Clash of the titans - Seeking experience from you guys

[bonzo75]

I truly believe any LampizatOR DAC will bring enjoyment to the mix … all LampizatOR DACs seem to get the emotion variable right … just the Horizon brings it all to life .

he will prefer both over the others or he will prefer neither. The mistake in his shortlist is to think only the top models of each are required to face off against each other. GG3 should be sufficient to see off most if not all. I have no experience with the Ypsilon Dac

 

[Gregm]

Hello folks

So I´m building a serious 2-channel system for a private client

The soundideal for the client is a "Musicality, midrange magic, a big wide and deep soundstage with some 3 dimensionality. Warmth over cold and a welcoming sound that doesn’t hurt his ears with a bright thin sound"

OK, so enhanced clarity without harshness and extended FR on both ends, especially in the bass (to avoid thin sound).
That sounds like my Ideon Absolute Epsilon (not saying there aren't others)

We are leaning towards a Taiko Extreme server as the source, with FLAC/WAV/DSD64-512 and SACD-files.

I auditioned the Epsilon using the Taiko server as well as Ideon's own.
The sound was spectacular with both server / streamers.

 

[charles1dad]

@Kingrex wrote,

“What I have found is preamps, speakers, amps and sources all have a profound influence. No one is bigger than the other. In some sence, its important to have a balance between them all.”

Agreed. I believe an attempt to declare one audio component more vital or important than another is faulty. Any one subpar component in an audio system will cause undeniable sound quality deterioration.

I don’t know how one can develop a hierarchy of audio component impact effects. They all rely on each other in the signal chain. It is truly a system that they comprise.
Charles

 

[Yuen A.]

@Kingrex wrote,

“What I have found is preamps, speakers, amps and sources all have a profound influence. No one is bigger than the other. In some sence, its important to have a balance between them all.”

Agreed. I believe an attempt to declare one audio component more vital or important than another is faulty. Any one subpar component in an audio system will cause undeniable sound quality deterioration.

I don’t know how one can develop a hierarchy of audio component impact effects. They all rely on each other in the signal chain. It is truly a system that they comprise.
Charles

Hi, I also fully agree with these observations. There are so many variables to consider, including synergies, cables, power conditioners, music sources (Redbook, high resolution, PCM, DSD, etc), and resonance control components.

 

[b345t]

Not so sure I agree that everything holds equal weight when you are playing with a specific budget to get the most bang for buck in a system. Lets say the main components in a system are: Speakers, Source, Preamplifier, Amplifiers, Cables and power distribution. If you have $50k budget to make a system, it doesn't make so much sense to me to have exactly 1/5th of the budget so 10k worth of cables for example, while you are using a 10k speaker. I do agree though that after a specific reference 'level' of speaker is reached, where it interacts very well in your room and suits the sound you are looking for; it is important to bring the rest of the system to a high level before you change the speaker.

 

[Kingrex]

Not so sure I agree that everything holds equal weight when you are playing with a specific budget to get the most bang for buck in a system. Lets say the main components in a system are: Speakers, Source, Preamplifier, Amplifiers, Cables and power distribution. If you have $50k budget to make a system, it doesn't make so much sense to me to have exactly 1/5th of the budget so 10k worth of cables for example, while you are using a 10k speaker. I do agree though that after a specific reference 'level' of speaker is reached, where it interacts very well in your room and suits the sound you are looking for; it is important to bring the rest of the system to a high level before you change the speaker.

Value does not have to be measured with $$$$$. I think my point is, it all matters and a deficiency in any one place impacts the system globally. A glaring deficiency in one place can drag the entire system down.

In the same sense, overkill in any one piece probably won't result in full appreciation of what that component can do. The whole will lift, but not as far as the piece could still go.

 

[charles1dad]

Value does not have to be measured with $$$$$. I think my point is, it all matters and a deficiency in any one place impacts the system globally. A glaring deficiency in one place can drag the entire system down.

In the same sense, oerkill in any one piece probably won't result in full appreciation of what that component can do. The whole will lift, but not as far as the piece could still go.

