Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread

[Zero000]

BTW I sold my Taylor and United Electronics 211s as I was never able to build quads so it's a bit of a shame I never got to test them.

I actually have 5 RCA and 7 Amperex. One RCA was at 50%, and one Amperex was known dead anyway. All risk eBay buys but considering they came from different batches, levels of usage and years the consistency is not far short of brilliant.

 

[christoph]

Justin, 211 can not be used in any Lampi DAC, why do you post all that in this thread?

 

[Zero000]

Justin, 211 can not be used in any Lampi DAC, why do you post all that in this thread?

The point is really about valve manufacturers ability to meet a specification. I would have thought it reasonably obvious but maybe not.

So I would bank on RCA, GE and Amperex as likely to be good based on what I have seen both in 211s and some other valves I have. Provided they are NOS or close too.

Translate that into rectis and other valve types that will go in a Lampi.

Plus the thread title doesn't restrict itself to DACs. You can by a Lampi 211 amp. Though I think he sells a lot less of those than DACs.

 

[christoph]

The point is really about valve manufacturers ability to meet a specification. I would have thought it reasonably obvious but maybe not.

So I would bank on RCA, GE and Amperex as likely to be good based on what I have seen both in 211s and some other valves I have. Provided they are NOS or close too.

Translate that into rectis and other valve types that will go in a Lampi.

Plus the thread title doesn't restrict itself to DACs. You can by a Lampi 211 amp. Though I think he sells a lot less of those than DACs.

You are right.
Sorry for my snippy posting above.

 

[newbiecapri]

What is the sound character of the PX25 and KR242 when placed on a GG2 dac assuming rectifier is a constant KR5u4 or KR5AR ?
Is this the Yin and Yang of tubes ? Totally opposite sounding ?

Thanks!

 

[Golum]

What is the sound character of the PX25 and KR242 when placed on a GG2 dac assuming rectifier is a constant KR5u4 or KR5AR ?
Is this the Yin and Yang of tubes ? Totally opposite sounding ?

Thanks!

They are not on the opposite side of spectrum...but you have all details among first few pages of this thread

 

[newbiecapri]

They are not on the opposite side of spectrum...but you have all details among first few pages of this thread

thanks, will check it out G.

 

[Zero000]

The strange case of the recovering Teslas?

OK so 4 of the AD1 I have have identical internal construction. But two have a differing top part. See the pic and refer to the earlier shot of a valve in my tester.

Date code NH.

First measurement after 15 minutes in the tester: 3.2ma/V.

After 2 hours in the Lampi: 4 ma/V

After 6 hours in the Lampi: 4.5ma/V

Date code NF.

First measurement after 15 minutes in the tester: 4.4 ma/V.

After 2 hours in the Lampi: 5 ma/V

After 6 hours in the Lampi: 5.4 ma/V

Note as a pair in the DAC they still sound better than anything I have come across.

If they get stronger again I will post.

Another pair both measure 6.9 ma/V which is 0.9 ma/V over spec. The original pair 6.2 and 6.4.

Curious.

 

[Zero000]

BTW my EML AD1 measure 4.5 and 5 ma/V. That:s on a fairly new pair definitely less than 150 hours.

If I owned a Pacific, I would definitely try and buy a pair of either these or risk money on Telefunken AD1 or EB III.

Telefunken EB III - I know this guy will take $1800 because I made an offer

Since I can't vouch for sound of the Telefunkens don't blame me if they suck. But I just know if I owned Pacific I would buy them.

 

[wil]

Has anyone listened to the PX25 or KR242 through a Pacific with the Pacific Volume Control (no external pre amp)?

 

[Golum]

Did Kedar take those AD1s for a spin?

 

[bonzo75]

Did Kedar take those AD1s for a spin?

I still haven't received them.

 

[heihei]

Has anyone listened to the PX25 or KR242 through a Pacific with the Pacific Volume Control (no external pre amp)?

Yes.

 

[wil]

I don't know if I missed mention or discussion of it in this thread... Could you direct me to it? Thanks

 

[Golum]

I still haven't received them.

Pony Express is on strike or what?

 

[adamaley]

Well, it looks like 2020 will be a good year. Acme 300B + Acme 274B sounds glorious, and at first listen I prefer it to PX25s. Ordered my own pair to be able to compare it to the Elrog 300Bs in my amp while still using Acme 300Bs (borrowed from a friend) in the DAC. New pair (in amps) needs burning in, but just the addition in the DAC has rendered the music the best I've had in my system thus far.

 

[Golum]

Thanks for the info @adamaley.
As you have a huge stash of rectifiers could you pls advice on two in particular - WE 422A and Marconi U52? Which one you prefer from those two and why?
Thanks in advance!

 

[christoph]

Acme 300B + Acme 274B sounds glorious, and at first listen I prefer it to PX25s.

Congrats on your new dream Combo

Can you elaborate on the difference between the ACME 300b and the PX25?
Is your PX25 the regular or the RK Version?

Have you ever tried the Takatsuki 274b and Takatsuki 300b as well?

 

[Zero000]

I still haven't received them.

I haven't sent them because I thought you wanted to visit and pick them up but since that didn't happen over Xmas then I can send them.

TBH if you are going to visit then wait til I am in the new place.

The chap who is going to fix my Lampi can't do it for a while since he is in holiday. I will see if he can see an opportunity for any further upgrades but it is full of expensive foo already so I doubt there's much scope.

 

[adamaley]

Thanks for the info @adamaley.
As you have a huge stash of rectifiers could you pls advice on two in particular - WE 422A and Marconi U52? Which one you prefer from those two and why?
Thanks in advance!

My two favorite rectifiers would be the 422A and the Acme 274B, with the Marconi U52 a level slightly below those two. The 422A is immensely holographic and revealing, but in my setup it is too much of a good thing. It also doesn't have the soundstaging, image size, separation of the Acme 274B. The Acme 274B to me, is similar to the Tak 274B in terms of the size of the images, separation of instruments and soundstage width and depth. In my system, it just seems to have more of the aforementioned traits and resolves more information than the Tak did and .

The Marconi U52 is similar in tonality to the Acme 274B. Just as warm and maybe not as relaxed - more dynamic. It doesn't have the scale of soundstage or images as the 274B. It also doesn't seem to reveal as much inner detail as the other two.

Between these three, in my system, preference and system matching could take you either way. The Marconi doesn't offer enough different things from the Acme to be considered as viable as the 422A, which brings a different sound and can suit a different mood.