New Cavalli Audio Liquid Glass Amplifier - Fall Release

[Jozurr]

Maybe they're not as readily available anymore.  A search for Tung Sol 12SN7 Black Glass should've yielded some results. 
Perhaps you could also try looking for the GEC/Osram B36 tubes (12.6 V equivalent of the super expensive and well regarded B65).

Btw, congrats on your LG!  Looks like you've had a taste of the Carbon and moved up to the Glass.  How does the Glass compare to the Carbon.  How well does it drive the HE-6 and your other cans?
I recently sprung on a LAu at a great price, and I'm blown away by how great it sounds.  It's the first taste of Cavalli for me and has left a very positive impression.

Thanks for the recommendation. Will look for those but initial searches dont yield anything.

Regarding the glass, the biggest improvement I had was the soundstage and details. It all depends on tubes too. I only have stock and RCA 5692 tubes yet, and Im waiting to receive a few pairs. This also confirms that the LC is no slouch and punches above its price. I also use the LG as preamp into my A21 power amp to HE6, which has shown good improvement over the Parasound preamp I have.

Im still gutted that I passed up on a very good Liquid Gold deal a little while ago. One of those deals that you always feel you should have jumped on. Ive only heard good things about it and wish to hear it some day.

 

[vc1187]

Thanks for the recommendation. Will look for those but initial searches dont yield anything.

It's a pretty general rule with these NOS tubes that is very often true: the harder they are to find or the less available they are, the better they sound!
 
Not saying that this is true for every amp and/or every hard to attain tube, but in my experience so far, it has been true.  Tube synergy is very important as well (i.e. which tube rectifier and power tubes were paired with the driver tube), but considering the Glass takes only 2 of the same driver tubes at a time, you don't need to worry about that.  I can't tell you how many times I've thought a newly rolled in driver tube sounded terrible on my amps, but a simple swap of rectifier or power tubes and my opinion would change.  Finally, some tubes (as great as they are) just don't work well with specific pairs of headphones.
 
My Glenn OTL didn't have a 12.6V switch, so I couldn't use 12SN7 tubes unless I used a tube adapter, but I can say that the TS BGRP 6SN7GT tube was absolutely on point.  It was the exact driver tube that I needed for my HD800 (YMMV with your headphones and in particular, with the LG).
 
I found the Mullard ECC31 with 6SN7 adapter was a great driver for the HD650.  I preferred it over the TS BGRP for the HD650s.
 
Not sure if the LG will take 6SL7 type tubes, but if it does, check out the RCA 5691 red base (grey or black plates).  It brings shame to the RCA 5692, which is a highly hyped, yet very plain sounding 6SN7, IMO.  The RCA 5691 is my go-to driver tube for headphone listening in my ZD, and I prefer it over the much more expensive Mullard ECC35.
 
Aside from that, I know absolutely nothing about noval tube rolling, so good luck!

 

[Jozurr]

  It's a pretty general rule with these NOS tubes that is very often true: the harder they are to find or the less available they are, the better they sound!
 
Not saying that this is true for every amp and/or every hard to attain tube, but in my experience so far, it has been true.  Tube synergy is very important as well (i.e. which tube rectifier and power tubes were paired with the driver tube), but considering the Glass takes only 2 of the same driver tubes at a time, you don't need to worry about that.  I can't tell you how many times I've thought a newly rolled in driver tube sounded terrible on my amps, but a simple swap of rectifier or power tubes and my opinion would change.  Finally, some tubes (as great as they are) just don't work well with specific pairs of headphones.
 
My Glenn OTL didn't have a 12.6V switch, so I couldn't use 12SN7 tubes unless I used a tube adapter, but I can say that the TS BGRP 6SN7GT tube was absolutely on point.  It was the exact driver tube that I needed for my HD800 (YMMV with your headphones and in particular, with the LG).
 
I found the Mullard ECC31 with 6SN7 adapter was a great driver for the HD650.  I preferred it over the TS BGRP for the HD650s.
 
Not sure if the LG will take 6SL7 type tubes, but if it does, check out the RCA 5691 red base (grey or black plates).  It brings shame to the RCA 5692, which is a highly hyped, yet very plain sounding 6SN7, IMO.  The RCA 5691 is my go-to driver tube for headphone listening in my ZD, and I prefer it over the much more expensive Mullard ECC35.
 
Aside from that, I know absolutely nothing about noval tube rolling, so good luck!

 
Can you please elaborate on why you liked the ECC31 more than the TS BGRP on the HD650? and vice versa for TS BGRP on the HD800. What are the differences between the two? Im trying to decide if I'd need the TS BGRP if I were to have the Ken-Rad VT231 and the Mullard CV181/ECC32? Going to use with my LFF Code-X and ZMF Omni.
 
Yeah not sure of the LG accepts those either. Trying to find out.

 

[vc1187]

   
Can you please elaborate on why you liked the ECC31 more than the TS BGRP on the HD650? and vice versa for TS BGRP on the HD800. What are the differences between the two? Im trying to decide if I'd need the TS BGRP if I were to have the Ken-Rad VT231 and the Mullard CV181/ECC32? Going to use with my LFF Code-X and ZMF Omni.
 
Yeah not sure of the LG accepts those either. Trying to find out.

