The Cavalli Liquid Carbon

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by maxedfx, Oct 17, 2015.

  1. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    I guess I fall between you two. While I agree that the pairing is too warm/relaxed for my tastes. I don't seem to hear the "grainy"...

    With that said, there are many headphones I would use with any of the Carbon variants:

    The Elear, LCD-X, HEX, modded HD800, anything Beyer.

    But I'd recommend something like the Jot for :

    HD580/600/650, ZMF planars, my Sony Z7, the unicorn LCD-2.2, and pre-fazor LCD-3

    ZMF's dynamics might be a push, and more a flavor choice (maybe the Eikon on the Carbon, and Atticus on the Jot)
     
  2. rott

    rott Secretly hates other millenials - Friend

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    I agree, very nice pairing with the LCD-X. Serviceable but ultimately boring with HD650.
     
  3. Hammy

    Hammy Friend

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    I travel with my LCv1. My transportable setup is LCv1, Modi Multibit, HD650 with balanced cable, and a portable HD full of tunes. I pack that stuff up in my carry-on and it goes with me. That transportable size was one of the reasons I got the amp.
     
  4. Hammy

    Hammy Friend

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    I use the LCv1 with the HD650 balanced and I don't find it boring at all. In fact, I rather like the combo. The HD650 is the best headphone I have for pairing with the LCv1 for my preference. I prefer the HD650 over my LCD-2.2 when used with the LCv1. I also prefer the LCv1 in low gain. High gain loses the style of sound I like. I only use low gain mode. The Modi Multibit has a high enough output that I can use low gain with the HD650 balanced.

    My main amp at home is a Liquid Fire. That should give an idea for my sonic preference. The LCv1 gives me a little some of that style of sound in a small transportable size. I like soundstage depth, layering and imaging that fills in the center. The LCv1 in low gain can do that.

    I still need to get my Fostex TH-X00 balanced so I can try them with the LC. It might work well.
     
  5. tg123

    tg123 New

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    A Liquid Tungsten X would be even better.
     
  6. Roarke

    Roarke New

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    How does the LCX w/ SDAC compare to the Jot with the built in DAC? I have Fostex th-x00's and I've been holding off on the Jot because i'm nervous the combo will be too bright.
     
  7. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    Hi Korotnam,
    Thanks for confirming that your Liquid Carbon was a V1. Sorry to hear about the issues.

    Alex has confirmed that it should not be an issue on Liquid Carbons version 2 and up. :)
     
  8. Orkney

    Orkney Acquaintance

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    Mine arrived on Monday. First impression was that it belongs to that genre of amp where pressing any front-panel button without bracing the unit will send it flying -- seems a bit clackety all round in a hair-shirt Brit hifi from the 80s sort of way. Second impression was that it sounds good so far with both the 650 and Denon 7200, less so with the 800s (unmodded), but it's early days. Passes on a fair bit of detail and recorded ambience without top-end tizz or sheen and controls the low end fairly well on the 7200s. Have not yet run it balanced but hope to once I get in the connectors for the Denon.
     
  9. Storytime

    Storytime Acquaintance

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    Running balanced makes a big difference with this amp (at least in the first-gen version I bought several years ago). I actually was rather underwhelmed by its SE performance, but balanced I really liked it, particularly running the HD 650. I gather it's even better with easy-to-drive planars like the Ether, but I've personally only used it with dymamic headphones.
     
  10. ShaneD

    ShaneD Facebook Friend

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    This amp is on for $199.00 today.

    Shane D
     
  11. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Like Roarke posted, I wonder if the Schiit Jot is a better amp or amp/DAC than the LC? I see that the JOT is a real balanced amp, unlike the LC. Makes you wonder why my LC V2 sounds so much better using the balanced headphone connection like Storytime posted above.
     
  12. dBel84

    dBel84 Friend

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    Care to explain why the LC is not a “real” balanced amp?
     
  13. sacredgates

    sacredgates Audio-Technica's high priest

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    probably originates from Spritzers comments about the Liquid Carbon on head-case (link): "fully balanced? nope, not in the way that any truly differential amplifier would be"...
    Head-case high priests will not let any opportunity pass to bash Alex and his designs/products...
    When I owned LC (first version), I preferred balanced like many others have said. Maybe just the extra power available by itself was enough to increase sq.
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2019
  14. dBel84

    dBel84 Friend

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    Aah, well that is too sad that this sorry state persists. To set the record straight, it is a fully differential amp.
     
  15. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Thank you guys for the enlightenment . I have also heard that my Stratus is not balanced too. Was that also some internet BS? I know that my Ragg is a balanced amp and is connected by balanced connection to my Yiggy. My Stratus is connected single ended to my Yiggy.
    By the way, I am not a member, nor a lurker at Head Case. My info about my LC v2 I found at Head Fi . Is that what you meant by Head Case?
     
  16. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Thank you sacredgates for the link. I used the link after posting my reply above. That guy really does not like the LC and other Cavalli amps. Why???? My LC is a lovely warm amp that sounds great with my Senn 600 or HD 800S.
    It even sounded nice with my ZMF Verite. My source is a Cord 2Cute playing digital files from my Mac mini. This is not my primary system. Its what I listen to as I surf the WEB and other computer activities.
     
  17. songmic

    songmic Gear cycler East Asia edition

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    The Stratus may not be balanced in the sense of being balanced from input to output, but its XLR outputs are balanced via transformers. Most DHT SET headphone amps are like that, including those with seemingly balanced inputs such as Studio, Af or balanced Stellaris (the balanced input is converted to SE via transformers). Even the 2-chassis WA234, which at first glance could be mistaken for a dual mono fully balanced balanced amp, is actually single-ended. Note that unlike some balanced amps where there is a significant difference in sound and power output between SE and balanced outputs (e.g. Ragnarok), the difference may be subtle and not so noticeable in DHT SET amps, especially when the SE and balanced outputs have the same amount of power.

    Though there’s no denying Spritzer makes some very high performance electrostatic amps, he has a tendency to bash on almost every other amp in existence (perhaps with the exception of ecp audio).
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2019
  18. Guidostrunk

    Guidostrunk New

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    Wanted to ask if anyone on this thread who has an LCX, if they tried an external LPS like the folks do(including myself) , with the CTH?
    Thanks!
     
  19. shuto

    shuto Acquaintance

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    Is anyone still using this amp regularly? What headphones are you pairing with it?
     
  20. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    I did use it regularly in my computer system with a Cord 2Qute DAC and Senn HD 600 and what is now Dan Clark non flow closed headphones .
     

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