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Massdrop Liquid Carbon X + SDAC DAC/Amp

Massdrop Liquid Carbon X + SDAC DAC/Amp

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Product Description
This DAC/amp brings two of the community’s favorite designers together in one convenient, great-sounding package. It features the Massdrop x Alex Cavalli Liquid Carbon X amp, built by the founder of Cavalli Audio—a legend in the world of headphone amps Read More

Customer Reviews

4.5
(82 reviews)
5star
(54)
4star
(21)
3star
(5)
2star
(1)
1star
(1)
84% would recommend to a friend
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JimmyMac55
144
Jul 27, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Now I know why they call it Liquid!!!
When I first received my HD6xx headphones I was excited and quickly plugged into my AudioQuest Red. And I was almost very pleased with the sound. There was just something missing. It was clear that AudioQuest Red was just not up to the job. So now that I have upgraded my headphones now, I need a new DAC/Amplifier. Looking around Drop I came across the LCX+SDAC and it seemed to fit the bill. After reading the reviews and other information I could find online I decided that this was the one for me and ordered one. And I also paid attention to all the suggestions that this amp be used in balanced mode only. Having learned that I ordered a balanced cable for Corpse Cable on eBay. Some reviewers have suggested that this amp is not powerful enough. They must be using the SE connection. Using the balanced connection, it has more than enough power to drive the HD6xx’s. I am no longer the critical listener that I used to be so I will leave it to others to speak about bass, treble, etc. All I know is that I have not enjoyed listening to music like this in a long, long time. Now I know why they call it “Liquid”. This made me feel like the music was pouring over me and completely enveloping me in GREAT music. And that is what counts. I have been using this beauty for a week now and have only one complaint. There needs to be a white dot on the volume control so I can see its position.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
MI-NT
2
Mar 20, 2020
JimmyMac55could you send me a link to the cable you bought from ebay?
beardieboi
48
Apr 5, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Decided to spend my tax return this year by getting into audiophile equipment. I've been listening to a lot of underground black metal so I figured an upgrade would be quite nice. My desktop is a micro itx setup that I do a bit of gaming on, so upgrading my soundcard was going to be pretty hard if not impossible. After doing a lot of research I settled on the LCX/SDAC since it seems pretty flexible with Amp/DAC pairings should I wish to "invest" more money into my setup. I first bought the Hifiman HE4xx and balanced cables to pair with this. I also had a pair of PortaproX's that were my first massdrop buy, which I've enjoyed using straight into my computer and phone. Shortly after I got the Fiio F9 pro and a balanced adapter to try IEMs and have the flexibility to travel with an Earstudio ES-100. As other reviews have noted, the SE output pales in comparison to balanced, so I didn't even bother trying it out too much, except to hear what the Portaprox would sound like through them. They sounded nice, but the HE4xx and F9 Pro were heads and shoulders ahead of them balanced. Where to start... my ears are now open I guess you could say. When I first started listening, the highs seemed a bit overwhelming, but I think my ears just needed to adjust...or burn in happened... Regardless, after about a week I definitely started to notice a lot more detail in my music and could listen for hours without feeling fatigued. With the HE4xx I finally got what was meant by "soundstage" as it felt like I was in the room with the band on certain tracks. The F9 pro is clear, lively and precise but doesn't have that warm enveloping sound the HE4xx has. I like them both and have a lot of fun swapping between them. I really enjoy the neutrality from the Amp/DAC and can pick out what each instrument is doing, even at lower volumes. As other reviews noted, there is imbalance at very low volumes, but I'm never down there. I play heroes of the storm while listening to music and notice that the music definitely overpowers the game more than it used to when I just listened through the PC. Not sure if this is down to the SDAC or Amp, but I don't really mind since I'd rather hear the music anyway. I also like how I can run the sound out to an old set of Klipsch KG2 bookshelf speakers paired with a jvc ax-r350 I nabbed from my parents. Just like with everything else, the sound is way more precise and clear coming from the SDAC. The signal must be pretty strong because I only have to turn up the volume a tad bit before it gets ridiculously loud. For a noob I couldn't be happier with my first foray in audiophile land. *Update* 8 months in, and still feeling like a noob. I got the LCX/SDAC in the hopes of being able to listen to black/death metal without it sounding like total shit. I've found that this genre is pretty extreme in the treble with lots of hi-hat and crash hits, and that's where some peakiness with the HE-4xx, F9Pros became painfully evident for certain recordings. I "invested" more money into this hobby and got my ears a set of MrSpeakers' ÆON Flow closed backs. I figured if I was going to go up a step, I'd rather continue in the planar direction. This pairing is near perfection as far as I'm concerned. The LCX/SDAC has definitely lived up to my hopes and then some, pretty sure it's not end game, but I'm happily head banging in the mean time.