Lamm Industries
M1.2 Reference
Mono Amplifiers
by Tim Aucremann, April 13, 2015
© www.theaudiobeat.com
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n 2013 Lamm Industries celebrated its twenty-year
anniversary and the company’s M1.2 Reference
amplifier turned ten. With many reviews already
under the M1.2’s belt, I’m not the first to ask if it warrants
yet another, especially when the amplifier has remained
unchanged since its release in 2003. This review is neither
a salute to an aging superstar nor a testimonial dinner for
a legacy product. With numerous strong contenders in the
$20,000-$30,000 range, I was skeptical about the tenability
of a ten-plus-year-old product in today’s market. Given
the advance of technologies, the ever-shortening product
cycle demanded by marketers, and the tendency of some
audiophiles to get squirrelly when they don’t have the latest
and greatest -- and with no M1.3 on the horizon -- I wanted
to know where this decade-plus-old product stood. Is this
model viable going forward in stasis?
tuxedo black with controls and inputs arrayed businesslike on its rear panel, the M1.2 exudes a hunkered-down
confidence that says Power with a capital P. There is no
display with a font or interface to date its age. A single
LED indicates whether power is applied. One monoblock
weighs 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
hybrid monoblock (solid state with a single tube) capable
of delivering 110 class-A watts into an impedance of 4 or 8
ohms. Signal arrives at the amplifier via RCA or XLR inputs
on its rear panel then flows into two high-speed buffers
(originally designed for video application,) which drive a
differential cascode amplifier section consisting of matched
pairs of J-FETs driving matched pairs of PNP transistors. These
feed a single 6922/ECC88 dual triode vacuum tube, which in
turn feeds a single-ended driver stage consisting of a pair of
NPN transistors, one of which is a relatively powerful current
source. A small amount (6-7dB) of negative feedback runs
from the output of the driver stage to the inverting input of
the differential cascode.
Seeing and using the M1.2 reveals its enduring character.
A laconic exterior presents large functional heatsink
fins on both sides of an anodized aluminum chassis, the
absence of knobs, dials or curves making abundantly clear
that the M1.2’s heritage does not derive from a watch, a
kitchen appliance or a file server. Classically attired in
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The driver section capacitively couples to six pairs
during his work in the Soviet military-industrial
of super-fast MOSFET transistors in the output
complex. As a percussionist, music lover and avid
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stage. There is no negative feedback around the
listener with a university background in solidoutput stage and the amplifier uses zero global
state physics and semiconductor design, Lamm
negative feedback. Within the power supply, special
sought answers to a simple question: Why does some
circuitry eliminates small DC current components arising
audio gear sound better than other audio gear? As Chief
from waveform asymmetry in the incoming AC, keeping the
Design Engineer of Research and Development at the Lvov
power transformer in the middle of its operating range and
Radio & Electronics factory, Lamm had both the resources
minimizing hum.
and large pools of test subjects for conducting hundreds of
blind and double-blind listening experiments. From these he
It is typical for a class-A solid-state amp to spec its rated
accumulated massive amounts of data about what happens
output for an 8-ohm speaker load and if that drops to 4
when people hear certain sounds, including a complex sound
ohms or the amp connects to a nominally rated 4-ohm
like music. With data in hand he used differential equations
speaker, it delivers half its output as class AB. Not so with
to develop scientific models that described mathematically
the M1.2. If you’re paying
what he calls “the human hearing
for class-A watts, by Crom,
mechanism.” He converted those
you deserve class-A watts.
equations into electro-mechanical
The amp sports a backside
models and implemented
load selector switch that
them in specific circuit
allows its user to choose
topologies.
a high (16-7 ohms) or
low (6-1 ohms) output
Lamm tested his circuit
impedance. Analogous to
designs with hundreds of
the multi-ohm taps on a
human listening subjects
tube amp, the load selector
to demonstrate that, given
switch functions internally
human physiology, only a
to change the bias of the
few combinations of audio
idle current and to supply the
circuitry will work for us
necessary voltage for delivering
as listeners. We cannot
the amp’s 110 class-A watts
change how we perceive sound or music,
into either 8 or 4 ohms, as specified. Documentation
even in the face of what passes for good specs. “As humans,”
notes a wide margin of safety built in and mismatching the
Lamm observes, “we are created in a certain way. We perceive
impedance switch position versus speaker load will cause no
sound on various levels: conscious as well as subconscious
harm, although a difference may be audible.
