How is LAMM LP2 compares to the more recent phono

If you are doing a private "A/B" comparison in the context of your own system, it is always a good idea to do "A/B/A". In other words, if you are familiar with A, then listen to B for a while until you really are used to it. Then switch back to A and have another listen. Often this is very revealing, not only of the vicissitudes of our sensory apparatus but also of the placebo effect. In other words, if you know you replaced 5842s with WE417s, or capacitor X with capacitor Y that costs more, it is impossible to have an unbiased opinion of the result.

Lewm,
yes - you are right on this. You need to perform A/B/A and so on comparisons, also using different phono-pres in the same chain, fourth & back. It's a hell of work building up and down. We did it one day long, the Lamm could not reach the Kondo in detail and precision but it provides a wonderful soundstage via MM connection if a superb SUT is used. In this combination it's becomes one of the big phono-pres.

Best & Fun Only - Thuchan

Best & Fun Only - Thuchan

Adding to the above A/B/A comparisons info. don't forget when doing this to also consider load change, I have found from going from one phono pre to the next they arn't all eqaul, varying sonic wise via load.

Thuchan,
Your feedback is in line with my findings in my posting "so you have a valve phono with MM & MC inputs", those built-in Jensen SUTs can be easily bettered!

The secret from Kondo is the high gain. Most compare "something" but in 99% it is always the same "result". The louder unit wins.
This has nothing to do with performance or specs. The Kondo is a soft sounding unit, it has no bite and the transients are not among the fastest. It is a nice unit for harsh and analytical Hardware or for Jazz. Try some old Deccas or mercuries with some fast stops on go (SXL 6355) and the cheap Jensen will show you what's all about. There is something more out there than high gain (btw. in the highest gain position is the SFz the worst solution).
But, like I wrote, there is much worse out there.
Happy listening.