from another auction (some, not all) and copied text from another auction. Despite me phoning up and telling eBay all this- they still said it all looked fine and said don't worry you're protected.

Scams always sound obvious when you explain them to people, but they don't work if there is no skill to it. I studied the photos before buying, they were varied and must have been taken from more than one auction, they've been running this scam a while because the serial number and matching box code went back further than 6 months- so there was no other images to find in completed listings archive- ie they looked real and unique and all the lighting looked the same across all photos. I also think they spoofed/racked up a high level of followers on the auction because it went up to something like 18 watchers, in only maybe 6 hours. And now reflecting- yes the price was good but, Chord increased their retail on the TT2 by £1000 recently. The used prices have also jumped in proportion. But..... I've been watching this DAC for over a year so, were those TT2 sold back then 6 months ago- also part of the same scam? Very hard to say. Like I said, these things don't work if there isn't some skill to it.

Keen audio market in the UK- none of this is particularly unusual by itself, sometimes lazy people copy photos and text when making genuine sales. But all together- hopefully this can build up your defences against a future scam.

I was on eBay looking at cameras and there's loads of scams on the cameras but these are much more obvious ones. In the UK on eBay they also removed the seller ability to block low feedback buyers so sellers are also now more vulnerable too.

If you've never been scammed then good for you but, having travelled a lot when I was younger I learnt (or rationalised) that everyone will get got at some point. The important thing is not to repeat the same mistake, to take it as a valuable lesson, learn and/or share that lesson. A friend and I got took by a masterful elaborate scam in Morocco when I was about 20 years old. We were destroyed after 5 days of constant travel from Barcelona with virtually no sleep. This guy took us to their home during Ramadan, had a huge meal all cooked and prepared, we ate like kings right when it got dark, then took us to a store, we bought stuff at highly inflated prices, then he got us in a taxi and paid to send us back to the station. Probably did us both for about £100/200 each, maybe less. I kept the crap purchases as reminders of the lesson. There were details. One priceless one- the guy said, Marrakech is closed ie you have to buy at the store now, because everything will be closed for Ramadan in Marrakech. Anytime anyone says a very large area is closed, regardless of the occasion- be suspicious.

Sure enough in Beijing many years later some folks tried the same scam that got pulled on us in Morocco- a guy said the whole Great Wall of China was closed so we had to take their bus to get to it. I called bull, walked up above the overpass and we got on the real bus to Badaling- our whole group avoided the scam and our Chinese tour guide realised afterwards on the bus that otherwise we would have fallen for it, paid double and spent an extra 4 hours on the fake bus.
10 years later a guy tried a similar scam in Istanbul- which I also avoided.

So trust your instincts and if it seems too good to be true, it's probably a scam. If you still think you might go for it- make sure you're protected as much as possible and still think twice. I wanted a TT2 to feed a V281 and I've been looking for at least a year. I wanted it a bit too much and I've never got quite enough money for these things so I'm always looking hard for a bargain. Lessons learnt.

Sorry for the essay and epic digression but, you can always skip it and if it helps anyone then it was worth writing. People don't like to admit they were scammed but as I've said, better to be humble and accept/share the lesson, because thinking you're invulnerable and too clever for it to ever happen to you- good luck with that.

 

[Relaxasaurus]

Sure enough- an eBay scam. Phoned up eBay to double check it because it seemed a tiny tiny bit scammy. They said it looked fine. Bought it. No response. No response 2 days later after sending 4 messages. I phone up eBay another 2 times to say I think I'm being scammed, they just said- wait and see if it gets delivered. This morning at 3am a fake spoofed delivery code showing item delivered 2 days previous. Phone up eBay- ok we'll put it through as not received, tell me to wait another 3 days...
I'm supposedly triple protected- eBay protection, paypal and credit card protection, nevertheless- you don't need me to tell you folks but, just be extra careful. Thought they'd just give me the money back straight away but no, I think it's going to be some messing about.

This was an eBay account with over 5000 feedback rating. I think it was a hacked/spoofed account. The tiny tell tale signs were copied photos from another auction (some, not all) and copied text from another auction. Despite me phoning up and telling eBay all this- they still said it all looked fine and said don't worry you're protected.

