Who has Luv for the Lyngdorf 2170 and is thinking about the 3400.

@recroom 

The 2170 will have more than enough power for your speakers.  No worries.  I purchased my server and 2170 from Neal and have long praised his service here on the Gon.  Very helpful to me over the years. 

@waltersalas 

Keep that unit fully on and not just standby when not in use.  Big difference after 12 hours of being on. Happy for you.  

Yes in the settings you’ll have to choose for it to not going to automatic standby.

I ran my 2170 with Living Voice OBX RW speakers and the combo worked very well. Great sound at lower to moderate SPLs.  Wonderful imaging, intimacy and overall musicality in my room.  

I use my 2170 with Roon. Loving it for several years now. I use a USB optimized computer server powerful enough to use Roon’s DSP processing if I choose to. No need to spend the money required for the 3400 in my estimation if your speakers don’t require the added power. I don’t think the 3400 sounds any better and frankly wonder if the 2170 may be a tad more organic sounding. Often times more power with the same overall design parameters does not equal better sound if your speakers don’t demand it.

I tried out the newer, more powerful Lyngdorf 2400 amp which is pretty much the same power rating as the 3400 and preferred the sound of my 2170 on its own. It was a tad more musical and rich in the mids. Sure the 2400 has more authority at higher volumes with my 88db speakers, but I liked the 2170 better overall.

I am saying you you can have great sounding Tidal streaming with Roon using your 2170. Great sounding. If you have any DIY skills you can build your own Roon Nucleus server as they offer a kit with a Nuc as the foundation. You can build one well under $1000. Also so many other options.

While there is much debate on which method sounds best USB vs others, I have had stellar results with USB.  You need to use a USB optimized server with a nice USB card from SOTM or Pink Faun. The addition of the Ifi usb 3 reclocker/filter makes for wonderful sounding Tidal streaming with Roon. 

Agreed! The Lyngdorf units when properly and patiently implemented are just flat out satisfying. I never think about amps, preamps, or dacs anymore! 

Yes the USB which sounds the best in the 2170 and gives you DSD capability. I also love the Ifi unit.  Put a Perfect Path Ecard in that unit and be amazed at the improvement.  Amazed. 

I just applied the TC product to the tops of all the caps etc... inside the unit and placed an Ecard inside by using very strong and high quality double sided tape. I taped it label side down to the 4 taller caps. I can give you more details Tim needs to probably load another TC paste ad. Just contact him through a mat ad and say you want to buy a TC kit.  He will when place an ad for you. 

Actually here is the ad......

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis96938-perfect-path-technologies-total-contact-electrical-contac...

Nice. Are you going to use the ROCK operating system by Roon. You should for best sound! It is free.

There is a way to connect a SOTM card in an outboard fashion. I will try and find the link. Yes it would certainly help the sound, but it is not a must.

The 2170 is the polar opposite of bright or forced in the upper mid range or highs. If it veers off neutral it is towards the warm and smooth side of the scale.

It is rated at 80 watts into 8 ohms. Your speaker is 4 ohm and the 2170 puts out some 170 watts into 4 ohms. Your speaker does not dip below 3.5 ohms and is 91.5 effecient. The 2170 has more than enough power. My speakers are 5 ohm 89 dB effecient in a huge room and I have far more power than I could ever use. My room is 34x21 with 10 foot ceilings.  

Makes me wonder if the 3400 is not cut from the same exact sonic cloth as the 2170. The 2170 sounds nothing like this in the highs.  I did demo the Lyngdorf 2400 amp to use with my 2170.  The 2400 has the exact same power as the amp section of the 3400. I did not like the sound as much as my 2170. The 2170 was a tad less dynamic and thunderous in the bass, but it was more natural and right sounding to my ears. Just a thought. I returned the 2400. 

No you dont.  Not at all.  However the 2400 does sound different.  I tried it and like the 2170 more on its own. The 2400 had more bass and control/authority.  However I felt I lost a little musicality.  

Also the 2170 sounds best using the usb input.  If you need more power, then the 2400 is the perfect answer.  It does sound good with the 2170.  I saw a used one up for sale here yesterday. My comments are only based on my rig, preferences  and room.  You may find the 2400 a nice step up in SQ if really pushing your 2170. 

@bjesien



Was the amp broken in? Brand new? What was paired with it? Did you use the internal dac and usb input? What power cord did you use? Thanks ahead for this additional info.

Understood and thanks for the update! 

I think you are right @bullitt5094.I will add that I used it in a treated room with RP on to even greater sonic pleasure in my old dedicated GIK tricked out room. 

I aways think you should set up your speakers and room  for success, then run RP. 

Reflective of up front gear and cabling is really more accurate. I have mine teaming with warmth and intimacy with my mods and gear.  

