[Pharmaboy]

I'm doing my own unscientific comparison of the balanced outputs of the Liquid Carbon v2 vs the Monoprice Liquid Gold X. The DAC is the Audio GD DAC-19, which has 2 RCA output pairs live at all times; and the headphone is the revealing yet very musical D8000 with the D8000 Pro's "G" pads. I have the volume of each amp matched by ear--which of course means they're not exactly matched.

This listening exercise is interesting and entertaining as hell:

• The "family resemblance" of the sonics of these amps is very strong. I'm not sure I could tell them apart in a blind listening test.
• Both are slightly warm, have terrific bass, above average dynamics, big/expressive midrange, and melodious treble that is not exaggerated at all. Neither is what many here would call perfectly "neutral," but both are smooth, musical to a fault, and match up well with very headphone I try.
• Both kill on any music with a strong beat and lots of bass content. But both also kill on acoustic music of all kinds, choral music, classical, and so on. Each has the refinement and finesse to convincingly portray large scale choral music AND the dirtiest, grittiest funk (not all amps can do this)
• The LGX has just a bit more of everything the LC has--and I don't mean volume. I refer to a bit wider channel separation; a bit more separation and layering of notes and instruments; bass that's a bit more nuanced and revealing of the timbre of bass instruments; a bit more "jump factor" (dynamics); a bit more smoothness and refinement; and a bit more bite/snap in the upper mids--not even close to brightness or edginess, but a touch of that "hurts so good" thing on instruments with a lot to say in that range.

Once I had the LGX burned in and started listening to it, my thoughts turned to practical matters, such as which amp I would keep, assuming one trounced the other. If the LGX is great, why keep the LC? But I stopped thinking that way, now that I realize how musical and dynamic both amps are. The LGX' superiority over the smaller and slightly less powerful LC is incremental rather than obvious or emphatic. I could live with either amp forever--and that's exactly what I plan to do.

I'm nuts for the sound of these Cavalli solid state designs!

 

[Odin412]

I'm nuts for the sound of these Cavalli solid state designs!

Great writeup! I completely agree - there's something very special about Cavalli amps.

 

[jonathan c]

I'm doing my own unscientific comparison of the balanced outputs of the Liquid Carbon v2 vs the Monoprice Liquid Gold X. The DAC is the Audio GD DAC-19, which has 2 RCA output pairs live at all times; and the headphone is the revealing yet very musical D8000 with the D8000 pro's "G" pads. I have the volume of each amp matched by ear--which of course means they're not exactly matched.

This listening exercise is interesting and entertaining as hell:

• The "family resemblance" of the sonics of these amps is very strong. I'm not sure I could tell them apart in a blind listening test.
• Both are slightly warm, have terrific bass, above average dynamics, big/expressive midrange, and melodious treble that is not exaggerated at all. Neither is what many here would call perfectly "neutral," but both are smooth, musical to a fault, and match up well with very headphone I try.
• Both kill on any music with a strong beat and lots of bass content. But both also kill on acoustic music of all kinds, choral music, classical, and so on. Each has the refinement and finesse to convincingly portray large scale choral music AND the dirtiest, grittiest funk (not all amps can do this)
• The LGX has just a bit more of everything the LC has--and I don't mean volume. I refer to a bit wider channel separation; a bit more separation and layering of notes and instruments; bass that's a bit more nuanced and revealing of the timbre of bass instruments; a bit more "jump factor" (dynamics); a bit more smoothness and refinement; and a bit more bite/snap in the upper mids--not even close to brightness or edginess, but a touch of that "hurts so good" thing on instruments with a lot to say in that range.

Once I had the LGX burned in and started listening to it, my thoughts concerned practical matters, such as which amp I would keep, assuming one trounced the other. If the LGX is great, why keep the LC? But I stopped thinking that way, now that I realize how musical and dynamic both amps are. the LGX' superiority over the smaller and slightly less powerful LC is incremental rather than obvious or emphatic. I could live with either amp forever--and that's exactly what I plan to do.

I'm nuts for the sound of these Cavalli solid state designs!

~ Interesting post through & through!
~ I was struck by the term “unscientific” to preface the comparison. The implication is that without charts, dials, graphs, meters a comparison has less meaning or validity. To an astute listener, the validity that counts is musical plausibility: am I sometimes / often transported to the venue of the music?
~ Your “listening exercise” is instructive and carries more weight because it addresses fundamentals and dynamics of music rather than the measurement of frequencies and distortion. “Unscientific”, so what? Besides, it is the Cavalli sound that has captivated you.
~ As for LC vs LGX and your decision to keep both: I’ll say ‘same musical performance, different seats…”

 

[Odin412]

~ Interesting post through & through!
~ I was struck by the term “unscientific” to preface the comparison. The implication is that without charts, dials, graphs, meters a comparison has less meaning or validity. To an astute listener, the validity that counts is musical plausibility: am I sometimes / often transported to the venue of the music?
~ Your “listening exercise” is instructive and carries more weight because it addresses fundamentals and dynamics of music rather than the measurement of frequencies and distortion. “Unscientific”, so what? Besides, it is the Cavalli sound that has captivated you.
~ As for LC vs LGX and your decision to keep both: I’ll say ‘same musical performance, different seats…”

+1 and amen to that. I listen to music, not measurements.

 

[jonathan c]

+1 and amen to that. I listen to music, not measurements.

