LAMPIZATOR THREAD COMMENTS REVIEWS TUNING

[leftside]

Thank you for this! Does the Aqua give more speed, prat and impact then the Lampizator or is it the opposite? Im listening to a lot of Jazz and electronic music. I love the Lampi for Jazz but it doesn't really give me what i need when it comes to electronic musik. Would love to find a dac that can handle both without going over 13k

I listen to a lot of electronic music, and I haven't upgraded any of my headphone listening system for over 2 years. Lampi TRP2 -> Supratek Grange preamp -> Custom headphone amps (1101 Audio OTL or Glenn 300B SET) -> headphones (Abyss or LCD4). I've also tried the Focal Utopia, and it was great for Jazz, but didn't do it for me with electronic music.

 

[Spawn300Z]

Thank you for this! Does the Aqua give more speed, prat and impact then the Lampizator or is it the opposite? Im listening to a lot of Jazz and electronic music. I love the Lampi for Jazz but it doesn't really give me what i need when it comes to electronic musik. Would love to find a dac that can handle both without going over 13k

I was in a similar situation as you. I would suggest the Playback Designs MPD-8 or the Rockna WaveDream Signature. I went with the MPD-8 and it is incredible for my eclectic taste. You maybe also able to include the MPD-6. You should be able to find one on used market pretty reasonable.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I know some folks get burned out on tube rolling as it can be frustrating and seem like an endless quest at times but I also know that the tubes that were installed in my dac when sent from the factory didn’t match my system at all. Trying a few different brands/models and researching/asking questions of those with experience (like the great folks here at Head Fi!) helped me get to a point where I look forward to trying different tubes to see where it takes me. When you find the right match buy them up!

Yea it really can be. I didn't want to go down a rabbit hole tube wise for my Pacific and was really hoping the factory tubes it came with would do the trick (PX4s and I'd have to go back to see which rectifier it came with). But they didn't. Ended up buying quite a bit of tubes before landing on the PX25s and 5U4G anniversary tubes (I like the Tak 274b as well). I hate that I had to spend the money going through quite a few others, but pretty happy now that it's settled. There are still so many tubes I haven't tried, but I don't know if I'll get there lol. Sourcing them is tough and differences are somewhat subtle and require a lot of testing to fully get an understanding of how they differ and the tradeoffs.

But ultimately would second that with the vast options, it's worth the hassle figuring out what is right for you and your system.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Thank you for this! Does the Aqua give more speed, prat and impact then the Lampizator or is it the opposite? Im listening to a lot of Jazz and electronic music. I love the Lampi for Jazz but it doesn't really give me what i need when it comes to electronic musik. Would love to find a dac that can handle both without going over 13k

I can only speak for my chain and the Pacific, although it seems like there are a lot of similarities across the product lineup. I think it can be great with any genre, as it performs at a very high level in every category. But the one thing I think the Dave/Mscaler I came from had over it was a slight sense of better speed. This also translated to slightly better impact until I did a lot of tube swapping, in which now I think they're closer to equal but I need to revisit and confirm.

 

[FLXI]

I totally agree with you on SPDIF over BNC- it’s the way to go when compared to the more consumer based formats like RCA or Toslink. AES meets the same spec as SPDIF but is generally a hotter signal. It is also the only SPDIF output that adheres to 75 ohms and a symmetrical pathway for fully balanced systems. BNC/coaxial comes close but cannot truly maintain the SPDIF 75 ohm spec due to the connector and is not truly symmetrical. The higher output may be a reason why you prefer the sound of SPDIF over coaxial to AES.

I generally have no strong opinions when it comes to USB but I can say that in my system/my gear I’ve never heard any difference from cables when running from my MacBook Pro. I’ve tried different cables, have stayed within a limit not exceeding 4 meters and have literally heard no difference.

The SPDIF driver/interface board in the Lampizator only offers you three outputs, at least this what I was told by Lampizator when configuring mine so I went with one of each (AES/BNC/Toslink). If memory serves I don’t think there is a choice when it comes to Toslink as it’s one of the standard outputs of the board.

Yes, its true, the lampizator accepts ether AES/BNC/Toslinc or usb. The firs three, you can switch between at the back and then for USB there is a bottom on the front.

It suprices me that you havent been able to tell different usb cables a part, in my setum I experience big differeneces. Are you using a ddc and have you tried some expencivve ones?

 

[FLXI]

That’s a difficult question for me to answer as I don’t really have experience with the Baltic dac and I’m sure there are differences when it comes to your Baltic and my TRP3.

When you compare the Aqua to the TRP3 side be side- meaning level matched and switching between inputs during playback there are a lot of similarities but it is easy to tell that the Lampizator produces more bottom end, better separation between instruments, more air and a general sense of more authority. There are certain traits the Aqua produces that I haven’t been able to match “exactly” with the Lampizator though and that lies in the realm if timbre. Although I’ve only noticed this on a few tracks it does draw my attention.

The largest hurdle I’ve come across since owning the TRP is determining which tubes produce the best sound/performance when mated with the rest of the tube components in the chain. So far this has always come back to specific quads of triodes like 1950’s 6J5 Sylvania/GE, 50’s Soviet 6S5S, 50’s Raytheon/RCA/Sylvania 6SN7’s, early 40’s KenRad 7193’s and early 50’s 6BL7’s to name a few. Indirectly heated triodes seem to provide the best presentation when using the TRP in my system although I do like certain pentodes as well- mainly the Philips EL3N and Sovtek 6L6WXT+.

