Violectric V200: The German Solid State

Time sure does fly… I reviewed the V100 in November of last year and I absolutely loved it. The V200’s little brother turned out to be an awesome amp and that made lots of readers wonder how Violectric’s top of the line product would perform and so I promised to add a comparison between both amps. In the meantime 7 months and a couple seasons have passed before we got a hold of the V200. Don’t forget to go read the V100 review first to get the general picture of Violectric.

All the Violectric amps are still made by hand in Germany and with a typical German quality control. Combined with the fact that Violectric (being a smaller company) amongst other reasons can’t afford to buy huge stocks of components makes it tough for them to keep up with the increasing demand of V200s from all over the world. Orthodynamic headphones have been getting more popular lately and with the release of the Hifiman HE-400 at $399, the orthodynamic technology suddenly was available for a much bigger crowd. The HE-400 doesn’t really need amp like the Violectric to shine but my point is it seems the popularity of the Violectric lineup follows the same increasing popularity of the orthodynamics (and of course quality products make a name for themselves).

Anyway, I didn’t want to insist too much so I just waited till when Violectric had a unit available for us, in return I could keep the V100 till the V200 would arrive and in that time the V100 has been the amp I have been using most for my listening sessions. So anyway, apologies if it took a long time to get this review online (especially to Spencer who has been dying to read it!)

Differences between the V100 and the V200

Like the V100, the Violectric V200 also is an A/B Class amplifier with the exact same build quality and looks. (V100 weighs 1.7kg & V200 weighs 1.8kg, both mesure W 170 x H 49 x D226 mm). It has the same classy feet and identical double Neutrik plugs in front. If it wasn’t for the difference in the volume pot, which I will explain right below this paragraph, and the V100/V200 logo I wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. On the back, again the same balanced- and unbalanced inputs and pre gain jumpers.

A difference to the older units is the use of a new volume control since November 2011. The older versions used a normal ALPS RK27 volume pot while the new amplifiers come with a special made ALPS pot, slightly bigger and with a less slick grip, which shows best in the pictures (see bottom of article). This is what Violectric said about the volume control: “The volume control was changed to a 41 detent from Alps which is only made on demand. We like the detent feeling whilst turning because it has something to do with precision and eases repositioning to a specific level. Also the 41 detent matches the layout on the frontpanel. Every two steps a mark is hit. Please note that this is NOT a stepped volume control but still analog with infinite resolution. The new knob is an original Violectric design and manufactured only for us. It is solid aluminium as before but sightly bigger (25 to 23,5 mm) and higher (20 to 16 mm) thus using more material. It is glas blasted and the anodising quality is much better as it was before”.

In the beginning I preferred the “non-stepped” version of the V100 in my posession, because the dial was so smooth and easy to turn but now that I’ve been using the updated, “stepped” volume control for several weeks I have to say I find it even easier to use, I guess I’ve just become a fan of  this special made pot.  Don’t get me wrong because the popular volume pot Violectric used before, the ALPS RK27, is excellent too. (Violectric also confirmed other parts might change during time, to improve quality or because of stock related & availability reasons)

On the inside you get “better” components and 8 transistors per channel instead of 4 like with the V100. Two small signal BC546/BC556 and the power transistors 2SA1606/2SC4159, all driven by a non-inverting NE5534 op-amp. Like in our version of the V100 we did not ask for the supplementary USB DAC. As the overview in the picture gallery shows, the V200 has more power as the V100 except at 16 and 600Ohm. At 32 and 50Ohm, the V200 delivers respectively 0.3 and 0.5W more as the V100 does. The V100 was already quite powerful but the V200 has all the power you need (I didn’t try with a HE-6 but from what I read they can do the job).

The increase in power really is audible with the LCD-2, the HE-500 and even the easy to drive HE-400 (which I like more and more with the V200!). The amp lifts them all up to an even higher level as with the V100. In contradiction to the V100 I never used the first +6db gain setting on the V200, meaning you get 8db gain (2.5 factor) standard and a very big range on the volume control. (Personally I never went past 12 o’clock).

Sound Impressions

When I first connected the V200 straight out of the box I did not like it as much as the V100, it just didn’t sound as good and the bass was rather weak. I then stopped listening and let the amp burn in for 15-20 hours and in that time it changed quite a lot (or did my mind?). When I came back to the V200 the amp had opened up and the sound was simply awesome. While the sound signature is comparable to the V100 there are some significant differences. The V100 is the more neutral sounding amplifier of the two, that’s the biggest difference for me between the two. Detail retrieval on the V100 is already very good but the V200 does it even better. It is more precise and very dynamic, powerful sounding with good body and with great tonal balance.  It is even more balanced and its positioning is incredible. On top of that the sound is never harsh and is always smooth and musical.

