http://www.head-fi.org/t/740568/top-shelf-solid-state-with-hd800s

http://www.head-fi.org/t/740568/top-shelf-solid-state-with-hd800s

http://www.head-fi.org/t/740568/top-shelf-solid-state-with-hd800s

Greetings, this is a comparative review of the recently updated Matrix Mini-I and Mini-I Pro. Also compared will be the Matrix X-Sabre (DAC only duties) and Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 (headphone amp only duties). The X-Sabre and M-Stage are meant to test each function of the Mini-I independently, and then also as a combination unit.

Introducing the new Mini-I and Mini-I Pro:

Let's start off with the name. Upon opening the first Mini-I box, I was surprised by its' size. While it is a small device, it is really not very 'mini'ature. At nearly 8 inches wide, 6 ½ inches deep and nearly 2 inches tall, it's more than a handful. I don't begrudge it's size, however, as the feature list more than makes up for it. Looking inside I see the power supply takes up a full third of the interior. Matrix didn't sacrifice power quality for unit size like others do. No wall-warts or small and cheap transformers here.



Looking elsewhere inside I see the Texas Instruments TPA6120 headphone amplifier on the right side of the PCB. Towards the center are either the tandem of Analog Devices AD1955 DACs or the single Sabre ESS9016 as well as the XMOS USB processor. You can also see the back panel is jammed full of inputs and outputs. With the features available and the focus on clean power, it is as small as it can be. I started inside to justify the size being larger than expected, now let's tour the outside.



The face of the Mini-I is very simple and a little boring, but it is still appealing in a minimalistic fashion. One unfortunate decision here by Matrix was using a silver bezel on both the black and silver models. On the black model, the body is black, but the face is still the same as the silver model. I hope they reconsider this decision. As it is, anyone setting this device in a rack will see a silver face plate regardless of color chosen. The body of the device is typically less important, so it's odd that this would be the part that changes color. Under the plate is a translucent black plastic sheet that covers the information display and holds both the ¼ TRS headphone port on the left and the digital volume potentiometer on the right. The volume knob is easy to turn with good feedback to know when you've moved a step.



The side panels are where the screws are located that hold the shell to the unit. They are otherwise featureless except for the voltage selection switch. Matrix seems to be shipping all Mini-Is with voltage set to 230V, so be sure to change it to 115V before you power up if you live where this is the standard power. If you don't, nothing will be damaged, but the unit will not turn on, and it will appear dead. Switch to the 115V setting and it will turn on normally.

On the business end of the device there are balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs on the left, AES/EBU, coaxial, optical and USB inputs in the middle, and the power switch and power inlet on the right. So yes, the Mini-I is one of the cheaper balanced DACs on the market. The fact that it features four input types as well in a package this small and inexpensive is impressive. It's hardly surprising, however, as this is the nature of all Matrix products; sized to the task, quality execution, and affordability.



The OLED screen is well lit, but not obnoxiously bright. Text is clear and easy to read. The active output and inputs are highlighted white. The sample rate indicator changes as playback format is changed. This DAC does click lightly as the clocks change. I don't even notice it anymore.



Build quality is excellent, better than the new M-Stage, but not as good as the insane X-Sabre. The unit has some heft to it, so it might be too much for a transportable rig. It's about the size of a bible and weighs like two of them. It is small and light enough to easily maneuver into and out of your audio rack, though.

Features and operation:

Here's where things diverge slightly. The Mini-I normal with the pair of AD1955s is able to play PCM only, but it does support up to 24bit 384kHz sample rate, including DXD (24/352.8). The Mini-I Pro with it's ESS9016, supports those same rates as well as DSD64 and DSD128. Headphone output impedance is 12 ohms, so depending on your headphone of choice there could be some slight frequency response alteration. Most full size headphones, especially highly resistant types (300+ ohms) will be largely unaffected. See the product page for a complete list of specifications.

The Mini-I Pro also comes with a small metal remote control. This remote may be sold separately for Mini-I normal owners. The remote has 5 buttons including volume up and down, standby toggle, source select and mute. The buttons themselves are a little loose and rattle a bit, but they don't seem fragile or in any risk of falling out. Response by the main unit is instant. Both normal and Pro units can also be controlled by an Apple remote via a menu I will go into next.



Operation of the unit is easy as well as elegant. Since we're dealing with a digital volume solution, the potentiometer is merely a digital wheel that serves as the source selection switch by quickly pressing straight into it, a standby switch by pressing for a full second, and also the navigator of the settings menu. To enter the settings menu, first, with the power switch turned off, press and hold the volume knob in and flip the power switch, then release the knob. Inside the menu vertical scrolling is managed by turning the knob. Selection between options is done by pressing the knob until the desired option is highlighted. This solution is much preferred over buttons littering the facia.



The settings menu is different for the Mini-I and Pro units. This is because the Pro features PCM filter settings (fast and slow) as well as DSD filter settings (50kHz, 60kHz or 70kHz). The other settings are the same. One of the more delightful discoveries about this unit is the pre-amp setting. Set to PRE1, the unit leaves both headphone and line-out (both XLR and RCA) active. PRE2 mutes the output that is inactive, such as plugging in a headphone mutes the line-out. DAC turns the unit into a DAC-only device and disables the headphone output entirely. Most devices either leave both hot all the time or mute when a headphone is inserted, but not both as well as disable the headphone output. Even better is that the Mini-I remembers the volume for the muted output so you can freely swap between headphone and line out without changing the volume every time. This is really handy if you are using the line-out for preamping a speaker rig which will no doubt be a different output level than your headphones.

The sleep on/off setting activates an auto-standby mode when the unit has not had an incoming signal for 5 minutes. This only is effective if the unit has no signal lock and the USB is not plugged in. If you are using a computer source and turn it off, the Mini-I will turn off 5 minutes later. It will not sleep if you are simply not playing sound for 5 minutes. This sleep mode is not like a computer, so it will not wake on playing a sound. To recover from sleep mode, simply press the volume knob for 1 second to reboot.

Remote setting cycles between RM1 (Matrix remote), MC377 (Apple remote), and off, disabling all remote function. Pressing the volume knob with Exit selected will save the settings and reboot the device.

The digital volume is handled well above the musical information for normal listening volumes. If you have it set to a very quiet setting, you may notice slight degradation on your highest resolution files.

The comparison:

The Matrix units I have on hand to compare are from different price points and will be judged accordingly. The X-Sabre at $1100 was love at first listen for me, and the M-Stage at $280 (amp only version) is a budget warrior that will be hard to beat. The X-Sabre features the top Sabre chip, the ESS9018, one of the most expensive DAC chips on the market, and the most finicky for DAC programmers. The ESS9016 in the Mini-I Pro is a scaled back version but supports all of the same features. The AD1955s in the Mini-I normal are slightly dated, but the spec sheet does say they support DSD64. The M-Stage is a purpose built amplifier that shares a similar chassis volume as the Mini-I but in a different shape. I prefer the LT1364 opamp in my M-Stage to go with HD800s instead of the default OPA2134. It will be a tall order for the TI amplifier in the Mini-I to overcome.

