Hair Ball Audio Lola vs. Sound Sklpture MP599

[dandandandandandandan]

Dear Group DIY,
I am building a small 500-series DIY kit.
I am being indulgent on a project and want each voice to have its own different preamp. I thought that would be interesting.
The Lola is $450 plus import taxes, and shipping, when I am travelling to Germany from Canada and can have the MP599 for about $140usd cheaper.
The MP599 is based on two Lundahl transformers, while the Lola is a Neve clone.
Any advice would be super!
Thank you so much!
Dan

 

[TillM]

The Lola is not a Neve clone, it just have neve style input and output transformer.
The topology is totally different.
Pick whatever you like, you will be fine with booth.
The hardware on the Lola is a bit more stable, I don’t like the cheap Omeg potentiometer that Sound Skulptor use.

 

[elskardio]

I don’t like the cheap Omeg potentiometer that Sound Skulptor use.

Care to elaborate?
Omegs are among the finest potentioneters I've used.

 

[Ricardus]

Care to elaborate?
Omegs are among the finest potentioneters I've used.

He doesn't like plastic pot shafts.

 

[TillM]

Yes. The quality is good, but I don’t like the plastic shaft and prefer potted potentiometer.

 

[dandandandandandandan]

The Lola is not a Neve clone, it just have neve style input and output transformer.
The topology is totally different.
Pick whatever you like, you will be fine with booth.
The hardware on the Lola is a bit more stable, I don’t like the cheap Omeg potentiometer that Sound Skulptor use.

thanks for your reply!

 

[Toobme]

I’ve built both and can’t decide which I like better. Both have great build quality, both sound different.
Both are great, as @TillM said. The Lola is unique, tho, not a clone.
I love it on bass, vox, kick, everything I’ve tried. But I have Millennia, Vintech, SS, HB, DAV, AEA, to compare with. Both find their way on my sessions!

 

[dandandandandandandan]

I’ve built both and can’t decide which I like better. Both have great build quality, both sound different.
Both are great, as @TillM said. The Lola is unique, tho, not a clone.
I love it on bass, vox, kick, everything I’ve tried. But I have Millennia, Vintech, SS, HB, DAV, AEA, to compare with. Both find their way on my sessions!

Thanks!