LampizatOr Golden Atlantic + TRP

[Designsfx]

I’m porting these impressions over from another post-
Tonight should be interesting- I’m finally getting around to trying a quad of tubes that took a while to find, a quad of Sylvania VT-94 D. After being totally hooked on my recently purchased 6c5c’s I honestly had set these aside and not given them much thought until I noticed them this morning just sitting there. Pulling these from there boxes revealed the same dusty undersides one gets when buying old tubes but overall the tubes were in pretty good shape. I cleaned them up a little and dropped them into the dac for a “settling in warmup”. After 6 hrs of that it’s time to listen.



So where to start? These tubes are a little different from others that I’ve in the Lampizator. When compared to the late 30’s metal 6J5’s they have a slightly warmer presentation. The low end response is strong and one that can be easily felt through both your feet and seat. At this point I wouldn’t say it’s as deep/detailed as the 6c5c but it is present nonetheless- perhaps the best way to describe it would be “fuller” sounding.

The upper end of the spectrum is evenly blended with a pleasant midrange that doesn’t stand too forward but allows detail to come through without getting lost in lower mids. Vocals sound nice with a hint of warmth yet they are not quite as forward as they can be with other tubes.

The mids extend to the higher frequencies nicely giving higher frequencies a sense of warmth yet without any loss of detail. I can appreciate tubes with this quality especially when acoustic and electric guitars are in play with the former having a natural sound without the latter getting too crispy or edgy. The tracks I’ve listened to so far have all played with impact and have produced a great sense of space. I’ll report back on these as I get more time on them.

 

[Designsfx]

How did it take so long to get the 6sn7 + Atlantic TRP compatibility uncovered! This an exemplary tube family, along with its USSR equivalents. I just installed these (w/ adapters) a week ago and am enamored with them after the first breath of vocals ...just superb...but more here later.

First off, the Raytheon 6J5G coke-bottle, which is excellent in the TRP as well. It presents with nigh the detail and top-to-bottom extension of my Mola Mola Tambaqui in back-to-back listening, yet imbued the midrange with tone and texture, superior ambiance, attack, and decay in the TRP that the MMT could not match. All of this with the Sophia 274b mark I or new mark II version up front. The tin can 6J5 GEs have more apparent added midrange warmth and a more forward soundstage, yet are slightly not as detailed, airy, nor extended up top vs the Raytheon 6J5G. The Raytheons offer more inner detail yielding a little more density and dimensionality to the image. All of this takes a few songs to tease out, as we're talking the last bit of refinement (tuning preference) here, yet a consistent difference.

Back to the 6sn7 family. The NOS Soviet 6H8C (6SN7 equivalent) and brown base Sylvania JAN 6sn7 WGTAs have possibly the most captivating vocals I've heard in this wonderful DAC. I have a nice stash of these tubes from owning many great 6sn7-based preamps. The 6H8C isn't as detailed at the Raytheon 6J5GTs in the upper mids and into the highs, being more midrange-to-low-end-centric. The Sylvania, however, closes this gap from the upper mids to the highest highs, and also offers maximal midrange magic, although they unfortunately are ~10x as expensive vs. the 6H8Cs. These are the generalities with the Sophia 274mk2 tube. I hear more midrange texture and impressive soundstage height comes with the RCA globe 80, yet get more top end shimmer and detail with the Brimar, although the Sophia seems most balanced in my system. Any which way, these are all great sounding tubes/combinations.

I'm continually amazed by the sound, versatility, and value from the GA TRP.

Happy listening

@Socrates428
Very interested in hearing the Sylvania JAN 6SN7 in my system- I’ve currently only experience 50’s Raytheon’s. I’ll definitely look into the 6H8C as well- I’ve come across a few good folks at Head Fi that are really into collecting the old Soviet made tubes.
I would like to know which version of the TRP you are using and are you running SE or balanced?

 

[Socrates428]

@Socrates428
Very interested in hearing the Sylvania JAN 6SN7 in my system- I’ve currently only experience 50’s Raytheon’s. I’ll definitely look into the 6H8C as well- I’ve come across a few good folks at Head Fi that are really into collecting the old Soviet made tubes.
I would like to know which version of the TRP you are using and are you running SE or balanced?

It's a SE Golden Atlantic TRP2. I have a Poseidon coming next month and am on the hunt for quads of my favorite cross-compatible TRP output tubes, so feel your pain here.

I'm also trying to unearth where I put my stash of red base Shuguang WE6SN7+, which I found superior to NOS in a couple of different nice preamps (apart from their short healthy tube life). Maybe the CV181 black treasures or PSVANE globes would be worth a go? Has anyone tried any current production "premium Chinese" 6sn7 variants yet? I see Sophia has the blue bottle 6sn7 back in stock although nearly $1,000 for a quad is looney tunes.

 

[Designsfx]

It's a SE Golden Atlantic TRP2. I have a Poseidon coming next month and am on the hunt for quads of my favorite cross-compatible TRP output tubes, so feel your pain here.

