Lamm Industries M1.2 Reference Mono Amplifiers

by Tim Aucremann, April 13, 2015© www.theaudiobeat.com

n 2013 Lamm Industries celebrated its twenty-year anniversary and the company’s M1.2 Reference amplifierturnedten.WithmanyreviewsalreadyundertheM1.2’sbelt,I’mnotthefirsttoaskifitwarrantsyetanother,especiallywhentheamplifierhasremainedunchanged since its release in 2003. This review is neither a salute to an aging superstar nor a testimonial dinner for alegacyproduct.Withnumerousstrongcontendersinthe$20,000-$30,000range,Iwasskepticalaboutthetenabilityofaten-plus-year-oldproductintoday’smarket.Giventhe advance of technologies, the ever-shortening product cycledemandedbymarketers,andthetendencyofsomeaudiophiles to get squirrelly when they don’t have the latest and greatest -- and with no M1.3 on the horizon -- I wanted toknowwherethisdecade-plus-oldproductstood.Isthismodel viable going forward in stasis?

Seeing and using the M1.2 reveals its enduring character. Alaconicexteriorpresentslargefunctionalheatsinkfinsonbothsidesofananodizedaluminumchassis,theabsenceofknobs,dialsorcurvesmakingabundantlyclearthat the M1.2’s heritage does not derive from a watch, a kitchenapplianceorafileserver.Classicallyattiredin

tuxedoblackwithcontrolsandinputsarrayedbusiness-likeonitsrearpanel,theM1.2exudesahunkered-downconfidencethatsaysPowerwithacapitalP.Thereisnodisplay with a font or interface to date its age. A single LEDindicateswhetherpowerisapplied.Onemonoblockweighs in at a compact 69 pounds and features helpful handles mounted fore and aft. A pair sells for $27,190, complete with white cotton gloves.

Functionally, the Lamm M1.2 Reference is a push-pull hybridmonoblock(solidstatewithasingletube)capableof delivering 110 class-A watts into an impedance of 4 or 8 ohms.SignalarrivesattheamplifierviaRCAorXLRinputsonitsrearpanelthenflowsintotwohigh-speedbuffers(originallydesignedforvideoapplication,)whichdriveadifferentialcascodeamplifiersectionconsistingofmatchedpairsofJ-FETsdrivingmatchedpairsofPNPtransistors.Thesefeedasingle6922/ECC88dualtriodevacuumtube,whichinturn feeds a single-ended driver stage consisting of a pair of NPNtransistors,oneofwhichisarelativelypowerfulcurrentsource.Asmallamount(6-7dB)ofnegativefeedbackrunsfrom the output of the driver stage to the inverting input of the differential cascode.

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The driver section capacitively couples to six pairs of super-fast MOSFET transistors in the output stage.Thereisnonegativefeedbackaroundtheoutputstageandtheamplifieruseszeroglobalnegativefeedback.Withinthepowersupply,specialcircuitryeliminatessmallDCcurrentcomponentsarisingfromwaveformasymmetryintheincomingAC,keepingthepower transformer in the middle of its operating range and minimizing hum.

It is typical for a class-A solid-state amp to spec its rated outputforan8-ohmspeakerloadandifthatdropsto4ohms or the amp connects to a nominally rated 4-ohm speaker,itdelivershalfitsoutputasclassAB.Notsowiththe M1.2. If you’re paying forclass-Awatts,byCrom,you deserve class-A watts. Theampsportsabacksideload selector switch that allows its user to choose ahigh(16-7ohms)orlow(6-1ohms)outputimpedance. Analogous to the multi-ohm taps on a tube amp, the load selector switch functions internally to change the bias of the idle current and to supply the necessary voltage for delivering the amp’s 110 class-A watts intoeither8or4ohms,asspecified.Documentationnotes a wide margin of safety built in and mismatching the impedanceswitchpositionversusspeakerloadwillcausenoharm, although a difference may be audible.