I probably posted this at least a dozen times on this thread and others but yes I have tried many other solid-state and tube amps with the 2170.

The 2170 always sounded better by itself. Yes you should’ve run room correction and that is my quote above suggesting that the unit should be left on for best sound.

It is impossible for me or even you to know how that amp really sounds based on one visit to a store.Everything matters when it comes to getting the best sound out of this unit. The cabling being used is important and room correction is certainly an aspect that should have been turned on to at least listen to.

Anyway, in the end you will have to listen to it in your own space and determine if you want an additional amp. The unit is not made to use an additional amp to sound it’s best. The possible exception would be using the digital out in which you could use the 2400 amp.In fact the analog outputs and additional interconnect and connectors nullify one of the greatest aspects of this unit which is the short signal paths and built in synergy.

The analog outs on the 2170 are not a strength in terms of the unit’s design. I never said it was not meant to be used with another amp. I said if you want the best sound then going through the analog outs you will be sacrificing sound quality vs using the unit fully as intended. Just buy the Lyngdorf separate room correction unit then.

In the end do what sounds best to you in your room. Just do not plop down and play the 2170 and expect the best out of it. It likes full bodied cabling, nice power cord and conditioning and at least 200-400 hours of run in.

Once you dial it in with intention and a little effort it will make you smile and save you money on separate amps, dacs and additional cabling.

Seems they no longer sell the stand alone room correction unit.  Cable quality is not a function or price. Not every high end cable is best for your particular room, rig and preferences. Once you get the unit just determine if all sounds as you want after some 200 hours of break in. Perhaps you want more of this or less of that or an improvement in some sonic attribute. As other owners have found, owners ready to sell of their units, time and due diligence with cable pairings etc brings long term joy. 

Yes you can use an external amp with room perfect.  You would need to run a second room perfect analysis for the combo and store as a second.  You can also run room perfect with the 3400’s amp and save that and compare over time.  

Best off using the 2170 with no other dac.  That is first.  If you choose to use another amp, then it is hit or miss vs the using the 2170 on its own as your all in one solution. I have found the 2170 sounds best on its own with proper conditioning, power cord and cabling.  Use natural toned cables such as those made with Duelund tinned and stranded copper wire or other cables noted for superb tone and naturalness.  The 2170 sounds best, amp section, fully burned in and left on.  More midrange bloom this way. 

Everything in audio matters. Everything. Every detail. Impossible to plant down a Lyngdorf 3400 or 2170 in a rig, as is, and assume you know how it really sounds. We listen to complete systems, not a 3400 or 2170. The skill and real hard work is what you do around the 2170 or 3400 to arrive at the sort of sound you want. It can be done, but takes time and intentional effort.

This is true of many, not all, pieces of gear. This will be particularly true of a one box “system” sorts of pieces with the dac, pre and amp all in one box. Cabling and conditioning play a huge role. Huge. Footers, tweaks and proper operation also play a big role. I never turn the 2170 off. It sounds MUCH better on all the time. Day and night for me. Everything around my 2170 has a sonic signature of meaty, full bodied and intimate. I was very intentional about feeding and supporting the 2170 with beautifully and naturally toned components. The result is what I want.

I actually believe these units, when fed and nourished with rightly and smartly chosen partners, can always deliver what one is looking for. No system will ever be perfect, but I am talking about contentment and satisfaction. I am referring to using the total unit....amp and all. I think they are that neutral and exceptional. By rightly chosen I simply mean carefully chosen music mates that exemplify your particular sonic priorities. Takes work and effort.

My digital front end is all about meat on the bones and beautiful tone.....

Innuos Zen III server....known to be meaty and wonderfully warm and musical. SOTM USB reclocker and power supply also known to be less analytical and scoring high for musicality.

Duelund stranded and tinned copper cabling throughout also known for its wonderful tonality and natural realism.

Careful attention to the AC using dedicated AC lines, modified balanced power transformers that are also known for removing glare, digital nasties, and delivering a full bodied presentation.

Proper grounding is also very very important and the use of grounding boxes/devices is highly recommended. They help remove noise. Noise has always been the big enemy to proper musical tone.

Then we still have the room interaction. The room correction used by Lyngdorf is first rate and I suggest trying different mic placement scenarios to arrive at what sounds best to you.

I am saying if one makes a decision for a one box wonder, then simply placing it a current system and hitting play won’t get it done many times. Sometimes it will, but often more work is needed. To really get the most out of it takes commitment and thoughtful pairing considerations. Just buying additional boxes of gear to use instead of parts of the 2170/3400 is an option, but in my estimation they are expensive and more complex work arounds for a quick change.  

I assume the 2170 is included? 

I find my 2170 loves a balanced power isolation transformer based conditioner in front of it.