I'm also trying to unearth where I put my stash of red base Shuguang WE6SN7+, which I found superior to NOS in a couple of different nice preamps (apart from their short healthy tube life). Maybe the CV181 black treasures or PSVANE globes would be worth a go? Has anyone tried any current production "premium Chinese" 6sn7 variants yet? I see Sophia has the blue bottle 6sn7 back in stock although nearly $1,000 for a quad is looney tunes.

I just saw quad‘s of PSvane 6SN7 going for $450-$600 and they were used- huh? I’ll be shopping tonight so maybe others will turn up more reasonably. I’m glad to see that you’re able to make the triodes work with your TRP2. I’ve mentioned these to another owner and he said it was “impossible!” (that would be @leftside)
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the Poseidon!

 

[leftside]

I just saw quad‘s of PSvane 6SN7 going for $450-$600 and they were used- huh? I’ll be shopping tonight so maybe others will turn up more reasonably. I’m glad to see that you’re able to make the triodes work with your TRP2. I’ve mentioned these to another owner and he said it was “impossible!” (that would be @leftside)
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the Poseidon!

Hey I'm only going by what Lampizator told me when I first purchased the GA TRP 2.

So, we can definitely use 6J5 in the TRP 2? If so, that's great. I have one or two (crates...) of those tubes.

Two of my custom headphone amps take those tubes natively with 6J5 sockets. My Supratek Grange also has four 6J5 sockets.

 

[Designsfx]

Crates!
When is your next garage sale? I remember the pics of your head amp you posted on the Lampi thread on Head Fi, that was me you were responding to.

 

[Socrates428]

Hey I'm only going by what Lampizator told me when I first purchased the GA TRP 2.

So, we can definitely use 6J5 in the TRP 2? If so, that's great. I have one or two (crates...) of those tubes.

Two of my custom headphone amps take those tubes natively with 6J5 sockets. My Supratek Grange also has four 6J5 sockets.

Yes, the 6J5s run directly in the socket for the TRP2, no adapter is needed (the adapter is for the 6sn7/VT231/181/etc. family). I've run a few 6J5 variants now - no problemo.

 

[leftside]

Crates!
When is your next garage sale?

Maybe when/if I retire.

 

[Souldriver]

Just a heads up for NA Engine 11 users. Check your fuses as it seems they may be under rated and may pop. I had two pop and looking at the manual there was conflicting info so I emailed in...

From Lampi:

"...the USA rating should be 2x the EU rating and consequently the next best value is 3,15A not 2.
I dont know how this rating got to the manual but probably it was carried from the old dac design with a smaller transformer."

It seems some have shipped with 1.6A to NA. Mine only popped when starting after i unplugged and replugged it into the wall (cleaning). I would hit the button, it would go on for a half second then die. Oddly enough it survived many on/off/standby cycles in between.

 

[Souldriver]

Maybe someone here may know.

When i play 24/48 bitrate files the volume seems much lower. I usually have to turn the knob up around 4 db on the lampizator to compensate. This is comparing both redbook and 24/48 versions of the same mastering. These are not being upsampled actively, they should be native bitrates. Even higher-res files (24/96, etc) seem to play at regular volume. And it does not seem to be affected by where the file came from (qobuz, bandcamp, etc). File type does not matter as i tried flac and wav.

Any thoughts on this or anything I can try? I use the USB input to the dac, and i currently do not have a cable to test other inputs.

 

[Designsfx]

Maybe someone here may know.

When i play 24/48 bitrate files the volume seems much lower. I usually have to turn the knob up around 4 db on the lampizator to compensate. This is comparing both redbook and 24/48 versions of the same mastering. These are not being upsampled actively, they should be native bitrates. Even higher-res files (24/96, etc) seem to play at regular volume. And it does not seem to be affected by where the file came from (qobuz, bandcamp, etc). File type does not matter as i tried flac and wav.

Any thoughts on this or anything I can try? I use the USB input to the dac, and i currently do not have a cable to test other inputs.

What sources are you using for playback?

 

[Souldriver]

What sources are you using for playback?

Right now an Antipodes K50 with LMS. I do not remember it doing it with the previous dac.

Next i will be trying it just from my pc playing foobar but ill need to find a usb long enough.

 

[Designsfx]

Right now an Antipodes K50 with LMS. I do not remember it doing it with the previous dac.

Next i will be trying it just from my pc playing foobar but ill need to find a usb long enough.

Any “Roon” involved?

 

[Souldriver]

Any “Roon” involved?

Only antipodes version of lms

 

[budburma]

In the fine tradition of everything making a difference, I switched speaker taps on my VAC Phi Alpha from 4 to 8ohm to feed my Daedalus Athena v2 Speakers - I'd read somewhere they were more like like 6ohm rather than the 8ohm listed. The 4ohm tap covers 2 to 8 ohm so I figure I was covered. The 8ohm covers 4 to 16ohm, so that's good to go, too, with more room to move on either end to bood.

The long and the short of it is that the 8ohm tap was a revelation. Bigger, taller stage with more air, space and detail. Fantastic! It came with a bit of unwanted crispness or stridency though.