Whentheloadswitchissetforlowerspeakerimpedancesthe amp delivers 220 watts into 2 ohms and 400 watts into 1 ohm. On the higher-impedance setting it yields 220 watts into 4 ohms, 400 watts into 2 ohms and 600 watts into 1 ohm.That’sallperthespecs.AskVladimirLammontheslyandhe’llacknowledgethattheM1.2iscapableofdelivering720 watts into a 1-ohm load. He’ll then smile and say that notonlycanyouusetheampasanarcwelder(whichhe’sdone),itwilldriveanyspeakeronthemarket.Twosturdypairsofbindingpostscanaccommodatedualsetsofspeakercables. The M1.2 incorporates a remote on/off system that worksonlywhentheampisconnectedtoaLammpreamporanotherM1.2.Withthepower,featuresandflexibilitytohandleawiderangeofspeakers,theM1.2Referenceisready for a future its owner might not foresee -- yet.

ThedesignoftheM1.2(andtheM1.1beforeit)derivesfromVladimirLamm’sresearchintopsychoacoustics,undertaken

duringhisworkintheSovietmilitary-industrialcomplex. As a percussionist, music lover and avid listenerwithauniversitybackgroundinsolid-

state physics and semiconductor design, Lamm soughtanswerstoasimplequestion:Whydoessome

audiogearsoundbetterthanotheraudiogear?AsChiefDesign Engineer of Research and Development at the Lvov Radio & Electronics factory, Lamm had both the resources and large pools of test subjects for conducting hundreds of blind and double-blind listening experiments. From these he accumulated massive amounts of data about what happens when people hear certain sounds, including a complex sound likemusic.Withdatainhandheuseddifferentialequationstodevelopscientificmodelsthatdescribedmathematically

what he calls “the human hearing mechanism.” He converted those

equations into electro-mechanical models and implemented

theminspecificcircuittopologies.

Lamm tested his circuit designs with hundreds of human listening subjects to demonstrate that, given human physiology, only a few combinations of audio circuitrywillworkforusaslisteners.Wecannot

change how we perceive sound or music, even in the face of what passes for good specs. “As humans,” Lammobserves,“wearecreatedinacertainway.Weperceivesound on various levels: conscious as well as subconscious orintuitive.Weperceivesoundnotjustwithourears,butwith the whole body.” From his research he developed a set oftheoreticalidealsagainstwhichheevaluatesanyamplifier.He called these constructs the Absolute Linearity of a System --asortofunifiedfieldtheoryofamplifierdesignthatexplainshowanamplifiershouldmeasureifitistoreproducesoundcongruentwiththewaypeoplenaturallyperceiveit.WithoutgoingintodetailaboutthespecificmeasurementsLammuses,thebasichigh-levelideaisthis:asgainisappliedtheamplifiershould preserve the harmonic structure and spectral balance of the musical source signal. Lamm’s evaluation criteria also placesspecificemphasisonthetypesandvaluesoffeedbackutilizedinanamplifier.

Withadesignbasedonthewayweactuallyhearwiththeearswehave,theM1.2islikeadeductiveconclusionthatfollowsmathematicallyfromLamm’scodificationof countless hours of real-world testing with real human listeners.IfyouaskVladimirabouthowhisten-year-oldamplifierdesignremainsviabletoday,hisresponseis

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emphatic: “Its foundation in how humans perceive sound remains unchanged.”

Along with its aesthetics, functionality and design, the long-term viability of the M1.2 Reference comes from the quality of its parts, the quality of its construction, and Lamm’s focus on high reliability. Years of experience in Soviet electronics factories led him to adopt industrial-level build methodologies that incorporate component-based construction similar to those required of military-grade equipment.Lammbuildshisamplifiersfromdiscretemodulesusing high-quality circuit boards. He burns in each module then tests it for two hours of continuous operation before assembly, followed by another round of measurements.

Eachamplifierusesabiasingcircuitdesignedtoachievethethermal stability of its output transistors and other components. Further evidence of quality is the attention paid to boot time -- perhaps the most precarious moments for any high-poweredamplifier.TheM1.2featuresasoft-startprotectioncircuitwherefiltercapacitorsdonotreceiveinitialvoltagefor2.5 seconds after turn on; then time relays initiate, delaying readiness for one minute to allow warm-up. If internal tests findanissue,theampturnsoffandwaits;iftheissueresolvesitself,itturnsbackon.Qualityandlong-termviabilityhingeon Lamm’s selection of parts based on their reliability and minimalsonicsignature.VladimirhaschosenDaleresistors(nowownedbyVishay),Electrocubefilmcapacitors,RoedersteinfilmcapacitorsandRCDwirewoundresistors.On each circuit board, transistors are matched within 1%, which means ordering three times the number of parts actually used. Lamm tests each vacuum tube prior to installation. Each completedamplifierreceivesburn-infor72hours,thenyetanother round of measurements. Finally, Lamm runs each amp for two hours in the company’s reference system. Every M1.2 Referencecomeswithextensivemeasurementsforthespecificamp you purchase -- a welcome and reassuring touch.