Equipment layouts:

1) Mini-I normal alone
2) Mini-I Pro alone
3) Mini-I normal → M-Stage
4) Mini-I Pro → M-Stage
5) X-Sabre → M-Stage

Results:

The TI amplifier in the Mini-I units is functional and does genuinely sound good, better than I expected, but it is no match for the M-Stage with the HD800s. There is a little etch in the treble, dynamic contrast is narrower, as is soundstage. It is a neutral amp, though, which is nice. It's not just a throwaway amp which can often be bright or dark, but rarely neutral. The amp seems to be taxed by the job of controlling the HD800s large drivers. Detail is smoothed too much and texture suffers as a result.

Given the poor results with the HD800, I added my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors (UERM) and Sennheiser HD600 to the mix. Here I found I actually prefer the Mini-I units to the M-Stage. Most of the same issues crop up as with the HD800, but some of these attributes suited the other two headphones. In fact, I've 'lost' many nights the past month by starting a song with my UERMs in one of the Mini-I units then realizing 6 hours had passed and I'd enjoyed every second of it. I also highly enjoyed the HD600 with the Mini-I Pro unit. The DAC's nature strengthened some of the HD600s weaknesses and I feel there is a strong synergy between the two devices similar to the M-Stage and HD800.

The amp test turned out to be headphone specific, not what I expected. The good news here is that the amplifier in the Mini-I should be more friendly to a wider array of headphones than the M-Stage, especially the more affordable headphones that are more likely to be paired with this budget DAC/amp.

Moving on to DAC performance, I first had a myriad of settings to test. I started with the DSD filter settings on the Mini-I Pro. With all of my headphones I preferred the 50kHz setting. The 60k and 70k spread the soundstage too far and it felt like my head was being dipped in the music, an uncomfortable position for sure. I briefly tested my speaker setup that is not all that well adjusted and found I preferred the 60k setting. With that out of the way, I had to determine if I preferred resampling over native on all 3 DACs. I used JRiver Media Center 19 (MC19) to resample on the fly. In the end I preferred the Mini-I in native mode, the Mini-I Pro in DSD128 50kHz mode, and the X-Sabre in native mode.

The Mini-I has a clean, liquid type sound, but lacks sparkle and dynamic contrast. Detail isn't smeared, but it is reduced somewhat. It is a relaxing sound that will provide hours of quality sound if critical listening isn't the goal. This would be an ideal unit for a workplace desk or a bedside nightstand, where enjoyable tunes are wanted, but scalpel-like levels of detail that would distract are not. I don't recommend resampling with the Mini-I as it turns muddier the higher you go, though native high resolution files sound fine.

The Mini-I Pro is a boisterous sounding DAC. The Pro has excellent dynamic contrast and sounds just slightly warm giving great body to instruments and vocals alike. It's aggressive, so it's fantastic for genres like metal, EDM, hard rock, and the sort, but still mellow enough to do a great job with folk and classical. The main problem I have with the Pro is that it has some harshness in the treble. When mixed with it's aggressive tendencies, it can be a bit much, however I found a solution via resampling. Normally resampling waters down the signal losing detail, aggression, and dynamic contrast among other things. The beauty is that the Pro has most of this in spades, so using high level resampling brings this harshness down considerably, while still retaining a well balanced aggressive (but not as much as before) sound that is better than native.

At first listen I didn't particularly like either of the Mini-I units' DACs. The Mini-I was too timid and smooth, but there are uses for this type of sound. The Pro was too aggressive and harsh, but really fun! Resampling the Pro brought it up a notch that surprised me. When resampling with the Pro, this is a formidable DAC at it's price point.

So it's time to see how the newcomers compare to the big man on the Matrix campus, the X-Sabre. The X-Sabre is hard for me to describe because I love it so much, so bear with me. The X-Sabre is both more detailed than both Mini-I units by a great deal, yet at the same time is relaxed and smooth. Immediately noticeable is the level of refinement having jumped up from the Mini-I units. There is more separation, bigger better layered soundstage. After listening to the Pro for some time, the X-Sabre sounds slightly cold in comparison, but that fades quickly as you return to neutrality. There is no question the X-Sabre is on another level of performance. Matrix spent a great deal of time fine tuning the X-Sabre and it shows. Time for a similarly well done balanced amp! Come on!

Looking at the big picture:

Coming up short to the X-Sabre wasn't a surprise, given the price points we're dealing with here. The amp weakness with the HD800 was countered by being excellent with the HD600 and UERM, and likely more versatile with it's intended pairings. Adding up all the small things like balanced output, remote control included (or available), clean and responsive UI, fantastic pre-amp functionality, simple but effective controls and a relatively small size and you have a total package that is hard to beat. Considering the prices, the Mini-I sells for $379, the Pro, $519 (inc remote), these units are great value and certainly worth adding to your wish list.

Matrix continues to bring low price, high performance products to market. I think the M-Stage in particular is one of the highest value items in this market, and the Mini-I units are not far behind. Their performance exceeds their price easily. A great combination to try is a Sennheiser HD600 and Mini-I Pro. I hadn't heard my HD600 sound that good in a long time. With used prices on HD600s typically half of their retail, you can pick up a Mini-I Pro and HD600 at less than $800 for a very compact, high quality rig.

Greetings, this is a comparative review of the recently updated Matrix Mini-I and Mini-I Pro. Also compared will be the Matrix X-Sabre (DAC only duties) and Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 (headphone amp only duties). The X-Sabre and M-Stage are meant to test each function of the Mini-I independently, and then also as a combination unit.

Introducing the new Mini-I and Mini-I Pro:

Let's start off with the name. Upon opening the first Mini-I box, I was surprised by its' size. While it is a small device, it is really not very 'mini'ature. At nearly 8 inches wide, 6 ½ inches deep and nearly 2 inches tall, it's more than a handful. I don't begrudge it's size, however, as the feature list more than makes up for it. Looking inside I see the power supply takes up a full third of the interior. Matrix didn't sacrifice power quality for unit size like others do. No wall-warts or small and cheap transformers here.



Looking elsewhere inside I see the Texas Instruments TPA6120 headphone amplifier on the right side of the PCB. Towards the center are either the tandem of Analog Devices AD1955 DACs or the single Sabre ESS9016 as well as the XMOS USB processor. You can also see the back panel is jammed full of inputs and outputs. With the features available and the focus on clean power, it is as small as it can be. I started inside to justify the size being larger than expected, now let's tour the outside.



The face of the Mini-I is very simple and a little boring, but it is still appealing in a minimalistic fashion. One unfortunate decision here by Matrix was using a silver bezel on both the black and silver models. On the black model, the body is black, but the face is still the same as the silver model. I hope they reconsider this decision. As it is, anyone setting this device in a rack will see a silver face plate regardless of color chosen. The body of the device is typically less important, so it's odd that this would be the part that changes color. Under the plate is a translucent black plastic sheet that covers the information display and holds both the ¼ TRS headphone port on the left and the digital volume potentiometer on the right. The volume knob is easy to turn with good feedback to know when you've moved a step.



The side panels are where the screws are located that hold the shell to the unit. They are otherwise featureless except for the voltage selection switch. Matrix seems to be shipping all Mini-Is with voltage set to 230V, so be sure to change it to 115V before you power up if you live where this is the standard power. If you don't, nothing will be damaged, but the unit will not turn on, and it will appear dead. Switch to the 115V setting and it will turn on normally.

