[Radio_head]

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I seem to remember a heap of pundits criticising the HD800 for looking plasticky.
 
Whether or not the perception equals reality, the fact still stands that perception is the only commodity most people have access to.
 
Sadly this hurts many times, but it still does not disqualify the perception of the individual.
 
If the individual desires to research the matter to find out the truth, well and good, but,
If the individual doesn't care to go further into the subject, that is their right.  
After all, ignorance is bliss, and one person's picasso is another's pig-sty.
If the amp looks like a piece of art to one, and a pig in a poke to the other that's life.
 
"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire

Of course it is the individual's "right" for themselves to see something, judge it and not buy it.
 
It is when they do that judging publicly and in the process affect other's perception without "researching the matter" that things get sticky.
 
Looking good/bad is of course subjective (within reason.)  Ire was drawn when an objective statement ("off the shelf") was made.  He can continue to shout about its ugliness from the highest horse he can find.  
 
This is a privately owned forum that can remove or edit posts at its own discretion so I think Voltaire went out the window a long time ago.  Its more like "I don't agree with what you said, so I'll defend to the death my decision to delete it."

 

[Icenine2]

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The knob is done custom for this amp by a local guy here in Texas, IIRC. Not sure where the rest of the case is from but the front panel is done locally as well (again IIRC).

It's not cheap and it's not 'mass produced'. I will agree I'm missing the cavalli punched logo pattern though.

The knob is my only beef about the amp.  I like the little dimple the LF has in the knob.  You can use it to adjust the volume.

 

[Maxvla]

I should think it being recognized as a OEM product would be a compliment. Something designed well enough to be mass produced, not just a few specialty amps here and there (relatively).

 

[rpgman1]

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I should think it being recognized as a OEM product would be a compliment. Something designed well enough to be mass produced, not just a few specialty amps here and there (relatively).

You made me think of computer cases when it comes to OEM products. Lian Li cases come to mind with minimalist looks, but premium price tags. Wish I could see the LAu in person at a meet, but it's hard enough to get 6k to buy it even with my current job which is only temporary work.

 

[Asr]

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At the risk of being slightly on topic, I don't think the LAu (and LL2) is a particularly photogenic amp. It's much nicer looking in person in my opinion. Hard to see the detail like the engraved lettering and different textures of the materials.

 
I can certainly tell you one thing: Cavalli Audio needs to fire whoever shot those Liquid Gold photos currently on the Web site, as the lighting in them certainly doesn't do any favors for how the amp looks, the JPEG compression is absolutely terrible on them, and the pics are too small as well. (Small pics are always a peeve of mine - and if a vendor is proud of his amp, why not use large photos to really show it off?)
 
Here's a photo that I took at the recent NYC Spring meet that actually shows the amp up-close with its visual texture:
 

 
That said, and not to continue to harp on the comparison to the HeadAmp GS-X MK2 (which was also at the meet), but if the GS-X MK2 and Liquid Gold prices were reversed so the Liquid Gold was $3K and the GS-X MK2 was $6.5K, it would've been more visually believable to me, as the GS-X MK2 looks more expensive than the Liquid Gold primarily due to its polished surfaces. The Liquid Gold IMO doesn't look like a $6.5K amp. Heck, $6.5K is now the exact same price as the HeadAmp BHSE w/ Alps RK50 - and for that amount of money, I think electrostatic gear is a better investment than any kind of dynamic gear.
 
Take the Ray Samuels Audio Dark Star as well, which is way more visually tricked-out than the Liquid Gold and costs just over half the price. And Ray Samuels has lots of large photos too - I think no one could accuse him of not being proud of his amp if the photos are any indication.
 
If there's a point that I'd like to make here, it's that advertising is more than just reviews and word-of-mouth. Advertising means large quality photos as well. Is there anyone here who would spend $6.5K on an amp without at least being able to see what it looks like?

 

[M-13]

Muppet Face really needs to get herself a nice DSLR with a bounce flash. Nikon D600 + SB700 should do the trick.

 

[Currawong]

Guys, I'm getting daily complaints about the tread going rampantly off-topic. PLEASE keep discussion to the amp and not other stuff. Thanks.

 

[paradoxper]

Seems to me most of the discussion's taking place as of late have been about the LAu.
Not to mention there's only 1 LAu out in the wild. 
 
 
Just an observation. Meaning, it doesn't seem like you took the time to peruse through the thread.

 

[Icenine2]

In my impressions I should have added that I don't get any edgy Solid State sound form the LAu.  And again the Sound Stage and Imaging are the best I've ever heard from a headphone amp(What would a Smyth Realiser do with this?).   Low level listening is stellar still maintaining detail and just kills my LF.
 
I tried this every which way for fun:  Balanced in plus balanced phones, single ended both ways and balanced in w/single phone.  The balanced is to die for with all other setups being simply great.  I will have to send this out Tuesday morning and there's no way I want to do that!  I even had my fifteen-year-old daughter listen to this and she was reluctant to give me back the LCD's.  This from an ear bud gen girl.
 
I will have to get one of these in my future.  Love the LF but this is another level up.

 

[Maxvla]

Seems to me most of the discussion's taking place as of late have been about the LAu.
Not to mention there's only 1 LAu out in the wild. 


Just an observation. Meaning, it doesn't seem like you took the time to peruse through the thread.

There was a bunch of off topic discussion about computer cases and such that is now cleaned up.

 

[Currawong]

A little bit off-topic is ok. Pages of irrelevant discussion I don't think is.  I'd personally like to see more discussion and impressions of the LAu with other top amps, including info about the source used and music listened to. I realise that may be difficult until a few are out there. I'd love to do a shoot out with it and the Luxman and other amps, but that would require everyone being willing to send them to me in Japan. 

