Liquid Gold - 2014

[Crashem]

I didn’t anticipate how difficult it would be to compare the two beasts. For the first month or so with the LAu, I barely spent any time with the BA. With the BA, I would listen to the LCD-3 about 75% of the time, and the HD800 about 25% of the time. With the LAu, I spent around 90% with the HE-6, and 10% with the LCD-3. I spent very little time with other headphones. These were simply my natural listening inclinations. Recently however, the initial lust with the LAu has begun to subside, as with any relationship, and I have begun to listen to both side-to-side more often. They are both EXCEPTIONAL in marvelously different ways, and my two most cherished possessions.

The primary differences are fairly obvious. The BA is the master of the infinitely expansive 3D soundstage and ethereal delicacy, while the LAu is the master of the excitingly physical and palpable realism. If one had to choose between the two (though either would impress virtually anyone), I would imagine the choice would come down to mainly one’s current headphone collection (planar vs. traditional dynamic) and music preferences. Some care more for the body’s physical response to music (i.e. dance/movement), while others care more for the mind’s intangible appreciation of the beauty of music. In general, the former should lean toward the LAu, while the latter lean toward the BA. Of course, for those whose preferences vary from moment to moment, the choice is far more difficult. I usually prefer the LAu earlier in the day/night, when I still have the urge to experience life in a highly invigorating way, and the BA later in the evening/night, when I just want to kick back and be transported into, and enveloped within, a magical aural world.

Please don't read into these comments too seriously as these are preliminary impressions, and comparisons of high end products unintentionally tend to exaggerate differences.

Do you have balancing act with new transformers? My understanding is that it makes quite a difference.

 

[chengka7]

No, I have owned both, and the difference to my ears are subtle, not really huge difference. 

 

[mikemercer]

I've been through my fair share of reference-level headphone amps,
and the LAu - IMO, is in a class by itself. I've NEVER been so excited about a headphone amp like I am over the LAu!

HERE'S my review of the LAu for Head-Fi - hope you gents dig it!!
 
I end up glued to my music collection, whether its my digital library or my analog/vinyl front-end!
That's the mark of a great amp as far as I'm concerned:

and, the new lay-out of the faceplate looks fantastic - as you can plug in more headphones at once with the dedicated 1/4" inputs, dual-XLR, and the 4-pin XLRs as well (as opposed to my LAu - which employs the Neutrik connectors that accept dual XLR or 1/4" and the 4-pin XLR) - which I still love - but its good to see Dr. Cavalli changing things up - and I'm honored to have one of his amps as my main reference  - alongside my Studio Six and E.A.R HP4!!
 
I end up losing sleep because of the LAu (sh__, it's 4:37AM now!!!!!)

 

[nepherte]

Can't wait for mine to arrive!

 

[Ony38]

I've made an A/B comparison between my Lau and my ex Eddie Current Super 7 with my LCD3.
 
They definitly share the same sound signature but the Lau is better technically  and more precisely in the bass section. The Lau give more speed and tension to the LCD3. Moreover, the Lau is more airy and have a better depth between the different soundstage layers. It's definitly easier to focus on the micro-detail.
 
The Lau defintly provide the kick needed by the LCD3 to be more alive!
 
I just get a Hifiman he560 for reviewing, it also sound nice with the Lau

 

[Greed]

What kind of tubes are you using? S7 changes drastically with different tubes.. one of the few amps that can sound totally different. 

 

[Ony38]

I used one Ken Rad VT-231 and six russian 6H8C from 1960 who suit best to my taste.
 
I also tried 1578 tube, Sylvania 6SN7GTA, Sylvania 6SN7GTB Black Plate, 6SN7GTA Black Plate Chrome Dome, Tungsol GTB, Sylvania VT-231 and RCA VT-231

 

[Greed]

Some nice tubes, thank you.

 

[Ony38]

You're welcome!
 
I also own a TH900 which sound really good with the Lau but, I can hear a little background noise when music stop (on the SE low-impedance output). I'm quite sensitive to noise and I want to keep my TH900, I will need to try it on the balanced output (need to recable my th900) before considering to sell my Lau.

 

[Rossliew]

  I've made an A/B comparison between my Lau and my ex Eddie Current Super 7 with my LCD3.
 
They definitly share the same sound signature but the Lau is better technically  and more precisely in the bass section. The Lau give more speed and tension to the LCD3. Moreover, the Lau is more airy and have a better depth between the different soundstage layers. It's definitly easier to focus on the micro-detail.
 
The Lau defintly provide the kick needed by the LCD3 to be more alive!
 
I just get a Hifiman he560 for reviewing, it also sound nice with the Lau

Can you share some impressions of the LAu with the HE560? Btw, sent u a PM on the LAu : )

 

[Ony38]

  Can you share some impressions of the LAu with the HE560? Btw, sent u a PM on the LAu : )

 
Just reply to your PM
 
I just get an he560 a day ago and the synergy is really good, I will try it with He-6, Abyss, LCD XC tomorrow for a day. I will post my impression after it.

 

[Rossliew]

   
Just reply to your PM
 
I just get an he560 a day ago and the synergy is really good, I will try it with He-6, Abyss, LCD XC tomorrow for a day. I will post my impression after it.

Got it! Just replied it as well. Looking forward to your impressions : )

 

[nepherte]

Looking forward to those impressions as well Especially with the Audeze's.

 

[mikemercer]

DAMN!!!!
 
I'm getting ready for CanMania at Capital Audio Fest this weekend (got fam out there in Maryland - leavin on red-eye tomorrow night) but, while grabbing some stuff - decided to hook up my now-nicely-broken-in LCD-2 w/ Fazor + Nordost Heimdall 2 headphone cable - 4-pin XLR - WHOAH!! and then switched up to my Double Helix dual XLR Complement3 cables - and just been blown away by the sheer musicality of this sonic marriage.
 
 
Playing vinyl right now - via my VPI Traveler w/ Gingko Cloud 9T isolation base, Sonicweld Dampclamp, and Unison Research Simply Phono tube stage,
spinnin' Mogwai's 'special N" off their Les Revenants LP - This string piece gets me EVERY time - but tonight I got so emotional I was losing it, thinking
about my pops...

 
because I was gettin so weepy (no joke) I switched up to the LCD-XC
 
This amp is so damn special. It melts away, when mated with the right cans to draw you IN.
I don't wanna stop listening!!!!
 
Amazing timbre, and the micro and macro-dynamic detail retrieval is so revealing it breaths so beautifully!!!!!
 
SO glad I found this amp - and, Alex Cavalli is such a wonderful man...
 
We're VERY fortunate!

 

[dbalvo]

mikemercer - All I can say is I hope you and I have similar taste!  I'm expecting an LAu in August and I'm really excited.  But I realize that more than half the positive reviews I've read about it have come from you!  Glad you are still enjoying it so much.  Just hope we like the same sort of sound.  
 
Anyone other than Mike have anything to say this beast of an amp?