Matt,
I'm glad you are digging the Big Six, like Charles said the Lamp DACs are music makers, they present the music in a natural way that many DACs just can't do. I'm sure the Empirical, Berkeley, Auralic, and many other DACs might measure better as far as noise and all that, but can they get you emotionally connected to the music. Musical preferences rule the day, so what gets me immersed in the music might not be another person's cup of tea. But if you already like the sound then you will learn to really love it.
Take it slow and roll in the tubes, hopefully you will hear positive improvement like I did when rolling glass in the Big Six.
Since you are running a Mac Mini like Grannyring, the OffRamp might be the missing link, but in my experience and some of my crazy friends, we preferred using the USB input straight into the server (but mine is PC based) rather than going through the Sonicweld Diverter. So in some cases the BSB might be good enough or even preferred. The convereter gave the sound more focus and slightly better PRaT, but you lost quite a bit of the magic 3D spaciousness of the Lamp DAC. Just my experience, so I thought I should share.
Will be cool to follow your DAC shootout, lots of big names in that mix. Enjoy the DAC my friend, I miss it already! |
Grannyring,
I sold my L4/G4 to my friend and he ended up selling the OffRamp 4, said he preferred going straight through the USB. He uses a modded Mac Mini and Mojo power supply.
I will let him know of your findings with the Offramp 5/Dynamo, which must be in another world compared to the OR4 if it was the single biggest audio upgrade of your life. It would be a win win situation if Steve would offer him a home demo with a refundable deposit.
Happy listening.... |
Steve,
Congratulations, you have designed a top-notch DAC. When I get the chance I will have to try it out in my own system. Comparing DACs in different systems introduces too many variables. If you have a chance you should hear the Lamp for yourself, it really does present the music in a natural and realistic way.
To my ears, a good tube amp can extract more emotion and body from vocals than its SS counterpart. The difference with tubes is that SS has much more control of the bass and grip of the leading edge definition.
Hope to hear your improvements to the Overdrive this weekend! |
Matt,
Sounds like the Big Six sounds more effortless at this point than the Aeris. Though constriction is often times cured with further break-in. The Big Six needed lots of time to open up, at least in my system. But it sounded "natural" right off the bat.
Interesting results so far, keep it coming...
Is the heavyweight champion Empirical DAC next in line? |
I got your drift Jafox. Congrats on finding the tube that brings the best out of the Big Six in your system! If the National Unions can improve Matt's system like it did yours, then those other DACs have an uphill battle ahead of them.
Matt - if one of the other DACs rises above the Lamp, let me know and I will send you the NU's to try out. Jafox might be on to something here...
I do agree that the Lamp DACs aren't quite as extended and bass strong as some SS DACs, for me it's all about getting connected to the music emotionally and the Lamp DACs so that with aplomb... |
Agear,
Having never owned any Rowland gear due to their expensive price tag, I have heard them powering many different speakers and will say that they make the only class D amps that don't sound like that classic "class" D sound. I've always enjoyed their rooms at the audio shows. I don't know they drop inside the amps, but they just sound good to my ears.
I've heard their DACs twice in two different rooms at last year's RMAF and this year at Newport. Great solid accurate sound and I'm not surprised to hear Matt has gravitated towards the Rowland sound. Although I thought an injection of tubes into his system could further heighten what he was hearing in past. It's all about personal taste anyways right?
Will be very interesting to hear his impressions of the Overdrive DAC... |
Matt,
What you really needed to do was change out the rectifier. This will relax the sound and get rid of the artificiality you are hearing with the NU VT-99's, put in those Tung-Sols. 40% improvement by just swapping out the tubes? In my book that is HUGE in the audio world. Some folks spend $$$$ just to get 5-10% improvement and they're more than happy.
Doesn't matter I guess at this point. Even though you chose the Aeris, at least you got a flavor of what the Lamp could offer. On to the next battle!
Have fun man... |
Steve,
Have you heard the Big Six before, or better yet have you heard it in your system? I have heard both, and your OR5 at last year's Newport and RMAF shows. The sound was solid and I enjoyed the pairing with Vapor, but it was driven from a tube amp which Matt doesn't have. I think the Lamp DAC injected some life into his system, which is evident in his initial feelings towards the Big Six.
If you have heard the Big Six, then okay I can understand you only giving the Lamp a running chance if used with the OR5 in light of Grannyring's experience with the same Mac Mini source. If Matt used the Antipodes server or something similar then that USB input might be "good" enough.
But if you haven't tried the Big Six in your system, then you could be surprised by what Matt reports back after comparing the two, so don't count the Big Six out until the count of 10.
Good luck Matt, you have a real battle ahead of you. |
Hey Charles,
I think you hit the mark here, we all like different things about musical reproduction. I let a good friend of mine borrow my Lamp L4/G4 and he preferred his Metrum Octave in his system. I was surprised, but can understand why, because music is personal and our ears like different things. Some prefer the hyped hifi sound and others like an easier going natural sound.
It was difficult for me to let go of that Big Six, because I was very happy with what I was hearing from my system. But the opportunity arose and I wanted to hear what the Lamp's DSD sound could offer. It appears Matt likes the Big Six I sold him, and if he does get connected with the Lamp sound like I did, it will be hard for him to let go of its natural sound. It has "soul".
Steve designs the Overdrive, so it's understandable he has bias. Even reading the review it wasn't clear the reviewer chose his DAC over the Analog DAC, more like each had a different presentation that might suit certain listening preferences. To say that the Lamp would need an dressed up OR5 to have a fighting chance is a bit premature, especially since he hasn't even heard the Lamp sound.
Btw, I need to hear that Yamamoto DAC someday! I will send you an email after I get more hours on this Big 7.
Sorry if this is derailing your thread Matt, didn't mean to. You are a lucky camper man, have fun with the shootout! |
Jafox,
Calling the Sylvania VT-99 trash is really crazy, unless your system has to have one particular tube to shine. I settled on the National Union VT-99 in combination with the staggered Tung-Sol rectifier because the overall sound had better extension and treble. But to say the Sylvania is flat and distant is super surprising, but that very well be the case in your system. In mine the Sylvania sounds great, a bit more chill but still damn fine and 3D sounding. The Tung-Sol VT-99 has a more 3D/holographic presentation and just as extended than the Nationals in my system, but is a bit lean in the mid-range. To my ears, all the VT-99's I tried were pretty darn good in the Big Six, none of them were "trash". The rectifiers make a contribution to the sound as well so Matt should try that too.
Goes to show you how differently we all hear... |
