The Monkey Posted October 13, 2013 Report Posted October 13, 2013 Liquid LightningFriday, September 27, 2013 2:54:34 PM The Liquid Lightning amp seems to be getting a lot of attention these days. This attention is entirely focused on the LL1. The LL1 was the first version of this amplifier. LL MKII is the current version.. Since the LL MKII is the current Cavalli Audio electrostatic amplifier I'm going to take you through, step by step, the construction of a new LL2. Seems like some of you might like to see this. I would like to have begun with some of the raw aluminum enclosure pieces, but these pieces have already been finished and coated so we'll just begin with the final assembly. I'm going to do this step by step over the course of several blogs, starting with the next blog post. So I guess the step-by-step process will be the creation of a new model?
Hopstretch Posted October 13, 2013 Report Posted October 13, 2013 PS: Um, sorry if you did buy the MKI, which we now tacitly acknowledge was crap and, frankly, cannot disassociate ourselves from fast enough. It's a process, you know, and -- uh -- you probably would have just spent that five grand on drugs or something so we kind of did you a favor, if you look at it the right way. 1
spritzer Posted October 13, 2013 Author Report Posted October 13, 2013 Yes, the Mk1 which we have always said is exactly the same as the Mk2 except some minor PCB stuff. It was always completely different though and pretty much crap... horrendous crap that nobody in their right mind should have bought. Looking at the available pics the Mk2 is still the same garbage, same cheap PCB's, same parts used, same crap build quality, same non working and dangerous bias supply and I think the Mk1 chassis might have been better. Hard to tell though without a hands on review but quality steel chassis is better than a cheap alu unit.
Audiojunkie Posted October 16, 2013 Report Posted October 16, 2013 And down goes the resale value of the LLMK2!
kevin gilmore Posted October 16, 2013 Report Posted October 16, 2013 also notice that the whole case is aluminum extrusions. So new chassis again. at least the tube is much better and lower distortion and wider frequency response than the mosfet as the voltage gain stage. Now the output stage that sucks all the power is completely useless. only one transformer now so there had better be a delay circuit for the high voltage otherwise the tubes are not going to last very long.
spritzer Posted October 16, 2013 Author Report Posted October 16, 2013 Looks like the Mk1 might be better build than that one. Just look at how many wires are soldered to the amp board...
kevin gilmore Posted October 16, 2013 Report Posted October 16, 2013 (edited) and those ultra cheap ids connectors for the 2 pin things. I hate those. actually it was pointed out to me that those are not extrusions but just flat pieces with angle brackets. So REALLY cheap. Edited October 16, 2013 by kevin gilmore
nopants Posted October 16, 2013 Report Posted October 16, 2013 Looks like the Mk1 might be better build than that one. Just look at how many wires are soldered to the amp board... Could that just be a way to make it less serviceable? He seems to tout that.
spritzer Posted October 16, 2013 Author Report Posted October 16, 2013 I think it has more to do with being clueless. Even the DIY projects are fucked in this regard.
kevin gilmore Posted October 16, 2013 Report Posted October 16, 2013 Making it harder to fix makes repairs a profit center
Nebby Posted October 16, 2013 Report Posted October 16, 2013 Making it harder to fix makes repairs a profit center My amplifiers are not intended to be serviced by third party members or DIYers. Registered dealers and my assembly house will have no problem returning the normal function of the amplifier. In HV amps if one part fails there is sometimes other damage. In order to return an amplifier to its original condition, if necessary, the entire board will be replaced. I call this customer service. In so many words....sounds like you're spot on KG
kevin gilmore Posted October 16, 2013 Report Posted October 16, 2013 Even the kgsshv boards built by Hennyo were repairable. The lack of decent connectors between the power supply and The amp board almost guarantees damage every time you Have to take the thing apart to fix it because you have to Unsolder the wires from the top and clean the holes later
spritzer Posted October 17, 2013 Author Report Posted October 17, 2013 How is charging people for about 20-30 times the number of parts that actually need to be replaced customer service? It's comparable to bringing a car in for a worn timebelt and have the whole bloody engine changed out. Fine if you don't have to pay for it but I doubt anybody having the repair done out of warranty would be happy about this. That connector BS is why I bought single terminal blocks to make this much easier.
johnwmclean Posted October 17, 2013 Report Posted October 17, 2013 Making it harder to fix makes repairs a profit center Designing to operate just long enough to last the warranty period is the icing on the cake.
eggil Posted October 17, 2013 Report Posted October 17, 2013 I am still very unhappy with head-fi. Its really sad they DGAF about a regular folks and rather keep Cavalli happy. 1
roadtonowhere08 Posted October 17, 2013 Report Posted October 17, 2013 (edited) You might as well give up on that one, eggil. It's been that way for a long time, and it's not going back the way it once was. Edited October 17, 2013 by roadtonowhere08
shellylh Posted October 18, 2013 Report Posted October 18, 2013 I am still very unhappy with head-fi. Its really sad they DGAF about a regular folks and rather keep Cavalli happy. You will be unhappy until you let it go. It is what it is and it sucks. 1
complin Posted October 18, 2013 Report Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) So those poor sods outside the US who have bought Cavalli amps are really going to be ecstatic. The cost and time to ship it back half way across the world will be real fun. They have some dealers too so do the dealers ship everything to Cavalli rather than repair in house? Posted 16 October 2013 - 11:02 PM kevin gilmore, on 16 Oct 2013 - 10:54 PM, said: Making it harder to fix makes repairs a profit center Quote My amplifiers are not intended to be serviced by third party members or DIYers. Registered dealers and my assembly house will have no problem returning the normal function of the amplifier. In HV amps if one part fails there is sometimes other damage. In order to return an amplifier to its original condition, if necessary, the entire board will be replaced. I call this customer service. In so many words....sounds like you're spot on KG Edited October 18, 2013 by complin
spritzer Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Posted October 18, 2013 I've been redoing the input section on the LL as who can use an amp without loopouts? So when I was removing those useless GRFA sockets a nice Cavalli feature was revealed, no earth connection on the right RCA socket. The wire was there but nobody bothered to solder it in.... No shared ground either for the two channels so it was floating all the way to the amp PCB. I also got some parts in so some more PSU upgrades soon. Large film caps on the output and some local bypass on the amp board should help this pile of fail. So those poor sods outside the US who have bought Cavalli amps are really going to be ecstatic. The cost and time to ship it back half way across the world will be real fun. They have some dealers too so do the dealers ship everything to Cavalli rather than repair in house? Probably as all the wires would have to be replaced as well. It's not obvious from the pics but all the wires are dirt cheap PVC crap and that combined with the tiny lands on the PCB's means all the heat from the iron enters the wire. This melts the insulation and the wires really need to be swapped out.
kevin gilmore Posted October 18, 2013 Report Posted October 18, 2013 Teflon wires for the win. Justin is using Teflon wire now!
complin Posted October 18, 2013 Report Posted October 18, 2013 When this stuff gets hot it hardens and cracks. When really bad just falls off exposing the bare wire. Probably as all the wires would have to be replaced as well. It's not obvious from the pics but all the wires are dirt cheap PVC crap and that combined with the tiny lands on the PCB's means all the heat from the iron enters the wire. This melts the insulation and the wires really need to be swapped out.
nikongod Posted October 18, 2013 Report Posted October 18, 2013 (edited) "return to vendor for repair" is not uncommon in guru-centric brands. Singlepower had the same shit running. If the amp is soldered without being blessed by the guru it may not work properly again. *guru may not be strictly the correct word. I have a shitty vocabulary. Edited October 18, 2013 by nikongod
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