Cavalli Audio Liquid Lightning

[spritzer]

Nahh... the MOAR AWESOME version. 

[nopants]

MOAR AWESOME inside the warning symbol might be appropriate

[Mr.Sneis]

Likely a huge improvement! Any idea of back-of-the-envelope BOM cost yet?

[kevin gilmore]

Its just not worth the labor to do what birgir did to that board.

 

And its a HUGE improvement. much more awsum

 

New replacement board about $42  (quantity 10, 3 oz copper, alex's board was 1 oz copper) (about 7 x 9 inches)

the parts a bit cheaper than a pair of kgsshv amp boards  (16 large heatsinks total)

using the new lsj74 input fets, 2sa1968 or ixys current source, 4686 or new Fairchild parts ...

so about $500 fully stuffed.

 

boards will NOT be black, and WILL be twice as thick

Edited September 26, 2013 by kevin gilmore

[DefQon]

I call dibs for packaging labels changed from contains awesome to MOAR AWSUM. 

 

Also does it come with JPS wires so we can hope for magical lepricorns to pop out once the amp is fired so we get AWSUM sound?

Edited September 27, 2013 by DefQon

[wink]

Yotta factorial fail.

[spritzer]

Max cost for this amp in terms of components with the volume control is 500$.  Everything is the cheapest they can get away with.  We use 1/2W resistors for reliability but even the 1W resistors used here are smaller than 1/4W units.  The input wiring is crap but I have no doubt the JPS stuff is worse.  At least this is Belden... 

 

Next up is the power supply but I'll also remove the input fets and replace them with 2SJ109's.  Remove those stupid diodes on the +/-400V inputs and replace them with caps for a small local reservoir.  Finish up the CCS so it's fully KGSSHV styled. 

 

What does bother me is the lack of caps after the regulator circuit in the PSU.  0.44uf is nothing for something that runs this hot. 

[spritzer]

Here is an update on the next step of the mods.  Now removing the PSU is an epic pain given all the wires soldered into it.  Seriously, if people don't like terminal blocks then what about push on connectors?  For fucks sake...

 

 

All of the cleared bit is the bias supply.  All those zeners add a huge quantity of noise and as a whole it's just unstable. 

 

 

Trying to fix some of this clusterfuck by adding connectors where I can. 

 

 

Here is the new bias supply.  Kept things simple and used the same supply we've used on the KGSS for the last 15 years.  It's an AC referenced voltage doubler but the input voltage is fed through a voltage divider.  The input is taken directly off the V+ output so far lower noise than than the stock unit. 

 

I could have gone fully regulated but it would have been a lot more work so I just couldn't be bothered.  I also found some 10uf/600V caps that fit at the output of the PSU which should help matters.  If the protection circuit starts acting up then I'll just remove it as it is useless anyway. 

[spritzer]

It was just pointed out to me that I forgot to post this pic.  The volume knob or rather the back of it:

 

 

That's over spray from when it was painted.  No primer or anything... 

[Anders]

Yes, Defqon, Shelly's and mine about the poor soldering job are gone.

And all this in the post Mikhail era...

I remember one post about soldering at HF and noticed that it was removed, not sure if it was yours. That post was not informative, it just was a statement about bad soldering without any evidence. It is understandable after reading this thread but was just mystifying in the HF context. What was the statement about soldering base on? The writer didn't seem to own the amp, where had he seen it? Or had hadn't he seen it at all and just "knew" that it must be bad because it was Cavalli?

It is easy to remove such a post becuase it can be supposed to be only bad-mouthing. It would be much more difficult to remove it if clear evidence is presented and if it is removed, the censoring will be obvious.

 

spritzer, thanks for the informative presentation.

[kevin gilmore]

although absolutely nothing can compare with Mikhail's build quality

(well trevornetwork and hennyo)....

 

The squarewave done right would have been a kickass amplifier.

And the klone definitely is.

 

extended use of stock LLmk1 and probably LLmk2 due to heat and other issues

is going to definitely cause reliability issues, and out of warranty repairs are going to

be nasty. LF are already known to be very hard to repair.

 

Not allowing pictures to be shown elsewhere just makes it worse because the

manufacturer has no reason to make better or more repairable products in the future.

[The Monkey]

I remember one post about soldering at HF and noticed that it was removed, not sure if it was yours. That post was not informative, it just was a statement about bad soldering without any evidence. It is understandable after reading this thread but was just mystifying in the HF context. What was the statement about soldering base on? The writer didn't seem to own the amp, where had he seen it? Or had hadn't he seen it at all and just "knew" that it must be bad because it was Cavalli?

It is easy to remove such a post becuase it can be supposed to be only bad-mouthing. It would be much more difficult to remove it if clear evidence is presented and if it is removed, the censoring will be obvious.

 

spritzer, thanks for the informative presentation.

And what "evidence" would you suggest be posted, keeping in mind the policies over there?

[Anders]

And what "evidence" would you suggest be posted, keeping in mind the policies over there?

A post just stating that the soldering job is bad is unconvincing. As a reader I don't know the writer and I don't know what knowledge that it is based on. Perhaps no knowledge at all and just intended to be insulting or starting a flame war? You can't expect that readers of HF also follow the threads at HC. It is not surprising that such posts are deleted. They only serve to support the belief that the truth is supressed at HF. However, I believe that valid criticism is censored at HF in a mislead ambition to serve the headphone community, the business and a naive optimism. Maybe there are other reasons too, personal or economic, I don't know.