 

[johnwmclean]

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In my impressions I should have added that I don't get any edgy Solid State sound form the LAu. 

 
Thank god, an edgy solid state sound would probably mean off the chart distortion figures.

 

[MuppetFace]

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That said, and not to continue to harp on the comparison to the HeadAmp GS-X MK2 (which was also at the meet), but if the GS-X MK2 and Liquid Gold prices were reversed so the Liquid Gold was $3K and the GS-X MK2 was $6.5K, it would've been more visually believable to me, as the GS-X MK2 looks more expensive than the Liquid Gold primarily due to its polished surfaces. The Liquid Gold IMO doesn't look like a $6.5K amp. Heck, $6.5K is now the exact same price as the HeadAmp BHSE w/ Alps RK50 - and for that amount of money, I think electrostatic gear is a better investment than any kind of dynamic gear.
 

 
The Blue Hawaii SE is a beautiful amp, no doubt. Justin makes beautiful top notch gear. In fact, I've got a BHSE coming my way that has a custom ordered set of seafoam green panels and knobs. Using BHSE-esque front panels on the GS-X was a nice addition. It's a beautiful amp now. Personally though I think the LAu feels more solid and substantial (and looks it too) compared to the GS-X.
 
I'm not so sure I see 'stats being the better investment quite that cut and dry. I know plenty of folks who simply don't prefer them and rather invest themselves in listening to planar magnetics or the HD800. Personally I do prefer the SR-007 family myself, but then if I could have a single amp to drive them it would be the LL2 rather than the more expensive BHSE. Then again I haven't heard the Electra yet, and that may be the best investment of all.
 
Quote:

 
Take the Ray Samuels Audio Dark Star as well, which is way more visually tricked-out than the Liquid Gold and costs just over half the price. And Ray Samuels has lots of large photos too - I think no one could accuse him of not being proud of his amp if the photos are any indication.
 

 
Yeah, but then some folks have been having problems with the finish on their RSA products rubbing off and turning nasty colors. Also customer service issues seem to be a frequent occurrence w/ RSA lately.
 
Personally I don't care for the aesthetics of Ray's amps at all, but I can see others liking them for such reasons, so I hope they can sort this stuff out reasonably.
 

Quote:

If there's a point that I'd like to make here, it's that advertising is more than just reviews and word-of-mouth. Advertising means large quality photos as well. Is there anyone here who would spend $6.5K on an amp without at least being able to see what it looks like?
 

 
Indeed. Personally though, I fell in love with the LAu when I saw some "bad" photos of it. But then I was already familiar with the LL2 and could extrapolate to the LAu. Tastes differ. I mean if a woman finds the LAu attractive that should really tell you something about the potential diversity of opinions on this thing's looks (I'm only half serious, btw).
 
Either way, thank goodness Dr. Cavalli lets potential customers audition his amps in their homes for a few days. Much more valuable than a photo could ever be.

 

[Icenine2]

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Thank god, an edgy solid state sound would probably mean off the chart distortion figures.

My verbiage is off.  What I am meaning to say is that I don't ID this as what I consider a SS sound.

 

[Icenine2]

More here from me to finish up.  If there's repetition so be it.
 
The low level listening on the amp is superb. I really didn’t hear what some criticize SS amps as being to clinical etc. I listened to very familiar music and heard detail, layering of vocals I’d never experienced before. The reproduction of bass and drums is the best I’ve heard in a phone amp with the bass being totally defined. Again I’ve not heard a phone amp pull that one off. There is so much greater definition than I get from the LF. I knew that if I increased the volume I didn’t lose anything either. It felt like it would just keep going until I’d reach a level my ears couldn’t tolerate. My only regret is that I couldn’t listen to this with LCD3’s and a big DAC like an MSB. I believe at that point you’d be knocking on the doors of Nirvana. As much as I could get from my Wyred4Sound DAC2 I am sure more could be had but that’s the audiophile in me!

 

I listened to all sorts of file playback: 24/96, 24/192, ISO SACD files, and vinyl rips in 24/96 and 24/192. I also played around using Single ended and balanced plus balanced in and TRS out etc. You are right that the balanced is the best. The others setups were still incredibly good as well. Some of my favorite tracks for testing in the rock idiom are “White Room” from the DCC gold disc plus I have a vinyl non CSG rip that is merciless. My 15 year-old daughter even listened to that one and no-joke I could barely get the phones back from her and she is a die-hard-now-generation-ear-bud-person. I also listened to Allman Brothers live at the Fillmore East “Hot Lanta” If the impact of the bass and drums comes across then you have a winner which this does in spades. Most phone systems just don’t get that across with that tune. On the vocal end I listen to Beethoven’s ninth DG Von Karajan(1969 issue). The last minute of that is the big vocal windup and anything not up to it just muddies the whole deal plus won’t enact the vocal and symphonic force behind it. Part of the passage has timpani going sympathetic with any low end and I could pick up all the definition in the bass and hearing the little modulations(that goes for the whole symphony for that matter). Pet Sounds in the new MFSL SACD has beautiful vocal passages brought out in this stereo mix that are just smooth and beautiful. I have Sgt Pepper in 24 bit remaster, 24/96 vinyl reissue rip and mono. On “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” the mono has the vocal flanging you don’t get on stereo but...........I could actually hear some of the flanging in Lennon’s vocal this time. “Voodoo Chile” 24/96 rip from the Track Record vinyl............oh boy!

 

I could go on and on. After I did my initial six hour listening tests it was me frantically going through my library to enjoy a multitude of tracks I love. Every time I sit down to listen I don’t want to get up. A similar experience I had with the Liquid Fire but better.