Life in the Lamm lane

planned to use the M1.2s with an all-tube Atma-Sphere MP-1Mk3.1preamp,aunitknownfordelivering agile, high-resolution harmonic sophistication with lowdistortionandbenchmarklevelsoftransparency.Unfortunately, this combination resulted in a lower-band huminbothchannelsfromtheWilsonAudioSashaspeakers’midrangedrivers.Tryaswemay,thehumissuewasneverresolved;finalspeculation(andIemphasizethisasspeculationonly)haditresultingfromanXLRwiringincongruity between the two units.

PotentialpurchasersshouldnotetheM1.2’srelativelyhighvoltagegain(39timesor31.8dB),especiallyifyou’re

thinkingofpairingitwithahigh-outputpreamp.If preamp or line-stage gain is also on the high side(say,greaterthan18dB,)itmayhelptohave

a volume control with shallow steps to ensure useableattenuation.Likewiseapreampincorporating

again-reductionoption(liketheLammLL2.1linestage)maybeaconsideration.Preampsfeaturingbothbalancedandsingle-endedoutputswillfind6dBlessgainontheirRCAjacks.Therearenohardandfastruleshere,asdemonstrated by the operational satisfaction I found testing withasingle-endedConrad-JohnsonPV-8preampwhoseline-stagegainisahigh31dBbutwhichfeaturedanearstep-less volume control.

The majority of review time saw the M1.2s driven by the Audio Research Reference 5 SE line stage via the preamp’s balancedoutputs(12dBgain)withoccasionalappearancesfromtheC-JPV-8.BothunitsworkedwellandtheReference5SEmadeasuperbmodernmatewiththeM1.2s.LikemanyC-Jpreampswithaphonosection,thePV-8invertedphase.TheM1.2ReferenceincludesasecondRCAinputjackwiredspecificallyforinvertedinput.JustinstalltheLamm-suppliedsocketcapovertheunusednon-invertedinputandyou’regood to go.

SpeakerswereWilsonAudioSpecialtiesAlexiaandtheoriginalSashaW/P.Thesemoderatelysensitivespeakers(90dBand92dB,respectively)representanominal4-ohmload.Bothcanposeachallengeforanyamplifierbydippingclose to 2 ohms in the lower bass, so I set the Lamms’ bias selectionswitchestotheirlow-impedancesetting(1-6ohms).WhenItriedthehigh-impedancesetting,themusicevinceda slightly less substantial character in the mids and highs.

Reviewer brain versus paleomammalian brain

eforelooks,functionality,designandquality, the critical answer to the M1.2s’ viability turns on the listening satisfaction they bring their listener. Ilearnedthatanswerquickly.

Fromtrackone,IfoundtheM1.2Referenceengaging,lifelike,and disarming. The amp caused me immediately to connect to my music, rivaling the best I’ve heard in terms of overall enjoyment.Ikeptputtingdownmyreviewer’snotepadandlosing myself in the sound. Just one more tune, just one more shot of musical heroin -- I’ll just hear this one and get down tobusiness.Hoursvanished.ItseemedthatVladimirLamm,with his psychoacoustic research, differential equations, and topologicaltesting,haddiscoveredthekeytounlockingmusic’s reproduction with a sound so appealing that it assimilated the ears immediately and without question.

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Ifyouaskhimaboutassessingsoundquality,Vladimirwilltellyoufirstthat“Itisimportant..toknowhowtherealorchestrasounds.Wechooseareference point based on live music and compare to this point,” then, once so prepared, “the problem of sound-quality assessment is almost completely solved in the first10-15secondsoflisteningattheintuitive level.”