or intuitive. We perceive sound not just with our ears, but
with the whole body.” From his research he developed a set
When the load switch is set for lower speaker impedances
of theoretical ideals against which he evaluates any amplifier.
the amp delivers 220 watts into 2 ohms and 400 watts into
He called these constructs the Absolute Linearity of a System
1 ohm. On the higher-impedance setting it yields 220 watts
-- a sort of unified field theory of amplifier design that explains
into 4 ohms, 400 watts into 2 ohms and 600 watts into 1
how an amplifier should measure if it is to reproduce sound
ohm. That’s all per the specs. Ask Vladimir Lamm on the sly
congruent with the way people naturally perceive it. Without
and he’ll acknowledge that the M1.2 is capable of delivering
going into detail about the specific measurements Lamm uses,
720 watts into a 1-ohm load. He’ll then smile and say that
the basic high-level idea is this: as gain is applied the amplifier
not only can you use the amp as an arc welder (which he’s
should preserve the harmonic structure and spectral balance
done), it will drive any speaker on the market. Two sturdy
of the musical source signal. Lamm’s evaluation criteria also
pairs of binding posts can accommodate dual sets of speaker
places specific emphasis on the types and values of feedback
cables. The M1.2 incorporates a remote on/off system that
utilized in an amplifier.
works only when the amp is connected to a Lamm preamp
or another M1.2. With the power, features and flexibility
With a design based on the way we actually hear with
to handle a wide range of speakers, the M1.2 Reference is
the ears we have, the M1.2 is like a deductive conclusion
ready for a future its owner might not foresee -- yet.
that follows mathematically from Lamm’s codification
of countless hours of real-world testing with real human
The design of the M1.2 (and the M1.1 before it) derives from
listeners. If you ask Vladimir about how his ten-year-old
Vladimir Lamm’s research into psychoacoustics, undertaken
amplifier design remains viable today, his response is
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emphatic: “Its foundation in how humans perceive
sound remains unchanged.”
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thinking of pairing it with a high-output preamp.
If preamp or line-stage gain is also on the high
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side (say, greater than 18dB,) it may help to have
Along with its aesthetics, functionality and design,
a volume control with shallow steps to ensure
the long-term viability of the M1.2 Reference comes
useable attenuation. Likewise a preamp incorporating
from the quality of its parts, the quality of its construction,
a gain-reduction option (like the Lamm LL2.1 line stage)
and Lamm’s focus on high reliability. Years of experience in
may be a consideration. Preamps featuring both balanced
Soviet electronics factories led him to adopt industrial-level
and single-ended outputs will find 6dB less gain on
build methodologies that incorporate component-based
their RCA jacks. There are no hard and fast rules here, as
construction similar to those required of military-grade
demonstrated by the operational satisfaction I found testing
equipment. Lamm builds his amplifiers from discrete modules
with a single-ended Conrad-Johnson PV-8 preamp whose
using high-quality circuit boards. He burns in each module
line-stage gain is a high 31dB but which featured a near
then tests it for two hours of continuous operation before
step-less volume control.
assembly, followed by another round of measurements.
The majority of review time saw the M1.2s driven by the
Each amplifier uses a biasing circuit designed to achieve the
Audio Research Reference 5 SE line stage via the preamp’s
thermal stability of its output transistors and other components.
balanced outputs (12dB gain) with occasional appearances
Further evidence of quality is the attention paid to boot
from the C-J PV-8. Both units worked well and the Reference
time -- perhaps the most precarious moments for any high5 SE made a superb modern mate with the M1.2s. Like many
powered amplifier. The M1.2 features a soft-start protection
C-J preamps with a phono section, the PV-8 inverted phase.
circuit where filter capacitors do not receive initial voltage for
The M1.2 Reference includes a second RCA input jack wired
2.5 seconds after turn on; then time relays initiate, delaying
specifically for inverted input. Just install the Lamm-supplied
readiness for one minute to allow warm-up. If internal tests
socket cap over the unused non-inverted input and you’re
find an issue, the amp turns off and waits; if the issue resolves
good to go.
