I use the Taiko Extreme and do not use any Roon gain. All gain is controlled through my Lamm Preamp
Doctor's Orders-Part Two-The New Listening Room Of Steve Williams
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I use the Taiko Extreme and do not use any Roon gain. All gain is controlled through my Lamm Preamp
Ty for your reply STEVE. his server is an Amazing product that allows the max ability of a dac we use with it.
I couldn't agree more and it is for that very reason that I designed my system around the Taiko Extreme rather than around an uher expensive DAC. Tubes are my passion and it had always been my first thought that the DAC I would use would be the Lampi Pacific, so much so that one of my CMS shelves was sized all along for the Pacific DAC
Congrats Steve, welcome to Lampi Land , I use an ancient GG1 with 242s into my Koda pre and it works a treat. Now if I understand correctly you have the PAC with Vol control... not bypassed and then thru the Lamm , so passing the signal thru two volume controls , is that not detrimental ,even if it is helping you adjust the gain.
It’s not just about gain it’s about a correct tone. As I said in a phono pre to pre gain matters in correcting tone. If you took the time to observe and compare you would find the music flows closer to analog and still has plenty of dynamics like analog has.
So you recommend getting a Lampi with Vol control and feel it worthwhile even with what surely must be a loss in transparency of the signal , as it passes thru two Vol. controls.
i find -12 dB on the Lampi produces the most analogue sound
I was initially going to buy the Pacific without the gain control for reasons exactly what you state however talking to the experts here, all stated that the volume control on the DAC can be used for tonality.
I'm not losing dynamics as best I can tell after listening last night
Based on my replies to you, I hope you see that these are 2 separate issues. The preampsweetspot discussion would equally apply to 300B tubes too. if Roon volume set at 70% and preamp volume set at 60% for BOTH 242 and 300b in his setup, then to enjoy the same SQ Stve would likely have to adjust to -12db in one setup and -15db in the other, but always in a range to get that sound character. To sound more SS like he would put Pac volume up to -10 to 0 db and to sound tubey, he would dip blow say -18db.
However, the right way to do it is to first set the upstream components and then find preamp sweetspot, bearing in mind this is all a range. The ear will make the final decisions.
I am finding this to be my findings. My thoughts are above -10 db on the Lampi starts to sound very solid state
I have no idea what volume the Extreme is set at as I have never messe with it since Emile set it up. I'm a set it and forget it type guy
Ty Steve for your honest observation on this matter. I have in the past thought like jazz head I’ve been there. Many said any loss or anything in the volume path must be avoided
When I had my msb stack I paid thousands to have a volume control. But my msb stack was not a typical vol pot it was a passive gain path until it hit 0 then became a gain stage. Honesty I did not use it until a bud explained why it should be better in a gain stage then passive. He was very correct. In a LAMPI dac the gain path starts at the digital board and this is where the vol pot is. Then it as it goes to the golden set tubes it gains more and the rich sound of set tubes. This is why a lowering does not loose sound with just 15 dB or so yes to go lower does effect things. Anyway we all should try and observe it’s the best way. This is also true of my two otari tape decks. The vol pots sit in the middle of two gain stages like LAMPI.
When I had my msb stack I paid thousands to have a volume control. But my msb stack was not a typical vol pot it was a passive gain path until it hit 0 then became a gain stage. Honesty I did not use it until a bud explained why it should be better in a gain stage then passive. He was very correct. In a LAMPI dac the gain path starts at the digital board and this is where the vol pot is. Then it as it goes to the golden set tubes it gains more and the rich sound of set tubes. This is why a lowering does not loose sound with just 15 dB or so yes to go lower does effect things. Anyway we all should try and observe it’s the best way. This is also true of my two otari tape decks. The vol pots sit in the middle of two gain stages like LAMPI.
Micro, it is sad that you are so inexperienced a listener as to be misled by immediate perceptions of loudness or any other artefacts.
Play and observe and enjoy we look to hard at settings and less at enjoying it. I grew up on analog then went to digital I’m now just going back to analog as well. It has shown me new directions to move to. The vol pot was one and I’m very glad I did.
micro I see your point but given the set tubes on LAMPI are used below 10% I can’t see how this applies. Reg Kedar’s 242 love ?? I for one dod not agree with him until I heard a dac that plays them well. He said this to me many times but I held steady in my own. We get stuck on concept and don’t observe as we all should. anyway enjoy os Steve it’s a wonderful dac. One day if your ever in nyc feel free to stop by and take whom ever you wish as a guest or guests
I am happy that once we debate data and facts we can understand the situation and analyze it with numbers. The situation is multi-variable and must be addressed as so if we want to learn something new.
Assuming digital volume, it seems to me that the more reasonable option would be keeping Roon volume out of the path and dealing just with the Pacific volume - as far as I see it the Extreme is bit exact and does not adjust volume. Do you think so?
Did I understand correctly that the volume control of Steve's Pacific is purely digital and has no analogue switching or attenuation?
I
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Oh, yes, your are right, I forgot to write that cold feet and alcohol are also known to affect the perception of sound quality for most people. I will train also for them, many thanks ...