The experience we have listening to music at that “intuitive level” is rooted in primitive limbic functions of awareness -- deepinourlizardbrain.McGillUniversity scientists observed that consonance and dissonance will light up the limbic systems responsible for pleasurable and negative emotions appropriately. The non-cognitive experience of music can trigger areas in thebrainsufficienttocausetherelease of endorphins; when they reach the limbic system’s opioid receptors, feelings of satisfaction ensue.InhisbookWhat to Listen for in Music, American composer AaronCoplandtalksaboutthisin different terms, describing how a fundamental aspect of enjoyingmusictakesplaceona“sensuousplane,”whichis“akindofbrainlessbutattractivestateofmind[that]isengendered by the mere sound appeal of music.”

Ifacomponentorasystembreaksthefundamentalrulesofhumanhearing,ourmusic-listeningbrainreachesakindof tipping point where processing of music occurs less in limbic areas and more in the cerebral cortex. If my ear/brain system detects distortion, for example an excess of third-order harmonics that cause increased loudness or forwardness from thattrumpetsectionoverthereinrightfield,inaninstantitcan happen: focus is triggered, the eyes open and the non-inferential immediacy of our musical enjoyment collapses.And so it was for me and the Lamm amps. More so than with any piece of gear in recent memory, music through the M1.2s fell immediately into place, effortlessly romancing my limbic zone. The amps were not perfect, and I’ll cover some of that, but their varied, vivacious, authentically delivered reproduction brought many an evening of happy ear. You get the point. I didn’t have to analyze these amps to experience their authenticity.

Butenoughpoeticwax;youexpectanalysisandyoushallhave it. The Lamm M1.2 Reference is a well-balanced, big-pictureamplifiercapableofpower,dynamiccontrol,tonalveracity,refineddeliveryandpresence.Theampisnotaboutparsing musical minutiae or combinatorial synthesis; at its

core it is about honest reproduction of the signal received.Somefolksbelievetheirstereoshouldsound better than the real thing. Regardless of

the validity of either perspective, the M1.2’s truth came closer to the realism of the concert hall than the

excitement of the showroom.

However,don’tmistakehonestrealismforboringsameness--quitethecontrary,infact.WhatmadetheM1.2ssocompelling from note one was their presentation of naturalistic

timbre from instruments and voices. Somewhat short-changed by the optical analog “tonecolor,”timbreisthekeypsychoacoustic correlate of the engineer’s sound quality. At the level of a simple note, timbre sums up how we perceive that combination of fundamentals, harmonics and overtones within the context of the notes’ dynamicintensity.Withintheframeworkofmusic,youonlyneed a few notes to recognize what you hear and assess if it is

liveorreproduced.WhatIheardfromtheM1.2sdependedon the recordings I played and the character of the upstream system. I’m well familiar with the qualities of live music, and the Lamms presented them without added sweetness orcoloration.TheygavenosenseofPhotoshopsharpeningorTechnicolorhype.MusiclackedthatdryflatnessI’vesometimes heard from all-solid-state designs; neither was there any euphonic luxuriance as I’ve heard from some all-tube amps. If the Lamms brought anything to the music, it was a kindofplain-facedauthorityandconfidence.WiththeM1.2s,the music was immediately compelling and naturally honest.

SomefindtheoverallsoundoftheM1.2asslightlydark;andby contrast with certain amps there is that relative difference. I found the M1.2s sounding whole within themselves, and from the perspective of their overall presentation, music teemed with harmonic information, with the antonym of their tonality being not light but lean. Overall frequency balancelackeddiscontinuity;therewasnocomingforwardorpeakinessfromthelikesofsopranosortrumpets,andnomidbass enhancement.

Pickingnits,intheverylowestbass--roughlythatareawhere the Sasha drops to a gnarly sub-2-ohm impedance -- the M1.2s sometimes evinced a wee bit of less-than-definedwarmtharoundtheedgesthatIheardasbloom,with a very slight reduction in tonal articulation. I had to focus to hear this, however, and it did little to alter my

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sense of the amp’s overall honesty. It was part of the character,notacharacterflaw.Idon’thearrazor-honed transients from bottom-octave double basses or pianos in the concert hall. Soundstage depth and width were excellent, sometimes expanding room boundaries based on the recording at hand. I believe the preamp and the Lamm’s tube also played a role in the amp’s depictionofspaceandacoustics.Performerswereproperlyin place and palpable, although they evinced less-than-laser-sharp image outlines.

