LampizatOr Golden Atlantic + TRP

[highstream]

Yes. I’d have to check my burn-in hours log, but upwards of 200 hours is needed (and really a lot more before it hits 100% stride). In that way, it’s like any other component. What you’ve described is what I heard early on, but expect some changes along the way, not all of which will be pleasant, until it settles down. Btw, I’ve found Sophia’s Aqua 274B to be an excellent complement in the TRP. In fact, I picked up a second one for my Supratek preamp, after finding the wonderful 596 to be alluringly alive but a little cool in my system after changing power cords to my active speakers. Synergy and individual taste.

 

[DeadWax]

Very helpful @highstream . Good to know you noted the same sonics early on as me. I had not considered the Aqua 274B but will likely pick one up. Certainly an economical choice compared to the KR and Psvane recti's I've been running! Thanks...

 

[highstream]

Don’t know about the Psvane, but the KR RK 5U4G I had was very much on the cool or “neutral” side, emphasizing detail and such. I respond better to a bit of warmth.

 

[DeadWax]

Don’t know about the Psvane, but the KR RK 5U4G I had was very much on the cool or “neutral” side, emphasizing detail and such. I respond better to a bit of warmth.

Interesting as I've found the regular KR 5U4G to have a firm low end yet agreed in it's neutral tone. Perhaps I will try the Sophia EL34's with a couple of rectifiers and see how they respond while also burning them in more thoroughly.

 

[DeadWax]

I've been running the Sophia EL34's for the past few hours with a Psvane ACME 274B and it sounds MUCH better! Perhaps the Sophia's pair better with a 274B for some reason?

 

[Mamon]

I'm trying the Sophia EL34's right now and after about 20 hrs they still seem to have a bit of a treble edge/glare to them. Although they do possess amazing clarity, the soundstage is huge, and they create fantastic space and "air" between instruments. So I'm a bit conflicted and wondering if the tad bit of brightness will settle out with more hours. Anyone else with similar experiences with the Sophia EL34's? I'm using them with a KR 5U4G rectifier.

I have el34 about a year, from memory after 200 hours it should become softer.
BUT! there is an even better lamp for trp - this is the Sophia electric KT88.
It only opened up on the condition of an expensive High Hidelity Ultimate rca interblock.
The EL34 did not go further, and the KT 88 added a lot to the base of the bass, the sound became several times higher class.

The best ref. Takatsuki 274b.
It is more accurate, natural and alive.


kr5u4g - in comparison blows imagery, looser bass and slightly sweet undertones.

 

[DeadWax]

I have el34 about a year, from memory after 200 hours it should become softer.
BUT! there is an even better lamp for trp - this is the Sophia electric KT88.
It only opened up on the condition of an expensive High Hidelity Ultimate rca interblock.
The EL34 did not go further, and the KT 88 added a lot to the base of the bass, the sound became several times higher class.

The best ref. Takatsuki 274b.
It is more accurate, natural and alive.


kr5u4g - in comparison blows imagery, looser bass and slightly sweet undertones.

Interesting on the Sophia KT 88's - I would never have guessed they would be such a good match. I have tried new production GL KT88's in the TRP and really didn't like the sound at all so I (prematurely maybe) had written off KT88's in the DAC. Good to hear from yet another person that the Sophia EL34's should soften after 200 hrs. I probably have 30 hrs on them now although they do sound better with a 274B...a Tak may be above my price pain threshold....ha.

 

[highstream]

Interesting on the Sophia KT 88's - I would never have guessed they would be such a good match. I have tried new production GL KT88's in the TRP and really didn't like the sound at all so I (prematurely maybe) had written off KT88's in the DAC. Good to hear from yet another person that the Sophia EL34's should soften after 200 hrs. I probably have 30 hrs on them now although they do sound better with a 274B...a Tak may be above my price pain threshold....ha.

To speed up burn in, I left the TRP on full time, with an occasional respite. For the process, I used a solid state rectifier, although the latter is not necessary. Music playing is not required. The TRP is built to be very easy on tubes.

 

[rjc1845]

I have some odds and and available if anyone is interested. Takatsuki 274B with about 200 hours on it and a matched pair of NOS Tesla EL51's. These are NIB and from 1/1952 and 4/1952 Foil getter variety . Test 100% + and tightly matched 118mA/117mA anode current and 15mA/V and 14 mA/V transconductance. A rare find.

 

[DeadWax]

Just as a quick follow up I'm happy to report that the treble edge completely left my Sophia EL34's after about 80 hrs of run-in. I was a bit skeptical that the tube characteristic would change much but you guys were spot on. Thanks for all the input!

 

[perfusionist]

Hi Guys, hope all of you are doing fine. Havent changed anything in my setup for almost a year now! Which is unusual for me. I guess thats because I've been happy with my Sophia Electric EL34s.
Itching to get my hands on the Sophia Electric KT88s. From what I am reading, it seems like its better than the EL34s!!!
Any first hand experience anyone?

