LampizatOr Golden Atlantic + TRP

[Golum]

But Norm has a point - Engine 53 sounds awesome...

 

[microstrip]

Sorry, but you have never heard engine 53. I prefer it to the R2R. I have done a compare of sorts. Much has changed since you last did the factory visit, indeed since the start of 2019.

What is engine 53? Was it developed in Area 51?

 

[jriggy]

What is engine 53? Was it developed in Area 51?

A vortex mathematics toroidal anti-gravity DAC engine might just take care of my audio issues...

 

[wisnon]

What is engine 53? Was it developed in Area 51?

Nope, updated version of "Engine, Engine number 9, moving down Chicago Line..."

 

[Swisstrips]

Swiss,

The TRP now shares a derivative of the engine in the Pacific which handles PCM and DSD up to 512. All prior engines have pretty much been made moot by this and it allows us to clear up confusion and consolidate while massively upgrading the products.

While DSD512 only will probably remain an option for those who insist upon it, from my own experience I do not believe there to be a sonic advantage. Moreover it would be a shame to miss out on the massive advancements in PCM handling.

I believe with our generation 6 dacs a lot of people will move away from upsampling towards native resolution playback.

The TRP line is interesting, but I'm somewhat confused in the direction of this engine and or Lampi in general.

Lampi from early on seemed to be focused on the DSD signature and is what Lukasz favored and designed many of the products around. The use of HQP and upsampling PCM to DSD came to be pretty popular by many and still is, at least from my perspective and is what I continue to use with ROON.

T+A's new HV series is taking DSD even further it seems and DSD is still a fantastic "sound"/alternative for many. Certainly not for everyone and that's great, but it's still a heavyweight in my eyes. It almost appears that Lampi is not as invested in DSD as it once was and or is not the focus? Or am I reading into this incorrectly? The separate DSD engine that put Lampi on the map - at least for us DSD individuals - appears to have been retired in a sense and PCM handling is the new focus?

 

[bonzo75]

Not really, it was the PCM that was equally good. Yes some people focused on DSD but if you didn't like the dac on PCM you wouldn't like it on DSD and the other way. So someone can have their own preference whether they like DSD or PCM within the Lampi, but you won't like DSD more than another dac and PCM not. You will like both or both not. It is the rest of the circuitry and the DHT that is more defining

Many did not use HQP and straight up native from a CD transport or no up sampling streamer

 

[LampiNA]

Good reply, Bonzo.

I'd also add that this shouldn't be looked at as diminishing our focus on DSD, our net performance still exceeds where it was. Instead it really needs to be heard just how far we've stepped up our PCM game.

I think our brand new digital engines are going to encourage a lot of upsampling enthusiasts to listen to things natively (PCM and DSD).

 

[Audiophile Bill]

To be fair I personally don’t think the pcm quality was as good as dsd in the early days certainly when I had a big 7. For me it was the Soekris r2r board that Lampi used that improved the pcm performance to be on par with their dsd.

http://www.soekris.dk/dam1121.html

 

[Golum]

To be fair I personally don’t think the pcm quality was as good as dsd in the early days certainly when I had a big 7. For me it was the Soekris r2r board that Lampi used that improved the pcm performance to be on par with their dsd.

http://www.soekris.dk/dam1121.html

Bill you should give if a spin now with the new engines as both DSD and PCM are a blast...

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Bill you should give if a spin now with the new engines as both DSD and PCM are a blast...

I decided to focus on analog only but if Kedar upgrades I will hope to hear the latest.

 

[Golum]

Hey @christoph, why are you selfishly hiding your newly acquired black copper baby?

 

[christoph]

Hey @christoph, why are you selfishly hiding your newly acquired black copper baby?

I'm being busy playing with Papa Duracell, so no time for the Baby Duracell anyways
Therefore Baby Duracell is at M's place

 

[ronfint]

May I ask what output tubes people are currently using with the GA2 TRP? I've sent in my GA to be upgraded, and I'm expecting it back in a couple of weeks.

 

[Golum]

May I ask what output tubes people are currently using with the GA2 TRP? I've sent in my GA to be upgraded, and I'm expecting it back in a couple of weeks.

Let me try to help a bit - but majority is already stated above. Top recti RK 5u4g, output top contenders: Brimar 6L6, NOS KT66,77,88 or current production while NOS particularly GEC is the way to go if you find them.
Killer one and also cheap EH 6ac7. El34 nice but somehow not as above. Did not try KT150, tried KT120 but was nothing special but actually needs to be re-checked. Hope this helps you a bit.

 

[ronfint]

Let me try to help a bit - but majority is already stated a bit above. Top recti RK 5u4g, output top contenders: Brimar 6L6, NOS KT66,77,88 or current production while NOS particularly GEC is the way to go if you find them.
Killer one and also cheap EH 6ac7. El34 nice but somehow not as above. Did not try KT150, tried KT120 but was nothing special but actually needs to be re-checked. Hope this helps you a bit.

Thanks very much. I appreciate your advice. This thread, and especially your posting, was the inspiration for my upgrade.

 

[Golum]

Thanks very much. I appreciate your advice. This thread, and especially your posting, was the inspiration for my upgrade.

No need to thank at all!
I just hope you'll enjoy it as I/we did listening to it and few other guys I know owning them. Keep us posted with your impressions.

 

[Elberoth]

In my experience upsampling DSD to DSD 512 does not bring any SQ improvement. Not only that - in many cases, it will make you Lampi sound worse, due to higher CPU load in your computer, leading to higher RFI/EMI levels (which then bleed into your DAC).

 

[fbs]

Thanks for convincing me finally: now I am desperately waiting for the shipping of the TRP amongst a dozen happy future owners.

 

[jriggy]

Thanks for convincing me finally: now I am desperately waiting for the shipping of the TRP amongst a dozen happy future owners.

I hope Lukasz haz all of his elves in the toy shop working on these!

 

[fbs]

Me too, but I heard so, elves are even working harder after the Highend ;-)