Pacific dac: Lampizator's new top of the line dac

Ric Schultz

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2013
227
56
333
Soquel, CA
He did not say he had a one year exclusive on the new digital chip....just that it would take others one year to develop it. The only new chip being released that I can see is the new Cirrus Logic CS43198. https://www.cirrus.com/products/cs43198/ It does look real nice. When someone takes some pics of the insides then maybe we can get an idea as to whether it is this chip or not.
 

abeidrov

VIP Donor
Dec 17, 2015
695
340
443
Moscow
This chip supports DSD up to 256, but the chip in the Pacific supports DSD 512. So, the Pacific must have another chip...
 

abeidrov

VIP Donor
Dec 17, 2015
695
340
443
Moscow
You may be right. But I am not sure if we ever find out. For instance, is it known what chip has been used in the recent Big 7/GG dacs?
 

Legolas

VIP/Donor
Dec 27, 2015
1,042
387
455
France
This chip supports DSD up to 256, but the chip in the Pacific supports DSD 512. So, the Pacific must have another chip...

Have you watched the Pacific launch event video in the US? Luktaz says in his presentation, he is using a secret chip that is new to that DAC, and may or may not drip it down the range.

On the GG and Big 7, I thought it has discrete for PM and FPGA (DSD engine) for DSD. The chip use stopped didn't it? Earlier versions of those DACs had chips but that is going back some I believe. Lukatz seemed to be saying, it is best to simplify the digital process, have less SXXX in the chain (quote). He also seemed to say the chip can do both PCM and DSD:b

It that is the case it is a breakthrough. Most other top end DACs that do both seem to have either 2 separate digital engines, or convert all PCM to DSD or vice versa (in the case of the DAVE). My preference is a lot narrower, I just want the best PCM i can get, plain and simple.
 

abeidrov

VIP Donor
Dec 17, 2015
695
340
443
Moscow
No, that is not true. There is a new 2016 or 2017 pcm engine for B7 and GG, based on a delta sigma chip. The R2R is optional and Lukasz actually prefers the chip based version for PCM. That is what I heard. And nobody knows what delta sigma chip is currently being used:)
 
Last edited:

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,448
13,476
2,710
London
No, that is not true. There is a new 2016 or 2017 pcm engine for B7 and GG, based on a delta sigma chip. The R2R is optional and Lukasz actually prefers the chip based version for PCM. That is what I heard. And nobody knows what delta sigma chip is currently used:)

Lukasz always preferred the non R2R, even before. When we compared together, he said that he always preferred non R2R, which he thought had more soul, and more like a SET. He acknowledged why I preferred the R2R, which was more resolution, dynamics, better for orchestral. I feel R2R has more soul, and there we disagreed:).

But the Pacific chip has more detail than GG R2R, among other things
 

Legolas

VIP/Donor
Dec 27, 2015
1,042
387
455
France
Lukasz always preferred the non R2R, even before. When we compared together, he said that he always preferred non R2R, which he thought had more soul, and more like a SET. He acknowledged why I preferred the R2R, which was more resolution, dynamics, better for orchestral. I feel R2R has more soul, and there we disagreed:).

But the Pacific chip has more detail than GG R2R, among other things

I was not aware of that, thanks. I thought the GG was good but not maybe top tier IMO. Maybe this is why? I dunno, I had been in the non upsampling, no filter, no logic or messing with the data camp for some years. It just sounds better to my ears. DS conversion has never convinced me, no matter which DAC I have heard or demoed to date, top tier or middle of the road, it just isn't real sounding to me.

So can I ask, does the current GG V2 upsample and use a digital filter on either or both the discrete board or the chip version?

Does Lampi use I/V transformers between the digital and line stage, or resistors or pop amps?

Do they use output transformers at the output to help drive the next stage and keep the output impedance down, or do they put a resistor on the end?

Any info would be great guys. I probably won't be buying the GG now, but I am curious about the design of the conversion Luktaz uses. We know about the tubes in the PS and gain stages, maybe less about the rest.