The rectifier that I was using on my Glenn OTL was the Mullard fat bottle GZ37 (CV378), and it had extremely seductive mids, while veering on the warmer side of the spectrum, which worked well with the right driver tube.  I preferred this rectifier over the famed GEC U52, which I had multiple variants of.  I actually liked both the ECC31 and TS BGRP as driver for the HD800, but slightly preferred the TS BGRP because it was a little more resolving, wasn't as warm, and highlighted the HD800's strengths a little better.  With the ECC31, bass was a little punchier and mids were still wonderful, but while the upper frequencies sounded very good, they weren't quite as clear as with the BGRP.
 
The BGRP just didn't mesh as well with the HD650.  Sounded a bit flat and less engaging than the ECC31.  ECC31 livened up the presentation of the 650 and gave it one of the most punchy and dynamic presentations I've heard from the 650.  IMO, the 650 doesn't need its high frequencies accentuated, it just needs them to not be recessed, and that was something that the ECC31 was able to provide.  
 
The Ken-Rad VT-231 is a nice tube, but it lacks resolution.  Very punchy low end, and probably one of the warmest sounding tubes I owned.  It was one of the first driver tubes I used with my Glenn and HD800, and it worked well with genres that had an abundance of pain inducing treble (pop) or with hard hitting beats (hip hop, EDM), but I would always choose a different driver for other genres.

 

[cheeseeater]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I have to ask again because I'm worried I might damage a tube I love. On the liquid glass, how do I know whether to use the 200v or the 300v seeing?

 

[Jozurr]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I have to ask again because I'm worried I might damage a tube I love. On the liquid glass, how do I know whether to use the 200v or the 300v seeing?

 
There is a list of recommended settings that was shared on this thread for various tube types by alex. You can follow that.

 

[Jozurr]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I have to ask again because I'm worried I might damage a tube I love. On the liquid glass, how do I know whether to use the 200v or the 300v seeing?

 
Hi cheeseeater,
 
So what tubes have you rolled on the LG and what are your favourites?

 

[Jozurr]

Did anyone order the Glass from the last run?
 
I've been using the Ken Rad VT231 tubes a lot lately and really enjoying them. Outside of 6SN7/12SN7 and ECC32, I'm not sure if there are any tubes that are better sounding. If anyone has any ideas please shoot away.

 

[Pawn]

Everybody needs a way of living but $3500 for this amp is an undertaking. I wouldn't be surprised it the components to build this cost less than $1000.

 

[Mechans1]

  Did anyone order the Glass from the last run?
 
I've been using the Ken Rad VT231 tubes a lot lately and really enjoying them. Outside of 6SN7/12SN7 and ECC32, I'm not sure if there are any tubes that are better sounding. If anyone has any ideas please shoot away.

What sound are you trying to find?  I'm guessing from your liking the Ken Rads that you like a full rich sound.  Many of the best tubes in the pre-amp arsenal are usually discussed  with  regard to frequency range  extension balance, imaging ,clarity and tone. Which of the other characteristics are you concerned with.   I think you said something about treble being an issue.  You said outside of the 6SN7 family, but that is the tube with the richest  tone by far,  in my opinion.  There are quite a few to try.  I don't know if you went from 0-100 per se- by trying the most exotic and expensive variants, but I have seen a lot of that recently.  If you have tried most of the usual good 6sn7 suspects, you might want to try the compatible  Old Stock Mullards from the long list of acceptable tube types e,g, ecc82 etc..  English tubes have the reputation of being rich mellow and warm.  The current production Gold Lion tubes have that reputation as well.  

 

[Jozurr]

Everybody needs a way of living but $3500 for this amp is an undertaking. I wouldn't be surprised it the components to build this cost less than $1000.

 
You do realise the price of "components"  doesnt account for anything in most high end audio gear right?
 

 
What sound are you trying to find?  I'm guessing from your liking the Ken Rads that you like a full rich sound.  Many of the best tubes in the pre-amp arsenal are usually discussed  with  regard to frequency range  extension balance, imaging ,clarity and tone. Which of the other characteristics are you concerned with.   I think you said something about treble being an issue.  You said outside of the 6SN7 family, but that is the tube with the richest  tone by far,  in my opinion.  There are quite a few to try.  I don't know if you went from 0-100 per se- by trying the most exotic and expensive variants, but I have seen a lot of that recently.  If you have tried most of the usual good 6sn7 suspects, you might want to try the compatible  Old Stock Mullards from the long list of acceptable tube types e,g, ecc82 etc..  English tubes have the reputation of being rich mellow and warm.  The current production Gold Lion tubes have that reputation as well.  

 
Im looking for better bass, richer/cleaner treble. The treble on the kenrads isnt the best. Currently im enjoying the ECC32. I was considering buying the B36 (12V variant of the famous B65). Any idea how do they compare to the kenrads/ECC3/BGRP ?

 

[Pawn]

So are you saying it's all hype?

 

[Jozurr]

So are you saying it's all hype?

 
No Im saying theres much more to audio gear than components alone. Lots of labour, design, production, overheads, marketing etc. This is across the board for all high end audio gear. You think the components cost anything close to the asking price on the HE-1000 or the LCD4 or the Orpheus?

 

[1974]

Just picked up a LG amp and loving it. Came with NOS 6SN7 tubes which I know are considered some of the best for this amp, but am eager to try more. 
 
Anyone know what the best tubes are for HiFiMan HE-6 or Audeze LCD-3 headphones? They're very different sounding headphones, so jack-of-all-trades tubes may not apply.

 

[1974]

Additionally, I'm running the 6SN7 tubes on 6.3 / 300 settings, is this correct?
 
What is the best resource for finding both types of voltage for a particular tube type? I don't have the LG manual, will that help?