Can't help you with the Vios (never heard either)--but have to say, that's a terrific name!
Speaking of Violectric, tonight's listening will do a head-to-head comparison of the really wonderful Violectric V280 (can't say enough about that one) vs the Wells Milo. The headphone will be the OG Final D8000 w/the LE's washi pads (which give it the best sound I ever heard from this headphone). Looking forward to finding the usual subtle but meaningful sonic differences.
I've had the V222 for just short of a month, and today my Cyan 2 arrived. So far I'm liking the pairing a *lot*. There's a smoothness combined with an additional detail that surprised me a little, especially since I would typically think of those two qualities as being forces that would pull against one another. Granted, there's the whole "new gear" effect that has probably added a little bit of shine.
I don't want to detract from the goodness that is the Geshelli J3 w/Sparkos 2590s + Erish3, but so far I haven't felt any urge to switch back to that combo. I probably will at some point, just for the sake of some variety, but I'm really liking the Cyan 2 + V222 with all my headphones regardless of dynamic vs planar, or high vs low impedance. This combo seems to make everything I hook up to it shine. I think that's in no small part to the V222, which seems to effortlessly adjust to whatever is plugged in to it.
For context, I'm only using the balanced output on the V222. I did hook up the 6.35mm just out of curiosity with my HD6XX, and it was perfectly fine. I've just been running balanced for long enough that it's my default.
As far as source goes, I'm using Roon in exclusive mode with PCM. I've fiddled around with DSD from time to time, and sent some through the Cyan 2 just to verify that it worked, but that's it.
As far as gain goes, I have the V222 -18db dip switch enabled. I'd read before that Geshelli gear tends to output lower voltage, and that definitely seems to be the case. At 0 gain on the V222, I put the J3 at medium gain, and typically adjust between 11 and 1 o'clock. With the Cyan 2, that shifted down to 8 and 10 o'clock. With the -18db setting, I'm back to the 11 and 1 o'clock.
Speaking of Violectric, tonight's listening will do a head-to-head comparison of the really wonderful Violectric V280 (can't say enough about that one) vs the Wells Milo.
Both the V280 & Wells Milo are excellent SS amps--very powerful. The Milo has even more than the V280, but both have plenty of pop for any headphone I've ever used. Both are slightly warm and very dynamic, with great bass. Neither one puts detail/"accuracy" above musicality.
But the V280, much like the V281, has a bit more resonant and space via the balanced output. By comparison, The Milo is slightly "flatter" in how it conveys space in the music and the recording. They both completely nail it with any planar, though the V280 wins by a nose with my only high impedance dynamic (the Verite Open, my favorite dynamic ever).
These are not large differences. It would be hard to make these distinctions without head-to-head listening with the same headphone on the same music. These amps definitely live in the same neighborhood.
Yes agreed. Start there and see how you like it. You might have to adjust the gain dip switches on the back of the V222 a little, but it has more than enough power for the Tungstens.
Yes agreed. Start there and see how you like it. You might have to adjust the gain dip switches on the back of the V222 a little, but it has more than enough power for the Tungstens.
It's a bit taller and longer than previous amps I have used, but it's not as wide. It's honestly not bad at all in my opinion. That's the Ferrum Wandla sized up against it.
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