Cavalli Audio Liquid Crimson Headamp Review Succinct Stream of Consciousness

There was only one run of crimson so at most all in about a dozen amps. Very few would have been 230v but the transformer has dual primaries, so easy enough to convert..dB

As for the pot, these were custom made by alpha.

 

Do we know how many Liquid Crimson amps are here at SBAF?
1) aamefford
2) Walderstorn
3) elwappo99
4) Atomicbob
5) Golmang
6) Smitty (added per below)
7) Carlos CPA (added per below)

Any others here?

 

@Smitty may still have his.

 

Yeah, I still have mine.

 

Mine isn't going anywhere.

 

I still have my Liquid Crimson.



Here she is driving the Utopia from the Yggdrasil A2. My most synergistic pairings with this amp have been driving the Auteur in African Blackwood from either the Yggdrasil A2 or the Gungnir Multibit A2.

 

Added you to my post up above. 7 Liquid Crimsons so far.

 

I sold mine long ago...

 

I love Alex's design of that amp.

 

Have you tried any planars with Liquid Crimson? I’ve heard from very knowledgeable friends this amp really goes best with planars. My only experience is with LCD2r2 and it is an even better pairing than HD800SDR. Having previously owned Auteur BW, I definitely can see a synergistic pairing there.

 

I got all the OG Hifiman with the exception of the HE-400 and HE-5. Aside from them a few others like a prefazor LCD-2.1. Not telling it to brag but what an amp like this can do to you once you reexplore headphones of "old" with it. It's just magical. Of course a certain level of craziness plays a role too.

With up to 6w per channel there is no fear of not delivering enough power. I even like the HE-6 from it very much.

If you were in Germany I could have sent you a few of them so you could see for yourself how they love whatever magic Dr.Cavalli has emblazed upon this design.

 

Has anyone here had the chance to compare the OG LAu side by side with the crim? Im fairly currious how people think they stack up technically. A slightly more aggressive and textured sound than the LAu sounds appealing but its already cutting it quite close on the level of detail I desire so I'd love to hear from people who have had both side by side and no just going off of memory.

Also, favored dac pairings? The OG LAu seemed to like a bit more of an aggressive dac to liven it up. Is the LC the same?

 

Oh yah. I'm mostly just looking for more opinions if I'm honest. Basically the only two direct comparisons I have found (yours here and one buried in a headfi thread) call out the detail edge going different ways but both off of memory of LAu and LC in front of them so I'm currious to see more impressions. Ultimately though, I guess I should just get the LC I am being offered and try it myself

 

@eskamobob1 : Are you looking to use only planars or only dynamics with the amp? My personal experience is that planars work a lot better on the LAu than dynamics. HD800 on LAu underwhelmed on OG LAu and Monoprice LAu.
I didn't get the LAu until I heard Audezes on it.

Others can chime in but maybe it is simple- if you only want to use dynamic headphones...Crimson?

Just trying to help further the discussion.

 

Ah, yah. Should have included some more info. MY 3 main headphones currently are Susvara (60 ohm 83 dB/mW), Solitaire P (80ohm 92 dB/mW), and LCD-R (2 ohm 103 dB/mW). HD800 will also be rejoining the setup fairly shortly (my set were old and ratty so I sold to get a nicer set).

I am lucky that I have access to an OG LAu that I can demo, so I know how they play there. Its the LC that I am a bit more tentative about.

 

^Just in case this perspective helps...and if you are going to use HD800 a lot.

Disclaimers: OG Crimson is one of the Cavalli amps I have not spent time with. I am triangulating this from my experience with HD800 + LAu (OG and Monoprice versions), Cavalli Tube Hybrid, and Liquid Platinum Prototype (which is based on the Crimson circuit with some changes).

I have enjoyed the HD800 on both the MCTH (I worked with Alex on this for Massdrop) and also the prototype Liquid Platinum. Those are much more similar to Crimson. And I didn't dig HD800 with either version of LAu myself. So I would go for Crimson if HD800 synergy is important to you. (A long time ago Marv said the OG Crimson is probably THE Cavalli amp I would like the most. And he knows I primarily use HD800.)

Interesting option #1: get both a used Monoprice LAu (I know not the OG but much less $) + OG Crimson.

Interesting option #2 : If your planars will get most of the action, get the OG LAu and now there are lots of great (some inexpensive) options for HD800 synergy. Times have never been better for those with HD800.

Wild Card: Was a Liquid Glass considered? Man I still want one of those.

Good luck- excellent if you get any of the OG Cavallis!

 

SO HD800 sysngery is nice but not a priority for me. Ultimately I used HD800 almost exclusively on current drive at this point so another flavor isnt frowned upon but not necessary either. As far as the options, tbh I could 100% just get both. Its more of a matter of finding a more broadly aplicable amp so that I dont end up with a 35 amp tall stack like I have for portable. Also, honestly, the size of the OG LAu is a pretty major detractor to me. I do most of my listening at work and fitting a full sized piece of gear on the desk is a pretty tough task. If that LC can fit my use case then that is a much more appealing form factor to me.

Haha, if I could find one I would certainly be interested! The only reason im even asking about the LC is cause I have a friend planning on selling soon tbh.

I greatly appreciate the help. It sounds like the LC is up my alley then. TBH It took what im fairly sure is a pretty damn forward dac (Weiss 502) to make me appreciate the LAu so something that doesn't need that heavy handed of a shove is certainly welcome

 

hope cavalli reopen or someone can continue his business