DoublebassistFerrucioSpinettiandsopranoPetraMagoniteamupontheirCDMusica Nuda[BHM1026-2]toofferjazzy covers of popular songs sung in English and Italian. Giventheinstrumentation,themusicisverysparseandthe combination of different tonalities is, well, different -- fun to my ear in limited quantities. This disc had its moments, though ultimately it was more entertaining for its soundthanitsedgymusic.(Provingonceagain,youcan’tpunchyourtickettolimbiclandwithhardwarealone.)The recording thrusts at you, and the Lamms conveyed its raw immediacy and naturalness with open-eared clarity. Magoni’s voice is raucous and rangy and Spinetti’s classical training belies an inventive spontaneity that runs

all over the octaves. Several tunes, such as the group’s covers of “Roxanne” and “Eleanor Rigby,” featured Spinetti’s martelé technique of punching

or hammering a string with his bow. The M1.2s showed both power and nuance as they delivered

theuniquetonalcomplexityofSpinetti’sbowstrikeswithfine-graineddynamiccontrast.Hisdoublebasswascloselymic’d,andtheimpactofeachstringunderattackwasfeltas much as heard, followed by the resonance of its decay bouncing around in the bass’s sounding chamber.

On“GuardacheLuna,”Ms.Magonidemonstratedincredible breath control as her voice jumped octaves instantly,pullingnotesintotheetherforwhatseemedlikeeternity. The Lamms caught the taut, restless emotion she broughttoeachtune.Bothmusicianscarvedapresenceinthespacebetweenthespeakers.Awelcomeabsenceofpost-production reverb meant each performance arrived with a vivacious and concentrated realism. Differences were obvious between the Sasha’s slightly cooler inverted metaltweeterandtheAlexia’smellifluoussilkdome.WiththeAlexiasinplay,theperformerspresentedwithlifelikeproportion, as I experienced an improved sense of height information versus the Sasha.

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Power, isolation and tube rollingEveryamplifieroperateswithinacontextthatimpactsits performance. I’m a strong proponent for attention to audio-room infrastructure: proper acoustics, clean signal and power, and vibration control or isolation. The Lamm M1.2Referenceampsrespondedpositivelytospecificinfrastructure improvements, convincing me I had not yet found limits on the quality of their musical reproduction.

PowerAssuming his amps and preamps receive power through dedicatedcircuits,VladimirLammrecommendsagainstusing them with power conditioners. I can attest to the M1.2s sounding clearer and more resolved across all frequencieswhenIswitchedthemonoblocksfromthehouse circuit to each having its own 20-amp dedicated line. Adding a dedicated Shunyata Typhon conditioner in parallel (i.e.,totheothersocketoneachamp’sduplex)furtherimprovedoverallclarity,imagedefinitionandleading-edgetransients, while reducing vestiges of high-frequency grain.

IsolationHearingtheLammampsafterbreak-in,Ifoundimageoutlineswere less than sharply drawn. I heard similar when reviewing the Lamm LL2.1D line stage several years ago and thought this was a character of the Lamm sound. I was wrong. Upon

mounting each amp on four Stillpoints Ultra SS isolation devices, not only was there an increase in overall clarity, previously soft or amorphous images were more distinctly drawn and dimensionality improved. On studio recordings I heard resolved differences between actual performance acoustics vs. post-production add-ons. There are other options here, such as the Silent Running Audio amp stands that Marc Mickelsonuseswiththeseamps.Iamconvincedyouwillnothear them with their designer’s best intent without some form of effective vibration isolation beneath them.

Tube rollingMuch of the M1.2’s sonic character comes from its voltage gain stage, where a single dual triode drives six pairs of MOSFETpowertransistorsintheoutputstage.VladimirLammacknowledgesthattuberollinghappensandtacitlyapproves by including documentation permitting use of anymemberofthe6DJ8family(6DJ8,6922,7308andtheirEuro-designationequivalents),alongwithvarietiesofthespec-alikeRussian6N23P.Whilethevariousoptionsallmeetcertainelectricalspecifications,valvemanufacturersinevitably bring their own sonic signature, while the tube’s place of prominence in the amp’s design assures that signaturewillinfluencethesounditreproduces.

