Lampizator announcement: launch of our all new TOTL HORIZON DAC
- Thread starter Lukasz "Lampizator" Fikus
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Regarding a possible "quasi buffer", I'm using a passive controller between my balanced Pacific and a biamped amplifier configuration. I use the Lampizator 211 True Balanced Monoblocks on top and a pair of solid state amps on the bass.
The controller has the capability to allow fine tuning of the input impedance (note: not the output impedance of the DAC). Any input impedance between 1k and 99k (SE) or 2k to 198k (balanced). My Pacific is sans volume control, so I assume that the output tubes are directly connected from the DAC to the controller input. The impact of this fine tuning on the sound is quite remarkable.
Currently I've settled on a controller input impedance range of 92 to 97 kohm (184 to 194 balanced). I can select a value via the remote. This is for my 242 tubes. Other tube types I own have their own optimum ranges. I assume that the input impedance of the quasi buffer is fixed (the impedance that the output tubes see). Can the quasi buffer be bypassed to allow user to tailor the downstream input impedance that the DAC output tubes see?
Thanks.
The controller has the capability to allow fine tuning of the input impedance (note: not the output impedance of the DAC). Any input impedance between 1k and 99k (SE) or 2k to 198k (balanced). My Pacific is sans volume control, so I assume that the output tubes are directly connected from the DAC to the controller input. The impact of this fine tuning on the sound is quite remarkable.
Currently I've settled on a controller input impedance range of 92 to 97 kohm (184 to 194 balanced). I can select a value via the remote. This is for my 242 tubes. Other tube types I own have their own optimum ranges. I assume that the input impedance of the quasi buffer is fixed (the impedance that the output tubes see). Can the quasi buffer be bypassed to allow user to tailor the downstream input impedance that the DAC output tubes see?
Thanks.
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Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Lukacz - Thanks for answering all of our questions. It is really helpful as many of us will not have the opportunity to hear The Horizon prior to purchasing. Given that can you elaborate on the sound characteristics versus the Pacific SE? I get all of the technology but it is still $20k+ expenditure which is not chump change.
I'm an analog guy...and not a Lampi owner, so take this comment as you will:
I think some different questions might be asked. *If* the new dac is breaking new ground with software or hardware does it allow anything new to develop in the server-dac relationship? ( new levels of performance, new protocols, ? ). At this point the relationship between server and dac and performance therein has been established as critical so we no longer think of dacs as alone in the digital equation, right?
Ok forgive me if this is off topic...
I think some different questions might be asked. *If* the new dac is breaking new ground with software or hardware does it allow anything new to develop in the server-dac relationship? ( new levels of performance, new protocols, ? ). At this point the relationship between server and dac and performance therein has been established as critical so we no longer think of dacs as alone in the digital equation, right?
Ok forgive me if this is off topic...
It’s not but know better dacs rely less on the server . If Your only an analog die hard you might not know or hear i this. most dacs now have many ways of resourcing or even resolving the input used. it short the end result should be used as judgment.
Whether you use Taiko or some other transport should be a separate decision. If you prefer Taiko on some other dac you will prefer it on Lampi, else not. If you prefer Lampi with Taiko over some other dac, you will prefer it with Esoteric as transport too, though the overall impact might be less if you think Taiko > Esoteric
i think that when we are talking about phono cartridges, tone arms, and phono pre's, the best one's of each category are able to take most advantage of the best partnering product. there are also issues of synergy too. so the most capable of one piece of the chain does not reduce the advantage of better partnering gear, it increases it.
the same for dacs and servers, and throw in interfaces and cables too. better partnering gear advances the result. period.
the idea that a dac, any dac, might somehow overcome lesser quality data streams is nonsensical. garbage in/garbage out. the more pure the dac, the more the lack of quality it is fed gets revealed.
will we all agree on what is best or most transparent? no. but that does not change the basic idea.
the best source/server/transport will push the best dac further.
the same for dacs and servers, and throw in interfaces and cables too. better partnering gear advances the result. period.
