System Update: personalized custom auditions

J. wanted to hear his Lampizator Golden Gate DAC in our system – mostly because we all thought it would be a lot of fun – while auditioning the Acapella Audio Arts Cellini loudspeakers and Acapella La Musika integrated amplifier.

Lampizator seems like an extremely high-quality company, but we are very, VERY happy with Emm Labs‘ and Audio Note UK‘s digital solutions [also extremely high-quality companies :-)].

The Golden Gate DAC has a builtin linestage so we have many options here:

  1. Set the Golden Gate’s volume knob to unity gain and go directly to the La Musika integrated amplifier’s linestage
  2. Set the Golden Gate’s volume knob to unity gain and go directly to the Audio Note UK M9 Phono preamplifier driving the La Musika integrated.
  3. Use the Golden Gate’s linestage [and volume control] and go directly to the La Musika integrated’s amplifier stage
  4. Use the Golden Gate’s linestage [and volume control] and go directly to the Audio Note UK Kegon SET amplifiers
  5. Set the Golden Gate’s volume knob to unity gain and go directly to the Audio Note UK M9 Phono preamplifier driving the Kegon SET amps.
  6. did I forget something?

We needed more than 3 shelves on our equipment rack, so we setup the Harmonic Resolution Systems‘ (HRS) MXR equipment rack. Precision machining [think: very high-end turntable] on an equipment rack. Who woulda thunk? Such a pleasure to setup.

Can a person HAVE more fun? 🙂