I have no idea what a frequency response graph sounds like…

 

[Pharmaboy]

I have no idea what a frequency response graph sounds like…

(rustling of paper)

 

[jonathan c]

(rustling of toilet paper)

FTFY…[Reg. TM; © bcowen: 2021]

 

[Dalton007HiRes]

I've been having trouble with the amp going into some kind of protection mode while using the built-in DAC. It's always like right before a loud part of the music, like the start of a guitar solo or drum fill. It's like the DAC isn't expecting those levels or something, weird. I have to power cycle the unit to get the music going again and then...click...right at the damn start of the best part usually. This only happens in high gain mode I believe because I always alleviate it by dropping into low gain and lowering the volume. Anyone else experience this? Particularly on Susvara?

That's exactly what brought me here. Same for me when using my Gold Planar GL2000 (double magnets) on high gain using the built in DAC. It's got to be REALLY cranked up, but seems like that would be okay to crank it up. It also happens when tweaking with the sound settings in the Peace EQ application . It powers off for a few seconds but for me it comes back on by itself, I don't have to turn it back on myself....I have ordered a new S.M.S.L. SU-9 and I'm waiting on to see if it helps. Did you find out anything about the issue?

 

[jonathan c]

~ If Monoprice / Monolith were to introduce a Liquid Gold X that was amplifier-only, choice of balanced-only / SE-only, the “place order” button chez moi would be pressed at 186,000 feet per second…
~ Ditch The DAC, please. Expertise (of Cavalli or anyone) in amplifier design does not necessarily translate into expertise in DAC design.

 

[Pharmaboy]

1000% truth.

I'd go one step further. After they ditch the DAC (assuming the case stays the same), use the new/extra space to put in a better volume pot, one that doesn't make the amp sound way different below ~10AM. That volume jump at ~10AM is my only real issue w/the amp (I don't even bother w/the DAC...I have better).

 

[jonathan c]

1000% truth.

I'd go one step further. After they ditch the DAC (assuming the case stays the same), use the new/extra space to put in a better volume pot, one that doesn't make the amp sound way different below ~10AM. That volume jump at ~10AM is my only real issue w/the amp (I don't even bother w/the DAC...I have better).

…the real “balls —> wall” LGX would be XLR-only (or SE-only), use the vacated DAC space for [drum roll…] individual channel volume path / control…same body design…two nice volume knobs with some heft…

 

[piyuyi]

Hello everyone. I have a problem with the gold X and I wanted to ask you a question: I can not reach the right volume so that my Audeze LCD-2C has all the punch in the bass, because the liquid gold X automatically turns me off before without being able to reach the desired volume, and it gives me a lot of anger.
I admit that I like to listen to music at a high volume, but with the LCD-2 especially if this is not the case, they are not enjoyed. This is an unforgivable failure for a 70 ohm headphone.
Does anyone suffer from this same problem? Do you know if there is a way to skip this volume limiter? I think I will end up returning my Gold X because of this problem and it makes me very angry because I love it.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Hello everyone. I have a problem with the gold X and I wanted to ask you a question: I can not reach the right volume so that my Audeze LCD-2C has all the punch in the bass, because the liquid gold X automatically turns me off before without being able to reach the desired volume, and it gives me a lot of anger.
I admit that I like to listen to music at a high volume, but with the LCD-2 especially if this is not the case, they are not enjoyed. This is an unforgivable failure for a 70 ohm headphone.
Does anyone suffer from this same problem? Do you know if there is a way to skip this volume limiter? I think I will end up returning my Gold X because of this problem and it makes me very angry because I love it.

The Liquid Gold X can play the LCD-2 Classic at very very loud levels even in low gain. It has no problems driving 70 ohm Audeze headphones.

Some questions for you:
Are you using a balanced 4-pin XLR headphone cable or are you using the 1/4 inch headphone jack?
Are you using EQ to add bass? It is possible that you're adding so much bass EQ that the signal is clipping.
Are you using low gain (button out) or high gain (button in)?
What DAC are you using?

It is also possible that the character and style of the bass of the Liquid Gold X is not what you're after. The Liquid Gold X bass is more laid-back than some other amps. The style of bass this amp does is for people who want to hear finesse and layering and space in the bass. If the bass is recorded as laid-back and further back in the soundstage then this amp will play it that way. There are other amps that will play all bass more forward and up-front and with more punch. If you're after that more up-front style of bass with all music then you'll want a different amp.

I really like the style of bass that the Liquid Gold X does. I like to hear the texture of the bass, the nuance, layering. It is what I consider audiophile bass. It isn't disco club style bass. If you're after disco club style bass then you'll want a different amp. The Audeze LCD-2 Classic can do disco club style bass with some other amps and a bit of bass EQ. But those other amps flatten the soundstage and don't have the imaging and layering that the Liquid Gold X does.

 

[piyuyi]

Thanks for the answer:
I am using the XLR balanced output, with the high gain on and with the goldX's own DAC.
It is true that I equalize the bass a little bit, but it gives me the same problem without equalizing.
The thing is that I am a happy owner also of the monollith liquid platinum and although this one also turns me off if I go over volume, but it is not comparable to how the gold X does it, the LCD-2 fail to show the full impact of their great bass. I think it falls short of volume if you are a basshead. It's a shame because I think it's a great amp, but the fact that it turns off is desperate, I think it's an unforgivable failure. They have left the volume limit very low in my opinion........it is unbelievable this blockade with the power that goldX have.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

You shouldn't need to use high gain with the LCD-2. I use low gain and it gets way more than loud enough with the Audeze headphones.

The bass EQ you are adding may be causing the bass to clip. Clipping can cause what looks like DC (direct current) and could be the reason why the amps are going into protection mode and shutting down.

If you add +6dB of digital EQ in the bass you need to lower the EQ gain by -6dB to compensate to avoid the possibility of digital clipping. Read up on subtractive EQ vs. additive EQ. You need to do the equivalent of subtractive EQ to avoid the possibility of frequencies going above 0dBFS (zero dB full scale) when you add a frequency boost to the bass.