The V200 has deeper bass extension and the bass overall is a bit tighter and punchier as with the V100, adding a little bit more detail too. The lower tones are great: the black background is awesome. When listening to Leonard Cohen you can hear the timbre and the tremble in his voice when he begins to talk/sing. I have had a lot of goose bump moments with the V200 listening to a whole lot of artists.

The mid section is smooth, warm and laid back but not overly warm, it’s a very balanced amp but it isn’t as neutral sounding as the V100 and does make you think of the tube sound even more, of course that depends on your definition of neutral. The treble on the V200 like everything else is smooth too, it’s never harsh and at the same time it is slightly rolled off. Its bass is further extended as the treble, something I can appreciate.

Overall, in conclusion, the amplifier to my ears isn’t the most neutral sounding one on the planet, it is more on the warmer side of the spectrum and it really does sound tube like, more so as the V100 does. Soundstage wise the V200, like it’s little brother, isn’t the widest and it is clear that the focus wasn’t on this during development. Don’t get me wrong, soundstage really  is good enough and the depth of it does make up for it. In exchange you get this wonderful package that will make you enjoy your music like never before.

Headphone Pairings

The Hifiman HE-500, which I said to be good but not great with the V100 is simply awesome with the V200. As we know they are a little bit more difficult to drive as the Audez’e ortho and I think it’s the first time I really got the full potential out of them, thanks to the extra power. The LCD-2 which already was incredible with the V100 is even better with the V200, the bass is very present, mids are the best and like the HE-500 I have never heard them this good before. It’s no wonder that everyone on the World Wide Web is raving about this combination. As I mentioned in the first Violectric review, the amplifier had no problem at all with any of the headphones used. The Sennheiser HD650 sounds very good with this amp although I still prefer it with a real tube amp like the Crack or the LaFigaro 339.

The V200 is the better version of the V100, and that one already was excellent. This one adds power, bass and overall detail and smoothness, but at the same time making it a little less neutral as the V100. I love the Violectric sound and they’re both very good amps and I could perfectly live with any of these two as my solid state amp. If I could choose and wasn’t on a budget I would go for the V200 for sure, it just is the best of both. If you want to get the best out of your hard to drive headphones, the Violectric models should definitely be on your short list, they are worth every single bit. The V200 is available from Violectric.de directly or from one of their distributers. Official price is €850 for Europeans and €714.29 worldwide (no VAT). Violectric is also working on a balanced headphone out unit…

 

Gear used for review: V100, V200, 339, HE-400, HE-500, LCD-2, HD650, T70, NFB-3, E10, Norse cables

 

violectric_v200_03 violectric_v200_02 violectric_v200_01

4/5 - (57 votes)
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Lieven is living in Europe and he's the leader of the gang. He's running Headfonia as a side project next to his full time day job in Digital Marketing & Consultancy. He's a big fan of tube amps and custom inear monitors and has published hundreds of product reviews over the years.

143 Comments

  • Reply June 27, 2012

    Spencer Chan

    LOL! Thanks for the shout-out! I ended up buying the V200 before the review; first purchase without a proper Headfonia review, but Lieven was awesome enough to talk thru it with me! =D

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      Mike

      Nice! I still have yet to listen to either Vios.

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      Cola Bear

      It would be great to read your comments on the V200. I have looked at that unit myself.

  • Reply June 27, 2012

    Kevin Kuk

    Nice L !! can’t wait for the next Headfonia review… The 339 Pls…

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      Mike

      Yea you gotta bug Lieven about that one. 😉

      • Reply June 27, 2012

        L.

        Only have to do the pictures of the 339

  • Reply June 27, 2012

    Julian Junishev

    I own V200 and I can describe it with one word – music. When litening to it I just forget about all boxes, wires and cans between me and music. It’s not warm but like live music, it’s musical. 🙂

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      Mike

      Thanks for sharing, Julian. Good to see people enjoying the Vio.

  • Reply June 27, 2012

    Claude Cabaj

    Damn, another glowing review for Violectric, It’s getting harder and harder to suppress my upgrade bug. Anyway, I was wondering if you had a chance to hear the V90 or Lake People’s amplifier line (G103 and G109), and hear how they fare compared to the V100/200.

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      L.

      I haven’t sorry, but a few guys on Head-fi have (did I just say that?)

  • Reply June 27, 2012

    Windsor McGilvray

    Thanks, Lieven –
    Did you try the V200 with the HD 800? 🙂

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      L.

