Lampi pacific in the House

[planarman]

My Pacific Voyage

by Al Dattolo

Intro:

As many of you may know from my posts, I have been a Lampizator fan for several years and own a couple of their DACs. I have been enthusiastic about this small company and it unique offerings for some time and the announcement of the Pacific piqued my interest deeply.

About 3 weeks ago I got an offer I couldn’t refuse when my friend, Fred A., who happens to be the North American Distributor of LampizatOr, offered to loan me his personal Pacific while his home was being renovated. I quickly accepted the offer and setup a day to meet up and collect it.

The Pacific came in a large heavily reinforced transport case, similar to the kind used for roadies in shows. Inside it was heavily padded. Shiny? Yes. Bling? Yes-- but not over the top. It's gold finish is elegant without being over the top gaudy. The Riccardo Kron tubes in their custom
boxes are another “perfect 10" in my book as well. For me these choices seem right for a flagship product.

Upon getting the unit placed it in my rack I let it warm up for two hours with the Riccardo Kron edition 300b and 5u4G tubes it came with.

Background:

Before diving straight into my review, I want to say a little about myself. I have spent the better part of my life pursuing high end audio. As a teenager I built my first stereo from parts bought from a local audio store called “Lafayette Electronics”.
Does that name sound familiar? It should--they were "da bomb" many, many years ago. I remember fondly those days as I had speakers, headphones even a customized car stereo.

In those days there were three ways to play audio: vinyl and tape and of course a radio. In my view it's well merited that to this day both vinyl and tape remain the pinnacle of high end audio reproduction .

My present system is made up of collection of both new and old components. Some say the equipment of the past was better than the present in many aspects and that more often than not newer is not better, and I believe there is merit to this thinking... When solid state came out I was there
and when the shiny discs came out I was there too. Back then I had all (built by me) David Hafler stuff. Amps , preamp , equalizer too.

What I noticed back then was a heightened level of detail relative to what I’d experienced before. Sonically speaking, I’ve always been somewhat of a detail junkie and, as my equipment improved over time, complexities and trade off associated with the chase became apparent.

As a final introductory note: Honesty isn’t always welcome in forum posts, and I do, on occasion, catch hell for it. I never post about things I have not tried or do not understand, unless I am attempting to learn something for myself.

My current configuration is as follows:

Speakers - Infinity IRS V completely revamped by me.
New magnets , wires , new cross over (now external) designed and voiced by Arnie Nudel himself (what could be better?) Also, a new balanced active cross over also by Arnie and along with a new PSU . All work was done by ps audio. I also commissioned a analog phase shifter/adjuster for the woofer towers .

Amplification is a heavily modified Aragon 4004 Mkii with custom power supply scheme.

Preamplifier duties are handled though the analog inputs by my MSB Platinum+ 4

DACS : MSB Platinum plus 4 new USB input, LampizatOr Big 7 (2017 vintage), a custom

LampizatOr Golden Gate Headdac with super clocks , R2R Pcm384/DSD256 , chipless DSD512. It was made to be neutral for headphones and has a driver tube with a bypass switch . It's SE with many tube rolling options .

Source - My server is a self built dual PC setup. My player PC hosts Roon while the computer interfacing with the DAC hosts HQ Player. Both computers use Windows SERVER 2016, Audiophile Optimizer, a full size Gamer Motherboard with 4 feed digital controlled cpu voltage reg with a 3.5ghz Xeon cpu . This is for both player PC and dac PC. A custom NAS (actually a storage area network -SAN) with a full size main board 6 core cpu . 4 spinning drives holding about 20TB of music. 4 external LPS power supplies are used for all and many voltage bus feeds for all drives and on board devices. Enterprise grade LAN cards and LPS. Network switch on its own separate network.

Review:

I believe the servers I use allow me to extract the very best a DAC is capable of, although this can be a double edged sword at times. It leaves nowhere to hide for the limit of the dac's capability: noise floor, imaging, micro and macro details. and finally dynamics. Upon listening to the Pacific for the first time in my system, it showed me much more details than I normally have in my system and seems not to have a sound of its own. What this means is each track has its own sound. A good friend explained that is what Ultra Hi-End audio reproduction should be. This dac has this in spades! As a result of this, my personal reference tracks were like brand new to me, despite hearing them hundreds of times. The resolution I am describing is more complex than just more sounds. The sound I have been experiencing gives me whole new layers in playback. I can hear the vocals slightly change in sound level even the piano keys intensity is there. To say the Pacific was better than my own reference HeadDac is an oversimplification, to really describe it I needed many hours to get into words what's better.

