LampizatOr Golden Atlantic + TRP

[Golum]

Can you hotswap on this DAC or should you turn off at back first?

Turn off...might hot swap rectifier....but honestly i turn it off always - safe is safe

 

[owen lawlor]

Thanks. How do you know when to replace tubes? Seems like with COVID I have happily put more hours on these tubes than expected assume rectifiers go first? Anyone have estimates of lifetime of the rectifiers and output tubes?

 

[leftside]

Thanks. How do you know when to replace tubes? Seems like with COVID I have happily put more hours on these tubes than expected assume rectifiers go first? Anyone have estimates of lifetime of the rectifiers and output tubes?

They should last a very very long time in this DAC. As far as I know, it's just a tube buffer design with the Lampi DACs, so should last much longer than say in a tube amp.

 

[perfusionist]

Can you hotswap on this DAC or should you turn off at back first?

I always turn it off, let it cool down for 15 min or so, then swap the tubes. I think its an overkill, but just gives me peace of mind.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

I can fully understand the motivation behind the hot-swapping. A need to hear the change of tone right away makes sense. I have a friend who performed hot-swapping on Pacific a few times and never experienced any problems. However, since I am overcautious, I would not want to take a chance.

 

[leftside]

I don’t have a top 5 tubes for this DAC, but here is a box of what I consider “tier 1” tubes for this DAC/my system.

 

[HungarianPal]

I have never heard of hot-swapping tubes. Anyway, I myself would never do it. And I don't switch off - change tubes - switch on, either so I am not an excessive tube roller. Whenever I want to use my Lampi DAC, I decide beforehand if I want new tubes put in and if I do, I unplug, swap tubes, plug in and switch on. And then those tubes remain in the DAC for the whole day. At the end of the day I switch it off and next time is decision time again. I am still a beginner user, so I only have a few types of tubes and current tubes usually stay installed for a couple of weeks.

 

[christoph]

I always turn it off, let it cool down for 15 min or so, then swap the tubes. I think its an overkill, but just gives me peace of mind.

You can hot-swap rectifiers without the slighest risk.
If you don't bang the hot tubes while changing, you really don't need to let all cool down.

 

[christoph]

I can fully understand the motivation behind the hot-swapping. A need to hear the change of tone right away makes sense. I have a friend who performed hot-swapping on Pacific a few times and never experienced any problems. However, since I am overcautious, I would not want to take a chance.

I used to hot swap all the tubes in my Lampi DACs before but I do that now only with the recti as it is completely harmless and safe.
With the output tubes I muted the preamp and hot swapped but I stopped doing that.

For the change of the output tubes, I stop the stream to fully release the USB connection, then I switch off the DAC, change the hot tubes carefully not to bang them anywhere when I place them to cool off.
Then I insert the other output tubes and restart the DAC and continue listening.

I do ALL the tube swapping with a fresh and dry dishcloth not to leave fingerprints on the tubes (that could burn into the glass) and also not burn my hands with hot tubes.

 

[LR319]

You can hot-swap rectifiers without the slighest risk.
If you don't bang the hot tubes while changing, you really don't need to let all cool down.

That might not be the case for 8 pin recti, it usually take more effort to extract, that jerking motion when leaving the socket is as good as a bang. I paid my tuition fees. Never hot swap again.

 

[christoph]

That might not be the case for 8 pin recti, it usually take more effort to extract, that jerking motion when leaving the socket is as good as a bang. I paid my tuition fees.

#wiggle, wiggle, round and round#
All a matter of routine but I understand your fear

 

[owen lawlor]

#wiggle, wiggle, round and round#
All a matter of routine but I understand your fear

So wiggle , don’t yank?

 

[christoph]

So wiggle , don’t yank?

I remove hard sticking tubes with a round wiggling motion.
Hope this makes sense

 

[Golum]

Serious advice - use Deoxit spray to clean tube pins and beside that they get lubed which massively makes rolling easier and saves sockets on top

 

[leftside]

Serious advice - use Deoxit spray to clean tube pins and beside that they get lubed which massively makes rolling easier and saves sockets on top

Do you really want Deoxit inside the tube sockets? Deoxit is good for cleaning, but it might be advisable to wipe off the Deoxit with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) before inserting the tubes. I know a guy who messed up his tube amp by using Deoxit as a lube.

 

[Golum]

I'm wiping off tube pins after cleaning with tissue and what remains on pins remains, but I never use it as a lube. Never had any issue...

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

I must say, I enjoy hot-swapping when testing different tubes, especially since I would not do it on my system. I would not recommend it to others either, unless you like a bit of the adrenaline rush.

That might not be the case for 8 pin recti, it usually take more effort to extract, that jerking motion when leaving the socket is as good as a bang. I paid my tuition fees. Never hot swap again.

 

[leftside]

If you already thought there were quite a few different tubes you could use in this DAC, I've just received a 365 page book just on all the different EL34 variations

 

[Zero000]

Basically the trouble with valve rolling is you will eventually screw your sockets. Unfortunate fact.

I have had to have my UX4 sockets redone as the expensive Audio Note silver ones I had put in my Big 7 just couldn't handle it.

 

[leftside]

You can buy socket savers.