Possibly the new chip ion the Pacific will do logic if it has to handle PCM and DSD auto switching?
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,448
13,476
2,710
London
I have never done a compare of dsd with other dacs. All compares are PCM. It is based more on tubes, GG can be made to sound better than GG2 by changing the mix of caps and tubes, depending on what GG2 has. So there was a reason I asked you what tubes you heard
 

Ric Schultz

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2013
227
56
333
Soquel, CA
I was not aware of that, thanks. I thought the GG was good but not maybe top tier IMO. Maybe this is why? I dunno, I had been in the non upsampling, no filter, no logic or messing with the data camp for some years. It just sounds better to my ears. DS conversion has never convinced me, no matter which DAC I have heard or demoed to date, top tier or middle of the road, it just isn't real sounding to me.

So can I ask, does the current GG V2 upsample and use a digital filter on either or both the discrete board or the chip version?

Does Lampi use I/V transformers between the digital and line stage, or resistors or pop amps?

Do they use output transformers at the output to help drive the next stage and keep the output impedance down, or do they put a resistor on the end?

Any info would be great guys. I probably won't be buying the GG now, but I am curious about the design of the conversion Luktaz uses. We know about the tubes in the PS and gain stages, maybe less about the rest.

Possibly the new chip ion the Pacific will do logic if it has to handle PCM and DSD auto switching?


I don't think anyone has those answers except Lukasz. I would email him directly and see how much info he wants to share. Don't think there was ever a "pop" amp....he he....in any of his products. Many delta sigma dacs have voltage out and don't need IV conversion.
 

ferrox

Well-Known Member
Jun 16, 2016
262
55
158
Jakarta, Indonesia
www.primes.asia
I suspect most Pacific DAC users have vow of silence enforced on them. LOL..it's very quiet out there though I believe, there must be some lucky guys out there enjoying the Pacific right now. :p

I don't think anyone has those answers except Lukasz. I would email him directly and see how much info he wants to share. Don't think there was ever a "pop" amp....he he....in any of his products. Many delta sigma dacs have voltage out and don't need IV conversion.
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,448
13,476
2,710
London
I am waiting for him to come out with more valves rather than the one set so that we can experiment.
 

Jazzhead

VIP/Donor
Aug 26, 2012
1,466
108
985
I suspect most Pacific DAC users have vow of silence enforced on them. LOL..it's very quiet out there though I believe, there must be some lucky guys out there enjoying the Pacific right now. :p

Right you are , awfully quite !
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,448
13,476
2,710
London
Every new model of his has gone through iterations initially before settling down. So, I think the way it was here in the UK with one set of valves fixed, it just could not be judged. So it went back and will come over to UK at some point more tweaked, and with multiple valve sets. Then we will be able to hear properly. Till then it's just wait. He also got more focused of this to his ADC in the middle
 

Legolas

VIP/Donor
Dec 27, 2015
1,042
387
455
France
Every new model of his has gone through iterations initially before settling down. So, I think the way it was here in the UK with one set of valves fixed, it just could not be judged. So it went back and will come over to UK at some point more tweaked, and with multiple valve sets. Then we will be able to hear properly. Till then it's just wait. He also got more focused of this to his ADC in the middle

Watching Lukatz presentation video, it sounded like he had already found / had made the ultimate valve for the Pacific, and that was already chosen. Or is that not the case? There must be a way at some point to design in both the DAC, PS and line stages with a certain valve type in mind, to get what Lukatz regards as his ultimate sound. Then owners can have the option to tube roll if they want. That seems to me to make sense. I am not an engineer, but a circuit that is designed around a certain valve surely will be optimised to get the most out of it, after all, the designer knows more about that than a user IMO.
 

wisnon

Well-Known Member
Dec 12, 2011
3,525
635
1,200
The new tubes have just been built and have not even been tested yet. In any case, the Pac will have a switch for 5 different tube settings that will optimize the setting to each class of tube. These will be the same DHTs as before, but will be the mesh/zirconium coated variants.

That demo pac was optimized for 300b only, but not the others...which will be selectable.
 
Last edited:

christoph

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2015
4,660
4,058
825
Principality of Liechtenstein
Thanks for the interesting info, Norman
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing