Modern integrated amplifiers can do much more than just “just” amplify and manage stereo signals. An integrated amplifier that can do a lot is the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400. It attracts, for example, with a highly sophisticated room calibration (RoomPerfect) and such a comprehensive modular design that it is possible for everyone to “tailor” their perfect amplifier.
The chic high-tech amp basically represents the latest evolution of the 20-year-old Tact digital amplifier, which was way ahead of its time at the time: with digital room correction and switching power amplifier. Tact has since become Lyngdorf Audio, but the great-grandchild amplifier is still based on the same ideas. Everything is up to date today.
The concept of the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400
The Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 is a completely digital machine, which primarily also offers digital inputs or network interfaces. In the basic version – keyword: modular structure – there are only two analog cinch inputs, that’s it. The speaker terminals feed 4-ohm speakers with up to 400 watts of energy, with 8 ohms exactly half that. RS-232 and trigger allow remote control.
Optionally, you can order the TDAI-3400 with an HDMI module, which then also offers video device access and switching options. The HDMI output integrates an audio return channel (ARC), which brings the sound from the television into the system. An analog input circuit board can be retrofitted, with three additional cinch and one XLR stereo input. The latest variant of this board, which was not yet ready for testing, replaces a line input with a phono MM input.
The digital connections offer a few special features. Of course, the Cinch and Toslink connections for SPDIF are included. More professional devices have an AES/EBU input and fans of computer audio can register the Dane as an external sound card via USB audio. A bit rarer is the digital output with SPDIF to an external D/A converter, if desired. There are also USB sockets at the front and rear for sticks and hard drives.
The slot for SD cards to back up all parameters is unusual but practical. Streaming via DLNA and Roon and the services Spotify and vTuner as well as control via app or web interface is done via Ethernet LAN cable or WLAN without a visible antenna.
The workmanship of the timeless industrial design is robust, precise, and almost perfect according to the price range. All screws are flush, and the surfaces are great. But the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 isn’t entirely flawless either: the connector routing of the front USB socket stands out visually and the associated rubber stopper only covers it incompletely. On the other hand, the huge, crystal-clear matrix display, which is easy to read from meters away, is pleasing.
The slim remote control looks elegant and is practical because it uses both infrared and Bluetooth. Once the handset and amplifier have found each other via Bluetooth, it doesn’t matter where you point the remote control, all functions work even if there is no line of sight between the amp and remote control through a closet door or from the neighboring room.
The scope of delivery includes a professional measurement microphone for RoomPerfect room measurement and, commendably, a full-blown microphone stand so that the microphone can also be positioned precisely and decoupled. The most comprehensive and clearest control over all detailed settings is obtained when using the web interface.
HOW TO CHOOSE A SOUND AMPLIFIER?
For everyday use, most users will certainly reach for the remote control or the app. It also offers the look and feel of the physical device, including the huge rotary volume control with “flywheel” and the corresponding lag. The app also shows streaming info about the current title or radio station, but as soon as you tap the configuration icon, the web interface opens. Some impressions of the operation here in the slide show:
The configuration options are really impressive. Inputs can be mapped, renamed, adjusted in level and tone preset, and even delayed for video output to achieve lip sync.
Helpful: During the initial commissioning, a detailed catalog of questions about the configuration appears and configures the complex machine practically by itself.
What makes this amp so flexible is the ability to freely define what you do with the analog high-level outputs. You can configure them as “normal” preamp outputs or you can configure full bass management with one or two subwoofers. The advantage of the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400: You can freely set all parameters, from the signal assignment to the filter characteristics and edge steepness, to the level and delays. The downside: you really have to do everything “on foot”; the processor does not allow auto-configuration in this regard, as is known from modern AV receivers.
RoomPerfect: calibration and sound tuning
With the in-house RoomPerfect procedure, measuring the room is easy to understand and takes the user to the goal in five steps. Compared to the yogurt cups that come with most AV receivers, the measurement microphone looks professional and robust. The XLR cable also reaches across very large rooms and even the necessary adapter to mini jack is well-made.