itself, it turns back on. Quality and long-term viability hinge
on Lamm’s selection of parts based on their reliability and
Speakers were Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia and the
minimal sonic signature. Vladimir has chosen Dale resistors
original Sasha W/P. These moderately sensitive speakers
(now owned by Vishay), Electrocube film capacitors,
(90dB and 92dB, respectively) represent a nominal 4-ohm
Roederstein film capacitors and RCD wirewound resistors.
load. Both can pose a challenge for any amplifier by dipping
On each circuit board, transistors are matched within 1%,
close to 2 ohms in the lower bass, so I set the Lamms’ bias
which means ordering three times the number of parts actually
selection switches to their low-impedance setting (1-6 ohms).
used. Lamm tests each vacuum tube prior to installation. Each
When I tried the high-impedance setting, the music evinced
completed amplifier receives burn-in for 72 hours, then yet
a slightly less substantial character in the mids and highs.
another round of measurements. Finally, Lamm runs each amp
for two hours in the company’s reference system. Every M1.2
Reviewer brain versus
Reference comes with extensive measurements for the specific
paleomammalian brain
amp you purchase -- a welcome and reassuring touch.
efore looks, functionality, design and quality,
Life in the Lamm lane
the critical answer to the M1.2s’ viability turns
on the listening satisfaction they bring their listener.
planned to use the M1.2s with an all-tube Atma-Sphere I learned that answer quickly.
MP-1 Mk 3.1 preamp, a unit known for delivering
agile, high-resolution harmonic sophistication with
From track one, I found the M1.2 Reference engaging, lifelike,
low distortion and benchmark levels of transparency.
and disarming. The amp caused me immediately to connect
Unfortunately, this combination resulted in a lower-band
to my music, rivaling the best I’ve heard in terms of overall
hum in both channels from the Wilson Audio Sasha
enjoyment. I kept putting down my reviewer’s notepad and
speakers’ midrange drivers. Try as we may, the hum issue
losing myself in the sound. Just one more tune, just one more
was never resolved; final speculation (and I emphasize this
shot of musical heroin -- I’ll just hear this one and get down
as speculation only) had it resulting from an XLR wiring
to business. Hours vanished. It seemed that Vladimir Lamm,
incongruity between the two units.
with his psychoacoustic research, differential equations, and
topological testing, had discovered the key to unlocking
Potential purchasers should note the M1.2’s relatively
music’s reproduction with a sound so appealing that it
high voltage gain (39 times or 31.8dB), especially if you’re
assimilated the ears immediately and without question.
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core it is about honest reproduction of the signal
If you ask him about assessing sound quality,
received. Some folks believe their stereo should
Vladimir will tell you first that “It is important . . to
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sound better than the real thing. Regardless of
know how the real orchestra sounds. We choose a
the validity of either perspective, the M1.2’s truth
reference point based on live music and compare
came closer to the realism of the concert hall than the
to this point,” then, once so prepared, “the problem of
excitement of the showroom.
sound-quality assessment is almost completely solved in the
first 10-15 seconds of listening at the intuitive level.”
However, don’t mistake honest realism for boring sameness
-- quite the contrary, in fact. What made the M1.2s so
The experience we have listening to music at that “intuitive
compelling from note one was their presentation of naturalistic
level” is rooted in primitive limbic functions of awareness -timbre from instruments and
deep in our lizard brain. McGill
voices. Somewhat shortUniversity scientists observed
changed by the optical analog
that consonance and dissonance
“tone color,” timbre is the key
will light up the limbic systems
psychoacoustic correlate of the
responsible for pleasurable and
engineer’s sound quality. At the
negative emotions appropriately.
level of a simple note, timbre
The non-cognitive experience
sums up how we perceive that
of music can trigger areas in
combination of fundamentals,
the brain sufficient to cause the
harmonics and overtones
release of endorphins; when they
within the context of the notes’
reach the limbic system’s opioid
dynamic intensity. Within the
receptors, feelings of satisfaction
framework of music, you only
ensue. In his book What to Listen
need a few notes to recognize
for in Music, American composer
what you hear and assess if it is
Aaron Copland talks about this
live or reproduced. What I heard from the M1.2s depended
in different terms, describing how a fundamental aspect of
on the recordings I played and the character of the upstream
enjoying music takes place on a “sensuous plane,” which
system. I’m well familiar with the qualities of live music,
is “a kind of brainless but attractive state of mind [that] is
and the Lamms presented them without added sweetness
engendered by the mere sound appeal of music.”
