LampizatOr Baltic 3
- Thread starter VoicesInMyHead
- Start date
I believe that might be an advantage of 6F8G - it has top cap, which usually means lower capacitances between other tube pins.
@wisnon, which 6F8G tubes are those? I just ordered the Woo Audio adapters and some RCA smoked glass 6F8G tubes to try. Should be here next week.
And the Herbie’s Tube Damper on the rectifier tube, is there a reason why it’s around the bottom part of that tube? I’m using one as well, but have it mounted towards the top 3rd of the tube. Just curious if it was a size issue, or if you perceive better sound quality at that location. Thanks!
And the Herbie’s Tube Damper on the rectifier tube, is there a reason why it’s around the bottom part of that tube? I’m using one as well, but have it mounted towards the top 3rd of the tube. Just curious if it was a size issue, or if you perceive better sound quality at that location. Thanks!
Has anyone had the opportunity of listening to both New & Before engine on the B3 ( 512 vs 384 max DSD ) ?
Hi J,
The gray smoked tube is a RCA and the clear one is Raytheon.
Yes, that recti is a huge GZ480 and explains why the Herbies is placed low.I dont find real need for the Herbies on the B3.
I’m conservatively at about 75 hrs of break in on the Baltic 3 now. Could be closer to 100 hrs, but not really keeping track any more. Everything sounds wonderful, but…
I swapped in a pair of new Gold Lion ECC82/12AU7 tubes for the stock ones yesterday. They are the Upscale Audio “Kevin’s Stash” and cryo treated version (pic below). At first the sound seemed brighter compared to the stock Chinese tubes, but there also was a little more open top end and shimmer to things like cymbals and ssss sounds. Noticeable, but not offensive. I just let the music play from about noon through dinner and into the evening without noticing too much else other than the music just sounded generally “better” than before. Great, worthwhile upgrade, glad I did it. On to the next thing.
What happened at about the 8 hr mark was absolutely jaw dropping though. My wife and I had been outside enjoying the stars, and I came back into the house to refresh our cocktails. The second I opened the door I heard something different and completely unexpected. The entire sound had transformed. The best way to describe it is that the top end just opened up completely. No graininess, no sibilance, no brightness, just clean, clear, captivating top end.
But it wasn’t just the top end. The mids were uncongested, smooth, and liquidy. The lower mids were better too. I was picking up new nuances in bass lines while also noticing additional cymbal hits during familiar songs.
Maybe that’s just the Baltic 3 coming into its own at around 100 hrs. Maybe it’s the new Gold Lion tubes. Maybe it’s both. I don’t care what the root cause is, it is stunningly good right now.
Not trying to write a whole review, but wanted to mention since I’d seen other posts describing no real noticeable changes with 12AU7 swapping on the B3. Not true with the Gold Lions. Highly recommended!
P.S. The NOS RCA 6F8G/VT-99 smoked glass tubes that I ordered should be here next week. I have the Woo Audio adapters for those, and will swap them in next weekend once I’ve had a chance to see how these GL tubes break in.
I swapped in a pair of new Gold Lion ECC82/12AU7 tubes for the stock ones yesterday. They are the Upscale Audio “Kevin’s Stash” and cryo treated version (pic below). At first the sound seemed brighter compared to the stock Chinese tubes, but there also was a little more open top end and shimmer to things like cymbals and ssss sounds. Noticeable, but not offensive. I just let the music play from about noon through dinner and into the evening without noticing too much else other than the music just sounded generally “better” than before. Great, worthwhile upgrade, glad I did it. On to the next thing.
What happened at about the 8 hr mark was absolutely jaw dropping though. My wife and I had been outside enjoying the stars, and I came back into the house to refresh our cocktails. The second I opened the door I heard something different and completely unexpected. The entire sound had transformed. The best way to describe it is that the top end just opened up completely. No graininess, no sibilance, no brightness, just clean, clear, captivating top end.
But it wasn’t just the top end. The mids were uncongested, smooth, and liquidy. The lower mids were better too. I was picking up new nuances in bass lines while also noticing additional cymbal hits during familiar songs.
Maybe that’s just the Baltic 3 coming into its own at around 100 hrs. Maybe it’s the new Gold Lion tubes. Maybe it’s both. I don’t care what the root cause is, it is stunningly good right now.
Not trying to write a whole review, but wanted to mention since I’d seen other posts describing no real noticeable changes with 12AU7 swapping on the B3. Not true with the Gold Lions. Highly recommended!