Here are abbreviated notes from tube evaluations I did using

Listening to Esoteric’s remaster of Loren Maazel conductingtheViennaPhilharmonicinSibelius’sFirstSymphony[DeccaSXL6084/EsotericESSD-90020],IknewitwasthefinestrecordingI’veheardofthiswork,andprobablythefinestSACDrecordingof any symphony I’ve played in my system to date. Here is the Decca sound at its best: a full orchestra well recorded in1963bylegendaryproducerJohnCulshawandengineerGordonParryinVienna’sSofiensaalrecordinghall,Decca’sprimary venue in Europe for many years. A precocious anddaringMaazeldrovetheWienersinacompellingperformance that laid bare the inventive genius of Sibelius’s firstsymphonicoffering.

From the start of the music, my ears felt immediately at home with a Lamm sound that was both highly resolving and easefully natural. The symphony began with a plaintive solo clarinet faintly rising as if from fog, its beautiful tone shaped by the musician’s artistry. Tiny variations in control technique such as embouchure strength yielded even tinier vibrational changes in air pressure and timing that happen withinmicroseconds.ThankstotheLammamp’sreproductionoffinedetail,Isensedtheclarinetist’sbreathagainsthisreed,

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howhisfirstnote’sleadingedgeinitiatedasnearlyformless yet with its tonality fully developed. The techniqueisdifficult,andtheM1.2caughtthe

subtle artistry of its brief life. The rumbling of a solo kettledrum,struckfaintlywithsoftmallets,playedin

thebackground.Despitethelowvolume,eachstrikewasarticulate and clear with a tone I only could describe as copper colored.Thetimpaniofferedthefirsthintofacousticspaceasitssoundroseupwardandoffthehall’sbackwall.The M1.2’s facility for reproducing microdynamics and micro-intonationrevealedthequalityofEsoteric’sSACDremaster.

From this simple opening, tremolo violins entered and the LammsmadeobviousthevoluptuoustoneofthefullViennaPhilharmonicstringsection,provingtheycoulddobeautyas well as truth. Instruments glided in and out as shifting patternsoflightanddarkness,likecloudsmovingacrossthesuninatime-elapsedmovie.Withthefullorchestralaidoutbefore me, my ears could roam easily across contributions fromsectionsandsoloists,andthenpullbacktothewhole--justasIfindmyselfdoingintheconcerthall.Themusicengaged the orchestra in a series of calls and responses from different instruments that enfolded and overlaid each

soloviolinmusicofArthurGrumiauxplayingBach’sSonatasandPartitas(CD[PhilipsClassics438736-2])andSibelius’sSecondSymphonywithJohnBarbirolliconductingtheRoyalPhilharmonicOrchestra(LP[CheskyCR-3]).

JJ6922:Thestocktubeisquiteserviceable.HeretheM1.2sounded open and clear with decent high-frequency extension but somewhat limited bloom, occasionally borderingon(butneverquitereaching)stark,withanoccasionally whitish touch. It’s probably the most consistent, best-sounding, lowest-noise, and reasonably priced off-the-rack6DJ8familymemberavailabletoday.

Siemens7308,NOSmid-1970s:IncontrasttotheJJ6922,the Siemens 7308 it is a touch more easeful and sweeter, slightlywarmeranddarkerwithrichermid-to-low-bassharmonics and improved bass articulation on the Sibelian cellos and basses.

Amperex6DJ8,NOSHolland,1975:WarmerthantheJJorSiemens with nice air and bloom -- more humid than dry -- but not quite as harmonically complex. I heard less of the bodyofGrumiaux’sviolin.Orchestralbasshadweightbutoccasionallylackedfirmarticulation;nonethelessanicechoiceoverstock.

Telefunken6DJ8,NOSlate1960s:Open,clearandrevealing,neitherwarm,drynorsweet.Verynicebass

articulation,heretheM1.2soundedrefinedwithimprovedsoundstage dimensionality and harmonic complexity; a rare teeny bit of hardness on upper-treble trumpets.

Amperex7308,NOS1967JANOrangeGlobelogo,USA:A slightly bolder, more upfront presentation that is not quite as warm as the other Amperexes, but with no sense of hardness. The M1.2 showed off its excellent frequency balance, articulate bass and ability to deliver atmospheric bloomandhalldefinition.Asolidchoice.

Amperex7308,NOS1965USN-CEP/JAN,USA:Mynotessay “a very very nice tube.” It is a combination of the TelefunkenaboveandtheHolland’63Amperexbelow.A favorite. Here, the M1.2 revealed the complexity of Grumiaux’sstringtoneandtherichresonance--thedarkandshadycorners--ofhisviolin’sbody.Excellentattack,decay and sense of recording hall acoustics.

