Awesome! Thanks.
I prefer the sound of the amp with low gain. So it's good to know that the amp has enough gain and oomph in low gain to drive the Abyss.
I haven't noticed any problems with the internal DAC. But I also haven't used the internal DAC much at all except to find out how it sounds. I've been using a Gungnir Multibit using the balanced XLR connections. I do prefer the Schiit multibit imaging and sound to the AKM imaging and sound. I think of the internal DAC as just a $100 convenience DAC for times when a better external DAC isn't conveniently available. And to experiment with DSD (the Schiit DACs don't do DSD).
My challenge now is to find headphone synergy with the Liquid Gold X. The Audeze LCD-2 has great synergy with the Liquid Platinum, but not so much with the Liquid Gold X. So I'm looking for a headphone to pair with the amp that does. Thinking of headphones to try like HEDD, HiFiMan Arya, and even the Abyss line if necessary.
Synergy? Hmmm, I'm currently in Heaven with Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Open and Oppo PM-1, with the Aeon 2 a bit smoother and the Oppo having a slight edge in clarity and a bigger edge in dynamics, which can get a bit fatiguing. Both sound great.
One annoying thing about this amp is if you don't have anything plugged into the DAC, the DAC input LED keeps flashing non-stop to indicate it doesn't have a lock on anything. You would think it would eventually time out, but nope. I guess they didn't think anyone wouldn't use the DAC?
One annoying thing about this amp is if you don't have anything plugged into the DAC, the DAC input LED keeps flashing non-stop to indicate it doesn't have a lock on anything. You would think it would eventually time out, but nope. I guess they didn't think anyone wouldn't use the DAC?
I hate the DAC with a passion. I don't see myself using it in the foreseeable future. Of course now that you've mentioned it, I will start paying more attention to the flashing DAC light, lol.
So after a couple of weeks trying out this amp (while my TT2 is being serviced) I cannot recommend it for either the Abyss or the Susvara. It seems like both these headphones pull too much out of the amp and it frequently goes into protection mode, right before loud parts of music. It's entirely possible I have a defective unit, so keep that in mind.
So after a couple of weeks trying out this amp (while my TT2 is being serviced) I cannot recommend it for either the Abyss or the Susvara. It seems like both these headphones pull too much out of the amp and it frequently goes into protection mode, right before loud parts of music. It's entirely possible I have a defective unit, so keep that in mind.
Have u tried HD800s with it? I’ve been looking at a few amp/dacs (AIO) for it and DT1990. Was recommended to look into this one, and I noticed in ur bio u own HD800s. Please let me know if you have had time to listen with them, I’ve been also considering HDV820 and RME ADI 2.
Have u tried HD800s with it? I’ve been looking at a few amp/dacs (AIO) for it and DT1990. Was recommended to look into this one, and I noticed in ur bio u own HD800s. Please let me know if you have had time to listen with them, I’ve been also considering HDV820 and RME ADI 2.
So after a couple of weeks trying out this amp (while my TT2 is being serviced) I cannot recommend it for either the Abyss or the Susvara. It seems like both these headphones pull too much out of the amp and it frequently goes into protection mode, right before loud parts of music. It's entirely possible I have a defective unit, so keep that in mind.
Hopefully it's just a faulty amp or faulty power supply.
I don't have, or have immediate access to, a power hungry headphone like the Abyss or Susvara to test my amp with. I haven't had any problems with my amp using LCD-2 Classic and Audio Zenith PMx2 and other easy to drive headphones.
Synergy? Hmmm, I'm currently in Heaven with Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Open and Oppo PM-1, with the Aeon 2 a bit smoother and the Oppo having a slight edge in clarity and a bigger edge in dynamics, which can get a bit fatiguing. Both sound great.
I have an Audio Zenith PMx2 (a modded Oppo PM-2) that works well with the LAuX.
I think one aspect of finding sonic synergy with the LAuX will be finding headphones that more closely match the midrange part of the Harman curve. Headphones that scoop out the midrange will not get midrange sonic help using the LAuX. The LAuX doesn't fill in the midrange like the Liquid Platinum does. The LAuX lets me know that the LCD-2 Classic takes a dive in the midrange. The LCD-2 Classic will be fine with some songs, then play another song and it becomes very obvious that there is a noticeable dip in the midrange. Amps like the Liquid Platinum, Liquid Fire, Liquid Glass can fill in the midrange and I never notice that the LCD-2 Classic has anything wrong in the midrange. But with the LAuX I notice the Audeze midrange dip way too much. The LCD-2 Classic (and other Audeze headphones) have wonderful sonic synergy with the Liquid Platinum, Fire, and Glass. Not so much with the LAuX.
Interesting! I'm really enjoying my LCD-2 with the Liquid Gold X. I'm not sure exactly what version of the LCD-2 that I have - I think it's one of the early Fazor models. With some amps the treble on the LCD-2 bothers me a bit (I'm very treble-sensitive), but the Liquid Gold X is excellent to my ears. However, my LCD-XC did not go well with the Liquid Gold X at all - much too bright to my ears.
In general, I've found the Liquid Gold X to be a very good partner for planar magnetic headphones. The LCD-2, MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Open and Closed and ZMF Ori are all excellent with the Liquid Gold X to my ears.
The DNA Starlett costs $2000. Demoed one for a month and was very impressed. I have a Liquid Platinum and really
like it. However, the Starlett is IMHO better in every way.
I
The DNA Starlett costs $2000. Demoed one for a month and was very impressed. I have a Liquid Platinum and really
like it. However, the Starlett is IMHO better in every way.
Donald takes quite a bit of time choosing the best tubes for his headphone amplifiers, so the ones he includes
with the Starlett will likely be optimized.
So after a couple of weeks trying out this amp (while my TT2 is being serviced) I cannot recommend it for either the Abyss or the Susvara. It seems like both these headphones pull too much out of the amp and it frequently goes into protection mode, right before loud parts of music. It's entirely possible I have a defective unit, so keep that in mind.
And also seems under powered compared to platinum which seemed to have nuch greater amount of power in the way it drove.
Maybe I'm realizing that Cavalli's SS implementations to be worse than the hybrids. not enough to give a damn. I wonder if the original liquid gold was similar in character?
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