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Killer DAC on the cheap (relatively speaking).

172.58.143.201

I recently purchased a Lampizator Amber 3 DAC. It was reasonably impressive, but it lacked focus in the sound stage. I was able to remedy this largely by bypassing the Jupiter output capacitors with VHAudio's ODAM capacitors. Now we were talking about a nice DAC, but I wasn't looking for nice! I was able to hook up with GARAGE1217 on ebay, who happened to make adapters to get a 12AU7 socket to work with a 6SN7 tube. That adapter and a Linlai E-6SN7 tube transformed the little Amber into an amazing beast. I can't install the cover for the DAC due to the size of the 6SN7 tube, so unless you want to put a big hole in the cover you have to consider children and others who might not be able to keep their hands out of places they ought not be, but from strictly a sonic perspective this is one awesome sounding DAC. Assuming an otherwise transparent system, this DAC gives you front row tickets on good recordings. I do have VHAudio's copper and Teflon V-Caps waiting to be installed, but I'll be amazed if they can add anything to the amazing sound. OTOH, if any caps can, they should be able to. We'll see once I am confident that I'll be able to recognize any changes they may make.

Best Regards,

Lou

Edits: 07/05/22

Follow Ups:

12AU7 - 1973shovel 10:45:52 07/07/22 (2)
I had a similar success with my VTA version of the Dynaco ST-70 amp. I installed the VTA board in one of my ST-70s a number of years ago, but never liked the results. I tried a few different brands of coupling caps, and several different 12AU7s, or 12BH7s. I populated the board using a variety of well regarded resistors, including Dale RN and Riken, but no matter what I tried, was never happy with it.

After reading for who knows how many times what a bad tube the 12AU7 is (as Palustris indicates) the "what the heck, I'll try it" light bulb finally went on for me. I bought an adapter for the voltage tube socket of the VTA, plugged in a 6SN7, and finally have an amp I can enjoy listening to music through.
- RE: 12AU7 - Lou S 11:52:10 07/07/22 (1)
  If you want to take it up another notch, use Linlai E-6SN7s.
  Best Regards,
  
  Lou
  - Thanks, but... - 1973shovel 04:28:00 07/08/22 (0)
    This is a back-up amp, so spending $115 for a tube isn't in the fiscal cards at this time. I trust that it would be better, and if this were my main (or only) amp, I'd give the tube a listen.
    
    Thanks.
RE: Killer DAC on the cheap (relatively speaking). - Palustris 08:01:31 07/06/22 (1)
No surprise there: Morgan Jones in 'Valve Amplifiers' (p. 206) found that the 12AU7 has 4.5 times the second harmonic distortion and 28 times the nasty third harmonic distortion compared to a 6SN7. Designers only use the 12AU7 because consumers demand it.
- RE: Killer DAC on the cheap (relatively speaking). - Lou S 09:16:19 07/06/22 (0)
  OR, because they want to dumb down a piece to have a budget option? The Amber is said to have the same "engine", aka digital circuitry, as the $27K Pacific...
  Best Regards,
  
  Lou

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