Lampizator questions

[ALRAINBOW]

Of course I intend to use it for dsd. And I ws told by my us distruster it will do dsd and PCM through the I2S input. I just want to see if there is any improvement with the input .

al

[seatrope]

Ahhh I see. So basically it's an experiment to see whether you like it better through I2S versus USB. Will the Offramp transmit DSD through I2S?

[ALRAINBOW]

Yes the same way the lampi does does dsd over dop . The offramp,is very.low jitter so it cannot hurt.

Al

[wisnon]

Hi Al and Crashem,

 

The option for the I2S port is a dilemma for me. I was told that you (Al) and your US distributor figured out that DSD would work over the I2S - I am not sure if this is true from what you just wrote, sounds like you are not really planning to use DSD with the I2S input?

 

Crashem, I just found that thread about the Pinkfaun I2S, but it sounds like some people (PeterSt?) might be sceptical about the conversion into I2S in the noisy computer environment. I guess the Audiobyte Hydra-X+ might also be an option, that unit definitely supports DSD but I'm not sure if that unit or the Pink Faun is compatible with the Lampi.

 

Lots of questions! not sure if it's worth it to experiment with the I2S port as I have 3 devices that I need to connect.

 

Lampi DSD is ONLY via Amanero USB board.

[wisnon]

Of course I intend to use it for dsd. And I ws told by my us distruster it will do dsd and PCM through the I2S input. I just want to see if there is any improvement with the input .

al

I think you have wrong info here. DSD is only via DoP.

[lightminer]

Hey everyone. Big news in the Lampizator world. For those *not* considering a L7 order , there is a new version: The Amber.

 

NEW ! Amber Lampi DAC DSD with tube PSU and tube output

 

This is more of a 'mass produced' version, though still 100% derived from Lukasz.

 

I believe it has more PCB than point to point as one of the 'mass produced' decisions. Supposed to sound as good, maybe better, maybe not quite as good as L3. (I'm being vague on purpose, I've heard different answers in different places.) But that quality for a drastically reduced price, starting at around 1200 EU.

[k6davis]

I think you have wrong info here. DSD is only via DoP.

 

To be precise, the Lampi will accept DSD via ASIO or DoP, but either way, it receives DSD via USB only, so I think that rules out using the Offramp to send DSD to the Lampi.

 

JRiver allows you to real-time-convert all audio to DSD 128 either natively or with DoP and either method works perfectly with the Lampi DSD.

 

I'm listening to mine with the native DSD over ASIO option, but I didn't hear a difference in the (excellent) sound when I tried DoP just now.

[ALRAINBOW]

Please clarify something for me. Dop is dsd rapped in a dsd format . Now native dsd is raw .

are you saying without using j river to convert to dop and it works. Then this goes against what I have seen or read . Can you look at the audio path and see if there is no conversion to dop playing it native as there are two places to make this happen with j river .

al

[wisnon]

Please clarify something for me. Dop is dsd rapped in a dsd format . Now native dsd is raw .

are you saying without using j river to convert to dop and it works. Then this goes against what I have seen or read . Can you look at the audio path and see if there is no conversion to dop playing it native as there are two places to make this happen with j river .

al

 

DoP is native DSD wrapped in a 24/176 PCM shell. There is no conversion at all, its always in DSD format.

 

What happens is that in a Mac environment, Dop is the only way the Lampi accepts DSD and its via USB only, as the Amanero board serves up the DSD.

[wstam]

Hi, I was searching but couldn't find a definitive answer. Will Aurender music server works with Lampi DAC in DSD playback? From the post above, DoP support is needed for playing DSD on Lampi DAC (which ever model that does DSD). Does Aurender supports it?

 

Thanks.

[seatrope]

Al, this is something I asked Lukasz directly about. As was suggested above, there are two ways to send DSD to the DAC. The most common is as you know DoP where the DSD data is in a PCM "wrapper" but otherwise unchanged - this can be used with WASAPI, KS and other forms of output which were designed for PCM only, to fool them.

 

There is also DIRECT bitstreaming of raw DSD bits, which to my knowledge is only through a supported ASIO driver. Lukasz told me that we can do this with the Lampi - it is the Amanero board so we can get the driver from the Amanero website. It is also the only way to playback DSD256 and above, as DSD256 will not fit into a PCM wrapper for DoP i believe.

 

The Mytek DAC which I have also supports either DSD through DoP, or direct DSD bitstream through the ASIO driver.

 

Yeang

[lightminer]

Oh, and something else to try and make some of these things crystal clear, though many of you probably already understood this. The transport is not for use with the Lampizator DAC itself, that is if you want a transport for an existing other DAC. The USB implementation is considered already top-notch inside the regular DACs.

[sgr]

I've been using the USB Transport with my Level 5 DSD dac. I've gone back and forth between the USB input on the DAC and the USB transport. Every time I switch I end up liking the USB transport the best for PCM. I also use jRiver and jPlay. Both jRiver and jPlay sense when the driver needs chAnging from Amanero for DSD and the EXD driver needed for the USB transport. The USb transport just sounds more analog and right to me. I think it will also make building a SOTA computer not quite as necessary as the output of the USB transport with its special power supplies can take the place of purchasing expensive USB cards and and linear power supplies.

