Monolith Alex Cavalli Liquid Gold X User manual

Brand: Monolith

Model: Alex Cavalli Liquid Gold X

Category: Musical Equipment

Type: User manual

This manual is also suitable for

Liquid Gold X Balanced Headphone Amplifier and DAC

by Alex Cavalli

P/N 38967

User's Manual

SAFETY WARNINGS AND GUIDELINES

Please read this entire manual before using this device, paying

extra attention to these safety warnings and guidelines. Please

keep this manual in a safe place for future reference.

• This device is intended for indoor use only.

• Do not expose this device to water or moisture of any

kind. Do not place drinks or other containers with

moisture on or near the device. If moisture does get in

or on the device, immediately unplug it from the

power outlet and allow it to fully dry before reapplying

power.

• Do not touch the device, the power cord, or any other

connected cables with wet hands.

• Do not expose this device to excessive vibration.

• Do not subject the product to extreme force, shock, or

fluctuations in temperature or humidity.

• Do not expose this device to excessively high

temperatures. Do not place it in, on, or near a heat

source, such as a fireplace, stove, radiator, etc. Do not

leave it in direct sunlight.

• This device ventilates excessive heat through the slots

and mesh openings in the case. Do not block or cover

these openings. Ensure that the device is in an open

area where it can get sufficient airflow to keep from

overheating.

• Do not place or install this device in an area where it

can be exposed to excessive amounts of dust,

humidity, oil, smoke, or combustible vapors.

• Use only in a well-ventilated area. Do not use in close,

confined spaces.

• Prior to operation, check the unit and power cord for

physical damage. Do not use if physical damage has

occurred.

• Before plugging the unit into a power outlet, ensure

that the outlet provides the same type and level of

power required by the device.

• Do not use any AC power adapter other than the one

provided with the unit. The adapter is closely matched

with the MCU to provide the proper high current influx

when power is applied. Use of aftermarket power

adapters is likely to damage the amplifier.

• Unplug this device from the power source when not in

use.

• Take care to prevent damage to the power cord. Do

not allow it to become crimped, pinched, walked on, or

become tangled with other cords. Ensure that the

power cord does not present a tripping hazard.

• Never unplug the unit by pulling on the power cord.

Always grasp the connector head or adapter body.

• Ensure that power is turned off and disconnected

before making any electrical connections.

• Clean using a soft, dry cloth only. Do not use chemical

cleaners, solvents, or detergents. For stubborn

deposits, moisten the cloth with warm water.

• This device has no user serviceable parts. Do not

attempt to open, service, or modify this device.

INTRODUCTION

The Monolith™ Liquid Gold X Balanced Headphone Amplifier

and DAC by Alex Cavalli is a fully differential, balanced, solid

state amplifier. It is a miniaturized version of Cavalli Audio's

high-end Liquid Gold amplifier. The Monolith Liquid Gold X

amplifier circuit topology and component values are identical

to the original Cavalli Liquid Gold. It features a balanced 4-pin

XLR output and an unbalanced 1/4" TRS output. The TRS output

is provided for compatibility with TRS terminated headphones,

but it is recommended to use the amp in fully balanced mode

using balanced headphones.

The amp has both balanced XLR and unbalanced (RCA) inputs.

The unbalanced input has an internal, solid state buffered phase

splitter to create a balanced signal and drive the amp fully

balanced. The Monolith Liquid Gold X amplifier includes its own

built-in, fully balanced DAC with USB, Coaxial, and Optical

inputs. The amplifier has 4x and 6x gain settings and an

approximate full output power of 3.6 watts per channel with a

50-ohm load.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Monoprice Customer Service department is dedicated to

ensuring that your ordering, purchasing, and delivery

experience is second to none. If you have any problem with

your order, please give us an opportunity to make it right. You

can contact a Monoprice Customer Service representative

through the Live Chat link on our website www.monoprice.com

or via email at support@monoprice.com. Check the website for

support times and links.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Please take an inventory of the package contents to ensure you

have all the items listed below. If anything is missing or

damaged, please contact Monoprice Customer Service for a

replacement.

1x Monolith™ Liquid Gold X Amplifier and DAC

1x AC Power Adapter

1x User's Manual

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Front Panel

1. POWER: Momentarily press the button to signal the

MCU to turn the amplifier on or off.

2. SE: Unbalanced TRS headphone output.

3. B: Balanced 4-pin XLR headphone output.

4. STATUS LED: The LED illuminates or blinks red and/or

white to indicate a normal operating or fault condition.

Refer to the table in the

BLINK CODES

section for

details.

5. GAIN: This toggle button determines the amount of

gain to apply to the signal. When the button is IN, the

gain is 6x and when it is OUT the gain is 4x.

6. VOLUME: Turn the knob clockwise to increase the

volume level and counterclockwise to decrease the

volume level.

7. DAC SELECT: Momentarily press the button to cycle

through the DAC inputs. When power is first

connected, it defaults to the USB input. The cycle order

is USB, Coaxial, and Optical, then back to USB.

