[NEW! LampizatOr PACIFIC flagship DAC review on Hifi Knights]

Long time awaited review of the latest flagship DAC from Lampizator’s stables – The Pacific is now on. Needless to say that we are extremely happy and proud to see such a mature write up and well put together thoughts. The product like that is not easy to recognise and describe properly. We do hate a wax poetry here in The House of an Artisan Audio and it takes a lot of knowledge to understand the nature of the music and explain it to the other through the prism of the unit’s performance. On the other hand ,Dave , as a a man who lives daily with his Golden Gate DAC since more than 2 years now , has both : the knowledge and the skills !

Read then the essence of those findings bellow , or go for a full article to learn more about it

“The Golden Gate vs Pacific scenario might resemble an apples and oranges comparison early on and rightfully so. Still, the more one listens to the latter, the more obvious it becomes that it’s not about more hifi and less magic only, far from it. Such a meta shift focused description is too mild and oversimplified to properly grasp what Pacific brought to the table. The final impression is that this newcomer is not only something from elsewhere sound wise, but also simply more potent on counts such as agility, grandness, downstairs reach and grip, resolution, top end extension and immediacy in general. Pacific does the high fidelity part audibly better, is more flexible in the process, yet at the same time remains smooth and very organic, just as every other LampizatOr deck currently available. Nothing got lost in translation in these regards.”

 “Less weighty and less romantic sound were the two trade-offs this scribe was able to find once the Pacific was on. These major mood and atmosphere makers are the reasons why some individuals will remain faithful to the previous top shelf model after hearing the two machines side by side, which is perfectly fine and understandable. To each his own, as they say. Yet in the long run, both magnitude and the number of sound related technicalities improved in Pacific are too extensive to not be taken into serious account. After several weeks long head to head comparison, this scribe has found Pacific to be not only very different from Golden Gate, but also a superior specimen overall. Even despite of more truthful and less tuneful approach it sports.”

“Whether visual flamboyance of both Golden Gate and Pacific is likeable is a very subjective matter to tackle, hence let’s not go there. Objectively speaking, the latter feels more luxurious and much less DIY. When the two are in sight, to point a finger at the TOTL deck is rather easy. LampizatOr’s products are of no dCS Vivaldi fit’n’finish quality, that’s true. Yet Łukasz makes constant progress nonetheless and that’s admirable in my book. To respect the man for steadily pushing forward along his own path instead of taking well-known mainstream routes is not a crime. The same story is with a generous trade-in program prepared for current golden series owners. How many manufacturers out there do zero depreciation value deals these days? And having said this, a group of lucky Golden Gate/Golden Atlantic users should at least give Pacific a try in the well-known environment once an opportunity reveals itself as this one surely deserves their full attention.”

“Whether visual flamboyance of both Golden Gate and Pacific is likeable is a very subjective matter to tackle, hence let’s not go there. Objectively speaking, the latter feels more luxurious and much less DIY. When the two are in sight, to point a finger at the TOTL deck is rather easy. LampizatOr’s products are of no dCS Vivaldi fit’n’finish quality, that’s true. Yet Łukasz makes constant progress nonetheless and that’s admirable in my book. To respect the man for steadily pushing forward along his own path instead of taking well-known mainstream routes is not a crime. The same story is with a generous trade-in program prepared for current golden series owners. How many manufacturers out there do zero depreciation value deals these days? And having said this, a group of lucky Golden Gate/Golden Atlantic users should at least give Pacific a try in the well-known environment once an opportunity reveals itself as this one surely deserves their full attention.

CONCLUSION: 

“Golden Gate is undoubtedly a very respectable, refined and world-class product. For over two years it served me as a very efficient remedy for the awkward and annoying DAC related itch. There was no need for scratching at all as this scribe’s reference bested everything thrown in the same pit, until recently it simply had no match. Although sooner than expected, the dethroning day has finally arrived. The crown will remain in the same family, yet will shift to the new king’s head. Pacific is capable of stupendous things, provides greater leverage in this scribe’s daily journalistic struggle, works within his setup very well and is the best DAC known to him currently, period. It’s not about meta related fads but the very audible, very real performance upgrade Pacific provides instead. After time spent with this device, to inquire about that trade-in scheme is a very solid plan I intend to execute. The number one spot on the podium comes with the ‘Victor’ award in the package, here’s to the LampizatOr crew as they’ve done it yet again and ’till next time! “

All pictures are courtesy of Dawid Grzyb /The Hifi Knights