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Cavalli Liquid Fire and Schiit Lyr
Apr 5, 2011 at 6:11 PM Post #31 of 45
The LF is scheduled to go Into production on May 15, 2011. Humm. Has anyone, here, ordered one of these? Is a gain of 18.5 dB pretty normal for a headphone amp?
 
Apr 9, 2011 at 10:58 AM Post #32 of 45
Quote:
frihed89 said:
The LF is scheduled to go Into production on May 15, 2011. Humm. Has anyone, here, ordered one of these? Is a gain of 18.5 dB pretty normal for a headphone amp?
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sachu has had a prototype for sometime and loves it. I don't want to speak for him but I'm sure he'll probably have one of the first production units off the line?  There's a brief mention of the LF here: http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/canjam2010/2.html
Gain of 18.5 dB is pretty stout for a headphone amplifier but I believe the LF (like the Lyr) was designed to drive headphones that require significantly more power such as the new orthodynamics.  (e.g. HE-6)
 
Apr 10, 2011 at 1:19 PM Post #33 of 45
I am thinking hard about an LF. Alex and I have been corresponding over the last 24 hours. I am well set in headphone amps, with a Decware Taboo in my office for the LCD-2s, and a Decware Mini Torii on the way for the home rig, but it's difficult to resist the allure of the LF. Still, we are talking about an amp with a very limited listening audience, the reviews of which so far are based purely on pre-production units in a limited number of hands.
 
Apr 10, 2011 at 11:49 PM Post #35 of 45
My view is you wont be disappointed. The LF was a very nice sounding amp. Your wallet will forgive you...... eventually.
 
Apr 12, 2011 at 5:44 PM Post #37 of 45


Quote:
usaudio said:
FYI - Looks like the Cavalli Liquid Fire is available for pre-order:
http://cavalliaudio.com/products/liquid-fire-amp/
 
Does anyone that owns a Lyr plan on also buying a Liquid Fire?
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Why do you ask. Im thinking about it but now that I have a baby at home and since I had my Lyr sitting almost next to the Liquid fire at the Seattle meet last month Im not so sure I will. I just didnt think that it was worth all that extra money to me. It is no doubt a better sounding amp but for my situation Im not sure I can justify the price difference. Please note that a lot of personal factors come into play when I say the difference isnt worth it to me. All that being said, Im still thinking about it. Btw, where were you when we had them both in the same room. Check these pics out, I forgot I took them and saw them on my camera just today.
 

 
Thats the other side of the room and thats the liquid fire being tested with the LCD-2 obviously. What a great day that was.
 
 
Apr 12, 2011 at 5:55 PM Post #38 of 45
Quote:
pseudohippy said:
Why do you ask. Im thinking about it but now that I have a baby at home and since I had my Lyr sitting almost next to the Liquid fire at the Seattle meet last month Im not so sure I will. I just didnt think that it was worth all that extra money to me. It is no doubt a better sounding amp but for my situation Im not sure I can justify the price difference. Please note that a lot of personal factors come into play when I say the difference isnt worth it to me. All that being said, Im still thinking about it. Btw, where were you when we had them both in the same room. Check these pics out, I forgot I took them and saw them on my camera just today.
...
Thats the other side of the room and thats the liquid fire being tested with the LCD-2 obviously. What a great day that was.
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You pretty much answered my question.  IMHO, I find the Lyr to be very neutral and transparent with the stock tubes.  The LF should be superior in every way but I was just curious about what the differences are and how significant.  More details/transparency or more of a tube-ish sound or ... ? 
 
Was that the meet on Bainbridge Island?  I had considered going but unfortunately my social coordinators (wife & kids) already had me scheduled for other things ...
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Apr 12, 2011 at 6:09 PM Post #39 of 45
Yes, that was the meet on the Island. It definately had better transparency, especially at low volumes. No channel imbalance at all that I noticed also. I did find it more tubish, but not quite the difference between my OTL WA2 was even more tubish, so the LF comes in somewhere between according to my ears. The treble extended more on the LF but Im not sure the bass really did. I think the biggest difference that I noticed was its ability to keep control. Its a faster amp than the Lyr and just overall cleaner sounding. Id like to have it but to be honest after listening to both I didnt leave feeling bad about the Lyr at all like I thought I might. As a matter of fact I was kind of proud of the little beast. Of course it got outclassed but not so much I was feeling disapointed with it at all.
 
 
Apr 16, 2011 at 2:37 PM Post #41 of 45


Quote:
kingstyles said:
My view is you wont be disappointed. The LF was a very nice sounding amp. Your wallet will forgive you...... eventually.
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"Eventually" seems to be getting longer and longer. 
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 FWIW, Alex Cavalli is a great person to deal with. A true pleasure.
 
Anyway, I am looking forward to some side-by-side time with the Liquid Fire and the Taboo.
 
 
 
Apr 26, 2011 at 12:27 PM Post #43 of 45
I auditioned the Cavalli Liquid Fire at 32 Ohm Audio in Portland this past weekend.  I found it to be amazing on all counts.  Extension, transparency, grip, transients, micro/macro dynamics, layering/spatial cues, smoothness/musical, engagement, non-etchiness, complete lack of glare/haze.  It is the only headphone amp I have heard that I felt was in a different class/league.  I had never heard of Cavalli Audio before (I am better versed with speakers than with headphones), but I trust my ears, know what I like/don't like, and feel like I have been fortunate to hear music played thru top flight systems.  I can't imagine a better (or more beautiful) headphone amp.  I haven't heard the top of the line Woo Audio amps, but after hearing the Liquid Fire, I have no desire to. 
 
Apr 26, 2011 at 12:43 PM Post #44 of 45
Quote:
podeschi said:
I auditioned the Cavalli Liquid Fire at 32 Ohm Audio in Portland this past weekend.  I found it to be amazing on all counts.  Extension, transparency, grip, transients, micro/macro dynamics, layering/spatial cues, smoothness/musical, engagement, non-etchiness, complete lack of glare/haze.  It is the only headphone amp I have heard that I felt was in a different class/league.  I had never heard of Cavalli Audio before (I am better versed with speakers than with headphones), but I trust my ears, know what I like/don't like, and feel like I have been fortunate to hear music played thru top flight systems.  I can't imagine a better (or more beautiful) headphone amp.  I haven't heard the top of the line Woo Audio amps, but after hearing the Liquid Fire, I have no desire to. 
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This seems to be the consensus with the LF.  I'd have to hear one and be totally blown away before I could justify spending that kind of money but that seems to be the experience most folks are having!
It will be interesting to hear the reviews once production units are available next month ...

 
 
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