Surprising DAC Comparison: Accuphase DC81L (from 1989) vs Lampizator Atlantic TRP 2 (from 2020)

[AnonymousAudiophile]

Long-time user of Lampizator TRP 2 as most of my system has changed around it. Always very pleased with overall sonics, and have even hot-rodded it with swiss digital fuse box, space tech labs super rectifier, and F2a or NOS EL34 output tubes. Recently took a flier on a $900 used Accuphase DC81L in pristine condition; its a discrete R2R DAC originally selling for $8k in 1989. Really floored by the presentation of this Accuphase machine. That and the build-quality, which makes it seem like the Lampizator was made in somebody's garage in comparison.

All of my observations are via Black Cat Tron SPDIF cable from LDMS custom server, volume level matched with handheld SPL meter, and with max bitrate of 48k (the Accuphase will not accept higher-res data). Note that the Accuphase has a captive power cord. Lampizator using 2 aftermarket cords (Less Loss CMARC, Audio Illuminati from Poland) sandwiching the swiss digital fuse box (standard copper fuse bar).

Lampizator TRP2: great tone, good body, great focus/precision with natural detail, balanced throughout frequency spectrum, highly holographic, great "air".

Accuphase DC 81L: supernatural-level saturation/density/body, timbrally rich/colorful, very intimate and life-like, very live-sounding, emphasizing of bass/midbass, resolving but diffuse imaging, lack of soundstage depth.

In direct comparison, the Lampizator excels at epic portrayals of music made in the studio with higher levels of 'production' and emphasized textures, such as hard rock, electronic, "new age", metal, dense pop.

The Accuphase excels at live-recorded, naturally-miked, more intimate, older music, but lack of precision of imaging and spaciousness loses much of what makes good studio production music appealing.

My overall preference is for the Accuphase signature, but couldn't rely on it for all of my favorite music.

Any recommendations for a different dac that keeps the supernatural 'saturation/density/body' like the Accuphase without losing the focus/precision of the Lampizator? TotalDAC, Aqua, Ayon, newer Accuphase...? I will keep using both dacs in my system until I find a suitable ideal new contender.

Attached photos are stock.

 

[LL21]

Very interesting experience. Along comparable lines, I have been a long-time owner of the Zanden 4-box digital for many years, and probably sometimes around the original the changeover from Scarlatti/Vivaldi just stopped looking after listening to many wonderful digital set ups from DCS, MBL, Emm Labs, Audio Research, Metronome (Calista), and a number of others.

In the end I have found the Zanden better balanced, more human in its playing if you will...but also have found its level of detail (in its original form) lacking in comparison with newer generation digital. So?

I updated the tubes to NOS Mullards, discovered it responded incredibly well to isolation and mass damping, good grounding...and then discovered that continuing to reduce any form of noise in the system really helped: Waversa Ref INT Plus...sitting in between the transport and the DAC. The Zanden now has had a completely 'modern update' in its ability to create dynamic detail, punch and drive...while at the same maintaining every bit of its rareified ability to relate the natural sense of tone, decay and harmonics that it always has excelled in.

In some respects, my read of your search mirrors my own over the last few years, and hence I thought I would share this if it is helpful. All these things simply seemed to remove 'grunge' (physical vibration, lower quality power, EMI/RFI)...and each time that happened, the quality of the sound improved...but particularly in the areas you mention. The sound has greater dynamic scale, faster reflexes if you will, much much better ability to delineate massed strings and also has a far greater muscularity when called for while also maintaining its extraordinary delicacy and nuance which it always had.

Your system may not benefit from any of this...but if the Accuphase shares anything with the Zanden from their perhaps similar vintages (actually yours even older by a generation), then it just might.

 

[AnonymousAudiophile]

Very interesting experience. Along comparable lines, I have been a long-time owner of the Zanden 4-box digital for many years, and probably sometimes around the original the changeover from Scarlatti/Vivaldi just stopped looking after listening to many wonderful digital set ups from DCS, MBL, Emm Labs, Audio Research, Metronome (Calista), and a number of others.

In the end I have found the Zanden better balanced, more human in its playing if you will...but also have found its level of detail (in its original form) lacking in comparison with newer generation digital. So?