or coloration. They gave no sense of Photoshop sharpening
or Technicolor hype. Music lacked that dry flatness I’ve
If a component or a system breaks the fundamental rules
sometimes heard from all-solid-state designs; neither was there
of human hearing, our music-listening brain reaches a kind
any euphonic luxuriance as I’ve heard from some all-tube
of tipping point where processing of music occurs less in
amps. If the Lamms brought anything to the music, it was a
limbic areas and more in the cerebral cortex. If my ear/brain
kind of plain-faced authority and confidence. With the M1.2s,
system detects distortion, for example an excess of third-order
the music was immediately compelling and naturally honest.
harmonics that cause increased loudness or forwardness from
that trumpet section over there in right field, in an instant it
Some find the overall sound of the M1.2 as slightly dark; and
can happen: focus is triggered, the eyes open and the nonby contrast with certain amps there is that relative difference.
inferential immediacy of our musical enjoyment collapses.
I found the M1.2s sounding whole within themselves, and
And so it was for me and the Lamm amps. More so than
from the perspective of their overall presentation, music
with any piece of gear in recent memory, music through the
teemed with harmonic information, with the antonym of
M1.2s fell immediately into place, effortlessly romancing my
their tonality being not light but lean. Overall frequency
limbic zone. The amps were not perfect, and I’ll cover some
balance lacked discontinuity; there was no coming forward
of that, but their varied, vivacious, authentically delivered
or peakiness from the likes of sopranos or trumpets, and no
reproduction brought many an evening of happy ear. You get
midbass enhancement.
the point. I didn’t have to analyze these amps to experience
their authenticity.
Picking nits, in the very lowest bass -- roughly that area
where the Sasha drops to a gnarly sub-2-ohm impedance
But enough poetic wax; you expect analysis and you shall
-- the M1.2s sometimes evinced a wee bit of less-thanhave it. The Lamm M1.2 Reference is a well-balanced, bigdefined warmth around the edges that I heard as bloom,
picture amplifier capable of power, dynamic control, tonal
with a very slight reduction in tonal articulation. I had to
veracity, refined delivery and presence. The amp is not about
focus to hear this, however, and it did little to alter my
parsing musical minutiae or combinatorial synthesis; at its
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sense of the amp’s overall honesty. It was part of the
all over the octaves. Several tunes, such as the
character, not a character flaw. I don’t hear razorgroup’s covers of “Roxanne” and “Eleanor Rigby,”
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honed transients from bottom-octave double basses
featured Spinetti’s martelé technique of punching
or pianos in the concert hall. Soundstage depth
or hammering a string with his bow. The M1.2s
and width were excellent, sometimes expanding room
showed both power and nuance as they delivered
boundaries based on the recording at hand. I believe the
the unique tonal complexity of Spinetti’s bow strikes with
preamp and the Lamm’s tube also played a role in the amp’s
fine-grained dynamic contrast. His double bass was closely
depiction of space and acoustics. Performers were properly
mic’d, and the impact of each string under attack was felt
in place and palpable, although they evinced less-than-laseras much as heard, followed by the resonance of its decay
sharp image outlines.
bouncing around in the bass’s sounding chamber.
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Double bassist Ferrucio Spinetti and soprano Petra Magoni
team up on their CD Musica Nuda [BHM 1026-2] to offer
jazzy covers of popular songs sung in English and Italian.
Given the instrumentation, the music is very sparse and
the 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
sound than its edgy music. (Proving once again, you can’t
punch your ticket to limbic land with hardware alone.)
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
On “Guarda che Luna,” Ms. Magoni demonstrated
incredible breath control as her voice jumped octaves
instantly, pulling notes into the ether for what seemed like
eternity. The Lamms caught the taut, restless emotion she
brought to each tune. Both musicians carved a presence
in the space between the speakers. A welcome absence of
post-production reverb meant each performance arrived
with a vivacious and concentrated realism. Differences
were obvious between the Sasha’s slightly cooler inverted
metal tweeter and the Alexia’s mellifluous silk dome. With
the Alexias in play, the performers presented with lifelike
proportion, as I experienced an improved sense of height
information versus the Sasha.
Power, isolation and tube rolling
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
Mickelson uses with these amps. I am convinced you will not
hear them with their designer’s best intent without some form
of effective vibration isolation beneath them.
Every amplifier operates within a context that impacts
its 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
M1.2 Reference amps responded positively to specific
infrastructure improvements, convincing me I had not yet
found limits on the quality of their musical reproduction.
