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DCS Puccini into Lamm M 1.2 w/o preamp?

Hi,
any thoughts about going directly from a DCS Puccini into the Lamm M 1.2 monos? I've read that the Puccini should work pretty good fed directly into a power amp. Currently I'm using a ARC Ref 3 with a pair of Parasound JC 1, planning to substitute the JC 1 with the Lamms to get more body and weight to the sound. Speakers are the Isophon Cassiano with the diamond tweeters.

Thanks!
Martin
mluding
kurt_tank
1,188 posts
 
I don't know if this is of any help to you or not, but my friend used to use an ARC Ref. 3 with his Lamm M2.2s, and the sound is awesome. I recommend that you give it a shot when you get your Lamm amps.

(I say "used to" use, because he just upgraded to the ARC Ref. 5, which is really a slightly more refined Ref. 3, at least to my ears.)

BTW, If you wish to sell your Ref. 3 "dirt cheap", feel free to drop me a line.
(Yeah, this economy has me broke at the moment, or else I would have bought my friends Ref. 3!)
;-)
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
Martin, FWIW we have customers that have the dCS and they own our preamp for the volume control even though they could go direct. I think the 'cold and clinical' comment above was the reason our customers got a preamp. I don't think the preamp warmed things up due to its sound, I think the dCS made things sound colder through poor interconnect cable control and a digital volume control.
anupmc
21 posts
 
I've had the opposite experience.

With my dCS Scarlatti deck, removing my VTL 7.5 preamp and going direct to my Boulder Amp revealed stunning improvement in all areas, most notably dynamics.

The benefits far outweigh any perceptible loss in resolution at low volumes, IMHO.

I would suggest you try it out for yourself before you decide one way or the other.
chadeffect
586 posts
 
I agree with Anupmc.

Direct into the amps is the best way forward unless you have some kind of euphonics happening that you cant live without.

My feeling is the Lamm amp on its own will give you enough tube sound. You can switch the output voltage of the DCS to keep the output optimized, so the comments about the digital volume control are just paranoid.

Keep it around -20 and over for proper listening and it will be more than fine. Below that is still fine, but the nervous audiophile in you may start thinking about the bits. But in reality it will be better than most preamps and interconnects whatever you do. Try it I am sure you will be happy. Resolution beyond most digital.
rtn1
535 posts
 
Never underestimate the power of a really good, tubed, preamp.
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