Lampizator questions

[AudioDoctor]

4 hours ago, zerung said:

2. Long time ago I used the Rendu, then Ultrarendu - both with Regen. They were good, But dedicated, proper streamer like Auralic, etc. streets above the rendu, etc.

 

 

I have wondered about this on more than one occasion. I currently use a Signature Rendu SE Optical into the JL Audio USB board into my Pacific, and I upsample with HQPlayer with a dedicated machine. I don't think there is a streamer powerful enough to match what HQP can do.

[mikicasellas]

4 hours ago, Blake said:

 

My DAC is currently at the factory in Poland and I haven't had the chance to compare it with the Terminator Plus, but I'll be doing that when it ships to me.  I haven't yet determined if I'll be using Gaia.  I'll also experiment with that.  The Lampi has the JL Sounds usb, so I'll see how that compares to inserting my Gaia in the chain, using another digital input on the Lampi.   

 

 

Look forward to your findings

 

( I hope this approach don't mess with the line of this thread, im sorry if I did it )

 

Im trying to get a better idea if my actual Terminator II competes favorably with the following DACs:

 

- Lampizator Baltic 3

- Sonnet Pasithea

- SW1X DAC II BALANCED

 

By the way, using the T-II with HQP in the next configuration , takes the T-II to the very best it can achieve, and so my doubt is if any of these excellent DACs using HQP with their limited rate limit would be even better although they don't go as far as the T-II 

 

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, mikicasellas said:

Look forward to your findings

 

( I hope this approach don't mess with the line of this thread, im sorry if I did it )

 

Im trying to get a better idea if my actual Terminator II competes favorably with the following DACs:

 

- Lampizator Baltic 3

- Sonnet Pasithea

- SW1X DAC II BALANCED

 

By the way, using the T-II with HQP in the next configuration , takes the T-II to the very best it can achieve, and so my doubt is if any of these excellent DACs using HQP with their limited rate limit would be even better although they don't go as far as the T-II 

 

 

Is there a noticeable difference from PCM 768khz to 1.536mhz?

[mikicasellas]

2 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Is there a noticeable difference from PCM 768khz to 1.536mhz?

Yes, more calmness and more clear bass notes that are lost in the lower PCM 768, 512 & 384

 

Still sounds great, but once in 1.536mhz there is no back on the T-II at least 

 

How do those DAC choices mentioned in my original post, stack against the T-II ?

[AudioDoctor]

1 minute ago, mikicasellas said:

How do those DAC choices mentioned in my original post, stack against the T-II ?

 

I have no idea, I have never heard them.

[AudioDoctor]

19 minutes ago, mikicasellas said:

Yes, more calmness and more clear bass notes that are lost in the lower PCM 768, 512 & 384

 

 

That sounds like you're saying that it sounds more "DSD-like" than lower rate PCM. Is that a fair assessment?

[mikicasellas]

16 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

That sounds like you're saying that it sounds more "DSD-like" than lower rate PCM. Is that a fair assessment?

Not quite, DSD-Like in HQP sound more smooth in my system but not the way I like it, even my DSD64 albums sound better in my PCM 1.536mhz config

[AudioDoctor]

2 hours ago, mikicasellas said:

Not quite, DSD-Like in HQP sound more smooth in my system but not the way I like it, even my DSD64 albums sound better in my PCM 1.536mhz config

 

I'm going to speculate that this is very DAC specific and a result of the way your DAC handles DSD being an R2R DAC.

[mikicasellas]

8 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I'm going to speculate that this is very DAC specific and a result of the way your DAC handles DSD being an R2R DAC.

It is the Denafrips T-II

 

I have tried several times trying to squeeze the SDM output mode on HQP and for my ears the openness and liveness of the PCM 1.536mhz was better than the SDM....But after reading your comments, You left me thinking, so I tried again, using Poli-Sync-mp or Closed Form  with DSD5v2 256 +fs, I can listen to same PCM but even better ( you are right ), its about the same but is more silky on the HF...issue is a lot of drops and temperature went so high that I had to turn the server off, and I had to go down from 96000000 to 32768000 with less drops but SQ was not as good and temps also were very high.

My server is fanless and my guess is that I will have to upgrade my CPU/MoBo and pipes on the server:

Any suggestions ?

 

SERVER:

- HDPLEX H5 Fanless Case

- ASUS ROG MAXIMUS HERO XIII Z590

- Intel i7-10700K

- TAIKO DC-ATX

- Apacer 2666 Industrial ( 8GB )

- Optane 58GB 

 

 

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

6 minutes ago, mikicasellas said:

It is the Denafrips T-II

 

I have tried several times trying to squeeze the SDM output mode on HQP and for my ears the openness and liveness of the PCM 1.536mhz was better than the SDM....But after reading your comments, You left me thinking, so I tried again, using Poli-Sync-mp or Closed Form  with DSD5v2 256 +fs, I can listen to same PCM but even better ( you are right ), its about the same but is more silky on the HF...issue is a lot of drops and temperature went so high that I had to turn the server off, and I had to go down from 96000000 to 32768000 with less drops but SQ was not as good and temps also were very high.

