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How is LAMM LP2 compares to the more recent phono

I am now using all LAMM pre/power and my LAMM dealer offers pretty good deal on the LAMM LP2 phono deluxe version for me. I understand that 5-7 years ago, it is considered one of the top phono available but have not heard much about it recently and wonder how it might stand up to the more recent phono unit such as ARC Ref2, AMR, Audio Valve, Rhea Signature or Audia Flight etc.
I plan to audition LP2 but other units will be a bit difficult to find and I may not be able to audition them all unfortunately.
Thanks for your comment
suteetat
suteetat OP
435 posts
 
Thanks all for comment. I now am auditioning LP2 in my system. Although the unit has not been used in awhile, after a few hours, it is already quite impressive.
With my Air Tight cartridge, at 0.4mV, there is no problem using MC input at all, volume wise. On my Lamm L2 Reference preamp, volume knob is between 10-12 o'clock, mostly 10-11 (where as my Playback Design MPS-5 is at 9 o'clock most of the time). I think my Ortofon T100 would be rather loud with Air Tight in this particular setup.
thuchan
955 posts
 
This is fine! But the real enlightment will come via MM using an excellent SUT. pls try it. Looking forward to your results. All the best
jtimothya
551 posts
 
Thuchan - are you saying the Air Tight cartridge sounds significantly different at 47 KOhms vs 400 Ohms? Or is the step-up you suggest so much different that its worth running the Air Tight with 47KOhms? For the cost of an expensive Audio Note step-up with an LP2, one gets close to the price of an Allnic or ARC RP2 which has dual inputs/outputs. I'm not understanding the need to add external transformers if the LP2 offers plenty of gain for that cartridge? Can you say more? Thanks.
suteetat OP
435 posts
 
Thuchan, right now the only SUT I have on hand is an Ortofon T100 which works very well with Air Tight when I used it with other phono pre that I have. I will try it out and compare to Lamm MC input. However, I have no idea, in comparison to other SUTs, where the T100 is in term of performance, average, good, very good etc. But later on this year when I go to Hong Kong, I definitely will take a look at Audio Note.

suteetat OP
435 posts
 
Well, I tried Ortofon T100 today with Lamm MM input. The sound is richer, more saturated, bigger than with Lamm MC input. I thought Janzen is supposed to be very good as well but I do prefer Ortofon T100. Hmmmm..I wonder if Lamm is willing to make LP2 with just 2 MM input? :)
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