Considering Bricasti and Lampizator


I'm looking for a new DAC in the sub 10k range (used). After reading about several options here and elsewhere, the ones I find most intriguing are the Bricasti M1 and the Lampizator Big 7.

Has anyone directly compared these two great DACs? If you have: any thoughts about the differences, and which you preferred?

Just to throw a few talking points out there, here are a few things which make me a bit shaky about each option:

Bricasti M1:

Introduced in late 2011, so it's 3.5 years into its life cycle. Can it really hang with more recent offerings? Is a newer model coming soon?

Lampizator Big 7:

A dizzying array of options (caps, DSD, tube rolling, ...). Is this really the way off the merry-go-round?

Lack of stability in their product line, with new models and options coming out continuously. How does this affect resale value?
rrolack

Showing 5 responses by wisnon

You talk about getting off the merry-go-round and first thing you question is resale value??

You also say you want to buy used, so why still talk about resale value. If one has higher perceived depreciation, then that works in FAVOUR of buying used, as long as you get the features you want/need.

To find out what you like, you will have to first try though.

Bricasti and Lampi seem to be polar opposites in design and likely in sound. Dizzing array? For used? You get what the seller on the used market has, nothing more, nothing less. If you need Balanced, you wont be loooking to buy a SE lampi, for example.

This propaganda about new models is just that. When the announce a Gucci version, a lite version and a balanced version of the Big 7, its is still the same ciruit, the same model in different trim levels. Imagine if thiss was a Honda Accord...there is the basic, the SE, the EX, the sport version, the hatchback and perhaps the off road version. is that a dizzing array, or just catering to each niche that needs different requirements and does not want to pay for options not needed. We are all familiar with this with cars and I dont hear a deluge of complaints.

To do otherwise is to freeze the "all-singing-all dancing" version for several years and then you get your complaint against Bricasti in saying its 3.5 years old and now long in the tooth! Dac manufacturers just cant win! LoL
LoL

FSmith, what is all tbis USSR stuff?

Ploand ALWAYS hated the USSR and that is why Lech Walensa could lead the Solidarity free trade union to wrest Poland from Soviet domination. Poland STILl does not get along with Russia. They suffered at the hands of the Nazis and later the Soviets and so want no part of either.
FSmith, If you are also going to go by what the "experts" say, then listebn to Bruce Brown of Puget Sound who recoirds exclusively in DSD. It is the best DSD playback he has heard and he only heard the L4 DSD only Dac.

Lukasz does not need to upgrade power supply as every Lampi has an outrageously overspeed Linear Power supply. it is his hallmark and a main ingredient of the lampi sound. What gets upgraded is feature set like DSD256 (which not many dacs have). DSD128 is already standard from lampi and was from the start.

Quite frankly, you have not heard the potential of a Big7 as you would have to own one for a while and do extensive tube roll to achieve perfect sysnergy with the rest of your system. I see you are changing amps, as you old ones are too warm. With a Big 7, you would likely just have to roll in a pair of the white ceramic 101ds DHTs and use a GZ34 metal base rectifier. Lampi with volume control is a world class preamp.

Me personally, I have 10 pairs of DHTs and 11 rectifiers to play with (I am lucky to have a tube guy close by that sells vintage tubes at bargain basement prices). I have 6A3, 2A3, 6b4g, 101d WE and Psvane, 45 triodes (ST and Globes), CX301, but no 300b nor VT52. For rectis I have 5U4g, 5R4, gz37, GZ34, U52, 5Y3, 5V4g, type 80 and 83v. Immense permutations here and loads of fun.

The end game though is to find combinations that fit music genres best, while maintaining maximum system synergy.
Briscasti sounds like a good product, so I will not make any comments on it and if someone chooses that route, they will likely be contented too.
Typos galore. Sorry

overspecced power supply...
synergy...
records...
listen...

I hate aggresive autocorrect. loL
Seriously?

Putting Purrin's comments here? I cant take him seriously when he says a PSA PW2 and a Audio GD Master 7 sounds better than a Level 4 Lampi (much less a Level 5). Hell, the Amber will likely beat those Dacs he touts.

From Headfi you can read what AL says. AL has had 7 Lampis pass thru his hands and owns 2 Big7s currently. He also owns the D-Stream, Master7, Mytek, Hugo, MSB Platinum Stack, iDSD micro and a coup,e more I have forgotten. Why not ask him what HE thinks as he has owned them for months/years?

In any case, taste is a personal thing and I guess people have to try for themselves. However, if we are to use opinions of others, better to see what the heavyweights say, like Elberoth and Bruce Brown and the 2 reviewers at PFO Online who awarded Lampi with TWO editors awards in 2014.