Many tube amplifiers are not cheap, but they look cool and increase the music lover’s authority of their owner. The sound is much more complicated. One device can play magically, while the other will not meet even the most modest expectations. Model Omega Lupi does not sport a pretentious brand, but produces an interesting sound.
What is interesting about the manufacturer
What is the most problematic part in a tube amplifier in production? No, not a lamp, but an output transformer. For each circuit, it is calculated and made almost by hand, not skimping on the time, quantity and quality of copper wire and ferromagnetic materials. In this sense, it is easier with lamps. The vendor chooses a supplier and buys the necessary parts from him, since there are many vacuum manufacturers now.
Fezz Audio, the amplifier of which will be discussed, is a subsidiary of the Polish company Toroidy. It is a highly reputable transformer manufacturer supplying venerable Hi-Fi and Hi End developers. Such products can be found both in the solid analogue LampizatOr components and in the mega-advanced Mytek DACs. In short, Fezz Audio does not skimp on the quality of key elements. Moreover, the creators of the amplifiers discuss with the transformers the specifics of each of their models.
Without props
Since the Omega Lupi is intended solely for headphones, it will certainly figure prominently next to the listener. With such close contact, the build quality and finish shouldn’t raise any questions. On the other hand, engineers from the small Polish town of Ksienzyno rightly judged that expensive design delights are unlikely to bring them success in the market. And we chose the concept of “maximum sound for a reasonable price”. So the external design turned out to be simple, but surprisingly solid. Everything here is convenient, reliable and to the point.
The case is a flat box made of thick sheet steel and covered with durable, pleasant to the touch enamel. On the polished front plate there are two milled aluminum drums and a brand nameplate. From above there are four identical finger radio tubes. Behind them is a large metal casing that hides and shields the very same transformers – output and supply. By the way, the lamps can also be covered with a lattice screen that comes with the kit. But to hide such beauty is simply a sin. Unless to protect against naughty children’s hands or from an overly lively cleaning lady.
Vigorous “push”
The functionality of the amplifier is simple and minimalistic. On the pediment, in addition to adjusting the volume, there is a socket for a quarter-inch jack and a headphone impedance selector. The device is capable of working with a load resistance from 38 before 600 Ohm – the interval is very solid. The rear panel houses a power connector, a line-in on the “tulips” and an output that duplicates its signal. Such switching allows you to start listening to music on headphones or through speakers at any time without leapfrog with juggling wires and switching selectors.
In terms of circuitry, the Omega Lupi is a class AB1 push-pull amplifier. Each channel is built on two PCL lamps 93. These are triode pentodes that are virtually mic-free and are great for push-pull stages.
The strong point of the pentode mode is its relatively high gain, helping to avoid power shortages. The danger is the general feedback, which is indispensable here. Its unsuccessful implementation can noticeably stifle the sound. So a lot depends on the specific implementation of the circuit and the straightness of the engineers’ hands.
PCL analogs 90 were not produced in the USSR, but there is no shortage of radio tubes on the market made in Yugoslavia, Poland (Polamp) or Czech Republic (Tesla). It is difficult to say which ones Fezz Audio uses: there are no markings on the flasks. But this is not so important, since the lamps are tested at the factory and for each amplifier are selected according to the proximity of the parameters.
The subtleties of resistance
The nameplate capacity of the Omega Lupi is 270 mW seems to be not too much. However, this value is independent of impedance and will not drop even when connected 712 – ohm headphones. But the frequency range is impressive without any reservations: from 21 Hz to 120 kHz with unevenness AFC equal to -3 dB!
The test setup consisted of a stationary Aurender ACS player 120 and the high-end Mytek Brooklyn DAC + DAC. The main headphones were the impressive Audeze LCD-2 Classic magnetoplanars. Open dynamic “ears” AKG K 2021 PRO, as well as the elite model Audeze LCD-4z.
Front panel impedance selector must be set to Low for 33 – ohm headphones. Mid is displayed on accessories supporting up to 270 Ohm, and High – for those with higher resistance values. As indicated in the instructions, planar models should be listened to on the High preset. Looking ahead, let’s say that this does not seem to apply to low-impedance Audeze. Anyway, 70 – ohm LCD-2 Classic, like 20 – ohm LCD-4z, played noticeably better at lower settings. Despite the formal failure to hit the lower limit of resistance, the fours with Omega Lupi sounded extremely interesting.
Harmony of Drive
The sound of the device can be described as follows: tube-like plastic and comfortable, but almost transistor-like fast and dynamic. In amplifiers built according to the Push-Pull scheme, the use of solid toroidal transformers is especially important. They can handle high currents with reduced winding resistance, resulting in dynamic, live sound. The same “warm tube sound” in the case of Omega Lupi turned out to be not only harmonious, but also cheerful. There is no contradiction here. After all, many legendary rockers preferred tube amps. And generations of sound engineers have been mixing music for decades – from classical to punk rock – exclusively on tube devices.
It seems, Omega Lupi was created with an eye to real sound style 70-X. When they expected from the equipment, first of all, not warm softness, but detail and drive, not devoid of, of course, smoothness and tonal harmony. For this reason, Omega works well with magnetoplanar headphones. Firstly, they are able to correctly reveal high, which have a resolution decent for a lamp. Secondly, planars like the Audeze LCD-2 deliver a truly bold sound in the vocal range and, most importantly, in the bass.
Guitars and cymbals on the famous track Blue Hotel by Chris Isaac sound bright and sonorous, but at the same time it is difficult to get rid of the feeling that a vinyl turntable is playing – the vocals are so natural and melodic. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, performed by Glenn Gould, turns into a true musical adventure. The sound is energetic and with an abundance of subtle nuances, but at the same time in a tube-like monolithic and comfortable.
The sound of the Omega Lupi is light, so the owners of the device should be careful with headphones that tend to emphasize the high frequencies. However, this does not mean that the sound energy decreases at other frequencies. For example, Joe Bonamassa’s blues are filled with deep, well-structured bass. In a word, if you are not lazy to experiment, and also avoid headphones with insufficient resolution or shifted tonal balance, the amplifier will respond to an extremely lively and driving tube sound.
Specifications
- MAXIMUM POWER
- 2 x 250 mW
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- FREQUENCY RANGE (-3 dB)
21 Hz – 250 kHz - LOAD IMPEDANCE 33 – 712 Ohm
- NONLINEAR DISTORTIONS (THD) <0.3%
- LAMPS 4 x PCL 86
- POWER INPUT 90 W
- WEIGHT 9.5 kg
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- The Omega Lupi is a well-designed and assembled tube amplifier. It is capable of handling headphones of almost any impedance. The model by Fezz Audio attracts with genre versatility and not boring energetic sound.
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