Lampizator Amber III Impressions
Apr 10, 2021 at 8:49 PM Post #106 of 120
I have rolled a Sylvania 6X5GT rectifier and a much more valuable early Valvo Hamburg ECC82 output tube.
Could you hear any improvement? Could you try to describe said improvement?
Also, any idea which of the tubes made the biggest audible change?
I have not rolled any tube on my Amber 3 (yet?)...
 
Apr 10, 2021 at 9:32 PM Post #107 of 120
I keep my Amber III on almost 24x7. As mentioned, the tubes are not driven hard and the stock tubes are very cheap to replace. That said, I have rolled a Sylvania 6X5GT rectifier and a much more valuable early Valvo Hamburg ECC82 output tube. So now of course I think about turning it off more often. Haven’t bothered rolling the JJ ECC99 and unclear if there is actually any worthy replacement there ...

Still love the DAC for its big vivid sound but I don’t have a lot to compare it in the same price range. Have been thinking about getting a Holo May to compare it to.

A worthy upgrade would to simply feed your dac with a Mutec MC-3+ usb. This is a Reclocking DDC that you can connect BNC or Coax to your DAC. I'll have to say the changes is quite substantial. When you feed a precise clocked signal to a DAC, you'll start to understand how critical your source digital music data feed is.

So far I've noticed that you can really see the real potential of a DAC once you feed it a reclocked signal.
 
Apr 12, 2021 at 1:16 AM Post #108 of 120
A worthy upgrade would to simply feed your dac with a Mutec MC-3+ usb. This is a Reclocking DDC that you can connect BNC or Coax to your DAC. I'll have to say the changes is quite substantial. When you feed a precise clocked signal to a DAC, you'll start to understand how critical your source digital music data feed is.

So far I've noticed that you can really see the real potential of a DAC once you feed it a reclocked signal.
Which version of the Amber III are you basing that on? Since last April, when I got mine, they are a using a new USB board with better clocks and such. Just fyi. Did you compare the mutec/spdif to latest usb? I used to prefer spdif over usb. I now use an opticalRendu which possibly obviates any gain from a standalone reclocker.
 
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Apr 12, 2021 at 1:22 AM Post #109 of 120
Could you hear any improvement? Could you try to describe said improvement?
Also, any idea which of the tubes made the biggest audible change?
I have not rolled any tube on my Amber 3 (yet?)...
Hard to quantify but I think the output buffer ECC82 is where will you will see the most benefit, for somewhat obvious reasons I think. The ECC82 upgrade provided incremental upgrades in a number of areas, not just one major thing. Just a bit fuller, cleaner, and larger soundstage at the same time. Rectifier change hard to say - but for $20 I no longer ask myself if I am missing anything there.
 
Apr 12, 2021 at 2:39 AM Post #110 of 120
I am generalizing regarding DACS. Providing a reclocked signal will provide black backgrounds and noticeable improvements in analog ease, texture and layers.

I own the Mutec MC-3+ USB. I will also be adding an additional unit to daisy chain (2x Mutec units), to provide multiple reclocking. This has been observed to be a different solution vs buying an external REF10 Mutec word master clock. Locally there has been Denafrips Terminator gen 1 to have a tremendous improvement using 3 daisy chained Mutec MC-3+ USB version. The cost of 3 daisy chained units is still more economical than buying Terminator Plus. Possibly triple reclocked signal is a magical combo with serious refinements. For now I'm going to only use 2 Mutecs. I also use the Silent Angel Bonn N8 x 2 and SA forester F1 linear power supply for my audio grade ethernet switch. In due time I'll purchase the 1 package deal aka Silent Angel N16. I do take "source" seriously.

Do not underestimate a reclocking device. This is where the mutec galvanically isolates and can either use external or internal word clocks. Upsampling is also an additional feature. The beauty is that you can use a regular laptop and inexpensive USB cable. The Mutec with transform the non audiograde digital music stream to a precise clocked signal and reduction of jitter. A laptop can easily match higher end music streamers. The digital data stream will feed the DAC and it does not matter how poor or how jitter contaminated the digital feed is from the non audiograde laptop usb port. Granted Optical is a fantastic noise rejector so this is an awesome solution for many with laptops.

I will not dive into cabling. I will say I have extensively tested many cables with my Mutec and even my F1 linear power supply that feeds my audiograde ethernet switch. This is where I find some tweaking capabilities using the two products I mentioned.

