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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.  

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almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
@JCarcopo, I took a look at the manual for the 3400, and here are some things that appear to me may be worth trying:

1) There is a limiter function that can be engaged via the menus. Try that, if you already haven’t.

2) The section in the manual on RoomPerfect states as follows:

You can always add room measurements to increase the RoomKnowledge, and if you have a bit too much bass, we recommend taking a couple of measurements within 50cm/1.5ft of the walls and ceiling when above 90% RoomKnowledge.
Perhaps doing that would resolve the problem, while not reducing overall bass response to an unacceptable degree.

3) After looking at the manual the answer to the question I raised previously still isn’t clear to me, namely whether or not the unit can provide visibility into the specific characteristics of the room corrections. Perhaps that can be obtained in the screens that are depicted in the "Voicing Setup" section of the manual, or perhaps not. But if it can be, seeing exactly what the corrections are may provide a clue as to how to address the problem. And perhaps the solution would be creation of a suitable "voicing filter," to reduce the magnitude of one or more specific boosts the RoomPerfect function has introduced.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al
jcarcopo's avatar
jcarcopo
504 posts
 
@almarg Thanks for the help.  I already have the limiter engaged. Lyngdorf finally got back to me, apparently my issue ticket was left on the wrong desk.  They want me to upload a copy of the backup settings to drop box and let them analyze it to see what's going on. There's is a dip around 100hz based on a prior manual room correction measurement using REW. It was being corrected through Roon though not as aggressively, but the Lyngdorf can add up to 10db of gain to compensate.  This should still allow me to turn the unit volume up to 0db, but I'm having issues at -7db so something isn't right.  I'll get the file to Lyngdorf so maybe they can shed some light on what's going on. 
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Jonathan, 
That's good news and I'm confident that Lyngdorf will get this problem figured out in short order.
Charles 
woogoob
2 posts
 
I've had my eye on the TDAI-2170 and now the 3400.  I came across this YouTube video comparing I believe a tube setup vs. the 3400.  I know you can't judge sound quality thru a YouTube video, but I definitely thought the snare drum was a lot more believable with the tube setup.  Any one else hear the same thing?

Gary

https://youtu.be/2AEzr6MhYpU

olesno
87 posts
 
Just wanted to share my latest experience with the 3400 and the Encores.  I'm going to add the Oppo 205 to this, as I use it as my digital source for everything but streaming.  That is taken care of by Tidal/Roon/Nucleus +.  So, I have about 200 SACDs, some DVDAs and a few Bluray audio discs.  In all my previous setups I had to listen to all of the above via analog outs on my Oppo.  Digital out could only be used to handle Red Book CDs.  As good as the sound of all those high resolution disks was I slowly started losing interest in them.  Once I got the Lyngdorf, I started experimenting with the digital out in my Oppo via HDMI out (Main) and the HDMI input of my Lyngdorf.  Since the TDIA accepts only PCM through the HDMI in, I had to make sure that PCM and not DSD is being sent by the Oppo.  I connected both units via pretty generic HDMI cable and listened to several of my SACDs, mostly jazz and vocals but also some classic rock like Pink Floyd, the Stones, etc.  This was the best experience in my room ever!!!  The sound was so incredibly good that I couldn't stop listening.  To me it was more real than ever before.  I'm not great in describing the sound in "audiophile" terms but I can tell you that the combination of Oppo, Lyngdorf and the Tekton Encores (via HDMI) created unbelievably  realistic music in my room with real sounding instruments and voices.  BTW, Red Book CDs sounded awesome too.  So, now I am tempted to look for a good HDMI cable even though I can't imagine how it could make it sound better.  But..., you just never know ;)
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