New Cavalli Audio Liquid Glass Amplifier - Fall Release - Page 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by dBel84 

I liked the other one better tbh.  

Posted this elsewhere, but thought I would share it with the larger community as well:

Just had a chance to hear the Liquid Glass last night for a couple hours.  No suspense here- this amp is killer, with a terrific balance of clarity and with just a hint of that tube sound I've come to love - less than the BA but way more than the Liquid Fire.  It crushed every headphone paired with it (LCD-3 and Don's pick-your-poison of modded ortho goodness) and legitimately contends with the Balancing Act for the best sound I've heard yet in a dynamic rig.  Side by side with my KGSSHV and 007MK1's/4070's (which got less and less head time as the meet progressed) I found the Liquid Glass rendered some of the genres that I found previously limited to Stax as well or better than stats in some cases.   I've demoed every Cavalli product yet and found them to be great, but this is the first one that I'm utterly convinced I'm going to buy.  

Full disclosure: I've been told that the amp changes completely with different tube complements.  I should mention that I was listening with my matched pair of Mullard ECC32's which are my favorite BA input tube.  It makes a whole lot of sense that I'd love a tube I already enjoyed.  Also, I'm not sure what to ascribe to the amp and what to give credit to the tubes, Don's modding skills, or Luis' remastering prowess.  Frankly, I don't really care as I just really enjoyed myself on this setup.

Further edit - I have only tried this amp with lower efficiency loads.  So while I can recommend it for the LCD-3, some other vintage orthos, and (by extension) the HE-6/K1000, I cannot unequivocally recommend it for higher efficiency headphones like Grado, Denon, Fostex, or even the HD800 as I haven't heard those pairings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dBel84 

deleted

 

edit :

 

these might be more aesthetically fitting for the styling as they would fit onto the subchassis and allow just the connector to be visible , will have to check if the latch can be ommited 

 

Neutrik NC4FAV-0.

se

Oh yeah, and make yourself a little bracket like this:

Bracket attaches to back side of XLR. Assembly attaches to back of faceplate with blind threads. Front panel remains nice and clean. No screws showing.

se

So is the liquid glass supposed to be a step up from the liquid fire?

In my experience (and from memory) it is an unequivocal step up in sound.

The two amps have very different design goals- one a set-it-and-forget-it approach, the other a tube roller's paradise.  They have slightly different target demographics.  With my setup and my tubes though - it wasn't very close.  It's hard not to descend into hyperbole when hearing something that excites you, so this is my conservative way of saying - this is possibly the best dynamic tube amp I've heard (edit - with the LCD-3's.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_head 

In my experience (and from memory) it is an unequivocal step up in sound.

 

The two amps have very different design goals- one a set-it-and-forget-it approach, the other a tube roller's paradise.  They have slightly different target demographics.  With my setup and my tubes though - it wasn't very close.  It's hard not to descend into hyperbole when hearing something that excites you, so this is my conservative way of saying - this is possibly the best dynamic tube amp I've heard.

We're going to need a Milwaukee meet when you get yours!  

When you are dealing with top tier equipment it is less a matter of stepping up than it is a preference - each will have strengths over the other. The largest difference is that the LG is designed to bring out the true quality of the tube and be a tube rollers dream while the LF was designed to provide a high end amp using tubes that need never be changed. ( obviously people will always try and find the "best" tubes ) The LF circuit is far less sensitive to tube variation than the LG which has a no feedback and it is just incredible how variations in tubes can be teased out. It also makes an excellent preamp ..dB

edit -  reading the above posts, I conclude that perhaps I am too conservative. I will say this, I love the LF but I have been waiting a very long time for this amp to become a reality and now that it finally is, I too will own an "real" Cavalli amp ;-) 

This is what I want more impressions of. The LG being used in a speaker system as a preamp. That'd probably be my main use if I end up with one (although I'd want some sort of dynamic can to go with it). 

If it's a first rate preamp I'd really like to have one in with my speakers eventually. Get a super neutral power amp and pair it with a tube tuned pre. Mmmm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dBel84 

When you are dealing with top tier equipment it is less a matter of stepping up than it is a preference - each will have strengths over the other. The largest difference is that the LG is designed to bring out the true quality of the tube and be a tube rollers dream while the LF was designed to provide a high end amp using tubes that need never be changed. ( obviously people will always try and find the "best" tubes ) The LF circuit is far less sensitive to tube variation than the LG which has a no feedback and it is just incredible how variations in tubes can be teased out. It also makes an excellent preamp ..dB

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorbidToaster 

This is what I want more impressions of. The LG being used in a speaker system as a preamp. That'd probably be my main use if I end up with one (although I'd want some sort of dynamic can to go with it). 

 

If it's a first rate preamp I'd really like to have one in with my speakers eventually. Get a super neutral power amp and pair it with a tube tuned pre. Mmmm.

 

I should be getting my Paradox in soon, and hope to pair the two together.  The initial reports of the combination have been glowing and it is way cheaper than the TOTL options out there.

I may revisit both the LCD-3 and HD800 again as well based on what I heard from the LG.  I think it partially resuscitated dynamics for me after getting increasingly into stats- stats definitely have their pluses but what surprised me was the songs I was sure only stats could render to my liking were done just as well (though in a different manner) on the LG- in one case I was totally blown away by what it was able to do with an old modded Yamaha YHD-1.  Maybe I'm just a vintage ortho guy and never knew it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_head 

  Maybe I'm just a vintage ortho guy and never knew it.

there is a little vintage ortho guy in all of us, but be aware of pandoras box  ..dB

Quote:

Originally Posted by dBel84 

there is a little vintage ortho guy in all of us, but be aware of pandoras box  ..dB

What's that spell?

      Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_head 

What's that spell?

Well, it doesn't spell "paradox". ...Oh, wait...

Cheers!

HK sends

Actually it's Luis' new motto:

Paradox- no BS.