On the business end of the device there are balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs on the left, AES/EBU, coaxial, optical and USB inputs in the middle, and the power switch and power inlet on the right. So yes, the Mini-I is one of the cheaper balanced DACs on the market. The fact that it features four input types as well in a package this small and inexpensive is impressive. It's hardly surprising, however, as this is the nature of all Matrix products; sized to the task, quality execution, and affordability.



The OLED screen is well lit, but not obnoxiously bright. Text is clear and easy to read. The active output and inputs are highlighted white. The sample rate indicator changes as playback format is changed. This DAC does click lightly as the clocks change. I don't even notice it anymore.



Build quality is excellent, better than the new M-Stage, but not as good as the insane X-Sabre. The unit has some heft to it, so it might be too much for a transportable rig. It's about the size of a bible and weighs like two of them. It is small and light enough to easily maneuver into and out of your audio rack, though.

Features and operation:

Here's where things diverge slightly. The Mini-I normal with the pair of AD1955s is able to play PCM only, but it does support up to 24bit 384kHz sample rate, including DXD (24/352.8). The Mini-I Pro with it's ESS9016, supports those same rates as well as DSD64 and DSD128. Headphone output impedance is 12 ohms, so depending on your headphone of choice there could be some slight frequency response alteration. Most full size headphones, especially highly resistant types (300+ ohms) will be largely unaffected. See the product page for a complete list of specifications.

The Mini-I Pro also comes with a small metal remote control. This remote may be sold separately for Mini-I normal owners. The remote has 5 buttons including volume up and down, standby toggle, source select and mute. The buttons themselves are a little loose and rattle a bit, but they don't seem fragile or in any risk of falling out. Response by the main unit is instant. Both normal and Pro units can also be controlled by an Apple remote via a menu I will go into next.



Operation of the unit is easy as well as elegant. Since we're dealing with a digital volume solution, the potentiometer is merely a digital wheel that serves as the source selection switch by quickly pressing straight into it, a standby switch by pressing for a full second, and also the navigator of the settings menu. To enter the settings menu, first, with the power switch turned off, press and hold the volume knob in and flip the power switch, then release the knob. Inside the menu vertical scrolling is managed by turning the knob. Selection between options is done by pressing the knob until the desired option is highlighted. This solution is much preferred over buttons littering the facia.



The settings menu is different for the Mini-I and Pro units. This is because the Pro features PCM filter settings (fast and slow) as well as DSD filter settings (50kHz, 60kHz or 70kHz). The other settings are the same. One of the more delightful discoveries about this unit is the pre-amp setting. Set to PRE1, the unit leaves both headphone and line-out (both XLR and RCA) active. PRE2 mutes the output that is inactive, such as plugging in a headphone mutes the line-out. DAC turns the unit into a DAC-only device and disables the headphone output entirely. Most devices either leave both hot all the time or mute when a headphone is inserted, but not both as well as disable the headphone output. Even better is that the Mini-I remembers the volume for the muted output so you can freely swap between headphone and line out without changing the volume every time. This is really handy if you are using the line-out for preamping a speaker rig which will no doubt be a different output level than your headphones.

The sleep on/off setting activates an auto-standby mode when the unit has not had an incoming signal for 5 minutes. This only is effective if the unit has no signal lock and the USB is not plugged in. If you are using a computer source and turn it off, the Mini-I will turn off 5 minutes later. It will not sleep if you are simply not playing sound for 5 minutes. This sleep mode is not like a computer, so it will not wake on playing a sound. To recover from sleep mode, simply press the volume knob for 1 second to reboot.

Remote setting cycles between RM1 (Matrix remote), MC377 (Apple remote), and off, disabling all remote function. Pressing the volume knob with Exit selected will save the settings and reboot the device.

The digital volume is handled well above the musical information for normal listening volumes. If you have it set to a very quiet setting, you may notice slight degradation on your highest resolution files.

The comparison:

The Matrix units I have on hand to compare are from different price points and will be judged accordingly. The X-Sabre at $1100 was love at first listen for me, and the M-Stage at $280 (amp only version) is a budget warrior that will be hard to beat. The X-Sabre features the top Sabre chip, the ESS9018, one of the most expensive DAC chips on the market, and the most finicky for DAC programmers. The ESS9016 in the Mini-I Pro is a scaled back version but supports all of the same features. The AD1955s in the Mini-I normal are slightly dated, but the spec sheet does say they support DSD64. The M-Stage is a purpose built amplifier that shares a similar chassis volume as the Mini-I but in a different shape. I prefer the LT1364 opamp in my M-Stage to go with HD800s instead of the default OPA2134. It will be a tall order for the TI amplifier in the Mini-I to overcome.

Equipment layouts:

1) Mini-I normal alone
2) Mini-I Pro alone
3) Mini-I normal → M-Stage
4) Mini-I Pro → M-Stage
5) X-Sabre → M-Stage

Results:

The TI amplifier in the Mini-I units is functional and does genuinely sound good, better than I expected, but it is no match for the M-Stage with the HD800s. There is a little etch in the treble, dynamic contrast is narrower, as is soundstage. It is a neutral amp, though, which is nice. It's not just a throwaway amp which can often be bright or dark, but rarely neutral. The amp seems to be taxed by the job of controlling the HD800s large drivers. Detail is smoothed too much and texture suffers as a result.

Given the poor results with the HD800, I added my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors (UERM) and Sennheiser HD600 to the mix. Here I found I actually prefer the Mini-I units to the M-Stage. Most of the same issues crop up as with the HD800, but some of these attributes suited the other two headphones. In fact, I've 'lost' many nights the past month by starting a song with my UERMs in one of the Mini-I units then realizing 6 hours had passed and I'd enjoyed every second of it. I also highly enjoyed the HD600 with the Mini-I Pro unit. The DAC's nature strengthened some of the HD600s weaknesses and I feel there is a strong synergy between the two devices similar to the M-Stage and HD800.

The amp test turned out to be headphone specific, not what I expected. The good news here is that the amplifier in the Mini-I should be more friendly to a wider array of headphones than the M-Stage, especially the more affordable headphones that are more likely to be paired with this budget DAC/amp.

Moving on to DAC performance, I first had a myriad of settings to test. I started with the DSD filter settings on the Mini-I Pro. With all of my headphones I preferred the 50kHz setting. The 60k and 70k spread the soundstage too far and it felt like my head was being dipped in the music, an uncomfortable position for sure. I briefly tested my speaker setup that is not all that well adjusted and found I preferred the 60k setting. With that out of the way, I had to determine if I preferred resampling over native on all 3 DACs. I used JRiver Media Center 19 (MC19) to resample on the fly. In the end I preferred the Mini-I in native mode, the Mini-I Pro in DSD128 50kHz mode, and the X-Sabre in native mode.

The Mini-I has a clean, liquid type sound, but lacks sparkle and dynamic contrast. Detail isn't smeared, but it is reduced somewhat. It is a relaxing sound that will provide hours of quality sound if critical listening isn't the goal. This would be an ideal unit for a workplace desk or a bedside nightstand, where enjoyable tunes are wanted, but scalpel-like levels of detail that would distract are not. I don't recommend resampling with the Mini-I as it turns muddier the higher you go, though native high resolution files sound fine.

