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
I had an LP2 w/ a Koetsu RSP. It is not a good match.The Lamm's MC input does not have sufficient gain for the .2mv Platinum's. That said, I do bet Logenn gets great results w/ the Hommage in to the MM inputs. I sure wish I was in to SUT's back then. I would love to have tried one.
I wonder if anyone has tried Air Tight Step up transformer since it has 3 inputs with adjustable impedance. I wonder if that would match well with MM input on LAMM. There isn't much information on Air Tight SUT that I could find unfortunately.
My Koetsu is 0.3 mV, may be a tad too low for LAMM wihtout SUT.
I have used both Koetsu Rosewood Signature and Onyx Platinum cartridges with the Lamm. Both were excellent matches, especially the Onyx. There was certainly no gain problem. Although the LP input level into my preamps was lower than the CD/SACD, my last three preamps had adjustable gains for each input separate from the others. I suppose there could be an input to input level issue on preamps whose input levels are not adjustable, but most of the preamps one would use with an LP2 are (possibly not including Lamm's own preamps--I forget, I haven't had one for years). I should also add that the LP2 seems very forgiving on record noise, and I was told by a dealer who seemed to know what he was talking about (not the one I bought the LP2 from) that sometimes a higher output level on a phono amp increases the perception of surface noise. Why that should be is beyond me, but I at least mention it.
Hi Sut

Another phono stage you can consider is the EAR88b. I heard it a few times and auditioned in my system. Its very good as well.
Not as dark as the lamm but just as refined and have some loading options & gain control.
It works well with the Koetsu & you can use it with stepup if you want as well.
Mgottlieb, thanks for the input on Onyx. That's what I will be using as well.
Nolitan, have you compared EAR88PB to EAR324 by any chance?
I auditioned EAR 324 in my system awhile back and while it was nice, I was not impressed enough at the time to think it was worthwhile upgrading.