Power
Assuming his amps and preamps receive power through
dedicated circuits, Vladimir Lamm recommends against
using them with power conditioners. I can attest to the
M1.2s sounding clearer and more resolved across all
frequencies when I switched the monoblocks from the
house circuit to each having its own 20-amp dedicated line.
Adding a dedicated Shunyata Typhon conditioner in parallel
(i.e., to the other socket on each amp’s duplex) further
improved overall clarity, image definition and leading-edge
transients, while reducing vestiges of high-frequency grain.
Tube rolling
Much of the M1.2’s sonic character comes from its voltage
gain stage, where a single dual triode drives six pairs of
MOSFET power transistors in the output stage. Vladimir
Lamm acknowledges that tube rolling happens and tacitly
approves by including documentation permitting use of
any member of the 6DJ8 family (6DJ8, 6922, 7308 and
their Euro-designation equivalents), along with varieties of
the spec-alike Russian 6N23P. While the various options all
meet certain electrical specifications, valve manufacturers
inevitably bring their own sonic signature, while the tube’s
place of prominence in the amp’s design assures that
signature will influence the sound it reproduces.
Isolation
Hearing the Lamm amps after break-in, I found image outlines
were 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
Here are abbreviated notes from tube evaluations I did using
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Listening to Esoteric’s remaster of Loren Maazel
how his first note’s leading edge initiated as nearly
conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in Sibelius’s
formless yet with its tonality fully developed. The
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First Symphony [Decca SXL 6084/Esoteric ESSDtechnique is difficult, and the M1.2 caught the
90020], I knew it was the finest recording I’ve heard
subtle artistry of its brief life. The rumbling of a solo
of this work, and probably the finest SACD recording
kettle drum, struck faintly with soft mallets, played in
of any symphony I’ve played in my system to date. Here is
the background. Despite the low volume, each strike was
the Decca sound at its best: a full orchestra well recorded
articulate and clear with a tone I only could describe as
in 1963 by legendary producer John Culshaw and engineer
copper colored. The timpani offered the first hint of acoustic
Gordon Parry in Vienna’s Sofiensaal recording hall, Decca’s
space as its sound rose upward and off the hall’s back wall.
primary venue in Europe for many years. A precocious
The M1.2’s facility for reproducing microdynamics and microand daring Maazel drove the Wieners in a compelling
intonation revealed the quality of Esoteric’s SACD remaster.
performance that laid bare the inventive genius of Sibelius’s
first symphonic offering.
From this simple opening, tremolo violins entered and the
Lamms made obvious the voluptuous tone of the full Vienna
From the start of the music, my ears felt immediately at
Philharmonic string section, proving they could do beauty
home with a Lamm sound that was both highly resolving
as well as truth. Instruments glided in and out as shifting
and easefully natural. The symphony began with a plaintive
patterns of light and darkness, like clouds moving across the
solo clarinet faintly rising as if from fog, its beautiful tone
sun in a time-elapsed movie. With the full orchestra laid out
shaped by the musician’s artistry. Tiny variations in control
before me, my ears could roam easily across contributions
technique such as embouchure strength yielded even tinier
from sections and soloists, and then pull back to the whole
vibrational changes in air pressure and timing that happen
-- just as I find myself doing in the concert hall. The music
within microseconds. Thanks to the Lamm amp’s reproduction
engaged the orchestra in a series of calls and responses
of fine detail, I sensed the clarinetist’s breath against his reed,
from different instruments that enfolded and overlaid each
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solo violin music of Arthur Grumiaux playing Bach’s Sonatas
and Partitas (CD [Philips Classics 438 736-2]) and Sibelius’s
Second Symphony with John Barbirolli conducting the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra (LP [Chesky CR-3]).
articulation, here the M1.2 sounded refined with improved
soundstage dimensionality and harmonic complexity; a rare
teeny bit of hardness on upper-treble trumpets.
Amperex 7308, NOS 1967 JAN Orange Globe logo, 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
bloom and hall definition. A solid choice.
JJ 6922: The stock tube is quite serviceable. Here the M1.2
sounded open and clear with decent high-frequency
extension but somewhat limited bloom, occasionally
bordering on (but never quite reaching) stark, with an
occasionally whitish touch. It’s probably the most consistent,
best-sounding, lowest-noise, and reasonably priced off-therack 6DJ8 family member available today.