the idea that a dac, any dac, might somehow overcome lesser quality data streams is nonsensical. garbage in/garbage out. the more pure the dac, the more the lack of quality it is fed gets revealed.
will we all agree on what is best or most transparent? no. but that does not change the basic idea.
the best source/server/transport will push the best dac further.
yes, but the point is your decision of best transport will not vary with the coupling dac. What you think is the best transport will be true even if you change dacs (with the exception of having to play SACDs)
ignoring interface synergy, i agree with you. these days many transports have proprietary interfaces that might be a factor in dac choice, or dac performance potential. so it's not as much a better/best as the right match.
servers are less likely to be so choosy with dac synergy. a bigger issue might be need for dxd or quad (or beyond) dsd; not all dacs are capable.
but all interface things being equal then yes the best transport should be best with any dac.
Interesting. You just heard a really good sounding system played an old Studer cd player. Your ears must have told you this could be one of the best system you have heard. What does that tell you about where that great sound came from? The dac?
No, speakers. Of course his source is suiting it but it is fungible (you can replace with alternatives)
I also typed a longer answer then deleted because it opens up a big discussion about what is more important in the chain. Given the context of this thread, I will summarize as the usual systems should be strategized around the speaker choice (includes room speaker interface), then the amp to drive the speaker. The rest is fungible, i.e. you have many options in TTs, phonos, and carts to choose from which can sound good with different permutations and combinations. Yes the source material such as original LPs and/or tapes can be used to drive the strategy too.
But Heihei's Lampi with 242 valves with Audionet Stern and heisenberg, for example is a happy alternative for me from horns, in that context the speaker matters less as long as it is linear with proper sub integration (because the 242s do magic in the subs as well). It is the synergy of his electronic chain that is magic. So the reason I like Lampi is in sources I can strategize a system with Lampi being a key component, and I can change valves to change an integral part of the dac (which I cannot do with any other dac). The rest I can keep rotating. Even the system you referred to, he has 211, 845, Ad1, 2a3, tape and vinyl, and he keeps rotating them as well as the types of valves. The speaker is the most important in that case. Change the crossover and that system will collapse.
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My experience is that the quality and resolution af files, the server/transport ie hardware and software and used protocol of transmission are as important as the DAC itself. For example the playback of DSD files improved in my system with the recent update of W20 which enabled native DSD transmission instead of DoP . The hardware is nearly 7 years old but the new soft may improve a lot.
Thanks to software the gap between streaming and native local files is narrowing but the DAC itself is only one part of the equation.
And a synergy is a key element in every audio setup , be it analog or digital.
Regarding my Pacific SE it shows its best with DXD and quad DSD native files using usb audio with powerless usb cable , native playback on W20 side enabled. A new LAN cable improved both the speed of download ( by 6-7 times!) and the sound quality which surpriesed me a lot because this cable does not transmitt any data during the playback, they are played from local SSD.
Audio is still full of mysteries for me
So I believe Lukasz that Horizon DAC is a real improvement over Pacific DAC but without audition at home I will not buy any important element of my digital setup.
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My experience has been that the mastering of the digital files is way more important that the resolution even when played back natively.
The best native dsd files I have are not edited and mastered after recording ( for example Fone recordings) .
So I would say - the quality of the recordings and the mastering are very important . Bad hires PCM or DSD may sound worse than good redbook , I agree.
But imho the best redbook recordings do not reach the level of best DXD and DSD files.
so mike let me ask you this. Since your an msb guy and all. how many times has msb made new usb input boards on there dacs ? How many on yours from the sel 1 to your 2 revision ? i recall Vince and others continued improvement of the usb input was based on fixing the many issues of data streaming audio period. writing new software for various formats. All of this makes the dac less dependent on a given level of server.
I’m not saying a better dac does not require a better server but I am saying it’s far less needed as before. in your world the dac is second to the sever seems odd to me. regarding synergy again less important. so let’s take a taiko does it have a sound to add ? Does it gel best with all ?
or a linux based server does it have a sound ?
better dacs need good sources in music more then the server steaming it.
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