Anyone know where to get ecc40 tubes in the USA? |
Happy for you JWM! Just wait till you have over 150 or hours on it! |
Both are glorious in this dac. Can't go wrong with either. |
Bruce,
I will let you know what the Offramp does. It will be interesting as Steve at Empirical is confident I will hear a nice improvement over USB into our Lampys. |
Charles
I looked into the bottom of my TVIII speakers tonight. My tweeter has one 15 oHm resistor/10 watt and what looks like a 3uf cap. The resistor is a cheap sandcast and the cap is a Solen. Boy there is room for improvement when I get to it! Also one larger cap in the bass section. I will upgrade in the future with Duelund! |
Hchilcoat,
I also have the Tube Research Labs Dude and it is to preamps what the Lampy is to DAC's. Both are world class and breakthrough products. I bet your system sounds great. What speakers are you listening to?
Rx8man, I bet a CEC transport, with select mods, would be a great combo with the Lampy. |
Great system Hchilcoat!
I have a Mac mini based transport. Read all you can from Steve at Empirical Audio. Go to his site and read.....
2009 late model Mac mini
SSD hard drive
Amarra and the version Steve suggests
Power supply for mini - I have one from Mojo Audio |
Theaudiotweak
Interesting site. My concern would be the power supply and the quality and sound of it. The Lampy has a very robust power supply helping it sound the way it does. In my experience the power supply is the difference maker! |
That is true Tom. Go to his site and read how he listens to the parts etc.... |
Sounds like a case for additional break in. The Lampy sounds nothing like hard or forward.....interesting how folks can have such opposite experiences. Many factors I suppose including system synergy.
First comment I have read suggesting hard and forward and I had read lots before buying. Always good to hear all comments. |
The link for the USA seller .... Tube Depot ....... Is misleading. They do not carry this tube as I called a couple of weeks ago. |
King, question for you. Was the unit you demo'd the newer version 4 or last years version 3. Huge difference in sound. Not sure when you listened.... |
Glory
I could use your help on educating me on the tubes used in the Lampy and my alternatives. I know little about the ecc40 tube, except for the fact they seem hard to find. You mention EF80 and 800? Are these subs for the Ecc40?
I will try a different rectifier tube also.
The Lampy sounded so darn good last night that I was transfixed before my music..... |
Yes, I got the note and thanks. Site shows no inventory, but I did email and am waiting for an answer. |
Most folks selling their Lampy's for a higher model as an FYI.
I use my Lampy with a CD transport and computer transport. Slightly better sound with computer USB hookup.
To get better sound through the USB takes lots of reading and fine tuning like a turntable! |
Agear, I am getting better sound with my computer compared to a CD transport. This was not the case right away, but over time I am learning how to make this a reality.
Apple Mac Mini 2009 large model
Large SSD drive
Mojo Audio power supply
Host of software tweaks on the Mini
Wywire USB cable
Amarra 2.5 version
No iTunes! Playlist thru Amarra only - important!
AIFF rips
XLD ripper for Apple
No CD transport I have tried is as good. Right now I have a modified Rega Apollo 35 Anniversary player.
Just an FYI |
I am aware of that and would love to hear one someday. |
Clio09
The biggest single improvement was losing the cheap power supply (switching) that is build into the power cord. The Mojo power supply is linear and very robust. It improved the sound in a big, big way.
You are in for a treat once to do that. It would be fun building your own for sure!
Glory, I also did all the software mods listed in the book by Larry Moore.
I like the Amarra 2.5 version as the sound has nice warmth and texture. All the detail is there, but in a full bodied manner. |
I guess I have no idea what issues etc... went down between Core and Mojo. I hate that sort of thing and am ignorant of it in this case.
Ben at Mojo modifies the existing power cord so all I had to do was plug the power supply into the Mini using the same cord. Very easy and no issues at all. Worked perfectly!
He makes a very good power supply.
The USB input on the Lampy seems to be will implemented and sounds very good indeed. |
Abruce, , I will try that and compare..... |
34,
Well my list of digital front ends is too long to dive fully into here. Not just Dax's, but many CD players also. The last few are.....
Cary 306
Ayre 5xme
Fully modified Sony player w/TRL mods
April Music Eximus DP1 |
Yes, mine has a great sounding USB input. |
I have to thank Glory as I purchased a Bendix 5y3 tube and placed it into the Lampi and all I can say is WoW!
Great tube and the Lampi really responded with more clarity, openness, drive and resolution. Slightly more articulate bass also. Most impressed with this tube in my Lampi dac! |
There is an Ebay seller selling B stock Bendix 5y3 tubes for $17. He has integrity and is a great guy. The tubes are nos and ony slight cosmetic issues for the B stock. |
Just an update folks as both the Lampi and new Bendix tubes burn in. I love this DAC. My previous DAC was the very highly reviewed and well respected Eximus DP1. Reviewers and owners alike rave on about how this $3200 dac shoots well above its price point etc...
