Yup, Haven't tried the Bendix but really like the Tung Sols in my Big 6.
New Lampizator Level 4/ Version 4 DAC in the house
Wonder if any other new owners of this DAC are out there as I find it to be the finest digital playback I have heard to date. This is the first digital front end piece of gear I have owned that has transformed my music.
Ya, other digital gear does this or that better, but this Lampy breaks through to a new level of musical enjoyment. Clear view into the music helping the speakers just disappear. Only 24 hours of break in and the music flows so sweet, intimate and seemingly without boundaries.
Looking under the hood I see an impressive power supply with films caps and several high quality chokes. Point to point silver wired except for the digital and USB boards. This is a three tube player that is tube rectified. One has the option for SS rectification if desired.
Ya, I love this Lampy!
Ya, other digital gear does this or that better, but this Lampy breaks through to a new level of musical enjoyment. Clear view into the music helping the speakers just disappear. Only 24 hours of break in and the music flows so sweet, intimate and seemingly without boundaries.
Looking under the hood I see an impressive power supply with films caps and several high quality chokes. Point to point silver wired except for the digital and USB boards. This is a three tube player that is tube rectified. One has the option for SS rectification if desired.
Ya, I love this Lampy!
733 responses Add your response
My L4G4 was switched from solid state rectification to tube rectified. Since the unit was converted, the label on the back does not say what the tube type is... The tube in the unit is printed "6U5C". From what I can find this is equivalent to 6X5GT. Lukasz said it is a very good tube but I am hunting a tube issue in my system and before I re-tube the amp, I need to rule this out. AND get the upgrade in sound mentioned with a Bendix 6x5! The 5852 correct? Whats the link to a good source for this tube ya'll are raving about? Dying to get this system straight that I have been without for months! |
It's my choice certainly in regards to what I find appealing, we're talking cosmetics aren't we. Are we still talking boobs here (shame on you Glory)? If we are, a pornographic aesthetic references an object whereas a true aesthetic encompasses the subject and is therefore relational. Regarding the Lampizator, its pretty clear where Lucas falls on this subject: http://www.stereomojo.com/Lampizator%20Level%204%20DAC%20Review.htm/LampizatorLevel4DAC.htm This piece of advertising may well have subconsciously influenced Glory and his choice of analogies. Yuk, yuk, yuk.... |
Hey Glory, Good points! Shootouts are entertaining and in some cases informative but as you say different ears will result in different outcomes, how else could it be? When all is said and done it always about what we like as opposed to some absolute conclusion that settles a matter for once and all. Regarding the breast analogy, if that's accurate I'll take the Lamp 4. Give me the fit and toned version any and every time. You'd think the Lamp 5 having the dual power supply would seem to be an obvious advantage given the major contributions the PS provides. |
I have both MM '09 with LPS and new MM stock. The new MM to me is bettered so I think. Had the LT and it was great on RB but did not meet my needs for all material. Gave it away for $1.3K. We all hear/see/feel and think different so a shoot maybe useless. Had the L3/4/5 and the 5 is better than the 4 but by how much? Could I pick out the 4 from the 5 in my system? What if the 4 had a Stage 3 AC cable on it and the 5 had a cheap A$$ ,name your own maker, AC cable like most have will the 4 sound better? 5 has a bigger fuller sound but the 4 is better than most high $$$ dacs being sold today . The game gets to complex to hear a 3% improvement that just might be a different sound than an improvement. This hobby is like a man getting most all the chicks he can want. In the end he doesn't want to live with them long term so he unloads and reloads. The L5 has bigger breasts but they hang and sag where the L4 has smaller athletic breasts made for road running. What level do you want?? |
Shawbros3, that's a grand idea. Enough audio blah blah. For what it's worth, I will be using both a transport and a mini with my L5. A transport for redbook and a mini for hi rez/DSD (out of necessity). I will be looking at a dbsystems mini which is the only one I see out there that is modded internally with mu metal shielding, caps, etc. option 2 would be to use the Ifi stuff. |
So is the TranspOrt worth buying or should I just stick with a PC or MM solution with my Level 5? I'm very undecided on this. I've heard the TranspOrt with a Level 3.5 it sounded very fine. But I've never heard USB via Zuma PC, laptop, or MM? I'm not a big Squeezebox fan. My experiences with streaming audio has been PS Audio PWD II and Bridge via laptop connected with CAT 7 Ethernet to my WHS. The PWD is good but not a Lampizator. |
The power supply was a huge improvement on my 2009 Mini. I would say a 25-30% improvement. Steve at Empirical says a stock 2009 mini sounds better than a stock 2011 Mini. So this means my set up is perhaps 30 plus percent better than a 2011 Mini without an upgraded power supply. Oh well. Must try both to really know! |
Abruce, I am not sure of the age or current accuracy of this paper but here is a link that explains some of it; Level 5 guided tour by Lukasz Fikas It appears there is significantly more work done to the power supply (which is dual mono in the L5) and a different PCB using different chips. From what I have read, it seems the power supply work accounts for the majority of the sonic improvements. If you go to the dual chassis you can include more features such as balanced operation and his special volume control, although those options do not interest me at this time. I was hoping some here might elaborate with regards to sonic differences. |
MM is better!! read ze question. with or without ps? Also, you went from "Redbook being better than or equivalent to hi rez" to "I can only listen do DSD" minus the transport. Very telling. Abruce and Mitch, the primary difference (from what I have been told) is the dual mono ps in the 5. Better separation, etc, etc. |
Bill, amongst mini-heads, people argue about whether they even make a difference. One camp says an external supply on an 09 is the way (Empirical Audio). Others say a 2011 or newer mini with no supply is comparable (Tranquility sac). Both camps are headed by engineers who know more than we do and provide convincing arguments for each position. So....in other words, an external supply is not relevant. Gary Glory Anderson has relevant experience with and without an external supply. Someone needs to send Granny a transport. Gopher??? |
What it does to Redbook negates any need for hi Rez offerings and People who have one say they dont care about HiRez anymore as its sounds so good on RBCD That is "la raison d'être" for any digital transport IMO. 99% of most music libraries are Redbook. Yes, I am sure "true" DSD128 mastering is better, but after a while that same avant-garde Swedish jazz trio gets old. Regarding DSD and hi rez wireless streaming, I believe that is not far off. We can already stream movies wirelessly, and those files are larger than any audio data (http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/537-extending-audio-network-using-802-11ac-wireless/) Furthermore, people are already hacking squeezeboxes and such to process DSD (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=119364.0) Gopher and Berto are morally obligated to do a Lampi transport versus modded mini shootout during the upcoming rave. It will drive home the point that I have been trying to make since 2007. |
I've resisted posting much on the forums in the last few years because it mostly seems like an exercise in mental masturbation. That being said, I must give credit where it is due and thank those that pushed me toward the L4 Lampizator. It is a truly a deeply satisfying piece of audio equipment. Thanks Gary(Glory), Andrew(Agear), Fred(Gopher), Bill(Grannyring) and everyone else that's had an influence on the purchase. Lukasz seems to be a rare designer that has both the technical skill and hearing to make equipment that absolutely enriches your music listening experience. |
I'm wondering...do the folks who purchased generation 1 thru 4 get free upgrades? Sadly they must realize how inferior their older generation Lampizators are compared to the current generation. Design improvements are good things, but this DAC seems to be a work in progress. I'm waiting for level 26/version 18 and then I'll buy one! |
Hi, While not an expert I do have first hand experience with the TranspOrt which is really a streamer built on the bones of a Squeezebox Duet. (Go to the Lampizator.eu site and read about and see how it is made.) Yes it is technically only capable of what you say above. But, it in reality does much more. In short the thing sounds incredible. What it does to Redbook negates any need for hi Rez offerings, (have not heard DSD yet) I have tried it with a Lampizator 4 DAC, a Theta Gen 5a, and the PS Audio PWD II with Bridge, in each case, the Lampizator transformed the sound to a bigger, bolder, more realistic sound than before. Can't wait for mine to be delivered. |
Weatherb, DSD and PCM is BOTH played back natively in Lampi Dacs. DSD will either be an add on option to the normal Lampi Dac (whic is PCM) or you can buy a DSD-ONLY Lampi dac which will NOT play PCM in any shape or form. If you convert PCM music to DSD via computer program (Saracon/JRiver PC, etc), then you can play that back on a Lampi DSD-only Dac. However, if you have a L5 with the DSD option, it would be best to play back PCM natively via the PCM section of the Dac and DSD, via the DSD section. You can use the remote to toggle inputs to the Volume Control/preamp selector. DSD is filtered and sent as an analog signal to the volume control. |
Wow, good for you SGR! You will love them! I dont have a Transport, but I know its da bomb. I do have a cap modded SBR (with Linear PSU running from my L4, so I can only imagine how much better the Transport is) Jim is a nice guy. I know him from FBook. Get the DSD option (and volume control) with the L5, you wont regret it. PM me over at AudioCircle for more tips if you like I am wisnon there too. |
Hi, Thanks for all your answers. Jim brought his DAC and transport over this weekend. It was really great hearing it in my system. Needless to say I'm now a committed Lamp fan! It provided all my system was lacking. My system sounded like music for the first time. I had gone to see Diana Krall at the Fox here in St. Louis. Fabulous concert by the way. If you like her CDs she is better in person. I came home that night and listened to my system with the PWD II. It sounded very good I thought. Then came Jim with his Lampy. At first listen it was hard to tell the difference but after about an hour things really started to warm up and Diana was in the room. With the PWD the sound was there and it was like a black and white photo, well defined nothing missing and sharp details. Then the Lampy, the sound simply became music and instead of black and white Diana was there in 3d Color. Fun to listen to and I might say highly addictive. After Jim left, (he was kind enough to leave Lampy there over night) another friend and I listened till well after midnight. We couldn't get enough. Now Jim lives in Illinois across the Missouri and Mississippi from me. I texted him,"That during the night the rivers had both flooded and so it might be a month or two before I could return his beloved DAC and Transport." He texted back, "That was ok he'd buy a boat and come get it!" Glory, Not on a fishing trip. I fish not for Glory but Giant Blue Cats only! Thanks for the cable tips but there is not a bass problem in my system with the Lamp or PWD. It is amazing how good the Signal Cable really sounds. I was just concerned about tube bass vs solid state but no concerns now. I'm ordering a Level 5 and Transport right away. Thanks for now and thanks Jim, Steven |