Line Magnetic spoken here?
 

I know this is a Shindo forum, but I thought some folks might be interested in the Line Magnetic products, since they are imported by the same people and carried at many of the same dealers. The new Gold series is out, and it looks simply stunning, and sounds really good. It is a bit more expensive than the silver series, but much less than classic. The amps have a pre-in function which I am using with great success with my Aurieges, but the integrated function sounds really good also. I originally bought the KT120 version, which arrived with a couple of damaged tubes. (My UPS driver is NOT a music lover) The importer graciously allowed my to take the opportunity to trade it for the 845 SET version. FYI...
If this should be in a different forum, moderator, please feel free, I understand.

Very nice Dave!

I like the looks. I am sure many here will not. Congratulations! Sorry about the damage and happy they took care of you.

guitardave.......Good looking amplifier.


http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...e-img_1202.jpg

I'm a fan Dave. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: This is the first Gold Series that I've seen. Do those ship with coke bottle 6L6's for driver tubes? I have some nice coke bottle 6V6 RCA's that I'm saving for a rainy day.

I think these are fantastic amps regardless of the price, which is pretty amazing as well. They have such a nice liquid midrange and a pretty good bottom end too. How do you like it compared to the Shindo?

Here's a shot of mine...

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps1a259401.jpg

Very nice Doug :) . I bet they are special amps. :thumbsup:

Thanks Joe. :hug:

I haven't been around the block with amps like many here but I think it's a pretty special amp. Plus it's a nice space heater for these chilly winter months!:D

Doug, yes, those are the stock tubes. The amp is very quiet. The tubes are well selected. I do have a NOS Mullard 5ar4 or two, but I am quite please with the supplied tubes. I feel no need to fiddle with it right now.

I'm not really interested in a lot of the LM gear, but some of the WE repro pics I've seen from JH, especially speakers, make me swoon.

Attachment 25100

Photo credit to Matt on this.

Attachment 25101

Here is another showing the A23 bass module.

A23 / field coil LM 755's? Yes....swoon.




Attachment 25102

I love the look of these...

I think my wife would kick me out though.

http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...2718223445.jpg

Heard a lot of good comments on the quality of the 555 reproductions. The 22's look awesome. I'd love to hear these.

I wonder why they opted to go with 6L6's with the new Gold Series instead of 6V6's.:scratch2:

Very nice integrated. I BELIEVE on their 845 INT, you can actually substitute output tubes. I don't think you can do it on the SILVER series, but I believe you can on the GOLD. Dave-As far as the PRE-In, is it just the gold series that has this feature. Even though my 211IA has no PRE-in, couldn't I simply run the Monbrison in to one of the 211's inputs? Congrats on the GOLD 211 amp. I see in addition to the GOLD KT-120 amp, they also released a DAC. Cheers-Don

I am running a Shindo Pre into a Silver series LM210IA amp in one of my systems and it is fantastic.
Just fantastic value for money.

Hi Don. On the Silver Series LM 218IA (845 amp) you can substitute different driver tubes, but not the output tubes. I owned one of these previously and it is another very nice amp. I tried various tubes as drivers in that but personally preferred the factory choices. There is no mention of substitution in the 518IA manual, other than tube equivalents.
I am not sure if running a Monbrison in would overload the amp, but apparently it doesn't, since it is working well for Neil. The pre-in feature bypasses the volume control. Not sure if it bypasses anything else. It is a great feature, and really expands the usefullness of the amp, imo.
One other note on the factory choices. I found the supplied power cord is a better option than some others I have tried. I assume like Shindo and Naim, they considered sound in their cable choice, not just price. Shindo and Line Magnetic seem to be made by music lovers first.

Do you know the price on these?

Matt made a comment on his site that the LM755EX was basically 9K (complete with power supplies). That was as of last October. I'm sure he could let you know if that's current.

No idea. I don't even know if the A23 cabs are available in the US. But they're pretty!

Yeah - that was a different cabinet though... I think I like this cabinet better.

This looks great.

Hi Dave,

That's an absolutely beautiful amp you've there. Thanks for sharing.
I for one have been following then for the last 2 years, and read between the lines - if Johnathan told enough of them to bring them in....., they've to be magical.

Some, see/view them as the poor man's Shindo - and from what I've heard - that's good enough for me.

Enjoy her - she's a looker.
O_o scar

Thought both these sounded great (please excuse dodgy iphone photography) above is the Gold Series 845 integrated and below is the new Line Magnetic DAC.

http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...1&d=1362867421
The LM Dac reminded me quite a bit of the Lampizator level 4 which was also in the rack... at half the price it was making some pretty marvellous music. As the LMs were not long in it is difficult to say much more than that... would definitely put it on a digital audition list if you love the glow of valves. If I hadn't just got in a new DAC recently I'd have been quite keen myself.

But the amp was the real winner of the two... won me over straight away and I personally much preferred it to the 300B integrated by Line Magnetic but that's just a valve preference... either way its purely extraordinary value in valves.