From the Moment I turned the Pacific on it was clear this was levels above what I had ever had in my system. In fact, even the very best, cost-no-object, DACs in world class systems, don't have the Pacific’s level of refinement. Let's define refinement on my terms, it means cleaner sounds, more bloom around the notes or vocals, yet not pointed nor thin. Notes or vocal decay is what attaches me to the music and as you get hyper details, it's usually thinner by nature. The gift of refinement is to have both details presented along with the note decay and sustain that makes allows a piece to retain it’s weight . The sound this dac gives is the most detailed I have experienced, yet it truly retains the decay! Not even some very expensive dacs I have heard give this level of refinement. Noise floor: this is of the most important in any ultra high end system. Silence is what we want.

My system is fed from a 10kw balanced isolation transformer. It is completely isolated in the ground plain of my home or power grid . This gives my setup a base noise floor much lower than the use of typical room power. Most don't use or understand the vast inportance of this power distribution system . It's how I am able to hear the musical fine details that I speak of. While the Pacific will take most any setup to the next level of sound, in my own system I hear just how limitless this DAC’s noise floor is. To hear the vocalist breathe and form their next word makes me feel I am at the mic feed level. No dac I have had or heard gives this kind of "you are there" feel. To hear the slightest change in inflection of a piano while singing is what ultra hi end is about layers that seem so separate yet from the same song is almost unnerving to me. I have told others that any horn or string Instrument has a rise and fall of each note. On a saxophone or horn I call it a “croak”. It is the start of a note as blown onto the reed. Smearing of this is typical in lesser dacs as they can't seem to get or hold this kind of detail. Part of this may be related to their reproduction of decay–lesser DACs, even backed by the best of servers, do not and cannot present this no matter what I do.

I don't build servers commercially, rather it is a labor of love for me and I have restlessly sought to extract additional levels of refinement in them. In doing so I know what makes a dac sound great, but the dac can only play at its own inherent limit. The Pacific dac gives me the most detailed note decay, yet still as fast I have ever had in my system. What is needed in any ultra high end system is just a handful of parameters: clarity, fast dynamics, micro and macro details (note decay resides in these two) and low noise floor . Seems like a small order, no? Notice a house sound is not included in the list! No dac should have house sound but most do and in the past even Lampizator was guilty of this as well. The Pacific, however, distinguishes itself in that it does not. Though difficult to describe, it is simple to appreciate once you it in a system that can give you this.

To be continued with next installment very soon

 

[planarman]

We had the opportunity to audition the Lampizator Pacific the other day at Sound Insight. They were used with the GT Audioworks speakers and matching open baffle servo subs.We were using the Pass Labs 160.8 amplifiers and a custom preamplifier by CM audio Which has eight black treasures 6SN7’s and vacuum tube rectification with 5852 Bendix tubes circa 1958. This particular preamp has bested anything we have tried against it. I should point out that it is using no resistors in the volume control and is using Tortuga LDR’s.
I know Al was in our room at Capital Audiofest and heard this system with the Esoteric K01XS - The Pacific definitely gave the system a more three dimensional meat on the bones presentation which was less upfront sounding than the Esoteric. I should mention that we are running an balanced system here and the unit was single ended so we had to use XLR to RCA adapter’s- so we are hopeful that the balanced unit will sound better as it will also contain the KR 300 B tubes which this unit did not have.
Really need to experience what this unit can do on this reference speaker system that does not contain any crossover On its main 6 ft driver. The GT’s contain a unique planar magnetic membrane that is almost like a Kevlar vest Which equates to having the ability to play loudly and not create resonances like most other planar magnetic and electrostatic designs. Click for video

 

[Alrainbow]

