[StefanAvey]

Well that's good to know. My LG arrived a couple of days ago.

 

[rrahman]

I got to compare these side by side. Liquid Glass is in another league entirely (imho)

I owned both for a brief period also, but I disagree. 
 
It depended on the tubes but in many instances I did prefer using the WA22 over the Liquid Glass.  With optimal tube choices on both, I favored the WA22 by a decent margin.  The WA22 didn't get to as high volumes w/o distortion as the liquid glass, but it still reached and exceeded my level of comfortable listening.  The liquid glass had more tube options on the plus side though.  Both had super low noise floors for a tube amp. If using an unbalanced source, I'd buy a balanced dac and get the wa22.  If buying a balanced dac was not an option, then I'd go w/ the liquid glass.  Both are comprable amps if at the same price point, but at more than double the cost (on the used market) the WA22 is a no brainer.  

 

[KmanChu]

Has anyone ever used red wine audio components with the balanced headphone section with LCD3s?

 

[Justin_Time]

I have both the RWA Corvina and Bellina and have used them with the LCD3 (Silver Widow cable). I like these amps a lot, but for my taste, they are not the best choices for the LCD3. Let me explain.

In my experience, the LCD3 has an intimate, powerful but caramel-coated sound that many find alluring. But seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, I am not. So the most important thing in my choice of amps for the LCD3 was to reduce or eliminate this "dark" sound, which with very high-resolution amps turned out to be a muffled resonance superimposed on a rather clean midrange.

In general, I found powerful SS amps with clean and detailed sound to be the best matches for the LCD3. The combination LCD3/Vioelectric V200 produced smooth, detailed sound with just the right blend of immediacy and perspective. The Schiit Moljnir made the LCD really sparkle but was rather fatiguing in the long run. At a higher price range, The GS-X Mark2, Bakoon HAP-21, Woo WA5 and EAR HP-4 are all outstanding choices for the LCD3

The LCD3/Corvina/Bellina combination produced a dark, euphonic sound that is not my cup of tea. Other than that, the focus, center image, inner details, bass volume and dynamic impact are very good to excellent. And these amps are super quiet on battery. I love them with the HD-800.

If euphonic, caramel-coated sound is what you like, you'd love the combination LCD3/Corvina.

 

[KmanChu]

Thank you for the detailed response. I suspect that my tastes are similar to yours in that a highly detailed and extended source and amp will be my preferences. But I just stumbled into a less than 1 year old Cassabria for a crazy good deal and couldn't help myself. I generally like the sound of tubes but haven't used one with the lcd 3. I started thinking tubes again when I got to listen to a liquid glass and haven't stopped thinking about it since.

I have both the RWA Corvina and Bellina and have used them with the LCD3 (Silver Widow cable). I like these amps a lot, but for my taste, they are not the best choices for the LCD3. Let me explain.

In my experience, the LCD3 has an intimate, powerful but caramel-coated sound that many find alluring. But seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, I am not. So the most important thing in my choice of amps for the LCD3 was to reduce or eliminate this "dark" sound, which with very high-resolution amps turned out to be a muffled resonance superimposed on a rather clean midrange.

In general, I found powerful SS amps with clean and detailed sound to be the best matches for the LCD3. The combination LCD3/Vioelectric V200 produced smooth, detailed sound with just the right blend of immediacy and perspective. The Schiit Moljnir made the LCD really sparkle but was rather fatiguing in the long run. At a higher price range, The GS-X Mark2, Bakoon HAP-21, Woo WA5 and EAR HP-4 are all outstanding choices for the LCD3

The LCD3/Corvina/Bellina combination produced a dark, euphonic sound that is not my cup of tea. Other than that, the focus, center image, inner details, bass volume and dynamic impact are very good to excellent. And these amps are super quiet on battery. I love them with the HD-800.

If euphonic, caramel-coated sound is what you like, you'd love the combination LCD3/Corvina.

 

[Justin_Time]

If you prefer tubes, in my experience, the LCD3 sounds better with either the Woo WA5 (or WA5-LE) or the EAR HP-4 than with the Cavalli Liquid Fire--I have not heard the Liquid Glass--especially in the following areas:  Clarity, focus, inner details, bass tightness and bass impact.
 
There are surprises when matching headphones, cables and amps. Components can interact unpredictably in some combinations so you should seek advice from people with actual hands-on (ears-on?) experience.  
 
Good Luck!   

 

[KmanChu]

  If you prefer tubes, in my experience, the LCD3 sounds better with either the Woo WA5 (or WA5-LE) or the EAR HP-4 than with the Cavalli Liquid Fire--I have not heard the Liquid Glass--especially in the following areas:  Clarity, focus, inner details, bass tightness and bass impact.
 
There are surprises when matching headphones, cables and amps. Components can interact unpredictably in some combinations so you should seek advice from people with actual hands-on (ears-on?) experience.  
 
Good Luck!   

So I have had the RWA Cassabria for a while now and I find it to be quite transparent. I am using the 5W balanced output of the Cassabria. The Cassabria has the  so-called "Renaissance" tube stage, so that is different than the Corvina and supposedly a bit less dark sounding. The guy I bought it from included a few NOS tubes. I don't know anything about NOS tubes but the one he seemed most proud of was the 1960 Mullard 12AX7. Perhaps it is the tube, but the amp doesn't sound at all dark to me. It's actually a little brighter and more lively sounding than the other amps I have on hand. At any rate, I like it a lot and will probably keep it. I doubt it is an end-game amp compared to something like a GS-Xii, but it is REALLY good with the LCD-3. As an aside, I actually like a whole lot with my Alpha Dogs. The difference with the ADs is actually more striking than with the LCD-3s.