As always, the standard procedure provides for the first measurement to be positioned as precisely as possible at the main listening position, which is called “Focus Position” here. Then, according to the instructions, more or less random positions in the room should be measured, also close to but never directly on boundary surfaces – i.e. walls, corners, or floors. After each measurement, RoomPerfect reports how good its “room knowledge” is, i.e. how well the room is recorded. Said and done.
My first practical tests in the acoustically optimized LowBeats test cinema took place with the large full-range floor-standing loudspeaker Heco CelanGT 902. Incomprehensible to me, RoomPerfect tries to “fill up” the typical extinction in the bass through the reflection on the rear wall, which is an impossibility. It amplified almost 15 decibels in this area – as could be measured. The bass range then sounded correspondingly rumbling and fortunately, the Heco can put away a pound of energy…
In any case, the power amplifier and the woofers had to do well. I repeated the measurement and consulted the sales department. In the detail of the measurements, you can also see that RoomPerfect even tried to compensate for the first reflection of the floor in the fundamental tone. Somehow the system doesn’t get along well with my room.
As the sales department confirmed to me from their own experience with customers, it worked better if you didn’t follow the instructions and instead only combined a “Focus Position” and a few measuring points of the directly adjacent seating positions. So it sounded much more homogeneous and tidier, and the banging disappeared. By the way: The Lyngdorf with an automatic limiter prevents overdriving during amplification in equalizing in an exemplary manner.
However, the test with the small Heco CelanGT 302 compact speakers plus the powerful CelanGT Sub 322 subwoofer delivered the best sound. Configured to 80Hz crossover frequency with manually adjusted level and runtime, RoomPerfect was then measured over it. As before, this does a pure two-channel overall correction, with no separate treatment of the subwoofer. This really resulted in a balanced sound – regardless of whether by ear or by measurement.
One of the reasons why it sounded so superior was certainly the fact that in this configuration I was able to position the subwoofer more favorably for bass reproduction from the outset. It’s my old thesis: satellite plus subwoofer solve problems that often cannot be solved with full-range loudspeakers.
The RoomPerfect calibration process is fully automatic and the corrections cannot be further edited. Lyngdorf regulates this and all taste corrections very cleverly by the so-called “voicing”. A good dozen useful frequency response curves are listed here, which are combined with the automatic correction of the measurement. You can adjust the “voicing” very extensively and at the same time very precisely in a clear editor with eight parametric filters each. Existing voicings can be modified and you can even create and name your new ones. A powerful tool. This would even “repair” the dramatic overcompensation of the first RoomPerfect attempt.
The Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 in the listening test
But enough technical stuff. Once calibrated and configured, the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 is very easy to use. Select the source, and turn it up/down, that’s all it takes. Feel free to switch the voicings. Whether you prefer to use the controls on the device, the remote control, the app or a web interface is purely a matter of taste. If you use Spotify, vTuner, or local streaming via DLNA or Roon, you already have the little machine under control, including automatic input selection.
A sound comparison of the inputs and signal types showed that on the one hand, the HDMI board sounded surprisingly well and the quality did not deteriorate as much as we are used to from AV receivers, for example. Proof of good removal of HDMI-typical jitter. The digital audio inputs didn’t give much and the analog premium board with the additional cinch and XLR inputs is indeed a worthwhile investment for audiophiles because the two standard cinch pairs sounded a bit sober in comparison.
In terms of liveliness, DLNA streaming from the local server was ahead of the USB audio input, unsurprisingly topped by playback via Roon with the RAAT protocol. Roon is also the easiest way to play exotic material like DSD. In principle, a signal processor with digital filters can only process PCM. And Roon converts very well in real-time.
The Lyngdorf team seems to have improved the filters for RoomPerfect. Because, contrary to previous experiences with this system, this time there was hardly any loss of dynamics or a flattened spatial image between RoomPerfect playback and bypass. This speaks clearly for the quality of the filters. The same applies to the “Voicings”. “Neutral” (no correction) and different voicing variants made no difference to the actual quality of the reproduction such as fine dynamics and richness of timbres, only the tonal balance changed as desired. That’s how it should be.
