Cavalli Audio's Liquid Carbon Owners Impressions

[doctorjazz]

Delivery attempt #2 this morning, again when my wife was out of the house (and she's home a lot), one more try tomorrow. I wouldn't mind them leaving it, they don't allow it, must be signed for. !@!*!#

How close are you to the Fedex station?

Don't know, have to check on it, work hours definitely make it difficult (working tomorrow morning again).

Lol! This thread is turning out to be like the other LC threads. Where's the initial impressions? Burn in impressions? Pairing impressions?

Aaaaarg, waiting........ I have no patience is my impression so far. Gotta live through current owners in the mean time.

IMPRESSIONS are to be early to post while most owners are still waiting for their LCs. NEED MORE TIMES!!!
Patience.

IMPRESSIONS​

Edit: The word impressions looks funny after a while.

People are JUST GETTING the LC, just about to get it, starting burn in, impressions are preliminary at best, if you have one to listen to yet. Takes a bit (really, reviewers in the audio mags live with gear for a few months before writing reviews...I've been guilty of posting initial impressions, which changed as I got to know the gear, just sayin')

 

[Mr Rick]

I invite a moderator to come in and clean out anything not deemed an impression.

 

[defbear]

I invite a moderator to come in and clean out anything not deemed an impression.

Oh let the people talk. I've already turned the course with my Microdetails Impression.
For my next impression I'll do Buddy Rich 'I'm Bitchen' don't touch my drums'
Here's another. 'A woman came up to me and said Mister I'll do anything you want for a hundred bucks. I said paint my house' - Henny Youngman

So for my next impression I'm testing lcd2-f's and will report back.

 

[Clemmaster]

The LC draws you in the performance. You're hypnotized and forced to hear everything. I call that rape! And I want more!
 
Those with the SA-31 will know what I'm talking about. The LC is a tad clearer and more intimate.

 

[conquerator2]

So how different to the SA31 it is?

 

[mscott58]

Came home from London to find my LC was here!

Here's #133 in its new home. The box on top is for dampening and also weight to keep the LC from moving since the cables I've used are pretty big and risk moving the LC around. Also put a sheet of silicone under it versus feet.



And here's what's feeding it via balanced outputs.



May the burn-in begin!

Cheers

 

[purk]

  A little bright out of the box...but as with most of my quality components, I'm sure it will tame after some hours.
 
If I was asked to pick one asset that this amp excels in right out of the box, is an amazing amount of detail retrieval! I haven't been able to put my finger on it yet, but there is something going on in the sound signature,
that it is allowing the Carbon to produce crystal clean, satisfying mids. It might be the fact that the upper bass frequencies (~200 - 1000?) aren't bloated or boomy, and they aren't mucking down the mid-range frequencies.
 
This will take some seriously dedicated, further investigative techniques. It's a tough job that will take hours of dedication, but hell, someone has to do it

 
This must be the famous "Cavalli house sound" that I've been hearing of.

 
This has been my experience as well, and yes I believe it will smooth out once components have settled in.  So far it doesn't quite measure up my larger balanced amps but it has impressed the heck out of me given its asking price.  I only have 20 hours on it so far so I hope it will continue to get better.

 

[immtbiker]

  I invite a moderator to come in and clean out anything not deemed an impression.

You want me to delete some of my own posts? Blasphemy! 
 
As soon as the first group starts reporting detailed impressions, I will prune the thread so that new people don't have to sift.
 
For now, living vicariously is all that some people have to cling to.

 

[mikemercer]

First Impression (detailed ones coming - just bangin' away at another article I gotta get done to pay the bills):
 
Considering how much I enjoyed the liquid-like (sorry for the product name-pun there fellas) midrange textures of the OG Liquid Carbon:

- along with the extended, controlled bottom-end and, IMHO, crystalline highs  - I have to say the Carbon has, thank God, met all my expectations, and is actually exceeding many of them! Unlike Audeze's LCD-4, in my limited time with it (sorry - had to ventilate freely for a second)...
 
The final product, compared to the units available for audition at CanJam SoCal, is superior out-the-gate when it comes to it's resolving capabilities. It's also got more dynamic bite in the lower-mids, and sounds more forward, more direct but it's not aggressive or harsh at all.
Admittedly, I haven't read back for other impressions, and of course I'll do so as always - but I like to scribe a bit about my first impression before reading anybody else's - like I do w/ gear and music reviews...
 