8. INPUT SELECT: Momentarily press the button to cycle

through the inputs. When power is first connected, the

input defaults to the balanced XLR input. The cycle

order is Balanced XLR, Unbalanced RCA, and DAC, then

back to Balanced XLR.

9. DAC LEDs: The three LEDs indicate which DAC input is

selected. From top to bottom, they indicate USB,

Coaxial, and Optical.

10. INPUT LEDs: The three LEDs indicate which input is

selected. From top to bottom, they indicate DAC,

Balanced XLR, and Unbalanced RCA.

Rear Panel

11. BAL: Balanced XLR inputs.

12. SE: Unbalanced RCA inputs.

13. USB: USB digital audio DAC input.

14. COAX: Coaxial digital audio DAC input.

15. OPTICAL: Optical digital audio DAC input.

16. AUTO/OFF: This switch enables or disables the auto-off

feature.

17. POWER: DC barrel connector for connecting the

included AC power adapter.

BLINK CODES

CONDITION

STATUS LED

Normal Power Off

Blinks red (0.5 sec on, 0.5 sec

off) 5 times

Ground Failure

Blinks white (0.1 sec on, 0.1

sec off) 75 times

DC Offset Failure

Blinks red (0.1 sec on, 0.1 sec

off) 75 times

EU Shutdown Final Minute

Blinks white (1 sec on, 1 sec

off) 30 times

DC Module Wrong Voltage

Blinks red and white

alternately (1 sec on, 1 sec

off) 8 times

Firmware Unknown State

Blinks red and white

alternately (3 sec on, 3 sec

off) 5 time

MICROCONTROLLER UNIT (MCU)

INTELLIGENCE

The built-in MCU controls all of the amplifier's operational

behaviors. It turns the amplifier on and off, monitors various DC

voltages for acceptable values, detects bad ground and output

DC offset conditions, performs various timings, manages input

and DAC selectors, manages EU auto shutdown, and shows

various normal and error/fault conditions. The red/white

STATUS LED on the front panel is used to indicate these

conditions with various colors and blink rates. Refer to the

BLINK CODES

section for details. Please review this section

before attempting to operate the Monolith™ Liquid Gold X

amplifier.

DC Plug-In Delay

The Monolith™ Liquid Gold X amplifier has several built-in

delays to ensure that all DC voltages are in their proper ranges

before allowing you to power up and connect headphones.

The first important delay is immediately after plugging in DC

power. The MCU waits 3 seconds before measuring the DC

voltage of the power source. If this source is not within range

the MCU will show a blink code using the STATUS LED on the

front panel. You will not be able to power on the amp until the

MCU determines that the DC source is within acceptable range.

Pushing the power button will only cause the LED blink cycle to

be repeated.

If the DC power is detected out of range, unplug the AC power

adapter for 30 seconds, then plug it back in to reset the MCU.

If no blink code is shown after 3 seconds, press and release the

POWER button. The STATUS LED will illuminate red and the

three INPUT LEDs will illuminate, indicating that the amplifier is

ready for operation.

Ground Test Delay

The MCU will wait for about 3 seconds and then measure all of

the important internal ground relationships. If these are not

within acceptable range, the MCU will power down the amp

and show a ground failure blink code. If this failure occurs

mulitiple times, please contact Monoprice™ Technical Support

for assistance.

DC Offset Delay

If the ground connections are acceptable, the MCU will wait

about 15 seconds while the amp finishes powering on. After 15

seconds the MCU will measure the DC offsets at the headphone

outputs. If these are acceptable, it will connect the headphones

(relay click) and the STATUS LED will change from red to white.

If the DC offset is not acceptable the MCU will power down the

amp and show an offset failure. If the amp consistently shuts

down during power up due to offset failure, please contact

Monoprice™ Technical Support.

Notes:

• You can change the selected input and selected DAC

source while the amp is powering on.

• We recommend setting the volume level to minimum

during power on.

• After the STATUS LED changes from red to white and

the headphones are connected, all normal amp

features should be operational.

EU Compliant Auto Shutdown

To comply with EU Regulation (EC) No. 1275/2008, this amplifier

features an auto-off function, which is enabled or disabled

using the AUTO/OFF switch on the rear panel. When the switch

is placed in the OFF position, there is no effect on the

amplifier's operation. When the AUTO/OFF switch is placed in

the AUTO position, the MCU monitors the selected input for a

valid audio signal.

If the input signal falls below a very low threshold continuously

for 4 hours, the MCU will power down the amp to save

electricity. If an audio signal is detected at any time, the timer

will reset. If the AUTO/OFF switch is set to the OFF position

during the countdown, the timer will reset. During the last

minute before automatic shutdown, the STATUS LED will show

a blink code. If the power button is pressed while this blink

code is displayed, the timer will reset.

