Violectric HPA V222
The HPA V222 delivers muscular dynamics, weighty bass and commanding rock-scale drive, while its fully balanced path opens the stage and lowers perceived noise. Paul Rigby found its best performance through balanced connections and Pentaconn, where clarity, impact and an even-handed presentation make this compact amplifier a compelling match for energetic listening.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
86/100
Build Quality
85/100
Features Usability
88/100
Value for Money
85/100
Pros
Fully balanced operation delivers a more open soundstage, lower perceived noise floor, greater clarity and a more even-handed balance.
Excels with high-energy music, combining dominant, weighty bass with powerful dynamics and strong rock authority.
Versatile compact design with balanced and single-ended inputs plus 6.35 mm, four-pin XLR and Pentaconn headphone outputs.
Cons
Single-ended performance is less impressive than balanced operation, with a firmer upper-midrange edge and somewhat forced treble.
DIP-switch gain adjustment is less convenient than a front-panel selector or rotary control.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 86/100
The V222 is most convincing with energetic material, bringing substantial weight, authority and impact to rock and other high-energy recordings. Balanced operation is notably more open and even-handed than single-ended use, though the presentation can be firm in the upper mids and less persuasive with delicate acoustic music.
Transparency Resolution
84/100
With the balanced input and Pentaconn output, the reviewer heard an opened-up stage, lower perceived background noise and a new level of clarity. Single-ended operation was described as merely satisfactory, while the Pentaconn presentation traded a little treble clarity for greater weight.
Tonal Balance Musicality
82/100
The amplifier has a forceful, solid-state character with weighty bass and a slight emphasis toward the upper frequencies. The reviewer noted a small hardness at the upper-midrange limits and a slightly forced treble, making it better suited to impact than fragility, delicacy or valve-like sweetness.
Dynamics
91/100
Dynamic drive is a clear strength: the V222 was said to relish mighty drum strikes, power chords, heavy bass lines and screaming vocals. It gives high-energy music a strong sense of lower-frequency solidity, power and physical impact.
Noise Floor
86/100
In the preferred balanced configuration, the reviewer specifically heard the noise floor drop as the stage opened up. There is no reported hiss, hum or intrusive background noise, although sensitive-IEM performance was not directly discussed.
Headphone Compatibility
87/100
The reviewer reports ample capability for headphones across a wide range of impedances, and the unit offers extensive pre-gain adjustment from substantial boost to attenuation. It worked effectively with the Sennheiser HD 800, but the review makes clear that balanced connection is the preferable route and finds the single-ended result less compelling.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
85/100
The V222 is described as a compact desktop amplifier in an aluminium chassis, with an ALPS RK27 volume control and a substantial 38 mm aluminium knob. The reviews provide little commentary on long-term durability, switch feel or internal construction.
Features Usability
88/100
Connectivity is unusually flexible for a compact analog headphone amplifier: it has XLR and single-ended inputs, plus 6.35 mm, four-pin XLR and 4.4 mm Pentaconn headphone outputs. Six selectable pre-gain settings provide useful matching flexibility, though the reviewer found the gain-switch arrangement somewhat awkward and there is no integrated DAC or remote functionality.
Value for Money
85/100
At $1,399, the V222 offers balanced inputs and outputs, multiple headphone socket standards, adjustable gain and particularly strong high-energy performance. The review does not directly assess value against competing amplifiers at this price, beyond assigning stronger results to balanced operation than single-ended use.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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YouTube Reviews
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Specifications
- Item number:
- 1008323
- Max. Input Voltage
- +21 dBu
- dimensions
- 165 x 54 x 163 mm (WxHxD)
- Dynamic range
- > 131 dB (A-bew.)
- amplifier make
- < -102 dBu (A-bew.)
- Attenuator Make
- ALPS RK27
- Volume Knob
- 38 mm Aluminum
- housing form
- Desktop
- output impedance
- < 0,5 Ohm balanced / < 0,25 Ohm unbalanced
- Input Sensitivity
- +6 dBu
- Input Impedance
- 10 kOhm
- color
- black
- power supply
- Internal 230 V / 115 V AC
- frequency range
- 5 Hz - 150 kHz
- crosstalk
- -100 / -95 dB (1 kHz / 15 kHz)
Manufacturer's Description — Violectric
The balanced headphone amplifier for demanding headphones
The Violectric HPA V222 has a fully balanced output stage with four output stage circuits. This allows it to drive balanced wired headphones with perfect electronic signal separation. It has both a balanced 4-pin XLR socket and a 4.4 mm Pentaconn on the front. An additional 6.3 mm jack output drives classic headphones asymmetrically.