      I don’t have the HD800 Windsor, I’m not a big fan of it’s sound. Sorry

  • Reply June 27, 2012

    Cola Bear

    I have the same quibble for all the dual-output amps I have seen so far: that is, I would like a separate volume control for each output. My wife and I like to listen to music together but use different headphones. It would allow us to listen at different preferred volume levels. I am surely not the only one with this desired functionality. I understand what it would entail to do properly but it is nonetheless a desired feature. Has anyone seen an amp with dual controls?

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      L.

      Or get 2 amps? Haven’t seen the dual controls yet as far as I can remember

    • Reply June 27, 2012

      Mike

      Cola,
      Your concern is valid. However the problem with implementing dual volume control is that usually the volume control is located right on the input signal path, right before the signal reaches the amplifier circuitry. With dual volume control not only do you have to split the signal parallel, but you also need to have two separate amplifier circuitry to handle the signal from there. That translates to almost double the space, power supply requirement, and parts cost.

      Some amps have low and high gain output jacks, and while that’s not as flexible as having two volume controls, it’s the only way to do dual output within a reasonable cost, I think.

  • Reply June 27, 2012

    spkrs01

    I have the V200 along with the V800. Simply fantastic!!!

    What is hardly mentioned about the V200 is that it is an extremely revealing and resolving amp and scales up tremendously with cable selection. I am running 15k+ worth of cables, i/c and power, around these two units and I have got them sounding, to my ears, stunning on the LCD-2 and the HE500 themselves on silver/gold hybrid cables.

    • Reply June 28, 2012

      L.

      My reply seems to have disappeared. Impressive setup! The V200 do is revealing, I’m sorry it wasn’t really specified in the review. I do suggest everyone reads the V100 review too, that will give you a better and more complete view of the V200

  • Reply June 28, 2012

    avl06

    Hi there, two questions – what do you think of the V200 with the T1? And what DAC would you pair it with? Have you heard the Violectric V800 DAC? Actually, that’s three questions 🙂

    • Reply June 28, 2012

      L.

      Hi, tough questions as I don’t have a T1, only a T70. so I have no clue about that or the Dac to pair it with. I haven’t listened to the V800 Dac yet, but it’s on the agenda. I’ve read nothing but good of it

      • Reply June 28, 2012

        avl06

        OK thanks. Re the HD650, what gain setting do you recommend using?

        • Reply June 29, 2012

          L.

          0 or even -6. certainly no extra gain

          • Reply June 30, 2012

            Spencer Chan

            +1 for zero, I found I had troubles controlling the volume at anything beyond zero… But for me -6 was not enough.

            • Reply June 30, 2012

              spkrs01

              I have been setting the pre-gain that allows the volume pot to be used at it’s sweet spot which is between 12-3 o’clock.

              The gain is at max on the V800 internally. When using XLR cables I had both the -6 and -12 switched on simultaneously, whilst with an RCA cable I am on Flat or -6 depending on Headphones
              At the same time I have ground lifted everything that can be internally on both the V200/V800 and also lifted the low pass filter on the volume pot.

  • Reply June 29, 2012

    Earfonia

    Excellent and Concise review!
    Did you have a chance to try their plug-in DAC (USB Input Option) ?
    Does it worth the money? The USB input option looks handy when we need 1 box setup. Thanks!

    • Reply June 29, 2012

      L.

      thank you! Both tested models were without the USB Dac, so I can’t judge its quality. It does look handy, but from what I’ve read most V200 users do have an external DAC.

  • Reply July 4, 2012

    Sung-Joon Kim

    Would you mind commenting the difference between V200 and Beta22?

    • Reply July 4, 2012

      L.

      I Haven’t listened to the B22 yet, sorry

    • Reply July 7, 2012

      Mike

      Sorry Lieven who has the Violectric amps have no access to a Beta22. I have no access to the Violectric amps.

  • Reply July 18, 2012

    Aravind Kumar

    Hi mike…great review there…
    Can you comment how it compares with the apex arete(without the volcano)…also have you tried the lake people G109/103…

    • Reply July 18, 2012

      Trent_D

      I believe L wrote this one.

      • Reply July 18, 2012

        Aravind Kumar

        oh sorry..my bad…i would like to direct the same query to Lieven

        • Reply July 22, 2012

          L.

          yes, sorry, can’t help here

    • Reply July 18, 2012

      Mike

      Yes, Lieven did this review, while I did the Apex review. So I guess it’s hard to make the comparison.

