VAC and LAMM

I think, LAMM has all tube amp too, and I don't mean 18 watt/ch SET. Am I wrong?
Thank you very much for your post. Somehow, while reading many threads here, I too came to the assumption that LAMM and VAC make the best real world high-powered amps. And you came to this conclusion after listening to many if not all amps. So choosing between them would be very much a matter of taste and of the kind of music one mostly listens to. Perhaps, the size of the room and average db level as well. Based on your description I would probably take LAMM for its edge in dynamics and bass but I am sure I would miss VAC too. It would be tough.
I would assume that VAC reference integrated is outstanding too.

Hello Inna,

Yes, Lamm makes a push-pull 90 wpc tube amp. However, I have never heard it. It seems somewhat rare, as most people either go for the 18 wpc SET tube amp, or the 110 wpc full Class "A" hybrid M1.2 reference, when choosing lower powered Lamm amps.

(The M1.2 is quite good too, and sonically, slightly better than the M2.2 I previously mentioned. The only problem being that it is only 110 wpc. And being full Class "A", it gets pretty hot, whereas the M2.2, being merely heavily biased into Class "A", (for the first 41 wpc), is merely very warm.)

FYI, one thing I forgot to mention is that the VAC Phi 300.1 amp does run hot. (It will raise the temperature of the room by several degrees, whereas the M2.2 will only raise it a few degrees. And, I should also point out that in speaking to another Audiogon member who uses the 300.1, that they can be bridged, and he uses two of them that way, as 300 wpc monoblocks, which he says completely eliminates the minor lack of bass response. Of course the cost then doubles, which puts them way above the cost of the Lamms.)

PS Another friend at one point owned the 110 wpc VAC Beta integrated amp, after having owned the 200 wpc hybrid Lamm M2.1 monoblocks, (the same amps that I use, btw). He loved the sound, but unfortunately, at only 110 wpc, it was underpowered for the speakers he was using, and he has since moved on.

Good Luck in your search!

Hello Kurt tank.
Thank you again.
LAMM or VAC separates will very likely be part of my ultimate system, years from now. In the more near future I might try one or more of the integrateds from Rowland, VAC or Gryphon. Or perhaps older Rowland separates, something like CoherenceI preamp and model 5 amp.

I have Lamm M2.2 and love it very much but there are a few things to consider. M2.2 is certainly considered a great high power amps but considering choices of speakers nowaday and Lamm's relatively low damping factor, it may or may not be the best amp for your speakers. I had a pair of Usher Be-20 and a few amps went through my room during that time. Older pair of Spectral DMA 160, Jadis JA200, Plinius SA 103, ASR Basis Exclusive II and then Lamm2.2 To my ears, Lamm has the best midrange, a little dark on top but well extended (more so with US Amperex pinched waist 6922 than pretty much every other 6922 tubes I tried, other tubes that I tried such as Mullard, Mazda, Gold Aero etc. Lamm bass is deep, tight but does not have the punch or control Usher's dual Eton drivers nearly as well in comparison to Spectral or ASR. Even Plinius SA 103 is a touch better in this regard. However, Lamm's lower damping factor seems to match my current speakers, Magico Q3 much better. Unfortunately I don't have a chance to hear Q3 with any other amps beside Soulution 710 (but in different room). I actually prefer Lamm as Soulution sounded incredibly clean and fast but does not sound natural to me. I kept thinking that no tympani and bass drum is that tight. I wonder if that might have something to do with Soulution extremely high damping factor (Lamm listed its damping factor as 82, Soulution >10,000 ). I would love to hear VAC but it is not available locally here.

VAC is untouchable in its mids and highs. I have a 300.1a and the detail retrieval, refinement, and smooth nature of the mids/highs is best I've heard. The lower registers are there, just not very pronounced. Very deliberate and tight as can be, but gives the overall sound a tipped up presence unless your speakers are darker/bass heavy. I am only running one 300.1a on 89db speakers with nominal impedance of 6ohms but big swings to 3.7 ohms. The clean, smooth, clear highs and mids, with tube magic on imaging/dimension, is addictive.