[CopperFox]

An issues of LGX ‘circuit protection’ being activated at musical crescendos?

I got some playing ManowaR's "March of the Heroes into Valhalla" at volumes louder than very loud with M1060C. However, it happens less often with the MLGX than with other SS amps I have.

 

[stelladiver]

Has anyone compared the LAu with the LAuX?

 

[ItHz]

Has anyone compared the LAu with the LAuX?

Just recently, in fact: Post #622

 

[dstarr3]

I just picked up an open-box Liquid Gold X from Monoprice the other day, very excited to receive it as I've heard tons of great stuff about it.

Is there anything I should know going in? Like, the consensus seems to be that the built-in DAC is trash. And is there a significant difference between the balanced output versus the single-ended output? I know some amps do sound different from different outputs, like my Singxer SA-1. Is this one such amp?

 

[trellus]

I just picked up an open-box Liquid Gold X from Monoprice the other day, very excited to receive it as I've heard tons of great stuff about it.

Is there anything I should know going in? Like, the consensus seems to be that the built-in DAC is trash. And is there a significant difference between the balanced output versus the single-ended output? I know some amps do sound different from different outputs, like my Singxer SA-1. Is this one such amp?

The consensus is that the single-ended output is "less than" in terms of sound quality. I believe even the manual itself notes that single-ended output is there for convenience and that the best performance comes from the balanced output. That being said, I've seen a small minority of users out there reporting that they find the single-ended output fine.

I also ordered an open-box Liquid Gold X and I'm banking on really only using it as an amp, balanced output.

 

[LCMusicLover]

.. Is there anything I should know going in? Like, the consensus seems to be that the built-in DAC is trash...

Not sure I would call the DAC trash. I use the LGX as an 'at work' system driving HD-6xx, and the DAC is fine for that purpose. At home I ignore the DAC, but appreciate having it there at work as I get much better sound from:

PC (USB out) ==> LGX
vs
PC (SE headphone out) ==> LGX

It's just that the amp section rises (far) above the DAC in terms of quality. Most of the bitching comes from folks who have much better stand-alone DACs and resent paying whatever the added cost of the DAC module/inputs/etc for a feature they'll never use. So it's I'll never use the DAC, wish they'd left it out and dropped the price $xxx.xx.

The consensus is that the single-ended output is "less than" in terms of sound quality. I believe even the manual itself notes that single-ended output is there for convenience and that the best performance comes from the balanced output. That being said, I've seen a small minority of users out there reporting that they find the single-ended output fine.

I also ordered an open-box Liquid Gold X and I'm banking on really only using it as an amp, balanced output.

Personally, I always use the balanced output, even when I'm using a SE analog source. But I've never performed a rigorous A/B test to compare SE vs BAL out.

As you can probably tell, I like the LGX very much. It was a great value @ $430.

 

[dstarr3]

Not sure I would call the DAC trash. I use the LGX as an 'at work' system driving HD-6xx, and the DAC is fine for that purpose. At home I ignore the DAC, but appreciate having it there at work as I get much better sound from:

PC (USB out) ==> LGX
vs
PC (SE headphone out) ==> LGX

It's just that the amp section rises (far) above the DAC in terms of quality. Most of the bitching comes from folks who have much better stand-alone DACs and resent paying whatever the added cost of the DAC module/inputs/etc for a feature they'll never use. So it's I'll never use the DAC, wish they'd left it out and dropped the price $xxx.xx.

Personally, I always use the balanced output, even when I'm using a SE analog source. But I've never performed a rigorous A/B test to compare SE vs BAL out.

As you can probably tell, I like the LGX very much. It was a great value @ $430.

Yeah, I paid $280 for mine. Not the best timing, but I recently decided to pursue a replacement for my Singxer SA-1 and I couldn't pass this sale price up.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Yeah, I paid $280 for mine. Not the best timing, but I recently decided to pursue a replacement for my Singxer SA-1 and I couldn't pass this sale price up.