I went right after taming it with Lampi tube rolling and rediscovered all the fantastic combos there are from Germany TFKN EL12sp through some Russian 6L6 style Reflektor and Winged-C's and on through the Sophia and Shuguang KT88's from the far East and back to Russia with Gold Lions landing back on US soil with 6384's from Jersey. All with various world ranging recti, too. It was a little easier this time circumnavigating the sonic globe and it's great to say the soundscape was beautiful everywhere. They all sounded good. The Sophia KT88's/Brimar Oldway 5r4gy and the GEC L63/Sophia 274b v1 were hard to choose between as sounding the best in the new soundgarden....

Over those days, the unused 8ohm tap and internal connections must have shaken off the cobwebs because the crispies are now gone! Everything makes a difference, maybe time most of all.

As good as those sets sound, I came back home to Sylvanvania 6J5gt/g's with the Brimar Oldway. Wowee. That's it and that's all. There must be a reason that Lukasz picked them for the Poseiden and Mick Maloney for his Grange at Supratek. That's all I'm sayin'. Of coure, I imagine they'd like to supply their pieces with some obtainable, mortal tubes for us earthlings.

One of the bonuses of the 6j5/5r4 combo is there's need for adapters and no worry over them adding whatever they add...or substract. An opening for my mind's ear to R&R. That said, there are 3 or pairs of 7193's waiting for the matching adapter from master Xuling to arrive...'somebody stop me'!

Anyway, it's nice sit at home and just listen for a while and not bother trying to make things better....because they're so goooood already.

 

[WildPhydeaux]

New member here and I'm very grateful for the impressive quantity of helpful tube rolling information in this thread. Much thanks to all and especially @Designsfx for the summary document he put together.

I have an used SE VC A3 TRP enroute to me and am looking forward to it immensely. Should be well broken in but comes with no tubes and I plan to use what I have on hand to start with. Hopefully it won't be as disappointing as some have claimed theirs was before they started tube rolling. I have an early Mullard GZ34 and a pair of Mullard EL34 Xf2. Also have some early Brimar 6J5G.

Here's a question I have not seen asked or mentioned.

When using the volume control for a component connected to the analog inputs of the Lampi, does that signal go through the tube stage first or is it just routed directly through the volume resistor ladder?

Cheers,
Robert

 

[Designsfx]

New member here and I'm very grateful for the impressive quantity of helpful tube rolling information in this thread. Much thanks to all and especially @Designsfx for the summary document he put together.

I have an used SE VC A3 TRP enroute to me and am looking forward to it immensely. Should be well broken in but comes with no tubes and I plan to use what I have on hand to start with. Hopefully it won't be as disappointing as some have claimed theirs was before they started tube rolling. I have an early Mullard GZ34 and a pair of Mullard EL34 Xf2. Also have some early Brimar 6J5G.

Here's a question I have not seen asked or mentioned.

When using the volume control for a component connected to the analog inputs of the Lampi, does that signal go through the tube stage first or is it just routed directly through the volume resistor ladder?

Cheers,
Robert

Congratulations on your TRP3- you’re going to get a lot of enjoyment from it. Not certain of what rectifiers you’re planning to try but I think you’re going to be impressed with the 6J5G’s.
Sorry I can’t help with the volume control question as I don’t use it but there are many here that do- hopefully someone will offer assistance to you. Enjoy!

 

[WildPhydeaux]

Thank you for the kind welcome. I have a Holo May DAC now which is very good but also had Lampizator in mind when the May became available. Looking forward to comparing them, though I know they will appeal in different ways.

Cheers,
Robert

 

[budburma]

A follow up on the 7193/2c22 and euro versions CV6/E1148.
(Other Euro versions include VT232 , VR135, E1148, DET20, 10E/392 - there are other versions, but I've not seen any of them. The E1148 has an odd looking perpendicular plate.)

I've attached pics to help with using Xuling adapters - the lead wires/caps on the adapter are unlabelled, but I imagine one is cathode and the other anode.

The anode/cathode caps do seem to be reversed between the US and Euro versions. I don't know which is which but the tube's internal wire from one cap goes to a rod near the center of the plate ("plate" cap) while the other goes to an outer plate rod ("grid" cap). With the adapter in the Lampi - ie fixed orientation - the "grid" lead is the one on the right.

With the tube in the adapter, the US (NU and KenRad) 7193 has the "grid" cap in the front - so using the adapter's right side "grid" lead in front - while for the E1148 the "grid" cap is in the rear - so, right adapter lead to the rear.

AND, the KenRad is amazing sounding with layers and layers of tone, wide/layered quiet stage, and tremendous realistic presence with easy detail. Nothing over empasized, linear and a widely extended warmish sonic palate. For me, total immersion....

 

[budburma]

So, one of the KenRad went microphonic and had to go. More on the way though...6-10usd each, so it's fine (and dandy).
The Haltron E1148 is not a good tube - loss of detail/attack/decay is substantial. Still cool looking, but can't recommend for listening.
I've been enjoying the ancient and wise Westinghouse 5u4g, too.