My server is fanless and my guess is that I will have to upgrade my CPU/MoBo and pipes on the server:

Any suggestions ?

 

SERVER:

- HDPLEX H5 Fanless Case

- ASUS ROG MAXIMUS HERO XIII Z590

- Intel i7-10700K

- TAIKO DC-ATX

- Apacer 2666 Industrial ( 8GB )

- Optane 58GB 

 

 

 

 

 

My only suggestion is, listen to what you like! If you like high rate PCM, then you should listen to that.

[Lowlands]

On 5/7/2022 at 11:50 PM, AudioDoctor said:

My only suggestion is, listen to what you like! If you like high rate PCM, then you should listen to that.

Totally agree!

 

Different tastes & flavors. To each their own, YMMV, etc.. Key is you enjoy the hobby & the music I guess.

 

I do believe it makes sense to do a little research to gain an understanding on what the major design / architecture 'feats' of a unit or brand are.
For Lampizator (for me) that obviously is the tube based analog & output stage, but a close second is the chip-less DSD conversion stage. To my knowledge the PCM stage (unless you take the R2R engine at additional costs) is a DeltaSigma design with COTS & OEM chips & components. I tried & tested it (older PCM engine). In my experience, the PCM is pretty great, until you hear it do DSD. (A bit like forcing Messi to play with his right foot only. Pretty fantastic, but just see what happens when he starts using his left). As a consequence, using DSD over USB into a Lampi, is the preferable route for me. So any streamer or transport that does not do USB is out of the picture. 
My understanding of Denafrips is that their key design feat is the R2R ladder implementation (more so than it's DSD implementation, but I might be wrong). (Same for Holo Audio..?). So a preference for PCM (over DSD) on a Denafrips / Holo Audio unit would make sense to me. Then again, YMMV..   
 

[Lowlands]

On 5/7/2022 at 11:43 PM, mikicasellas said:

My server is fanless and my guess is that I will have to upgrade my CPU/MoBo and pipes on the server:

Any suggestions ?

I would suggest you try find out what the exact bottleneck is.

What is max wattage dissipation of your case? Have a look at CPU utilization per core & temperatures and wattage.

Some drops might relate to memory usage also (your 8Gb running out on some HQPlayer Filter/Modulator settings). I know I have some drop-outs that seem to be memory related instead of CPU. Suggest you post question in HQPlayer thread. 

 

[Lowlands]

On 5/6/2022 at 9:47 PM, Blake said:

I'll also run RK Limited 5U4G rectifier.  Using KR 242

Nice tubes ! ;-)
KR 242 in Lampi has some nice press! Is high-gain though and can give some issues in some configs. Have you checked? If your Lampi is @factory, they can check output voltage with them, to make sure it will not overrun your pre-amp. Mine is almost 4volts (3.7ish I think) with the PX-4. I read 242 is high(er) gain...
Are you having your own unit refurbed, or are you buying? is it MK1 or Mk2? (I could only afford a refurbed Mk1 ;-) )

[Blake]

10 hours ago, Lowlands said:

Nice tubes ! ;-)
KR 242 in Lampi has some nice press! Is high-gain though and can give some issues in some configs. Have you checked? If your Lampi is @factory, they can check output voltage with them, to make sure it will not overrun your pre-amp. Mine is almost 4volts (3.7ish I think) with the PX-4. I read 242 is high(er) gain...
Are you having your own unit refurbed, or are you buying? is it MK1 or Mk2? (I could only afford a refurbed Mk1 ;-) )

 

I bought it a few weeks ago used.  It started life as a Big 7.  Last month, my seller had it upgraded at the factory in Poland- brand new Golden Gate 2 case/chassis (copper), Golden Gate 2 power supply with selectable heater voltage switch for different GG2 family output tubes, and nice Duelund copper output caps that GG2 doesn't even have.  It also has the newer JL Sounds usb.  With those changes, I am not even sure what to call my DAC?

 

It is still at the factory as I am having them install a high/low gain switch, as 242 tubes can cause issues with some active preamps.  

 

  

[Lowlands]

16 hours ago, Blake said:

I am not even sure what to call my DAC?

How about we'll just call it "The Big-G" ? 😉 
As long as it sounds 'the part', who cares if it is a heavily tweaked B7 of a GG? Looks like a unit Adam put on audiomarkt last month?
What DAC engines/pcb's does it have? Curious what you think of DSD vs PCM sound.
Gain switch makes sense in case of KR 242 tubes... make sure the signal path is as clean as possible though. In my refurb the volume control was taken out for that purpose..