  • Reply July 23, 2012

    Brian Werner

    Mike do you know of any feedback on the $150 24/96 DAC add on for the Violectric? I’ve been looking at the Burson 160DS but also like the Violectric model. I am just curious how the DAC stacks up.

    • Reply August 10, 2012

      L.

      There have been some discussions on the built in dac on Head-fi but nothing that special came out. I think the main idea is to get an external dac (in the same price range, like the Violectric 800 dac)

      Personally I didn’t really like Burson’s built in dac, but that’s me

      • Reply August 11, 2012

        Brian Werner

        Yeah I thought it would be a nice 1 box option but you’re right external DAC is a better way to go…. although for me, there is going to have to a be serious influx of cash to do the V200 alone let alone with the V800 as it stands my wallet is dictating that I go with the Lake People G109 rather than the Violectric, but a guy can dream can’t he?

      • Reply August 11, 2012

        Brian Werner

        I’ll get the Lake People G109 and try to source some of those Gold dampening feet… make my own Ffrankenlectric V109

  • Reply August 10, 2012

    Gary Chin

    How do you compare V200 vs Burson 160DS?which ones a better match with audeze LCD-2

    • Reply August 10, 2012

      Mike

      Hi Gary,
      Lieven would be doing that comparison but may still be 1-2 months away. 🙂

      • Reply August 10, 2012

        L.

        I’ll be comparing the V200 to the soloist as soon as my partner in crime (Soundconsult) receives the Soloist

  • Reply August 26, 2012

    Zombie_X

    The V200 is weak in the bass? If anything is has a slight emphasis on bass.

    IMO burn in does not exist. I’ve not once heard it on any of my current or past gear. So I think it’s more of a myth and psychoacoustics are at work.

    • Reply August 26, 2012

      L.

      Please read the review again/correctly. That was never said anywhere.
      Burn in, you can believe whatever you want.

      • Reply August 27, 2012

        Zombie_X

        Sorry, I did re-read it and I don’t know where I got that from, so my bad man. I do apologize for that.

        Oh and I did say the V200 can be muddy, but only on headphones like the LCD-2 and such. I felt the added bass from the amp didn’t work well with the LCD-2.

        • Reply August 27, 2012

          L.

          Accepted 😉

          I don’t really agree on the muddy part, maybe that was with a Rev 2?

          • Reply August 27, 2012

            Zombie_X

            Hi, I’ve only heard the Rev2 of the LCD-2 and to me it sounded a tad muddy with it. I preferred the LCD-2 on the V181 as the amps more neutral signature seemed to mate with the warm signature of the LCD-2.

  • Reply October 28, 2012

    zzccc

    Does V200 work well with Beyerdynamic T1? I have heard T1 does well with tubes but I really don’t want to mess with tubes, any thoughts about that?

    • Reply October 29, 2012

      Mike

      That’s going to be hard to answer directly. Lieven did the V200 and I don’t think he has a T1.

      Going from my experience with the T1 and what I read about the V200, I think the two should be a pretty good pairing, but that’s just based on what I read about the V200.

      • Reply November 3, 2012

        Vern

        I’ve never had a chance to listen to the T1, but I can say, as a new owner of the HD800 (and for all those wondering) that the V200 paired with the HD800 is simply astonishing. V200 can definitely tame the treble spike in the HD800, so hopefully that has a direct correlation to how it performs with the T1.

        • Reply November 3, 2012

          Mike

          Thanks Vern. I’ve never auditioned the Vio amps but all the comments, including L’s review makes me want to listen to it very bad.

  • Reply November 27, 2012

    sling5s

    How would you compare the Objective O2 with the Violectric V200?

    • Reply November 27, 2012

      L.

      Good one! 😀

    • Reply November 29, 2012

      Mike

      You do know that no amp can compete with the O2 and that all these other $1K amps become obsolete after the O2 was released?

      • Reply November 29, 2012

        sling5s

        I know…I’ve had the O2 and been on the O2 thread on head-fi. Some can be fanatical about it: “its not the O2, it’s your headphone that’s the problem”.
        But I recently got the V200 because I just could not convince myself to like the O2. It just wasn’t musical to my ears. And I didn’t want to go back to the Lyr. Liked the power but it lacked too much detail. Having said all that, I am however enjoying the V200 and wanted hear some comparisons to see what you thought.

        • Reply November 29, 2012

          Mike

          Good buy! I actually haven’t had the chance to audition the Vios. Ugh..

        • Reply November 29, 2012

          L.

