Lampizator Golden Gate 3 Impressions

[highstream]

Definitely, those who prefer a “neutral” sound, as opposed to a bit of warmth, will likely not like what I do. Yet, I would never characterize their choices as not good, since for them they obviously are good, e.g., the RK 5U4G that rubbed me wrong. There was a matter of QC and longevity about Sophia tubes raised frequently some years ago. I haven’t come across much of it more recently, and haven’t experienced myself 1-2 years in, but one never knows. As for their RP 300B and the GG3, tbd.

 

[highstream]

The upgraded GG2/3 arrived a couple of nights ago and it sounds great with the earlier Sophia Royal Princess 300B Electric and their current 274B Aqua (the older Princess 274B, which came along, is not nearly as good). The 300B's I have are the same tubes that Jeff Day reviewed for PF in 2012 -- the best 300B's he'd heard -- and Jack Roberts did in 2014 for dagogo in a comparison with the current production NOS WE 300B, which he ultimately preferred on balance. In any case, the current Sophia Royal Princess Electric (Ltd. Ed.) 300B is an upgraded version. Whether I'm going to stay with these Sophia's is to be seen, but it won't be because they are "not good," but rather that I find something even better in the context of my tastes. Thinking about the current WE, Taka and an EML 45 Anniversary if it can be found.

 

[christoph]

The upgraded GG2/3 arrived a couple of nights ago and it sounds great with the earlier Sophia Royal Princess 300B Electric and their current 274B Aqua (the older Princess 274B, which came along, is not nearly as good). The 300B's I have are the same tubes that Jeff Day reviewed for PF in 2012 -- the best 300B's he'd heard -- and Jack Roberts did in 2014 for dagogo in a comparison with the current production WE300B, which he ultimately preferred on balance. In any case, the current Sophia Royal Princess Electric (Ltd. Ed.) 300B is an upgraded version. Whether I'm going to stay with these Sophia's is to be seen, but it won't be because they are "not good," but rather that I find something even better in the context of my tastes. Thinking about the current WE, Taka and an EML 45 Anniversary if it can be found.

It would make much more sense to ask for tube recommendations only in ONE thread
I would suggest this one https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/lampizator-valve-tube-rolling-review-thread.26478/post-835983
where I already answered this exact question you are asking here again

 

[highstream]

It would make much more sense to ask for tube recommendations only in ONE thread
I would suggest this one https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/lampizator-valve-tube-rolling-review-thread.26478/post-835983
where I already answered this exact question you are asking here again

My post here was a follow up to a recent discussion, not to ask a question. As I think you’re aware, I did ask a question on the other thread. I’ve also reported a site glitch about the other thread where my Watch list doesn’t show it, even though at the thread it shows me watching. That means I have to search for it each time (so thanks for the link).

 

[highstream]

Just found out that Lampi has moved the Big 7, GG and Pacific to the Legacy category, no longer to be made (or updated) except as a custom order. Production efficiency appears to be largely behind this, although probably also facilitated in part by the quality of Engine 11. Wish I knew about this before going for a used GG and upgrade two months ago. Have to imagine there are or will be some Lampi owners not happy to find out their great dac is now a financial dead end.

 

[keithc]

Just found out that Lampi has moved the Big 7, GG and Pacific to the Legacy category, no longer to be made (or updated) except as a custom order. Production efficiency appears to be largely behind this, although probably also facilitated in part by the quality of Engine 11. Wish I knew about this before going for a used GG and upgrade two months ago. Have to imagine there are or will be some Lampi owners not happy to find out their great dac is now a financial dead end.

Despite that.... a SET Lampi will probably continue to be highly valued

 

[charles1dad]

PS

Despite that.... a SET Lampi will probably continue to be highly valued

My thought as well. Sound quality will/should be the dominant factor.
Charles

 

[highstream]

Wide-eyed optimists

 

[highstream]

Does your GG3 hum internally? If so, with everything else off can you hear it from your listening position?

 

[Golum]

Just found out that Lampi has moved the Big 7, GG and Pacific to the Legacy category, no longer to be made (or updated) except as a custom order. Production efficiency appears to be largely behind this, although probably also facilitated in part by the quality of Engine 11. Wish I knew about this before going for a used GG and upgrade two months ago. Have to imagine there are or will be some Lampi owners not happy to find out their great dac is now a financial dead end.

I spoke with Yoda two nights ago and we touched base regarding "Legacy" products.
All three will be present in the portfolio and produced based on the orders. They are not discontinued nor will be. Thing is, he said, that with the usage of DHT tubes he achieved pinnacle of what can be done hence introducing new models like Pac 2/3/4/5 does not make sense and it's not fair to end users so no new revisions will be done except those 3 which are now placed under Legacy name. He tried to find some better name then legacy but could not come up with one, so they remained placed as such on the web site.
So with this I believe this story can be put aside and you can happily enjoy your GG3s, PAC and B7s.

 

[highstream]

Thanks. I’d be enjoying it a bit more, but… Started the weekend with three hums, now down to two, one 60 Hz and one 120Hz, the latter seemingly coming from the GG internals and audible from the listening position. I tried it from a different electrical circuit and it was still there, so either the condo has a ground loop or the GG is noisy (starts when I plug in a rectifier).

Gene

 

[highstream]

The Lampi site write up on the GG now mentions the KR T-100 tubes. Anyone tried them? Is an adapter needed? The site seems to says so -- "Also with mechanical adapter of the socket...," even though it's a 4 pin.

 

[Golum]

They are too big and cant be placed into the socket as is so they need extender adapter ux4 to ux4. Had them at home and did not try as i did not have those adapters. Guys who tried not crazy about them..

