Cavalli Audio Liquid Fire - Page 143

Listening to the first Emerson, Lake, and Palmer issue re-mixed by Steven Wilson in 24/48.  Incredibly dynamic an detailed.  Blows away and prior issue in SQ land!  As always the LF just makes this one beautiful.

Soooooooo beautiful!  Take a break here and listen to this one again...........the 24/96 download is just luscious.............

Oops. Wrong thread.

What a coincidence.  I have this excruciating kidney stone and I was just thinking the same thing.

Oooh Radio_head I know your pain

Hope you got some good pain killers and can try to relax 'till it passes

At least you're past the rolling around on the floor part ...

Has anyone here listened to the Liquid Gold?  I understand that a few have had the privilege of a proto-listen.

It's very good.  If I was interested in a Solid State dynamic amp I would definitely buy one.

Not that it matters but what does it look like?  The LL?  It would be interesting to hear the Lau and the Headamp GSX-2 side by side.

I only heard a proto.  No idea what the finished product will look like.

I had the GS-X V1 and much preferred the Gold to my tastes, but never had the two side-to-side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_head 

I only heard a proto.  No idea what the finished product will look like.

 

I had the GS-X V1 and much preferred the Gold to my tastes, but never had the two side-to-side.

What was it about the Gold that made it stand out over the GS-X?  What phones did you use to audition it?

The most prominent thing that stood out was Soundstage - solid state never seems to do it well like DHT tube amps. I wouldn't say the Gold is quite there with amps like the BA for soundstaging but it is the closest I've ever heard SS get.  

Second thing is tonality/speed.  It's just more engaging.  While I wouldn't go so far as to call the first GS-X lifeless and dull like some would, it definitely doesn't have the engaging quality that the Gold managed.  I'm not sure what to attribute this to, though I'm told the slew rates are phenomenal - and I wouldn't call it a "colored" SS amp either, so I'm not sure where this stems from.  The extension on both ends was phenomenal, though I think the GS-X is its equal there.  The Gold has serious power for some more challenging loads, as does (I'm told) the GS-X V2.  The resolution was also tremendous.

I listened with two different modded LCD-3's, a couple modded vintage Yamahas (YHD-1's are my favorite), and modded Vintage AKG's with a pretty wide range of efficiency and impedance.  I didn't get the chance to listen with the HD800's as they were terminated to dual 3 pin.

Other people who have heard the amp have had largely similar independent thoughts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_head 

The most prominent thing that stood out was Soundstage - solid state never seems to do it well like DHT tube amps. I wouldn't say the Gold is quite there with amps like the BA for soundstaging but it is the closest I've ever heard SS get.  

 

Second thing is tonality/speed.  It's just more engaging.  While I wouldn't go so far as to call the first GS-X lifeless and dull like some would, it definitely doesn't have the engaging quality that the Gold managed.  I'm not sure what to attribute this to, though I'm told the slew rates are phenomenal - and I wouldn't call it a "colored" SS amp either, so I'm not sure where this stems from.  The extension on both ends was phenomenal, though I think the GS-X is its equal there.  The Gold has serious power for some more challenging loads, as does (I'm told) the GS-X V2.  The resolution was also tremendous.

 

I listened with two different modded LCD-3's, a couple modded vintage Yamahas (YHD-1's are my favorite), and modded Vintage AKG's with a pretty wide range of efficiency and impedance.  I didn't get the chance to listen with the HD800's as they were terminated to dual 3 pin.

 

Other people who have heard the amp have had largely similar independent thoughts.

Very interesting..  I hope the LAu comes to fruition.

Great, add another amp (LAu) for me to lust over!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icenine2 

Has anyone here listened to the Liquid Gold?  I understand that a few have had the privilege of a proto-listen.

I've heard the prototype as well. My thoughts are pretty much in line with Radio_head's, minus the comparison to the GS-X which I don't have much experience with personally. I will say I personally preferred the LAu to the B22 and Phonitor however.

The engaging presentation really stood out for me. Cavalli's amps do this very well in general in my opinion.