          The V200 is imo the more musical one. Especially different in the mids and bass section

      • Reply January 16, 2013

        Ege Özcan

        Is this sarcasm? (I’m just trying to understand). Also what do you think about the V181 with symmetric output*? (http://www.violectric.de/Pages/de/produkte/hpav181.php) Every time I read a review, I get more confused because there are just too many options (which is a good thing but for a beginner like me, it also becomes very confusing =) )

        *I don’t even know what that means

        • Reply January 17, 2013

          Mike

          Sorry yes that was sarcasm.

    • Reply November 29, 2012

      Mike

      You do know that no amp can compete with the O2 and that all these other $1K amps become obsolete after the O2 was released?

    • Reply November 29, 2012

      Mike

      You do know that no amp can compete with the O2 and that all these other $1K amps become obsolete after the O2 was released?

  • Reply June 30, 2013

    Raptor Jesus

    Great sounding amp on my HD800’s. That’s a great combination.

  • Reply November 16, 2013

    Rūdolfs Putniņš

    I had the V200 on loan for a month or so. I think Lieven nailed it in the review – the signature is a bit bottom heavy, but with a good soundstage. I found the amp to be a bit boring at times with the Paradox and maybe it glossed over some micro details. For music that needed more crunch it made me reach for a brighter amp.

    • Reply November 16, 2013

      L.

      Thanks man!

    • Reply November 16, 2013

      Mike

      Yes it’s very soft, warm and bottom heavy. It would not be my preferred amp for T50rp based headphones except maybe Smeggy’s Thunderpants.
      With the Hifimans though it’s perfect.

  • Reply November 27, 2013

    netmask254

    I’m looking for an amp which can drive both T90 & HD650 well (it’s a bit difficult since these headphones are pretty different). Currently I’m connecting them with HP-A8 directly, the T90 already shows pretty high quality but sounds a bit lean/cold to me, while HD650 sounds a bit awkward especially the bass impact is pretty weak.

    I know one great choice may be Bottlehead Crack, but for some special reason it’s too big to fit to my desk 🙁 Thus I turn to some solid alternative. Will V200 (warm and somewhat like tube) be a good choice for these headphones? Or is there some other choices with the similar price range (e.g. Burson Soloist, but I don’t have a chance to listen to it on local market, also worry about it’s too neutral)? Thanks a lot!

    • Reply November 27, 2013

      Mike

      The Vio is warmer than the Burson. Both are good. Difficult choice yes. Especially I don’t think the 650 really shines on solid state

  • Reply July 5, 2014

    Martin

    Lieven, me here again. Purchased LCD-2 (late Rev. 2) earlier this week to accompany my HD 650 and 339.

    What do you think about the PanAm compared to the V200?

    Thanks.

    • Reply July 5, 2014

      L.

      How are you liking the LCD-2? With what tubes?
      The PanAm has a nice sound but it doesn’t have the body or the bass the V200 has. It might have a bit more detail but I personally am a fan of the V200. I never got to like the PanAm. If you like the 339 sound I doubt you will like the PanAm, the 339 lovers usually like the V200

      • Reply July 7, 2014

        Martin

        The LCD-2 is great based on first impression. Bass notes are wonderfully textured, and pitches are produced much more accurately than on the HD 650. The HD 650 on the other hand takes you in the middle of the venue, which is great in comparison, at the expense of blurred notes at places. I think the two headphones complement each other nicely because of their different presentations.

        My Rev. 2 dips slightly at the sub bass area if judged by the frequency response chart. That being said, I would like to be able to listen the Rev. 1 or earlier Rev. 2 models to see how they compare.

      • Reply July 7, 2014

        Martin

        Does the V200 attenuate the treble, by the way?

        • Reply July 7, 2014

          L.

          no not specifically. like was said in the review I think , treble is rounded off

      • Reply July 15, 2014

        Martin

        Got the V200. Very likeable indeed, great second-hand purchase.

        Should I adjust the gain so that I can get full use of the volyme knob?

        • Reply July 15, 2014

          L.

          For LCD-2 I found no extra gain to be the best. HE-500: +6
          Better to keep the gain as ow as possible.

          I was listening to the V200 just yesterday. great sounding amplifier!

  • Reply July 29, 2014

    Peter

    Question – I have an Audio GD NFB11 and I want to use that as the DAC. If I get the violectric v200, what cables do I need besides a USB a to b? Sorry I’m new to this. Which cables would I need to connect the v200 to the nfb11? Do I just need an rca or will I need some special cable? The audio gd has a coaxial hole and two dac outs. Is the coaxial needed or do I just use the output? Thanks for the help.

    • Reply July 29, 2014

      Dave Ulrich

      Just a pair of RCA cables to attach the DAC output to the V200’s input.