 

[leftside]

Don't suppose anyone on here knows the DSD sample format the TRP uses? Roon has died on me (and for a number of other users) and I've gone back to JRiver. I needed to configure my media server as a JRiver DLNA server and also needed to turn on DLNA on my SoTM SMS-200 where I have the TRP. Everything is working, but I'd still like to know if there is an optimal setting for this renderer/DAC combo.

Select Audio device and option:
- When you select Native DSD type 2, your DAC supports 32-bit DSD_U32_BE sample formats (e.g. XMOS based USB DACs and Marantz/Kenwood DACs).
- Type 0 is for using 8-bit DSD_U8 format like the Botic driver for the BeagleBone Black.

 

[HungarianPal]

- When you select Native DSD type 2, your DAC supports 32-bit DSD_U32_BE sample formats (e.g. XMOS based USB DACs and Marantz/Kenwood DACs).
- Type 0 is for using 8-bit DSD_U8 format like the Botic driver for the BeagleBone Black.

I use Jriver as a uPnP/DLNA server and an Allo USBridge Signature Player as renderer running moOde. In moOde setup for DSD playback there is an option for
a) Native DSD
b) DoP

So I choose Native DSD because I know that the Lampi (I have an older TRP with the R2R engine) supports Native DSD from Linux.

So to get to the point, when you click 'Audio info' during playback of a DSD file on the moOde user interface, one of the last lines shows DSD U32 BE
Therefore I suppose that is your right choice for the Lampi in the SMS-200 setup.

 

[leftside]

I use Jriver as a uPnP/DLNA server and an Allo USBridge Signature Player as renderer running moOde. In moOde setup for DSD playback there is an option for
a) Native DSD
b) DoP

So I choose Native DSD because I know that the Lampi (I have an older TRP with the R2R engine) supports Native DSD from Linux.

So to get to the point, when you click 'Audio info' during playback of a DSD file on the moOde user interface, one of the last lines shows DSD U32 BE
Therefore I suppose that is your right choice for the Lampi in the SMS-200 setup.

Yep works fine with all music formats including DSD/.dsf files.

 

[perfusionist]

Yep works fine with all music formats including DSD/.dsf files.

hi guys, just for the Sophia ELECTRIC KT88 tubes! Burning it in now. Look out for my review soon

 

[DeadWax]

hi guys, just for the Sophia ELECTRIC KT88 tubes! Burning it in now. Look out for my review soon

@perfusionist Any impressions yet of the Sophia KT88's?

On an unrelated note, does anyone have experience running the EML 274B in this DAC?

 

[perfusionist]

@perfusionist Any impressions yet of the Sophia KT88's?

On an unrelated note, does anyone have experience running the EML 274B in this DAC?

So far so good! Still breaking it in. Haven’t done a back to back comparison yet.
I was in LA for a vacation and just got back! Will do it this week

 

[Ed_K]

@perfusionist Any impressions yet of the Sophia KT88's?

On an unrelated note, does anyone have experience running the EML 274B in this DAC?

Hi Deadwax, I’ve did try the EML 274b along with the Psvane 274, Kr 5u4g RK and a few others. I settled on the USAF 596. As always, this is also system dependent and I also run a balanced TRP which decreased the background noise over my single ended TRP. ymmv. Hope this helps. Have you tried the 596. Still relatively inexpensive. Occasionally I still search for a source for the Shuguang GZ480. If anybody has a reliable one, please pass it on. Thx!

 

[DeadWax]

@Ed_K Thanks for the feedback on the EML leading to your final destination of the USAF 596. I have not tried that rectifier and may look into it. I have the Psvane 274, KR 5u4g, and Sophia 274 among others.

 

[christoph]

@Ed_K Thanks for the feedback on the EML leading to your final destination of the USAF 596. I have not tried that rectifier and may look into it. I have the Psvane 274, KR 5u4g, and Sophia 274 among others.

I had the EML 274b mesh and it is not one of my favorite recties.
The EML 274b mesh is not bad at all but it needed several hundred hours of burn-in time and even then, that tizzyness in the upper mids and treble that annoyed me did not vanish completely. It became less with more hours but still remained to some small degree and I could not overhear that. So I passed it on.

The USAF 596 (or like I call it FF, Fugly Franky, short for Fcuking Ugly Frankenstein ) I tried several times because quite a few people raved about it and so, despite of the IMHO hideous look, I gave it more than one chance but FF and I just never clicked

Which KR 5u4g do you have?
The "normal" black base ST shape KR 5u4g or the white base ST shape Lampi Anniversary 5u4g or the latest and IMO by far the best, the somewhat "square shaped" Riccardo Kron Limited Series 5u4g?

What is the sonic change you are looking for (compared to which rectifier) and what are the output tubes you want to pair the recti with?