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SF Bay Area Meet impressions (May 2, 2015)
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May 4, 2015 at 7:59 PM Post #46 of 92
What an amazing meet - thanks to @HuddlerSteph for hosting. Wikia is quite an amazing place :wink: and obviously thank you to @Bill-P for organizing this. We should have meet like this more often. Will post detailed descriptions of my impressions - although I didn't really get to hear enough of the equipment there. I was quite impressed with the V2 of the Geekout as compared to the 450. Hearing the Yggy once again with the Ragnarok was amazing. That is truly the best DAC I have ever heard. Everyone was very cool and it was more of a social gathering in my eyes than any of the other meets we have had in the past - which was a great change!
 
May 4, 2015 at 9:20 PM Post #47 of 92
bill-p said:
 
Cavalli Liquid Carbon: a very good compact amp. I should preface whatever I'm about to write with that I already got to hear the Carbon at CanJam, and I have already placed my order for the Carbon as well, so I'm a big fan of this amp. What can I say? It's one of the smoothest sounding solid-state amplifier I have ever heard, and by that, I mean... it doesn't sound grainy, tizzy, digititus, etc... whatever you would like to call it. There is a bit of euphonic coloration compared to something like, say, the Schiit Ragnarok, but I tend to prefer that. This amp carries the same Cavalli DNA as his other amps: impact, authority, control, and musical. What it pushes out isn't true neutrality by any stretch of the word, but it kicks very hard, hits all of the right buttons, and does so with elegance and efficiency. Plus the form factor is very compact and definitely transportable. What is there not to like? I have rarely heard any amp which I would pre-order on day 1, so this is saying a lot. If you ask me, I'd consider the Liquid Carbon as being better than Schiit's Ragnarok. No matter how accurate the Ragnarok may be, it's missing the musical factor for me. And again... musical here doesn't necessarily mean "warm". The Carbon is as "neutral" as I can hear. It's simply superb. My hat is off to Alex again. Every time I hear this amp, I'm impressed!
 
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Thanks so much for your impressions! I wish I could have been there to hear it, but by the time I found out about this meet, it was full =(

Do you have any opinion on what types of headphones the Liquid Carbon would pair well with? I have a HE-560 and a Fostex TH900, and am looking for an amp for the latter in particular.
 
May 4, 2015 at 10:50 PM Post #48 of 92
bill-p said:
  Yeah. Sorry for the confusing language.
 
I couldn't find the best way to describe it. It's a "neutral" amp with "character". 
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So it's a Cavalli amp.  
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I'm going to have to wait till around August to hear the little Liquid Carbon.  You guys in California get spoiled by what shows up at your meets.
 
Congratulations on a successful meet.  
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May 4, 2015 at 11:10 PM Post #49 of 92
ham sandwich said:
 
 
I'm going to have to wait till around August to hear the little Liquid Carbon.  You guys in California get spoiled by what shows up at your meets.
 
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That's just how we roll.....   JK!
 
 
.
 
May 4, 2015 at 11:16 PM Post #50 of 92
stjj89 said:
   
Thanks so much for your impressions! I wish I could have been there to hear it, but by the time I found out about this meet, it was full =(

Do you have any opinion on what types of headphones the Liquid Carbon would pair well with? I have a HE-560 and a Fostex TH900, and am looking for an amp for the latter in particular.
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From what I can tell you should never have the slightest worry about driving any headphone with this amp, notwithstanding any super hard to drive cans. But go ahead and wait for the masters to confirm on that one.
 
Also everybody else - now I will reveal my predictions for the winning chain (having not attended the meet):
Yggy + Rangarok + HE-6
 
Darn I guess I slightly missed it! But my question: why wasn't the HE-6 getting any love? I saw the HE-6 in the gear list and I would have assumed it would have garnered some good reviews connected to all those TOTL amps & source chains. I have tried all of the headphones listed and I would be quite shocked for anybody to prefer the Ether or PM-3 to this near-extinct planar magnetic gem that struggles at nothing.
 
