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Lightspeed Attenuator - Best Preamp Ever?

The question is a bit rhetorical. No preamp is the best ever, and much depends on system context. I am starting this thread beacuase there is a lot of info on this preamp in a Music First Audio Passive...thread, an Slagle AVC Modules...thread and wanted to be sure that information on this amazing product did not get lost in those threads.

I suspect that many folks may give this preamp a try at $450, direct from Australia, so I thought it would be good for current owners and future owners to have a place to describe their experience with this preamp.

It is a passive preamp that uses light LEDs, rather than mechanical contacts, to alter resistance and thereby attenuation of the source signal. It has been extremely hot in the DIY community, since the maker of this preamp provided gernerously provided information on how to make one. The trick is that while there are few parts, getting it done right, the matching of the parts is time consuming and tricky, and to boot, most of use would solder our fingers together if we tried. At $450, don't bother. It is cased in a small chassis that is fully shielded alloy, it gets it's RF sink earth via the interconnects. Vibration doesn't come into it as there is nothing to get vibrated as it's passive, even the active led's are immune as they are gas element, no filaments. The feet I attach are soft silicon/sorbethane compound anyway just in case.

This is not audio jewelry with bling, but solidly made and there is little room (if any) for audionervosa or tweaking.

So is this the best preamp ever? It might be if you have a single source (though you could use a switch box), your source is 2v or higher, your IC from pre-amp to amp is less than 2m to keep capaitance low, your amp is 5kohm input or higher (most any tube amp), and your amp is relatively sensitive (1v input sensitivity or lower v would be just right). In other words, within a passive friendly system (you do have to give this some thought), this is the finest passive preamp I have ever heard, and I have has many ranging form resistor-based to TVCs and AVCs.

In my system, with my equipment, I think it is the best I have heard passive or active, but I lean towards prefering preamp neutrality and transparency, without loosing musicality, dynamics, or the handling of low bass and highs.

If you own one, what are your impressions versus anything you have heard?

Is it the best ever? I suspect for some it may be, and to say that for a $450 product makes it stupidgood.
pubul57
milpai's avatar
milpai
2,454 posts
 
George,
Try as I might, but I could not find any ringing in my TVC, for the past so many days.
One thing I really hoped that Nicholas Chua did better - customer service and response. His TVCs (at least the dual box) are pretty awesome. But I hesitate recommending them to others because of the wait times and unresponsive customer service.
b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,289 posts
 
Milpai, I was wondering if you were going to be able to pick up on the ringing that George was talking about. Guess its a good thing that you can't!

Soundgyy, good to see another happy Lightspeed owner. I had to sell mine but will have to buy another one when I have the funds available. It's the only pre amp I've had in my system that removes ALL of that slight haze or fog that is present with any other preamp I've tried. Another thanks for your thoughts on the wavetouch speakers; if they didn't look like pinocchio I'd consider them, but I can't get past that "happyto see me" look.

Milpai, I'd be interested in you comparing a Lightspeed to your tvc...
soundguy3
3 posts
 
Hi B_limo...ahh, the "phase" plugs. You know, I have the black cones on both drivers...the plugs are black, you barely see them as they blend in with the background of the drivers depending on the time of day of course. At night in low light, you cannot distinguish them from their background.

That aside, the sound is so incredible, and I don't say that lightly, that their looks don't bother me. I think there is a 40 day return policy. I believe once you've heard them, you would not want to return them. :)
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

Thanks for that great review Soundguy3 (John).
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1276356977&openflup&1635&4#1635

As others that have the Dual Mono Lightspeed Attenuator you will get used to using it, like owning the Audible Illusions Modulus 3a preamp same head space learning curve.

Some customers that have both the stereo and dual mono Lightspeeds have said that prefer the dual mono, as they can get precise stereo image regardless of recordings or system/room imbalances, I think this is more the reason for them preferring the dual mono.

Cheers George
soundguy3
3 posts
 
Hi George,

You're welcome!...it's a no brainier to praise your LSA, as it is so good!

Yes, I realized after listening to older cd's that I know quite well, that there is a learning curve in dialing in the perfect balance. Mind you, I have never had a dual balance preamp. I am much better at it now, and it's actually fun to have control over the balance. When it's dialed in correctly, you know it!

Another sonic observation...for ex, I was listening to an older Chesky Cd...(their recordings are really good), Ana Caram's "Blue Bossa", her voice was center, drums behind her, bass to the left, guitar to the right, all in their places, with width, depth, and a naturalness, as if she were in my living room....uncanny really. The speakers are that good, but only as good as what's feeding them upstream.

An older Dorian Organ Recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations, played by Jean Guillou...amazing sense of the church venue, depth, height, 3d sound, I might as well have been sitting in the church. Btw, there is no lack of bass impact with the LSA and these speakers. 40-27,000khz, I have not yet felt the need for a subwoofer. I have one, a Sunfire 10....I am sure that would enhance any recordings such as this organ cd. In fact, how can I hook that up to my system? What's the best way?
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