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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
jmpsmash's avatar
jmpsmash
11 posts
 
Agree with the build quality. I have opened up my LM508IA to make modifications and the point to point wiring is very well done. wires are properly and securely wrapped to the posts before soldering and that makes a good and secure connection. It is not something that is randomly slapped together.

montanapbn
10 posts
 
I got a Line Magnetic 845 Premium from Mike Rose at Excel Audio, Newport Beach. I think it came with Shuguang tubes and sounded great driving a pair of Harbeth 30.2 Anniversaries. I swapped the 12ax7s for some NOS 1965 Amperex Bugle Boys. Made it better. I then swapped the 300bs. for a pair of Emission Labs 300bXLS's, much more better! Build quality seems very good, the 2 parts are both very heavy. The power button feels like it may eventually be an issue.

I dropped by Excel today and listened to the new Line Magnetic KT88 integrated driving a pair of Klipsch Heresy 4's. What happened down there in Hope Arkansas? The Heresies sounded great. The LM KT88 is wonderful and a steal at about $3,000. I like it better than their $2,000 EL34 amp, which is no slouch, and their KT150 amp. Reminded me of the Luxman KT88 power amp and Luxman preamp combo. That's good company!

I traded an Audio Research Reference 110 and AR LS28 preamp for the Line Magnetic. I'm glad i did. I think the LM845 Premium sounds better. Huge, 3D sound stage and the mids, the mids boys, they are something beautiful. 

Oh yes, I also listened to the Line Magnetic CD player/DAC, very nice. They have a phono stage which looks like the power supply for an industrial soldering iron (not pretty) but it sounds really good.

Anyway, thumbs up on the LM845 Premium integrated. 
zonk70
1 posts
 
Hi, 
why did you change the 300er tubes and not the 845  output tubes? I own the lm-845 also, and i think about tube rolling, but i would change the 845s, i think.. 


André 
Post removed 
magnus_hb1
1 posts
 
Well, your friend seem not to be up to date, or in other words, he or she is full of crap.
I have bought chinese single ended tube amp that is:
  1. Superbly well built, of first class materials
  2. Sound fantastic
  3. Is super affordable
  4. Don't seem to suffer from any bad quality
And I am not alone to have this experience with chinese built tube amps of today.....
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