The Mini-I Pro is a boisterous sounding DAC. The Pro has excellent dynamic contrast and sounds just slightly warm giving great body to instruments and vocals alike. It's aggressive, so it's fantastic for genres like metal, EDM, hard rock, and the sort, but still mellow enough to do a great job with folk and classical. The main problem I have with the Pro is that it has some harshness in the treble. When mixed with it's aggressive tendencies, it can be a bit much, however I found a solution via resampling. Normally resampling waters down the signal losing detail, aggression, and dynamic contrast among other things. The beauty is that the Pro has most of this in spades, so using high level resampling brings this harshness down considerably, while still retaining a well balanced aggressive (but not as much as before) sound that is better than native.

At first listen I didn't particularly like either of the Mini-I units' DACs. The Mini-I was too timid and smooth, but there are uses for this type of sound. The Pro was too aggressive and harsh, but really fun! Resampling the Pro brought it up a notch that surprised me. When resampling with the Pro, this is a formidable DAC at it's price point.

So it's time to see how the newcomers compare to the big man on the Matrix campus, the X-Sabre. The X-Sabre is hard for me to describe because I love it so much, so bear with me. The X-Sabre is both more detailed than both Mini-I units by a great deal, yet at the same time is relaxed and smooth. Immediately noticeable is the level of refinement having jumped up from the Mini-I units. There is more separation, bigger better layered soundstage. After listening to the Pro for some time, the X-Sabre sounds slightly cold in comparison, but that fades quickly as you return to neutrality. There is no question the X-Sabre is on another level of performance. Matrix spent a great deal of time fine tuning the X-Sabre and it shows. Time for a similarly well done balanced amp! Come on!

Looking at the big picture:

Coming up short to the X-Sabre wasn't a surprise, given the price points we're dealing with here. The amp weakness with the HD800 was countered by being excellent with the HD600 and UERM, and likely more versatile with it's intended pairings. Adding up all the small things like balanced output, remote control included (or available), clean and responsive UI, fantastic pre-amp functionality, simple but effective controls and a relatively small size and you have a total package that is hard to beat. Considering the prices, the Mini-I sells for $379, the Pro, $519 (inc remote), these units are great value and certainly worth adding to your wish list.

Matrix continues to bring low price, high performance products to market. I think the M-Stage in particular is one of the highest value items in this market, and the Mini-I units are not far behind. Their performance exceeds their price easily. A great combination to try is a Sennheiser HD600 and Mini-I Pro. I hadn't heard my HD600 sound that good in a long time. With used prices on HD600s typically half of their retail, you can pick up a Mini-I Pro and HD600 at less than $800 for a very compact, high quality rig.

Greetings, this review will be a comparison between both generations of M-Stage amps with optional DACs. It will be copied and posted to both products. First the HPA-1:

Matrix M-Stage HPA-1 w/USB DAC

This is the original M-Stage based on the Lehmann Black Cube Linear. It is a far cheaper version while still using high quality internal parts, and shares most of the sonic attributes of the Lehmann. It's become a popular economic amplifier that works well with all headphones, and has synergies with certain headphones that make it punch well above it's price point. As this amplifier is designed to run high impedance loads this comes as no surprise that it would favor some headphones over others. The unusual thing is that even some low impedance headphones seem to work exceptionally well with this unit such as the AKG K701 (and its versions). One of the most surprising and compelling aspects of this amp is it's synergy with the Sennheiser HD800, a $1500 headphone. First, it is to be expected given the HD800 is a 300 ohm headphone, but it goes beyond this. Comparing the HD800 on other amplifiers, both solid state and tube, there seems to be no equal even at 2-3 times the price paid for the HPA-1. There are some that come close, equaling in some aspects, but changing the sound in a way unbecoming of an HD800, such as the Objective 2. The O2 is about half of the price of the M-Stage and does well with the HD800, but lacks in dynamic contrast, leading to a boring experience. There are surely many amps I've not heard with the HD800, but until you reach the $1000 mark, I've not heard an equal. At this $1000 mark we finally have competition with a tubed amplifier, the Decware CSP2+ (now retired) and jumping a little more to $1400, the Bryston BHA-1 again raises the bar slightly. So long as you use the M-Stage with widely recognized strongly synergizing headphones, the value is astounding.

The build quality is reasonable for it's price, but it doesn't feel expensive. It is solid, but it's clear this is an economical device. The stock knob is small and I was annoyed with it, so I switched it easily with a knob I found on eBay for a few dollars. The dip switches for gain are on the bottom of the unit, not an ideal location, but considering they won't be adjusted often, I will give it a pass. I eventually left them on +10dB, a setting that worked well with most of my headphones. One of the great things about this amp was that Matrix socketed the opamp, meaning it was easy for anyone without electronics experience to drop in a different opamp allowing them to slightly change the sound in a way similar to tube rolling. The stock opamp OPA2134 is a good average performer. With HD800s I prefer the LT1364, but have not done extensive comparisons with other opamps.

Where this amplifier with optional DAC falters is the DAC. As it was a $30 option, I won't be too critical of it, but suffice it to say that it is an emergency DAC only. It supports PCM up to 24/96kHz. Highs are etched, scratchy. Soundstage is compressed, lacking layers. Voices are rough and weakly formed. This is the DAC you only use when you have no alternative, but given it only cost you $30, it's hard to blame it too much. Now you may expect me to suggest avoiding the HPA-1 with the DAC, but you would be wrong. The difference between the HPA-1 and HPA-1 w/DAC is merely the loss of 1 of 2 sets of analog inputs (RCA). If you are only amplifying one source there is almost no reason to not get the optional DAC. You never know when you might need a DAC and the added cost is negligible. Sold your main DAC and are upgrading to a new one? Use this while your packages are being shipped.

Even with the optional DAC being poor, I still rate the HPA-1 w/USB DAC 5 stars due to it's total package value.

Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 w/USB DAC

Starting with the DNA from the HPA-1, the weaknesses that needed work, IMO, were the optional DAC, volume knob (bigger), and the front facia looked a little too 1990s. Matrix fixed two of these, leaving the one that is easily user-changeable. The front facia is no longer gold on black and there is a scoop where the LEDs, input select switch and headphone jack are located. The stock HPA-2 knob is an attractive silver thing that is slightly recessed into the face. It's a nice touch, but the part you hold is still small and harder to manipulate. I had an additional replacement knob from when I changed the HPA-1 so I fit it to the HPA-2 and I am happy. The HPA-1 with this knob had a slight gap between knob and face, but the HPA-2, with it's recess, has no gap there. The replacement knob I used does have a small ring gap around the circumference that I didn't like at first, but now I actually do like it. The hex screws were changed from 2.0mm to 2.5mm and from black to chrome giving the face some much needed contrast. With it's modern face, the non-audio updates were more or less complete. Another physical change concerns the sides of the unit. They are more attractive and are supposed to have increased cooling capacity. Something that may have been necessary due to the HPA-2 running noticeably hotter.

