Cavalli Liquid Carbon technical measurements

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifier Measurements' started by atomicbob, Dec 16, 2015.

  1. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    I sent Cavalli an email asking for a refund. I know that may sound hasty but I just don't want to deal with such hassles over a SS amp. Too many other options. Hopefully he will honor that and give me the option of a refund rather than a repair.
     
  2. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    If I may ask, how long does the turnaround time on your repair look like it's going to be.

    Alex did respond to me immediately which I genuinely appreciate. The problem seems to be a mechanical one with the volume knob but Alex said he would replace the board. Still, I am leaning towards just getting a refund and going in a different direction though. Will think about it over the weekend. Now back to the headphone out on my integrated amp which is surprisingly decent with the Senn HD 600.
     
  3. Xen

    Xen Friend

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    Sent on Tues. Arrived on Thursday, diagnosed. Dr. Cavalli said he would FedEx it back to me on Monday. I expect 2 days, so Wednesday.

    4 days of travel and 2 days of test/repair?
     
  4. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    Thanks, Xen. That is helpful. Good luck and hope you enjoy your unit when it comes back.
     
  5. Xen

    Xen Friend

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    Thanks, and I hope you get that refund.
     
  6. Xen

    Xen Friend

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    Cavalli sent my Carbon out earlier today! Hopefully I get it back on Monday or Tuesday.
     
  7. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Sounds like pretty good customer service. I've been enjoying my Liquid Carbon for the last week. It doesn't play all that nice with my HD650's though (sounds kind of thin). My Late 2015 warrantied driver LCD2's do like the Carbon quite a bit, and so do I.
     
  8. Xen

    Xen Friend

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    Yes, no issues with the service so far. The amp is quite nice with the HE560s, too.
     
  9. FlySweep

    FlySweep Friend

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    I concur.. it's why I've been mum on the Carbon since i've had it. HD650m being my only full sized phone, atm.. so i don't know how it sounds with anything else. Carbon + HD650m = excellent tone/timbre, speed, control, and resolution.. terrific soundstage.. but it seems to lack some body w/ high Z Senns. My DAC could be part of the problem, too (GO450). I do seem to remember Dr. Cavalli mentioning the LC swings some pretty serious voltage for high Z, though..

    Yeah.. if I keep the Carbon, I'll be getting the 560 (or another ortho), again... Also, the SE (to any phone.. planar or dynamic) is major meh. Balanced is where it's at with the LC.. I'd be very curious to hear more thoughts on how it goes with the 560.
     
  10. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    I've ran my HD650m with the LC from both the GOV2 and my Gungnir Multibit, and I still think it's underwhelming. Also like you mentioned, the SE output is double meh. My Mjolnir 2 just Schiit the bed, so I'll have to wait a while before I can compare them head to head again...
     
  11. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Is there a single amp that would drive both planars and hd650s well? Maybe MJ2, or ECBW? If not, then I'll keep the LC for planars and get a Valhalla or even a vali2, project sunrise/ember or crack for the 650s and call it a day!
     
  12. Pyruvate

    Pyruvate Friend

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    All of those (MJ2, BW, LC) have been reported to drive both planars and 650s well. Not from experience, but from reading the impressions I've gathered from the boards.
     
  13. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Yeah, so far so good with the LC! Does a really nice job with ZMF, Slants, and 650. Hope to check out BW and MJ2 at a meet soon.
     
  14. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    Have no issues driving a 560 and a 650 here. I'll be comparing an LC and BW soon. Nothing wrong with the LC at all. Just wanted to do a comparison for a long time.
     
  15. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    Balanced or SE? Curious as to what you thought of SE output (if you used it) and how much of an improvement is the balanced once volume adjusted.
     
  16. rott

    rott Secretly hates other millenials - Friend

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    Going from SE to balanced on the LC with HD650 (for me) brought a little better focus and imaging - easier to sense depth and instrument/effect placement.

    Conversely, I didn't like the HD600 balanced as much as SE. But that might have been because I was using a reterminated HD650 cable, and I don't like that stock cable SE with HD600 either. (Of course people might say there's no difference in cables, but that's IMHO.)
     

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