Lamm LL1 Signature Preamplifier & ML3 Signature Amplifier (TAS 208)

The 32Wpc Lamm ML3 Signature amplifier with its mate, the LL1 Signature preamplifier, take the definition of the absolute sound and turn it on its head. For 30 years, the illusion of live unamplified instruments in space has been a hallmark of this publication. Now with this Lamm attack on the state of the art we can (almost) throw away the word “illusion.” I believe this dynamic duo from Vladimir Lamm approaches what we all seek in the reproduction of music—the actual sound of live instruments in space. These statement products, I dare say, do the near impossible. They reduce or eliminate two of the major sonic colorations and/or signatures that we reviewers harp on. The first being the electronic haze, though ever so slight, that amplifiers unavoidably add to the (image) of the instrument and the air surrounding it. The second coloration, and most egregious, is the old nemesis, midbass overhang. It’s a coloration that poisons the foundation of the lower harmonics and ruins the “believability” of true-life instrumental timbre in the upper registers.

I am very enthusiastic that designers like Lamm recognize that sonic neutrality is not the only key to the authentic recreation of the musical event. There are also numerous subconscious references that our perception systems process when we listen to music. They work behind the scene and are, perhaps, the ultimate arbiter for “Is it real?”

Nowadays, amplifiers are expected to be neutral. At the state-of-the-art level, if an amplifier adds any coloration you should take serious pause. Also, there is more to it than just getting the notes right and tapping your feet. I assert that it’s the subconscious cues that allow the listener to bypass the audio system and to reach out and touch and feel the instrument itself. It’s more than 3-D, it’s a metaphysical thing and it’s the next logical step toward sonic realty.

No, I haven’t flipped my lid or had a glass too many. Let’s start with the Lamm ML3/LL1 duo. Objectively, they get the neutrality part correct. There is absolutely zero “tube” spatiality or warmth. There is no exaggeration of the harmonic envelope or chewy caramel texture to sink your teeth into. There is nothing at all added to the instrumental image. It pops right up, living and breathing—right there in front of you. That’s easy enough, most all of today’s amplifiers do this. But there is more, there is an additional and unidentifiable “rightness” to the actual tone of an instrument that draws you in, closer to reality. The Lamms somehow rebuild the DNA of the instrument itself. It’s uncanny. And it is this, and also their price, which set the Lamms a part from other reference amplifiers.

Let’s get the sticker shock out of the way. The ML3 power amplifier is priced at $139,290 and the LL1 linestage at $42,690. This is, indeed, fantasy audio. Unfortunately, it’s also the price to be paid to play at this level of sonic realism.

How does Vladimir Lamm make instruments sound so real? For starters, his goal is predictable sonic neutrality. Lamm can predict the sound of different segments of the audio spectrum and engineer his designs to sound neutral to the ear while measuring otherwise. Many amplifiers measure perfect and sound neutral. Heck, we’ve read thousands of reviews and seen all those the ruler-flat frequency graphs. But there is more to it than that. It’s not just the “straight wire with gain” cliché of neutrality that gets us closer to the absolute sound. Sometimes, inferior measuring amplifiers sound more real to our ears.

Lamm’s engineering system is built upon psychoacoustic and mathematical theory that allows Lamm to “rethink” circuit design based upon the human hearing mechanism. It sounds very mumbo-jumbo, but this man’s designs are based upon his own science and his own measurements. He does not design with listening tests.

Vladimir Lamm surely knows what he’s doing. In Russia, Lamm (aka Vladimir Sushurin) began his career with the United Socialist Soviet Republic’s military. His work on space program projects introduced him to engineering modeling and hypothesis. He took Soviet design theory and applied it to electrical engineering and then to audio. He’s a real live gosh-darn rocket scientist. Vladimir then became the Chief Designer for the Lvov Radio-Electronics Co. and was an avid contributor to Radio Magazine, the Russian equivalent of MJ Magazine (Japan), and the old Sound Practices U.S. publication. He immigrated to the U.S. in February 1988 and began looking for work. In 1990 he landed a position at the Madison Fielding Co. as an audio designer. While there, he developed two hybrid statement-level amplifiers, the M1 and M2. He became a partner in the business and began work on the all-tube L1 linestage. The M1 received critical acclaim at the summer 1993 CES, driving Watt/Puppy IIs. Lamm’s vision was 100% high end; his partner’s goals were more down to earth. In the fall of that year, Vlad started Lamm Industries to fulfill his entrepreneurial audio destiny.