Lamm ML1 question


Well, I finally bit the bullet and bought a used pair of Lamm ML-1s to replace my Jadis amps in my main system. While I like what I'm hearing, has anyone tried any tube-rolling with the two small-signal tubes in the amps? Any suggestions?
rcprince

Showing 4 responses by rcprince

Thanks, Jonathan. Given my experience with the LP2 phono stage, I suspected as much, but years of playing with my Jadis has made me used to playing with different types of tubes.
Deano: Thanks. I have a ton of Andy's Telefunken 12AX7s left over from the stock I was saving for my old JP80 which I can try; I'll talk with him about 12BH7s if I like the sound better with the Teles.
Thanks Rick--the Lamms are actually a partial payback from my wife for the new kitchen, and a recycling of money from the sale of my JP80. They're excellent amps, with most of the strengths of the Jadis but not the drawbacks, and they work very well in combination with the JP200 preamp, just as the Lamm LP2 does.

I've viewed Jonathan's and Deano's posts with some interest. Jonathan, you may be right about discards, as there are a lot of bad NOS tubes out there, but my experience with Andy Bouwman's tubes is that they are anything but discards. I would say that in my Jadis equipment the NOS tubes are FAR better, both sonically and from a longevity standpoint, than their modern equivalents, but keep in mind that my Jadis equipment was designed at a time when Telefunken, Amperex and Mullard were manufacturing the tubes that we now call NOS--it stands to reason, particularly as the Jadis equipment seems to have been "voiced" in its design, that those tubes would sound right in them. Lamm is designing around the tubes currently available, and picking the best of those they can find (I'm told that Lamm has to throw out about half of the tubes they get), so it is quite likely that those tubes should work best in their equipment. Interestingly, though, Lamm apparently does not "voice" its designs, which is why I wondered about trying NOS tubes in them. Guess it won't hurt to try!
Romy: I'm still getting used to the amps, and really am discovering there's little I'd like to improve (I originally thought the dynamics were a little restrained compared to my Jadis until I recognized the difference was in the relative listening level, as the Lamms seem a little less sensitive than the Jadis). The tonal balance is as neutral as I've ever heard, so there's little I'd like to change there. Given my past experience with new vs. NOS tubes, I am probably more interested in the longevity of the NOS tubes, but it may be the Lamm circuit is easier on the tubes than the Jadis. What's your experience been on the latter item?