      • Reply July 29, 2014

        Peter

        Is the internal dac worth it or should I just stick the violectric to my audio gd?

        • Reply July 29, 2014

          L.

          Stock V200 does not have a DAC. I would stick to the NFB, the optional V200 dac isn’t that special. I’d place it in the same league as the NFB

          • Reply July 29, 2014

            Peter

            Last questions and I’ll leave you alone. My violectric should come any day now. Any other accessories I need? I believe there’s no reason to get a pre amp and a dac since I have the nfb11. Are there any switches I should be aware of besides the gain switch? If I bought the violectric from the USA store it comes with the USA plugs so I shouldn’t worry? I feel like if I touch something wrong I’ll cause some type of damage to the amp since there are a few functions in the back of the violectric. Thanks

            • Reply July 29, 2014

              L.

              nope just connect the RCA cable to the NFB RCA out. Connect to V200 RCA in. I don’t know if the NFB11 has a DAC OUT setting, if not you will need to manually put the volume to almost 100% and control the volume with the V200. Don’t forget to turn down the volume when you want to connect the headphone to the NFB11 again.

              • Reply July 29, 2014

                Peter

                I’m assuming it’s just a male to male rca cable? Can pick it up on amazon or monoprice?

  • Reply November 6, 2014

    Natra84

    Hi I have a question is I’ve been thinking off buying amplifier and dac but I don’t know if I need it.I don’t listen to music and movies at a loud volumes and now I’m using my Sennheiser HD650 with my iMac 27 and for me the volume that the iMac put out is enough so should I buy the V200 with a dac.will it still make a difference in the lower volumes to have this amplifier.

    • Reply November 6, 2014

      Headfonia_L.

      Getting a DAC and amplifier is not only to get it louder. It especially is to get better sound, better detail, bigger sound stage. If you are happy with how it sounds right now I would not invest in all the units. But I can assure you your HD650 (I love it) can sound a lot better than what you are used to now

      • Reply November 6, 2014

        Natra84

        But will be able to hear the difference in the lower volumes.

        • Reply November 6, 2014

          Headfonia_L.

          yes, I think you would benifit most from a simple dac like the E10K or something

          • Reply November 6, 2014

            Natra84

            How about V200

            • Reply November 6, 2014

              Headfonia_L.

              you will get more power but you first need the detail. If it’s not going in to the amp, it won’t come out

              • Reply November 6, 2014

                Natra84

                Mostly I listen to MP3 YouTube videos and movies.

                • Reply November 6, 2014

                  dalethorn

                  No worries – E10k will do fine. You see, the extra detail of the V200 is audible when you are not watching anything – totally concentrating on music alone. Unless you’re watching a symphony performance recorded with a million dollars worth of mics and other gear.

                  • Reply November 7, 2014

                    Natra84

                    I ordered V200 hope it will make a difference.

                    • November 7, 2014

                      dalethorn

                      I would love to have the V200. Even if you don’t hear a big difference at first, you’ll eventually get used to the better sound, and then you won’t like anything less.

                    • November 7, 2014

                      Natra84

                      I hope so!

                    • November 7, 2014

                      Headfonia_L.

                      And add in a good DAC later and you’ll be set for life! Enjoy!

                    • November 7, 2014

                      Natra84

                      I bought the one that you can put inside V200 24/192

                    • November 7, 2014

                      Headfonia_L.

                      oh nice!

                    • November 7, 2014

                      dalethorn

                      I’m looking for that system now, but all I can find is a USB retrofit board for the V800??

                    • November 7, 2014

                      Headfonia_L.

  • Reply December 4, 2014

    Natra84

    Hi everybody I received my amplifier yesterday and what a massive disappointment I thought it was going to be at least five times better than my iMac what the differences are not that big so I can definitely not recommend buying a headphone amplifier.

    • Reply December 4, 2014

      Headfonia_L.

      If you don’t think the V200 is better than your iMac there is a serious problem, especially with the HD650 and the DAC option you chose. Difference should be rather big. Again, it’s not about volume, it’s about sound quality. Maybe you need some more listening and training. check out the Philips golden Ears training.

      • Reply December 4, 2014

        Natra84

        I know what you’re saying and I’m used to stereo equipment hifi stereo equipment and I don’t check the volume but I check the sound quality. The sound was better but it was not that big of a difference and for that kind of money it should be a very big difference. The thing is I’m used to hifi stereo equipment and for me the ideal sound is when amplifier has total control over the speakers and it doesn’t make any difference if you play high volumes or in low volumes the sound should be the same.but maybe I’m wrong maybe in the head-fi world you cannot achieve the same sound like in the stereo world.

