Looking for recommendations for integrated with a more “organic” sound.

It’s interesting that not many people around here appear to be have turned on to the Lyngdorf approach to Class D design.

There are too many different aspects of how their TDAI integrated amps are both different and innovative to mention w/o writing a real long winded post.

But I will mention their Room Perfect software because I read so many reviews and articles before I dropped the bucks and It’s almost unanimous that they do it better. The results allowed my speakers to really sing. The way it integrates bass, especially, is like wow in effect.

Ok, I will mention one more unique feature and that’s their “voicings”. I would call it an audiophile version of tone control.

The vast majority of the time I leave mine on the Focused (listening position) and Neutral setting, which is like the name imlpies neutral, because I get a very nice and balanced sound out of my equipment. But the Voicings allow me to add more bass or more bass x2 and it’s entirely innovative, how they do it … not by adding one iota of bass frequencies, but by employing a sound curve that takes some of the mid and higher frequencies out of the curve. It illustrates the curve on each of the settings.

My understanding is that Peter Lyngdorf likes to call the TDAI amps a Power Dac and that the electronic design is the equivalent of a wire with gain, how it operates in the real world.

This is not your father’s Class D. And very interesting that more folks haven’t turned on to the innovative approach because it’s uniquely cool. There’s a little brother and big brother, essentially, and they both produce exactly the same sound excepting that the big brother has both more power and more adaptability.

Reason I shared all of this is that a number of the reviewers commented on how organic the sound is, which seems to match what you’re looking for.

Hi all,

Some very interesting suggestions here. Thank you all for your contributions.

As for Yamaha, I actually just sold off my A-S1200 as it does not pair well with my Zu's IMHO. Sounded much better with the Wharfedales I had previously. The midrange is much too thin and it lacked low bass weight for me.

I didn't mention it before, but I am not looking at class-D at the moment. The one amp I tried was impressive in many ways, but an even worse match and after talking to the manufacturer, he agreed that high impedence speakers tend not to pair as well with some class-D amps.

With different speakers, however, I could definitely understand the advantages of a well-implemented class-D design.

Cheers!
Tom

This might work. angela-gilbert.com

This might work. 

Cambridge Azur 851A. Class XD (bet. class A & B). No phono but Stereophile referenced it with Class A traits. It throws a ’sweet’ sounding and ’bouncing’ bass at low volume level in my room compared to my other Class AB Parasound PA. I experienced that quality of sounds also with Accuphase A75 (Class A, $32k new, $15k used). Amazing stuff.

At this point in my listening I could best describe the sound of the Azur 851A as relaxed and enjoyably colorful, in a class-A triode sort of way.

Record after record, the Azur 851A showcased a transparent beauty, and something I can describe only as sonic effervescence. Music had a bubbling, exciting energy that I had never experienced with an audio component at this price level.

Driving the un-broken-in Enzos (review to come), the 851A presented music with deep, deep, well-defined, tuneful bass, elegantly stated detail, and startling dynamics. What a giant-killer match!

the Cambridge Audio Azur 851A is sounding like a modest man’s Pass Labs amp (referred to XA60.5 mono, class A, $22k / pair). I’m talking under $5000 for amp, speakers, and cables that play with the impact, sophistication, color, and refinement of systems costing maybe $20,000 or more.