Inputs & outputs
Inputs analog, stereo:-> 1x RCA unbalanced
-> 1x XLR female, balanced
+++ Inputs switchable to front with switch +++
Outputs headphones:
-> 1x jack 6.3 mm, unbalanced
-> 1x XLR 4-pin, female, balanced
-> 1x Pentaconn 4.4 mm, balanced
Convenient switching between sources
The Violectric HPA V222 is equipped with 2 stereo inputs - balanced via XLR and unbalanced via RCA - on the rear of the device. This allows you to connect 2 independent playback devices such as streamers, CD players, etc. directly to the headphone amplifier and use it as a preamplifier.
Balanced headphone output
When listening to music via loudspeakers, you are part of the auditorium. When listening via “normal” headphones, you take the place of the conductor. When listening with “balanced” headphones, you are part of the orchestra.
If headphones are operated symmetrically, the channel separation is increased even further. Balanced headphones usually have a 4-pin XLR connection or a Pentaconn plug.
True balanced operation requires a great deal of effort in the form of four built-in power amplifiers.
PRE-GAIN
7-way adjustable amplification for optimum adaptation to all sources and headphones (Backside, -18, -12, -6, 0, +6, +12, +18 dB).
The headphone amplifier is positioned between the music source and the headphones. The source can have different levels of power and the headphones can have different levels of sensitivity.
The Violectric PRE-GAIN serves to compensate for these differences and to optimize the headphone amplifier for every conceivable combination. This results in minimal noise, the lowest distortion factor and the best channel balance.
Superior sound reproduction
The Violectric DHA V222 has been carefully engineered to maintain fidelity in its purest form. The advanced audio technology ensures high-resolution and distortion-free sound reproduction across the entire frequency spectrum.
Whether you want to explore subtle nuances in your music or create precise mixes, this headphone amplifier allows you to hear every detail clearly.
Violectric's unique technology
- Lowest Noise - through very low internal gain. This makes the amplifier's own noise inaudible.
- High output voltage - due to an internal 50 volt operating voltage. Therefore ideally suited for high-impedance headphones.
- High output power - thanks to powerful amplifiers that can deliver far more power than even the most demanding headphones require. Therefore ideally suited for headphones with low impedances and magnetostats.
- High damping factor - due to the lowest output impedance. Therefore ideally suited to drive even the most difficult headphones without interference. The advantage for an uncompromising frequency response.
Violectric - The brand for music lovers
- Violectric brings decades of expertise and the uncompromising quality standards of professional Lake People products to the world of hi-fi - with passion! Music lovers all over the world rave about the seamless integration into their systems: from a convenient and versatile input section to precisely adjustable gain control and digital interfaces with first-class converter technology at broadcast level - no wish remains unfulfilled here.
- The entire Violectric portfolio impresses with intuitive operability that is otherwise only known from professional audio technology. And there are no compromises when it comes to quality: Every single component is carefully selected to guarantee maximum sound fidelity.
- However, Violectric not only stands for outstanding technology, but also for timeless elegance. The products are integrated into an elegant, high-quality housing and fit perfectly into any sophisticated hi-fi setup. For audiophile perfectionists who don't want to compromise, the Niimbus series offers the ultimate - both visually and technically at the very highest level.
Features
- balanced inputs via gold-plated Neutrik XLR sockets
- unbalanced inputs via gold-plated RCA sockets
- PRE-GAIN: amplification can be adjusted in 7 stages on the back
- Powerful balanced stereo amplifier (4 output stages)
- Compact and extremely robust aluminum housing
- Made in Germany
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Violectric HPA V222
- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
- American Audio & Video — in-store — Southaven, Mississippi, United States (website)
- ARK Audio — online and in-store — Borensberg, Östergötlands län, Sweden (website)
- Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Audio Concierge — online and in-store — England, United Kingdom (website)
- Audio essence — online and in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (website)
- Audio Excellence (CA) — online and in-store — Markham, Ontario, Canada (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- Audiofrenzy BV — in-store — Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands (website)
- AudioPerformance — online and in-store — Stenkullen, Västra Götalands län, Sweden (website)
and 23 more verified dealers