Initially listened to it straight as an integrated and you could hear the deep space the 845 SET created and that musical immediacy it has... then later using it with a Shindo up front and the Shindo pre just turns it into a much livelier and more beguiling proposition again and makes this quite a magical combo.... wish they did a straight stereo version of the 845 amp. Very stylish looks in real life as well... very cool looking bit of gear. Not too retro and nice warm looking mix of metals and the gloss white valve covers.

Listened to both the Devore 0/93 and 0/96 with the Line Magnetics... despite some slight hesitation I have on the balance each time I hear the 0/96 it is such a great speaker in most every other way that while the 93's are great value the bigger brother is just the perfect match for the Line Magnetic electronics... just throw in a Shindo pre and press play.

The thing that amazes me is this gear is less dollars than my first valve gear that I bought back in the 80's and it is so musical. Great time for valves atm.

G

I now have about 100 hrs. on the amp and it has opened up nicely. Initially I felt it was better as an integrated, but now as it is breaking in I feel it is at LEAST as good as just a power amp using the pre-in function. I have now upgraded the input tubes with great results. I continue to be totally impressed in every way, but particularly with the Aurieges driving it.

The white and gold LM Audio look outstanding, really different. I love my 216IA and it drives some Vandersteen 2CE Sig II speakers beautifully.

Kt77... Welcome! :wave:

They are great little amps. I'm surprised that the 216IA drives the 86db Vandersteens. Do you run it in the triode or ultra-linear mode?

Yes I run them in triode mode. But I had auditioned them at my dealers home first and they sounded terrific on the music I play. Which is jazz and blues and instrumental. Upright bass was tight and full and went low. I changed to Gold Lion KT88 power tubes and sylvania NOS tubes upfront. Vocals were heavenly. But as an ace in the hole, I also have a Parasound A21 that I can swap in. If I feel the Parasound sounds head over heels better, I will find some speakers easier to drive.

I tend to buy more speakers than the wife likes.....he he

It really is amazing how loud 20 some odd watts can go. For that type of music I bet it does sound fantastic, especially with the GL KT88's. :yes:

BTW Line Magnetic Audio is kinda flying under the radar, but it's changing slowly. I think some Chinese audio companies have not been taken that seriously. My dealer was astounded by the sound of the LM Audio line, and the large SET amp just blew him away driving the Devore Orangutan speakers. He does not carry slouch audio gear. He carries Shindo, ARC, Sonus Faber, Leben and others. For the money he was so impressed by the LM Audio line, he decided to carry them.

It's not crazy I think to imagine China to become a big audio player in the future, if the govt allows it. Some of the stuff coming out is very good. The LM Audio gear is largely designed after the old Western Electric Company of the USA.

Have you seen some of the LM field coil speakers?? I heard a pair and they are very nice indeed...

On Matt's site, he says the LM gold series integrated amps have Preamp-In function. He also mentions the two top silver series 210/219 have it as well. Does anyone know if a preamp CAN be used with the 211,216,218 silver IA.
Just curious if my Monbrison will work in to a regular input of my 211IA.
Cheers-Don

I have the 216IA and I do not remember, but I will check for you. (I think the answer is "no"). Not home now, but I will look soon.:thumbsup:

I owned a 218IA and now the gold series 518IA, both pretty similar. I understand your question is just if it is possible to run a preamp into your amp without damaging it, correct? I did not try it with my 218, having the same concern you have about overloading it. The 518 is specifically designed with that function added, unlike the 218. That said, I have run preamps into audionote Kit One's many times, also a tubed integrated amp. It worked very well. I don't know the voltage out of your preamp, but the standard for CD players is 2 volts. I would think it safe to try it with the volume down. Or just sell it and get the 518...

bTW, have you tried kt77's in your 211IA? Very nice in that amp.

psyopwak- Thanks, no rush though. I wouldn't try it without confirmation from my dealer. I would suggest you don't either. I can't see where it would hurt anything, but will err on the safe. Guitardave- exactly, just want to see if it's ok to do. It would be my Monbrison. It would also be nice to have a backup amp just in case. The Shindo amps have been rock solid, but just to at least know it's an option.... On tubes, I have only flipped the two sets of input tubes so far. Tungsol 12au7, and Mullard 12ax7's.They are nice New production tubes. I will go back to stock again after my analog is setup, just to evaluate. My Sony PS1 is the lone source, breaking in the 211IA. Cheers-Don

I just wanted to rectify something I said about the LM218IA earlier in this thread. I mentioned you can change output tubes to KT88's EL34's, 6L6.... What I actually saw on Tone Imports website is you can change those tubes, but they NOT outputs tubes! On the 218IA, they are in fact the driver tubes. Sorry if I confused anybody.

I checked my 216IA and there are no inputs on the back for running another preamp. Additionally there are no outputs for using just the preamp section of the 216IA for connection to another amplifier. You have four inputs for CD, Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3. I hope this helps..

BTW this is a nice additional function of the LM Audio Gold series. I like the Gold appearance. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think LM Audio makes integrated tube amps for the Triode Audio company.

Absolutely- Besides the Gold series, also the two Top silver series. I wanna say the 210, and 219 are the model #'s.

I like the Line Magnetic gear, looks & performance wise. :thumbsup:

They sound great too Kev. :yes: