[sahmen]

Thanks man!! The Spark review is definitely one of my favorites. I appreciate the compliment!

I confess that your review really made me want to consider getting the spark too, although I do not immediately know whether I am going to need it, or where I am going to use it, since I already have the Liquid Carbon v1, and also have the Liquid Platinum on my to-buy list...

 

[sahmen]

I wish these guys would have modules that go beyond 15V :
https://wyred4sound.com/products/upgrades-mods-accessories/ps-1-modular-linear-power-supply

Such elegant solution, and 1 modular source to supply power to several amps...

Agreed! And upon reading your suggestion I took the liberty of inquiring about this possibility with the folks at Wyred 4 Sound, and to my surprise, they seem willing to consider it. Here is the response I have just received from them :

*******************
Hello ....,

Thank you for your email and interest in our products.

We can surely make this happen but to develop it will be very involved. How many of these do you think your group would be interested in?

Thank you and talk to you soon,
EJ Sarmento

********************

The difficult part is that I proposed the possibility of a group-buy, and they're asking me to provide them with an estimate of how many might enthusiasts might be interested, and I have no clue what to say yet... For now, I'm just thinking of opening up a thread to poll responses, as an experiment. However, I am willing to consider suggestions as to how I/we might best approach this project to make it a success. In the meantime, I am posting the full text of my correspondence with them below for the sake of transparency (with my own name and e-mail address redacted for security reasons, of course)

 

[sahmen]

I have just created a new thread to discuss this Wyred 4 Sound PS-1 Modular Power supply option and take a poll to assess interest... Please express your views about this option there:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cav...h-liquid-platinum-power-supply-option.889962/

 

[Pharmaboy]

Here are the new reviews for both the Liquid Spark and Liquid Platinum in one place, by the way.

Platinum:
http://enjoythemusic.com/magazine/e...iquid_Platinum_Headphone_Amplifier_Review.htm

Spark:
http://enjoythemusic.com/magazine/e...h_Liquid_Spark_Headphone_Amplifier_Review.htm

I've said it before and I'll say it again, don't sleep on the Spark. It's super good! Link for that thread here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/monoprice-monolith-liquid-spark-by-alex-cavalli.876407/

Just read your review of the Liquid Platinum. I'm so impressed w/the writing & observations: the hardest qualities to describe in audio are intimacy, emotional truth, musicality. You heard those things, then spent much of the review spelling them out for readers. IMO that's really above & beyond...

It almost goes w/o saying that I'm now insanely interested in this amp (love my LC v2; Cavalli circuits are for real).

 

[Hansotek]

Just read your review of the Liquid Platinum. I'm so impressed w/the writing & observations: the hardest qualities to describe in audio are intimacy, emotional truth, musicality. You heard those things, then spent much of the review spelling them out for readers. IMO that's really above & beyond...

It almost goes w/o saying that I'm now insanely interested in this amp (love my LC v2; Cavalli circuits are for real).

Thanks so much man! That’s what I was hoping to convey!

 

[jinxy245]

Thanks so much man! That’s what I was hoping to convey!

You succeeded admirably. Keep 'em coming, my wallet be damned!

 

[LCMusicLover]

LP LPS question (couldn’t resist).

Any idea whether this:

https://www.circuitspecialists.com/programmable-bench-power-supply-csi3645a.html

might be a good option?

Honestly, I know next to nothing about such devices, so any info would help me. Anybody have a thread or site which might be helpful? Thanks.

 

[dBel84]

Might I suggest we listen to the stock ps before making decisions to spend more on a power supply that may make very little difference . The review was with the smps and is glowing which is how this amp was designed. I know Alex spent many hours reviewing and measuring various smps modules to find a product that matched the quality of the amp. (and continues to review potential options for future products)

I know the idea of an LPS has a somehow magical appeal but well designed smps supplies have noise levels that are well below human perception (and similar to LPS)

Just something to consider before we convince ourselves that a platinum without an LPS is not worthy (a very inaccurate assumption)

.. dB

 

[Roscoeiii]

Might I suggest we listen to the stock ps before making decisions to spend more on a power supply that may make very little difference . The review was with the smps and is glowing which is how this amp was designed. I know Alex spent many hours reviewing and measuring various smps modules to find a product that matched the quality of the amp. (and continues to review potential options for future products)

I know the idea of an LPS has a somehow magical appeal but well designed smps supplies have noise levels that are well below human perception (and similar to LPS)

Just something to consider before we convince ourselves that a platinum without an LPS is not worthy (a very inaccurate assumption)

.. dB

There is a lot to enjoy with the stock power supply for sure. And nice to space out the financial outlay...

 

[sahmen]

Might I suggest we listen to the stock ps before making decisions to spend more on a power supply that may make very little difference . The review was with the smps and is glowing which is how this amp was designed. I know Alex spent many hours reviewing and measuring various smps modules to find a product that matched the quality of the amp. (and continues to review potential options for future products)

I know the idea of an LPS has a somehow magical appeal but well designed smps supplies have noise levels that are well below human perception (and similar to LPS)

Just something to consider before we convince ourselves that a platinum without an LPS is not worthy (a very inaccurate assumption)

.. dB

I tend to agree with the implication in your post, that the difference an optional LPS will make ought to be assessed and confirmed before people decide to invest in one. To that extent, I am praying that @Luckbad will have the opportunity he is seeking to test a Liquid Platinum with the power supplies that he currently has, in order to arrive at a firm determination. For the same reasons, I am also wishing the @Hansotek can get his hands on a good LPS to try on the Liquid Platinum he has, preferably, before the final version is released, if possible, whatever the actual release date might turn out to be.

However, to avert any possible confusion, I need to mention that what I gather from @Hansotek's glowing review is not that the stock SMPS is not worthy, but that it could be better. I get the sense from his review that the LP is already well-made, capable, and fairly exquisite in its performance, except that it does not quite match the peaks of performance of the Liquid Crimson upon which it is modeled. The idea of experimenting with alternative power supply options is to find out how much of that gap in performance can be closed. For me that effort is worth it, although I realize and respect the fact that others might consider the LP, its stock SMPS and their performance adequate as they currently are.

 

[Hansotek]

I tend to agree with the implication in your post, that the difference an optional LPS will make ought to be assessed and confirmed before people decide to invest in one. To that extent, I am praying that @Luckbad will have the opportunity he is seeking to test a Liquid Platinum with the power supplies that he currently has, in order to arrive at a firm determination. For the same reasons, I am also wishing the @Hansotek can get his hands on a good LPS to try on the Liquid Platinum he has.

However, to avert any possible confusion, I need to mention that what I gather from @Hansotek's glowing review is not that the stock SMPS is not worthy, but that it could be better. I get the sense from his review that the LP is already well-made, capable, and fairly exquisite in its performance, except that it does not quite match the peaks of performance of the Liquid Crimson upon which it is modeled. The idea of experimenting with alternative power supply options is to find out how much of that gap in performance can be closed. For me that effort is worth it, although I realize and respect the fact that others might consider the LP, its stock SMPS and their performance adequate as they currently are.

I had to send the amp off to Alex, so no experiments just yet.

The amp is definitely very enjoyable with the stock SMPS. Hopefully, the discussion around how close it can scale relative to the Crimson doesn’t distract too much from the fact that the amp sounds really good on it’s own. People really ought to try it first.

 

[alphanumerix1]

Very true, Look forward to its release.

 

[Rattle]

Damn can't wait for this. Should be a substantial upgrade from Valhalla 2 which I love with HD600 and HD6xx. It's great the platinum can power almost any can and sound great.

 

[Roscoeiii]

Should be a substantial upgrade from Valhalla 2 which I love with HD600 and HD6xx. It's great the platinum can power almost any can and sound great.

As excited as I am for this too, don't presume that this will necessarily be a substantial upgrade from the Valhalla and the 650/600, or any other combo you have enjoyed currently or in the past. Sometimes certain combos have a special synergy (I haven't heard the Valhalla so can't comment on potential synergy there). And there is also the role of personal sound signature preferences and the specific type of music you listen to and how that intersects with the specifics of an amp/headphone pairing.

 

[Rattle]

As excited as I am for this too, don't presume that this will necessarily be a substantial upgrade from the Valhalla and the 650/600, or any other combo you have enjoyed currently or in the past. Sometimes certain combos have a special synergy (I haven't heard the Valhalla so can't comment on potential synergy there). And there is also the role of personal sound signature preferences and the specific type of music you listen to and how that intersects with the specifics of an amp/headphone pairing.

Good advice. My reasoning is that everyone talks up the mids on these amps. The thing I love about Valhalla 2 and mimby with HD600 in particular is the way the mids sound. Can't get enough of it. Plus this is me moving up the amp chain, I had a LD MKIII and now Valhalla 2. The Valhalla 2 not going anywhere though, as you said there is great synergy with mimby and HD600.