☯️ Cavalli Audio's Liquid Carbon... a $599 Cavalli amp??? | Page 166 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

Stillhart · Jul 26, 2015 at 11:30 PM

You guys better hope Amos doesn't find his way over here...

runeight · Jul 26, 2015 at 11:57 PM

gr8soundz said:
Imo, the only thing you can be certain of (for all brands you mentioned) is they sound better than most any stock cable.

Equipment manufacturers usually include the cheapest cables that work (or that they can get away with). I wish they'd include better cables and save us time searching the aftermarket but, for them, saving $10 per unit can add up. I bet if they did we'd still think the included cables weren't good enough. And unless ALL of us refuse to buy higher priced stuff with cheap cables, they will continue doing so.

Better than stock is still leaves a ton of variables but I think its up to each person to decide how much they're willing to spend on cables and how much better it sounds TO THEM vs another. That could mean infinite amounts of time trying to cover them all but isn't that what we already willingly do with amps, dacs, and headphones?

I think this is more or less a no win for the manufacturers as you suggest (just MHO). It doesn't make sense to supply a super expensive cable because it increases the price too much. And even if you include a moderately priced good cable, most folks are going to find their own anyway. Same for power cords. Plus, for cables on a unit like the LC, one would have to supply both balanced and RCA cables to cover the bases. Cables and cords are places where owners can or believe they can influence the sound signature of their systems as a whole. As a manufacturer I think it's best to leave this territory open for people to do that and to enjoy doing that.

mscott58 · Jul 27, 2015 at 12:31 AM

runeight said:
I think this is more or less a no win for the manufacturers as you suggest (just MHO). It doesn't make sense to supply a super expensive cable because it increases the price too much. And even if you include a moderately priced good cable, most folks are going to find their own anyway. Same for power cords. Plus, for cables on a unit like the LC, one would have to supply both balanced and RCA cables to cover the bases. Cables and cords are places where owners can or believe they can influence the sound signature of their systems as a whole. As a manufacturer I think it's best to leave this territory open for people to do that and to enjoy doing that.

Well said Alex!

ying · Jul 27, 2015 at 12:34 AM

poimandres said:
I posted this in the other thread, some here may be interested.

Audio advisor has the Pangea 14se MKII cables on sale. You can get a 1.5 meter cable for 65. 75% off IIRC.

The Pangea uses the Cardas Grade One Copper

They also have the black mamba II rca cables on sale, should anyone be interested.

Thanks for the deal notifications!! I just bought the Pangea 14Se MKII, For that price I will gladly pay for it to cure my curiosity. I have no idea if it will sound different than the stock power cables I have but for 50 bucks well worth to even try.

I have tried the Audioquest Cinnamon USB cable, and did not hear any difference from my Fiio stock cable. Other people tell me $1000 usb sound different though.... I would love to try that out!! Cables in my books are always worth the try though, the best if you can borrow them from your friends or a store!! I don't believe in the more it cost the better it is, I have heard $250,000 speaker set up and don't feel like they are worth it. So it really depends haha.

sahmen · Jul 27, 2015 at 12:42 AM

poimandres said:
I posted this in the other thread, some here may be interested.

Audio advisor has the Pangea 14se MKII cables on sale. You can get a 1.5 meter cable for 65. 75% off IIRC.

The Pangea uses the Cardas Grade One Copper

They also have the black mamba II rca cables on sale, should anyone be interested.

I wouldn't mind trying one on the LC, but the page specifically says that this particular cable is suitable for "source components":

"Pangea Audio's AC-14SE MkII Signature Edition power cable is specifically designed for source components, which do not require the same large amounts of current as receivers, amps and subs."

How significant must one consider this statement to be, if one wants to use the cable on the LC, which is an amp?

warrenpchi · Jul 27, 2015 at 12:42 AM

mscott58 said:
runeight said:

I think this is more or less a no win for the manufacturers as you suggest (just MHO). It doesn't make sense to supply a super expensive cable because it increases the price too much. And even if you include a moderately priced good cable, most folks are going to find their own anyway. Same for power cords. Plus, for cables on a unit like the LC, one would have to supply both balanced and RCA cables to cover the bases. Cables and cords are places where owners can or believe they can influence the sound signature of their systems as a whole. As a manufacturer I think it's best to leave this territory open for people to do that and to enjoy doing that.

Click to expand...

Well said Alex!

Booyakasha!

ying · Jul 27, 2015 at 1:15 AM

sahmen said:
I wouldn't mind trying one on the LC, but the page specifically says that this particular cable is suitable for "source components":

"Pangea Audio's AC-14SE MkII Signature Edition power cable is specifically designed for source components, which do not require the same large amounts of current as receivers, amps and subs."

How significant must one consider this statement to be, if one wants to use the cable on the LC, which is an amp?

Click to expand...

Amp is the measurement for current. Usually our houses are wired with 15 amp breaker boxes which means the lowest gauge for cable is a 14 gauge cable. I am pretty sure that the LC does not draw over 15 amps, or your breaker will always trip, unless your wired to a 20 amp breaker box etc. So I am not sure what they mean by the power cable is specifically design for source components. 14 gauge is 14 gauge wire, If they use a 12 gauge or 8 gauge I don't think it will increase the performance of the cables in audio terms.

