CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

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Author Topic: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)  (Read 5493 times)

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Marvey

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #40 on: June 24, 2015, 05:18:58 PM »
They are going in the right direction. I can see V281 being a good match with a lot of the T50RP mod headphones (Alpha Dog excepted) or Audezes.
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Deep Funk

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #41 on: June 24, 2015, 05:28:17 PM »
I read the review on IF. That is a bulky amplifier.

The price though, maybe it is weight thing?
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gogogasgas

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #42 on: June 25, 2015, 01:08:52 PM »
Purr1n: Did the V281 you tried at the shows have the underwhelming onboard DAC or was it being fed by another DAC/source? If it was the onboard DAC, yep, that would be bright. I had that, or a similar board, for about a minute as a stop-gap option until I got a better DAC. Very ordinary, to be polite.

Zach915m: Thanks for your comments on the V281. I've read elsewhere that its single ended headphone operation is quite inferior to the balanced performance. Do you connect the DACs you mention via XLR or RCAs? The differences between the DACs could be partly explained by balanced Vs single ended operation/connection (aside from the differences between the DACs). Are you using dynamic or planar headphones?

Also, anyone tried the German T&A DACs? (quite a German-Fest, eh?)
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Marvey

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #43 on: June 25, 2015, 03:51:14 PM »
Copied from HF from a long while ago. These notes are much better since my memory fails me. In general, I won't make comments unless I am sure I know all variables (recordings down to the master, DAC, etc.) and can compensate. There was also a Stratus there for another point for triangulation. Usually, when I don't like something, I try not to be too specific. Then I asked more questions, and the worse the verdict gets. Really, I just want folks to live in bliss with their V281s...

The V281 is probably the best amp Violelectric has made, a significant improvement over the V200 in terms of clarity, attack, dynamics, resolution, etc. However it does not compare to the Ragnarok. I found the V281 on the strident side though with some sibilance; but its not analytical or uninvolving sounding. This was definitely a change form the V200 which is kind of laid back - maybe too much dynamically. I would have found the V281 very enjoyable had it not been strident sounding.

The V281 does not have the low-end balls, the smokey mids, or slippery smooth treble of the Rag though. The V281 also doesn't have near the resolving and microdynamic capabilities of the Rag either. I heard the V281 with the Hugo and PSA DSD, so take that into consideration (the Hugo has better tonal balance than the PSA, the PSA was smoother).

I know I got crap for saying the GS-X mk2 isn't in the same league as the Rag, but the V281 really isn't in the same league. If Rag is pro, V281 is high-school.

P.S. I realized you have a BA. Using BA as context, Rag may keep you happy, even though it is a different sound from BA. V281 will not keep you happy. I hope that makes sense.

V200 Changstar Proper Price Point: worthless. float down the LA river.
V281 Changstar Proper Price Point: $279
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Priidik

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #44 on: June 25, 2015, 10:18:31 PM »
Quote from: purr1n on June 25, 2015, 03:51:14 PM

V200 Changstar Proper Price Point: worthless. float down the LA river.
V281 Changstar Proper Price Point: $279
CPPP could make for a fun topic.
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takato14

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #45 on: June 26, 2015, 06:30:52 PM »
Quote from: Priidik on June 25, 2015, 10:18:31 PM
CPPP could make for a fun topic.
+80

maybe anax will oblige...
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Anaxilus

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #46 on: June 26, 2015, 06:45:25 PM »
I might be a bad choice. I expect a half-decent sounding DAP to cost $99, not $999.
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takato14

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #47 on: June 26, 2015, 06:56:44 PM »
Quote from: Anaxilus on June 26, 2015, 06:45:25 PM
I might be a bad choice. I expect a half-decent sounding DAP to cost $99, not $999.
You think like me.

Besides, purrin can't do it any more due to his merv-of-trade status.
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gogogasgas

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #48 on: June 27, 2015, 12:04:28 PM »
Interesting observations on the V281 - thanks. One of the other posters mentioned a Lake People headphone amp, which prompts me to ask: opinions on the Lake People G109P (i.e. the balanced version of the G109)?
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GoldfishX

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Re: VIOLECTRIC - where is the love? (V200 Amp and V800 and soon V850 + More)
« Reply #49 on: June 27, 2015, 10:38:20 PM »
I got burned on the V200 when looking for an amp to "tame" the HD800. It was just put all the music I ran through it to sleep, regardless of genre or headphone used. It also did funny things to the tonal colors (like listening to black and white recordings, if that makes sense) No other amp has ever duplicated that effect. It had me questioning my hearing at one point. That CPPP seems accurate to me. Shame, the build seemed decent. I loved the looks of the thing (blue light on a black front = sexy)

This is another of those "Head-Fi Darlings" that no one over there seems to criticize.
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