So far I've not gotten specs I can fully trust. For a long time the HPA-1 was listed as having a 5 ohm output impedance on it's headphone jack. When I got the HPA-2 I was told output impedance went from 15 to 10 ohms and that doing so has increased the power output. Power output for both units is still listed the same, however. I don't know what to believe.

One thing I can believe is the HPA-2s updated DAC is truly updated, and in a big way. This update comes in the form of a Burr Brown PCM1793 DAC chip giving us expanded sample rates up to 192kHz. What used to be an emergency-only DAC in the HPA-1 is now one of the best affordable DACs I've come across. Gone are the scratchy highs, non-existent soundstage and grainy voices. It's not all rosy, though. The soundstage is still somewhat compressed, but in a way a $500-1000 DAC would be. The highs still sound slightly artificial, but they are pleasant, not grating. Voices are smoother and more realistic. The optional DAC here is fantastic value. Combined with the already high value amplifier, this is now a usable all in one affordable solution for all headphones, especially the K701 and HD800 and others that share synergy with the M-Stage. This unit redefines my conception of an entry high quality headphone rig. Pair the HD800 ($1500) and the HPA-2 w/USB DAC ($320) and you have a $1820 rig that is hard to beat even with a budget of $3000-4000.

If you enjoy the sound of the HD800 and are planning upward moves for DAC and amp, I would highly suggest the HPA-2 as a stand-in while you save money or wait out production times as I have with my incoming Headamp GS-X mk2. I currently use the Matrix X-Sabre DAC into the HPA-2 which will be replaced by the GS-X when it arrives. The included DAC on the HPA-2 is surprisingly good and should not be underestimated, but compared to the X-Sabre it's no contest.

Try as I might, I never could seem to find reliable differences between the amp sections of the HPA-1 and HPA-2. There are probably some slight adjustments and perhaps improvements in parts quality, but the end result is too close to call. If you own an HPA-1 amp only, I don't see a compelling reason to upgrade to the HPA-2 amp only. If you are an HPA-1 user looking for a DAC but are tight on space, the HPA-2 with DAC gives you this in the same space.

Bringing up the rear are areas where I find the HPA-2 lacking. With the amp circuitry largely unchanged I didn't expect the buzzing with IEMs from the HPA-1 to go away, and indeed it didn't. Matrix has been clear about this amp being targeted towards high impedance headphones, though, so I will let this pass. The only other area of disappointment was the unexpected change to gain. The HPA-1 had dip switches allowing gains of +0dB, +10dB, +18dB, and +20dB. The HPA-2 no longer has the switches and the gain is fixed to +15dB. This shouldn't affect most headphones that are high impedance or are inefficient, but unlike the IEM buzzing issue, using even full size efficient headphones with the unit may be problematic due to reduced volume adjustment range. This makes the HPA-2 less versatile since it can't be used with as wide of an array of headphones as the HPA-1. Although I will dock it Design marks on this review, since it doesn't affect the majority of it's targeted headphones I will not remove stars or partial stars. A questionable design decision to be sure.

As I rate the original HPA-1 w/ USB DAC 5 stars, it's hardly surprising, after reading my HPA-2 comments, that the updated version is also 5 stars. The HPA-2 is clearly superior, but as the HPA-1 is being phased out I see no reason why the can't both be rated 5 stars.

Greetings, this review will be a comparison between both generations of M-Stage amps with optional DACs. It will be copied and posted to both products. First the HPA-1:

Matrix M-Stage HPA-1 w/USB DAC

This is the original M-Stage based on the Lehmann Black Cube Linear. It is a far cheaper version while still using high quality internal parts, and shares most of the sonic attributes of the Lehmann. It's become a popular economic amplifier that works well with all headphones, and has synergies with certain headphones that make it punch well above it's price point. As this amplifier is designed to run high impedance loads this comes as no surprise that it would favor some headphones over others. The unusual thing is that even some low impedance headphones seem to work exceptionally well with this unit such as the AKG K701 (and its versions). One of the most surprising and compelling aspects of this amp is it's synergy with the Sennheiser HD800, a $1500 headphone. First, it is to be expected given the HD800 is a 300 ohm headphone, but it goes beyond this. Comparing the HD800 on other amplifiers, both solid state and tube, there seems to be no equal even at 2-3 times the price paid for the HPA-1. There are some that come close, equaling in some aspects, but changing the sound in a way unbecoming of an HD800, such as the Objective 2. The O2 is about half of the price of the M-Stage and does well with the HD800, but lacks in dynamic contrast, leading to a boring experience. There are surely many amps I've not heard with the HD800, but until you reach the $1000 mark, I've not heard an equal. At this $1000 mark we finally have competition with a tubed amplifier, the Decware CSP2+ (now retired) and jumping a little more to $1400, the Bryston BHA-1 again raises the bar slightly. So long as you use the M-Stage with widely recognized strongly synergizing headphones, the value is astounding.

The build quality is reasonable for it's price, but it doesn't feel expensive. It is solid, but it's clear this is an economical device. The stock knob is small and I was annoyed with it, so I switched it easily with a knob I found on eBay for a few dollars. The dip switches for gain are on the bottom of the unit, not an ideal location, but considering they won't be adjusted often, I will give it a pass. I eventually left them on +10dB, a setting that worked well with most of my headphones. One of the great things about this amp was that Matrix socketed the opamp, meaning it was easy for anyone without electronics experience to drop in a different opamp allowing them to slightly change the sound in a way similar to tube rolling. The stock opamp OPA2134 is a good average performer. With HD800s I prefer the LT1364, but have not done extensive comparisons with other opamps.

Where this amplifier with optional DAC falters is the DAC. As it was a $30 option, I won't be too critical of it, but suffice it to say that it is an emergency DAC only. It supports PCM up to 24/96kHz. Highs are etched, scratchy. Soundstage is compressed, lacking layers. Voices are rough and weakly formed. This is the DAC you only use when you have no alternative, but given it only cost you $30, it's hard to blame it too much. Now you may expect me to suggest avoiding the HPA-1 with the DAC, but you would be wrong. The difference between the HPA-1 and HPA-1 w/DAC is merely the loss of 1 of 2 sets of analog inputs (RCA). If you are only amplifying one source there is almost no reason to not get the optional DAC. You never know when you might need a DAC and the added cost is negligible. Sold your main DAC and are upgrading to a new one? Use this while your packages are being shipped.

Even with the optional DAC being poor, I still rate the HPA-1 w/USB DAC 5 stars due to it's total package value.

Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 w/USB DAC

Starting with the DNA from the HPA-1, the weaknesses that needed work, IMO, were the optional DAC, volume knob (bigger), and the front facia looked a little too 1990s. Matrix fixed two of these, leaving the one that is easily user-changeable. The front facia is no longer gold on black and there is a scoop where the LEDs, input select switch and headphone jack are located. The stock HPA-2 knob is an attractive silver thing that is slightly recessed into the face. It's a nice touch, but the part you hold is still small and harder to manipulate. I had an additional replacement knob from when I changed the HPA-1 so I fit it to the HPA-2 and I am happy. The HPA-1 with this knob had a slight gap between knob and face, but the HPA-2, with it's recess, has no gap there. The replacement knob I used does have a small ring gap around the circumference that I didn't like at first, but now I actually do like it. The hex screws were changed from 2.0mm to 2.5mm and from black to chrome giving the face some much needed contrast. With it's modern face, the non-audio updates were more or less complete. Another physical change concerns the sides of the unit. They are more attractive and are supposed to have increased cooling capacity. Something that may have been necessary due to the HPA-2 running noticeably hotter.