I updated the tubes to NOS Mullards, discovered it responded incredibly well to isolation and mass damping, good grounding...and then discovered that continuing to reduce any form of noise in the system really helped: Waversa Ref INT Plus...sitting in between the transport and the DAC. The Zanden now has had a completely 'modern update' in its ability to create dynamic detail, punch and drive...while at the same maintaining every bit of its rareified ability to relate the natural sense of tone, decay and harmonics that it always has excelled in.

In some respects, my read of your search mirrors my own over the last few years, and hence I thought I would share this if it is helpful. All these things simply seemed to remove 'grunge' (physical vibration, lower quality power, EMI/RFI)...and each time that happened, the quality of the sound improved...but particularly in the areas you mention. The sound has greater dynamic scale, faster reflexes if you will, much much better ability to delineate massed strings and also has a far greater muscularity when called for while also maintaining its extraordinary delicacy and nuance which it always had.

Your system may not benefit from any of this...but if the Accuphase shares anything with the Zanden from their perhaps similar vintages (actually yours even older by a generation), then it just might.

Thanks for sharing. The Accuphase is so over-engineered I'm not sure what else I could do to it. I had considered whether replacing the captive power cord, for example, might unlock some hidden detail/focus, but had been dissuaded by an experienced Accuphase tech, told that this old DAC has certain limitations inherent to its design.

 

[LL21]

Thanks for sharing. The Accuphase is so over-engineered I'm not sure what else I could do to it. I had considered whether replacing the captive power cord, for example, might unlock some hidden detail/focus, but had been dissuaded by an experienced Accuphase tech, told that this old DAC has certain limitations inherent to its design.

I think that could be right...the only areas where I suggest you might try are: the connection between your files and your Accuphase DAC (assuming you are using files instead of the CD tray). That is less about the Accuphase and more about how your digital cable goes from file to DAC...and whether some of these ethernet EMI/RFI connections help. The Waversa is one such intermediary and it is fantastic in between the Transport and DAC.

I dont know whether equipment isolation will help the Accuphase depending on how they built it. I can say the Zanden was designed with multiple layers of materials in the Transport to avoid vibration-related issues. The DAC however does benefit quite a lot from isolation.

 

[Al M.]

Long-time user of Lampizator TRP 2 as most of my system has changed around it. Always very pleased with overall sonics, and have even hot-rodded it with swiss digital fuse box, space tech labs super rectifier, and F2a or NOS EL34 output tubes. Recently took a flier on a $900 used Accuphase DC81L in pristine condition; its a discrete R2R DAC originally selling for $8k in 1989. Really floored by the presentation of this Accuphase machine. That and the build-quality, which makes it seem like the Lampizator was made in somebody's garage in comparison.

All of my observations are via Black Cat Tron SPDIF cable from LDMS custom server, volume level matched with handheld SPL meter, and with max bitrate of 48k (the Accuphase will not accept higher-res data). Note that the Accuphase has a captive power cord. Lampizator using 2 aftermarket cords (Less Loss CMARC, Audio Illuminati from Poland) sandwiching the swiss digital fuse box (standard copper fuse bar).

Lampizator TRP2: great tone, good body, great focus/precision with natural detail, balanced throughout frequency spectrum, highly holographic, great "air".

Accuphase DC 81L: supernatural-level saturation/density/body, timbrally rich/colorful, very intimate and life-like, very live-sounding, emphasizing of bass/midbass, resolving but diffuse imaging, lack of soundstage depth.

In direct comparison, the Lampizator excels at epic portrayals of music made in the studio with higher levels of 'production' and emphasized textures, such as hard rock, electronic, "new age", metal, dense pop.

The Accuphase excels at live-recorded, naturally-miked, more intimate, older music, but lack of precision of imaging and spaciousness loses much of what makes good studio production music appealing.

My overall preference is for the Accuphase signature, but couldn't rely on it for all of my favorite music.

Any recommendations for a different dac that keeps the supernatural 'saturation/density/body' like the Accuphase without losing the focus/precision of the Lampizator? TotalDAC, Aqua, Ayon, newer Accuphase...? I will keep using both dacs in my system until I find a suitable ideal new contender.

Attached photos are stock.

Very interesting report, thank you.

The lack of depth and spaciousness probably is a result of lesser low-level linearity inherent to the design.

As for saturation/density/body, hard to give recommendations since, without having heard the Accuphase, it is difficult to estimate how it would stack up against other contenders.