[Blake]

9 hours ago, Lowlands said:

make sure the signal path is as clean as possible though. In my refurb the volume control was taken out for that purpose..

 

Hi, I am curious, can you explain a bit more about the rationale for removal of your VC?

 

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

6 minutes ago, Blake said:

 

Hi, I am curious, can you explain a bit more about the rationale for removal of your VC?

 

 

 

 

I am curious too. The volume control was specifically recommended when I was buying my Pacific.

[Lowlands]

7 hours ago, Blake said:

Hi, I am curious, can you explain a bit more about the rationale for removal of your VC?

Hope I'm not in over my head here, since I have not heard it myself, so it's 'hear-say' / what I've been told...

I was told by multiple sources that the fixed output paired with a high quality preamp of integrated performs better. The VC on the GG/B7 is said to be good, but not 100% on par with the quality of 'the rest' of the unit / what you can squeeze out using fixed output into a high quality pre. One of those sources is a distributer of Lampi, another an Aries Cerat dealer with a considerable network of clients, Lampi users among them. Reports on WBF indicate the same. The Lampi distributer offered me my GG with fixed output when it still had the VC in it and had already ordered Lampi to take it out as part of the refurb (without a customer at that time), so he seems rather convinced. Additional benefit for me was I got to choose the front plate. 

 

That does not say you might be on for spending some serious $ for a pre if you want to trump the Lampi VC. So when it comes to music pleasure per $, you might still be WAY better off with a Lampi + VC. In my case, I did not need it (I use ASR integrated) and hence preferred to not put it in the signal path and explicitly searched & went for a fixed output SE unit.

 

But then... YMMV. I also went with Lampi factory advice to take the Amanero + clock upgrade instead of the Amanero > JL USB upgrade (with stock clocks). There are different opinions & findings on that also here on this forum. The Pacific / Horizon are different ballgames I guess. Don't know if the VC implementation is similar or not..... I have read Pacific users on WBF preferring a pre, but the preferred pre-amp solutions there are hardly 'for free' options....

 

All I can say is that I'm very happy with the combo Lampi GG SE (fixed) + ASR and loose plenty sleep as a result... If you have a Lampi with VC and love it's sound, no use loosing sleep over that VC. Just loose sleep over listening to music.       

[Blake]

@Lowlands Thanks for the explanation.  That is very interesting about the VC.  I hadn't read about that situation.  So much of this is system/user preference dependent. 

 

Your ASR Emitter is an exceptional unit, so I can see that it certainly makes sense to go fixed DAC output in your use case. My DAC is fixed output and my preamp is certainly up to the task so I am all set. 

 

Yes, I've read differing opinions on the Amanero with clock upgrades vs JLSounds usb.  In the end I went with JLSounds on my Golden Atlantic as well, but I've never heard or compared either usb solution.  I just read all the online forum comments, inquired at Lampi and then rolled the dice.  I am sure they are both very nice and nothing to worry about.

 

I look forward to the arrival of the DAC so I can give it a work out.   

 

It seems you have a definite preference from DSD over PCM with your GG?

 

[Lowlands]

22 minutes ago, Blake said:

It seems you have a definite preference from DSD over PCM with your GG?

Yes. Hands down.

[elan120]

I have been interested in trying Lampizator DAC for a while, but with limited height of 8 to 8.5 inches in the only rack space I have available, Amber seems to be the only possible choice in their lineup that will work, but their latest Amber 4 has little information available, so I wonder if anyone has any input or knowledge you can provide regarding Amber 4?

 

As a reference, my current DAC is a Terminator, and I will be using USB output directly from music server that can upsample using HQPlayer.

[Dev]

I had Amber 3 and also Terminator in the past. I did not own them at the same time but they are very different sounding DAC. The Lampi is more live sounding, larger soundstage, more details and air. The Terminator is more dense, more depth and layering. Both are excellent at what they offer at the price point. It’s a matter of taste. Their is no question that Amber 4 will definitely take things further. The JL sound USB board is A4 is also a lot better than the Amanero they used in the past. However, I did not find any usefulness of hqp upsampling with any Lampi DAC.

[elan120]

3 minutes ago, Dev said:

I did not find any usefulness of hqp upsampling with any Lampi DAC.

This is one of the reasons I elevated my interest in trying the Lampizator DAC.  I am still wish I can find a way to create more height space so I can expend the selections.

[mikicasellas]

I have the Terminator-II which for me is a very clear step up to the original Terminator, but Im infatuated with the Baltic 3, did not know there was an Amber 4.

 

 

[elan120]

23 minutes ago, mikicasellas said:

I have the Terminator-II which for me is a very clear step up to the original Terminator, but Im infatuated with the Baltic 3, did not know there was an Amber 4.

 

 

Any chance you could comment on the differences between your T-II and Baltic 3.