Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site
In the Forum: Audio News
In the Thread: Lamm Industries: a special interview with a special company
Post Subject: Fool's gold?Posted by Paul S on: 1/29/2007
Wojtek, since you have invoked me by name, I will respond directly to associated remarks, while Greg and Romy have answered to other points as well as I might have done.
I believe I have mentioned that I have been at hi-fi fairly seriously for 45 years. I have learned a few things in that time, one of which is the "Target Listening" that Romy has talked about, and another thing is not to simply throw money at the situation.
As I have shared previously, I did buy the ML2s without having heard them in my system. However, I did know exactly what I was looking for, and I had some very good reasons to believe that the ML2s were the amps I wanted. Of course I was reluctant to spend 30k on a new pair, so I did what I've done for decades, and I waited for them to start turning up on the used market. As it happens, I was able to get them for under 10K, although that is not at all the point of this response. Now, having put them through their paces in my system, I would give 12k for them. And it's funny, really, because I have not heard any other single amp, at ANY price, ever, that comes closer to doing what I want. I am especially sensitive to and critical of reproduced tonal and harmonic presentation. The ML2s are so much better than other amps I have heard in this respect that I actually wound up getting a "bonus", because in my wildest dreams I never expected this degree of fidelity. I could go on, but why should you care? I just want to say that you needn't concern yourself that I have taken a reckless course, because quite the opposite is true. Perhaps I dissembled, just a little, and you got the wrong idea from that. As a matter of fact, if nothing else, the ML2s have held enough value that I would loose little or nothing reselling them. But that's not going to happen any time soon, because they have worked out just as I'd hoped, and more so, in my present system.
Meanwhile, if you know of any commercial amp that will better the ML2 for my purposes, please say what it is. I have to say at this time that I think that if the "vintage" ML2 is not an outright "bargain", then it remains the cheapest and easiest way to get to this level of music reproduction, at least given my present speakers. I find it ironic that what facilitated availablility of this amp for me was just the "next" amp Lamm released, namely the ML2.1. But then, this is not the first time I have taken advantage of just this situation.
My interest in the ML3 is intellectual at this point, and it is based on the amazing performance of the ML2, with which I am now becoming familiar. And if it appears that Lamm has created a true "successor" to the ML2, then I might take steps to have a listen, or even to keep my eyes peeled for re-sales. While I will not be paying 125k for a pair, still I might learn something, or I might learn a way to "train" my ML2s. All the criticism notwithstanding, Lamm is clearly one of the most interesting amp builders out there, and IMO he is someone worth watching, despite his political affiliations and the obvious "limitations" of his putative approach.
Lastly, for all my complaining, I have entirely re-tubed both ML2s and bought lots of extra tubes for considerably less than $300, not that that is the point, either. The point was/is trying to identify a way or a source for obtaining certain specific tubes that sound good when used for certain specific applications. If I can save money while I accomplish my objectives, then, good. If it costs more, then it costs more. "Value" is not always cheap, and sometimes what you want just costs what it costs.
Best regards,
Paul SRerurn to Romy the Cat's Site