Lamm ML3 + LL1, at last!
- Thread starter microstrip
- Start date
The natural companion of the Lamm ML3 arrived today, I could not resist listening before straightening and ranging everything, even is such poor conditions - yes, I know thick undercarpet and wheeled platforms are not Vladimir Lamm vision of audio racks.All I can say for now is transients, palpable, space and 3D. BTW, it measures perfectly!
Micro, when you upload a photo you can select Thumbnail, or Full Size. I would recommend full size. You still get the gallery feature if more than one image. It looks best like this
The Lamm's are really special. Today a good friend who follows my changes came to listen and was particularly impressed that they do not sound "like tubes". Very quiet, extremely detailed, but no softening of sibilance or crescendos - Jeff Buckley and Tracy Chapman, not my classical voices! We listened to Shostakovitch 6th and the richness and dynamics of the orchestra were fabulous. Pianos have a very enjoyable feeling of being in the room - I am re-listening to a lot of Keith Jarrett.
The system is still tweakless and source was the DCS Vivaldi stack, that surprisingly seems more adequate for the Lamm's than the Metronome C8+ or the Kondo DSL - more energy, more detail and better music flow.
BTW, considering some people seem to be worried about my wheeled platforms, I will expose my usual cheap trick - when listening with equipment on them I bypass some of the rubber wheels with the shown low-tech device. And yes, there is an hidden tweak - I can tune it picking the proper coin, this time a common aluminium bronze coin from the 40's. 
The system is still tweakless and source was the DCS Vivaldi stack, that surprisingly seems more adequate for the Lamm's than the Metronome C8+ or the Kondo DSL - more energy, more detail and better music flow.
BTW, considering some people seem to be worried about my wheeled platforms, I will expose my usual cheap trick - when listening with equipment on them I bypass some of the rubber wheels with the shown low-tech device. And yes, there is an hidden tweak - I can tune it picking the proper coin, this time a common aluminium bronze coin from the 40's.
I think those Lamms are fantastic!
Have you been able to compare them directly to the Siegfried IIs?
Have you been able to compare them directly to the Siegfried IIs?
I am waiting for the arrival of a VTL 7.5 mk3 to carry direct comparisons. The Lamm's clearly sound very different from the ARC REF40 + Siegfried II, but I have not listened to Siegfried II's / XLF time enough to post on it. Besides the cables were also very different.
One nice think is that the Lamm's objectively (measuremenst) have power enough for the XLFs. I will be only able to refer to subjective power when I listen to the Siegfried II's at the same power levels.
BTW, when we get the Siegfried's we get 8 amps - 2 modes and 4 levels of feedback. Curiously the damping of the tetrode mode in low feedback is the same of that of the Lamm ML3, no feedback, 4 ohms.
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Agreed. Every SET I have tried sounded better on the 8 ohm tap. Much fewer windings perhaps...
Makes you wonder why 97db Evolution Acoustics speakers were running out of gas with this amp...aren’t XLFs “only” 92db??
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
No, the 4 ohms has fewer turns ...
There is no universal rule on this subject - it depends mainly on amplifier impedance and also on the transformer implementation. But probably the speakers that are more often used with SETs have high impedance and naturally sound better with the 8 ohm tap.
The damping factor at 8 ohm is lower than at 4 ohms, but voltage is higher. One common mistake when comparing the 4 versus 8 ohm tap is keeping the level control in the same position - the 8 ohm easily wins because it is 3 dB louder.
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Trust me when I tell you the 8 ohm sounds better. I've used both but IIRC even Wilson Audio recommended the 8 ohm tap
Sorry, you are incorrect. 4 ohm tap achieves a lower impedance by having more turns, which gives a larger step down between primary and secondary. You get a larger ratio with more turns, hence a lower impedance. Thus it is labeled 4 ohm tap. More turns=more wire.
i'm looking forward to this feedback relative to my experience with the ML3's on my MM7's......relative to other amplifiers. no need to rehash all those thoughts.....but i am curious.
the concept of 'enough' power by itself as opposed to relatively. not that it's so simple a thing to subjectively define.
Of course an amp can turn to mush sonically before it actually clips. Many amps are inadequate in the power supply and output transformers (not a SS issue)...not that I would expect the Lamm to fall into either category...That don't even have to play fullrange because of the powered subwoofer towers...
expectations for what an amp can and should be able to do vary from person to person. 'Warp 9' is not a place everyone desires. we will see if Micro's 'gas' expectations get fully fulfilled by the ML3's relative to his Seigried II's.
more variables are room size and musical choices, which can be factors.