A nice surprise at the Munich High End show (2022) was the launch of the brand new Violectric amplifiers the V222 and V202.
Two prototypes (but in their final and working form) were available for auditioning at the Violectric/CMA place.
Mr. Fried Riem himself was there to explain everything and answer all my questions.
The V222 and V202 are the reincarnation of the legendary V280 and V200.
And I am writing reincarnation rather a successor because as Mr. Fried explained the amplifier circuit is exactly the same with the previous models.
Minor tweaks are made here and there.
When I asked him about the sound signature he explained that the new models are similarly voiced to the originals without any noticable differences.
A brief listening at the show instantly reminded me the old favorite and beloved V280 sound signature.
Of course there are other significant improvements.
The form factor has the new Violectric design and one major improvement is the inclusion of an input switch at the front face.
Old members would certainly remember that in the V280/200 you couldn't select between the XLR or the RCA input.
RCA had the priority so you couldn't use XLR and RCA at the same time and you had to unplug RCA in order to use the XLR.
Other technical highlights are:
The HPA V202 offers:
- 2 stereo inputs, balanced via XLR, unbalanced via RCA
- inputs switchable on the front panel
- +/- 18 dB Pre-Gain for a perfect match of the HPA V202 between source and headphones
- Volume control with Alps RK 27 attenuator
- big 38 mm massive aluminum knob
- powerful stereo amplifier
- 2700 mW Pmax into 50 Ohm
- 18,5 V RMS into 600 Ohm
- Delayed coupling of the headphones to the amp after power-on
- Headphone outputs: 1 x Pentaconn, unbal. / 1 x ¼” jack, unbal.
- built-in power supply with toroidal transformer
- 22.000 uF filter capacity
The HPA V222 offers:
- 2 stereo inputs, balanced via XLR, unbalanced via RCA
- inputs switchable on the front panel
- +/- 18 dB Pre-Gain for a perfect match of the HPA V202 between source and headphones
- Volume control with Alps RK 27 attenuator
- big 38 mm massive aluminum knob
- powerful balanced stereo amplifier (4 power stages)
- 3500 mW Pmax into 50 Ohm
- 23.2 V RMS into 600 Ohm
- Delayed coupling of the headphones to the amp after power-on
- Headphone outputs: 1 x Pentaconn, bal., 1 x 4-pin XLR, bal., 1 x ¼” jack, unbal.
- built-in power supply with toroidal transformer
- 22.000 uF filter capacity
The two amplifiers will be available at about August and you should definitely except a review.
I saved for last the best, prices.
The V222 is €1199 and the V202 is €899 so it is the most affordable Violectric amplifier but still hand made in Germany.
Thank you very much Mr. Fried
PS - he also told me a secret about the....
Two prototypes (but in their final and working form) were available for auditioning at the Violectric/CMA place.
Mr. Fried Riem himself was there to explain everything and answer all my questions.
The V222 and V202 are the reincarnation of the legendary V280 and V200.
And I am writing reincarnation rather a successor because as Mr. Fried explained the amplifier circuit is exactly the same with the previous models.
Minor tweaks are made here and there.
When I asked him about the sound signature he explained that the new models are similarly voiced to the originals without any noticable differences.
A brief listening at the show instantly reminded me the old favorite and beloved V280 sound signature.
Of course there are other significant improvements.
The form factor has the new Violectric design and one major improvement is the inclusion of an input switch at the front face.
Old members would certainly remember that in the V280/200 you couldn't select between the XLR or the RCA input.
RCA had the priority so you couldn't use XLR and RCA at the same time and you had to unplug RCA in order to use the XLR.
Other technical highlights are:
The HPA V202 offers:
- 2 stereo inputs, balanced via XLR, unbalanced via RCA
- inputs switchable on the front panel
- +/- 18 dB Pre-Gain for a perfect match of the HPA V202 between source and headphones
- Volume control with Alps RK 27 attenuator
- big 38 mm massive aluminum knob
- powerful stereo amplifier
- 2700 mW Pmax into 50 Ohm
- 18,5 V RMS into 600 Ohm
- Delayed coupling of the headphones to the amp after power-on
- Headphone outputs: 1 x Pentaconn, unbal. / 1 x ¼” jack, unbal.
- built-in power supply with toroidal transformer
- 22.000 uF filter capacity
The HPA V222 offers:
- 2 stereo inputs, balanced via XLR, unbalanced via RCA
- inputs switchable on the front panel
- +/- 18 dB Pre-Gain for a perfect match of the HPA V202 between source and headphones
- Volume control with Alps RK 27 attenuator
- big 38 mm massive aluminum knob
- powerful balanced stereo amplifier (4 power stages)
- 3500 mW Pmax into 50 Ohm
- 23.2 V RMS into 600 Ohm
- Delayed coupling of the headphones to the amp after power-on
- Headphone outputs: 1 x Pentaconn, bal., 1 x 4-pin XLR, bal., 1 x ¼” jack, unbal.
- built-in power supply with toroidal transformer
- 22.000 uF filter capacity
The two amplifiers will be available at about August and you should definitely except a review.
I saved for last the best, prices.
The V222 is €1199 and the V202 is €899 so it is the most affordable Violectric amplifier but still hand made in Germany.
Thank you very much Mr. Fried
PS - he also told me a secret about the....
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that the ‘secret’ be a user-replaceable fuse held by a clip rather than soldered in.