Amperex7308,NOS1963HollandPQshieldwithtwostars:AbitwarmerthantheTelefunkensbutnotwarm-warm; rich but not cloying, harmonically dense string tone. The M1.2 was at its best here, with high resolution, no suggestions of hardness, an expansive open character, and excellent bass without exaggerated transients. A balance of strengths yield a soundstage perspective a few rows further backinthehall.Myfavoritetubewiththeamp.

– Tim Aucremann

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other to create a rippling textural effect across the soundstage. Solo woodwinds appeared as tonal points of interior light. It was easy to follow the inflectionsandemphasesofinstrumentallineswithin the overall dynamic gradient and rhythmic contextoftheworkasawhole.Bellsstruckwithrawhidehammersbroughtdiscreteflecksofornamentationfromthe orchestra’s rear, their metallic tones rich but absent the triangle’s pointed edge, their sound rising not piercing. Sections of double basses and cellos entered bowed andpluckedwithdefinition,the tones of each gaining depth with resonance off their woodenbodies.Withuncannyrealism, trombones and tuba sounded in lower registers and trumpets in higher, the brass vibrant with proper golden brassy tone from each according to its octave.

WhiletheLammampsdidnotstrikeme as unusually fast, they demonstrated a nimbleproficiencywithsignaltiming.Thiswasevidentfromtheir coherent control of the Alexias’ drivers in a way that ledthespeakerssimplytodisappear.Likewisetheamps’preservationofdecayandreflectionyieldedtomymind’seara coherent picture of the physical and acoustic performance environment. The Sibelius piece offered as natural a depiction of a large orchestra in a hall as I have heard reproduced. It waseasytohearhowback-andside-wallreflectionsfromeachinstrumentalsectiondefinedtheirspecificlocationsasportionsofwallscamealightwithreflectedsoundwheninstruments near them played. The Lamms made obvious how different instruments projected their sounds differently into space. The psychoacoustic sense of presence coupled with musical vibrancy and performance virtuosity delivered the kindofconcert-hallexperiencethatmakesalltheequipmentfuss and bother worthwhile.

Here was what it’s all about -- the music made the stereo go away.InasfineanexampleofmusicaltextureasI’veheard,thesymphonyrippledandflowedclearlyacrosssectionsandsoloistswithdifferentdynamicsandattack.Isensedtheorchestra as a singular entity, a moving, four-dimensional sonic carpet laid out within the acoustic space of the Sofiensaal.

The Lamms had plenty of power for my modest 17’ x 22’ x9‘listeningroom.Considerthoseportionsof“Siegfried’sFuneralMarch”fromWagner’sGötterdämmerung[DeutscheGrammophon289459141-2],wherethebrassorchestrationincludes: three tenor trombones, one bass trombone,

fourWagnertubas,onecontrabasstuba,threetrumpets, one bass trumpet, and four horns. Götterdämmerung is a depiction of the burning, flooding,andrenewaloftheworld.It’sgravitas

music meant for volume, and I use it to assess my room’s acoustic integrity while listening for congestion or distortion.Withthefullorchestralhostengaged,conductorvonKarajanaskedforalltheweight,heftandcrunchtheBerlinPhilharmoniccouldmusterinattackingbig

crescendos. Despite double- and triple-forte demands, the M1.2s held it all

together, summoning their reserves and controlling the Alexias‘woofers.Withlowerbrass falling then rising against abackgroundofmassivetimpaniwhacks,notonlywere lower registers forthright withintonationanddefinition,the bowing articulation and harmonics from upper-octave violins, violas and cellos

resolvedwithclarity.WhileIheardaweebitoflow-octavebloom, the Lamms carried the day, as musical lines failed to compress or unravel; nothing caused me to wince, distracted from the music’s majestic ferocity.