May 4, 2015 at 11:25 PM Post #52 of 92
decentlevi said:
  From what I can tell you should never have the slightest worry about driving any headphone with this amp, notwithstanding any super hard to drive cans. But go ahead and wait for the masters to confirm on that one.
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Yeah, I don't doubt the ability of the LC to drive it, I'm looking more for opinions on how well it complements the TH900, and any other issues that might come up (noise when driving sensitive headphones, SE performance?).
 
May 4, 2015 at 11:51 PM Post #53 of 92
xero1 said:
   
That's just how we roll.....   JK!
 
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Ha! 
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I'm in the process of upgrading my rig.  And most everything I'm considering was there at the meet.  I should have flown down to be there so I could hear and compare.
 
May 4, 2015 at 11:56 PM Post #54 of 92
zerodeefex said:
Yggy > EC Studio > Abyss/HD800/HE1000 was the best rig I've ever heard.

I have put aside $10k for the studio. I've never heard an amp as good in my life, bar none. Better than the MKIV which was superior to the pinnacle and teton. I was almost in tears.

The biggest surprise was the geek out v2. I like the first but this was a significant step up. I have to rethink my portable chain as the Triad holds it back. The STOCK Geek Out v2 beat the pants off my v1 SE.

The biggest disappointment was the Hugo TT. Less resolving, less smooth, terribly harsh (old British HiFi sound) when stacked against the Geek Out V2. This little $300 think paired with the Leckerton (4627-B) beat out the Hugo TT hands down with my HD800.

A lot of folks were surprised by the Eddie Current Black Widow at my table. I'll let Warren and others comment. He tried to place an order at the meet, ha-ha.
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Hm... if I get the chance I will have to try this combo and see if you're right, bro. 
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I only got to grab the Geek Out V2 and compare it to my 450.
 
May 5, 2015 at 12:13 AM Post #55 of 92
decentlevi said:
  From what I can tell you should never have the slightest worry about driving any headphone with this amp, notwithstanding any super hard to drive cans. But go ahead and wait for the masters to confirm on that one.
 
Also everybody else - now I will reveal my predictions for the winning chain (having not attended the meet):
Yggy + Rangarok + HE-6
 
Darn I guess I slightly missed it! But my question: why wasn't the HE-6 getting any love? I saw the HE-6 in the gear list and I would have assumed it would have garnered some good reviews connected to all those TOTL amps & source chains. I have tried all of the headphones listed and I would be quite shocked for anybody to prefer the Ether or PM-3 to this near-extinct planar magnetic gem that struggles at nothing.
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My guess is that the HE-6 got less love because of the HE-1000 which sounded... just incredible
 
May 5, 2015 at 12:34 AM Post #56 of 92
maeveth said:
   
My guess is that the HE-6 got less love because of the HE-1000 which sounded... just incredible
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I was just going to write something similar. I think the HE-6 is still one of the best out there, but honestly... comparing it A/B with the HE-1000... um... no comparison. The HE-1000 was just that good.
 
May 5, 2015 at 12:35 AM Post #57 of 92
Thanks for the wrap-up of a meet that serves as a preview of what's coming to the 15 July meet at the Doubletree Airport.  I was at work the day of the 2 May meet at the Wikia® offices.
 
May 5, 2015 at 12:45 AM Post #58 of 92
The Geek Out V2 & Liquid Carbon would make a killer compact, under-$1000, fully-balanced DAC & amp combo!
 
May 5, 2015 at 1:15 AM Post #59 of 92
I only got to hear the HE-1000 on the Chord TT but luckily with tracks I am very familiar with. I thought it sounded good but also very bright. This may have just been the pairing, and others have noted that it sounded amazing on other setups.The HE-6 also sounded great.
 
Some of my favorites of the show were the Code-X and Abyss on @zerodeefex's set-up. Never heard Arvo Pärt's - Fratres like that!
 
The number of IEMs was also great. Thanks @moedawg140 and @jude for bringing so many of their portables. It was a real treat to get to listen so many "TOTL" and interesting IEMs back to back!
 
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