LFD - The best integrated amp I have ever heard.

Unwritten rule with the Brits: Less fancy it looks the better it sounds.

Thx for sharing BE.

My personal favorites atm:

images


Ayre+AX-7e.jpg


If I was moving to Siberia :D
sugden-a21se.jpg
 
Audio is a cheap hobby compared to replacing wives.

Boy have you got that one right Erik, about 9 years ago I lost well over 40K in 3 systems I had worked on for several years, Naim fully active setup, ATC active setup and Pass Labs/Magnepan setup. Not to mention a house, 401K, and retirement. Never have recovered, but I am a happier person now! Tim
 
That Sugden sure is a beefy looking amp, built like the proverbial brick......Tim
 
Last edited:
Oddly enough, and a week ago I never would have thought this, but the $7000 price seems very fair to me, considering the performance, and how it is crafted. If your power requirements don't change, this could indeed be a lifetime amp.

Sadly, as fair as in think the price is, it might as well be $7 million right now.

As an aside, when I heard the sensational Luxman L550 AX (a bargain at a mere $5500), I thought it wonderful, and expensive. The NCSE seemed even more wonderful, but sadly unaffordable, rather than seeming expensive. Does that make sense?

Makes perfect sense :)

estreeter. The Sugden is a big favourite of the only Hi Fi magazine I have any real respect for in the UK (HiFi World), have you heard it?
 
The Sugden A21SE is one the nicest sounding amps I've had the pleasure to listen to. Beautiful to look at as well.
 
Basically, after years of buying based on what other people said sounds good, usually online, I've decided to hear and learn as much as I can. Actually experience my hobby, go figure. I've ended up learning a lot, and having done great, and not so great, experiences. And lots of fun!

There ya go Big fella! Thats what its all about. Find out what really moves you, and not what others say should move you. Good move Erik!:thmbsp:
 
There are still lots of great stores in the area, plus some good distributors too. Actually, a good number of manufacturers also - Bryston, Coincident, Paradigm, Reference 3A, Blue Circle, TTWeights, NAD, PSB, etc.

No excuse but laziness if I don't go out and enjoy what's available.

Well.....I think you got some splaining to do....this is what's listed in your upper right. I've Been Everywhere
:D
 
Boy have you got that one right Erik, about 9 years ago I lost well over 40K in 3 systems I had worked on for several years, Naim fully active setup, ATC active setup and Pass Labs/Magnepan setup. Not to mention a house, 401K, and retirement. Never have recovered, but I am a happier person now! Tim

Wow..sorry to hear this, Tim.
 
Gene Rubin has the NCSE at rougly 2.5K more than the LE IV, so I guess its still a significant step up - would be great to hear both amps. And his Exposure/Rega line :D
 
Slippers, thanks, just part of life's great circle! Things can or could always be worse, and I look around and realize, it isn't so bad afterall! No one can take the music away! Tim
 
The Sugden A21SE is one the nicest sounding amps I've had the pleasure to listen to. Beautiful to look at as well.

Were you able to use it as a heater in Winter, or is that just a case of reviewer's exaggerating the amount of heat the A21 generates ?
 
I heard an LFD IV a few weeks back, very sweet and spacious sound it was too.

I just picked up a very gently used MK IV Signature. I'm still running it in, but am very happy with the sound. I'd never heard one, and bought it based on reviews. It's not often you come across a piece with no negative press.

Listening through a set of Totem Model 1 signatures.

Any other owners around?
 
I just picked up a very gently used MK IV Signature. I'm still running it in, but am very happy with the sound. I'd never heard one, and bought it based on reviews. It's not often you come across a piece with no negative press.

Listening through a set of Totem Model 1 signatures.

Any other owners around?

Doesn't seem to be! Can't produce too many amps of one guy is making them by hand.

How you enjoying it?
 
I heard an LFD NCSE and it was heartbreakingly good. All hand made by Dr. Richard Bews in England, these are some seriously great sounding amps. Figure the best of tubes and SS in one, non-descript box. Then think of a seriously large price tag, $7500.

NCSE.jpg

$7500 is about how much a typical McIntosh integrated or CDP costs, so I guess that's not an unrealistic price, especially if that LFD slays today's McIntosh integrateds.
 
$7500 is about how much a typical McIntosh integrated or CDP costs, so I guess that's not an unrealistic price, especially if that LFD slays today's McIntosh integrateds.

I've never heard anything like it. If you've never heard one, you really have to give it a listen. I'm not the only one who thinks these are the best sounding ss integrateds there are.
 
I've never heard anything like it. If you've never heard one, you really have to give it a listen. I'm not the only one who thinks these are the best sounding ss integrates there are.

Sam Tellig at Stereophile thinks very highly of them and he is running a wonderful pair of Harbeth Monitor 30.1's with one. The most recent stereophile has nice write up relative to the LFD amps. The dealer I spoke to yesterday where I bought my LFD cables said that the LFD amps are his favorite.
 
Back
Top Bottom