New Cavalli Audio Liquid Glass Amplifier - Fall Release

Folks, the new Liquid Glass amplifier will be available for delivery at the end of October.

The Liquid Glass is a hybrid amp at the opposite end of the tube-rolling spectrum from the Liquid Fire. The LF does not facilitate tube rolling (although owners still do it. :) ). The LG, OTOH, is designed to maximize tube rolling.

The internal design of the LG gives you the exact sound of whatever tube you are using as though the tube is running stand alone, with no load.

Some of the LG features are:

1. Will work with octals that have 6SN7 basing and novals that have 12AU7 basing.

2. Front end self adjusts to the tube in use.

3. The SS buffer will provide about 6W into 50R.

4. The buffer is transparent to the sound of whatever tube you are using.

5. There is a front panel selector for 6.3V or 12.6V tubes.

6. There is a front panel selector for B+ of 300V or 200V. Each triode will see half of this voltage. The 200V setting is for tubes that must run at less than 150V on their plates (like 6922) or tubes like 6H30 that will draw too much current at 150V.

7. Output is selectable between headphones or preamp out.

8. Input is selectable between two inputs. Input #1 has a loop out.

9. The circuit includes the standard CA heater delay and offset protection. The first one protects your expensive tubes and the second protects your expensive headphones.

10. The circuit also includes the no-rapid-power-cycling power module. This protects everything when you get the inevitable power blip.

11. The amp can have only one type of tube at a time, either octal or noval, but not both. There is an interference passive interlock that prevents inserting both types at the same time.

12. There is an internal current sensor on the B+ so that if the tubes draw more than a specified current limit the amp will shut down.

I'll be posting images from the 3D models soon and then pics of the LG that is going to LA shortly before I leave on Aug 16.

If you would like more information or would like to put yourself on the reservation list, please email to liquidglass@cavalliaudio.com. As always, this will be a limited production run.

More to come...

Gents, a little late, but here are a few pics.

Note that the amp takes either octals or novals. Notice the arrangement of the sockets so that you can't put both types into one channel at the same time. This is the passive interlock I mentioned above.

The switch and knob are painted to save time, but they will be anodized in production. The control switches are slides because the toggles I wanted weren't available at the time. Production amps will have small toggles. The switches are recessed so that you can't accidentally change the heater voltage or B+ while the amp is on (bad). Indicator LEDs are between each pair of switches. They are white when the amp is operating properly.

The front panel will indeed have lettering in the production version. It is clear anodized after bead blasing so that the mill grain shows through. It's very nice looking in person because the actual color is not as silver as the photos.

Left to right:

Heater: 6.3V/12.6V

B+: 200V/300V

Input:  #1 or #2

Output: Headphones or Preamp

Truth in lending, the demo has a light buzz because the regulator chip is not functioning right. Listeners at the LA meet will hear this slight buzz. But, it's an easy fix, will not be there in production, and I just don't have time left to fix it!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sridhar3 

Not sure I care for the aesthetic, but I'm looking forward to hearing how it sounds.  Can we expect to see (hear) one in the flesh at CanJam@RMAF2012?

This amp will be at RMAF, but only if you like they way it looks better. 

The photos don't really do justice to the look. At least as I see it.