Lampizator announcement: launch of our all new TOTL HORIZON DAC

[Lukasz "Lampizator" Fikus]

Which MELZ are you exactly talking about ? Here is pair I purchased

I have melz with holes and without, my preference goes to these without . I will bring both

 

[Lukasz "Lampizator" Fikus]

Cam we compare with a bendix 6900 in the pacific as well Steve? That's what I have in mine and it sounds good.Not sure if same experience your end

We don't have 5687 to 6922 adapter that is required for that test

 

[Lukasz "Lampizator" Fikus]

i always wonder what that valley is (left side, upper half) ?
a design element? very disturbing imho, sorry. i saw other pictures without.
possible to order without?
and, please, any photos of silver stardust?
sorry for all thouse questions.

The horizon's valley is gone. That makes Steves unit 001 so much more valuable, like a post stamp with a typo.

 

[christoph]

I acquired a virtually unused 6900 and put it in the Pacific with a KR5u4g and KR242’s. At first I really enjoyed the added liveliness but after a few listening sessions I found the sound leaner than I like and preferred the “stock” tube that came with the Pacific in that combination. Then I tried Takatsuki 300b’s with the 6900 and 5u4g. This is a much better match for the 6900 adding more punch with the lusher quality of the Tak’s…

With tubes it is always about finding the perfect balance for your system and taste
That is the beauty of tube rolling and gives you a mighty tool for tweaking

 

[wil]

What does the 64 refer to? 63 on the display is the max and equates to volume bypass mode?

According to the manual, 63 is full volume with bypass.

 

[mr.gregdee]

The VC on the Horizon is exceptionally good. I toyed with the idea of going direct to amp with only the DAC however my preamp uses other sources as well so it would be a PITA to move my long IC's from the preamp to the DAC each time I wanted to listen to digital. I have phono and tape inputs as well to my preamp so I prefer to use a preamp

Given the fact that horizon has an analog inputs as well , I guess those can be used to bypass the need for separate preamp use for the sake of comparison? Just a thought

 

[mr.gregdee]

Can a passive preamp outperform a SOTA active line stage in all cases? I really doubt it.

It Can, if it fits spot on with gain and IN/OUT sensitivities matching great. I heard it few times with joggling with a different systems.

 

[mr.gregdee]

View attachment 88923

Well done Steve - all ready for rock 'n 'roll

 

[mr.gregdee]

I acquired a virtually unused 6900 and put it in the Pacific with a KR5u4g and KR242’s. At first I really enjoyed the added liveliness but after a few listening sessions I found the sound leaner than I like and preferred the “stock” tube that came with the Pacific in that combination. Then I tried Takatsuki 300b’s with the 6900 and 5u4g. This is a much better match for the 6900 adding more punch with the lusher quality of the Tak’s…

That' sounds perfectly in line with my own multiple tube rolling sessions results. There is no perfect recipe there. 1st , some tubes are coming better when teamed with another in the context of the circuit, some are less successful. Then it yet might be different in context of the system. 2nd, the final judgement is always a very subjective game and reflects reviewer/tester personal taste. In other words what is bets for one doesn't have to be for others.

That's why I am not a constant roller myself, just like Steve. Once I am happy with my choices I am keeping the prefered set permanently on.

 

[mr.gregdee]

so for all you tube rollers here is what I have in my toy box. I welcome any suggestions

1.I have a matched set of MELZ Russian metal plate which can be used in stead of the 6900's and with better bass than the 6900 is what I am told

2. I have for other rectifiers than the RK 5u4g a Shuguang gz480 and a 274 ELM

3. I have a quad matched set of NIB TungSol KT 170 Power tubes

4. I have a quad matched set of Gold Lion Genalex KT 77 Power tubes

To all you tube rollers what would you think. Those KT 170 look so tempting but Lukasz loves the KR KT88 that I am using now with the 6900 and KR 5u4g that the sound has me drawn in.

Suggestions are welcome. Im looking for the set it and forget it tube set . Any comment about the MELZ vs 6900 re bottom end?

As an aside I found zero fatigue issues as I was clapping my hands and tapping my toes while I was in my room

.

I understand LF's love for KR's KT88 , as I am finding them equally superb in the TRP. Or amps using a KT family tubes. I am fairly confident that it will be my choice as well. However I never heard personally the TS's KT170, which are having equally great reputation too. So need to find out which flavour suits me better inside my system / cabling synergy.

More interesting to me is MELZ vs 6900 comparison. Knowing how great Bendix's Novals are I am curious how they can stand against the top Octal dogs, like MELZ or Red Base 5692 ? I respect all of those tubes a lot but experimenting with comparing them in a deafferent systems I found the results hugely dependable on the adapters quality. S bare that in mind that octals are going to have an advantage because of that.

 

[wil]

Some more early thoughts re the Horizon.