So far I've not gotten specs I can fully trust. For a long time the HPA-1 was listed as having a 5 ohm output impedance on it's headphone jack. When I got the HPA-2 I was told output impedance went from 15 to 10 ohms and that doing so has increased the power output. Power output for both units is still listed the same, however. I don't know what to believe.

One thing I can believe is the HPA-2s updated DAC is truly updated, and in a big way. This update comes in the form of a Burr Brown PCM1793 DAC chip giving us expanded sample rates up to 192kHz. What used to be an emergency-only DAC in the HPA-1 is now one of the best affordable DACs I've come across. Gone are the scratchy highs, non-existent soundstage and grainy voices. It's not all rosy, though. The soundstage is still somewhat compressed, but in a way a $500-1000 DAC would be. The highs still sound slightly artificial, but they are pleasant, not grating. Voices are smoother and more realistic. The optional DAC here is fantastic value. Combined with the already high value amplifier, this is now a usable all in one affordable solution for all headphones, especially the K701 and HD800 and others that share synergy with the M-Stage. This unit redefines my conception of an entry high quality headphone rig. Pair the HD800 ($1500) and the HPA-2 w/USB DAC ($320) and you have a $1820 rig that is hard to beat even with a budget of $3000-4000.

If you enjoy the sound of the HD800 and are planning upward moves for DAC and amp, I would highly suggest the HPA-2 as a stand-in while you save money or wait out production times as I have with my incoming Headamp GS-X mk2. I currently use the Matrix X-Sabre DAC into the HPA-2 which will be replaced by the GS-X when it arrives. The included DAC on the HPA-2 is surprisingly good and should not be underestimated, but compared to the X-Sabre it's no contest.

Try as I might, I never could seem to find reliable differences between the amp sections of the HPA-1 and HPA-2. There are probably some slight adjustments and perhaps improvements in parts quality, but the end result is too close to call. If you own an HPA-1 amp only, I don't see a compelling reason to upgrade to the HPA-2 amp only. If you are an HPA-1 user looking for a DAC but are tight on space, the HPA-2 with DAC gives you this in the same space.

Bringing up the rear are areas where I find the HPA-2 lacking. With the amp circuitry largely unchanged I didn't expect the buzzing with IEMs from the HPA-1 to go away, and indeed it didn't. Matrix has been clear about this amp being targeted towards high impedance headphones, though, so I will let this pass. The only other area of disappointment was the unexpected change to gain. The HPA-1 had dip switches allowing gains of +0dB, +10dB, +18dB, and +20dB. The HPA-2 no longer has the switches and the gain is fixed to +15dB. This shouldn't affect most headphones that are high impedance or are inefficient, but unlike the IEM buzzing issue, using even full size efficient headphones with the unit may be problematic due to reduced volume adjustment range. This makes the HPA-2 less versatile since it can't be used with as wide of an array of headphones as the HPA-1. Although I will dock it Design marks on this review, since it doesn't affect the majority of it's targeted headphones I will not remove stars or partial stars. A questionable design decision to be sure.

As I rate the original HPA-1 w/ USB DAC 5 stars, it's hardly surprising, after reading my HPA-2 comments, that the updated version is also 5 stars. The HPA-2 is clearly superior, but as the HPA-1 is being phased out I see no reason why the can't both be rated 5 stars.

I was sent the V800, V181, and V200 to demonstrate at the Austin Head-fi meet last weekend so I thought I would put up a short-ish review of these items. I've already finished the comparison of the V181 and V200. Please search for those reviews if you are interested. This review will only be posted on the V800 but it will be a comparison of the V800, the Matrix X-Sabre, and the Matrix M-Stage HPA-2 (USB). Unlike the other reviews I will limit my headphone choice to HD800 as it is my primary headphone. I am also limiting the amp to the M-Stage HPA-2 as it is my favorite amp currently in my possession for the HD800. The V181 and V200 are able to run other headphones equally well as they run HD800s, but the M-Stage does not fare well with all headphones. It has a certain synergy with a few headphones including the HD800 that is unexplainable. I tried the UERM and HD600 with the M-Stage and they both sounded better on either Violectric amp. Another reason to limit my amp choice to the M-Stage is to simplify the use of the M-Stage's DAC as it does not feature regular analog outputs (only outputs in a pre-amp duty) being an integrated DAC/amp.

The V800 shares it's impressive build quality I mentioned in the V181/V200 comparison. Every switch feels smooth and sure in it's operation, every plug smooth but tight fitting, no hangups in operation. This is a completely trouble free unit. I won't bore you with all the details mentioned in previous reviews as this unit has been around for quite some time and Project86's review does this better than I could. Suffice it to say, this unit is flexible and reliable.

My take on the sound began with forgetfulness. I initially got the V800, the new M-Stage and the new pair of Matrix Mini-I units (yet to be reviewed) and plugged them all in to get some initial impressions. What I failed to remember was that the V800 is long in the tooth and it's USB is pretty far behind. The first night I used the V800 I was disappointed to say the least. Treble was rolled off, detail was smeared everywhere, textures.. don't get me started. I was really down on the V800 after having used the V181 and V200 with some of the other DACs I had on hand. Towards the end of the night, I realized my error and checked up on the USB of the V800 and sure enough, I was hearing what I should be with that sort of USB connection. I grabbed my best CD player, the Rotel RDD-980 transport, and hooked up the V800 with coaxial, pressed play and it was as if I had a completely different DAC. It opened up and cleaned up into a DAC that had potential. I now consider the V800 to not have a USB connection as it is not truly representative of the V800's potential sound quality. There is a new Violectric DAC on the horizon, the V820 that will feature XMOS USB connectivity and support at least 24/192 if not also DSD and DXD (not confirmed). Expect the V820 to compete from any input equally, unlike the V800.

Before I go any further I need to mention the setup for this review. With the M-Stage HPA-2 being only USB, I connected it to my computer, and used my Rotel CD transport for both the V800 and the X-Sabre using coaxial. This is not entirely ideal, but with the V800's USB limitation, it was the best solution. I played only retail pressed CDs in the Rotel and those same CDs I ripped to FLAC from my computer via JRiver MC19. I briefly compared the Rotel output to the USB output using the X-Sabre, since I knew both USB and coaxial were excellent, and found no difference. I left the V800 in it's default state regarding oversampling; Best.

