Viola Forte Mono Powers.
- Thread starter rnsa2000
- Start date
Sunset in Jericoacoara on the "sunset dune".
Is the dune that is showed on the left on Edorr's picture.
Is the dune that is showed on the left on Edorr's picture.
Last edited:
Hi' Ricardo
I can recommend Argento cables, as they have a superb synergy with Viola
The Italian Viola distributor has several reviews of various Viola models on the website: http://www.lpaudio.it/diffusori/prove.php
Hi' Ricardo
Here is a review of my Viola Cadenza, carried out by the leading reviewer here in Denmark:
Cello and Viola are both stringed instruments, and therefore they are related with each other. If we talk hi-fi history, and think back to the time just after Mark Levinson no longer had the right to his own name, a company called Cello Audio was established. They made among other things, the Palette preamplifier and several other prestige products.
Later on, the company Viola Audio Labs was established from "the remnants" of Cello Audio. The main forces behind Viola Audio Labs were Tom Colangelo and Paul Jayson. Tom Colanelo died in 2007, but several of his ideas and designs are still in use. They both worked previously with Mark Levinson (the man - not the current company). Among other things, they were involved in prestige products from Cello Audio. This is therefore people with great experience in hi-fi, with the very wide ranging amplifier program from Viola. We are talking about highend for the discerning. Viola is in the category where, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.
Viola Cadenza is an impressive and beautiful preamp. A pure line stage, or to put it another way - just a switch and a volume control of the old manual sort - thus without remote control, computer control, or other technological innovations. Even in spite of this, the price is definately not low. Yet it isn’t the most expensive products in Viola program. So in a way, Cadenza is a slight of "scraped" entry model from Viola. However, it should not scare anyone, because here we have some of the best that can be provided. There is a special aura and just turning the knobs brings a shiver down my spine.
Hi-fi is often compared to cars. Some of the best cars are probably BMW, Porsche, Audi, etc. Are we moving to custom-built and limited version of Italian or British sports cars, it will cost you even more. Finally, the top of the top, we find eg. Bugatti Veyron - such a sports car is Viola! Here is chosen and selected with a firm hand. Do they not find the right components to be used, then it will be made in house or specially ordered. This is clearly seen with the impressive volume control. A true attenuator, with no less than 60 possible settings and SMD resistors.
The cabinet and the entire internal structure is oozing quality. The external power supply is absolutely genuine, and uses, among other things, chokes - one of Viola's characteristics in the entire range.
Viola Cadenza offers 6 inputs, including 2 balanced. There are also two sets of balanced output and 1 set of RCA. Last but not least, a tape out - that is the signal from a selected input before the volume control, but via a buffer. I have some doubt about, whether it’s real balanced unit. Looking at the construction of the volume control, doesn’t indicate a balanced structure. It also seems, that there are circuits that change the balanced signal to normal unbalanced and then back again to balance. Normally it’s not something I appreciate, but whatever input I used on this amplifier, it actually sounded best with balanced signals input (from EMM Labs DAC2 or Accuphase C27 RIAA), clockwise with balanced out. For once, a product where "something" is added, can result in a better sound.
The front has 4 large buttons. To the left the input swift, and to the right the volume control with 60 settings. The two buttons in the middle is gain control for each side. but in reality they are there to adapt the linestage to the surroundings. Meaning the sensitivity in the poweramp and not least the speakers.
The images of the power supplies, says more than many words. There is certainly not spared anything here. Solid transformers with a lots of regulations.
The sound of nothing
We often talk about the electronics have a characteristic sound, or a kind of "footprint". If one else can say something like that about Viola Cadenza, then it must be almost nothing. Or you can talk about a magnifying or even a microscope. Not because things are pulled closer or exaggerated in any way, it is just all of a sudden completely naked, exposed and pure in the soundstage. I'm glad for my Accuphase C2400, which is a very good preamp that has served me well for several years. I have also over time, heard much else in similar price and sound class, but have not been tempted to change. Viola Cadenza is undoubtedly a step higher interest sonically, and definitely the best I have ever experienced in my own setup. On the other hand, have to give up the remote control, the many inputs and a wealth of other facilities.
One might fear, that the subjective sound improvements only came with high quality sources, but even playing from my FM tuner, the sound was suddenly a completely different caliber. Yet I primarily listened to LPs or CD via the balanced inputs.
