Pacific dac: Lampizator's new top of the line dac
- Thread starter Audiocrack
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Not at all. Only time was with a defective px4...but it rang even when holding it in ones palm. lol
Norm I meant do you hear the tubes of the dac if the amps are off ? If not next time I’ll show you. All our stuff plays and you can hear it. Amps do tubes or Ss. have you ever watched tubes on amps glow in the dark they dance to the music.
Output transformers do as well as psu. Same on output transistors.
Output transformers do as well as psu. Same on output transistors.
No worries, regular fight among lovers...love will be in the air soon
You mean like Kedar and Marc (SpiritOfMusic)?No worries, regular fight among lovers...love will be in the air soon
For the what are you saying people
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/sol...-dummy-load-hear-music-coming-inside-amp.html
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/sol...-dummy-load-hear-music-coming-inside-amp.html
Greeting Lampi family and future adoptees
Referencing the unfortunate noise/hum I experienced with the recent addition of the CJ GAT2 preamp and Pacific DAC, I'm posting this update for clarification and learning purposes; that while the issue has yet to be resolved, it has become evident that there was nothing "wrong" or defective with Lampizator Pacific DAC as it was suggested. Thanks to the members here, especially Larry, it's been demonstrated that the electrical environment of ones listening space is a big factor as well as the interaction of different electronics, in terms of the grounding scheme and the resultant "grounding plane/potential" that can cause the noise/hum issues. In short, tread lightly and don't be coming on here tryin to throw shade, lest you earn the wraith of the "Lampi Posse". Moving forward and for those interested look for updates in my post. Happy listening.
Referencing the unfortunate noise/hum I experienced with the recent addition of the CJ GAT2 preamp and Pacific DAC, I'm posting this update for clarification and learning purposes; that while the issue has yet to be resolved, it has become evident that there was nothing "wrong" or defective with Lampizator Pacific DAC as it was suggested. Thanks to the members here, especially Larry, it's been demonstrated that the electrical environment of ones listening space is a big factor as well as the interaction of different electronics, in terms of the grounding scheme and the resultant "grounding plane/potential" that can cause the noise/hum issues. In short, tread lightly and don't be coming on here tryin to throw shade, lest you earn the wraith of the "Lampi Posse". Moving forward and for those interested look for updates in my post. Happy listening.
We just try to help all a lampizator is a product that plays way above its price point. This makes it fair game to many who don’t own one and want to push back on it. I owned a flagship man stack a few years ago. It’s not about being better but it too had hum issues but it did have internal controls to lift grounds in various points. But no one and I mean no one ever says anything negative on the gods of audio. again a very very well made product. I think lampizator has gone a very long way to be at the level it is. There is a msb add that follows me around on here Hahahaha it’s below me now
Highstream, Redphu, Al
Are we still on the Lampi hum thing? On one hand, it seems that based on several reports, there no obvious “one size fits all” root cause of the problem. Hum can be caused by almost anything. As Al wisely points out, did you rule out proximity effect? No amount of grounding scheme changes is likely going to solve that issue if the components that cause the problem are too close to each other so that they interact somehow to cause hum that can be eliminated simply by re-positioning. You can also change RCA to XLRs all you want but this is not a cure for hum due to proximity effect.
Is the hum a Lampi problem or due to another piece? Seems to me the answers we’ve heard are all over the place. Systems can be perfectly quiet until one piece overturns the apple cart. It could be the Lampi, or a phono pre-amp, or just about anything else based on the individual posts that have appeared. These gremlins are often a real nightmare to sort out.
Go ahead and do all the common sense solutions proposed by Al and others. Add or omit ground cables. Change what you think might be a bad capacitor. Turn to the east and say a prayer.
When it comes right down to it, here’s the key question- do you still have hum or not? You’d be surprised at how many people just want to deny the hum is there. They rationalize it’s just low level hum and therefore is not big deal. Nonsense. If you have any hum, you are not hearing your system to its full potential. Plain and simple.
On the other hand, the solution may be more straight forward than you realize regardless of cause (except proximity effect)
See post #28
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...sing-rca-connections.30014/page-2#post-626565
If you have hum, again, any hum, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t try the solution several of us have found to be completely successful in eliminating this dreaded nuisance. For anything other than power amps, I wouldn’t hesitate to try a Furman IT Reference 15i or 20i isolation transformer used ONLY for the culprit component that is the cause of the hum. No need at all to use it for any component that’s not causing the hum problem. Not only has it solved the hum problem for several forum members, it worked for Lampi owners as well as owners of other gear such as phono stages.
Quite honestly, since buying these on line cost about $1200 (for the 15i) and since they are generally fully refundable for 30 days, there is really no reason that I can see as to why someone with any non-proximity effect hum wouldn’t try this simple, straight forward and inexpensive solution that can banish the hum gremlin forever. Good luck!
If the hum goes away by replacing CJ preamp, and if the CJ preamp does not make the Lampi with the 242 tubes in it sound magical (this is very preamp dependent) sell it. There are many preamps. The best one is the one the gels with the 242 in the Lampi. People online will spend their lifetime comparing AR, VTL, CJ. It doesn't matter. All those preamps are mediocre and compared to what can be done once a preamp fits in with Lampi 242
Marty,
IMHO if an isolation transformer solves our hum problem we should carry research in our system to find on what exactly is causing the hum. Most probably it can be solved using common sense and basic grounding rules.
Do you consider that Steve option - using a Lampizator with volume control that can match any preamplifier degrades sound quality? IMHO it seems to be the best technical advice, independently of tube.
Possible that is a good solution. Though Steve's reactions don't show that the 242 is working its magic, we will know only after he swaps over to PX25. Either that or Steve is like those Alistair MacLean secret agents who do not show much emotion
Regarding hum and the CJ preamp. I had a similar situation where I was using the AudioNet Max amps with a Simaudio 740p preamp. I use balanced ic's from the preamp to the amp. I upgraded my preamp to the Stern and suddenly there was a noticeable hum coming through my speakers. You can imagine how upset I would be at this situation. I could switch back to the simaudio and the hum would go away. I tried a lot of things in troubleshooting but eventually (within a couple days) I contacted AudioNet and they had me try a pair of single ended cables and the hum went away. Turns out that the Stern preamp lifts the ground pin in balanced ic's. I purchased a pair of ground cables from Shunyata terminated with RCA's on both ends. I simply ran this cable in parallel from the back of the preamp to the amp and it provided the gournd. No more hum.
You don't have to necessarily sell your beloved CJ preamp if you can find the problem that is causing the ground loop. But the process can be maddening.
Good Luck,
Todd
You don't have to necessarily sell your beloved CJ preamp if you can find the problem that is causing the ground loop. But the process can be maddening.
Good Luck,
Todd
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
With all due respect Ked you don't know anything about my reactions and the 242 not working it's magic. I remain in awe about this DAC and yes I still have the RK-KR PX25 tube to try. I like to understand one tube before I try another and so far the 242 has been checking all of my boxes. As to the use of the volume control on the Lampi , I was advised by many users that this is the best way to go. I have stated here several times that I tune the gain on my preamp to suit my taste and then use the gain control on the lampi to further tune to satisfaction. I have done this so many times in the dark and with eyes closed and it seems for my ears I always find the sweet spot on the lampi gain anywhere from -10Db to -16DB with -12Db the most common place I listen.
There's nothing wrong with my preamp Ked and if you remember I have no hum with my Lampi
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