Now - I own (and YES, bought) Cavalli's awesome LAu - which is my current top-ranked reference for all my work. I never say "best" as peeps who know me realize - as it's all subjective cuz we're listening to music, no matter what, at the end of the day. But I've been around a long time. Cavalli's got this magic in the mids in his solid-state designs much like Tim DeParavicini does in his tube gear. It holographic, but not overly-analytical. It's resolute, but not too damn polite like so many audiophile systems. If I were to be pressed to try and describe a Cavalli "house sound" - which I F___in hate - but if pressed: I'd say his use of the word liquid in his products could be one of the most befitting product names I know of. All his amps, to me thus far - and the Carbon is no exception - exhibit this soulful, sweet sound, but its isn't overly colored or veiled in order to achieve some sort of sonic masking that some will love, and others hate. Cavalli seems to design like a true DIYer does (which is his background in headphone amps, let's not forget) - he seems to chase the music and not the latest curve or sound signature that's popular at the moment.
 
I'm a freakin' music addict who got into hi-fi and the music biz cuz I found out that higher fidelity enhances the musical experience.
To me - as of now (a full day) I can't think of another desktop amplifier, large-scale or transportable like this, near this price range that even comes CLOSE.
Just my 2 cents thus far. And I'm just using the lil' ALO KEY USB DAC (up to 32-bit/384kHz) - and this combo is so freakin' cheap - especially when I consider othee products in that range? It sounds like a no brainer to me.
 
I'm also using my MrSpeakers ETHER-Cs, Audeze LCD2Fs, and Sennheiser HD800s - all wired w/ Double Helix Cables Comp4 spore. 
 
More detailed impressions comin!!

 

[digitalzed]

Just a short update: 72 hours in and the LC is beginning to really blossom. Vocals are not as forward as they were initially but still amazingly full and much more balanced in the mix to my ears. Detail in presentation and separation of vocals and instruments is smile inducing. I've been going back and forth between my Ether's and LCD-X's and between the Pulse Infinity and the LC. Initially the Pulse Infinity, which is never turned off and fully broken in, beat the LC noticeably in the richness of presentation. An overall more satisfying listening experience. But the LC has a better pace and is quicker and clearer in the highs and is filling in on the bass and overall presentation. Looking forward to the next 72 hours!

 

[sling5s]

How does the Cavalli Liquid Carbon (being transportable) stack up against full size desktop amps like: Violectric V220/V200, Schiit Lyr 2, Gustard H10, Woo Audio WA6-SE or Meir Concerto, (only because these are the ones I'm familiar with)?

 

[pippen99]

  How does the Cavalli Liquid Carbon (being transportable) stack up against full size desktop amps like: Violectric V220/V200, Schiit Lyr 2, Gustard H10, Woo Audio WA6-SE or Meir Concerto, (only because these are the ones I'm familiar with)?

I can only speak to the Gustard H10.  The prototype I had was way beyond the H10 and the production model LC if it keeps improving during burn-in will outpace the prototype.  The LC has a much more dynamic presentation with a clear edge in details.  The bass is much more well defined.  Even after swapping opamps the LC is much better.  I am going to wait until burn-in is complete and make sure everything is good and then the Gustard X12/H10 stack will go on the For Sale forum.  Definitely an upgrade!!

 

[sling5s]

  I can only speak to the Gustard H10.  The prototype I had was way beyond the H10 and the production model LC if it keeps improving during burn-in will outpace the prototype.  The LC has a much more dynamic presentation with a clear edge in details.  The bass is much more well defined.  Even after swapping opamps the LC is much better.  I am going to wait until burn-in is complete and make sure everything is good and then the Gustard X12/H10 stack will go on the For Sale forum.  Definitely an upgrade!!

Thank you, and much appreciated.
I actually think the Gustard H10 is a really good amp (both regardless of the price and especially for the price), so that is saying a lot about the LC.
Really great to hear and really looking forward to mine arriving. 

 

 

[pippen99]

 
Thank you, and much appreciated.
I actually think the Gustard H10 is a really good amp (both regardless of the price and especially for the price), so that is saying about the LC.
Really great to hear and really looking forward to mine arriving. 

 

I agree completely with what you say.  The H10 punches way above it's weight class.  Plus you can have a lot of fun swapping out opamps at a fraction of the cost of tube rolling.  It is a great choice for someone on a tight budget.

 

[jamato8]

  My first observation:
 
Adding balanced cables to my HD650 and using the balanced output of the LC has given my HD650s new life. Always seemed my HD650s were a bit flat. No longer. 
 
Later this evening I'll try my HD800 with balanced cables out of the LC.

The only way I can enjoy the HD650 at all is balanced. They are a totally different headphone and should only be sold balanced. lol 
 
Looking forward to when mine inches its way to me.