We had the opportunity to audition the Lampizator Pacific the other day at Sound Insight. They were used with the GT Audioworks speakers and matching open baffle servo subs.We were using the Pass Labs 160.8 amplifiers and a custom preamplifier by CM audio Which has eight black treasures 6SN7’s and vacuum tube rectification with 5852 Bendix tubes circa 1958. This particular preamp has bested anything we have tried against it. I should point out that it is using no resistors in the volume control and is using Tortuga LDR’s.
I know Al was in our room at Capital Audiofest and heard this system with the Esoteric K01XS - The Pacific definitely gave the system a more three dimensional meat on the bones presentation which was less upfront sounding than the Esoteric. I should mention that we are running an balanced system here and the unit was single ended so we had to use XLR to RCA adapter’s- so we are hopeful that the balanced unit will sound better as it will also contain the KR 300 B tubes which this unit did not have.
Really need to experience what this unit can do on this reference speaker system that does not contain any crossover On its main 6 ft driver. The GT’s contain a unique planar magnetic membrane that is almost like a Kevlar vest Which equates to having the ability to play loudly and not create resonances like most other planar magnetic and electrostatic designs. Click for video

I felt your room was best of the big rooms . You guys were kind enough to play my records there. One of the ways to judge a great system is play what you know. I did and it was amazing. While I could hear analog and digital both were very musical to me. Owning a couple of LAMPI dacs I have some idea of what it can bring to a given system. I’m very glad you guys have heard one. I always like the sound of esoteric digital over all. And I think there transport is top shelf as well. you guys well deserve all positive comments. I would love to visit your showroom when the LAMPI is setup there. I can bring a stash of tubes to try there as well. Best of luck I truly enjoyed your company as well as your rooms great sound.

 

[planarman]

Thanks Al We truly appreciateYou visiting our room and spending time with us. It is a revelation to have had those XS 150 amps but you have to understand that it is going to give the general public and a lot of audiophiles the impression that the speakers Sound this good due to the $65,000 XS amps. The speaker of this caliber is obviously going to benefit from the best amplification you can feed it. This is attributable to the fact that it is like an open canvas upon which to paint. This is because of the fact that it just lets whatever is in the chain do it’s magic. Since there is nothing between the amplifier and the high-performance driver – meaning a crossover that robs transparency. We are trying to achieve a middle ground of some sort a compromise to bridge the gap between the current amps we have now the Pass Labs XA 60.8’s only 13k and the XS150s at 65k.Therefore to bridge this gap we currently have the pass XA 160.8’s , 27k hooked up to the CM audio vacuum tube preamp. We are getting excellent results with this combination. With the Lampizator we heard it put it over the top. We will definitely let you know when we have a Lampizator hooked up so you can have an opportunity to listen once again.

 

[Alrainbow]

Thanks Al We truly appreciateYou visiting our room and spending time with us. It is a revelation to have had those XS 150 amps but you have to understand that it is going to give the general public and a lot of audiophiles the impression that the speakers Sound this good due to the $65,000 XS amps. The speaker of this caliber is obviously going to benefit from the best amplification you can feed it. This is attributable to the fact that it is like an open canvas upon which to paint. This is because of the fact that it just lets whatever is in the chain do it’s magic. Since there is nothing between the amplifier and the high-performance driver – meaning a crossover that robs transparency. We are trying to achieve a middle ground of some sort a compromise to bridge the gap between the current amps we have now the Pass Labs XA 60.8’s only 13k and the XS150s at 65k.Therefore to bridge this gap we currently have the pass XA 160.8’s , 27k hooked up to the CM audio vacuum tube preamp. We are getting excellent results with this combination. With the Lampizator we heard it put it over the top. We will definitely let you know when we have a Lampizator hooked up so you can have an opportunity to listen once again.

Good can’t wait to visit you guys. Do you guys go to the FLORIDA show in feb ?

 

[planarman]

No time for Florida-we are to busy trying to get caught up building speakers for our new customers and are coming out with a newly designed model in High Gloss Ebony Macassar with stainless accents.

 

[wisnon]

We had the opportunity to audition the Lampizator Pacific the other day at Sound Insight. They were used with the GT Audioworks speakers and matching open baffle servo subs.We were using the Pass Labs 160.8 amplifiers and a custom preamplifier by CM audio Which has eight black treasures 6SN7’s and vacuum tube rectification with 5852 Bendix tubes circa 1958. This particular preamp has bested anything we have tried against it. I should point out that it is using no resistors in the volume control and is using Tortuga LDR’s.
I know Al was in our room at Capital Audiofest and heard this system with the Esoteric K01XS - The Pacific definitely gave the system a more three dimensional meat on the bones presentation which was less upfront sounding than the Esoteric. I should mention that we are running an balanced system here and the unit was single ended so we had to use XLR to RCA adapter’s- so we are hopeful that the balanced unit will sound better as it will also contain the KR 300 B tubes which this unit did not have.
Really need to experience what this unit can do on this reference speaker system that does not contain any crossover On its main 6 ft driver. The GT’s contain a unique planar magnetic membrane that is almost like a Kevlar vest Which equates to having the ability to play loudly and not create resonances like most other planar magnetic and electrostatic designs. Click for video

i am a minority among my lampi buddies who like the rk300bs. However, I certainly like the KR Pax25 a good deal better and perhaps also the RK 242 as well.

