2. amps-preamps
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Lyngdorf TDAI-3400

Well, after reading all the rave reviews of the Lyngdorf TDAI-2170 both here and other places, I decided to order a TDAI-3400 for myself.  I must admit I am still skeptical that such a diminutive piece of equipment can sound better than the Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP tube amp weighing more than 50 lbs, but I have been so intrigued by everything I have read I simply had to pull the trigger. 
I just unboxed it today, hooked everything up, and am listening to it for a while before setting up Room Perfect. 
I really want to hear the what the amp sounds like as-is for a bit to understand it better. 
First impressions:  Without Room Perfect it sounds like very nice solid state amps I've owned in the past, but to be honest, I don't find the sound to be particularly moving.  I moved to tubes after years of solid state, and I swore I would never go back.  That is where I'm coming from.  I should also add that I always try to keep an open mind.  While my initial take on it might sound like I don't like it, I hope folks just read this as me being as honest as possible about what I hear.  I know the tendency when buying new gear is to want so badly to love it in order to justify the expense that it's easy to fool oneself into believing it's an improvement over what you had before, even when it's not.  Of course I really want it to be as mind blowing as it has been built up in my mind to be, but if it's not I am OK with simply moving back to what I have liked so far.   
I have only been playing records through it so far.  Analog makes up 98% of my listening so that's where I am starting with it.  I have a nice CD transport that I will connect to it in the next day or so just to hear the DAC in the unit.  I will also experiment with playing files from USB sticks, computer audio from my MacBook Pro, and whatever else I decide.  I am not prepared to purchase a music server just yet, but it's something I have thought about for a while.  
My system:  speakers are Harbeth Monitor 40.1's.  Turntable is an SME 20/2 with SME IV.iv tonearm and Kiseki Purple Heart cartridge, fed to a Parasound JC-3+ phono preamp.  Power conditioner is Audioqest Niagara 7000.  CD transport is a Wadia 8.  
I will report back as I have more time to experiment and let the amp break in.  

128x128snackeyp

Showing 8 responses by waltersalas

waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 
@jcarcopo Very sorry to hear that your problem has not yet been resolved. I have not experienced similar issues with my 3400 playing through the Encores, though I also rarely turn it up louder than -16dB.

I hope you get it resolved soon!
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 

Since you asked, this little update is for shkong78 and anyone else who may be interested in my findings thus far. First of all, I have about a hundred hours and counting--I believe Bill (grannyring) indicated that the unit may need a lot more time than that to reach its full potential, so consider my report here in that context.

I have been all over the place in my thinking on the 3400. There have been sessions when I was ready to put my Line Magnetic 508ia integrated and Lampizator Atlantic up for sale, so enamored I was with the sound from the 3400. There have been other sessions where I found myself missing the immediacy and eerie presence of my SET amp. I found myself wondering if I could get the best of both worlds by using the 3400 as a preamp and running the 508ia through it. I have not yet tried that, so nothing to report there, but I may give it a whirl at some point. For now, I have been content to take the full measure of the 3400 just as it is until I feel the break-in process is complete.

There is no doubt that the 3400 is an incredible unit, and I am having a blast with it. I have never had better bass in my system than I have now, and the presentation overall is very natural and balanced, with excellent sound staging. There have been several sessions when I have just sat there grinning, utterly mesmerized by the sound.

Without a doubt, there are things about the 3400 that I like more than any other amp or DAC I have ever owned, including the bass, fullness of sound, and imaging, which is pinpoint clear. This is by far the most holographic experience I have ever had with non-tube equipment. The music really is enveloping.

I had feared that the 3400 might be a bit clinical or sterile, but that is not the case at all. It sounds wonderful, and I think there may be further gains to be had with more break-in and finding the best AC cable, USB cable, and speaker cables to run with it.