Amperex 7308, NOS 1965 USN-CEP/JAN, USA: My notes
say “a very very nice tube.” It is a combination of the
Telefunken above and the Holland ’63 Amperex below.
A favorite. Here, the M1.2 revealed the complexity of
Grumiaux’s string tone and the rich resonance -- the dark
and shady corners -- of his violin’s body.  Excellent attack,
decay and sense of  recording hall acoustics.
Siemens 7308, NOS mid-1970s: In contrast to the JJ 6922,
the Siemens 7308 it is a touch more easeful and sweeter,
slightly warmer and darker with richer mid-to-low-bass
harmonics and improved bass articulation on the Sibelian
cellos and basses.
Amperex 7308, NOS 1963 Holland PQ shield with two
stars: A bit warmer than the Telefunkens but not warmwarm; 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
back in the hall. My favorite tube with the amp.
– Tim Aucremann
Amperex 6DJ8, NOS Holland, 1975: Warmer than the JJ or
Siemens with nice air and bloom -- more humid than dry -but not quite as harmonically complex. I heard less of the
body of Grumiaux’s violin. Orchestral bass had weight but
occasionally lacked firm articulation; nonetheless a nice
choice over stock.
Telefunken 6DJ8, NOS late 1960s: Open, clear and
revealing, neither warm, dry nor sweet. Very nice bass
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four Wagner tubas, one contrabass tuba, three
trumpets, one bass trumpet, and four horns.
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Götterdämmerung is a depiction of the burning,
flooding, and renewal of the world. It’s gravitas
music meant for volume, and I use it to assess my
room’s acoustic integrity while listening for congestion or
distortion. With the full orchestral host engaged, conductor
von Karajan asked for all the weight, heft and crunch
the Berlin Philharmonic could muster in attacking big
crescendos. Despite double- and triple-forte
demands, the M1.2s held it all
together, summoning their
reserves and controlling the
Alexias‘ woofers. With lower
brass falling then rising against
a background of massive
timpani whacks, not only
were lower registers forthright
with intonation and definition,
the bowing articulation and
harmonics from upper-octave
violins, violas and cellos
While the Lamm amps did not strike
resolved with clarity. While I heard a wee bit of low-octave
me as unusually fast, they demonstrated a
bloom, the Lamms carried the day, as musical lines failed to
nimble proficiency with signal timing. This was evident from
compress or unravel; nothing caused me to wince, distracted
their coherent control of the Alexias’ drivers in a way that
from the music’s majestic ferocity.
led the speakers simply to disappear. Likewise the amps’
preservation of decay and reflection yielded to my mind’s ear
a coherent picture of the physical and acoustic performance
A brief contrast
environment. The Sibelius piece offered as natural a depiction
of a large orchestra in a hall as I have heard reproduced. It
ith the original Wilson Sashas in-house, I had
was easy to hear how back- and side-wall reflections from
the opportunity to listen to them through
each instrumental section defined their specific locations
the 250-watt all-tube Audio Research Reference
as portions of walls came alight with reflected sound when
250 monoblocks ($27,500/pair when still available). The
instruments near them played. The Lamms made obvious how
Reference Phono 2 SE phono stage and the Reference 5
different instruments projected their sounds differently into
SE line stage formed an all-Audio Research amplification
space. The psychoacoustic sense of presence coupled with
system. The Reference 250s carried further Audio
musical vibrancy and performance virtuosity delivered the
Research’s best-in-class sense of air, space, and soundstage
kind of concert-hall experience that makes all the equipment
dimensionality. Listening to an LP of Okko Kamu directing
fuss and bother worthwhile.
the Berlin Philharmonic in Sibelius’s Second Symphony
[Deutsche Grammophon 2530 021], I could count the
Here was what it’s all about -- the music made the stereo go
cellists, perceive where each member of the woodwinds sat
away. In as fine an example of musical texture as I’ve heard,
relative to one another and easily follow how musical lines
the symphony rippled and flowed clearly across sections
were handed off between sections. While image outlines
and soloists with different dynamics and attack. I sensed the
from the M1.2s were not as defined, the Lamm amps offered
orchestra as a singular entity, a moving, four-dimensional
very slightly better soundstage layering and depth. I had
sonic carpet laid out within the acoustic space of the
only high praise for the Reference 250s. With their tops off
Sofiensaal.