One of the first I heard was a woman, specifically Rickee Lee Jones from the good old "Chuk E's in Love". The voice was beautifully portrayed in the soundscape which grew in all directions also dynamic. Yes, there was as they say "hole through" - even a very large hole. The dynamic aspects were suddenly more clearly delineated, and it was so much, that even in the adjoining room I noticed that it was all much more vivid and engaging.
Instrumental in creating the great room is the control and peace of the lowest octaves
There is power behind, and again to experience, that "just" a preamplifier can result in such a large differences. Focus on the upper octaves is almost impossible, because they are just there. Extensive, soft, sweet but with all the details of need. One wonders involuntarily itself, whether it’s tube or semiconductors that deliver the best quality? The answer is easy, as long as you have listened a few days. "I am completely indifferent, let me hear some more music."
Classical music is obviously, just as much enjoyment. Here is the dissemination of the large room the great concert experience focusing on. Mahler, Prokoviev or Stravinsky gets new energy, and with big orchestral were treated with a superiority so suddenly, so you believed that both power amplifiers and speakers seem to have grown. Viola Cadenza keep the extent the subsequent electronics in a iron fist, so everything becomes more playful, easily and instantly. This is what cost money.
Conclusion
It shouldn’t be a surprise, that a preamp can make such a big difference in a setup, where just one meter cable can change or spoil music performance. However, it is something of an achievement to make a preamplifier with a sound quality as Viola Cadenza. To those who say, that it is "just" a preamplifier, I wish they could experience how it performs. Here we have an excellent example of that "something" is far better than "nothing".
What amazes me most, is how much electronics and how many components are actually needed, before Viola comes up with a world class preamp. If you have the money and you don’t mind to get up to regular the level or changed input - yes, you are in a very lucky situation. I will miss this jewel in my system.
Here is a review of my Viola Cadenza, carried out by the leading reviewer here in Denmark:
Cello and Viola are both stringed instruments, and therefore they are related with each other. If we talk hi-fi history, and think back to the time just after Mark Levinson no longer had the right to his own name, a company called Cello Audio was established. They made among other things, the Palette preamplifier and several other prestige products.
Later on, the company Viola Audio Labs was established from "the remnants" of Cello Audio. The main forces behind Viola Audio Labs were Tom Colangelo and Paul Jayson. Tom Colanelo died in 2007, but several of his ideas and designs are still in use. They both worked previously with Mark Levinson (the man - not the current company). Among other things, they were involved in prestige products from Cello Audio. This is therefore people with great experience in hi-fi, with the very wide ranging amplifier program from Viola. We are talking about highend for the discerning. Viola is in the category where, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.
Viola Cadenza is an impressive and beautiful preamp. A pure line stage, or to put it another way - just a switch and a volume control of the old manual sort - thus without remote control, computer control, or other technological innovations. Even in spite of this, the price is definately not low. Yet it isn’t the most expensive products in Viola program. So in a way, Cadenza is a slight of "scraped" entry model from Viola. However, it should not scare anyone, because here we have some of the best that can be provided. There is a special aura and just turning the knobs brings a shiver down my spine.
Hi-fi is often compared to cars. Some of the best cars are probably BMW, Porsche, Audi, etc. Are we moving to custom-built and limited version of Italian or British sports cars, it will cost you even more. Finally, the top of the top, we find eg. Bugatti Veyron - such a sports car is Viola! Here is chosen and selected with a firm hand. Do they not find the right components to be used, then it will be made in house or specially ordered. This is clearly seen with the impressive volume control. A true attenuator, with no less than 60 possible settings and SMD resistors.
The cabinet and the entire internal structure is oozing quality. The external power supply is absolutely genuine, and uses, among other things, chokes - one of Viola's characteristics in the entire range.
Viola Cadenza offers 6 inputs, including 2 balanced. There are also two sets of balanced output and 1 set of RCA. Last but not least, a tape out - that is the signal from a selected input before the volume control, but via a buffer. I have some doubt about, whether it’s real balanced unit. Looking at the construction of the volume control, doesn’t indicate a balanced structure. It also seems, that there are circuits that change the balanced signal to normal unbalanced and then back again to balance. Normally it’s not something I appreciate, but whatever input I used on this amplifier, it actually sounded best with balanced signals input (from EMM Labs DAC2 or Accuphase C27 RIAA), clockwise with balanced out. For once, a product where "something" is added, can result in a better sound.
