Lampizator Big 7 has landed

Elberoth said:
For one, I do not have any SPDIF sources. The PC server is my only source.

It also makes the DAC cheaper (but was not a factor for me).

Last but not least - I believe you get a very slight performance improvement when getting DSD only or a classic DAC only (which a DAC chip) design. The improvement comes from removing a cap, that sits in the signal path between the two digital engines. When you go with just one engine, there is no need for the cap. No cap is fully transparent.

I decided to make one step at a time. Golden Gate may still be in the cards. It is similar in design, but made with all those Bugatti parts.
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Re bold type - Agreed. One question though Adam, can you convert streaming high res internet radio (like Tidal) to DSD on the fly through HQP?
 
Paul, I cant answer the Tidal question definitively, as I am not sure of the logistics, BUT if you can indeed get a PCM signal to the PC running HQP, then I dont see why not.

Regarding the other point, the DSD only is certainly purist and I can confirm there is a cap in the dual engine Dac to deal with DC offset, as bothe engines have different outputs. So Adam compared to me would have 1 cap less and no switch (though in my case its a quality Japanese gold plated high quality switch). one other aspect that ADAM has not mentioned is the DSD DIRECT configuration where i think even the output Cap is dispensed with. Unfortunately, i dont have that but AL does and for AL he has the bypass switch, so he can engage when he wants to. When mine ever gets upgraded, I will ask for that to go along with DSD256.
 
Norman,

I agree regarding the PCM signal from Tidal to HQP but it would be nice to confirm your logic. I have a sneaky suspicion Adam has some insight here. :)

Regarding theoretical SQ improvements from DSD only, if I understand correctly, opting for both DSD only and DSD DIRECT configurations will achieve the following:

1) no cap required for DC offset (not needed in DSD only).

2) no switch (not needed in DSD only).

3) no cap required in output (not use in of DSD Direct configuration).

Does this sound right?
 
Not sure about the mechanism of point 3. It could be that the Cap is just bypassed with the push of a button…as is the case with AL.

Perhaps ADam is totally direct and no cap at all and no bypass.
The issue is the final cap can remove artifacts that exist on some recordings like tape transfers, etc without any great penalty, while direct gives you everything with no veil and no hiding place.

1 and 2 are correct to my understanding.

To be honest, I am not sure that 2 by itself can even be heard, but if you want to be an ultimatist, then you do like ADAM. Adam knows his stuff.
 
FlexibleAudio said:
Norman,

I agree regarding the PCM signal from Tidal to HQP but it would be nice to confirm your logic. I have a sneaky suspicion Adam has some insight here. :)

Regarding theoretical SQ improvements from DSD only, if I understand correctly, opting for both DSD only and DSD DIRECT configurations will achieve the following:

1) no cap required for DC offset (not needed in DSD only).

2) no switch (not needed in DSD only).

3) no cap required in output (not use in of DSD Direct configuration).

Does this sound right?
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I would say yes to #1 and not sure about #2 and #3.

I'm not sure if the input switch (relay) is removed or not. I think it is still there. On my Lampi DSD only Level 5, I can still use the input selector button to change to other inputs (which are not present), and when that happens, DSD music stops playing. So I'm pretty sure the input selector part is still there.

Not sure if the Big 7 is the same - my remote does not have the input selector feature programmed in (either becouse it is not needed, and/or there is no input selector relay anymore).

Either way, I do not think it is a problem. The whole volume control board is full of relays anyway, so one more, or one less - shouldn't really matter.

Personally, I do not loose my sleep over this. Both fully featured Big 7 I had on loan prior getting my own, sounded sublime.
 
Hi Adam,

I called and confirmed that yours does not have the switch. Really direct apprach of the purist.

I agree that the differences if any are small, but the combination of small steps may rise to the significant, who knows? I am very, very happy with mine, so the point is a bit moot for me.
 
Congrats. Looking forward to getting my dsd only and comparing to my vinyl rigs.
 
Darren, what Transport will you use with it and what playback software?

Are you getting DSD256 with Vol control?
 
Steve said:
Adam... Thanks for your feedback. I have already put forth an inquiry for a DSD only option with no SPDIF option as I also came up with the same conclusion. No SPDIF requirement, as well as having difficulty reconciling how this is even possible without a PCM capable feature set. :scratch:
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Maybe a streamer like Lumin, which can up-sample everything to DSD and has a BNC SPDIF digital out?
 
