[runeight]

Hello folks. I'm posting here first to announce the next production run of Liquid Gold to start shipping sometime in November.
 
The current Summer run is completely sold out and we've had many emails asking when the next would be available.
 
Price is still the same $3950. Reservations are open.

 

[goldendarko]

Nice! I'm one of the ones who asked so thanks for the update. Glad the pricing will remain the same too.

 

[preproman]

 

[bmichels]

This is good news. Thanks for giving the priority to us headfiers.

But... What about the liquid Cobalt ? Has the project being abandonned ? It was an exciting one !

 

[BournePerfect]

Tempting. I'll be looking for a high end ss alternative to my Levi around that time...

-Daniel

 

[runeight]

This is good news. Thanks for giving the priority to us headfiers.

But... What about the liquid Cobalt ? Has the project being abandonned ? It was an exciting one !

 
No. Thanks for asking. The Cobalt has not gone away. However, the proto amp was made in a fairly conventional box type enclosure. As I have been thinking on it, I decided that there is a smarter way to box it. Working on that now.

 

[zerodeefex]

Can't wait to see the result! I really like the design direction you're taking as your product assortment grows and evolves!

 

[bmichels]

   
No. Thanks for asking. The Cobalt has not gone away. However, the proto amp was made in a fairly conventional box type enclosure. As I have been thinking on it, I decided that there is a smarter way to box it. Working on that now.

 
I am reasured to ear that the project was not abandoned.
 
If you redesign the casing, may I suggest the you make the tubes visible ?  
 
Glowing tubes in the dark... are part of the pleasure/magic of Tube based gears  So don't hide them !
 
 
 

 
... 

 

 

[runeight]

   
I am reasured to ear that the project was not abandoned.
 
If you redesign the casing, may I suggest the you make the tubes visible ?  
 
Glowing tubes in the dark... are part of the pleasure/magic of Tube based gears  So don't hide them !
 
 
 

 
... 

 

 
Well, that's what the Liquid Glass is for.

 
The tubes are right there out front for exactly this reason. Plus, you can roll lots of different tube types so you can see the glow from many different filaments. The Liquid Cobalt is SE and so is the Glass. Their output stages will have roughly the same power output. And, lastly, while Glass is available now, once we're out of inventory we're not going to make them for a while. So...........
 
Unhappily, no tube glow on the new LC design. I'm aiming for a much more sleek look on this one. 

 

[bmichels]

   
Well, that's what the Liquid Glass is for.

 
The tubes are right there out front for exactly this reason. Plus, you can roll lots of different tube types so you can see the glow from many different filaments. The Liquid Cobalt is SE and so is the Glass. Their output stages will have roughly the same power output. And, lastly, while Glass is available now, once we're out of inventory we're not going to make them for a while. So...........
 
Unhappily, no tube glow on the new LC design. I'm aiming for a much more sleek look on this one. 

 
Thanks for taking the time to answer. 
 
But again, if booth the Glass & the Cobalt are booth SE, and have same power output, could you please explain what is the reason for the Cobalt :  Will it replace the Glass ?  if not, then what is the difference in positioning ???? :   will the Cobalt be cheaper or more expensive than the Glass ? Will the Cobalt be instead a step-up in term of SQ but not permitting many tube rolling ?? 

 

 

[runeight]

Sure. The confusion is you want to compare the amps as though they are intended to do the same thing. They are not intended to do the same thing and so comparing them, except maybe to say that they both drive headphones, doesn't work that well.
 
The Liquid Glass is a tube rolling, tube viewing amp. It is what I call a "classic" tube hybrid design. But, better than that it is designed to give you exactly the sound of whatever tubes you are using. The SS unity gain buffer at the output is transparent to the sound of the tubes. Because of the way the tube front end is engineered the Glass can roll many different types of tubes, not just a single type. The voicing of the amp is determined entirely by the tubes in use. If there are any LG owners reading here, perhaps they can offer some experiences on how this works. The Glass has a gorgeous sound with various tubes.
 
