[warrenpchi]

 

How about the Omni pairing with the LC?

 
He did listen to the Omni with the pre production LC.  Search back in this thread, he did some detailed impressions...
 
edit - sorry, his comments were in the Omni thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/769682/zmf-omni-upcoming-semi-open-flagship/150#post_11733007

 
Yup, Jeff is correct.  Of course, I'd be happy to take another listen on the production Carbon and report back.  The only problem with that is the Omni I have here now is outdated.  I believe that Zach has updated it (changed the tuning).  If you're not in a rush, I can swap out the outdated Omni I have here for a more current one, and then jot down some impressions with the latest in both Carbon and Omni?
 

  I've been listening to that pairing for a bit now and it works well.  In fact, I'm trying to convince Zach to get an LC.  :-D

 
He totally should!  It would be the most neutral amp he's got (I guess that's a clue as to how I feel about the Violectric that he's got goin' on).
 

  By the by, it looks like the Eddie Current Black Widow is out of production now (or - possibly - moving to a DIY kit).  So, anyone who was waiting for a few production run of the ECBW instead of picking up a Cavalli Liquid Carbon probably should move fast to purchase the LC because I have it on good authority that...
 

 
I checked in with Alex this morning about the portable amp, and asked about the Carbon status.  As of 11:50a Pacific Time (-08:00), there are only 39 Carbons remaining.

 
Lol, wait wut?  There's no more Black Widow?
 

  I still think everyone should go ahead and buy the Liquid Carbon now - excellent value, and excellent sound, and it is not clear the Black Widow is an upgrade of any significance. Tyll mentioned a similar interest to compare the two products, particularly since the Liquid Carbon is half the price. And you'll want to order Liquid Carbon now so you'll have something under your Christmas tree 

 

 
Just for the record guys, the Black Widow is a very, very good sounding amp.  I like it along with the Carbon, albeit in different ways and for different reasons, so I can't declare a preference between the two.  It will largely come down to usage and personal sonic preferences... and I suppose budget as well.
 

Mine arrived a couple of days ago. There's a noticeable performance upgrade when I pair my Carbon with the 2Qute DAC, especially in the mids. I'm quite happy with my desktop rig, looks like the CLAS-db is slated to collect dust unless I can find a need for it.

 
OMG, how long have you been waiting to hear those two together?  Especially since you did the first review of the [pre-production] Carbon!  

  
 

 
LC sounded amazing with my Gumby. I've had to move to a fully portable rig for work-related reasons (bye bye Gumby, for now), so this weekend/early next week it's going to get tried out via line out with my incoming Questyle QP1R. 

 
Lol, some parallels here.  

 
I'm currently running the Carbon with an Yggy.  Overkill?  Perhaps.  But since I've been mostly here at my desk for weeks now, and both the Carbon and Yggy are here, that's the pairing I'm going with.  Eventually, I'll be moving the Carbon into the bedroom where I'll be running a TIDAL > iPad > Stello DA100 > Carbon rig.
 
BTW, I have tried a QP1R with a Carbon.  The QP1R sounds great, but isn't dead quiet.  Likewise, the Carbon isn't pitch black if you are using sensitive IEMs (as you probably know by now).  So if that's your usage case, well, yeah not absolute perfection.  That said, if you're using headphones, especially a headphone that is not ridiculously easy to drive, I highly doubt it'll bother you in the slightest.

 

[grizzlybeast]

   
Yup, Jeff is correct.  Of course, I'd be happy to take another listen on the production Carbon and report back.  The only problem with that is the Omni I have here now is outdated.  I believe that Zach has updated it (changed the tuning).  If you're not in a rush, I can swap out the outdated Omni I have here for a more current one, and then jot down some impressions with the latest in both Carbon and Omni?
 
 

That's be great I can wait for impressions. I appreciate it. Ill ordered an LC but am sure that I am one of the last. I don't know how long the wait will be. 
 
I was also looking at the eddie current amp myself but jumped on the Carbon instead of saving up for it. Reason being is because I asked the price and it was said yet to be determined and who knows when it will be done with the new chassis.  I would still like to know the differences in: 
Power
sound signature
and if the performance difference would make the black widow a logical upgrade.

 

[Peridot]

As I was at home today, I went knocking on neighbour's doors in search of my missing Emotiva Stealth DAC, and found it at the 4th house I tried.
 
The driver had assured my neighbour that he would leave a card in my letterbox 

 
Anyway, panic over.
 
I now have a couple of lonely boy XLRs, looking for a mate. Hopefully it won't be too long before the LC arrives to put them out of their misery.
 
Mind you, the sound from the Emotiva's own headhone output is sweet indeed, and a step-up from any other kit I have at the moment, so I will be enjoying it while I wait.

 

[J4MES]

Power cable has arrived. Now just waiting for the Carbon.

 

[VandyMan]

   
I know Alex addressed this question in this thread some time ago.  Some search-fu might find you the answer.  From memory, I think it's pure class-A through 1.5W but it will actually go higher than the rated 1.5 just in AB...  or something like that.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/761088/new-cavalli-audios-liquid-carbon-a-599-cavalli-amp/1860#post_11674458
 
Apparently NOT class A to 1.5W. How much until it switches to AB seems to be unspecified, but MUCH less than full power. (" It does not stay in class A for very long before it transitions to AB")

 

[GCTD]

Is it ok to run this amp straight out of the wall?