Steven

[ALRAINBOW]

What USB transport are you using ?

Al

[sgr]

I've been using the USB Transport with my Level 5 DSD dac. I've gone back and forth between the USB input on the DAC and the USB transport. Every time I switch I end up liking the USB transport the best for PCM. I also use jRiver and jPlay. Both jRiver and jPlay sense when the driver needs chAnging from Amanero for DSD and the EXD driver needed for the USB transport. The USb transport just sounds more analog and right to me. I think it will also make building a SOTA computer not quite as necessary as the output of the USB transport with its special power supplies can take the place of purchasing expensive USB cards and and linear power supplies.

Steven

 

I'm using the Lampizator USB transport.

[obee]

I'm using the Lampizator USB transport.

Your transport has tube buffered for SPDIF output, it is in fact a DDC with tube buffered. I tried and compared with the USB of my Lv7, which just like what you said. The transport sounds more analog feel without loss in detail when playing PCM 44.1, so I prefer using the transport for PCM 44.1.

[hifitubes]

You obviously do not understand measurements. If you did, you would know the difference between the measurements that were posted vs. what I'm asking for. Once again, send me the unit and I'll take care of them since it's never going to be done on a dScope or AP.

 

JTW - are you still going to use JRiver/JRemote with your Aries? Maybe push with DLNA, or are you going to use Auralic Player.

 

Also, any idea what was up with the Miller's Audio Research report on the Vega? They noted some anomalies and so did Atkinson in Stereophile. Never gave it much thought but curious.

 

WINSON - Can the Lampi DSD safely use E80CC for output stage in lieu of 12AU7? Higher current.

[wisnon]

Jon, the Lampi is essentially custom built, so you can specify the type of tube you want within reason.

I am pretty sure I have seen Lampis with E80CC in the past and I think they were common. You just need to use the right pinout and electrical construction.

Hell, the L7 uses DHTs!!! Allnic is now coming out with one too, 6 months after the lampizator.

[bmoura]

Heard the Lampi L7 at The Show in Newport Beach last weekend. Impressive - especially with DSD files.

[garyfrancis100]

Sorry Geardaddy, I've been away for a while.

 

You asked for my impressions? I love it.

 

Its sound is beautiful, musical and fundamentally different from anything else I've heard. It was a bit of a strecth for me financially and I would have returned it if I didn't feel that it was worth every penny - and then some. I've heard some other well regarded DACs but none of them were competitive, IMO.

 

The simplest compliment I can give it is that it lives up to the bold claims the company makes for it on its website.

 

Hi what method are you using to upsample pcm to DSD this is something i never thought of.

Thanks k6

Gary

[wisnon]

Hi what method are you using to upsample pcm to DSD this is something i never thought of.

Thanks k6

Gary

 

Pretty sure he is using JRiver.

[bmoura]

Pretty sure he is using JRiver.

 

Which DSD Only Lampizator does K6 own? The Level 4 DSD only or the Level 5 DSD Only? Same as the one Bruce Brown raved about?

[wisnon]

Which DSD Only Lampizator does K6 own? The Level 4 DSD only or the Level 5 DSD Only? Same as the one Bruce Brown raved about?

 

There is only one DSD-only Dac and its a single box like the L4. The L4 and above can also have an optional dsd module installed.

K6Davis only wanted DSD and not PCM, so he got the DSD only unit, same as what BB reviewed.

[matthias]

I wonder why the Lampizator DSD with his LPF technique does not allow to playback DSD256.

 

2014 is the year of DSD256, hopefully the next year we will have DSD512 playback...

 

Matt

[k6davis]

There is only one DSD-only Dac and its a single box like the L4. The L4 and above can also have an optional dsd module installed.

K6Davis only wanted DSD and not PCM, so he got the DSD only unit, same as what BB reviewed.

 

Yes, that's correct.

 

I was impressed by all I'd read about Lukasz's unique approach to DSD and the stellar results. Then when JRiver announced the ability to upconvert everything to DSD128 in real time, it seemed like a match made in heaven. Plus I was able to save on the Lampi purchase by leaving out the PCM - which I didn't want. To that, I added in audioPhil's Audiophile Optimizer for Windows Server 2012.

 

I can't believe how good it sounds.

 

I wonder why the Lampizator DSD with his LPF technique does not allow to playback DSD256.

 

2014 is the year of DSD256, hopefully the next year we will have DSD512 playback...

 

Matt

 

I'd be interested in how much is gained beyond DSD128, particularly when upsampling lower resolution content vs (the tiny amount of) native DSD256 or DSD512.

 

I'm not at all saying there wouldn't be an improvement, or that I wouldn't have Lampi upgrade my unit (in a heartbeat) when the time comes. I'm just curious about how the law of diminishing returns would apply.