Lamm + Wadia. A Good match?


Is there anyone who has tested the combination Wadia + Lamm? I have a Wadia 581se, and plans to bay a Lamm M1.2 Reference, and use then the preamp in the Wadia. Is there anyone with experience in combining these two brands?
chris10an
I do Chris. If you like the Wadia and really want to mate it with the LAMM M1.2 Reference, then add a LAMM LL2 or L2 Reference preamp to your list. Both can be had at reasonable prices used and they would improve the sound over direct connection from the Wadia to the LAMM amps.

Also, you should audition the LAMM amps in your system if you can. Trust your own ears with the combination. If you cannot do an in home audition, you might want to travel to a LAMM dealer with your Wadia and audition with and without a preamp.

Have Fun!
You will have to jumper the Wadia down big time, the Lamm's have high sensitivity so 1 volt or less gets full volume. The Wadia has way high volt output 4+volts. The Wadia's volume is done in the digital domain so you will be bit shaving by reducing the volume So that is why you have to jumper the output down. I am not sure if you can get the player down to 1 volt. This was how Wadia's up to the 861's worked, I can't speak for the 581 and newer models.

I had a lot of problems finding a preamp to drive my Lamm M1.1 because of this. Be-careful with your first connection.
Although Wadia's output settings on the 5 and 7 series are not stated in the manual, the 9 series is adjustable from 0.5 to 4 volts. I believe the 8 series was adjustable down to 0.25 volts. This should be sufficient to optimize the listening volume to over 80.
I have a Wadia 27ix connected to the Lamm L2 preamp and ML2 amps. I strongly concur with Jtinn's response. I originally used the direct connection, but on a recommendation I trialed the L2 and was surprised to find the L2 imparts a significant improvement over direct connection. I ended up purchasing the L2 and would not go back to direct connection.

I have had no issues with level matching as the 27ix has a broad range of output voltages available via internal dip switches.

IMO the Wadia and Lamm components mate very well together.
Rtn: thanks for the detailed spec so it definitely can match up based on that.
Bgn007: Using a premamp you don't have to worry about the jumpering as much because preamps are usually designed to take from 2volt to sometimes 10volts depending on the design. Plus you can jumper the wadia so that you get to use the sweetspot of the volume control of the preamp for adjustments range.