Monoprice Monolith Liquid Platinum Headphone Amplifier by Alex Cavalli

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Vtory, Apr 4, 2018.

  1. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    that's funny, i also thought his new lines of amps (including the tungsten prototype i saw) had this retro 60s vibe, like what people then thought future cars would look like. i'm pretty sure that was a deliberate choice and not accidentally ugly, maybe because it tickles his pickle. one man's trash is another man's treasure.
     
  2. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    I checked again but I'm not seeing what pair of tubes are used in this. Does anyone know? Also a Monoprice rep said full specs would be released closer to the June release...
     
  3. Mdkaler

    Mdkaler Friend

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  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I've found the heavy duty high current capacity SOLA stuff or DIY ChiFi shunt power supplies on eBay to be superior to the Sigma 11 on numerous applications (several phonostages, BW amp, other random stuff).
     
  5. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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  6. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Should be able to, keeping in mind that current production tubes trend generally upward in quality but aren't super consistent on a year to year basis.

    So the CP stuff should be slightly closer to NOS but it might not be the Genalex label ones that are the best.

    Oh arent all Telefunken NOS unobtanium now?
     
  7. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    No way! Only $300+ for a pair...
     
  8. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    I wonder if those "new production" Telefunken Black Diamond E88CC are worth the name they share with their NOS predecessors?

    edit - Here I go, speculating on the possibility of being able to speculate, because maybe we can use the original LC as a point of reference. Then we can speculate new stock trying to be old stock, to use in an amp I've only seen in a photo.... "L" is for loser, that's good enough for me. (2 cool points to whom knows the reference)
     
  9. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    It's ok. You're lucky you're so stunningly beautiful IRL.
     
  10. elwappo99

    elwappo99 Friend

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    Yup, will do.
     
  11. thoth

    thoth Acquaintance

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    Forgive my noob question. From what I understand this amp uses step-up power conversion inside, from 36V to tube plate voltage. And you cannot do a linear DC-to-DC step-up voltage conversion. Doesn't this make the LPS kind of pointless?
     
  12. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Not necessarily. The SS output section would still use linear power and the tube likely has a constant current load, which has high power supply rejection.
     
  13. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Jokes aside, sort of and sort of not.

    They're JJ-made so they're pretty solid, and they apparently have slightly tighter selection than the base JJ models, but they're still variations on a theme with mostly or wholly the same internals.

    Kind of like paying extra for a Gold Pin Genalex when it sounds nearly the same as a non-gold-pin EH, yeh?
     
  14. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    Don't believe everything you read on the internet...
     
  15. donunus

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    I could see Monoprice turning into the modern day Radio Shack. But now with the Alex Cavalli stuff, the company is getting more interesting. Who knows one day Monoprice may even start inventing their own new tech cans :D
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2018
  16. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    The regular Monoprice stuff maybe like Realistic or Optimus, but this Alex Cavelli Monoprice stuff looks to be a couple of steps above that.

    Still, I hear what you are saying - great value gear.
     
  17. dBel84

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    There is high PSR but Alex also designed the DC-DC shunt which is incredibly clean when put on their test bench. Both the heater and the HV supplies use this method to achieve the desired voltage and the lower voltage rails are derived directly from the DC supply using a unique voltage divider.

    So the ultimate psu noise comes down to how clean the supply voltage is.

    ..dB
     
  18. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Good to see that baby crimson is on its way. If its 90% of the original, for this price, it will be a very interesting Amp.

    Remembering some impressions from the prototype people seemed really impressed by it and, even if it wasn't exactly as good as the original, it was a very good amp so for the price I think it makes it a (possible) great amp for a very reasonable price.

    Will look forward to comparisons with my own Crimson if there will also be a Europe loaner. The usual (measurement and impressions) suspects will be welcome to visit.
     
  19. m.i.c.k.e.y

    m.i.c.k.e.y Facebook Friend

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    These had me excited.

    :( looking at the net for a 36v LPS to pair with it, if ever, and couldn't find one (unless I'll go to those Acopian types).

    Hope they'll (Monoprice) make one as an upgrade.
     
  20. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    Don't be sad when we don't even know how much an LPS improves things. The amp as-is from users who have heard it suggest it's already performing really well, and to some exceptionally well. No need to cry because an LPS might up its performance by 10% at best. If it improves it by like 50%, that's a major oversight, one I highly doubt even exists.
     

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