DC Offset or Ground Fault

if the MCU detects either of these two conditions during

operation, it will disconnect the headphones and the STATUS

LED will change from white to red. If either condition is an

extreme failure, the MCU will also shut down the amplifier with

the associated blink code. If the either condition is deemed

abnormal, but not extreme, the MCU will attempt to recover

normal operation. If the MCU recovers, it will reconnect

headphones and change the STATUS LED red to white. If it

cannot recover after a determined period of time, it will shut

down the amplifier with the associated blink code.

Firmware Enters Unknown State

In the event a critical failure occurs and the firmware enters an

unknown condition, it will power down the amp and indicate

this condition with a specific blink code. Unplug the AC power

adapter for 30 seconds, then plug it back in to reset the MCU. If

this condition persists, please contact Monoprice™ Technical

Support for assistance.

OPERATING GUIDELINES

To get the most out of your amplifier and to protect it from

possible damage, follow the guidelines listed below.

Gain Setting

While the amplifier supports hot switching the gain setting,

changing gain introduces a small DC transient at the output.

Depending on the sensitivity of your headphones, this transient

might be quite loud or damaging. We highly recommended that

you turn off the amplifier before changing the gain setting.

Connecting Headphones While Audio is Playing

Under many conditions, if you plug or unplug your headphones

while the amp is delivering power, you will trip the output

offset detector. This is the MCU protecting the amp from

damage. This condition is likely to occur more frequently when

using the TRS output because of the output shorting that

occurs when the TRS plug is inserted into the jack. For best

results and the safest operation, turn the amplifier off before

plugging or unplugging your headphones.

Electrical Connections

You should power down the amplifier and unplug it from the

power source before making any electrical connections,

including the inputs and the headphone outputs. This ensures

that no transient voltage spike can occur, which can cause

damage to the amplifier and/or other equipment.

Volume

For best results, set the volume control to the minimum level

before starting audio playback, then increase volume to a

comfortable listening level.

Amplifier Break-In

Most amplifiers need at least 100 hours of continuous music

playback to reach their full sound signature. It is not necessary

to set up a break-in period. The amp will change character as

you listen normally and you will hear it evolve into its natural

sound signature. If you do employ a break-in period, we

recommend about 100 hours of continuous music playing with

no headphones connected and the volume set to about 10

o'clock.

Constant On

Other than the aforementioned break-in period, the amplifier

should be powered down when not in use to ensure the

longest possible life for the components.

Balanced vs. Unbalanced

To get the best performance from your amplifier, use the

balanced headphone output, as well as the balanced XLR

inputs. The amp is designed to run with a balanced input and

output. If you only have TRS terminated headphones, we

recommend that you find a way to listen with balanced

headphones before making any judgement on the performance

of the amp. Remember that the unbalanced output is provided

for convenience only.

Power Source

This amplifier is supplied with a universal AC power adapter,

which can operate with voltages from 100 ~ 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz.

It has a NEMA® 1-15 plug for use with standard US AC outlets,

but will work with a physical adapter suitable for your location.

Aftermarket AC Power Adapters

The AC power adapter is matched to the onboard power

control circuit. A particular feature of this matching is to control

the high current influx when DC power is plugged in and when

the amp is turned on. Therefore, DO NOT USE AFTERMARKET

LINEAR SUPPLIES AS THEY ARE VERY LIKELY TO DAMAGE YOUR

AMPLIFIER.

Grounding

This amplifier shares the ground of the source it is plugged into.

In unusual circumstances, ground noise may occur, depending

on the exact grounding of the source equipment.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Monoprice is pleased to provide free, live, online technical

support to assist you with any questions you may have about

installation, setup, troubleshooting, or product

recommendations. If you ever need assistance with your new

product, please come online to talk to one of our friendly and

knowledgeable Tech Support Associates. Technical support is

available through the online chat button on our website

www.monoprice.com or through email by sending a message to

tech@monoprice.com. Check the website for support times and

links.

SPECIFICATIONS

General

Model

38967

Frequency Response

5 Hz ~ 60 kHz ±0.05dB

Maximum Output Balanced

(voltage for ≈ 1% THD)

Watts

Vrms

33 Ohms

6.223

14.33

56 Ohms

3.927

14.83

150 Ohms

1.589

15.44

300 Ohms

0.820

15.68

Maximum Output Single

Ended (voltage for ≈ 1% THD)

Watts

Vrms

33 Ohms

1.769

7.64

56 Ohms

1.109

7.88

150 Ohms

0.448

8.20

300 Ohms

0.231

8.32

Crosstalk (@1kHz 1 Vrms

input unit gain balanced

in/out)

-88dB

Channel Balance (with pot at

unit gain balanced out)

0.1dB

Input Power

36 VDC, 1.4A

AC Adapter Input Power

100 ~ 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz

Dimensions

8.7" x 8.5" x 2.0"

(222 x 216 x 51 mm)

Weight

3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg)

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Monolith Alex Cavalli Liquid Gold X User manual

Brand: Monolith

Model: Alex Cavalli Liquid Gold X

Category: Musical Equipment

Type: User manual

This manual is also suitable for

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Monolith Alex Cavalli Liquid Gold X User manual

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