Lamm 2L Reference vs CJ GAT

Q3 certainly can use power but Lamm M2.2 is adequate to drive it as long as I use high impedance mode (220 watts into 8 ohms, 440 watts into 4 ohms). Low impedance mode with 220 watts into 4 ohms, 440 watts into 2 ohms with more bias into class A, give a touch better liquidity in the midrange but dynamic and bass suffered quite a bit. Lamm certainly cannot quite compete with high power amp such as Karan, Bryston monoblock, Plinius monoblock that I heard in term and dynamic and bass but its midrange and high frequency are something else and it is a lot of fun to try out various 6922 input tubes to tailor the sound to your liking. I heard Q3 driven by Soulution 710 and personally prefer Lamm over Soulution. However, I am not seeking out the absolute neutrality and transparency sound as I prefer musicality and beautiful sound (to my ears at least) over all else.

Hi Suteetat,

thanks for that...useful description of Lamm and good for me to keep in mind. Which 6922s do you like best?

US Pinched waist Amperex 6922 is what I am using now. I have been trying to beg/steal Holland pinched waist Amperex from a friend to try to no avail so far. Other that I tried, Blackburn Mullard, Mazda 6922, Gold Aero 7308 and various Telefunken tubes but I have not tried Sieman CCa yet.

thanks...that is good to know. i really, really like the Amperex 7308 (US white label) in my Zanden...much better than 2 different Mullards, JAN Phillips and Sovtek that i tried.

If i go GAT, i will remember that. i have heard very positive things about Sieman CCa, btw.

Since I have a good selection of 6922, GAT is definitely very tempting. If you can't find pinched waist Amperex, Mazda is pretty good alternative. Kind of a compromise between Mullard and Telefunken, in a way. But Pinched waist Amperex has much better extension at both end than any tube I tried with robust, full body sound not so soft or overly warm and mellow like Mullard.