LampizatOr Golden Atlantic + TRP

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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Thanks. I don't have the TRP grounded directly, but the power to the dac is run through a PS Audio Regenerator, if that makes a difference. The power cord from the Furutech wall outlet to the Regenerator is supposedly grounded.
 

findog

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Apr 29, 2019
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My TRP is dead quiet too at 0.
 

jslateiv

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Apr 9, 2020
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Hello all,

New A2/TRP owner here. Maybe 80hrs on it so far. Sounding very good. Replaced a PSA DS. Currently using the USB as input. Is there any consensus on there being any SQ difference between streaming DSD native vs DoP. Right now with the current Firmware driver in the TRP I can only stream DSD via DoP from my Auralic Aries mini unless I reflash the Firmware in the TRP. Didn't want to go to the trouble if the difference is negligible. Thanks for the help!
 

Golum

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Jun 7, 2018
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Hello all,

Is there any consensus on there being any SQ difference between streaming DSD native vs DoP.
Hi;

Congrats on your TRP and I'm sure it will bring you many hours of enjoyment.
Question wise as I had also Aries as streamer with Lampi there is no diff DSD native or DoP - just different way of packing the files which go into DAC - I did not come with this alone - but was told by computer audio geek...

Cheers and enjoy;
G
 
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jslateiv

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Apr 9, 2020
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Hi;

Congrats on your TRP and I'm sure it will bring you many hours of enjoyment.
Question wise as I had also Aries as streamer with Lampi there is no diff DSD native or DoP - just different way of packing the files which go into DAC - I did not come with this alone - but was told by computer audio geek...

Cheers and enjoy;
G
Thank you. I appreciate the response!
 
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highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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Do any of you who replied to my post about hash at full volume happen to know the output impedance of the component after the dac? Lampi NA asked about mine and in responding it would be helpful to compare wth others that aren’t getting the hash. You can reply privately if you wish. Thanks.

Reason for hash apparently answered: see below (854).
 
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jslateiv

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In your case that would be your Pre, correct? Supratek pre's have an output impedance ~600ohm. Def. less than 1k.,.. They have a ~50K input impedance if I remember correctly.. It;s either 50K or 100K..

I have found that my Cortese (that just arrived), start to clip if my TRP is in High gain and the volume control reaches ~11 oclock. If I move the TRP switch to 'Low gain' I can get the Cortese volume up to about 12-1 oclock before the clipping. I'm talking with Mick about this and investigating the max input V to first tube stage.

If using the USB input on the TRP, (nothing playing), I can crank the Cortese volume all way up and is very quiet. If I use the Toslink input, I get major hiss at about 11 oclock volume on the Cortese,.. There is def. something very noisey about the Tos/Spdif input/.output from the DAC.
 

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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Whether I run straight to my active speakers or through the preamp, the full dac volume hash has been the same. I am using the TRP’s spdif input from the Oppo 203.
 

jslateiv

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Engage the USB input even if you don't have USB plugged in. Noise the same? On mine it is not. USB very quite, toslink / spdif lots of hash
 

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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If there’s nothing using USB, how could there be sound?
 

jslateiv

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Apr 9, 2020
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The input and output of the dac are seperate. This will tell you if the noise resides in the output stage or input stage. If the dac is quiet at full gain with the usb engaged, then the hash is coming from the Spdif input side, not usb input or tube output
 

waltersalas

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Oct 16, 2019
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Thanks to all contributors for a truly excellent discussion. I ordered my TRP today, upgrading from the Amber 3. Lots of good stuff here regarding tube rolling, but I don't think I have seen any mention of the Shuguang WE 6CA7. Has anyone tried this tube in the TRP? I've got a quad of WE KT88s in my Don Sachs Kootenay amplifier and absolutely love them. I've also heard great things about the WE 6SN7.

In any case, if anyone has any experience or thoughts on this tube, I'd love to hear about it.

