gadawg
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2017
- Messages
- 209
- Thread Author
- #1
So 2 years ago I upgraded most of my 2 systems … my main system is in my signature so not going to recap here. My headphone setup had a DCS Rossini Apex with a Felix Audio Euphoria Evo and Focal Utopia headphones. I recently had the chance to swap out my Rossini Apex for a Lampizator Poseidon. I decided to try it because I was curious and wanted to hear it in both my headphone setup and my big system just to see how it compared to my Grandioso dacs.
First, with the stock tubes in the headphone system it was apparent quickly for me that I preferred the Poseidon. I liked the Apex … I loved the Poseidon. To me it had much greater tonal density, more organic, better decay, etc. Most everything I liked better on the Poseidon which was a bit of a surprise because I really liked the Apex in my headphone setup, but it was a great relief since the Rossini was now gone.
Next, I wanted to try it in my main setup and there it was a much tighter race with the stock tubes for sure! The Grandioso had better detail and soundstage width and height. The Poseidon again was more organic and texturally rich. The bottom end extension was deeper and tighter on the Grandioso dacs than on the Poseidon but the Poseidon comes in at half the price so I wasn’t surprised. I mean this is for my headphone setup right? Well, enter some new tubes … some 1975 6N23P-EV’s on the input side, 1940 Ken-Rad 6V6’s on the output side and all of a sudden things get interesting. The 6V6’s immediately reached much deeper than the stock 6J5’s, the 6N23’s much more articulate than the 6N1P’s that were stock. Now detail is similar between the dacs … bass extension is similar between both but more linear and tighter on the Grandioso still. Soundstage has more air now and is larger in all directions … maybe back to being as good as the Grandioso … it’s close. These new tubes aren’t as warm as the stock tubes but still retain the organic quality that is so good with this dac. I have an EML5u4g rectifier tube inbound but UPS has it held up at the moment. That should add some additional air and openness to the sound.
Now, it’s a close race and I’ll be very interested in hearing what the new rectifier tube brings to the dance. I have no doubt the Grandioso is in many ways the more accurate presentation … I just am having a harder time pulling myself away from the music with the Poseidon than with the Esoteric. It still doesn’t challenge my favorite source .. my Sonorus ATR10mkII R2R with their tapes … but it bridges the gap maybe halfway from the Esoteric. Once I spend the next month or two with the Poseidon I’m going to put the Grandioso back in and see what happens. For now I’m not missing the Estoteric and I’m having more fun with more music than I’ve had in a long time. If that continues then I’m very much afraid I’ll have to start planning for an Aphrodite! For now I’m just going to enjoy this experience and not rush what comes next.
Cheers
George
First, with the stock tubes in the headphone system it was apparent quickly for me that I preferred the Poseidon. I liked the Apex … I loved the Poseidon. To me it had much greater tonal density, more organic, better decay, etc. Most everything I liked better on the Poseidon which was a bit of a surprise because I really liked the Apex in my headphone setup, but it was a great relief since the Rossini was now gone.
Next, I wanted to try it in my main setup and there it was a much tighter race with the stock tubes for sure! The Grandioso had better detail and soundstage width and height. The Poseidon again was more organic and texturally rich. The bottom end extension was deeper and tighter on the Grandioso dacs than on the Poseidon but the Poseidon comes in at half the price so I wasn’t surprised. I mean this is for my headphone setup right? Well, enter some new tubes … some 1975 6N23P-EV’s on the input side, 1940 Ken-Rad 6V6’s on the output side and all of a sudden things get interesting. The 6V6’s immediately reached much deeper than the stock 6J5’s, the 6N23’s much more articulate than the 6N1P’s that were stock. Now detail is similar between the dacs … bass extension is similar between both but more linear and tighter on the Grandioso still. Soundstage has more air now and is larger in all directions … maybe back to being as good as the Grandioso … it’s close. These new tubes aren’t as warm as the stock tubes but still retain the organic quality that is so good with this dac. I have an EML5u4g rectifier tube inbound but UPS has it held up at the moment. That should add some additional air and openness to the sound.
Now, it’s a close race and I’ll be very interested in hearing what the new rectifier tube brings to the dance. I have no doubt the Grandioso is in many ways the more accurate presentation … I just am having a harder time pulling myself away from the music with the Poseidon than with the Esoteric. It still doesn’t challenge my favorite source .. my Sonorus ATR10mkII R2R with their tapes … but it bridges the gap maybe halfway from the Esoteric. Once I spend the next month or two with the Poseidon I’m going to put the Grandioso back in and see what happens. For now I’m not missing the Estoteric and I’m having more fun with more music than I’ve had in a long time. If that continues then I’m very much afraid I’ll have to start planning for an Aphrodite! For now I’m just going to enjoy this experience and not rush what comes next.
Cheers
George