So after switching to coaxial I started from scratch again with the V800. The first thing I noticed was that everything was ultra smooth, refined, pristine. Smooth yet it wasn't from masking detail to make it more forgiving. I later decided this treble reminded me of sweetness in sound, a pure clearness that was inviting and inoffensive. This wasn't a slow syrupy sweetness, either. The sound is laidback in it's presentation, which combined with the HD800 was too much for most tracks. It tended to push things too far back, which caused some imaging issues, especially with center vocals. Center vocals have to be at the right plane, or they either sound split from being too close, or if they are too far back, the sound is small and tends to be diffuse making voices sound as if coming from a cloud of origin points. This is how the V800 can be detailed yet sweet at the same time. The detail isn't masked, but it can be hard to nail down. The soundstage is smaller than the X-Sabre, but larger than the M-Stage. Layering is superior on the X-Sabre. Layering between the V800 and M-Stage is sort of a tie, but they do it in different ways. The V800 is nebulous while the M-Stage lacks depth leading to a feeling of squished layers. I'm not sure which I would choose if I had to. Luckily I don't have to make that decision. I feel that dynamic contrast on the V800 is good, but that sweetness also gives it a feeling of being softer on impacts and large fast dynamic shifts. This overarching sweetness affects the V800 so completely that it ends up being a hindrance. I don't really see a situation where the V800 could be recommended. The lack of USB limits it's value. The sound signature limits to those who prefer that softer sweeter sound. With the V820 around the corner I can't call the V800 a good value at all. Wait and see what comes next from Violectric, IMO.

Comparing presentation, the M-Stage is more in your face with some slight roughness and sibilance is somewhat exaggerated. It's direct, less 3D, approach is commendable at times, and a welcome change from the V800, especially on large scale orchestral or choral works where the V800 begins to sound lost. Do understand I'm comparing a $40 addon DAC with a $1300 standalone DAC. There are some obvious differences in resolution, but I find myself more forgiving of the M-Stage's faults and preferring it's presentation. What's interesting is that these two DACs sound so different (within the small variance DACs can sound different) yet share the same DAC chip. One aggressive, rough, and unrefined, one passive, ultra refined and sweet. The M-Stage's DAC is saddled with losses you would expect from an added on DAC. Only one input and no dedicated outputs. Surely it's supporting circuitry is not as good as it could be. However for a $40 option on a $280 amp, it blows my mind with it's performance. The fact that it is even being compared here is a testament to how amazing it actually is. With the lack of connectivity I think the M-Stage HPA-2 DAC does fall behind the V800 in overall usefulness, though most people are using USB based rigs now, so with the V800 lacking that input, the shoe is on the other foot. The 'just the essentials' approach works extremely well for those who need a great K701 or HD800 amp that happens to have an astonishing DAC for practically no extra cost.

The X-Sabre is on a level above the V800 and I believe most will say the V800 is a level above the M-Stage DAC, though my personal preference finds them on equal ground trading pros and cons. The X-Sabre wins in almost every category. Soundstage size, separation, dynamic contrast, texture, detail, timbre, and others are all in its favor. One aspect in particular that it far exceeds the other two is in layering. I happened to come across some tracks that had effects where the initial sound, be it vocals or a sound effect/instrument, would be in the near ground, then it would echo behind, then again and again further back each time. With the X-Sabre each step back was clearly mentally measurable. I could tell that each step back was going further back. With the M-Stage these effects felt like the source was merely standing in place or moving backwards very slightly. The V800 made this sound as if the source was already fairly far back and went backwards, but at hard to pinpoint increments. This layering advantage gave the X-Sabre a richness that the others lacked and was immediately noticeable on almost any track. The X-Sabre wins the battle of features as well with all the common inputs performing at equal level, support for all current formats including DSD and DXD and while the build quality of the V800 is surely excellent, the milled solid aluminum block that makes up the X-Sabre is basically insanity at it's price point of $1100.

In summary I can't recommend the purchase of a V800, especially if pairing with an HD800. The M-Stage HPA-2 with USB is a shocking eye opener with regard to value. The top of the heap remains the X-Sabre. I had previously thought the X-Sabre to be slightly bad on value (compared to Concero @ $600), now I think it is potentially worse on value with the discovery of the M-Stage HPA-2's optional DAC. Then I hear the V800 at $1300 and think, perhaps they cancel each other out...? I then consider the V820 will likely be at a similar price point as the V800, and should be a better value. I then relent that the X-Sabre has indeed lost some value. Diminishing returns is an ever changing metric.

Thanks for reading and thanks to Violectric (German) and Arthur of Violectric USA (English) for the opportunity to try these items I'd long been curious about. I can only hope the next generation of Violectric DAC will be more competitive and less sweet!

I was sent the V800, V181, and V200 Violectric products to demonstrate at the 2014 Austin Head-fi meet, so I wanted to drop a short review of the 3 items before sending them back. This review will be copied for both amps and I will review the DAC separately. I have had several days with these products in my home, testing with multiple headphones and comparing to products I own and other products I have for demonstration from other companies. The setup I used for the bulk of my listening was using the V800 as DAC and switching between the V181 and V200. Occasionally I would toss in a different DAC or a different amp to confirm what I was hearing.

Click the spoiler for a copy of my introduction and listening preferences. This is from early 2012, so it isn't quite up to date, but it works well enough.


First impressions of these Violectric pieces were that they were significantly smaller than I expected. I didn't look at the dimensions before receiving them, but for some reason I expected them to be nearly twice their size. A V800 and either the V181 or V200 makes for a relatively compact higher-end desktop setup. Another surprising bit was that even having all 3 devices stacked together and on for days at a time, they are all 3 just barely warm. This means you should be able to tuck them in an enclosed part of a desk or entertainment center and not worry about ventilation too much. Build quality is excellent as well. Every part of each device feels tight and solid. The volume knob is smooth, but with confident stops for the steps. Headphone plugs are smooth but firm, as are the inputs and outputs on the rear. The look of these devices is a little plain, but that suits me just fine. They have some heft to them, but are not exactly heavy. You should be fine to put a 2 stack on a small shelf with no problems so long as the shelf is somewhat strong. The flexibility of gain switches on the rear is appreciated, but I found I didn't need to change them at all with HD800s and IEMs in the mix.

Getting to the sound, this review will focus on differences between the V181 and V200 exclusively. Before getting into detail, I wanted to talk about where these stand with the competition at this $1000 price point. I feel these amps not as good of a deal as some of the competition. Some quick examples are the Schiit Mjolnir at $250 less that I feel gives similar or slightly better performance than both, the Bryston BHA-1 that betters both, but is $400 more, the Decware CSP2+ that is no longer available new, but was $1000 (IIRC) that also betters them. Going from quite old memory I would rate the performance of the Little Dot MKVI with HD600s to be similar to either of the Violectrics and runs roughly $850. The Little Dot will not be as flexible with lower impedance cans. I do feel the Violectric amps are worth a listen and that their performance is at least in the ballpark of the competition. Given the very good build quality and attention to detail, I have a hard time calling the Violectric amps lower in value, but since their reason to exist is sound, I must.

Using three different headphones, the HD800, HD600, and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor (UERM) as well as the V800 DAC (coaxial), I put the amps through their paces with everything from classical to electronic. The first bit of good news is that there was no noise with no music playing from either amp, even with the UERM, which is very high sensitivity and low impedance. This is a very different load to drive than either of the Sennheisers, but the sound signature was largely unchanged, a sign of good design. Another sign of good design is that each headphone sounded as they usually do, so neither amp was imparting an overarching signature to the headphones. With the basics out of the way, lets get into detail. First impressions of the V181 were that it had great texture, that reach out and touch it type of texture. Moving to the V200, the first thing I noticed was the soundstage was larger than the V181, both depth and width, but layering was worse. I didn't get much time to listen before packing them up to demo at the Austin meet, but after coming back I've let them both play for several days to shake off any remaining potential 'rust'. Today I sat down for a proper evaluation and ran them through my collection and took further notes.

