Hi Zephyr, I own the LampizatOr DSD Komputer music server, and it's working out quite well for me. Sound quality is quite amazing! That said, it has a USB output that goes out to your DAC, hence no balanced outputs. There are no ripping abilities with mine. That said, they do have a variety of options available. You can go to their international page at the link below or, if you are in North America, contact them at their site (the second link): http://www.lampizator.eu/Fikus/KOMPUTER_-_MUSIC_SERVER.htmlhttp://www.lampizatorna.com/sqb-transport/I will be doing a review on the Komputer soon. Cheers, |
Thank you very much....do you rip on another device and then use the filesystem on the Lampi as a target for the fies? |
Hi Zephyr,
I rip on another device. My old Toshiba laptop, that used to hold down music server duties, is where I rip my files. From there, I transfer them via external hard drive to the DSD Komputer. That way, I have best playback.
Cheers,
Juan
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This is a link to my system, although I recently upgraded from the Schiit SYS passive preamp to another hand-built passive with a better potentiometer and silver wires inside ensconced in a cotton braid.
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I have used a Music Vault for about 10 years. They can address pretty much all of your needs. Not sure if they can rip DVD-Audio (I should find out, I have a few). They have RAID auto-duplication w up to 8 TB local storage. They can handle DSD files files. Two of the best features are the Logmein software that allows Neal to troubleshoot remotely, and the Solid State HD for the OS, which makes it boot fast and maximizes storage. No idea of how it compares to the Lampizator but I love the sound. I used to serve the files wirelessly to a Modwright Transporter but now I have it hard-wired to an Antelope Zodiac DAC. It can also provide analog out on RCA or AES/EBU jacks.
Give Neal a call; he's very approachable and responsive.
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Guys,...thank you both very much for the feedback and pointers! |
I'm a satisfied Music Vault owner. Neal is very helpful and great to work with. |
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I love my Music Vault 2 Ultra with Roon and Tidal. Neal's customer service is great, he responds right away. If you have a issue he will fix it by remote. This service is very valuable to computer idiots like me.
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Thank you for the response; apologies in my delay in responding further. Work has been taking far too much time away from audio! |
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Juan,...thank you very much for the detailed comments and listening impressions of this unit! Did you get a dual-AES board installed as an option or are you sticking with straight USB? |
Hi Zephyr,
You're very welcome! I am unfamiliar with the dual-AES board. That said, I simply use straight USB, which Lukasz insisted was the best way to go with the LampizatOr Lite 7 DAC when I had questioned him about possibly using other inputs into the DAC -- especially in regards to DSD.
Cheers,
Juan
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You're welcome, Zephyr. Have a great week!
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Reading about dsd super komputer. Don't get it. What does dsd have to do with a komputer(computer)? All bits. Suggesting bits handled differently? Someone who knows please explain. Great looking though. Without options sell $7700us. Built mine with more memory and jcat but same motherboard, processor and Linux v3.0. Cost about 1/2 the price. Mine as well as my older server both do dsd as well.
I'm just say'in ✌️️🖖 |
Hi Whatthe,
That’s great that you were able to make your computer and save money. It sounds like you made a nice server. Lampizator’s founder, Lukasz Fikus encourages people, if they are capable, to try and make their own.
But think about it: from a commercial standpoint, in order to remain profitable and stay in business, you not only need to cover your cost of materials, but pay for land, labor, capital and have some built-in profit. Assuming your server was comparable (which maybe it is, but maybe it isn’t), you’ve inadvertently proven a point: your costs in materials alone are 50 percent the price of the Super Komputer.
In order for a company like Lampizator or others to be profitable and stay in business, provide the points for dealers, etc. over the long haul there needs to be a markup like that -- or better.
I was talking with a friend who works in Quality Assurance for Foster, which has a limited line of speakers it sells (i.e., Fostex) and does a great deal of OEM business (including Harmon Kardon, Pioneer, Bose and others, as well as automobile companies; he had been in Australia, I believe, talking with Subaru, whom they will be providing (if not already) car speakers for) and, in passing, he mentioned that the material costs of building a decent car are roughly $12,000. Then, you need to factor in your labor, capital, profit margin, etc.. So, you pay anywhere from $20,000 to $35,000 or more for something that cost roughly $12,000 in materials (the more expensive ones use some nicer materials, but the incremental cost to them is maybe a few thousand dollars, if that, while the consumer pays oodles and oodles more). When I had a basic marketing class, the difference in production costs between a J-car and a Cadillac was only a couple thousand but the markup was significantly higher. Go figure!
So, keeping in mind the prices for top performing speakers, amplifiers, and other audio gear (where $5,000 speakers are considered budget buys, used Pass amplifiers go for $4,000 - $5,000, etc.), for those who are not willing or able to build a very good music server but demand top flight audiophile performance, the Komputer is actually a very good deal.
Coincidentally, my lowly Toshiba laptop handled DSD files, too, but trust me, it didn’t sound nearly as good as the Lampizator DSD Komputer!
