Kharma 3.2 CRM FE and which power amp?

Logenn,

Sounds like you're really enjoying my old amps, LOL! The Exquisites certainly are a far more difficult speaker to drive than the 3.2's but I can assure you the Lamm's don't lack for meeting close to the limits of the 3.2's dynamic capabilities. The power handling on the Kharma 3.2's is fairly limited anyways, I've been told 7 watts so it really can't use all that extra power regardless. The 75w OTL Tenors I owned did not do dynamics anywhere near to what the Lamms can on the 3.2's, as the Tenor amps would just give out completely on dynamic swings, losing all the low end, and collapsing utterly. I think simply looking at watts is misleading as the ML2's sound more subjectively powerful in real life than on paper compared to many far more powerfully rated amps I've had in my system. I think the secret is the output transformers but am certainly not sure of what aspect of Lamm's design contributes the most to this effect. In fact, if anyone at CES heard the Wilson Maxx2's with the ML2's they'd agree. It was sterile, mechanical, dry and dull with Lamms solid state amps until he switched to ML2's and according to many, including a TAS reviewer who was there, and reported recently in the magazine, really came alive with the big Wilsons- he preferred it to the big VTL and ARC amps. I couldn't believe how much the bass improved and became far more real in the room than I could ever imagine, with of course the beautiful midrange of the SET. Logenn, I'd make every effort to try and hear them on your 1D's if you can as I think you'd be surprised. If you lived closer, I'd drive them over to you ;^) They may not bring everything the big VTL's do to the party, but it sure would be interesting...

Come on Owl, get some life out of that Kharma, will you?

http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?postID=1432

Rgs,
Me

Owl,
From my direct experiences, the only two amps that completely take command of the situation are the big VTL and ARC's.
I am not saying other amps wern't musical or have their own strengths.

The fact that the Lamm ML2 were prefered to them on the Maxx2 is very interesting.

I've also heard that at a NY show a few years ago Exquisite 1a's were driven by 2 pr of ML2's with impressive results.
Small price to pay for perfection!

I don't own the Kharma,or Lamm equip.,but have heard them extensively.IMO,the Lamm 2.1 is a stunning match with the 3.2(my favorite Kharma,and one of my FAV speakers,regardless of price/low bass necessity/large room filling capability etc.)!I have heard this combo,as well as many other Kharma/amp combos,including their(Kharma's) "Dreck" solid state amps,as compared to the Lamm's,once you have experienced them!My pal actually gets superb sound from his Kharma 1.0's using a stunning Rowland 8t.Really good timbres,and INCREDIBLE bass.Much better(as per "natural sounding")than with the Kharma sub,IMO!Yet,to me,the Lamm 2.1 is SCARY GOOD.I simply cannot put my finger on it.It is NOT the tube vs solid state debate.It is something more "gestalt"!!

The little 3.2's,to me,are SO good,with the LAMM 2.1's that IMO(and this IS all, only, my opinion)the addition of the "heavily marketed" Kharma sub literally destroys the magic obtained with this stunning combo,of speaker/amp.I have nothing against the sub,and others love it(I own a sub,too),yet to me,if I had this combo(something the future may bring),I would NOT give a darn about any frequency losses,in the bass.They are THAT good!No,actually they can be MAGICAL!!

Best to all!

Just to throw a solid-state wrench into this discussion, my later-model Edge NL12 (with the bigger, current model NL-12.1's transformers) produces stunning clarity with my 3.2CRM-FEs (no sub) in classical music with no brightness and authoritative, friendly, detailed, integrated bass. The bass attaches itself to the instrument producing it, rather than being some amorphous blob somewhere in space.

The combo is revealing, though, on popular music, and brightness or close-miked vocals is will come through. But for the majority of recordings (& all classical), the 4th wall just drops away & things sound uncannily real, but with no "hi-fi" artifacts (tizziness, etch, boom, glare, etc.).