Stand and be Counted

[JackD201]

Okay I'll go first

Have for personal use the following:

LP2 for TW Acoustic AC-3, L2 Reference pre, M1.2 Reference and M2.2 for VR-9s

LL2 Deluxe and ML1.1 driving Unifield 3s or Ambience Reference 1600s

I continue to dream of the LL1 Signature and the ML3 SIgnature

Here's a shot of me and Vladimir

 

[Steve Williams]

Hi Jack

Disclaimer: I have a long time friendship with Vladimir and several years ago went from ARC Ref 600 Mk lll's to ML 2.1's and I was smitten. I have never heard music sound so good. Vladimir has asked me to help him showcase his equipment here in California and I became a "dealer of sorts" for Lamm gear. Truth be known I have sold one piece of equipment in 2 years but I do have the ML3 and LL1 in my system playing through a pair of Wilson X-2 series 2's. Needless to say I will never part with this amp and preamp. If you are ever in my neck of the woods please give me a call.

Vladimir is presently working on a Signature Phonostage that will pair with the LL1 and ML3 and possibly might be ready for CES. Vladimir will be again showing this year with X2 Series 2 with a tape input as well as vinyl. Basically my system

 

[JackD201]

We might just take you up on that pretty soon Steve My partner and I along with our wives and 6 other couples will be going to San Francisco, Tahoe and Vegas to celebrate our 40th birthdays as practically everyone in our gang is 1970 born. We'll be there first week of November.

Disclaimer too. Lamm was not available over here and we wanted it bad. Since we were having pretty good success with distributing Von Schweikert and a client who bought VR-9s wanted Lamm amps, we decided to apply for the distributorship and got it. This led us to carrying Critical Mass Systems too but that's another happy story.

We've been pretty successful with Lamm despite our small market. Successful enough that my partner and I were eventually able to get Lamm equipment for ourselves on top of the mandatory demo sets from the proceeds of our sales. Audio and maybe to a much lesser extent watches, art and automobiles being our only vices, we see no harm in getting high on our own supply. Food matches audio though hence our trip to finally get to The French Laundry and some other notable dining experiences there :lol: My partner has an LL2 and ML2.1 driving DB-99s. Like you, I can't say enough about how eminently pleasing the entire line is despite the lack of remote volume controls on the preamps. The best part is that we've been able to play with everything in the Lamm range (pre-Signature models) in myriad configurations. Having heard your ML3s for myself at CES in a system coincidentally almost identical to my own system from cartridge to amps with the exception of VR-9s instead of Maxx 2s, I long for the day I can call a pair or quad (what do you call 4 piece monoblocks anyway?) my own. If the day job continues to go well..............

Vladimir and Elina are great to work with. Straight forward, efficient, no fuss, no drama, and lightning quick response. Best of all, in the last 4 years no single piece we've sold or owned has ever needed any form of servicing other than the tube changes required yearly for the L2s and ML2.1s which frankly could have easily gone another year or two perhaps since at the time of changing there was still no noticeable sonic degradation. This in a tropical country with questionable bass load electricity, high heat and humidity where the bigger Premier CJs are known to blow regularly. Add reliability to the list of positive attributes.

So yes Steve, we'd love to see your place as I've read about it a lot. Hope to meet you this November!

 

[Steve Williams]

Jack

you and your guests would be most welcome in November. Keep in touch

BTW I have lived in California for 32 years and SF Bay area for the past 17 years and have never been able to get into French Laundry. I want to know who you know

 

[Gregadd]

Steve some have considered Direct Heated Triodes the Holy Grail. Care to Comment?

 

[Steve Williams]

Steve some have considered Direct Heated Triodes the Holy Grail. Care to Comment?

The Lamm ML 3's are DHT

 

[mullard88]

Count me in. I have the L1 line stage, the M1.1 mono blocks, and the LP 2 de luxe.

 

[nephilim]

Count me too please. LL2 and ML2.1 user, driving DB-99SEs.

 

[arthurs]

I've always wondered how the M1.2 Reference or the M2.2 would sound compared to my Vac Phi 300.1's....I heard the M1.2 at CES last year with the Wilson Sasha and it was very very nice, but we all know that's not the same as hearing it in your room with your gear....

 

[Steve Williams]

It'll sound better in your room Arthur under ideal conditions

 

[Steve Williams]

First off I have always liked VAC gear. My perception however is the lush midrange for which Lamm is so noted

 

[arthurs]

I would imagine so Steve, I guess I'll have to keep an eye out for a situation where I could hear them side by side in my room. The VAC's are no slouch and I could live out my days happily with them...I just feel like, based on my limited exposure, the Lamm Hybrid's may have better low end and overall attack, while the lushness of the midrange is what I am most curious about, with the top end being nearly a draw between the two. I'd sure like the time to a/b them for a period in my system to see if that is the case....

 

[Steve Williams]

Well I don't know prices of VAC gear and perhaps Arthur can help but here are MSRP of all Lamm amps

M1.2 Reference..........................$22,290

M2.2.........................................$21,690

ML2.1.......................................$29,990

Ml3 Signature............................$139,290

 

[arthurs]

I don't have all the VAC pricing but the Phi 300.1 are $18K MSRP per amp, so $36K for mono's....

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Gotta go fellas, my nose is starting to bleed.

Do you have any extra tissues?

John

 

[Jonathan90]

Do you have any extra tissues?

John

to Oakville

 

[JackD201]

Here's a cool equation

4 x Lamm = Slamm

 

[arthurs]

Which amps are those Jack? Sadly, there is not a Lamm dealer in Dallas/Ft. Worth....

 

[JackD201]

Hi Arthur they are the M1.2 References in front and M2.2s behind them. Currently I'm just using the M1.2s. I have a level imbalance that needs some work. When bi-amped bass lines are too pronounced. Sort of like being in a club so it's great for parties but not so great for intimate music.

 

[LL21]

Hi Jack, Did you sort out your imbalance from the bi-amping? The reason i ask is because i own a Gryphon antileon (dual-mono)...i am aware they make an Antileon mono but do not know if you can just convert my dual-mono (ie, stereo version) to mono and bi-amp.

i have been told that by bi-amping you get way more power...sometimes 4x because in addition to doubling power with 2 stereo amps, the impedence that the amp sees is halved. At the same time, i have read comments that sound quality sometimes loses its refinement for some reason. Your thoughts/advice/experience on this are appreciated!