 

[highstream]

They are too big and cant be placed into the socket as is so they need extender adapter ux4 to ux4. Had them at home and did not try as i did not have those adapters. Guys who tried not crazy about them..

Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread

Apparently no more 242s, neither RK nor KR, are currently being produced and none are available -according to LampiNA via Lampi/Lukasz. So…as above. . I’ll buy if anyone has them. Need a quad ideally.

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

[highstream]

Thanks. I’d be enjoying it a bit more, but… Started the weekend with three hums, now down to two, one 60 Hz and one 120Hz, the latter seemingly coming from the GG internals and audible from the listening position. I tried it from a different electrical circuit and it was still there, so either the condo has a ground loop or the GG is noisy (starts when I plug in a rectifier).

Gene

Follow up: I took my GG3 over to a local shop's test bench. The EML 45's didn't start up on first try, but after swapping in the Sophia's and then coming back, they came on. The result was dead silence.

Right now, everything is piled into my living room due to water damage awaiting rebuild, but when that clears up I'll have to look for the 120 Hz culprit elsewhere.

 

[christoph]

Sorry to hear about your turmoil

 

[highstream]

Thanks. I didn't realize that there was a water intake valve to the dishwasher (which I never use) that could go bad on its own. Lucky I came down to make dinner not too long after it did. Another condo had the same thing happen at virtually the same time, but the owner was spending Xmas back east.

 

[highstream]

Thanks. I’d be enjoying it a bit more, but… Started the weekend with three hums, now down to two, one 60 Hz and one 120Hz, the latter seemingly coming from the GG internals and audible from the listening position. I tried it from a different electrical circuit and it was still there, so either the condo has a ground loop or the GG is noisy (starts when I plug in a rectifier).

Gene

Turns out that the bass hum was apparently the result of the GG tube selector switch being on 300B instead of 45. At least, that's what I discovered yesterday (my system had been off until early this past week). Upon switching to 45 for the EML Anniversaries, the sound was lots of tube hash and lower volume, no bass hum. It was still absent when I switched tubes (trying out a pair of 1925 Cunningham 301-A's someone sent me). As for the other hum, which I've been perhaps mistakenly calling 120 Hz because it doesn't sound like 60, using a cheater plug seemed to cut it in half. I've got a Core Technologies Ground Zero on the way, and hopefully the guy selling the other brand Ground Zero (used), a grounding block independent of the audio signal, will reply soon.

 

[zebo67]

Thanks to my buddy @Golum I think I'm one of the first(?) people to be enjoying the new iteration of Lampizator's Golden Gate DAC, the Golden Gate 3.

First off, a bit of background. I've been a user of the Esoteric digital front-end for some time now. My current Esoteric Setup consists of the K01XD SACD/DAC, Grandioso G1X Master Clock and N03T network transport.

For months now, I've had a nagging feeling that I'm simply not living up to my digital source potential. My phono setup and my Studer A807 were easily besting the Esoteric setup. Not necessarily in all of the usual audiophile tick boxes, but in terms of the tone and the general "life" to the music presentation -- absolutely.

After hearing Lampizator at the Munich Hi end in combination with some horn speakers (full disclosure: not a big fan of horn sound coloration), I was on the fence and actually preferred other digital setups at the show. However, at a friend's house I had a chance to sit down and listen to the Atlantic TRP DAC (I believe one version prior to the latest one), and after hearing what it brought to that system I made the plunge and after discussing with @Golum the various options, settled on the brand new iteration of the Golden Gate DAC -- GG3.

So with that in mind, I can't really give you a good overview of how this iteration of the Lampi DAC fares against other models (especially having not heard them with my setup). But what I CAN tell you with a fair degree of certainty is that Lampi GG3 makes a huge positive difference over what I was hearing with the Esoteric setup.

Hearing the first few notes after firing up the DAC for the first time, I was taken aback by the difference in the depth and audio cues in the soundstage. Everything seemed a lot more similar to my analogue setups -- the images got a lot more body, depth and air around them. This sentiment persisted even after a dozen or so sessions -- where I was continuously surprised by this aspect of this digital music source. It just doesn't add up to my preconceived notions of "digital sound".

Another aspect that became apparent (as I continued to asses the sound of my system and compare with my B system, as well as friends' systems) is that the sound got "bigger" somehow. Not sure how best to explain this, but think of the difference one would hear when going from a pure class A system to a straight up AB system. Time and again, I would hear this effect when going back and forth between my A system with the Lampi DAC and my B system. I heard this same effect when coming back home from my friend's house -- having listened to Atlantic TRP at his place.

Finally, with regards to SQ (and to my huge relief), besides the fact that you get very pleasant and airy highs with my Marten Coltrane 3 and creamy and seductive mids (as you'd expect from top-notch tube gear), the bass has absolutely no woolliness or overhang which was to an extent my fear when going from solid state to tube output digital. If there is such a thing as bass tone, it becomes more enjoyable much in the same way as the mids do, and to top that off, the resolution of the bass notes (easily discernible with instruments like the double bass) become palpable and defined in the entire spectrum (plenty of different frequencies beyond the low octaves when you pluck that heavy string).

I still haven't gotten into the tube-rolling aspect of the whole deal, as I'm quite happy with the stock tube performance. One thing to note as I continue to enjoy the music is that the sound (as is the case with most tube equipment) tips over on that scale of "magical tube tone" after about 2-3 hours of listening.

In closing, I haven't etched out this much enjoyment from a hi-fi piece of gear in literally years. I am very, very happy.

Thank you for your review. Sorry I’m late to the party but your review was exactly I was hoping to learn about GG3. I got my eyes on GG for a while. BTW, gorgeous setup. If I may ask, what rack system you’re using? With constant changes in gear, I really like the modular racks that can be modified on the fly.

 

[bonzo75]

Barbie Lampi - LOL