 

[Mr Rick]

  Is it ok to run this amp straight out of the wall?

 
What other way is there??

 

[GCTD]

   
What other way is there??

 
Well, some use those fancy linear power supply dacs and amps. I wonder if those are really necessary.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

   
Well, some use those fancy linear power supply dacs and amps. I wonder if those are really necessary.

 
Not necessary, but I would consider a good surge protector at least...

 

[doctorjazz]

 

What other way is there??

Well, some use those fancy linear power supply dacs and amps. I wonder if those are really necessary.

That all depends on whether you EVER believe they are necessary, natch...

 

[Stillhart]

   
Well, some use those fancy linear power supply dacs and amps. I wonder if those are really necessary.

 
There was a big discussion about this a few hundred pages back.  I believe Alex said that this amp doesn't really need it due to the nature of the built-in power supply.  Someone else will have to confirm tho.

 

[AustinValentine]

I'd go for a Tripp Lite Isobar (~$40.00) just for the added assurance. But yeah, given the nature of Alex's custom SMPS, I'd expect that it's not going to benefit much from complex power conditioning or sanitizing gear. 
 

   
There was a big discussion about this a few hundred pages back.  I believe Alex said that this amp doesn't really need it due to the nature of the built-in power supply.  Someone else will have to confirm tho.

 
This. He definitely mentioned it somewhere back there.
 
Here I believe: http://www.head-fi.org/t/761088/new-cavalli-audios-liquid-carbon-a-599-cavalli-amp/1830#post_11671843 
 
And here earlier: http://www.head-fi.org/t/761088/new-cavalli-audios-liquid-carbon-a-599-cavalli-amp/855#post_11526720 

 

[musiclvr]

@conquerator2 , does this post help?

Hey gents, time for me to answer some of the questions.

First, all of my larger amps have offset detectors and delay circuits. These circuits are my own design and do a great job of protecting headphones from DC. Since most of the amps are DC coupled, any DC at the input goes right to the output only amplifier. But there is no room for these circuits in the Carbon so it doesn't have one.

One good side, however, is that the startup and shutdown transients are fairly low. I measured them on the pre-production board (which is not the proto board that has been in the amps at shows).

Start up transient less less than +500mV on the upswing and basically zero on the negative swing. This is both on and off.

Also, you can hot switch the gain (like in the larger amps). The blip when you go from 1x to 3x is no more than 400mV and from 3x to 1x it's about 200mV. For most conditions, you won't hear this much. Although sensitive IEMs are indeed a different game.

I wanted to talk about power output too. I've been holding back on you guys on the power output of the amp. Only a little though.

I've spec'd the amp a 1.5W continuous into 50R. In fact, it will do about 2.8W continuous into 50R.

Now, keep in mind that 1.5W and especially 2,8W is a lot of power. I don't know any headphones where this won't ring your bell and in most headphones it would be damaging.

However, what you really need the power for is, as you all know, the transients. Most of the time you're listening at fairly low power levels, but when the music creates a strong transient you need the amp to be able to respond.

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.

Now, you may be wondering can you use all of that 2.8W. And the answer is, if we were talking about sine waves, no. This is because the Carbon is so small that is has limited power dissipation capacity. This is really why I originally said 1.5W. Because this safe.

However, if the 2.8W only comes into play when you need it, the PD capacity is good enough.

So, you're getting a bigger amp than you thought.

 

[warrenpchi]

 

   
Yup, Jeff is correct.  Of course, I'd be happy to take another listen on the production Carbon and report back.  The only problem with that is the Omni I have here now is outdated.  I believe that Zach has updated it (changed the tuning).  If you're not in a rush, I can swap out the outdated Omni I have here for a more current one, and then jot down some impressions with the latest in both Carbon and Omni?

 
That's be great I can wait for impressions. I appreciate it. Ill ordered an LC but am sure that I am one of the last. I don't know how long the wait will be. 

 
Okay cool, will do!  

 

  I was also looking at the eddie current amp myself but jumped on the Carbon instead of saving up for it. Reason being is because I asked the price and it was said yet to be determined and who knows when it will be done with the new chassis.  I would still like to know the differences in: 
Power
sound signature
and if the performance difference would make the black widow a logical upgrade.

 
Hmm, I'll be honest, I'm a little hesitant to say much here because the last time I heard a black widow was under meet conditions, about six months ago, and auditory memory being what it is... well, it just wouldn't be responsible of me to say something that might influence you to spend a certain way based on that, know what I mean?  But, I do remember this, it sounded VERY good.  

  That said, Austin mentioned that it's no longer available, so that might render the entire decision moot?
 

---

 
Also, I've been checking in with Alex every few days on remaining Carbon "inventory" - and it appears that as of this morning, there are only 26 Carbons available for order.

 

[Serenitty]

  I'd go for a Tripp Lite Isobar (~$40.00) just for the added assurance. But yeah, given the nature of Alex's custom SMPS, I'd expect that it's not going to benefit much from complex power conditioning or sanitizing gear. 
 
 

 
I went with one of these, not for any sound quality, just for the protection.  I also got the Tripp Lite IEC power cord to go with it, about $10-15 on Amazon.  It's a nice heavy power cord, but just an ordinary power cord...
 
Everything sound just fine to me...