2. amps-preamps
  3. 149138-132651

Anthem STR or Lyngdorf TDAI 2170?

I recently moved house and went from a listening space that was pretty generous to my current setup (Cronus Magnum II + B&W 805D3s) to one where the soundstage sounds really flat and underwhelming. Because we watch a lot of movies, I’ve also been running an integrated (Rotel 1592) and using a splitter to switch between that and the Cronus depending on the source (music or movies).

It’s a lot of equipment and wires for a small space and, given how lackluster the sound is, I want to consolidate everything by leveling up to an integrated with room correction.

I’m stuck between an Anthem STR or a Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 (or 3400 if it’s leaps and bounds better than both).

Reviews and comments on both are equally impressive. Has anyone sampled both and have a POV on which I should go with?
jwh2
keoliphant
86 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara 
Hurry up and buy those yamaha speakers as I can't wait to hear what you think. They look amazing.... Hoping the sound matches. Good luck.
mofojo
2,312 posts
 
yyzsantabarbara ,
Please report back with your findings of the pre amp section shootout between the 2 units. Interested for sure.
One thing about the Lyngdorf that I believe to be true but I am not positive about is that it will lose resolution if using as a preamp and not going to it's own class D external amplifier via a digital connection. Maybe someone can correct me here if I am wrong. 
Another thing to consider is the Lyngdorf absolutely sounds better after being on for 24 hours. I leave mine on 24/7 with the display off. If they had just turned it on it would make quite a bit of difference IMO. Would be interesting to have your dealer turn it on the night before you come back and try the unit as a whole package again. 
yyzsantabarbara
5,021 posts
 
@mofojo  I emailed Lyngdorf and asked whether the system is diminished, especially Room Perfect, if I used an external amp.

Me: "I am interested in the 3400 integrated. I would like to clarify if ROOM PERFECT processing can be outputted via the analogue XLR outputs into an external amp. I know that non-ROOM PERFECT output can be sent to an external amp. My confusion arises from comment I heard that said that the 3400's amplification is essential for ROOM PERFECT to work. That is an external amp cannot do ROOM PERFECT."

Lyngdorf:
Hallo
RoomPerfect will function no matter how you output the signal - it just requires full-range stereo setup to work

so - no problem to use external amplifier(s) !

Best regards
Flemming Smith
LYNGDORF AUDIO

Thanks for the idea of keeping the unit on. I will definitively ask them to do so before the demo. I would love it, for the short term, if I could just use the 3400 and my analogue sources without an external amp. The Yamaha may also play better with the Lyngdorf amp versus the Persona 5F (which sounded great with the config and big demo room I described above). 

BTW - I am looking forward to try the EtherREGEN if I get the 3400 for streaming vs getting a USB D-2-D streaming solution.
Post removed 
mike_in_nc
1,166 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara : You asked about XLR cables. I use cables made for me by a pro audio shop (Pro Audio LA) from Neutrik XLR connectors and Mogami W2549 cabling. In a single-blind test, they sounded considerably more neutral to me and to 4 experienced listeners than a boutique brand costing about $2200.

Power amp is the Bryston 4B3, which I have owned for a little while. If starting fresh, I would give the matching STR power amp a try, to see if there was any special synergy when pairing Anthem equipment.

P.S. I don't know if using the pre section of the STR integrated will give you results equivalent to the STR Preamp itself. I would hope that, given the small cost delta, the STR Pre is better.
More to discover