At this moment I'm please with my Canadian made, Space Tech Labs point to point wired, tube dac (buffer stage can go from Kt150 to Mullar 1950's EL32!!!!!!) with external super rectifier tube power supply. My tube buffer I prefer using Mullard EL34, Mullard L32, Tungsol 6L6 reissued coke bottles or even 5881. I've used and own 6550, KT66, 6L6 smoked coke bottles to Kt150...i've tried them all. Very system dependent in how using different buffer tubes on my STL dac. My super rectifier I am using 1940's Western Electric modded rectifier tubes I have yet to hear any dac that can surpass the emotion, holographic imaging, real to life realism and musicality with wrap around sound stage. Not certain how many headfi users are even aware of the famous vintage Western Electric sound signature...... untouchable IMO as I've had many years of tube rolling 2 channel gear. My super rectifier unit compared to the typical tube setup is definitely different. Typically in the past I use two 300B!!

AC to DC rectifier section is quite crucial. Not changing tonality. It's like the gateway to soundstage. Compare a straw to a fire hose. Power source or flavor is critical.


Music genre also plays a role in how you manipulate your sound signature to create "synergy". ABX blind folded testing using the Mutec and comparing an Aqua La scala to my Dac setup is two totally different tastes in sound. I did not end up purchasing the Aqua La scala.

If you are a 2 channel person. Are you a Nordost or Cardas lover? Different tastes that are very personal.


Hans did a vid on the opticalRendu...


I'm certain the OpticalRendu is a fantastic and more affordable configuration to excellent SQ.

The beauty of 24/192 is that PCM seems to sound great to my ears. 32 bit or MQA is not an improvement to my ears. I'll have to say using a Tchernov "special" coax is shockingly amazing for the low price. I've used other much more expensive coax cables and the Tchernov is a jaw dropper "on par/ surpass" performance for low buck.

At this moment I cannot listen to USB. I'm extremely pleased with Coax. Mutec also has greatly improved my other dacs. I seldom use headphones lately as 2 channel has been a serious transformation due to Covid / teleworking.
 
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Apr 12, 2021 at 3:35 AM Post #111 of 120
I am generalizing regarding DACS. Providing a reclocked signal will provide black backgrounds and noticeable improvements in analog ease, texture and layers.

I own the Mutec MC-3+ USB. I will also be adding an additional unit to daisy chain (2x Mutec units), to provide multiple reclocking. This has been observed to be a different solution vs buying an external REF10 Mutec word master clock. Locally there has been Denafrips Terminator gen 1 to have a tremendous improvement using 3 daisy chained Mutec MC-3+ USB version. The cost of 3 daisy chained units is still more economical than buying Terminator Plus. Possibly triple reclocked signal is a magical combo with serious refinements. For now I'm going to only use 2 Mutecs. I also use the Silent Angel Bonn N8 x 2 and SA forester F1 linear power supply for my audio grade ethernet switch. In due time I'll purchase the 1 package deal aka Silent Angel N16. I do take "source" seriously.

Do not underestimate a reclocking device. This is where the mutec galvanically isolates and can either use external or internal word clocks. Upsampling is also an additional feature. The beauty is that you can use a regular laptop and inexpensive USB cable. The Mutec with transform the non audiograde digital music stream to a precise clocked signal and reduction of jitter. A laptop can easily match higher end music streamers. The digital data stream will feed the DAC and it does not matter how poor or how jitter contaminated the digital feed is from the non audiograde laptop usb port. Granted Optical is a fantastic noise rejector so this is an awesome solution for many with laptops.

I will not dive into cabling. I will say I have extensively tested many cables with my Mutec and even my F1 linear power supply that feeds my audiograde ethernet switch. This is where I find some tweaking capabilities using the two products I mentioned.

At this moment I'm please with my Canadian made, Space Tech Labs point to point wired, tube dac (buffer stage can go from Kt150 to Mullar 1950's EL32!!!!!!) with external super rectifier tube power supply. My tube buffer I prefer using Mullard EL34, Mullard L32, Tungsol 6L6 reissued coke bottles or even 5881. I've used and own 6550, KT66, 6L6 smoked coke bottles to Kt150...i've tried them all. Very system dependent in how using different buffer tubes on my STL dac. My super rectifier I am using 1940's Western Electric modded rectifier tubes I have yet to hear any dac that can surpass the emotion, holographic imaging, real to life realism and musicality with wrap around sound stage. Not certain how many headfi users are even aware of the famous vintage Western Electric sound signature...... untouchable IMO as I've had many years of tube rolling 2 channel gear. My super rectifier unit compared to the typical tube setup is definitely different. Typically in the past I use two 300B!!

AC to DC rectifier section is quite crucial. Not changing tonality. It's like the gateway to soundstage. Compare a straw to a fire hose. Power source or flavor is critical.


