I was wondering for a long time whether to write anything about these amplifiers. They played a very important role in my adventure, so I guess it would be appropriate.
I had the Line Magnetic 845 and 805 in parallel.
Actually, I felt as if I had grabbed God by the legs when they were going to me. One borrowed, the other purchased.
Finally, a triode set, directly emitted, to which audiophiles sigh – and not just any – strong, very good and praised on the Internet by the Chinese brand.
Built like a tank and objectively, even quite nice.
My first impressions about these amplifiers can be found in the Audiostereo club thread.
Back then – while still relatively fresh, I was excited.
Today, several dozen amplifiers later … I look at it a bit differently.
LINE MAGNETIC 845 (518IA)
This model had a great fame thanks to bestodtwarzacze.pl and one more foreign review on Stereophile.
I bought it with original lamps + NOS MULLARD ECC83, a rectifier and a nose driver. I combined with Tannoy (fatically – too bright and sharp) and Snell E3 (hard to spoil them). It was really cool with Snell.
Videos can be found on my YouTube.
Nevertheless – even with the turntable I had a slight disgust all the time. This LM plays sweet, energetic, great plays audiophile numbers and female vocals. Nevertheless – it lacks a bit of weight inside. It spins with the potentiometer and definitely likes a bit louder sound.
At low volume, he was unbearable to listen to.
Another owner bought him the 845 NOS lamps and a Mullard rectifier (somehow for 5K) and sold it.
Then he found his way to Piotr (2A3 Fan), who tuned him with resistors and finally started to ‘play’, but the time and material contribution of both men I think that it exceeded its value twice, but today it can be a treat at the top is his hallmark)
LINE MAGNETIC 805
Here, in turn, we have a much darker, warmer, fuller presentation. He played with a much thicker line than 845. Heavily weighted lower diameter. Not to say – crazy. My Tannoy LGM (open, contour, very diametrical playing with fast bass) – Studio Monitor was strongly extinguished with it.
In turn, the Snell E3, which plays with at least everything well – was stuck together, and the bass dragged on like nothing else.
I was totally unable to ‘drive’ this, despite trying to play with lamps or cables, or in the system of one of my friends. But I didn’t have to, because it wasn’t mine and looking how many lamps – I gave up quite quickly 🙂
The lightning beast was heavy, it happened that when I fired it, it crashed traffic jams in my apartment.
On this line of the magnet, Piotr from Katowice is playing so far, it seems that he uses it as a power amplifier and is very pleased. Nevertheless, Piotr is already quite an advanced file, he leaned over it and adjusted to the system with cables, DAC DIY, etc.
LINE MAGNETIC 218IA
There was an opportunity … so after a few years, seeing more LMs on FB or in club threads purchased by other people – I said that I would check – maybe I was not a quite experienced audiophile at the time, or quite determined to make those stovestravelor maybe I just missed the right speakers.
It seems to me that it sounded better than the gold 518iA, I packed the NOS Mullard + the best EL34 as they are – RFT.
And … it was ok.
until ok and only ok.
LM-218ia I have definitely tried with Living Voice IBX-R2, KEF Reference 205, Spendor S100.
LINE MAGNETIC 845 PREMIUM
He had Arek, who plays on Hi-end Linea Audio Ghost loudspeakers (it seems about PLN 130,000) and Sonus Faber Extrema.
LM OLAMPED ACME played a bit warmer than Unison Research 845 after modifications of Coguars Audio + Pre-linear. Eventually, however, it gave way to the vintage oneDenon PMA-S1,which we listened to onRally at Czesław. And he is another owner of LM, who has not stayed up for a long time, despite Arek himself speaking well about this amplifier.
Summation
How to put it … These amplifiers do not resonate with me. The sound is insulated, rounded, stereotypically speaking ‘lamp’. Audiophile numbers play very decently on them – especially the Smyki on 845, just like women’s vocals are very nice.
However, they lack ‘that something’, they have neither the naturalness of haiku, nor the warmth of Jadis, nor the musicality of the Audio Note
They’re cool.
And there are a lot of cool devices on the market today.
Both 845s were very poor at low volume levels (but that’s probably the 845 feature, because other designs that I listened to in this aspect also stood out)
The 805 played quietly, but it was generally so dispassionate, with such power it is more suitable for large rooms, difficult loudspeakers. You have to give it a strong distribution track and a lot of thin lines. Another colleague, audiophile Sławek, made a good set with Diapasons on it.
LMs are said to perform better as power amplifiers – and it is very possible, although I tried with PRE and it did not charm me either.
These are one of those bricks that my friends were eager to listen to at my place, borrowed them and took them saying – it’s ok, but I prefer my own … and quite quickly.
These are definitely more audiophile tastes than those on which you can fly the album from start to finish – unless well-made. On the other hand, in audiophile issues – the rendering of space, the proportions of instruments, the naturalness of the vocals at Sun Audio 2A3, or even Haiku Sol II, or they fare much better.
Music on the sun, haiku, cary, or even Audionie is such a beautiful natural girl in a dress, and on LM a bit like a lady with artificial tits and a big ass uncovered, which is perfect a piece.
Of course, my opinion can be blamed on the lack of adaptation or sufficiently bent over these hints … But if it is cheaper and without these combinations …
Of the pluses that they cannot be denied: really great made and very quiet (both my egemplars), the pilot. Generally a safe choice, especially if you hit around 10k stimulants.
For the user who is looking for the first or second lamp – it is OK, but to the level presented by the best lamp manufacturers, something is still missing. Perhaps just hearts, a feeling of sound, which is what he puts in his devicesPhoenix, EAR,Audio Note,jade, Audion, or other brands that have survived on the market for a long time on the market of various transistors
So if you haveLine Magnetic– This is not the end of the lamp path, if you wanted to try the lamp and you did not seduce you – keep looking, and if ‘well and correct’ is enough for you and you want something relatively new – go ahead and buy it.
Apart from the sound issues:
I encourage you to choose native products as consumers. Just as there is a difference between Chinese garlic and Polish, you can feel the same difference in audio devices. Even the best copy will remain a copy, we use as many Chinese little things every dayat least in a hobby so close to our heart, on which we spend such irrational money … Let’s make a contribution and make sure that the money remains in our economy. Ultimately, this money ends up in the place where we live and where our children will live.
If you are looking for audio equipment, you feel lost, you read reviews, you are looking for information … Check it outhttps://audio-architect.euYou will save a lot of time and money 🙂