Absolutely my point as well. I wasn’t referring to equally divided expenditures. I am speaking in terms of obtaining a balance of sonic performance/quality throughout the audio system signal chain.

This doesn’t require that each component cost the same.
Charles

 

[Kingrex]

At some point a speaker head is going to get rattled and say a speaker is the voice and its the most critical component. I know the pot is simmering!!!!

 

[Zappadaddy]

At some point a speaker head is going to get rattled and say a speaker is the voice and its the most critical component. I know the pot is simmering!!!!

I see none of you could compare this side by side. I wonder i have Tambaqui, and I really like it. But I just bought Horning Agalme and start to think maybe I like to try Lampi Pacific, do you guys think I can gain or I will be sorry? Tambaqui goung straght to amps with ts analog vol reg is the best sounding by far, no preamp could match this quality of sound Pink faun/Tabaqui/SE-833

 

[fast.freight]

Tambaqui goung straght to amps with ts analog vol reg is the best sounding by far, no preamp could match this quality of sound Pink faun/Tabaqui/SE-833

Hello Kingrex, In my system, my Tambaqui sounds much better through my preamp. I believe the Tambaqui has digital volume control and benefits from full or very near full volume output. I use the 6v output and -2db on output (not volume) control.

 

[fast.freight]

oops...meant HELLO ZAPPADADDY

 

[Zappadaddy]

Hello Kingrex, In my system, my Tambaqui sounds much better through my preamp. I believe the Tambaqui has digital volume control and benefits from full or very near full volume output. I use the 6v output and -2db on output (not volume) control.

If you meant Makua as a preamp then I would believe it. ut I was talking about going direct to my amps without line mode!!!! I can do that because I have volume regulation on my amps, this way I can tell how the source is playing without middle piece - preamp, then you can also evaluate cables much more precisely this way.

 

[fast.freight]

If you meant Makua as a preamp then I would believe it. ut I was talking about going direct to my amps without line mode!!!! I can do that because I have volume regulation on my amps, this way I can tell how the source is playing without middle piece - preamp, then you can also evaluate cables much more precisely this way.

Interesting in that you can control volume from your amps.
I do have both Makua w onboard Tambaqui and stand alone Tambaqui w my Stern pre and reference system.
I have tried the Makua in place of the tambaqui / Stern combo. It sounds amazing as well, maybe a bit warmer for the Makua, Obviously as you state cables are in play here with the stand alone Tambaqui and Stern, an extra Realization PC and a pair of Realization IC's.
But, I stand by either sounding better than Tambaqui straight into amps without pre, in my systems. Thanks for info!

 

[harsheel_dbs]

THE SPEAKER IS THE VOICE OF THE SYSTEM AND IS THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENT BECAUSE IT'S INTERACTION WITH THE ROOM!!!

...I couldn't help myself

 

[Kingrex]

THE SPEAKER IS THE VOICE OF THE SYSTEM AND IS THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENT BECAUSE IT'S INTERACTION WITH THE ROOM!!!

...I couldn't help myself

The room is the most critical component as it interacts with the speaker!!!
My wife says, my funny guy jokes arn't that funny.

 

[Kingrex]

I can do that because I have volume regulation on my amps, this way I can tell how the source is playing without middle piece - preamp, then you can also evaluate cables much more precisely this way.

I have volume regulation on my Audion amp and know people with Decware that have it. I have not had much luck eliminating a preamp and using the amp volume pot. What about you.

 

[Zappadaddy]

I have volume regulation on my Audion amp and know people with Decware that have it. I have not had much luck eliminating a preamp and using the amp volume pot. What about you.

Now it is the bestvsolution for me. With Pacific next week will be smarter

 

[itay123]

From all the above
Lampizator it's the right choice.

 

[Zappadaddy]

From all the above
Lampizator it's the right choice.

indeed it was. Now I control volume with Pacific which gives me the highest resolution and still being very musical. I wonder what preamp would be better in all areas of Pacific. Thinking of Allnic L10000 perhaps?