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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
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,510 posts
 
@bjesien 
Sorry your experience does not match many happy owners and reviewers. Not sure why your post is so negative and attacking of me and other happy owners who have as much or considerably more experience and knowledge than you. Too bad you went there. 

You should realize by now that no piece of gear will ever, ever, please all audiophiles. So many factors lead to differing outcomes that I could write a short book on it.  Proper system set up, gear and synergy, room synergy and realities, break in, small tweaks, listener hearing and preferences, cabling, and on and on....

Sure it did not work for you, but no need to go hyperbolic and broad brush negative on other owner experiences. Many pieces of great sounding gear out there that garner mixed owner reviews and experiences. Nothing new or surprising here. 
bjesien
1,314 posts
 
My intention on posting was not to single out any users of this thread, owners, designers, etc. I am an ordinary listener with less experience than many people here, but I have traded in excess of $150,000 in gear, live near and travel to cities for pleasure and business and always seek opportunities to listen when I can. I pay attention but audio is a relatively unimportant passion for me if that makes sense.

I do realize that no piece of gear will ever please all audiophiles, and that certainly includes the 2170. To my ears it does not sound like tubes, doesn’t "bloom" and lacks in terms of transparency. I was influenced to give it a try based on some of the notes from the internet that I will share. I take many pages of notes on my phone each month (maybe 1-2 pages on audio) and I don’t know who said what/where, but I try to copy them accurately when I see them. Notes from my Iphone-

Lyngdorf TDAI 2170:

2170 85w 3400 200wpc.

User says audiophiles can buy a Lyngdorf with funds from their cable sales and stop thinking about hifi.

User says closest thing to wire with gain.

User says amp will replace $40,000 worth of tube gear.

Company site--With room perfect, speakers sound exactly as the manufacturer intended them to sound.

User says it makes obsolete over $70,000 worth of gear in his room.

Reviewer says the amp changed his life.

Owner of company was part owner of NAD and Snell and owns Dali. 20 years plus amps and room correction experience.



----------------------------------------------------

Talk about hyperbolic and broad brush, oh my. The 2170 sounds similar to other 3- 4-5k integrateds I’ve had, actually not as good as many of them. I’ve watched audio gear for a while now and I don’t recall many claims of people selling $70k worth of gear for a $5k amp/dac. I bet many that bought based on that hype have sold them and moved on already.  











aniwolfe
761 posts
 
Sorry goin ramble a bit.

I used to own the mighty Primaluna Dialogue Premium Integrated amp. I much preferred the more refined sound of the 2170. Sorry.

I just could not get the PL to please me, I spent 100’s of dollars in tubes to make it work. Just didn’t cut it for me. Now...did I go to the Primaluna forum and question everyone’s ears? Nope! I sold it and moved on.

I will tell you when I first hooked up the 2170, I wasn’t sure I would like it. Sounded a bit thin, two dimensional and bright. Well a week later I was really starting to enjoy it, warmed up quite a bit and 2 years later, I still own it. I can buy something else if I want to. Grannyring doesn’t have a gun to my head!

Is the 2170 perfect?...No. Does it sound like tubes? Not really..Does tubes sound like the 2170...Not!
If I wanted tubes I would buy a tube amp. Does the 2170 do things better than tubes amps I have heard...yes. Do you people buy vanilla ice cream hoping it will taste like chocolate?

Sorry for the over the top enthusiasm for the Lyngdorf has hurt some of you. The 2170 to me is a very important piece of equipment. Its fine to give the 2170 negative reviews..I am ok with it...not going hurt me a bit. You can question my hearing to..I am ok with that also.

Please try to use this experience, buy smarter and stop blaming others for your misfortunes. Make a positive out of it and use it as a learning experience.

The person I bought the 2170, felt the midrange was harsh at higher levels. Ok! Didn’t find that

I know someone here that sold a 2170, because he felt it was too bright...ok! Sorry to hear that. In my system, it sounds more natural and liquid compared to the Primaluna. Can I make my system sound bright with the 2170 installed...sure. Get me some titanium tweeters and silver wiring please!
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,510 posts
 
VThose statements read like the experience of owners and factual information about the manufacturer/owner. No, the unit does not sound like tubes, but when properly set up with time and diligence the 2170 can sound so damn engaging. I build tube gear and have owned, listen to in my home and upgraded/modified more gear than you can imagine @bjesien. Goodness just look at my feedback. Yes, I am the dude who manufactures and sells audio cables. Yes, I am the dude who said my 2170 replaced some $20,000 worth of gear and and I like my current sound more. All true statements and my actual experience. Again, just because you have not had the same experience does not mean other’s realities are hyperbolic in nature. No, it simply means they are different experiences with the same Hifi piece. Common to have differing opinions and experiences with a piece of gear so why the negative spin on the opinions of folks who think this piece is not just another integrated amp? Our experiences are just as valid as yours. Just different.

You stated you did not find the piece to your liking, nothing special, flat sounding etc...That is your experience and should be shared here. All good.  But it seems that was not enough for you and you were somehow motivated to insult different opinions and experiences. This is where you went wrong 
jaredjcrandall84's avatar
jaredjcrandall84
6 posts
 
I am in the camp of being very happy with the Lyngdorf 3400 but wonder if I can improve even further if I went digital out to a dac (i love chord dacs), and then a great amp (pass labs, etc.). I suppose at this point in time the 3400 would only serve as room correction and front end, but if adding a DAC/AMP of my choice hopefully adds more value that is worth the cost, thoughts?
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