Consolidated notes:

Better texture on V181 for sure. Cymbals and bells clearer with ring sounding more realistic. Noticeable with all 3 headphones, the UERM most of all (a surprise). Switching to V200 cymbals and bells have a sheen over them, they sound more synthetic. Piano is noticeably better on V181, overtones are produced properly and with good depth of tone. V200 piano is shallow in comparison, but not bad. I don't engage with the V200 as easily due to the texture problem. The V200 helps with the larger soundstage, though. Things are more spread with fair to good imaging, but layering still goes to the V181. The detail makes the layers more believable on the V181. The V200 just throws sounds out in the distance, but between the listener and the back, it's sort of a cloud of sound. Left-right imaging is still good, but front to back placement is problematic. Both amps are identical in dynamic capacity, both very good, but not the best I've heard. Macro dynamics are very good, micro dynamics could be better. Listening to 1st Mov Symphonic Dances has plenty of both to test them. Sound is acceptable for this price range. Recall Mjolnir having better dynamic contrast. Other than texture/detail and soundstage size, I can't tell much difference between the two amps. I don't find either amp to be particularly warm or dark as some have characterized the Violectric stack. Sounds similar to the X-Sabre in that it is just slightly warm, but still quite neutral, IMO.

In summary, I find the V181 the superior of the two for my taste, but both amps are very close. The larger soundstage of the V200 (though still smaller than several amps I've heard) would normally be an insurmountable advantage (I am a soundstage junkie), but the lack of layering makes it a bittersweet advantage. Counting the smearing of textures of the V200, the V181 with it's smaller, but better assembled soundstage comes out on top. Compared to other amps in this price range, I find the Violectrics performing on the bottom side of value.

I will try to get the V800 review out today as well. Thanks for reading and thanks to Violectric (German) and Arthur of Violectric USA (English) for the opportunity to try these items I'd long been curious about.

I was sent the V800, V181, and V200 Violectric products to demonstrate at the 2014 Austin Head-fi meet, so I wanted to drop a short review of the 3 items before sending them back. This review will be copied for both amps and I will review the DAC separately. I have had several days with these products in my home, testing with multiple headphones and comparing to products I own and other products I have for demonstration from other companies. The setup I used for the bulk of my listening was using the V800 as DAC and switching between the V181 and V200. Occasionally I would toss in a different DAC or a different amp to confirm what I was hearing.

Click the spoiler for a copy of my introduction and listening preferences. This is from early 2012, so it isn't quite up to date, but it works well enough.


First impressions of these Violectric pieces were that they were significantly smaller than I expected. I didn't look at the dimensions before receiving them, but for some reason I expected them to be nearly twice their size. A V800 and either the V181 or V200 makes for a relatively compact higher-end desktop setup. Another surprising bit was that even having all 3 devices stacked together and on for days at a time, they are all 3 just barely warm. This means you should be able to tuck them in an enclosed part of a desk or entertainment center and not worry about ventilation too much. Build quality is excellent as well. Every part of each device feels tight and solid. The volume knob is smooth, but with confident stops for the steps. Headphone plugs are smooth but firm, as are the inputs and outputs on the rear. The look of these devices is a little plain, but that suits me just fine. They have some heft to them, but are not exactly heavy. You should be fine to put a 2 stack on a small shelf with no problems so long as the shelf is somewhat strong. The flexibility of gain switches on the rear is appreciated, but I found I didn't need to change them at all with HD800s and IEMs in the mix.

Getting to the sound, this review will focus on differences between the V181 and V200 exclusively. Before getting into detail, I wanted to talk about where these stand with the competition at this $1000 price point. I feel these amps not as good of a deal as some of the competition. Some quick examples are the Schiit Mjolnir at $250 less that I feel gives similar or slightly better performance than both, the Bryston BHA-1 that betters both, but is $400 more, the Decware CSP2+ that is no longer available new, but was $1000 (IIRC) that also betters them. Going from quite old memory I would rate the performance of the Little Dot MKVI with HD600s to be similar to either of the Violectrics and runs roughly $850. The Little Dot will not be as flexible with lower impedance cans. I do feel the Violectric amps are worth a listen and that their performance is at least in the ballpark of the competition. Given the very good build quality and attention to detail, I have a hard time calling the Violectric amps lower in value, but since their reason to exist is sound, I must.

Using three different headphones, the HD800, HD600, and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor (UERM) as well as the V800 DAC (coaxial), I put the amps through their paces with everything from classical to electronic. The first bit of good news is that there was no noise with no music playing from either amp, even with the UERM, which is very high sensitivity and low impedance. This is a very different load to drive than either of the Sennheisers, but the sound signature was largely unchanged, a sign of good design. Another sign of good design is that each headphone sounded as they usually do, so neither amp was imparting an overarching signature to the headphones. With the basics out of the way, lets get into detail. First impressions of the V181 were that it had great texture, that reach out and touch it type of texture. Moving to the V200, the first thing I noticed was the soundstage was larger than the V181, both depth and width, but layering was worse. I didn't get much time to listen before packing them up to demo at the Austin meet, but after coming back I've let them both play for several days to shake off any remaining potential 'rust'. Today I sat down for a proper evaluation and ran them through my collection and took further notes.

Consolidated notes:

Better texture on V181 for sure. Cymbals and bells clearer with ring sounding more realistic. Noticeable with all 3 headphones, the UERM most of all (a surprise). Switching to V200 cymbals and bells have a sheen over them, they sound more synthetic. Piano is noticeably better on V181, overtones are produced properly and with good depth of tone. V200 piano is shallow in comparison, but not bad. I don't engage with the V200 as easily due to the texture problem. The V200 helps with the larger soundstage, though. Things are more spread with fair to good imaging, but layering still goes to the V181. The detail makes the layers more believable on the V181. The V200 just throws sounds out in the distance, but between the listener and the back, it's sort of a cloud of sound. Left-right imaging is still good, but front to back placement is problematic. Both amps are identical in dynamic capacity, both very good, but not the best I've heard. Macro dynamics are very good, micro dynamics could be better. Listening to 1st Mov Symphonic Dances has plenty of both to test them. Sound is acceptable for this price range. Recall Mjolnir having better dynamic contrast. Other than texture/detail and soundstage size, I can't tell much difference between the two amps. I don't find either amp to be particularly warm or dark as some have characterized the Violectric stack. Sounds similar to the X-Sabre in that it is just slightly warm, but still quite neutral, IMO.

In summary, I find the V181 the superior of the two for my taste, but both amps are very close. The larger soundstage of the V200 (though still smaller than several amps I've heard) would normally be an insurmountable advantage (I am a soundstage junkie), but the lack of layering makes it a bittersweet advantage. Counting the smearing of textures of the V200, the V181 with it's smaller, but better assembled soundstage comes out on top. Compared to other amps in this price range, I find the Violectrics performing on the bottom side of value.

I will try to get the V800 review out today as well. Thanks for reading and thanks to Violectric (German) and Arthur of Violectric USA (English) for the opportunity to try these items I'd long been curious about.