MHDT Orchid or Lampizator Amber 3?

Thank you

Very cool. @grannyring now that you’ve heard the Golden Atlantic, isn’t it uncanny how different the recent Lampizators sound versus just a few years ago. Weren’t you surprised when you thought back to when you first formed your unfavorable impression of the Lampizator sound?

Whether or not you find the Amber 3 the right dac for you, whether you find that it improves those musical areas you value, its fun to experience something new. Kudos to the OP for posing a valid question that provoked a civil conversation and challenged a respected member here to experience it for himself and kudos to @grannyring for making the effort to go listen. No matter the outcome, this is an example to us all. @grannyring  was admittedly predisposed that the Lampizator sound wasn’t to his tastes and he came away with the initial bias, a bias we all have from time to time, overcome.

The moral to the story: search out and listen for yourself.

For those of you that have heard the Amber 3, can you comment on the Lampizator volume control?  I don't currently have a preamp and I'm weighing the difference between buying a low cost passive pre like the Schiit Freya or ordering the Amber with volume.

The volume on my Golden Atlantic was excellent. When you opt to add the volume you also get a set of analog inputs and the small screen so that your selected input shows, be they your digital inputs or the analog in. Its a trade off between no extra interconnects vs the flexibility of separates.

Thanks ghasley, that's information I did not know.