Line Magnetic spoken here?

[Kt77]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Kt77... Welcome!

Hi Masterlu,

Thanks for the warm greeting - after all as Dorothy once said
" There's No Place, Like Home ".

And, besides as someone whom has always appreciated out the box thinking when it comes to ones electronics as opposed to following the trends - I see diversity as a wonderful option.

And, LM Audio get my juices a flowing big time.

Be well,
O_o scar

[bzr]

O_o scar,

[Kt77]

Originally Posted by bzr

O_o scar,

Hi bzr,

Thanks to you for the warm welcome as well.

[fjn04]

Since the LM Gold series is close in $ to the Leben, has anyone heard them both.

[Kt77]

Originally Posted by fjn04

Since the LM Gold series is close in $ to the Leben, has anyone heard them both.

Hi fjn04,

I can only speak on what " I Hear ", so I hope that my heartfelt opinion is respected as such.

To my ears/senses/mindset - the Leben strike me as having a more modern sound with what I hear/see as the direction that ARC or C-J have taken their sound since the late 90s - which I term as a more solid state and/or hybrid signature. Yet some tend to say this is more towards neutrality and away from that old school rose tinted sound of tube amps of the golden age as well know it ( C 1938/64 or thereabouts ).

In my mind - tube amps are looked upon for having a greater sense of musical flow in a manner that solid state merely glosses over - it's all about the attraction towards warmth - texture - tonality - timbre - yet once again, many are in the pursuit of neutrality at the expense of beauty of the actual notes themselves - I know that we're in a much different place then our grand parents consoles of old, and things were more limited bandwidth wise, and there's this goal from some designers to correct the mistakes of old - yet, I still want that warmth with my music.

Which is why, I think that a lot of music lover simply prefer the sound of vintage tube gear on a whole - yes, one has to exchange internal parts here and there - as the older ones could be damaged - but overall it's more to it then just appreciating the fact that many of the transformers of said period were simply made/sound better - it's about the music coming through in a manner that speaks to our very core that makes the decision to pursue tubes for most of us whom hear the difference between the two technologies to be content with our choices.

LM Audio - to my ears merely has this old school flavor in abundance - and besides it's much more obtainable then merely having to enter into any given price range that many dealers see/view as entry level being $5.000, not in my world. This is why I think that many music lovers as opposed to component lovers/chasers during the late 90s started looking into the Chinese made tube amps during said period - as many wanted tube amps, but due to the greed of many American designers pricing them well above the means of mere mortals - we had to settle on what was available to us at the time.

Once again - with LM Audio, we've a line that many of us can afford maybe after missing a few meals over the course of say 5-6 months while eating cheese sandwiches for lunch. But bottom line - is that it sounds more akin to what tubes sounded like before people tried to mess around with purity in the pursuit of accuracy based upon their perceptions of what we the buying public might want?.

They were wrong - I'd say.

Regards,
O_o scar

[jondkaufman]

Hey O_o Scar:

Thank you for a fantastic and thoughtful response to Don' question. I read it several times, because what you wrote had a weight and tone that is rarely stewed in such a compact form.
Again, thank you, Jdk

[bakerman]

Nice synopsis Oscar, thanks.

[Kt77]

Originally Posted by jondkaufman

Hey O_o Scar:

Thank you for a fantastic and thoughtful response to Don' question. I read it several times, because what you wrote had a weight and tone that is rarely stewed in such a compact form.
Again, thank you, Jdk

Hi Jdk,

Thanks for having the ability to read between the lines - on what I was trying to get across. As many friends/associates often write me to ask about this or that tube based amp worth looking into over the last 3-4 years?, I'm more often then not forced to mention Shindo Labs ( as to my ears this brand breaths life into music in a manner to which I've never heard prior ) followed by LM Audio ( as many see/hear it as the poor man's Shindo Lab - I see that as a compliment ).

In essence, it just a matter of trying to justify a means to an end - I'm and shall always be the sort of music lover whom places a great value upon investing in the best source component one is able to afford?, followed then by an amplifier/speaker tandem that functions as one - thereby making for a better union.


After said - point, merely focus their attentions on a cabling loom that ties it all together and be done with it - afterwards merely stop reading the magazines and invest in ones music collection - as it's the source of our passion - is it not?.

Owning a decent system - allows us to hear deeper into said collection in a manner that assures us - we are there - at which point, why become distracted by others trying to push your views upon what it is you should be listening to as a means of enjoying said music collection - when in fact so many of them view/see musical enlightenment in a totally different way - whom are we to trust?, ourselves - that's who.

Hearing is believing - reviews are merely means of introduction. Once heard - we all have to take into account the emotional aspect of what's what - and then ask ourselves - am I content with what I'm hearing?.

Trust in our ears/sense/heart as all three in tandem will let you know when you've gotten it " Right ".

Just my take on said matters.

Be well - Jdk.

O_o scar

[Kt77]

Originally Posted by bakerman

Nice synopsis Oscar, thanks.

Thanks - Doug,

As I've mentioned - I can only speak upon things as I hear them. Some listen to my recommendations - while the rest tend to be the ones selling their gear every other month or so, as they've missed the entire point of what music is meant/should bring us enlightenment.

I'm into chasing music - cartridges - tubes, component wise it's all about contentment. I'm done chasing the illusion of the abso!ute sound - when in fact I much prefer listening to music as opposed to hardware.

All to many focus their attention on what their systems sound vs listening instead to how the music relaxes their minds/spirit/soul.

Different priorities - Different set of rules - but guess who wins?, the music lover in all of us I'd say. As opposed to the component chaser.

Regards,
O_o scar

[fjn04]

Kt 77- Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts. Hats off to you, for putting it in to that interesting perspective. I may have had one of the last few CJ pieces, before they joined the neutral camp. I had the Premier 16-1, and soon after, the Art1. I had the Premier 8's as well. Very nice gear, I enjoyed owning them. I heard their V2 preamps were more neutral, and the next generation 140 amp and CT-5, even more so. I am really looking forward to hearing my LM 211 with vinyl. I will have an analog front end set up w/ the LM soon. In the here and now, I m putting the LM through it's paces with a Sony PS-1. I don't know what it was with this migration toward a more SS sound. It seemed all the the big name tube companies jumped on the bandwagon. I guess they were trying to achieve some of the attributes of SS. Perhaps they were successful, but for me that special something was lost. That's the way I have heard it anyway. Cheers -Don