 

[Justin_Time]

So I have had the RWA Cassabria for a while now and I find it to be quite transparent. I am using the 5W balanced output of the Cassabria. The Cassabria has the  so-called "Renaissance" tube stage, so that is different than the Corvina and supposedly a bit less dark sounding. The guy I bought it from included a few NOS tubes. I don't know anything about NOS tubes but the one he seemed most proud of was the 1960 Mullard 12AX7. Perhaps it is the tube, but the amp doesn't sound at all dark to me. It's actually a little brighter and more lively sounding than the other amps I have on hand. At any rate, I like it a lot and will probably keep it. I doubt it is an end-game amp compared to something like a GS-Xii, but it is REALLY good with the LCD-3. As an aside, I actually like a whole lot with my Alpha Dogs. The difference with the ADs is actually more striking than with the LCD-3s.

Lucky you!

The Mullard is a killer tube that is hard to find and expensive.

I also found that the Bellina with a similar new amp design as the Cassabria also sounded better than the Corvina.

One thing though: we do get used to a sound. So once in a while it is helpful to switch to another pair of headphones: the sound difference is usually striking! I

On its own, the LCD sound great to me too. When I switch to the HD800, HE-6, TH-900 , Stax 007 Mk1 or even the Ultrasone, the LCD2/3 always sounded a little dark-- like some of the high frequencies are missing--and a little slower. I also use my stero systemon as a reference point for tonal balance and sound stage. No doubt: the LCD2/3 has been seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. They still sound highly musical and very enjoyable to me, just not neutral.

By the way, a company called Magnapan has been making high-end speakers using the exact same concept (magnets and membrane) for over 30 years. They had exactly the same problem with handling the highest frequencies for a very long time. They finally gave up on the magnet/membrane and used the lighter and faster ribbons instead for the top frequencies. Problem solved!

 

[wuwhere]

Love those Mullard 12AX7A VOMs made in the 60s. I use them in my amp. They are the short plates. They say the long plates sound better.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

By the way, a company called Magnapan has been making high-end speakers using the exact same concept (magnets and membrane) for over 30 years. They had exactly the same problem with handling the highest frequencies for a very long time. They finally gave up on the magnet/membrane and used the lighter and faster ribbons instead for the top frequencies. Problem solved!

 


Magnepan switched to using Ribbons for the entire frequency spectrum in the newest .7 generation products now too.

 

[Justin_Time]

By the way, a company called Magnapan has been making high-end speakers using the exact same concept (magnets and membrane) for over 30 years. They had exactly the same problem with handling the highest frequencies for a very long time. They finally gave up on the magnet/membrane and used the lighter and faster ribbons instead for the top frequencies. Problem solved!

 


Magnepan switched to using Ribbons for the entire frequency spectrum in the newest .7 generation products now too.

Yep, I use either the Wilson Audio or the Magnepan 3.7. I bought the 3.7 a few year ago but as far as I can recall, they use the true ribbons (very thin aluminum foil) for only the tweeters. The rest of frequency range is covered by quasi-ribbons, I.e. magnets and ribbon on Mylar film for lower cost and ruggedness.

I do not know for sure, but the Audezee do not use ribbon or quasi ribbon technology but the magnet/diaphragm with the inherent limitation in the high frequencies. They sound exactly like my old Magnepans: very coherent from top to bottom, good bass and clean midrange but a little slow, muted (or dark) and less airy than I would like due to missing high frequencies. Still highly enjoyable because it is so coherent.

 

[kothganesh]

.................
One thing though: we do get used to a sound. So once in a while it is helpful to switch to another pair of headphones: the sound difference is usually striking! I

On its own, the LCD sound great to me too. When I switch to the HD800, HE-6, TH-900 , Stax 007 Mk1 or even the Ultrasone, the LCD2/3 always sounded a little dark-- like some of the high frequencies are missing--and a little slower. I also use my stero systemon as a reference point for tonal balance and sound stage. No doubt: the LCD2/3 has been seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. They still sound highly musical and very enjoyable to me, just not neutral.

..................

+1. However its the very seduction that sometimes causes me to wonder why the 800 is so shrill or the 900 has such a U-shaped sound. Conversely, a few days on the 900 alone and then one wonders why on earth the LCD 3 (in my case) is so "neutral" to boring.

 

[Justin_Time]

+1. However its the very seduction that sometimes causes me to wonder why the 800 is so shrill or the 900 has such a U-shaped sound. Conversely, a few days on the 900 alone and then one wonders why on earth the LCD 3 (in my case) is so "neutral" to boring.

 


Yeah, same reason why I still love the Grado PS1000, which can be oh so musical when right, but with the wrong associated components can sound like a screeching banshee. I use the PS1000 for rock and the LCD3 for Jazz and small chamber music. For orchestral music, I use either the HD800 or the TH-900 to get some illusion of much needed soundstage.

 

[preproman]

Looking at a Ragg / Ygg / LCD-3F rig...

 

[KmanChu]

Looking at a Ragg / Ygg / LCD-3F rig...

have you heard the new Schiit?