Cheers,
Juan
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Juan, I may have miss spoke. When I said build, I did not mean me doing the actual building. Endpcnoise did both of mine. I was not criticizing either. It is a well designed and great looking computer and of course they need to make a profit. Just that there are ways to What I don't understand is the dsd part. All computers, with enough memory can hold and distribute dsd files. The trick is to do so with as little effect on the transfer as possible. It is the dac and the balance of a system that makes the music file sound great. A quiet(silent) music server just gets out of the way. I am sure your "Toshiba Laptop" would sound great feeding an excellent audio system. There are other issues with laptops being used as servers. But we get off topic. My question was about the name. What makes it a "DSD Komputer"? Riddle me that.
I'm just say'in ✌️️🖖
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Whatthe: All computers with hard drives can store DSD but what this is about is the ability to playback DSD and its additional variants (DSD128 for example) natively versus converting it to PCM... |
Good morning, Whatthe, No offense taken. I actually shared this link with Lukasz last night and found this response in my email's inbox a few minutes ago: Hi,thank you for the link. Answering their concern: the PCM playback leaves our microprocessor almost idling at 1% busy mark. Going to DSD playback goes to 40-60%. Going to DSD conversion on the fly - pushes it to 100% all the time. Thats why i7 processor is needed, not Atom or i3 or i5. this is equivalent of a car driving 200 mph with 8000 revs on the clock.
Łukasz Fikus
Owner at LampizatOr Other than that, the name DSD Komputer may also be a clever marketing name like Infiniti, Alfa Romeo, Acura, etc. It's catchy! He talks about the Komputer, amongst other things, in an interview I conducted with him at AXPONA 2016: http://ayllonmedia.com/news/the-tape-rolls-on-a-new-digital-giant-a-candid-interview-with-the-lampizator-himself-lukasz-ficus This may shed further light on the subject for you. Have a good one, Juan |
P.S. -- That prototype of their DSD Komputer shown in the photograph at the end of the interview now sits on a shelf in my listening room!
And just so you know, that Toshiba laptop did sound good in in its own right while sourcing my system. It's just that the Komputer sounds better! |
Juan, thanks for the link. I have read Lukasz thoughts many times. He is the reason I am using Linux. Reading his view got me to research Linux and its advantages. I chose audiophile Linux v3.0. I was going to buy one of his dacs but I moved away from tubes. Not the sound but the energy efficiency, heat, hums and burn outs. Stayed with SS. Emm labs da2. Quite happy. As far as the dsd komputer name, I was being facetious. As far as the design making a huge difference in sound, I too chose the best parts and as it turned out the same case, streacom FC10.
Zephyr24069, my system will play native DSD. The issue with that, for me, is there is almost no native I wish to listen to. Organ music just not my idea of good listening. Almost all dsd that I do wish to hear is in pcm. In that respect I do not hear a difference, for the better or worse, between formats. But then at 60 my ears may not be as good as yours.
i'm just say'in ✌️️🖖 |
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You said: Not the sound but the energy efficiency, heat, hums and burn outs. I have not experienced this with my LampizatOr DACs (first, with the Amber DAC Plus and currently with the Lite 7 DAC). Lukasz dials back the temperature with the tubes, so they don't burn nearly so hot. I like that! I've not had any burnouts or hum, either. |
Juan, I have not heard the lampizator. I had considered ordering one for a while. But I decided to stay away from tubes. I was always SS. From reading hear on audiogon I decided to trie tubes. This is 7yrs ago or so. I bought really high-end stuff. Prefer not to name names. Had humming and other noise issues from day one. The Manufacture (owner) was at my home more then once. Also there was the heat and energy issues(not cost but waste). Then there is resale. Tube electrics go for pennies on a $ used. I had the dcs debussy and then the Emm labs dac 2x. I was very happy with both. Now with the da2 I am thrilled. My final choice. To me tubes are for audiophiles who wish to tinker. I just want to turn it on and it works perfectly every time. If I wish to tinker I listen to vinyl. I do have a yipsilon VPS-100 phono stage. It has tubes. I am Happy with it. But that's that.
I'm just say'in ✌️️🖖 |
Juan, I am sure the lampizator is a great dac. Also sure from what I have read that they are on the cutting edge and build a quality product. I considered their komputer. Though I realized there, I believed, with a little work I could do the same or very close for a lot less money. As I said they are the reason I went Linux. So I am NOT knocking them in any way. I Have never seen or heard just read audiophiles reviews like yours. All seem to love them. Leaving me with no doubt. All the best
I'm just say'in ✌️️🖖 |
I understand, Whatthe. A local audiophile store where I have made many purchases through the years doesn't even carry tubes, so it wasn't until AXPONA 2014 that I was really exposed to them. The funny thing is that when I saw your mention of the Yipsilon VPS-100 phono stage, I had to fight the impulse to look it up as a possible upgrade to my turntable setup. I think my wife would have a nuclear meltdown if I spend another red cent on audio gear this year!
Cheers,
Juan |