Really looking forward to hearing this unit, which will be my fourth Lampi DAC (Big Six, Atlantic, Amber 3, and now this one).Thanks again for the tremendous discussion, a genuine wealth of information.
 

jslateiv

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Apr 9, 2020
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Just to follow up on my previous post, I emailed Lukasz and he responded that with the USB input there is automatic muting (I assume he means when usb is engaged but no music is playing?). He said that with the Toslink/SPDIF input there is no muting circuit so when engaged the Converter/output is always conducting regardless of music playing or not. The hiss is from the tubes. Generally this is way below the music. I think what Gene (HighStream) and I are hearing is due to the very high gain of the Supratek pre's. My previous pre, a PS Audio BHK was a much lower gain preamp and thus would not raise the hiss of the DAC output. Even with the high gain (at least in my case), the noise/hiss is still well below the music bed, it's just easy to turn the volume (pre) knob up with no music and easily hear the hiss quickly... Hope this helps..
 

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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Strange Lukasz didn't respond to me. In any case, the hash occurs with or without a preamp, though yes, with USB it is silent at 0 dB. What I find with spdif is that the hash goes up with the Supratek preamp's volume, so by 12 o'clock on volume and gain, which is loud if music is playing, it's very audible. And it keeps going up from there. Yes, the Supratek's gain is significant, but strangely less here than the much lower gain PrimaLuna. Well, thanks for your research Johnny. It sounds like we've solved it.
 
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jslateiv

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Apr 9, 2020
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Mine is the same, Hiss follows the volume control of the Supra.. the Supra is amplifying the hiss from the DAC output, that's why. If you switch the Supra to a unused input and crank the volume, all should be quiet unless you have alot of RF interference in your room, in which case the the 'un-shorted' /open input could pick it up like an antenna, short the input and will def. be dead quiet. This is another way to know it's coming from DAC and not Pre (you already knew that though),...

The gain of the Supra is uncanny. I've really had to re-think everything abit because of being so used to the BHK Pre that didn't have near the gain and was thus, initally seemed more quiet. Luckily my amp has gain control on the front end so I can dial it back and it helps keep the entire chain quiet and I can get a little more usable volume control from the pre. I will say that the Supra is a damn fine sounding pre. Easily ALOT more musical with 3D like imaging than the BHK was and the built in LCR phono takes the cake. Crazy good phono section!
 

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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I just edited my post to note that the hash is there preamp or not, which is consistent with what Lukasz wrote you about spdif/toslink outputs. We've solved this, so let's move further discussion to emails/messaging.
 
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highstream

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Hi David,
excellent decision, I went directly to TRP after having the chance to listen to an A1 in some versions.

For the tubes I started with a standard 5C3S/EL34 combo, upgraded first with a Gold Lion KT77. The recti was exchanged with a RK 5UG4, and luckily I found a pair of NOS GEC KT66, following the recommendations in this forum. From my personal listening experience, the Psvane ACME 274B even more underlines the musicality, aery and deep stage image of the GEC. I gave as well the Psvane 6CA7 TII a try: the sound stage seems to widen in 2D, while I appreciate the GEC 3D Image, as well the flow of the music. The 6CA7, so far with only few days of burn-in time, comes along with more punch, a little more edgy. My personal ranking so far: GEC KT66, Psvane 6CA7 before Gold Lion KT77.

Cheers Andreas

Three weeks farther along, how does your appraisal stand?
 
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fbs

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Apr 22, 2019
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Three weeks farther along, how does your appraisal stand?

Sorry, no progress in tube comparisons, I swapped back to Psvane 274b/GEC KT66, and focus on some listening room tweakings (audiophile circuit breaker, separate power line and racks for my SET amps ;):p).

Will take some time.
 

highstream

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Nov 16, 2013
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Good combo, nonetheless. As far as tweaks go, if isolation is in question I just got some AV Roomservice EVP's, both for under components and under speakers, the latter having a stunning improvement in clarity compared to the popular Gaia III's I'd been using. Real deal and for a better price (plus current discounts). I wrote it up on the Best Dac's comparison test result thread (pg 8). Right now it's just a matter of finding the right rectifier tube tonally for the Supra preamp PSU (and/or TRP if necessary) to counter the weakness the EVP's exposed (and Gaia's hid). Burning in 596 now and have Mullard GZ34 and GDC U52 on the way.
 
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