Line Magnetic quality


Here we go again…

 

Hej!

I have had my eyes on Line Magnetic Audio for some time, but a friend of mine says that I should stay away from hi-fi and hi-end made in china because they have bad luck when it comes to quality and that they sound bad.

I tell him that I have heard otherwise and that people really like the sound of the LM amplifiers.


So Line Magnetic owners, what do you say? Is he right or is he wrong?

 

By the way; has anyone been listening to LM34AI?

simna
@bjesien 

Yes, I did. But one or more of the Tung-Sol EL34Bs are faulty, so I have to send them back. The Genalex Gold Lion ECC82s and the ECC83 works fine, but they haven't done more than 50 hours so they will change in sound. But I think the sound is a little veiled. I want a more open sound. Maybe it will change when the ECC82s and the ECC83 gets more hours. Or maybe when I get the new set of Tung-Sol EL34Bs. Or maybe some of the other ECC82s and ECC83s I also bought will do the trick.
Simna 
Very interested in your views on this combination of amp and model power tube once you have 100 hrs on them. 

Looking at this LM model or a s/h CJ premier 11A atm
Yes do let us know your impressions of this amp and the tube rolling results. Overall and compared to other brands, not too much written on the Line Magnetic Audio products, therefore user experiences like yours and mine (long ago I wrote about the 216i) are important to potential buyers.
I bought the Line Magnetic 805ia after having extended listening sessions and at home demo sessions with Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP, McIntosh 5200, Hegel 360 and Naim XS2. It just had a quality that I couldn't put a finger on but I enjoyed the sound coming out of it a lot more than the others. I haven't looked back since. 

Responds very well to tube rolling as well. I have changed out the preamp tubes with great effect each time - replacing with NOS tubes. I'll be experimenting with changing out the 805 and 300Bs shortly to see if there is a positive effect there. 

This amp has surprised dealers as well. I brought my amp (painstakingly at 90lbs) to the shops to audition a few speakers and on both occasions, the owners had remarked at how good the amp sounded. Both asked who the dealer of Line Magnetic was because they were interested in seeing if they could demo their product in their own shops. 
@willmacc and 2psyop

I’ve changed almost everything in my set up (speakers, interconnects, DAC and amp) so it’s kind of hard to say what does what.

What I can say is that LM34IA gives you very much for the money. I think it sounds almost as good as my old Tube Technology Unisis Signature (but this is a EL84 amp and I miss the EL84 sound that is a little faster and more glimmering treble). 
Unfortunately there is a problem with one of the LM:s power sockets that doesn’t grip the pins tightly enought. But if I don’t touch the tube it’s OK. I’ve talked to the dealer so I will get it fixed.
But I hate the fragile glossy surface. Urrrgh.

The tubes I have installed right now are Tung-Sol EL34B, Mullard ECC82 (NOS) and Electro Harmonix ECC83.
I’ve also tried Gold Lion ECC82:s and ECC83, but it sounded a kind of sterile. Maybe they need more than 100 hours to bloom.
I really like what I hear. Big and deep soundstage, nice treble, sweet mids and warm bass. I have some problems with the bass in my room, so it’s hard to tell how good/bad the bass really is.