Music genre also plays a role in how you manipulate your sound signature to create "synergy". ABX blind folded testing using the Mutec and comparing an Aqua La scala to my Dac setup is two totally different tastes in sound. I did not end up purchasing the Aqua La scala.

If you are a 2 channel person. Are you a Nordost or Cardas lover? Different tastes that are very personal.


Hans did a vid on the opticalRendu...


I'm certain the OpticalRendu is a fantastic and more affordable configuration to excellent SQ.

The beauty of 24/192 is that PCM seems to sound great to my ears. 32 bit or MQA is not an improvement to my ears. I'll have to say using a Tchernov "special" coax is shockingly amazing for the low price. I've used other much more expensive coax cables and the Tchernov is a jaw dropper "on par/ surpass" performance for low buck.

At this moment I cannot listen to USB. I'm extremely pleased with Coax. Mutec also has greatly improved my other dacs. I seldom use headphones lately as 2 channel has been a serious transformation due to Covid / teleworking.

I just switched over to the Optical Rendu after a year with a Aurender N100H. The improvement in SQ is startling. Im running it into my Atlantic TRP with a very fine sounding USB cable, FTA Callisto.

The only negative I can say about it is the difference between high quality, well mastered files vs. old/poorly mastered files is huge. Bad files are pretty awful sounding.
Im using Roon and Qobuz+ 2TB of locally stored files.
 
Apr 12, 2021 at 3:54 AM Post #112 of 120
I'm in Canada. I do not have access to Qobuz without doing crafty vpn. I wish I had Qobuz...

I use Roon with my Tidal. I'll have to say my Audirvana setup with my Silent Angel Z1 music server has more dynamics and real world realism. Roon in my system is more flat and less dynamic. I have other friends that also have identical experiences.

My observation is that coax is excellent in noise rejection. This retains the preservation of the precise clock. Clock is everything when it comes to digital to analog conversion. Hans has a segment on how jitter creates "digital glare".

Monsterzero, your experience you are getting with the optical rendu is logical. What few comprehend is that jitter effects timing. When you remove jitter, you are removing digital glare. The D/A conversion struggles when it receives jitter that sifts timing sequence. We simply hear this "difficulty" in conversion as lower SQ.

Using my Mutec mc-3 usb master clock unit I can improve the SQ tremendously. Also I can simultaneously feed reclocked signal to two spdif (bnc/rca) and toslink. Reclocking in redundancy also is a huge improvement to many users. In fact it's possibly the preferential approach in daisy chain vs adding an additional "1 clock" word clock device.

I prefer audirvana (life time license) over my Roon. The only reason I pay for Roon is for "Roon Radio". Otherwise Audirvana is truly superior in dynamics and SQ in my system.
 
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Dec 26, 2021 at 8:41 PM Post #115 of 120
any owner of the new Amber 4 so far? 😮
I didn't know that a new amber was released, I thought it was only for the new Horizon Dac. Any links to the announcement from lampizator?
 
Aug 5, 2023 at 11:20 PM Post #117 of 120
Hard to quantify but I think the output buffer ECC82 is where will you will see the most benefit, for somewhat obvious reasons I think. The ECC82 upgrade provided incremental upgrades in a number of areas, not just one major thing. Just a bit fuller, cleaner, and larger soundstage at the same time. Rectifier change hard to say - but for $20 I no longer ask myself if I am missing anything there.
I’m sorry, what rectifier did you change to?
 
Sep 19, 2023 at 7:56 PM Post #118 of 120
A worthy upgrade would to simply feed your dac with a Mutec MC-3+ usb. This is a Reclocking DDC that you can connect BNC or Coax to your DAC. I'll have to say the changes is quite substantial. When you feed a precise clocked signal to a DAC, you'll start to understand how critical your source digital music data feed is.

So far I've noticed that you can really see the real potential of a DAC once you feed it a reclocked signal.
Used it for a while. It's weakest point is the SMPS that generates a lot of noise. Ordered a custom LPS and what a difference it made. A little later added a RAL DC cable and there was another noticeable improvement. However, this really jacks up the price : Mutec itself, LPS, a second digital cable, a good power cable and a DC cable...all that easily amounts to a decent DAC upgrade. Sold it all and never looked back.
 

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Sep 21, 2023 at 7:50 AM Post #120 of 120
Antipodes K50. It has their excellent S20 reclocker already installed.
Before that I had a CX-EX combo with their P2 external reclocker. Antipodes P2 was noticeably better than Mutec but it cost more as well. Going with K50 eliminated extra digital and power cables and freed up some space on my rack.
 

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