A brief contrast

iththeoriginalWilsonSashasin-house,Ihad the opportunity to listen to them through the 250-watt all-tube Audio Research Reference 250monoblocks($27,500/pairwhenstillavailable).TheReferencePhono2SEphonostageandtheReference5SElinestageformedanall-AudioResearchamplificationsystem. The Reference 250s carried further Audio Research’s best-in-class sense of air, space, and soundstage dimensionality.ListeningtoanLPofOkkoKamudirectingtheBerlinPhilharmonicinSibelius’sSecondSymphony[DeutscheGrammophon2530021],Icouldcountthecellists, perceive where each member of the woodwinds sat relative to one another and easily follow how musical lines werehandedoffbetweensections.WhileimageoutlinesfromtheM1.2swerenotasdefined,theLammampsofferedvery slightly better soundstage layering and depth. I had onlyhighpraisefortheReference250s.Withtheirtopsofftheywereslightlyquieter,veryquickandarticulateonthefrontend,withafinesenseofdecayontheback.ThelatestAudioResearchReferencegearapproachesOTL-likeclarity;the Reference 250s were slightly more pellucid, though the Lamms’transparencyimprovedsignificantlywithattentiontoisolation(seesidebar).Bywayofcontrast,tonalityfromtheReference 250s was slightly closer to silver in the upper mids

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and highs, but never forward. Only by close focus to lower bass did I hear slightly less weight than that offered by the M1.2s, although the Reference 250s’ low-end resolution was a touch clearer.

In the end, non-musical attributes may tip one’s considerations. The M1.2 is a solid-state unit with a single tube, while the Reference 250 uses eleven valves per monoblock.TheLammampissingle-endedwithbalancedinputs; the Reference 250 is fully balanced. In summary, eachoftheseamplifiershasitsownstrongsonicappeal,andI’d love to own them both.

Wrapping up

ut the viability question to bed. Even a dozen years after their introduction, the Lamm M1.2 Reference amps are thoroughly modern. In my systemtheymadeasuperbmatchwithboththeWilsonSashaandAlexiaspeakersononeendandtheAudio

ResearchReference5SEandConrad-JohnsonPV-8preampsontheother.Theydeliveredsound with concert-hall authority, realistic tonalityandunflinchinghonestythatcaused

me to immediately engage with the music. The emotional pleasure we get when we lose ourselves in music and arrive at that locus of disbelief, slipping out of our audio systems and into the reality of the performance, is the apex of enjoyment for many an audiophile. It’s what I call the audiophile miracle, akindofsonictransubstantiationwherebymetal,glassand wire turn into joy.

The Lamm amps are limbic-driving joy machines -- miraclemakersthatkeptmeupallnightbeggingforjust one more record. These are amps for musicians, not analyticians. The M1.2 Reference is a viable contender fortoday’samplificationneedsandjoinsasmallgroupof other amps I’ve heard that I can only describe as thoroughly, ultimately satisfying.

PPrice: $27,190 per pair.Warranty: Five years parts and labor.

Lamm Industries2513 East 21st StreetBrooklyn,NY11235www.lammindustries.comPhone:(718)368-0181Email: lamm.industries@verizon.net

Associated Equipment

Analog: Teres320turntablewithVerusrimdrive, Tri-PlanarMkVIIU2-SEandSMEVdtonearms,TransfigurationOrpheusphonocartridge,SilverAudioSilverBreezephonocable(SME),StillpointsUltraLPIrecordweight,AudioResearchReferencePhono2SEphonostage.

Digital:AyreC5xeMPuniversalplayer.

Preamplifiers:Atma-SphereMP-1Mk3.1withphonostage, Audio Research Reference 5 SE and Reference 10, ConradJohnsonPV-8.

Power amplifiers:Atma-SphereMA-1Mk3.1andAudioResearchReference250monoblocks.

Loudspeakers:WilsonAudioSpecialtiesSashaW/P and Alexia.

Interconnects and speaker cables: Shunyata Research Zi-TronAnaconda(fullloom),FMSZero.

Power distribution and conditioners: Shunyata Research Hydra Triton and Typhon.

Power cords: Shunyata Research Zi-Tron Anaconda.

Equipment support and isolation: Silent Running AudioScuttleequipmentrack;MondoDesigns amp stands; Stillpoints Ultra 5, Ultra SS and Ultra Mini footers.

Acoustic treatments: Stillpoints Aperture panels, MichaelGreenCornerTunes.

Accessories:AcousticalSystemsUNI-Protractor, WallyMalewiczAnalogShop,Feickertprotractor, USBmicroscope,FosgateFozgometer, LoricraftPRC-3andAudioDeskSysteme recordcleaners,ShunyataResearchDarkField cable elevators.