I would not say that it is "match" for my SET amp--rather, it is actually better in some ways, and perhaps close enough in others. That is exactly what I am trying to decide before making this leap official. 
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 

Hi Charles,

I would say that my impressions are preliminary, because I believe I have only scratched the surface on what the Lyngdorf can do and be in my system. It is so fun, and so versatile. And it sounds great, too!  So far, I do not quite have the "goose bump" factor with it that I get with my LM 508ia on some recordings, but I am not so sure that I won't get there with the 3400, which is so very impressive in so many ways. 

For one thing, it has much better range of volume control than the 508ia, and it sounds better both at lower and higher volumes, maintaining its character up and down the dial. I love that! The low end is much more authoritative through the 3400, and the sound overall is better balanced, whereas the LM 508 excels in the mid range, but lacks the punch and visceral impact of the 3400, which is not to say that the 508 won't rattle the china in your cabinets. It will, but the 3400 holds together better at higher volumes and never shows any signs of strain whatsoever. In short, at this point, I would say there are trade offs, and one's preference would depend largely on one's sonic priorities. I could live happily with either set-up, and would have a hard time at this moment choosing which way to go.

I will be conducting some experiments this weekend to see if I can get a better handle on all of this. First I plan to run the 508 through the 3400 and run room correction to see how that compares with the 3400 on its own. Then I will remove the 3400 and put back in the 508 and the tube-rectified Lampi Atlantic, which is just an incredible DAC (very different and more dynamic and balanced than other Lampi DACs I've heard). This has been my reference for two years, so I know this sound well, but since I have been listening to the Lyngdorf for a full week, it will be interesting to hear it again after adjusting to the Lyngdorf sound. That might well be telling.



waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 
@jcarcopo Sometimes venting can be therapeutic. We've all been there at one time or another. I hope you find a workable solution soon!
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 

Peter, thanks for your post. This is very encouraging for me especially, since I play a lot of vinyl. I would love to try XLR, but unfortunately, my Allnic H1201 is RCA only.  I hope you find a music server that suits you. I've been pretty pleased with my Aurender X100L. It sounds good to me, I can stream TIDAL through it, and it has 6 TB of storage.
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 

@shkong78 Sorry to leave you hanging. My weekend didn't go as planned, so I have not yet had an opportunity to follow through on running the 3400 as a preamp for the LM 508, but I will get to it sometime this week.

In the meantime, I am really enjoying the 3400 as is. I was unable to read the review--is there a way to translate it to English? But it sounds pretty much in line with where I am--the ONLY area where the 3400 doesn't quite match the 508 is in the midrange, but I do look forward to an A/B comparison to see just what the gap may be. There will be gaps in the 3400's favor as well.

Also, as a previous owner of a Devialet D200, I can say without any doubt that the 3400 is far, far better in my system and to my ears. I thought the Devialet sounded clean and clear, but in the long run, it was just not as musically engaging as I wanted it to be. No such issue with the 3400, which is keeping me nights listening and smiling.
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 
@t_ramey 

I am really enjoying my 3400. As with most things in high end, whether someone could live with it long term depends on their priorities. It does not quite have the mid-range magic of a good SET tube amp, but I find its mid-range to be very natural sounding, and the soundstage overall fuller and somehow more "complete" than other amps I've had, with excellent imaging as well. The bass is also tighter and deeper than I've had, though this is hard to compare with some other amps from the past, since I had different speakers in those days.

The Room Perfect is very nice, though how it important it is may depend upon the challenges of the room. Since my system is in the living room with very little in the way of room treatments, it is nice to have.

In all, I'm very happy with both the sound and versatility of the 3400, though it did take a little time to get used to the loss of the SET sound. I feel sure that if I went back now, there are more things that I would miss about the Lyngdorf. Honestly, convenience is also part of the equation. But the sonics are excellent as well, at least for my tastes.

I hope that helps.


waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
939 posts
 
@mifanning 

I hope you enjoy the 3400 as much as I did. It is such a versatile, great-sounding piece. Great pleasure to meet you in person as well.


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