The tubes on the LG are exposed in a small tube cage at the front for easy swapping.
 
The LC is a successor to and replacement for the LF. I call this type design an "embedded" hybrid. By this I mean that the tubes and transistors are not separated in the circuit, but blended together into a single design which, in turn, gives you the blended sound of them working together. There are no coupling capacitors in my embedded designs, they are DC couple front to back.
 
The LC is not really designed for tube rolling. Although the sound is modified by changes of tube it is not changed any where near the extent of what happens in the Glass. Hence, on the original LF the tubes were inside behind the plastic windows. You could see them, but to reach them you had to take off the top. There is one tube on the LC and it is enough to create the blended hybrid sound, but it won't be super accessible for tube rolling.
 
If you want an amp that is extraordinarily flexible in its tube rolling abilities and which will let you fully enjoy the detailed sound of a given triode, the Glass is the amp.
 
If you want a no-fuss, hybrid amp where you just turn it on and listen to the blended hybrid sound signature, the Cobalt is the amp.
 
They may cost about the same, but they serve two entirely different purposes.
 
I hope I did a good job this time.

 

 

[bmichels]

  Sure. The confusion is you want to compare the amps as though they are intended to do the same thing. They are not intended to do the same thing and so comparing them, except maybe to say that they both drive headphones, doesn't work that well.
 
The Liquid Glass is a tube rolling, tube viewing amp. It is what I call a "classic" tube hybrid design. But, better than that it is designed to give you exactly the sound of whatever tubes you are using. The SS unity gain buffer at the output is transparent to the sound of the tubes. Because of the way the tube front end is engineered the Glass can roll many different types of tubes, not just a single type. The voicing of the amp is determined entirely by the tubes in use. If there are any LG owners reading here, perhaps they can offer some experiences on how this works. The Glass has a gorgeous sound with various tubes.
 
The tubes on the LG are exposed in a small tube cage at the front for easy swapping.
 
The LC is a successor to and replacement for the LF. I call this type design an "embedded" hybrid. By this I mean that the tubes and transistors are not separated in the circuit, but blended together into a single design which, in turn, gives you the blended sound of them working together. There are no coupling capacitors in my embedded designs, they are DC couple front to back.
 
The LC is not really designed for tube rolling. Although the sound is modified by changes of tube it is not changed any where near the extent of what happens in the Glass. Hence, on the original LF the tubes were inside behind the plastic windows. You could see them, but to reach them you had to take off the top. There is one tube on the LC and it is enough to create the blended hybrid sound, but it won't be super accessible for tube rolling.
 
If you want an amp that is extraordinarily flexible in its tube rolling abilities and which will let you fully enjoy the detailed sound of a given triode, the Glass is the amp.
 
If you want a no-fuss, hybrid amp where you just turn it on and listen to the blended hybrid sound signature, the Cobalt is the amp.
 
They may cost about the same, but they serve two entirely different purposes.
 
I hope I did a good job this time.

 

perfect explanation
 
thanks a lot
 
and when can we expect firsts LC ? 

 

[runeight]

With the new enclosure design, probably early 2015. I am working on the proto now, but it will take some time in the middle of the various production runs currently in progress.
 
Thanks for keeping up the interest in this amp. I think you all are going to like it.

 

[Ony38]

For the moment, best headphone matching with the Lau was with a LCD2 and a he-6 (I tried on it also Abyss, LCD3, LCDX, LCDXC, he-560).

Definitly a hugh experience and synergy with this 2 cans !

 

[goldendarko]

For the moment, best headphone matching with the Lau was with a LCD2 and a he-6 (I tried on it also Abyss, LCD3, LCDX, LCDXC, he-560).



Definitly a hugh experience and synergy with this 2 cans !

 


LCD-2 was a better pairing than the LCD-3? Better sounding overall though still LCD-3 I would assume?