they were slightly quieter, very quick and articulate on the
front end, with a fine sense of decay on the back. The latest
The Lamms had plenty of power for my modest 17’ x 22’
Audio Research Reference gear approaches OTL-like clarity;
x 9‘ listening room. Consider those portions of “Siegfried’s
the Reference 250s were slightly more pellucid, though the
Funeral March” from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung [Deutsche
Lamms’ transparency improved significantly with attention to
Grammophon 289459141-2], where the brass orchestration
isolation (see sidebar). By way of contrast, tonality from the
includes: three tenor trombones, one bass trombone,
Reference 250s was slightly closer to silver in the upper mids
th
om
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
inflections and emphases of instrumental lines
within the overall dynamic gradient and rhythmic
context of the work as a whole. Bells struck with rawhide
hammers brought discrete flecks of ornamentation from
the 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
and plucked with definition,
the tones of each gaining
depth with resonance off their
wooden bodies. With uncanny
realism, 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.
e
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D
PRODUCE
RE FROM
om
Research Reference 5 SE and Conrad-Johnson
PV-8 preamps on the other. They delivered
au
d io b e a t. c
sound with concert-hall authority, realistic
tonality and unflinching honesty that caused
me to immediately engage with the music. The
In the end, non-musical attributes may tip one’s
emotional pleasure we get when we lose ourselves in
considerations. The M1.2 is a solid-state unit with a single
music and arrive at that locus of disbelief, slipping out
tube, while the Reference 250 uses eleven valves per
of our audio systems and into the reality of the
monoblock. The Lamm amp is single-ended with balanced
performance, is the apex of enjoyment for many an
inputs; the Reference 250 is fully balanced. In summary,
audiophile. It’s what I call the audiophile miracle,
each of these amplifiers has its own strong sonic appeal, and
a kind of sonic transubstantiation whereby metal, glass
I’d love to own them both.
and wire turn into joy.
th
e
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.
Wrapping up
The Lamm amps are limbic-driving joy machines -miracle makers that kept me up all night begging for
just one more record. These are amps for musicians, not
analyticians. The M1.2 Reference is a viable contender
for today’s amplification needs and joins a small group
of other amps I’ve heard that I can only describe as
thoroughly, ultimately satisfying.
P
ut the viability question to bed. Even a dozen
years after their introduction, the Lamm M1.2
Reference amps are thoroughly modern. In my
system they made a superb match with both the Wilson
Sasha and Alexia speakers on one end and the Audio
Price: $27,190 per pair.
Warranty: Five years parts and labor.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Sasha W/P
and Alexia.
Lamm Industries
2513 East 21st Street
Brooklyn, NY 11235
www.lammindustries.com
Phone: (718) 368-0181
Email: lamm.industries@verizon.net
Interconnects and speaker cables: Shunyata Research
Zi-Tron Anaconda (full loom), FMS Zero.
Power distribution and conditioners: Shunyata Research
Hydra Triton and Typhon.
Power cords: Shunyata Research Zi-Tron Anaconda.
Associated Equipment
Equipment support and isolation: Silent Running
Audio Scuttle equipment rack; Mondo Designs
amp stands; Stillpoints Ultra 5, Ultra SS and
Ultra Mini footers.
Analog: Teres 320 turntable with Verus rim drive,
Tri-Planar Mk VII U2-SE and SME Vd tonearms,
Transfiguration Orpheus phono cartridge, Silver Audio
Silver Breeze phono cable (SME), Stillpoints Ultra LPI record
weight, Audio Research Reference Phono 2 SE phono stage.
Acoustic treatments: Stillpoints Aperture panels,
Michael Green CornerTunes.
Digital: Ayre C5xeMP universal player.
Accessories: Acoustical Systems UNI-Protractor,
Wally Malewicz Analog Shop, Feickert protractor,
USB microscope, Fosgate Fozgometer,
Loricraft PRC-3 and Audio Desk Systeme
record cleaners, Shunyata Research Dark Field
cable elevators.
Preamplifiers: Atma-Sphere MP-1 Mk 3.1 with phono
stage, Audio Research Reference 5 SE and Reference 10,
Conrad Johnson PV-8.
Power amplifiers: Atma-Sphere MA-1 Mk 3.1 and Audio
Research Reference 250 monoblocks.
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