        • Reply December 4, 2014

          Headfonia_L.

          Well it’s clear you can’t achieve the same thing with headphones but still I think you should be more impressed. There shouldn’t be a difference with the level of volume. Have you tried playing with the gain section?

          The V200 is worldwide known as a very good ss amp, so I’m a bit surprised 🙁

          • Reply December 4, 2014

            Natra84

            yes I’have tried different gain settings and I’have tried Mac and PC.

        • Reply December 4, 2014

          dalethorn

          The Fletcher-Munson effect occurs at lower volumes, so unless the amp has electronic compensation built in for low volumes, there has to be a difference. And some amps DO have that built in.

  • Reply December 12, 2014

    Natra84

    Hi a quick question which DAC would you recommend for the most analog sound.

  • Reply December 23, 2014

    Natra84

    Hi I have a question I have just bought the bravo ocean amplifier and I have bought MUSE DAC. When I have the dac hooked up to that amplifier and I have no music on everything is silent and I turn up the volume on the amplifier I can hair some noise with the dac but when I plug in from my iMac line out to the amplifiers line in there is much less noise how can this be.

    • Reply December 24, 2014

      Headfonia_L.

      And this is related to the V200 how?

      • Reply December 24, 2014

        Natra84

        It’s not but I returned the V200 back and you guys seem to be very knowledgeable about amplifiers and dac so I thought I best ask you.

        • Reply December 24, 2014

          Headfonia_L.

          The V200 is a well respected amp. I have one and I’m sure yours was just fine. I’m sorry you didn’t like it and I’m convinced some other element in your chain of components is to blame :/

          • Reply December 24, 2014

            Natra84

            What about my noise problem that I’m having an now

            • Reply December 24, 2014

              Headfonia_L.

              Your DAC out is noisy I presume? I’m sorry but I don’t think very highly of the Bravo amps. I have one myself and without mods it really isn’t any good. It’s been collecting dust for years somewhere. Try eliminating each element to find the source of the noise

              • Reply December 24, 2014

                Natra84

                I must agree with you on the review that you made about the V200 it is warm sounding. I also have the Sennheiser HD650 but for me that combination made it to laid back so do you have any recommendations for a solid-state amp that isn’t that warm in this sound.

                • Reply December 24, 2014

                  Headfonia_L.

                  yes, The Burson amps. I have a feeling you’ll like their sound 🙂

            • Reply December 24, 2014

              dalethorn

              My Bravo Ocean is always my first suspicion. At the very least isolate it as much as possible. Since it’s AC only, the mains noise could be really bad. Maybe buy an AC noise filter.

              • Reply December 24, 2014

                Natra84

                But it is very quiet when I plug it in to line in

              • Reply December 24, 2014

                Natra84

                Should an dad make all of the noise just disappear isn’t that the job of the dac

                • Reply December 24, 2014

                  dalethorn

                  The DAC gets the data from the music player, which is running from an AC source probably. The DAC synchronizes the data bits it gets from the music player, but it doesn’t eliminate “noise bits”, since those are analog already and just ride along the wire with the DAC’s analog output. But that’s a different case anyway – even if the DAC output were silent, the amp comes *after* the DAC and is free to add all the noise it wants to.

                • Reply December 24, 2014

                  Headfonia_L.

                  no it’s not the DACs job.

  • Reply December 24, 2014

    Natra84

    Have you guys listen to the GUSTARD H10 they say that it sounds like the V200 but not as warm.

  • Reply March 13, 2015

    Haryanto Suryonoto

    Finally I had a chance to try this legendary DAC amp. Better late than never, right? Got one second handed today. Working properly. Nice warm smooth sound. This should replace my NAD 1050 and stay in my desktop for a while for sure 🙂

    • Reply March 13, 2015

      Headfonia_L.

      wait a minute. This isn’t a DAC. You know the difference right?

      • Reply March 14, 2015

        Haryanto Suryonoto

        Mine come with a built in USB DAC module. I think I knew DAC, if I’m not mistaken its the same as my previous NAD and Musical Fidelity which I can plug in USB and playing music directly from my Computer, right? 🙂

        • Reply March 14, 2015

          Headfonia_L.

          Appologies, you’re right. The integrated dac isn’t often chosen. The dac is ok though but nothing spectacular.

          The V200 is awesome and you’ll have a lot of fun with it. In the future do try combining it with a better dac.

          And thanks for posting, and sorry again.

          • Reply March 14, 2015

            Haryanto Suryonoto

            No problem at all. Thanks for your suggestion. I’ll try to combine it then.

