Violectric V281 headphone amp - who is using it?

As @MagicBus pointed out to me in a text message for those of us who have the stepped relay version of the V281 it does not matter where our volume knob remains. There is no sweet spot as it does not function as a true potentiometer like the standard version. It simply triggers relays which then activate a formula of fixed resistors to determine the volume.

One more point of information with reference to balanced vs. unbalanced headphone cables. On a true balanced headphone cable terminated with a 4 pin xlr one CAN add a female xlr to male 1/4ā€ adapter cable and convert to single ended.

On a single ended headphone cable terminated with a 1/4ā€ one CANNOT add a female 1/4ā€ to 4 pin xlr adapter. You will damage your headphones

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Thanks for the reference. Iā€™m trying to order the Statement cable for HD800s to the 6.3mm stern headphone plug, but finding the website a PITA with no option for a 6.3mm plug!! And to make it worse, would you believe - no email address on the web site for inquiries!! Iā€™ll send if they reply to a Facebook message, but not too impressed at this stage.

@Mike_S, in the ā€˜Information - About Audio Sensibilityā€™ section you have all the contact details (postal adress, phone and email). They make the cable you want in the termination you need without problems, and they are serious. Contact them via email and, saved Covid themes and possible summer vacation, will attend to you without problems, sure. I did it like this from Spain, and in about 20 days it was all settled. The result is worth it, and the price, at least when I decided, very competitive.

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For what it might be worth.
After trying several setups each of course costing more than the last I ended up with a Trilogy931image
CD5x supported by Flatcap xs into Trilogy out to Focal Clears
I use this set up in my studio listening to mainly acoustic piano cds.
The volume dial rarely goes above 8 oā€™clock.Crystal piano sound.
No balanced output.
Hi if choice winner but violectric was not in the group tested.
Made in Britain. (If that is important)
Wish I could afford the 933 model.
N

Thanks, I see that now. Have you used the same cable type for the interconnect to your headphone amp?

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Not really, for the interconnect from the NuVista to the Violectric I opted for AudioQuest Sidney; I think it is good enough and the NuVista record out is single RCA, so no balanced, and I decided to do the single to balanced conversion through the Violectric.

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I have had a Trilogy 931 and now a 933. The first is good, but I am sorry to tell you that with good 'phones the 933 is quite special. One of those HFi products I have bought that actually defy the significant cost to be worth every penny.

Unlike the Violectric it doesnā€™t look very impressive and does not have a plethora of knobs, switches and connections so that clearly rules it out for many on this thread. In fact the 933 has no controls at all, only a basic remote! It just sounds magical with my headphones which is enough for me. I have never felt the need to look inside the cases either.

Bruce

It is very good and also pricey

'fraid so :grin:
I love how my V281 looks as much as how it sounds!
Shallow? Me?

I have thought about ā€œgoing upā€ to the 933 but wonder if my sources CD5x etc are really good enough.
If I do follow this route I will have to move away from aNaim CD player. This little system plays mainly cds that are not available for streaming.
I like the look of those Belcanto CD players.
We shall see what the future holds

N

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Balanced is better, mandatory if you own this amp. What a difference.

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@newcomer, Iā€™ve now have the Audio Sensibility Statement SE RCA interconnect from the NDX2 to the Heed Canalot and headphone leads for my HD800ā€s. I have been using them for a few weeks and the sound quality is simply stunning. Very neutral and organic with a dark noise floor, crisp detail and very low bass. Itā€™s very similar in presentation to the Superlumina I/C and speaker cables, so Iā€™m delighted.

Iā€™m very pleased with my purchase and the quality and service from Audio Sensibility. Thank you for the recommendation.

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Absolutely agree about using balanced output. ( Or is it bridged?). Anyway, always use my Focal Clear Pros via balanced and am now looking for a balanced cable for my Sennheiser HD 25ā€™s! If I can find one, it will most likely cost for than the headphones.

Picked mine up yesterday and first impressions after a very short listen are that it is powerful and controlled, if a little ā€œthickā€ sounding, but that could equally be the headphones. Not the best recording for evaluation (Imagine Dragons) and everything (amp, headphones and cables) is brand new so I have it running the Empyreans continuously and expect things will improve over the coming days, couple of weeks. I havenā€™t played with the gain yet and will have a proper listen later this evening.

Runs quite warm.

An unexpected bonus is that a ā€œFinal Editionā€ was supplied, with the fitted DAC. The dealer didnā€™t know there was a Final Edition, let alone that it was to be supplied. USB B is only good for connecting to a laptop as far as I can tell so Iā€™m not sure I will use it any time soon, but it does open up some relocation possibilities in the future.

Iā€™m glad that everything went well and that you are satisfied, and have been able to contribute to it; in headphone cables this company is really among the best. Enjoy them in health!

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Elfer,

Invest in a balanced cable for your headphones. The V281 sounds very different via the balanced output. I was shocked at the difference.

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Has anyone paired the Audeze LCD headphones with a V281 balanced output? I had an opportunity to listen to a friendā€™s Audeze LCD-MX headphones. Interesting contrast to the Focal Utopia. The LCDā€™s were more laid back, midā€™s and highā€™s were constrained however. The Focalā€™s were much more forward, brighter, detailed. The LCD-MX was less fatiguing thoughā€¦ made the Focalā€™s sound a bit hard and aggressive.

Makes me want to hear the Audeze via the balanced output on the V281ā€¦ that combo could be magic.

Iā€™ve my LCD-XC hooked to the V281ā€™s balanced output, and, as you anticipate, I think itĀ“s a magic nirvana set configuration.

Hi Chris,

I purchased the balanced cable upgrade from Meze with the headphones. Thats what I have connected at the moment, I havenā€™t tried the standard cable yet.

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I find the Empyreans can be picky on headphone amps, with some amps sounding slower than othersā€¦ they certainly prefer fast more powerful headphone amps and same to scale gorgeously though they donā€™t like amps providing added warmth. I also found the Empyreans opened wonderfully over a space of approx couple of hundred hours, and lost that low mid bass bleed that sometimes became audible in non run in Empyreans.
Finally I found the Meze silver plated OFC copper unbalanced leads work well with many ampsā€¦ they seem to become transparent like this with a good ampā€¦ so much so that background noise or a voice integrates with a track playing and vica versa that can be really be confusing and startling some times.

Currently using the TT2 headphone DAC/amp in high gain mode and unbalanced. That particular amp is more transparent unbalanced, but I do use its balanced output to drive actives which are not as insightful as the Empyreans.

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