What about the Aries?

I will get one and see if it can be Lampizated! :-)
Digi-Lamp+no hold br built in LPSU and solid metal chassis with wifi Antenna wires.

Lumin upsamples to DSD128 and Adam and the ultimatists want DSD256.
 
Steve said:
Adam... Thanks for your feedback. I have already put forth an inquiry for a DSD only option with no SPDIF option as I also came up with the same conclusion. No SPDIF requirement, as well as having difficulty reconciling how this is even possible without a PCM capable feature set. :scratch:

A bare bones fully balanced dual mono DSD Golden Gate solution would be the ultimate. Given the extra chassis space that would be available, I'm wondering whether he would be receptive to a fully balanced configuration.... All I would want in such a box is the USB out & a 5v trigger input to turn the thing on & off.

A dream Golden Gate would be one that also had a balanced ADC solution. eg. features of the Ayre QA-9 DoP in and out via two discrete USB connections. A pre-amp to manage the analog line-in for ADC processing would be necessary here though.
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Steve, your answer:
We are at the moment accepting pre-orders for the first batch of 5 builds of a 4-tube fully balanced Lite 7, Big 7 and G-G. However this DAC will NOT be able to accept tubes other than 101D.
Lukasz Fikus
LampizatOr
 
wisnon said:
What about the Aries?

I will get one and see if it can be Lampizated! :-)
Digi-Lamp+no hold br built in LPSU and solid metal chassis with wifi Antenna wires.

Lumin upsamples to DSD128 and Adam and the ultimatists want DSD256.
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Yes, I was thinking about the Aries or a Caps pipeline as the best options, but if the Lumin can convert to dsd and upsample as part of the existing app that would be nice. I just don't want the dac.

The Aries has an interesting comment on its web site I am curious about:

"AURALiC has chose this platform for a long term supporting consideration, the feature planned include DSD upsampling, room acoustic treatment and other acoustic DSP function."

It sounds like something is coming but the translation from Mandarin is not totally clear to me. I wonder if it will convert and upsample on the fly???
 
Can you get the upsampled DSD signal out of Lumin via its SPDIF out ?

That would be in breach of DSD/SACD patents.
 
Elberoth said:
Can you get the upsampled DSD signal out of Lumin via its SPDIF out ?

That would be in breach of DSD/SACD patents.
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Looks like DoP for spidf and hdmi for native. Hdmi must not be in violation of patents



  • [h=3]OUTPUTS:[/h]
    • [h=4]ANALOG AUDIO:[/h]
      • XLR balanced, 4Vrms, pin 2 Hot
      • RCA unbalanced, 2Vrms
    • [h=4]DIGITAL AUDIO:[/h]
      • [h=5]BNC SPDIF:[/h]
        • PCM 44.1kHz–192kHz, 16–24bit
        • DSD (DoP, DSD over PCM) 2.8MHz, 1bit
        [h=5]HDMI:[/h]
        • PCM 44.1kHz–192kHz, 16–24bit
        • DSD (Native or DoP) 2.8MHz, 1bit
 
The outputs are all DSD1x according to that list you posted.
I dont recall ever reading that the Lumin up samples DSD. The DStream Dac, the Nagra, Meitner, EMMLabs, etc, but not the Lumin.

The DStream uses FPGA to do this, but none can compete with the power of an i7 CAPS running HQP Polysinc filters. Even the i& running in core mode is challenged doing upsampling to 256 and above.
 
wisnon said:
The outputs are all DSD1x according to that list you posted.
I dont recall ever reading that the Lumin up samples DSD. The DStream Dac, the Nagra, Meitner, EMMLabs, etc, but not the Lumin.

The DStream uses FPGA to do this, but none can compete with the power of an i7 CAPS running HQP Polysinc filters. Even the i& running in core mode is challenged doing upsampling to 256 and above.
Click to expand...

Not exactly sure what this means in S1 specs:


[h=3]UPSAMPLING RATES & BIT DEPTHS:[/h]
  • DSD upsampling option for all files up to 96kHz
 
There are options to upsample to DSD in Lumin app, but as pointed out above, it is DoP for SPDIF out.
 
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