Man I have to say I find the lampi stuff terrifying as an outsider. So many different options and need to check which revision has which inputs. I read all the rave reviews here and other places and want to learn more but itās tough to know where to start and Iāve bounced off several times.
Yep definitely too many options.
I will say the Lampizator Poland website is better than the US and this pdf is the easiest to get the quick understanding of current lineup and upgrade paths
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I donāt think they offer any options on the inputs anymore, there was a point where you could specify one of the inputs.
At this point it really comes down to how much you want to spend, whether you want DHTās or Pentodes, whether you need Balanced (hint you probably donāt), the volume control is nice, but I donāt think itās worthwhile at the lower price points, and at the higher price points, youād probably be better off with a dedicated pre.
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@Flashbolt those of us who are Lampi owners can walk you through it. I agree from the get-go it seems daunting, but actually itās in the process of being simplified.
For those who are hunting for both used and new units, itās confusing because historically (e.g. >4 years ago) Lampi was somewhat of a growing boutique and they kept iterating their design even within one product such that 1. one made in August 2020 might have slightly different stuff than one in June 2021, and 2. they allowed buyers to customize to their liking. So for example, if you looked at an āAtlantic 2ā online, you will see them with different outputs, volume or not, āengine 53ā, āR2Rā, āEngine 11ā, different color jacks and tops, āJL soundā (or not), etc. Unless youāre savvy in Lampi language, itās a big hurdle to get into which one is best for youā¦ and then thereās all the other product models, and revisions (āGoldenā or not), etc.
However, if you buy new, itās very simple. Lampizator, due to both manufacturing / supply chain control AND ability to support and repair old gear, had to simplify their line-up and make each product more consistent. Most of all that nonsense above got phased out. So if you want a new product, these are your only choices:
- Amber or Baltic (their two cheapest ones, differ by sound character of your liking, only choices are color and if you want volume control),
- Atlantic TRP (this is their mid-tier one, you can choose color, if you want balanced vs SE, volume control)
- Poseidon (reference level, can only choose color, no other options)
- Horizon (reference level, can only choose color, no other options)
And then, thereās the specialty DHT units which they donāt really advertise but you can still order (for now), like the secret menu at InNOut. These are the latest revision Big7, GoldenGate, and Pacific (in order from cheapest to most expensive, but not necessarily from āworstā to ābestā, just 3 different voicing). Theyāre running out of parts for them and even if you order it they might tell you itās no longer an option.
Lampi also makes other stuff, like power conditioner, phono stage, preamp, music server, etc. Thatās outside the scope of this post since theyāre mostly known for DACs.
The US distributor, Fred Ainsley, is a really outstanding guy and heās happy to chat to explain things. Of course, if you are curious about a used older unit, those of us can walk you through what we think and if itās āworthā it from our POV. Know that Lampizator is amazing when it comes to technical support and repairs, and as someone whoās shipped shit back and forth from Poland more times than I care to admit, theyāve gone way above and beyond to make sure Iām taken care of. Iāve gotten to know some of their office staff and theyāre all great folks ā Iām gonna take them out to dinner the next time Iām in Warsaw.
Keith
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Also, just my opinion but:
The document that @orrman posted is a basic guidance but I wouldnāt follow it as gospel. Itās mostly Lukaszās perspective on what he thinks the differences are between the units, but thatās like lining up 10 different sports cars and giving them a score; a person might like a ālower scoringā one because it makes them happier.
The good thing is that the Lampi community is quite large and all willing to share their thoughts. Many people have liked the Atlantic line over the Pacific line, or the Golden Gate over the Pacific, as an example. Some say they like the Baltic over the more expensive ones. In the end, thereās a house sound, and laws of diminishing returns always applyā¦
Lastly, donāt forget the cost of tubes. While this can be done much later after purchase, it can be a very deep and expensive rabbit holeā¦ and Iād say Lampi tube rolling has probably gone a little bit more financially uncontrolled than other tubed products Iāve come across.
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Okay last fan-boy post, then Iām done:
In my last 20+ years in audio, I canāt remember a single other brand where Iāve been happy enough to stick w/ their upgrade path. Iāve owned several VTL, Resolution Audio, and ZMF products, but itās only Lampizator where Iāve owned 4. One of my friends (who sold Orr his Poseidon) has owned probably every single Lampi product. Another one of my friends has 3 systems (including a mega one w/ Avantgarde) and he has a Lampi in every single one. Itās not because of anything other than overall joy of ownership and the continued want to journey with themā¦ if thatās not a testimony to customer satisfaction, I donāt know what isā¦
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In other news, the new Roon Nucleus One is now up for preorder.
Edit: Looks like @Towa beat me to the punch haha. seems like itāll be a great alternative to using a mac mini (like Iāve been doing) or a nuc, and its relatively low power so you can easily use an external LPS without needing to mod things or buy a massive one. I probably wonāt be getting one (yet), but at $500 itās a pretty good deal.
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Thank you so much for this @keithc, @Polygonhell and @orrman .
Iām glad they seem to have streamlined things. Definitely makes it more approachable. Iāll be doing some research now and will probably focus on new unless something spicy pops up.
Iām at a DAC crossroads right now and trying to decide where to go next. On the table right now are Meitner, Mojo, PS Audio, Bricasti and now maybe the lamps
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Probably depends a lot on your music preference, rest of your gear, what you value most in your audiophile technicalities, etc.
Whereabouts do you live? Anyone nearby where you can listen to Lampi?
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I live in St Paul, MN. I did get to hear the big boy Horizon at CAF last year (not super useful as itās way above my price range, but awesome nonetheless) and Iām heading to Axpona in a few weeks.
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If you want to get a more private listening session to Meitner MA3 and EMM DV2 at Axpona let me know. Also our friend @Christof is selling his Bricasti.
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Yeah Iām thinking about selling my MC1. I donāt have a listing but let me know if youāre interested
Looks goodā¦
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First time Iām seeing this cable, they say it was voiced specifically for Susvara and sits at the top of their line up
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Is Aegir 2 from Schiit new? or did I just miss it?
I think itās new/updated.
They mention the Vali 3 in the same email, and I know that one is new.
They both look like solid updates, IMO.
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I thought it was as well and just got the email nowā¦ When did the Ragnarok 2 come out?
Like 2020, itās been the current version for a long time, itās not new
ok Thanks