[nudd]

I wouldn't necessarily say that. It might do pretty well. But, HE6 does suck power so it won't do the same as an amp like the LAu with 3 times the power.

Would you able to comment also on whether around 4v input voltage on the balanced inputs is okay. The reason is that some DACs like I think the Emotiva and the Geek Pulse X are quoting 4v (3.8v in the case of the Pulse) at the balanced outputs.

 

[runeight]

Good question. Since the amp has a unity gain mode it has to be able to reproduce whatever is put into it until it hits the rails.
 
When we measured 2.8W it was in unity gain mode. IIRC, 2.8W was about 12V RMS or about 17V peak. In order to get 12V RMS out we were putting a little more than that in (because the gain is slightly less than 1X because it's a follower in this mode).
 
Anything less than this in 1X mode should not be a problem for the amp. And then do the proportions for 3X mode.

 

[nudd]

  Good question. Since the amp has a unity gain mode it has to be able to reproduce whatever is put into it until it hits the rails.
 
When we measured 2.8W it was in unity gain mode. IIRC, 2.8W was about 12V RMS or about 17V peak. In order to get 12V RMS out we were putting a little more than that in (because the gain is slightly less than 1X because it's a follower in this mode).
 
Anything less than this in 1X mode should not be a problem for the amp. And then do the proportions for 3X mode.

that's excellent thanks for letting us know!

 

[kljash]

So I have an audio gd nfb-1 that outputs 5v, so I should only use it in 1x mode? Sorry I realize you already answered that but I'm not a very technical person.

 

[PATB]

Does the liquid carbon going to have enough power to adequately drive an HD650, HD800, and RS1?  To be honest, the main thing that is holding me back is the front XLR connector; all of my balanced headphones have the old dual XLR connectors.

 

[nudd]

So I have an audio gd nfb-1 that outputs 5v, so I should only use it in 1x mode? Sorry I realize you already answered that but I'm not a very technical person.

 
I think it depends on how much power your headphone needs. 5vrms into the 1x gain will give you close to 5vrms at the output. But from the sounds of it 5V rms x 3 will be more than the max of 12vrms that Dr C was saying was what the LC is designed to run at, so you should not turn the gain dial more than 3/4 of the way up when using the 3x gain mode (assuming my useless math is correct).
 
And assuming the music is recorded or mastered so that it is loud.

 

[cskippy]

  Does the liquid carbon going to have enough power to adequately drive an HD650, HD800, and RS1?  To be honest, the main thing that is holding me back is the front XLR connector; all of my balanced headphones have the old dual XLR connectors.

You should get an adapter made from dual 3pin XLR to 4pin XLR.  4pin XLR is pretty much the standard, unless you are using monoblocks, in which case you are already set!

 

[Beolab]

So i have a Hugo with 6 v max output if i turn up the volume, and 2,2 v output in line mode, what gain mode should i set my LC for put out 2,8 watt?

 

[LFC_SL]

Does the liquid carbon going to have enough power to adequately drive an HD650, HD800, and RS1?  To be honest, the main thing that is holding me back is the front XLR connector; all of my balanced headphones have the old dual XLR connectors.

Get an adaptor? Most new Dac/amps will use 4-pin xlr for the headphone out. Which is why I notice when someone uses the old dual xlr (chord)

 

[Poimandres]

Why isn't the input XLR a four pin? I realize most outputs are the dual 3 pin however an adapter could easily be made and it would allow for a kobiconn balanced input.

 

[joeexp]

Why isn't the input XLR a four pin? I realize most outputs are the dual 3 pin however an adapter could easily be made and it would allow for a kobiconn balanced input.

Because 3 pin XLR is the standard for interconnecting equipment

 

[rollinbr]

  Does the liquid carbon going to have enough power to adequately drive an HD650, HD800, and RS1?  To be honest, the main thing that is holding me back is the front XLR connector; all of my balanced headphones have the old dual XLR connectors.

You want something like this - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cardas-4-Pin-Balanced-Female-XLR-To-Dual-3-Pin-Male-XLR-Adapter-/191574198753?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c9ab649e1

 

[joeexp]

   
The Carbon can respond with much more power than 1.5W. Also, we measured about .04% THD with 1kHz in driving 47.5R at 2.8W.
 

 
0.04% THD is this quite a lot higher then the 0.0015%@3W into 33R, the Liquid Gold has.
 
What effect has this on SQ?
 
Or perhaps the 2.8W is an extreme value that you probably never reach under normal  listening conditions.
 
Audeze says on there website about their headphones: THD < 1% …..

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

0.04% THD is this quite a lot higher then the 0.0015%@3W into 33R, the Liquid Gold has.

What effect had this on SQ?

From what I've read, under 1% distortion is practically impossible to detect audibly. It doesn't really matter anyway, since the driver distortion of any headphone will be magnitudes higher than that. Other factors matter much more. Also, I don't think there's any headphone that will need that amount of power output that the measurements were taken... even the HE-6 (K1000 I'm not sure about ).

 

[Poimandres]

Because 3 pin XLR is the standard for interconnecting equipment

Time to be on the forefront of a new standard.