            • Reply March 14, 2015

              dalethorn

              If you get a separate DAC, don’t give away the advantage you’re paying for. Make sure your inputs and outputs are kept very clean, and use the shortest highest-quality interconnect cable possible.

            • Reply March 14, 2015

              Headfonia_L.

              And remember the V200 has balanced inputs, it might be interesting to find a balanced DAC

  • Reply March 14, 2015

    johthor

    I am also a new comer to the V200 party (thanks to Lieven I am the proud owner of his previously owned V200). I have a lot of headphones but my main ones are HD650, HE500, and DT880(600) and the two amps I have been using prior to owning the V200 were the Burson 160DS and the Botlehead Crack. So far I consider the V200 a definite upgrade. I am now contemplating a DAC purchase to compliment the V200. There are a lot of really good DACs in the $1000 to $2000 US range but I am leaning towards the V800. What do you thing about the choice of DACs in this price range Lieven?

    • Reply March 15, 2015

      Haryanto Suryonoto

      I’m looking forward to pair it with Musical Fidelity M1 thru decent balanced cable soon. I will let you know the result.

    • Reply March 15, 2015

      Headfonia_L.

      I hope you are still loving it, I’m glad it found a good home.

      Violectric is working on a new DAC, so I’d wait a bit for that one if you want a Violectric DAC.

      There are so many good dacs out there, I suggest you get a balanced one. Have a look at the Canadian Resonessence Labs Invicta Mirus

      http://www.resonessencelabs.com/invicta/

      • Reply April 22, 2015

        johthor

        Absolutely loving the V200 Lieven. I went ahead and bought the V800 to pair it with it as this amp really deserves to be stacked with the V800. I will have to survive on Ramen noodles for awhile after buying these two amazing Violectric products, but I certainly will have some great listening while I am doing it. Saw your reply to my post on the Goldman Telos review but thought I should post this on the V200/V800 thread. All the best to you and Headphonia, Lieven and happy listening to everyone.

        • Reply April 23, 2015

          Headfonia_L.

          Very happy you like the combination. Thank you for the support 🙂

  • Reply June 5, 2015

    Peter

    Question- I have an audeze lcd 2.2 paired with a violectric v200. I originally bought the NFB 11.32 to use the device as my amp and dac then bought the violectric to use the NFB 11.32 as the dac connected to the violectric. Is this a dumb idea, anyone use their NFB 11.32 purely as a dac? Thanks in advance.

    • Reply June 5, 2015

      Headfonia_L.

      If you like the sound and the NFB 11.32’s DAC level than it’s perfectly ok 🙂

      • Reply June 5, 2015

        Peter

        Thank you for the prompt response. With the LCD-2, what gain did you like best?

  • Reply July 2, 2015

    Igor Sheykin

    Thank you for a good review!
    For now I am pretty happy with Schiit Modi -> Bottlehead Crack, for my Beyerdynamic T1 (and recently with ZMF Fostex t50rp). Few days ago I bought a new amp for my system — Violectric V200.
    And now I am wonder which DAC to choose as an upgrade from Modi.
    Thought about Violectric V800, Teac 501, Audiolab M DAC, Benchmark DAC1.
    Unfortunately I cannot hear them before purchase. Hope you can give me advise.
    As for HP I plan to use T1, t50rp and later maybe he560 or lcd2,3

    • Reply July 2, 2015

      Headfonia_L.

      Depends on your budget really

      • Reply July 2, 2015

        Igor Sheykin

        I would say my limit is $1000 and I don’t mind second-hand devices.

  • Reply February 21, 2016

    Kon Peki

    Thanks to this review and others, I recently ordered the Violectric V200 and Schiit Bifrost Multibit to replace Schiit Asgard 2 and Modi.

    Still waiting for the V200 and Bifrost Multibit to arrive. Hope I can hear a clear improvement! Headphones in use are HE-560 and HD600.

    • Reply February 22, 2016

      Dave Ulrich

      The Asgard 2 to the V200 should be a pretty noticeable difference. I am not holding my breath on a Bifrost Multibit review, but I thought the old bifrost uber was pretty good. Let us know what you think once you have spent some time with them.

  • Reply February 11, 2019

    Wajahat

    Its great looking amp, will drive my Hd58x jubilee upto is full potential i believe.

  • Reply August 30, 2021

    Xfusion

    Hi Lieven, is this V200 amp still relevant in compare to the current solid state amps both from Violectric and other manufacturers in the same price range?

    • Reply September 1, 2021

      Lieven

      It is yes, especially at the 2nd hand prices

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