LampizatOr Experts: What Lampi should I get?

[jonstine]

Great combo
But please call your baby TRP3 instead of A3.
A3 is Amber3

@christoph great point! Corrected.

 

[PhP]

I've had the GG1 (R2R), the Baltic 3 and now the Baltic 4, with each one successively better than its predecessor, but still feel that something is missing with the B4. I've had the B4 for a month now and have tried quite a few tube combinations with only a couple of them yielding good results, though I do have a few more exotic valves on order, so haven't given up on finding the ultimate cocktail mix.

I think the issue may be the genre of music I listen to: classical symphonic The Baltic 4 is very impressive on rock and vocals, but it seems to struggle a bit rendering the more difficult passages in a Beethoven symphony. Hence, I'm wondering if I'm trying to squeeze too much out of it.

I should add that I have painful fatigue so need a Lampi model that's still rather organic sounding. Hence, I'm a little concerned about getting a second-hand Pacific, as the short comparison chart on the Lampizator Poland site indicates that the Pacific is a cooler, less tubey sounding DAC.


The options are:

-stick with Baltic 4 and keep trying tube combinations.

-Get a new Atlantic 3 TRP or a Big 7 Mk3

-Get a secondhand GG2 or Pacific


Thank you for any insights here.

Hi,

Tube DAC were an issue 10 years ago, as for most electronics. Today it's much better to go to really well designed SS DAC, even those including a preamp (but I prefer without preamp). If someone need tube for organic sound, that's something wrong in the audio system. I had tubes in the past, CD player and amplifiers, all are gone. The only remaining interest is dynamic headroom vs most SS, but some SS are so good in this area that even ultra expensive tubes gears sound recessed and colored, slower. It was the case at Munich 2023.
KR
Philippe

 

[SVS]

Tube DAC were an issue 10 years ago, as for most electronics. Today it's much better to go to really well designed SS DAC, even those including a preamp (but I prefer without preamp). If someone need tube for organic sound, that's something wrong in the audio system. I had tubes in the past, CD player and amplifiers, all are gone. The only remaining interest is dynamic headroom vs most SS, but some SS are so good in this area that even ultra expensive tubes gears sound recessed and colored, slower. It was the case at Munich 2023.

I believe that organic sound cannot be obtained using feedback in the DAC or amplifier. Therefore, tubes in this area are favorites.

 

[Rumpole]

I listen at low-to-moderate volumes and don't get anywhere near the maximum output of the Pass Amp.

Given your room size and efficient speakers, it might be interesting to try the the Pass INT-25. It has been described as having a warmer and more tube like sound. Downsides are that it does not have balanced inputs. Another option might be the Boulder 866 with higher power and balanced inputs.

 

[SVS]

Given your room size and efficient speakers, it might be interesting to try the the Pass INT-25. It has been described as having a warmer and more tube like sound. Downsides are that it does not have balanced inputs. Another option might be the Boulder 866 with higher power and balanced inputs.

Tales of "warm tube sound" are about a bad tube amplifier. A good tube amplifier gives a natural sound as close as possible to a concert.

 

[Jazzhead]

For Classical fare n Orchestral swells ... PAC with Tak274b recti n RK242s ( if you can find them) ...

 

[Agent86]

I want to thank everyone for their very helpful feedback, both in the public responses here and in some PMs and phone calls. I did make a nice upgrade to the B4 with an SR Purple fuse which seemed to stabilize some of the ambience swings between sonic extremes, but the sound is still not as dialed in as I would like. In this regard, a few folks have mentioned to me that perhaps the Lampi DAC is not so much the problem as the pairing between the Pass Integrated and the Verity speakers. The suggestion was made that the Verity speakers might benefit from tube amplification.

 

[Kenc]

Best amp I've heard on Verity (Parsifals) was the original Tenor hybrid stereo amp many years ago. The Nagra VPA was also a great match - it will give you that lit from within sound but might not be the best for orchestral swells. A Lamm hybrid might work as well.
I have the Baltic 3 and don't think it is holding my system back...although I've not heard the Horizon!

 

[PhP]

Hi,

Tube DAC were an issue 10 years ago, as for most electronics. Today it's much better to go to really well designed SS DAC, even those including a preamp (but I prefer without preamp). If someone need tube for organic sound, that's something wrong in the audio system. I had tubes in the past, CD player and amplifiers, all are gone. The only remaining interest is dynamic headroom vs most SS, but some SS are so good in this area that even ultra expensive tubes gears sound recessed and colored, slower. It was the case at Munich 2023.
KR
Philippe

Tales of "warm tube sound" are about a bad tube amplifier. A good tube amplifier gives a natural sound as close as possible to a concert.

Yes but my position is relative to very well know good tubes amps of course. I was dealer of a famous tube brand for 11 years and if the sound seemed very natural, compared to the best SS (a handful or less), tubes or hybrid are less natural and is on par with huge dynamics.

 

[PhP]

Hi
for ultra high-end systems, APURNA™ amplifiers hand made in France is without peer, especially Apogée and Soprano limited Apogée mono-blocs. For people that don't need high power and prefer Stereo amp, Prélude is a wonder.
Now the designer introduce a new brand with APURNA™ technology in a simple chassis, high-end components but not the ultra expensive that are inside APURNA™ and the result is a wonderful amplifier that compete with many 30 to 35 k amplifier but at "only" 19k.
It's ABORA™ A400S 2x200w @8ohm, double on 4 ohm.