The front has 4 large buttons. To the left the input swift, and to the right the volume control with 60 settings. The two buttons in the middle is gain control for each side. but in reality they are there to adapt the linestage to the surroundings. Meaning the sensitivity in the poweramp and not least the speakers.
The images of the power supplies, says more than many words. There is certainly not spared anything here. Solid transformers with a lots of regulations.
The sound of nothing
We often talk about the electronics have a characteristic sound, or a kind of "footprint". If one else can say something like that about Viola Cadenza, then it must be almost nothing. Or you can talk about a magnifying or even a microscope. Not because things are pulled closer or exaggerated in any way, it is just all of a sudden completely naked, exposed and pure in the soundstage. I'm glad for my Accuphase C2400, which is a very good preamp that has served me well for several years. I have also over time, heard much else in similar price and sound class, but have not been tempted to change. Viola Cadenza is undoubtedly a step higher interest sonically, and definitely the best I have ever experienced in my own setup. On the other hand, have to give up the remote control, the many inputs and a wealth of other facilities.
One might fear, that the subjective sound improvements only came with high quality sources, but even playing from my FM tuner, the sound was suddenly a completely different caliber. Yet I primarily listened to LPs or CD via the balanced inputs.
One of the first I heard was a woman, specifically Rickee Lee Jones from the good old "Chuk E's in Love". The voice was beautifully portrayed in the soundscape which grew in all directions also dynamic. Yes, there was as they say "hole through" - even a very large hole. The dynamic aspects were suddenly more clearly delineated, and it was so much, that even in the adjoining room I noticed that it was all much more vivid and engaging.
Instrumental in creating the great room is the control and peace of the lowest octaves
There is power behind, and again to experience, that "just" a preamplifier can result in such a large differences. Focus on the upper octaves is almost impossible, because they are just there. Extensive, soft, sweet but with all the details of need. One wonders involuntarily itself, whether it’s tube or semiconductors that deliver the best quality? The answer is easy, as long as you have listened a few days. "I am completely indifferent, let me hear some more music."
Classical music is obviously, just as much enjoyment. Here is the dissemination of the large room the great concert experience focusing on. Mahler, Prokoviev or Stravinsky gets new energy, and with big orchestral were treated with a superiority so suddenly, so you believed that both power amplifiers and speakers seem to have grown. Viola Cadenza keep the extent the subsequent electronics in a iron fist, so everything becomes more playful, easily and instantly. This is what cost money.
Conclusion
It shouldn’t be a surprise, that a preamp can make such a big difference in a setup, where just one meter cable can change or spoil music performance. However, it is something of an achievement to make a preamplifier with a sound quality as Viola Cadenza. To those who say, that it is "just" a preamplifier, I wish they could experience how it performs. Here we have an excellent example of that "something" is far better than "nothing".
What amazes me most, is how much electronics and how many components are actually needed, before Viola comes up with a world class preamp. If you have the money and you don’t mind to get up to regular the level or changed input - yes, you are in a very lucky situation. I will miss this jewel in my system.
Similar threads
Members online
- Mark212121
- iaxel
- Golum
- itay123
- Brabus
- kennyb123
- hauxon
- fellow1057
- redwick
- RCanelas
- Nuforce
- Hasse
- jhung168
- Cleese74
- Lynnot
- defride
- Rocoa
- RichardA
- Rexp
- the sound of Tao
- VinylSavor
- morricab
- Argonaut
- rDin
- thekong
- QuantumWave
- Opabin
- TooCool4
- kodomo
- HungarianPal
- bonzo75
- Blackmorec
- Romalpa
- ton77
- flkin
- rrohland
- hopkins
- pjwd
- Bobvin
- Juiced
- Chpray
- alex3
- SlapEcho
- gian60
- Christiaan Punter
- Roger
- Analog Scott
- Inline Six
- b345t
- Adcc
 | Steve Williams Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator |  | Ron Resnick Site Co-Owner | Administrator |  | Julian (The Fixer) Website Build | Marketing Managersing |