However, since the playback of such variable devices depends very much on the calibration and the respective configuration due to the principle, characterization is difficult, since almost every taste can be served at the push of a button. Whether you like it more balanced, clearer, or fuller: the Lyngdorf makes almost everything possible thanks to voicing filters.
What remains is the very supple basic character and the room image, which is particularly staggered in terms of width. In addition, there is a tendency towards a rather dark timbre, which is also responsible for pleasantly warm tones. In the treble, the TDAI-3400 even reproduces very fine textures but sounds surprisingly soft and never harsh. The bass benefits from the switching power amplifiers, which are practically infinitely potent for everyday use, and which push even stubborn bass membranes into the desired position in a very controlled manner.
Conclusion: An audiophile streaming integrated amplifier
The Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 embodies modern, digital high-end, as it is written in books. In terms of audiophiles, it in no way fulfills “digital stereotypes”: On the contrary, it tends to sound rather soft, supple, and fine, far removed from all prejudices. It has powerful power with up to 2x 400 watts and good control with its power amplifiers.
The hardware in the geometrically clear industrial design is excellently processed and the operating concept with Bluetooth remote control, app, and web interface is state-of-the-art. Practically all analog and digital interfaces in the world from HDMI to Toslink to USB, from DLNA to RAAT are available; If you don’t get a signal here, it’s your own fault.
The automatic calibration via RoomPerfect proved to be a bit bitchy at first. But if you know how to use filters and even more so if you want to use one or two subwoofers, you get a heavenly playground with all degrees of freedom for perfect acoustic fine-tuning. However, this is not for beginners, they have to find a dealer or buddy who will set up the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 for them. But once finished, handling in everyday life is child’s play and pure enjoyment.
Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 FAQs
What is the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400?
The Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 is a high-performance, fully digital integrated amplifier with built-in streaming capabilities, room correction technology, and various connectivity options. It’s designed for audiophiles seeking top-notch sound quality and customization.
Does the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 support RoomPerfect?
Yes, it includes RoomPerfect, Lyngdorf’s proprietary room correction technology, which helps optimize audio performance for your specific listening environment.
What streaming services are supported by the TDAI-3400?
It supports various streaming services such as Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, and internet radio through built-in streaming capabilities. It is also compatible with AirPlay, Roon, and DLNA.
How powerful is the amplifier?
The TDAI-3400 delivers up to 2 x 400 watts of power at 4 ohms, providing plenty of power to drive a wide range of speakers.
Can the TDAI-3400 be integrated into a home theater system?
Yes, the amplifier has an HDMI module option that supports ARC (Audio Return Channel) and CEC for integration with home theater systems.
Does it have DAC capabilities?
Yes, the TDAI-3400 features high-quality DAC functionality with multiple digital inputs, including USB, coaxial, and optical.
Can I control the TDAI-3400 remotely?
Yes, the TDAI-3400 can be controlled using a remote control, a mobile app, or through Roon for a more interactive experience.
What types of speakers are recommended for use with the TDAI-3400?
The amplifier is versatile and can be paired with most high-quality speakers, including bookshelf, floor-standing, and even active speakers.
Does it support multi-room audio?
While the TDAI-3400 is not inherently designed for multi-room audio, it can be integrated into multi-room systems using compatible streaming services like Roon.
What customization options does the amplifier offer?
The TDAI-3400 allows for extensive customization, including adjusting the crossover settings, EQ settings, and personalizing different presets for various listening scenarios.
Pros And Cons For Lyngdorf TDAI-3400
Pros
High-Quality Digital Amplification
RoomPerfect Room Correction
Powerful Output
Extensive Connectivity Options
Streaming and Roon Ready
User CustomizationCompact Design
Cons
Price
Learning Curve
Optional HDMI Module Cost
Limited Analog Input Options
Not a True Multi-Room Solution
Remote Control Could Be Improved