Big 7 vs golden gate

Welcome to the forum murphys33, thank you for joining.

murphys33 said:

I am contemplating getting a Lampi full balanced day with volume and remote and would like to seek views and opionions

1. Does the big 7 has same pcm and dsd engines as the golden gate R2r pcm module and dsd 256?
2. I currently use a audio research ref 5se. Seeking recommendations if I can replace the pre with the volume option. Will it be a sonic step up?
3. The golden gate cost a bit over the big 7. Is that cost worth paying for to get the golden gate

At the end of the day I would buy a big 7 or wait and save up for a goldengate. As I am not able to compare both side by side here, I would appreciate views of those who has that experience. Thank you.

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Hi the GG has better parts than the B7. Yes the GG is better than the B7, but the B7 is better than all else. So, if you want the best, get the GG, else if you want to get the second best for lesser money, get the B7. I have the B7 and found the GG better, but with the KR 242 valves (which work on the B7 but not the GG), I found the B7 to be very close to the GG.

That said, with the new PCM, not sure if KR 242 will work with the B7 or not.

If you are worried about costs, they have a good upgrade path so buy the B7, at a later date when you get the chance compare it to the GG and see if you want to upgrade. You can now utilise the additional funds towards a good server.

I am using an aurender w20 and am happy with it. Would tube rolling be possible with balanced big 7?

murphys33 said:

I am using an aurender w20 and am happy with it. Would tube rolling be possible with balanced big 7?

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Yes. You can start with a quad of 101d's and then move to a quad of 300b's. You could also try a quad of Px4's and possibly 242's - you would need to check the 242's. The balanced Lampi dacs don't allow rolling in 45's if that was a particular tube that you wanted.

On the recti front, there is waaaay to much choice to list here but you have lots of options. The recti is the oft forgotten tube that very much influences your final presentation. After spending a lot of time with the GG, I have started to know my own tube portfolio well enough to swap a recti to achieve the presentation I am after. For example, I was listening to the Kr 300b balloons that were overblown and slow with the eml 274b - I swapped it out for the nos Philips 5r4gys and it was like the 300b had been turbocharged.

bonzo said:

Hi the GG has better parts than the B7. Yes the GG is better than the B7, but the B7 is better than all else. So, if you want the best, get the GG, else if you want to get the second best for lesser money, get the B7. I have the B7 and found the GG better, but with the KR 242 valves (which work on the B7 but not the GG), I found the B7 to be very close to the GG.

That said, with the new PCM, not sure if KR 242 will work with the B7 or not.

If you are worried about costs, they have a good upgrade path so buy the B7, at a later date when you get the chance compare it to the GG and see if you want to upgrade. You can now utilise the additional funds towards a good server.

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The KR 242 can work with the new PCM, as these are the tubes my new incoming GG will have. These are the designer's current favorite tube. IMO, the GG is a big step up in quality. Check with me when ready to buy, as I may have a demo Balanced GG (with volume control) I could sell for less then new. The Lite 7 dac in a balanced configuration, is no slacker either. But it currently is not available with volume control.

Forgot to say. I personally would keep your ref 5 preamp in the chain. Not sure whether you have an analogue source also?

bonzo said:

Hi the GG has better parts than the B7. Yes the GG is better than the B7, but the B7 is better than all else.

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Not to be picky but what does "better" mean in the context of audio? Sound better? There are some who have said that they prefer the sound of the B7 over the GG so like anything else it is a matter of opinion.

I will probably get kicked out of the Lampi fan club for saying this, but I really thought the SE Big 7 had the secret sauce. I found the GG (I had SE and Balanced) better - in hifi/audiophile terms, but less involving. I'm not sure if this is as a result of the "exotic" parts used in the GG, but the Big 7 gave me that "OMFG" emotional connection.

Of course, there is something to consider: the SE Big 7 was my first real exposure to Lampi in my system and therefore, by the time I got my GG, I knew what to expect.

Mike said:

I will probably get kicked out of the Lampi fan club for saying this, but I really thought the SE Big 7 had the secret sauce. I found the GG (I had SE and Balanced) better - in hifi/audiophile terms, but less involving. I'm not sure if this is as a result of the "exotic" parts used in the GG, but the Big 7 gave me that "OMFG" emotional connection.

Of course, there is something to consider: the SE Big 7 was my first real exposure to Lampi in my system and therefore, by the time I got my GG, I knew what to expect.

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Hi Mike,

I understand the point you are making. The Golden Gate certainly provides further resolution and dynamics over the big 7 without question. I personally think the GG needs careful tube matching because of this. I am getting great results with the Px4 output tubes and also 300b. I found the GG just more uncannily realistic after dialling it in - the realism connected me deeper into the music. The big 7 is still stunning though each to their own. Bonzo recently brought his big 7 over and until we inserted the Kr 242 (which drastically improved it), it just sounded a little slower, less dynamic and not as resolving. If those things are important to you musically, that is a personal decision.

Hi Mike, dminches, thanks for that. I suspect that's possible, the B7 had something for sure, and the GG was, as Bill said, better in resolution and cleaner.

Dminches, by 'better' parts I mean those considered to be more expensive and higher quality, like branded caps etc. No idea if these sound better. Plus there is always the mix of duelund and Jupiter that no one can be sure about.

Best thing is to probably start with a B7, find your tubes, then after a few months of getting used to it with your choice of tubes, get a GG on demo. Then decide if upgrade is worth it to you

I would mirror Bill's comments but also add the observation that the Golden Gate, with its boutique parts seems to take considerably more time to settle/burn in.