[Equus]

Can't comment a whole lot on any big change to expect since my LF arrive with 120 hours on it already (thanks Alex!), but my experience after the 150 hour mark probably mirrors Alex's.  Also not familiar with the W4S DAC (though I am real curious about it), so can't really comment on burn in time for that, but I can say that the LF has reflected source changes and material played a lot, with tube rolling falling a fair bit after that.  The difference between hour 120 and 150 was minimal to my ears, but switching between the Assemblage and Rega DACs is pronounced.  So yeah...I've got somewhere in the neighborhood of 275 hours on the LF by this point in time, and any changes since the 150 hour mark I attribute to the aforementioned system changes.  So maybe, like you suspect, it's partly your DAC?  Maybe try another source you are familiar with and have access to?  It's why I usually try to avoid changing over too many components in my rig, because then I have a harder time figuring out what has changed what.  Course I've blown that rule out the window a few times the past few months.

 

[sillysally]

Switched out the W4S for my AGD DAC19 DSP1v5 (PCM1704UK DAC's), that change opened up the LF. Keep in mind that I am not talking about a big change in sound-stage but about a 10% bigger sound-stage.
When I ordered my DAC1 I had them install what W4S calls there "super-caps" to equal the AQ of the DAC2.. W4S installed the caps and shipped right away, so my guess is the W4S needs more time to open all the way up.
 
I am very used to how the BDP-95 and its ES9018 DAC sounds and yes imo the W4S is very similar in its sound signature, but the BDP-95 does have about a 10% bigger sound-stage than I am hearing now with the W4S.

 

[fdhfdy]

A pic for my LF amp. However it got stucked in the customs and won't be released until sometime next week.(if everything goes well)
 
 

 

[Clayton SF]

^ Customs? Where are you? Mine won't ship until the 15th. I have to wait as long, too.

 

[fdhfdy]

I am in aus. Everything with value over 1000$ stays longer in customs for import duty. People from cavali audio/Cu 29 are quite helpful. I don't worry anything but my lcd2s cant wait 

 

[Icenine2]

Congratulations!  Keep us posted!
 
Quote:

A pic for my LF amp. However it got stucked in the customs and won't be released until sometime next week.(if everything goes well)
 
 

 

 

[mangler]

 
Quote:

 W4S installed the caps and shipped right away, so my guess is the W4S needs more time to open all the way up.

I would definitely agree with this. When I first got my DAC2, I was a little disappointed; it sounded constricted and a little tinny. However, after 250-300h of burn-in, the DAC2 now sounds very open, transparent, and organic. Combine that with the qualities of the LF and you have, IMHO, a very nice setup. 
 

 

[Equus]

 
Quote:

Switched out the W4S for my AGD DAC19 DSP1v5 (PCM1704UK DAC's), that change opened up the LF. Keep in mind that I am not talking about a big change in sound-stage but about a 10% bigger sound-stage.
When I ordered my DAC1 I had them install what W4S calls there "super-caps" to equal the AQ of the DAC2.. W4S installed the caps and shipped right away, so my guess is the W4S needs more time to open all the way up.
 
I am very used to how the BDP-95 and its ES9018 DAC sounds and yes imo the W4S is very similar in its sound signature, but the BDP-95 does have about a 10% bigger sound-stage than I am hearing now with the W4S.

Glad to hear it opened up a little for you.  Perhaps the amp will also open up a little as it gets closer to the 150 hour mark.  For me and to my ears, the LF isn't exactly a soundstage monster...it doesn't make everything sound like I'm sitting an listening to something in Carnegie Hall, but then again, most of my music isn't mixed that way anyway.  It'll be interesting to hear your feedback as time progresses.  Like I said, I don't have any experience with the LF with less than 120 hours on it, so I'm a little curious as to how it behaves and settles in.
 

 
Quote:

Congratulations!  Keep us posted!
 

x2.  Should be fun times. 

 

[Equus]

Quote:

 
I would definitely agree with this. When I first got my DAC2, I was a little disappointed; it sounded constricted and a little tinny. However, after 250-300h of burn-in, the DAC2 now sounds very open, transparent, and organic. Combine that with the qualities of the LF and you have, IMHO, a very nice setup. 
 