your safest bet is to get Acme 274b rectifier and KR px25 for top performance and lowest price.

 

[Golum]

Well Elrog 300b sucked heavily in my Pac. In few other Pacific i heard it was also not among top contenders. Here i exclude Taka 300b which for some is a top notch choice..
Would be interesting to try out ACME 300b..

 

[Mike Lavigne]

looks like Lukauz will be visiting my room for a listening session this Saturday afternoon during a ski trip to Washington State, and i think he will be bringing a Lampi Pacific with him for me to use for a few weeks in my system. i don't really know the details of the configuration for this particular Pacific.

Emile will be loading the drivers onto my Extreme server; i will be using my Gobel Lachorde USB cable.

should be fun to have some Lampi love back in the system.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, what does "loading drivers" mean? I thought Extreme's simplicity/plug and play was just that. One can't always have the designer at one's home.

 

[bonzo75]

Nice. Please can you request him to get different valves including the 242. Also ask if he can adjust the gain of the Pac in room for the 242 to work with your Darts

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, what does "loading drivers" mean? I thought Extreme's simplicity/plug and play was just that. One can't always have the designer at one's home.

1---drivers are the software that the server needs to interface with particular dacs. every dac needs unique software to connect with a server. but it's nothing dark or nefarious.....a simple process. which i could do my self.....however...

2---with an Extreme you get Red Carpet service from Emile; who can easily get into your home network and load those drivers. not a big deal.

 

[wisnon]

Mike, what does "loading drivers" mean? I thought Extreme's simplicity/plug and play was just that. One can't always have the designer at one's home.

Drivers for Amanero. All done remotely over the internet.

 

[wisnon]

Nice. Please can you request him to get different valves including the 242. Also ask if he can adjust the gain of the Pac in room for the 242 to work with your Darts

yes...Hopefully he does all that. It will show the dac at its best.

 

[wisnon]

1---drivers are the software that the server needs to interface with particular dacs. every dac needs unique software to connect with a server. but it's nothing dark or nefarious.....a simple process. which i could do my self.....however...

2---with an Extreme you get Red Carpet service from Emile; who can easily get into your home network and load those drivers. not a big deal.

yep...the Memory Player and LDMS server does the same remotely. All the top boutique servers do...

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Nice. Please can you request him to get different valves including the 242. Also ask if he can adjust the gain of the Pac in room for the 242 to work with your Darts

Ked,

honestly i'm making no requests (gift horse in the mouth and all that) and i'm not even 100% sure it's a Pacific......but that is what i think it is. he has likely already started his travels and i'm just a stop along the way. i'm going to assume he would want to optimize the Pacific for my system which he has knowledge of.......so that is entirely up to him. i have a shelf spot which should work where i can move my power supply for my Saskia and the air box for the CS Port and it should be good.

for me; i consider Lukauz a very interesting person and look forward to being able to listen and hang with him. it will be fun. the Pacific is just an added bonus to try and see how it works in my system.

these visits are really a wonderful thing which as you know become very memorable and special. you are welcome to join us of course.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, you and Steve are so lucky. Emile and Lucasz get to visit you.

Me? I'm stuck w Ked threatening to drop in. We'll have to put a lock on the larder.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, you and Steve are so lucky. Emile and Lucasz get to visit you.

Me? I'm stuck w Ked threatening to drop in. We'll have to put a lock on the larder.

you live in a fairy tale place and have plenty of visitors.

 

[spiritofmusic]

12 of them right now for Christmas. I'm coping pretty well for someone who is at heart The Grinch.

 

[bonzo75]

12 of them right now for Christmas. .

Do you know for last supper they ordered a table for 26? The waitress said but you are only 13. They said yes but we want to sit on the same side.