translation
Fujioka:
The manufacturer of this preamp is located in Brooklyn, NY. This maker
is a new face in Japan, but has been regularly seen at various CESs in
the US in recent years. Looking at the block diagram, it seems that
this designer has noteworthy experience in building power supply
systems. I did the listening on a direct input.
Fukuda:
Hybrid designs are charcteristic of LAMM and I get the impression of
them being quite elaborate and scrupulously thought through. The
characteristic of this preamp is that this hybrid design employs
vacuum tubes in a power supply and the adoption of MOSFETs in the
front end. The recognized high-resolution sound is sophisticated and
realistic.
Fujioka:
Probably, the original intention of this designer was not the
separate but rather a combined use of the two pieces of equipment:
this one and the hybrid power amp. I should make another point
regarding an independent use of the L1. What I should point out is the
texture of the midrange. This time, we are listening to both the
clavichord (which is considered the antecedent of the piano) and the
contemporary piano. The vivid sound of the clavichord at the peaks
becomes harmonious just like that of the contemporary piano. On the
one hand, if we consider this sound mild, we can enjoy the sound as
such without the power amp. On the other hand, the combination with
the M1.1 could purify the sound. I admire the capacity of the lower
range which reaches low enough and has full extensionn, as well as
control. The midrange is somehow eccentric, and so the judgment should
be made depending on the individual preferences, as well as on the
match with speakers.
Fukuda:
The expression of the bass is fabulous. Damping is effective and the
sound is enriched with energy and high linearity. Speaking of
characteristics, the bass is neutral and the mids and highs have high
resolution. Needless to say, using the direct input would result in
higher resolution and refinement of the sound. Nevertheless, certain
peculiarity in the midrange can't be ignored. I am not particularly
fascinated by the balanced output. I would say that the regular RCA is
sufficient.
M1.2
Reference