Well the Lampi is so much better it is hard for me to believe. Just sounds so much more musical and real. Real is a word that best describes it. Every instrument and musical nuance is real, not reproduced, real! I can only imagine what a Lampi 6 would do. Oh my.
With my TRL Dude fully broken in and the Coincident TVIII speakers I am thrilled. |
Charles I will also put some Duelund caps in the speakers when my budget allows. Look forward to doing that perhaps this winter. |
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I also thought Glory's comments were in jest. Good to see apologies and forgiveness in action. A needed blessing moment here on the Gon. |
Don't know as my MM with mods and power supply is quite good! Can't say one would smoke another without a real a/b comparison. Less this it is all speculation at best. |
Agear, until you hear my MM vs your standard it is impossible to know. I cannot say you are or wrong... |
Hi Andrew, my MM is anything but stock and so much more than what you compared it to. Steve N of Emperical audio is no neophyte on this subject and I follow his best of show advice on my MM ..... Pretty much every single detail. To make the MM sound as mine does does take the kind of attention to detail you mention in your post.
Oh yes the USB cable matters big time! The USB port used on the MM also matters and on and on the small details go! |
Funny, the leader of the pack is always the target and competitors always state they have something as good or better for less money. Duelund is king right now and we will see.
They may or may not be as good in a speaker, amp, dac etc......Need to try in these various applications first to see how they perform.
Still loving my L4! |
Sorry as I have only heard and now own the 4. All I could ever want really. |
SGR, the bass in my tube rectified L4 is very tight and has great impact and body. The Bendix tube in that position really gives the Lampy a kick in the bass area! |
The bass is certainly better than my past SS April Music Eximus DP1 dac that sells for $3200 and is very, very highly reviewed. |
I have the top of the line Jensen PIO , copper foil, paper cased caps in mine. The Duelund caps are more resolving for sure and the Jensen caps are a tad richer in the mids,
I will put Duelund in mine once I get the funds as they are quite expensive. |
Mitch, most are selling for the 5 or 6. That is a fact. This dac is very special and breaks though the ceiling of good dacs by quite a margin. My digital front end kills the sound that CD players like the top rated Cary 306, Ayre,and Esoteric brought to the table. Oh ya, forgot to mention a highly modified Sony and Marantz 7s1.
Really a whole new realm of resolution a plain old sounding like real music, not a stereo system. |
I build stuff and the build quality of my unit is very good. It is point to point wired with a very robust power supply with multiple chokes and Mundorf film caps. He uses silver wire and I could go on and on.
Understand these are not mass produced circuit board only designs with that modern day factory look. They are home made point to point wired with parts mounted on wood etc.... Some look at this as poor build quality, but they are using mass produced, printed circuit board, sterile looking pieces as the standard. Apples and oranges really. |
Rockyboy, then you will never buy anything cutting edge digital from any maker.
I guess any high end gear for that matter. Not a bad idea! |
As long as the modded Mini has a Mojo or Hynes power supply! If not, don't bother doing an AB. |
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! |
Hi Bruce and Tim. The 4 is all one would really ever need. I say get a 4 and be sure to get the top of the line Jensen caps and the Bendix rectification tube. This and the right footers, power cord and AC conditioning will make more of a difference IMHO. |
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Speakers and dac synergy? Help me understand? Did you also use the dac as a preamp?
Just tell us how it compared to the other dac in your system please. I assume you listen to music on that system regularly. |
Update. More aiff vs wav comparisons and wav is clearly more natural, less forced, smoother highs, larger stage, more body and weight. I simply converted existing aiff files in iTunes to wav without re-ripping. No need to re-rip. |
Big night of learning tonight. Folks WAV sounds better than AIFF and it is easy to hear the improvement. No straining to hear it. WAV is far more refined and composed.AIFF sounds more Hifi and a tad forced in direct comparison. No doubt about it WAV is better and by a decent margin. I am not sure how many Aphiles know this?
Man oh man is this front end smoking good right now. So many little details to get right in computer based audio. |
Great comments one and all! I better understand all the moving parts now. |
I am a little surprised so many folks are selling the 4 for a 5 or 6 when the 4 is sooooo good. I don't want for more or better at all as my 4 is wonderful.
I better never hear these higher models or I may want one! |
Abruce, you are right indeed. Computer audio Aphiles please take note! |
Listening tonight and the music is so rich and inviting. I really like the sound of the L4 with the Jensen copper caps. Seems to be that perfect balance of resolution and musicality. Detail and body. Extended highs with rich mids and great mid bass.
My entire system is now tubes. My TRL Dude tubed preamp, the tubed Lampy, Thor TPA 30 monoblock tube amps w/many wonderful mods. I have a tubed CD transport/player on the way also. The more tubes the better! No kidding. Just magical.
Seems the Lampy takes a long time to finally settle in and complete the burn in process. |