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
OMan
119
Mar 8, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
In summary, it is a good combination of DAC \AMP, and it works fine with Windows, which it was my main reason to get it. Negatives are it does not support DSD, it runs hot, it does not have auto shutdown, lacks power at times to drive the HD6xx; DAC is nothing special, just good enough. I think, it is pricey for what you get in the features. I just hope that it is a durable unit. This review is based on my requirement of a good desktop DAC that works well with Windows 10.  I bought this item because of the association with Alex Cavalli, and because it didn’t require any drivers for Windows. Even though the unit is good, I was expecting more from Alex Cavalli. I have only used the unit with the 6.5 (with 3.5 adapter). I don’t have any balanced headphones or cables. I have tested the unit with several headphones. It drives all of them to a satisfactory level. Sometimes, I like to listen to some songs louder than normal. The unit lacks a little of power to drive the HD6xx to ear damaging level. I guess it is a good side effect, since it stops you damaging your ears! The DAC was a bit of disappointment. I have an AudioEngine D3 USB DAC and AudioEngine HD3 powered speaker that comes with the headphone Amp and both of those units are as good as this one. Also, I have a Chord Mojo. The Mojo is superior in every way, but I had had a lot of issues with Windows drivers for it. Positives: 1.     Works fine with Windows without any drivers 2.     The AMP is powerful enough for the majority of headphones that I have. 3.     DAC is good enough to enjoy music and gaming Negatives: 1.     It does not support DSD 2.     It runs hot 3.     No auto shutdown (you have to remember to shut it off when your turn off your computer). 4.     Pricey based on features. 5.     It comes with US power cord only. Headphones Tested With: HD6xx Thinksound ON2 Mitchell & Johnson JP1 Mitchell & Johnson MJ1 PSB M4U1 Blon BossHifi B8 Wooden (Fantastic headphones for the price) Acoustic Research AR-H1
rhythmicnature
25
Apr 12, 2019
OManThanks for the comparisons. Esp to the Mojo. :) _Personally,_ I'm not convinced that balanced is any better than single-ended with a decently shielded cable for personal headphone use. https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better
https://www.moon-audio.com/single-ended-versus-balanced-connection
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/balanced-vs-single-ended-poll.576339/ This hobby is expensive enough! ;) Thanks again.
rslatara
287
Jun 29, 2019
Yes but you can avail of the extra power.
SladeX
16
Jul 17, 2018
checkVerified Buyer
I bought this to see how it pairs with my sennheiser hd800 headphones. While waiting on the drop, I picked up a ifi micro se which pairs very very well with the hd800.
During my first day impression I the LCX picked up a lot of hum.
An external DAC plugged in and outputting RCA to the Liquid Carbon SE Input while having the Grace SDAC also plugged in to the same computer will cause the LCX to pick up an extraordinary amount of grounding noise hum. My solution was to take power for my DAC from a USB 120V outlet source instead of a USB port. Since I am using the Optical in of my DAC, I only need the USB port for power.
Note: I raised it to a 5 from 4 as I found a solution to my noise problem.
The SDAC source is nice and clean and I can output that source to my ifi amp too as comparison to the LCX. I have tested it with HD800 headphones. I find the 6khz spike the hd800 has even more subdued by the lcx compared to the ifi micro se. It will be interesting to hear it evolve over its 100hr break in process. Volume wise, the ifi micro's 3000mw rating really shows when comparing positions of volume. I think 12 oclock with gain = 9 oclock with gain of the ifi, the ifi also has a 24db gain option after that. So for sheer volume, the ifi wins. The ifi also has a xbass switch which puts it well ahead of the lcx in bringing up the bass. I'm leaning towards outputting the SDAC to my ifi amp to be used with the HD800. I have a pair of Fostex T50RP headphones to test and AKG K240's that my wife uses which I can test after the 100hr break in is complete.
