LampizatOR DSD Only DAC Generation 5

Dpod4

Dpod4

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Just ordered one today - silver face and blue light with upgraded Jupiter caps. Will post unboxing pictures and a full review when it arrives (they need to build it first). This is my attempt to further complicate my life and my gear. The real purpose is to see if DSD digital audio done right can reach the organic/natural, spacious/enveloping and supremely engaging heights of vinyl. If so this will bump one of my vinyl rigs from my quadraspire rack. Stay tuned.
Darrin
 
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Very nice Darrin! Anxiously awaiting your impressions.


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Looks fancy (by which I mean hand-made and opinionated and timeless, all things I approve of...). What does it do better than the PS Audio DirectStream? I just watched the videos on their website and am now drinking the DSD theoretical kool-aid.
 
Very cool, Darrin. I've heard great things about the Lampi. Look forward to your listening impressions.
 
Julot said:
Looks fancy (by which I mean hand-made and opinionated and timeless, all things I approve of...). What does it do better than the PS Audio DirectStream? I just watched the videos on their website and am now drinking the DSD theoretical kool-aid.
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DSD! PSA DS puts DSD thru the wash/rinse cycle and for me SQ takes a hit.
 
Lampi filters the DSD stream with no additives or preservatives. Capacitor output.

DStream converts all to 24bit 30mhz (DSD10x) multi-bit Sigma delta-format via the FPGA, maybe does some additional processing and then down convert to single bit DSD2x rate and outputs with transformers.


I only know the DS from firmware 1 and PCM sounded quite a bit better than DSD on it. I also heard that FW 2 and 3 improved DSD, but still not at Lampi "chipless" level.

Here is the Lampi I am drooling after, after hearing it in that setup last week: The GOLDEN GATE! ....with DSD256.

Genesis 1.1, Kondo Gakuoh, Tripoint emperor, Halcyonix vibration stands. (Trinity Dac on the side - lovely as well, but expensive and PCM only).
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Norman - do you know if Lampi will ever make a DAC which switches from PCM to DSD automatically? Having to throw the switch back and forth during a play list would be a bit of a PITA.
 
Mike said:
Norman - do you know if Lampi will ever make a DAC which switches from PCM to DSD automatically? Having to throw the switch back and forth during a play list would be a bit of a PITA.
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Yes, they already do, in the entry level Amber dac that uses the sabre Chip!

Chipless DSD is a completely separate engine/dac and just shares the same chassis with PCM. Having said that, with the volume control, you have a remote and you switch with the remote, not with a physical switch. The basic versions without vol control (preamp) forces you to throw the switch.


Amber dac apparently sounds great 9never heard one, but will post a review I saw vs the Hegel and AMR dacs).
 
Mike, here it is:

This is very cool. I just finished my review of the Lampizator Amber DAC Plus, in which it is compared head to head with the Hegel HD-12 DAC and the Abbingdon Music Research AMR DP-777 DAC/Preamp in a system that features a pair of Von Schweikert VR-5 HSE speakers (check out the pics at the end of the article), which you can view at the following link:

The Lampizator Amber DAC Plus ? Is It a ?DAC Lite? or a Real Contender in Home Audio? - Ayllon Media

Enjoy,

Juan C. Ayllon
 
Mike said:
No SPDIF. Darn.
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Who told you that?


"On the pictures below the Amber is really maxed out (as per customer order) with two extra chokes, volume control, duelund caps and level 5 DSD. It even has a Duelund on digital input and custom SPDIF input."

http://lampizator.eu/Fikus/AMBER_DAC.html

Just take a look at the pictures, you will see an example with Toslink.

I heard from Fred that Lukas made another improvement in SQ even since that review and retrofits are possible for older Ambers at minimal cost.
 
That is the basic Amber direct from his online shop. the US version is with Spdif as you can read in the review. Even the EU one can be ordered with more option, but wont cost the basic Euro1,400 price. That is what he is trying to say…barebones Amber is USB only!

US Amber info here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=129350.0
 
Thanks Norman. I will wait for a Big 7 (or Big 8 or whatever) that switches automatically between PCM and DSD.
 
Bought one as well. Lampi DSD level 5 with all possible upgrades (Jupiter caps, dual DSD engine, chokes in the PSU, dual mains transformers, XLR outs, volume etc).

The one I have is DSD via USB only - no SPDIF inputs or PCM.

For the price, the unit sounds absolutely amazing. You need to have a good server though (at least CAPS v3 Lagoon if you intend to play native DSD only, and CAPS v4 Pipeline if you want to upsample).
 
Elberoth said:
Bought one as well. Lampi DSD level 5 with all possible upgrades (Jupiter caps, dual DSD engine, chokes in the PSU, dual mains transformers, XLR outs, volume etc).

The one I have is DSD via USB only - no SPDIF inputs or PCM.

For the price, the unit sounds absolutely amazing. You need to have a good server though (at least CAPS v3 Lagoon if you intend to play native DSD only, and CAPS v4 Pipeline if you want to upsample).
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Yes Adam, please see my PM about consulting on how to do CAPs right! :-)
 
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