 

What evidence would support the statement? Any that adds something to the statement. How do the author know this, what is the experience behind, reasons for the conclusion, pictures etc. How this is related to HF policies is more than I know. I am definitively no representative of HF and have no inside information so I can't help much here. But it would be possible to post some information, descriptions or pictures that support a statement. Of course, that can be deleted also by a moderator, but then also HF is showing its true face and can't easily explain away it as removal of spam and insults.

[eggil]

A post just stating that the soldering job is bad is unconvincing. As a reader I don't know the writer and I don't know what knowledge that it is based on. Perhaps no knowledge at all and just intended to be insulting or starting a flame war? You can't expect that readers of HF also follow the threads at HC. It is not surprising that such posts are deleted. They only serve to support the belief that the truth is supressed at HF. However, I believe that valid criticism is censored at HF in a mislead ambition to serve the headphone community, the business and a naive optimism. Maybe there are other reasons too, personal or economic, I don't know.

 

What evidence would support the statement? Any that adds something to the statement. How do the author know this, what is the experience behind, reasons for the conclusion, pictures etc. How this is related to HF policies is more than I know. I am definitively no representative of HF and have no inside information so I can't help much here. But it would be possible to post some information, descriptions or pictures that support a statement. Of course, that can be deleted also by a moderator, but then also HF is showing its true face and can't easily explain away it as removal of spam and insults.

 

Since pictures can not be posted at HF, your statement is irrelevant.

If you are unconvinced by the pictures posted here, well, I guess nothing can make you change your mind.

[Pars]

I don't think that Anders is unconvinced, but simply pointing out that posting at huddler-fi with no evidence to back up the claim is ineffective, and likely to be deleted as unsubstantiated.

 

And since when can you not post pictures at huddler-fi? I just went there and it seems to support images in thread postings?

[eggil]

I know you can post pictures, but do you think they would allow Spritzer to post the pictures he posted in this thread?

I have received emails from moderators before not to mention head case by name, not allowing links to this site.

Edited September 29, 2013 by eggil

[roadtonowhere08]

Heh, now that would be interesting (for all of three uncensored seconds).

[shellylh]

I know you can post pictures, but do you think they would allow Spritzer to post the pictures he posted in this thread?

I have received emails from moderators before not to mention head case by name, not allowing links to this site.

 

This, there is no way they would allow Spritzer to post those pics.  There is no way they would allow someone else to repost them either. 

[Nebby]

Heh, now that would be interesting (for all of three uncensored seconds).

 

That's exactly it....

 

 

 

Of course, that can be deleted also by a moderator, but then also HF is showing its true face and can't easily explain away it as removal of spam and insults.

 

They don't need to explain it away. The mods over there have and will continue to delete evidence of the sort posted here without reservations. They don't need to explain anything if it's deleted fast enough

[Anders]

That's exactly it....

 

 

They don't need to explain it away. The mods over there have and will continue to delete evidence of the sort posted here without reservations. They don't need to explain anything if it's deleted fast enough

You are right in that, they do what they want without explanation. I only refered to what I observed in the HF thread. Unsubstantiated information was deleted. A person who notice that could very well interpret it as support for moderators' view that there are persons who only want to discredit the vendor. If substantiated information is deleted it will decredit HF. For those who follow a thread I think that such things will cast some doubt over the credibility of HF.

 

If you really want to spread the information on HF, it would be possible to put it on another site than Head Case and link it. Also that could disappear but there are people who see it.

 

I think there is some automatic warning system for Head Case. I mentioned the site once on HF by name and after only 15 minutes I got a mail from Jude that it was deleted and warned not to mention that site any more. Everyting else was ok he told.

[jwzhan]

I think the doubt over the credibility of HF was never in doubt..... I believe those "unconvincing" posts are the most that you can get away with. If you want to post more convincing stuff... go right ahead... I will definitely applaud your effort.

[roadtonowhere08]

Anders, people will see what they are allowed to see, and since they are easily swayed by marketing, it's pure win for those with monetary ties to that site.  Unless a vendor really screws the pooch (a la Singlepower), it will always be business as usual.  

 

That PM you got from Jude... did it go a little something like this? :

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MRykTpw1RQ

[Anders]

Anders, people will see what they are allowed to see, and since they are easily swayed by marketing, it's pure win for those with monetary ties to that site.  Unless a vendor really screws the pooch (a la Singlepower), it will always be business as usual.  

 

That PM you got from Jude... did it go a little something like this? :

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MRykTpw1RQ

No, Jude said nothing about meeting capitalist scumfoxes in smokey rooms. It was a few years ago and it is sad that Head-Fi has deteriorated even more after that.

[roadtonowhere08]

No, Jude said nothing about meeting capitalist scumfoxes in smokey rooms. It was a few years ago and it is sad that Head-Fi has deteriorated even more after that.

 

[Nebby]

You are right in that, they do what they want without explanation. I only refered to what I observed in the HF thread. Unsubstantiated information was deleted. A person who notice that could very well interpret it as support for moderators' view that there are persons who only want to discredit the vendor. If substantiated information is deleted it will decredit HF. For those who follow a thread I think that such things will cast some doubt over the credibility of HF.

 

If you really want to spread the information on HF, it would be possible to put it on another site than Head Case and link it. Also that could disappear but there are people who see it.

 

I think there is some automatic warning system for Head Case. I mentioned the site once on HF by name and after only 15 minutes I got a mail from Jude that it was deleted and warned not to mention that site any more. Everyting else was ok he told.

 

Unsubstantiated information will be deleted. Substantiated information will be deleted. Posting the information on another site then linking it will result in it being deleted. Additionally, doing anything more that just hinting at the info posted here (or on another site..as you suggest) can easily result in a ban. There won't be an instant uprising over there over a single deleted post or a banned user. It just doesn't happen.