Wow. That's a great price, congrats!

 

[Pharmaboy]

I just picked up an open-box Liquid Gold X from Monoprice the other day, very excited to receive it as I've heard tons of great stuff about it.

Is there anything I should know going in? Like, the consensus seems to be that the built-in DAC is trash. And is there a significant difference between the balanced output versus the single-ended output? I know some amps do sound different from different outputs, like my Singxer SA-1. Is this one such amp?

Yes, it is. The sound is clearly better via balanced output, though the single-ended output isn't really bad, just not as good.

I never heard the DAC but have never seen anyone say a kind word about it. I have better DACs so never bothered trying the built-in one.

 

[Odin412]

I just picked up an open-box Liquid Gold X from Monoprice the other day, very excited to receive it as I've heard tons of great stuff about it.

Is there anything I should know going in? Like, the consensus seems to be that the built-in DAC is trash. And is there a significant difference between the balanced output versus the single-ended output? I know some amps do sound different from different outputs, like my Singxer SA-1. Is this one such amp?

First - congratulations! The Liquid Gold X is a great amp with the right headphones. Don't press the button to change the gain while your headphone is connected. You will be rewarded with a very loud clicking sound that's quite uncomfortable. To my ears the balanced output sounds much better than the single-ended output. Also, I find that the Liquid Gold X is quite picky with headphones - it works wonderfully with some and not at all with others - to my ears at least. YMMV, as always.

 

[Shane D]

Not sure I would call the DAC trash. I use the LGX as an 'at work' system driving HD-6xx, and the DAC is fine for that purpose. At home I ignore the DAC, but appreciate having it there at work as I get much better sound from:

PC (USB out) ==> LGX
vs
PC (SE headphone out) ==> LGX

It's just that the amp section rises (far) above the DAC in terms of quality. Most of the bitching comes from folks who have much better stand-alone DACs and resent paying whatever the added cost of the DAC module/inputs/etc for a feature they'll never use. So it's I'll never use the DAC, wish they'd left it out and dropped the price $xxx.xx.

Personally, I always use the balanced output, even when I'm using a SE analog source. But I've never performed a rigorous A/B test to compare SE vs BAL out.

As you can probably tell, I like the LGX very much. It was a great value @ $430.

It would be a great deal at $430.00!
Did you ever have/do you have the LP? If so, how would you describe the differences?

 

[Shane D]

Yeah, I paid $280 for mine. Not the best timing, but I recently decided to pursue a replacement for my Singxer SA-1 and I couldn't pass this sale price up.

Wow, that's a great price!

 

[LCMusicLover]

It would a smoking deal at $430.00!
Did you ever have/do you have the LP? If so, how would you describe the differences?

Yep, cap-modded LP and LGX.

Differences really depend on the tubes in the LP as well as which cans I'm driving.

Is there a specific pairing you're interested in hearing about?

My cans are Atrium, Auteur, Caldera (only a loaner, moving out on Tuesday), Ether 2, HD-6xx, HE-560, HEDD, HEKse.

 

[Shane D]

And now it's back up to $899.99. the THX 887 is $299.00 though.
And the LP is back in stock. Open box is on sale.

 

[Shane D]

Yep, cap-modded LP and LGX.

Differences really depend on the tubes in the LP as well as which cans I'm driving.

Is there a specific pairing you're interested in hearing about?

My cans are Atrium, Auteur, Caldera (only a loaner, moving out on Tuesday), Ether 2, HD-6xx, HE-560, HEDD, HEKse.

Unfortunately we don't have any headphones in common. I was just wondering about the sound in general. I really enjoyed the LP with any decent tube. I was just wondering how they would compare? I have heard that the gain is still high with the gold despite having a gain switch.

I followed this amp when it first came out but, like many, I didn't need the DAC and the DAC/amp was expensive. But at $299.00-$399.00, it seems like a no-brainer, depending on the sound.