Has anyone tried the Line Magnetic 518IA/845IA?

[JaideepGiridhar]

I plan to use either one of these as:
A power amplifier fed by a PS Audio BHK preamp
A power amplifier fed by a Cambridge Audio EVO 150's preamp out
An integrated amplifier fed by Lumin U2->Chord MScaler->Chord Hugo TT2 (same chain applies to the first scenario)
All three scenarios feature either/or Falcon LS3/5A Gold Badge/ProAc Response D2R
Sound Foundations has both on order - three months' waiting time, is what I was told.
Any advice/thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I plan to use either one of these as:
A power amplifier fed by a PS Audio BHK preamp
A power amplifier fed by a Cambridge Audio EVO 150's preamp out
An integrated amplifier fed by Lumin U2->Chord MScaler->Chord Hugo TT2 (same chain applies to the first scenario)
All three scenarios feature either/or Falcon LS3/5A Gold Badge/ProAc Response D2R
Sound Foundations has both on order - three months' waiting time, is what I was told.
Any advice/thoughts would be much appreciated.

Hi

Stereophile has reviewed both the above amps, but sadly both are different reviewers, so a comparative judgement will be difficult. Having said that both are very similar topologies, with the 845IA being a direct replacement for the 518IA, with supposedly changed internals. Which i hope is for the better. So maybe the newer 845IA will be a better bet with a longer serviceable life.

 

[Nikhil]

Line Magnetic are world class amps. You really can't go wrong.
FM @sameer kumar had the LM 518IA some time ago.
I remember hearing them with his Pure Audio Project Trios and they were fabulous.

IMO you will not have a problem driving the Falcons or the Proacs with the LM518IA.
Big meaty seductive tube sound. You really have to go towards something top notch to better them.
if you are looking for negatives, I would say they smooth over micro details but again this is nit picking.

Good luck with your amp search!


.

 

[JaideepGiridhar]

Line Magnetic are world class amps. You really can't go wrong.
FM @sameer kumar had the LM 518IA some time ago.
I remember hearing them with his Pure Audio Project Trios and they were fabulous.

IMO you will not have a problem driving the Falcons or the Proacs with the LM518IA.
Big meaty seductive tube sound. You really have to go towards something top notch to better them.
if you are looking for negatives, I would say they smooth over micro details but again this is nit picking.

Good luck with your amp search!


.

Excellent, thanks. This gives me the push I needed.

 

[muralimmreddy]

As shared earlier, Herb Reichert of Sterophile likes this combination https://www.stereophile.com/content/falcon-gold-badge-ls35a-loudspeaker-page-2

https://www.stereophile.com/content/line-magnetic-audio-lm-518ia-integrated-amplifier-page-2

I can vouch for this comment from Herb

"The Line Magnetic LM-518IA mated especially well with the Falcon LS3/5a that I reviewed in August. The amp's 16-ohm taps loved the 15-ohm"

While falcons are inefficient, they are easy load, they played really well on 16 ohm tap on average Willsenton r300.