I am by no terms an electrical engineer, but I guessing this is just "marketing"

Haha but anyways my dac wouldn't mind a power cable upgrade, (if it does make a difference) haha

warrenpchi · Jul 27, 2015 at 1:22 AM

Frankly, I'm surprised that no one has posted anything like the following:

"Alex, I love the way the Carbon sounded at [INSERT_SHOW_ATTENDED_HERE]. I was wondering if you could tell me what cables you used so that I can get the same ones. Thanks"

Evshrug · Jul 27, 2015 at 1:37 AM

Alex, I would love to hear how the Carbon sounded at CanJam SoCal when you made WarrenPChi and Dan B freak out about how awesome the amp is. I was wondering if you could tell me what cables you used so that I can get the same ones. Thanks.

P.S. [for anyone] Still open to suggestions for best way to wire CIEMs so I can go balanced or SE without wearing down the delicate connector on the CIEM shells.

ying · Jul 27, 2015 at 1:42 AM

warrenpchi said:
Frankly, I'm surprised that no one has posted anything like the following:

"Alex, I love the way the Carbon sounded at [INSERT_SHOW_ATTENDED_HERE]. I was wondering if you could tell me what cables you used so that I can get the same ones. Thanks"

oh yahhhhh, well I guess the question is up. Dr. Cavalli what do you recommend??

xuan87 · Jul 27, 2015 at 1:52 AM

evshrug said:
Alex, I would love to hear how the Carbon sounded at CanJam SoCal when you made WarrenPChi and Dan B freak out about how awesome the amp is. I was wondering if you could tell me what cables you used so that I can get the same ones. Thanks.

P.S. [for anyone] Still open to suggestions for best way to wire CIEMs so I can go balanced or SE without wearing down the delicate connector on the CIEM shells.

Well, off the top of my head I can think of 2 ways:

1) Use a balanced cable, and when needed to use SE, just plug in an adapter. Similar to how you switch between 1/4 inch and 3.5mm, and I believe this is how most people do it. Only problem is the additional bulk from the plugs at the adapter. You can also ordered the ultra short adapter from Norne or Plussound for such a purpose.

2) Have the balanced female jack at the Y section, then just swap between balanced cable and a SE cable. The advantage of this over the first method is that the additional weight at the Y section will feel more natural. The disadvantage is that you'll need 2 full length cables rather to just 1 full length cable and 1 small adapter.

LajostheHun · Jul 27, 2015 at 2:33 AM

sahmen said:
I wouldn't mind trying one on the LC, but the page specifically says that this particular cable is suitable for "source components":

"Pangea Audio's AC-14SE MkII Signature Edition power cable is specifically designed for source components, which do not require the same large amounts of current as receivers, amps and subs."

How significant must one consider this statement to be, if one wants to use the cable on the LC, which is an amp?

Click to expand...

It's a headphone amp, not a power amp for speakers, which in some cases produces 100's of watts vs a max 1.5w of this amp. Quite frankly any generic power cable will be fine, but if one want's to throw money out the window, I won't be in the way.

joeexp · Jul 27, 2015 at 2:51 AM

xuan87 said:
Well, off the top of my head I can think of 2 ways:

1) Use a balanced cable, and when needed to use SE, just plug in an adapter. Similar to how you switch between 1/4 inch and 3.5mm, and I believe this is how most people do it. Only problem is the additional bulk from the plugs at the adapter. You can also ordered the ultra short adapter from Norne or Plussound for such a purpose.

2) Have the balanced female jack at the Y section, then just swap between balanced cable and a SE cable. The advantage of this over the first method is that the additional weight at the Y section will feel more natural. The disadvantage is that you'll need 2 full length cables rather to just 1 full length cable and 1 small adapter.

All unnecessary as the LC has a PhaseSplitter for the SE input.
So no adapters needed.

nudd · Jul 27, 2015 at 3:32 AM

joeexp said:
All unnecessary as the LC has a PhaseSplitter for the SE input.
So no adapters needed.

Not the same. The LC has the phase splitter at the input stage so there should be little difference connecting the Source in SE or balanced mode provided you are using normal cable lengths and don't need to reject common mode noise.

There is still a difference at the output stage where I think the outputs at SE are known to be noisier then the balanced ouputs. I think the SE outputs just tap the + of each channel so there will only be half the voltage swing.

Also there must be something inherent in the implementation that makes this more noisy for SE despite the balanced outputs having double the power on each channel as initial reviewers have mentioned it is noisy using SE ouput to sensitive iems, but the noise goes away when swapping the same iem with balanced cables.

xuan87 · Jul 27, 2015 at 3:32 AM

joeexp said:
All unnecessary as the LC has a PhaseSplitter for the SE input.
So no adapters needed.

The phase splitter, as your rightly put it, is for the analog in.

However, my reply was to an original question someone had about using both SE and Balanced headphone out on the LC with his CIEM without changing his CIEM cables.

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