Pros: plays nice with the hd800, tames the 6khz spike of the hd800 quite well. The soundstage and clarity of the hd800 remains very similar to my ifi micro se amp. After sampling more tracks, I find the ifi micro se a bit brighter or the LCX a bit warmer. It's subtle but you can feel the LCX being kinder on the treble albeit swapping back and forth makes me feel its just a bit more muted.. It can drive the HD800 headphones, but I couldn't say there was a major synergy, just more along that they work fine together. I feel as though I can listen to the HD800 a lot longer in the LCX pairing due to this..
Cons: Wish the DAC had more output/input options such as RCA output and optical input. My unit also had a weird sparking happen when I connected the power plug to the unit. I will examine the connector tonight to see why this happened. A proper implemented cannon port shouldn't spark.
jdelagu1
9
Aug 21, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
This amp sounds awesome
After reading a bunch of comments before snagging one, i can admit i was a little hesitant. Idk why because this amp/dac combo is good enough to hold me over for a long while. I wouldn't say it is "end game" for me but its a solid choice for the foreseeable future. Single ended, my 6xx's lacked volume. On XLR, wow. I wouldn't say sound quality changed that much (or maybe it did, tiny bit more precision in soundstage) but the increase in volume is quite good. Your mom would listen to it on 9-10 on high gain, i push it to 12 or 1 if i really wanna hear it. I have never gone passed 2 o'clock on high gain with any headphone so i don't know what the comments saying this amp was lacking power were about. No issues with it either - no popping, no connectivity issues, no scratchy volume pot. Have had it for several months and it makes me listen for hours at a time and look forward to/want to listen to music, and isn't that what it's all about? I am quite satisfied.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
Megazine
544
Nov 9, 2018
checkVerified Buyer
I will update this review in the future when I put more time into the LCX + SDAC. -As of now, I really enjoy it. I would only say that I wish it had a digital-in for optical cables, this way I can use it with my Xbox X or PS4 Pro. -This is a great alternative over the Schiit Jotunheim. -Powers my 4XX exceptionally well, which my Pioneer Elite couldn't muster, at all. -Looks great and doesn't heat up. Only gets warm to the touch after a few hours. -For the price it offers balance-output. Cant beat that. -It's a transportable product: easy to move around, from room to room or room to office.
Megazine
544
Dec 15, 2018
Thank you! I will try it.
Klashen
0
Feb 13, 2019
There a way I can get the pc and ps4 to be used at the same time or should I get a mixer. And if so any recommendations?
MannyAkim
136
Oct 18, 2018
checkVerified Buyer
What can I say, I love this AMP. I did a little bit of testing with this AMP. I’ll be comparing this AMP with the Schiit Asgard 2 w/ Bifrost 4490. Testing with Sescom A/B switch.
During my testing I came up with the following.
Schiit Asgard 2 vs LCX: Schiit Asgard 2 is definitely a tad brighter compared to the LCX, but not by much. The Asgard 2 definitely has more power when comparing Single Ended (SE) vs Single Ended (SE). When Asgard 2 is compared to the LCX Balanced, well it's about even from what I can tell as far as power goes. Balanced with the LCX has better sound stage and just more character in it’s music.
SDAC 4452 vs Bifrost 4490: I cannot for the life of me tell these two apart. The only difference is the SDAC only supports 24/96 while the 4490 supports 24/192. The SDAC standalone is $79.99 here on MD, while the Bifrost is $399, no brainer there.
Also the LCX is a jack of all trades, it’s so versatile with its 3.5mm output (LCX DOES NOT NEED TO BE POWERED ON in this mode). I currently have the 3.5mm split to my CTH and Logitech Z-5300 5.1. I no longer have to switch audio sources on my PC. Did I mentioned you can run both the Balanced and SE output at the same time? This is great for when I’m testing and comparing two headphones. There’s also two other “Inputs” for whatever you want to add in the future.