Oof...that's a nice long burn in period.  Then again, reminds me of what some people were saying about the Rega DAC.  I'm very curious to hear a W4S DAC2 with the LF.  Bleah.

 

[Icenine2]

E,
 
Use your load plug from the LF an run the W4S and get it burned in.  I will say that about a month ago it was if my whole system shifted into 7th gear on the Bugatti full when the W4S got to about 200 hours.  Then after the Liquid Fire got burned in pure magic!
 
Liquid Fire+W4S DAC2=Magic
Quote:

Oof...that's a nice long burn in period.  Then again, reminds me of what some people were saying about the Rega DAC.  I'm very curious to hear a W4S DAC2 with the LF.  Bleah.

 

 

[Icenine2]

Listening now to Yessongs (Japanese SHM version) after Tales from Topographic Oceans (Japansese SHM version).  I have never heard these sound this good.  Tales sounds so immediate (how's that for audio-floobie-gas-babble?), so clear and beautiful and vicious when the band picks it up.  Yessongs I never really dug that much.........until now.  The LF+W4S+T-1's just knock this out!!

 

[Equus]

Quote:

E,
 
Use your load plug from the LF an run the W4S and get it burned in.  I will say that about a month ago it was if my whole system shifted into 7th gear on the Bugatti full when the W4S got to about 200 hours.  Then after the Liquid Fire got burned in pure magic!
 
Liquid Fire+W4S DAC2=Magic


 

Don't have a W4S, unfortunately.  Was referencing it for sillysally.
 
Would love to hear one with the LF though.  Not sure if there's any of them out here in the Seattle area.

 

[sachu]

I should have a Neko DAC D100 mk2 at the seattle meet. just got clearance from Wesley over at Neko Audio to bring it to the meet.
 
SHould be interesting to compare with the Rega, assemblages, benchmark, etc

 

[sillysally]

Quote:

 

Glad to hear it opened up a little for you.  Perhaps the amp will also open up a little as it gets closer to the 150 hour mark.  For me and to my ears, the LF isn't exactly a soundstage monster...it doesn't make everything sound like I'm sitting an listening to something in Carnegie Hall, but then again, most of my music isn't mixed that way anyway.  It'll be interesting to hear your feedback as time progresses.  Like I said, I don't have any experience with the LF with less than 120 hours on it, so I'm a little curious as to how it behaves and settles in.
 

 


x2.  Should be fun times. 

I should add that so far the only type of audio I have heard using my LF/W4S is from Blu Ray movies (DTS HD MA, True HD 5.1). I am sure anybody that reads this is thinking this guy is nuts, headphones are only 2CH not MC so whats the point of using MC audio? 
I use a Smyth SVS Realiser with HDMI ports so my Oppo BDP-95 simply decodes the sound tracks to LPCM same as a newer A/V would do and sends the 5.1/7.1 digital audio signal out to the Realiser via HDMI so the Realiser can do its magic, from the Realiser out I use a Toslink (still in a digital signal) out to my DAC for the D/A conversion, then out to my Amp.
 
What the Realiser does is emulate most any sound system, room and acoustics by making what is called a PRIR, so that when you use the PRIR it sounds like you are back in that room playing your audio. And yes If you could get into Carnegie Hall and setup a great speaker system make a PRIR with your Realiser, you should end up with the same felling that you are back at Carnegie Hall. Once more please don't think I am nuts until you read the great reviews for the Realiser.
 
Anyway my point in all of this is my Realiser will take care of the large 3D sound stage, I just don't want a Amp, Dac or headphone to restrict what is coming from the Realiser.

 

[Sophonax]

 
Quote:

I should have a Neko DAC D100 mk2 at the seattle meet. just got clearance from Wesley over at Neko Audio to bring it to the meet.
 
SHould be interesting to compare with the Rega, assemblages, benchmark, etc

Should be very interesting indeed!  The Neko has caught my interest for a while now -- very interesting design philosophy.  Please post some impressions when you compare the DACs!