I know some folks get burned out on tube rolling as it can be frustrating and seem like an endless quest at times but I also know that the tubes that were installed in my dac when sent from the factory didn’t match my system at all. Trying a few different brands/models and researching/asking questions of those with experience (like the great folks here at Head Fi!) helped me get to a point where I look forward to trying different tubes to see where it takes me. When you find the right match buy them up!

Yes, Im at that point where the tube rolling takes away focus from music listening. It wasent always like that but it has mabye to do that i dont seem to find a setup of tubes that can handle all my genres. So thats one of the recons why im consithering other dacs..

 

[FLXI]

I listen to a lot of electronic music, and I haven't upgraded any of my headphone listening system for over 2 years. Lampi TRP2 -> Supratek Grange preamp -> Custom headphone amps (1101 Audio OTL or Glenn 300B SET) -> headphones (Abyss or LCD4). I've also tried the Focal Utopia, and it was great for Jazz, but didn't do it for me with electronic music.

Could be that the Utopias aren't the best for electronic music but i found them to be like Chameleons, there behavior change a lot with the source and amp. For example, using a violectric amp makes them really punchy and fast. I use the Lampizator mostly in my main rig with my ATC speakers where i also can confirm the Lampis limitations by switching dac.

My headphone setup is at my office where I use an Audio analogue AA dac with a woo audio Wa22. But im actually thinking about testing other dacs there as well, ferrum wandla being a top candidate.

 

[Designsfx]

Yes, Im at that point where the tube rolling takes away focus from music listening. It wasent always like that but it has mabye to do that i dont seem to find a setup of tubes that can handle all my genres. So thats one of the recons why im consithering other dacs..

In your Baltic (which version due you have?) which tubes are you using most often?

 

[FLXI]

In your Baltic (which version due you have?) which tubes are you using most often?

Ive got the Baltic 4 and using coax connection but now looking for different streamers (currently aavik s180) to be able to use the usb to se if that will tighten and speed things up a bit. I will try Lumin U2 and auralic Aries g2.1 soon. A don’t really like auralic as a brand but they might be punchier then lumin?

For tubes, my favourites this far have been melz 1578 with holes, old philips ecc40 with adapter and with different rectifyers such as, Benedix, brimare, usaf 596 with woo adapter, Gec u52, and a valvo g1064 (my favourite this far)

But now, I actually bought an entire tube kit with good adapters from a friend, the ones on the picture, haven’t gotten them yet to try but I think that they will take the Baltic as far as it goes.

I think the rectifyer is the most critical tube for prat and base respons, maybe I should try newer rectifyers, haven’t done that, Like the emission labs, Sophia, acme, Elrog?

 

[walterboss]

Lampizator Atlantic just arrived. Absolutely exceptional thus far with Red October and 1266.

 

[FLXI]

Is anyone using DDC or uppsamler for there Lampi with good results?

 

[BlakeT]

Is anyone using DDC or uppsamler for there Lampi with good results?

I'm using a Denafrips Gaia with my Pacific 2, and using a Holo Red (in DDC mode only) with my Golden Gate 3.

Good results with both.

 

[orrman]

Ive got the Baltic 4 and using coax connection but now looking for different streamers (currently aavik s180) to be able to use the usb to se if that will tighten and speed things up a bit. I will try Lumin U2 and auralic Aries g2.1 soon. A don’t really like auralic as a brand but they might be punchier then lumin?

For tubes, my favourites this far have been melz 1578 with holes, old philips ecc40 with adapter and with different rectifyers such as, Benedix, brimare, usaf 596 with woo adapter, Gec u52, and a valvo g1064 (my favourite this far)

But now, I actually bought an entire tube kit with good adapters from a friend, the ones on the picture, haven’t gotten them yet to try but I think that they will take the Baltic as far as it goes.

I think the rectifyer is the most critical tube for prat and base respons, maybe I should try newer rectifyers, haven’t done that, Like the emission labs, Sophia, acme, Elrog?

Congrats on those new tubes. I spoke with some of these tube rollers and adapters makers on WBF and for a full set for Poseidon it actually makes more sense personally to wait for a good deal on a used Horizon

 

[FLXI]

Congrats on those new tubes. I spoke with some of these tube rollers and adapters makers on WBF and for a full set for Poseidon it actually makes more sense personally to wait for a good deal on a used Horizon

Thanks! Yes, I know, one could spend a fortune on tubes and so much energy as well. If I would have known how much I would have spent, I would have gone for a better dac in the beginning. But it has also been a fun jury where I learned a lot about tubes and got nice friends through the community the footprint on the Poseidon is what made me not go down that road, I couldn’t fit it in my rack and it would look to big in this apartment

 

[orrman]

Thanks to a hifi friend I have the opportunity to audition Golden Atlantic 3 and see how the differences in performance from Poseidon feel to my ears. Running GA3 with Siemens F2A and WE 422a. Poseidon is stock tubes and RCA rectifier (might use the WE when I get back to Poseidon to see how things change).

Also funny to see the size and build quality difference - it isn’t close lol

as shared here @FLXI - yes it's massive compared to other Lampi models lol