Scams always sound obvious when you explain them to people, but they don't work if there is no skill to it. I studied the photos before buying, they were varied and must have been taken from more than one auction, they've been running this scam a while because the serial number and matching box code went back further than 6 months- so there was no other images to find in completed listings archive- ie they looked real and unique and all the lighting looked the same across all photos. I also think they spoofed/racked up a high level of followers on the auction because it went up to something like 18 watchers, in only maybe 6 hours. And now reflecting- yes the price was good but, Chord increased their retail on the TT2 by £1000 recently. The used prices have also jumped in proportion. But..... I've been watching this DAC for over a year so, were those TT2 sold back then 6 months ago- also part of the same scam? Very hard to say. Like I said, these things don't work if there isn't some skill to it.

Keen audio market in the UK- none of this is particularly unusual by itself, sometimes lazy people copy photos and text when making genuine sales. But all together- hopefully this can build up your defences against a future scam.

I was on eBay looking at cameras and there's loads of scams on the cameras but these are much more obvious ones. In the UK on eBay they also removed the seller ability to block low feedback buyers so sellers are also now more vulnerable too.

If you've never been scammed then good for you but, having travelled a lot when I was younger I learnt (or rationalised) that everyone will get got at some point. The important thing is not to repeat the same mistake, to take it as a valuable lesson, learn and/or share that lesson. A friend and I got took by a masterful elaborate scam in Morocco when I was about 20 years old. We were destroyed after 5 days of constant travel from Barcelona with virtually no sleep. This guy took us to their home during Ramadan, had a huge meal all cooked and prepared, we ate like kings right when it got dark, then took us to a store, we bought stuff at highly inflated prices, then he got us in a taxi and paid to send us back to the station. Probably did us both for about £100/200 each, maybe less. I kept the crap purchases as reminders of the lesson. There were details. One priceless one- the guy said, Marrakech is closed ie you have to buy at the store now, because everything will be closed for Ramadan in Marrakech. Anytime anyone says a very large area is closed, regardless of the occasion- be suspicious.

Sure enough in Beijing many years later some folks tried the same scam that got pulled on us in Morocco- a guy said the whole Great Wall of China was closed so we had to take their bus to get to it. I called bull, walked up above the overpass and we got on the real bus to Badaling- our whole group avoided the scam and our Chinese tour guide realised afterwards on the bus that otherwise we would have fallen for it, paid double and spent an extra 4 hours on the fake bus.
10 years later a guy tried a similar scam in Istanbul- which I also avoided.

So trust your instincts and if it seems too good to be true, it's probably a scam. If you still think you might go for it- make sure you're protected as much as possible and still think twice. I wanted a TT2 to feed a V281 and I've been looking for at least a year. I wanted it a bit too much and I've never got quite enough money for these things so I'm always looking hard for a bargain. Lessons learnt.

Sorry for the essay and epic digression but, you can always skip it and if it helps anyone then it was worth writing. People don't like to admit they were scammed but as I've said, better to be humble and accept/share the lesson, because thinking you're invulnerable and too clever for it to ever happen to you- good luck with that.

This is why I only buy from reputable scammers based in Newark, NJ.

J/k sorry to hear ebay is giving you the runaround, I've definitely been there many years ago. But it's odd that an account with 5000 reviews is giving you grief!

 

[tezla7]

This is why I only buy from reputable scammers based in Newark, NJ.

lol

But it's odd that an account with 5000 reviews is giving you grief!

and an eBay member since 2001. Higher quality of scam, most likely a hacked or spoofed account. Even generating a genuinely spoofed delivery code ie, the delivery code has delivery data from Fedex website and independent tracking services. Sorry to hear about your runarounds, I'm sure folks have a lot of stories. I think a lot of organised crime went online and got more sophisticated. Some of it anyway.

What DACs are people feeding their V281s?
I have tinnitus and have ended up finding that I just prefer Chord DACs and they're quite a bit cheaper in the UK than other countries. Chord DAC with a separate Class A SS amp or tubes, I find them a bit dry straight from the DAC. I gave up on tubes after all the faff and hassle. V281 is a perfect balance.

 

[milkdudd]

What DACs are people feeding their V281s?

I'm using a Gustard A22 DAC with their C18 clock and U18 DDC attached. All with purple fuses. Using an i2s cable between DDC and DAC. Mostly using the V281 as a preamp but sometimes headphones. To say I'm extremely pleased would be an understatement, although I don't know what's higher praise than extremely pleased Flabbergasted perhaps?

Edit: I know. Gobsmacked

 

[Bazaar]

What DACs are people feeding their V281s?

using an RME , w/ 800s EQ...

 

[Pharmaboy]

What DACs are people feeding their V281s?

MHDT Labs Orchid