I anticipate the Center Stage feet will be fully settled by the time Lukasz arrives but as they do, it is difficult to avoid posting all of the usual hyperbole but the reality is the usual hyperbole doesn't do justice to this DAC. I hear so much deeper into the music. There is energy and nuances that for my ears create a definite sense of "you are there". That is what I am sensing with everything I play. There just seems to be so much information hitting may ears that the sound stage is quite holographic. What I love is the decay on the strings of the violins and cellos, and the snap of the snare drums and hearing bass guitar at it's very lowest octave and very highest volume level without any distortion whatsoever. Bloom was present but seemed very appropriate for what was being played . To my ears it is that bloom and decay in proper proportions is what I think is necessary to create that sense of "being there'. There was top to bottom and side to side sound. There were no blank spots. It was as if all of the pixels were saturated on the palette more than I have ever heard before

This DAC has so many tube rolling combinations that one could spend a life time searching for the pot of gold. That is why I started with Lukasz favorite as my reference starting point. I found it interesting that the user manual advised that once you find that sound which pleases you, keep you DAC in the on position and no need to ever change your tubes because, whatever Lukasz has done with his circuitry provides great sound but conserves tube longevity. A "set it and forget it DAC"

I can talk about the proverbial deep and wide sound stage (which this has) but more so that there is a deeper satuatrtion of the sound. such that, along with the incredible ambience and decay , the sound stage just feels energized. It's as if my senses are aware of everything that is happening on the song. I feel as if I can reach into the sound stage it is so well defined and 3D

I played many hours of symphonic music and in a nut shell classical I am very pick and chose with as I don't understand nor know all of the classics. I played my entire Mahler library stored on the Extreme and I sat through so many movements by different conductors and different orchestras and I was drawn in. I sat for 7 hours as it was tough to wrap my head around ....that's about as much as want to say for another day or so and I sense that everything is close to being settled so stay tuned

Have you been tempted yet to listen without your preamp?

 

[Steve williams]

Have you been tempted yet to listen without your preamp?

No, not at all. My preamp isn't going anywhere however as I stated in an earlier post I thought that at the end of each demo day I would do exactly that for myself and everyone to hear. I cannot deny that the preamp in the Horizon is excellent. This will leave a remarkable option to those users who want to go direct and eliminate the cost of a preamp

My Lamm Signature Series is designed for the 3 pieces to work best when used together, the amp, preamp nd phonostage. I have had them for well over 12 years and they are keepers in my system. They are also that good.

 

[wisnon]

I acquired a virtually unused 6900 and put it in the Pacific with a KR5u4g and KR242’s. At first I really enjoyed the added liveliness but after a few listening sessions I found the sound leaner than I like and preferred the “stock” tube that came with the Pacific in that combination. Then I tried Takatsuki 300b’s with the 6900 and 5u4g. This is a much better match for the 6900 adding more punch with the lusher quality of the Tak’s…

thanks, it seems you found a great balance.

 

[2ndLiner]

Hi Norman! Yes, for now, ha! I used to have Shindo components and the memory of that lovely mid-range “haunts” me to this day. My current compliment of tubes in the Pacific gets me pretty close…

 

[wisnon]

Yes it did like Steve I also only heard of the bendix 6900 from this thread so I bought about 10 of em when I could. I was using them all over even in my amps at one stage but it seems to work very well in the Pacific only, the amps loved the Russian pcc88s instead...which is a conundrum....the Russians never made a pcc88 . So not sure what the history of that tube sets got was but wow it worked well and with the bendix 6900 in the day.

If you ever need to get rid of a single (unmatched) 6900, just let me know. U have mede me curious...LoL. Thanx

 

[Steve williams]

Which MELZ are you exactly talking about ? Here is pair I purchased

I don't have that one. My understanding is the tube can have no anode perforations, one anode perforation or 5 anode perforations

 

[Steve williams]

If you ever need to get rid of a single (unmatched) 6900, just let me know. U have mede me curious...LoL. Thanx

I have a single unmatched 6900 that measures 84/84 on an ST7

 

[wisnon]

That' sounds perfectly in line with my own multiple tube rolling sessions results. There is no perfect recipe there. 1st , some tubes are coming better when teamed with another in the context of the circuit, some are less successful. Then it yet might be different in context of the system. 2nd, the final judgement is always a very subjective game and reflects reviewer/tester personal taste. In other words what is bets for one doesn't have to be for others.

That's why I am not a constant roller myself, just like Steve. Once I am happy with my choices I am keeping the prefered set permanently on.

Nothing makes for a better audio party than a tube rolling session, followed by drinks and food for the debrief. Hahahahaha

 

[wisnon]

Hi Norman! Yes, for now, ha! I used to have Shindo components and the memory of that lovely mid-range “haunts” me to this day. My current compliment of tubes in the Pacific gets me pretty close…

I am sure I know you, but the identity is not forthcoming to me at the moment. LoL

 

[Steve williams]

Nothing makes for a better audio party than a tube rolling session, followed by drinks and food for the debrief. Hahahahaha

My wife is cooking and everything will be served safely and individually as we try to maintain safety precautions. She's a very good cook