P.S. The NOS RCA 6F8G/VT-99 smoked glass tubes that I ordered should be here next week. I have the Woo Audio adapters for those, and will swap them in next weekend once I’ve had a chance to see how these GL tubes break in.
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always difficult to know, but considering the jaw dropping experience you're describing I'd say it probably has something to do with the B3 coming to life in its burn-in process (or at least a combination), while I haven't heard those Gold Lion ECC82's I doubt they would be THAT much better. I think you will find the NOS RCA 6F8G's with the Woo's transforming the sound more.
I have a bit more than 1,000 hours on my B3 (sounding so right) but am intrigued by your trial so ordered the same configured tubes today from Upscale Audio. Will report on my opinion, in my system, after break in - probably w/b at least a month.
I love it! Can’t wait to hear if your impressions are similar after you’ve had a chance to get used to them.
For reference, what tubes do you have in your B3 now? I’ve got the EML Mesh 5U4G regulator, then the stock PSVane blue balls (NOS RCA smoked glass 6F8G tubes and Woo adapters going in next weekend), and I originally had super cheap, generic Chinese 12AU7 tubes (no identifying info except “12AU7 China”) before swapping them to the GL yesterday.
I am not a roller but ordered the rectifier as EML 274B per Rob/LampizatorNA advice, came with blue balls and JJ CCE802s all which I still use until trialing the Gold Lion 12s from Upscale. They have not shipped yet so could be a week before receiving then at least month (~100 hours) before I evaluate. If the difference is only subtle, I doubt I'd notice or care, but will report.
Hey - could someone please explain the real advantage of having VC on B3? I have used GG2 without VC and it was perfect for me. B3 sound characteristics seems to mimic GG2 and that being the case - could someone convince me the need to spend the extra 2k? i know it would help one to remain in the couch for longer - but so would several other options with digital VC.
if it was perfect for you without VC, then I think that's your answer. I think it's very much up to personal preferences how we configure our systems, for example some people prefer monoblocks, some people wants a preamp/power amp combo, some (like me) an integrated amp. if you don't have or don't want to have a preamp or integrated then having that functionality in the DAC could make sense, personally I prefer to adjust the volume and select sources on my integrated amplifier and keep the DAC as simple as possible, but that's just me and I know others thinks differently (which is fine of course).
there has also been discussions on the forum that the volume control can be used to fine-tune the gain of the DAC which might be a thing.
my personal experience with volume control on Lampi's is with the old VC/display which I had in my Golden Atlantic a few years ago, the new display looks very neat though and maybe it gives a better overall experience, I don't know. I eventually added a preamp to the chain when I had the GA and then it just felt like an extra step to always turn the volume up on the Lampi when powering it up.
Has anyone tried grounding their B3 to the likes of a Shunyata Everest which has a chassis grounding connection? Interested to hear what you’ve found if you have tried it…
Admitting at the outset that I’m too lazy to sift through all the posts in this thread, would anyone care to share the specific tubes they’ve settled upon for their Baltic 3?
I have in my collection a nice pair of 1940s RCA 6SN7, CBS Hytron 5692, and RCA Red base 5692. Unfortunately, I recently sold my near-NOS Melz 6H8C.
I have a 1940s RCA 5U4G, a few 1950s RCA 5U4GB, and Mullard CV378.
Finally, I have several pairs of Mullard 12AU7: Blackburn short plate, and I may have a pair of Amperex Holland.
I have in my collection a nice pair of 1940s RCA 6SN7, CBS Hytron 5692, and RCA Red base 5692. Unfortunately, I recently sold my near-NOS Melz 6H8C.
I have a 1940s RCA 5U4G, a few 1950s RCA 5U4GB, and Mullard CV378.
Finally, I have several pairs of Mullard 12AU7: Blackburn short plate, and I may have a pair of Amperex Holland.
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Currently, EML Mesh 5U4G regulator, NOS KenRad VT-231 black glass (1943), New Gold Lion ECC82 (Upscale Audio’s “Kevin’s Stash” and cryo options).
Also tried some NOS RCA VT-99 smoked glass tubes with Woo Audio 6F8G -> 6SN7 adapters, but didn’t like them as much as the KenRads.
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CV378 (1960); Sylvania JAN 6SN7GT (1955); Electro Harmonix 12BH7 Gold
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