I spent $399 + $250 for the Schiit Stack, lets not forget you have to pay for shipping. I sold my Schiit Stack, never looking back. The LCX-SDAC for $379 is worth every penny. I’m perfectly happy with my LCX-SDAC + CTH combo. Highly recommended.
DamienR
167
Feb 24, 2019
MannyAkim Did I mentioned you can run both the Balanced and SE output at the same time? Well thats a selling point for me, Will look into buying this once i clear some funds!
minmsee
76
Sep 27, 2018
checkVerified Buyer
Excellent headphone amp! The sound is crystal clear, dynamic and filled with musicality. We don't need other headphone amps. If you feel like wanting different sound signature, you should change your headphones, not LCX.
My rigs: iMac + JRiver MC24 + iFi audio iDAC2 + LCX (this amp) + Elex / HD6XX(DMaa mod)
Andrewabc
1
Sep 28, 2018
What do you mean by sharp, slow and short when you mention the digital filter selector? This is my first time hearing about it :P
minmsee
76
Sep 28, 2018
AndrewabcI suppose the table "Controls the transient response of the signal" at the middle of following page is very intuitive and easy to understand those terminologies: https://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/featured/velvetsound/dac/ If you would like to know it deeper, this page might help you understand it: http://nihtila.com/2017/01/07/dac-digital-filters-and-their-impact-in-time-and-frequency-domains/
JoeKnott
38
Jul 11, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Ease of use is great! But no power
This definitely is so easy to use and is such a sleek piece of equipment. Sound is great but the power is not there and it does not get loud. If you have a hard to drive headphone you will want to spend more money and get a set up with more power.
Recommends this product? Yes
audioinmyears
22
Oct 28, 2019
JoeKnottUsed the balanced connection to get the power you need.
JoeKnott
38
Oct 29, 2019
audioinmyearsI do and I find better power. However you can't just use balanced all the time because most headphones don't come with balanced cables. The one headphone I would like to have some more power can't be balanced (DT1990). However, I have seen less of a power problem as I used it more and got past the break in period.
czrem
38
Mar 16, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
I have read some of the reviews. They are overall pretty accurate observations. I'll ad a few views from my perspective. The amp section works very well as long as you know it's limitations. As Massdrop's manual states, "Upgrade to balanced before judging amp's performance". This is true. I am using the Sennheiser 800s with these and comparing the balanced to single ended, you notice a very noticeable difference in power. While the audio quality in single ended is not bad you can easily top the vol to max and still listen without discomfort. The downside to this is the dynamics will surfer and distortion can set in. Balanced is the way to go. The DAC is OK. If you have another better quality DAC, save and buy the amp only version. However, it's not a bad choice if you don't already have a DAC. Fortunately, you can always add one latter. I am using this with the ASUS Xonar Essnce STX DAC as it performs better. I have also tried the AQ Dragonfly red with it and it performs even better. Also, as a comparison to the CTH, the CTH does have that slightly warmer sound with less well defined Bass but it is still less fatiguing to listen to for longer periods and has a more open sound stage. I keep gravitating back to the CTH with the T1 2nd combination. You can pass the signal thru to the CTH however if you want to connect the LC to the CTH while using the LC's DAC, you need to use a 3.5mm Male to 2 RCA Male. This suggests to me that the designers, as a cost cutting measure went this route knowing that someone more serious about audio wouldn't use this built in DAC as an end game DAC anyhow. This makes it a versatile, good quality amp for the novice as well as a more experienced headfier. I have a Beyerdynamic A20 amp and that one is more dynamic, resolving, powerful but only works well with high impedance headphones. But that amp cost almost as much as this one but is just an amp with no DAC. The LC and CTH are also handsome units that go well together and look good on a computer desk. I do recommend this amp whole heartily.
(Edited)
Hansi
0
Nov 30, 2019
czremHi, can you use a dragonfly as a dac and wire it to a burson solist amp?
czrem
38
Dec 1, 2019
HansiYou certainly can use the Dragonfly as a stand alone DAC. Just be sure to use a quality RCA to 3.5 cable for best signal transfer.
(Edited)
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