LFD Amplifiers - any input? Perfect paired with Harbeth?

[Shadowfax]

While on vacation a week ago, I was supposed to get a chance to listen to some Harbeth speakers at High Strung Audio in NJ. When I finally got to talk to the owner, Marc, he said he sold out all his Harbeth speakers including floor models. He was supposed to check his warehouse and get back to me but never did. Interestingly enough, he has a thing where for $50 he will come set them up in your home for Demo (within reasonable distance and me in PA was close enough if I choose to) and knock that off if you buy.

Anyway, the electronics he sells are also from UK and all hand made by the owner and 1 helper. He claims they are the best amps he has heard or sold and they pair perfectly with the Harbeths.

Interesting review-interview here
http://www.generubinaudio.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/lfeLEIVreview.pdf

Anyone with input or experience or even hear one of these LFD units?

The two choices are
LFD Integrated LE IV $3695

or the
LFD NCSE Integrated Amplifier $6295

 

[joeinid]

The LFD amps are highly recommended by the Harbeth crowd. I've never heard them but worth checking out for sure.

 

[Paul]

The LFD's are very sweet amplifier with dynamic sound. Yes it goes well with the Harbeth. Down side is it's ugly and NO remote.

I had the Mark III with The C7 later I switched with the Manley Stingray.

 

[Shadowfax]

Good to know they are thought of highly. I did not catch the No Remote part, which I already suffer from with not one but 2 separate volume knobs.

Maybe when I get back down the shore in August, I can get the demo of both LFD and Harbeth.

 

[Paul]

When I saw the Joe's thread about the delay on his Harbeth speakers delivery just got me curiosity to call our Harbeth distributor in Toronto. He told me he's got 15 pairs of SHL5 , tons of C7 and 3 pairs of M40.1. What's wrong with the us distributor LOL

 

[Shadowfax]

When I saw the Joe's thread about the delay on his Harbeth speakers delivery just got me curiosity to call our Harbeth distributor in Toronto. He told me he's got 15 pairs of SHL5 , tons of C7 and 3 pairs of M40.1. What's wrong with the us distributor LOL

I have one more dealer within a 2 hour drive to check out but I will have to listen to them with a Rogue Tube Amp. Not sure when I can schedule that trip. This place High Strung is very strange indeed and you need an appointment. The website is lacking a great deal and the town they are in is also a bit strange. So I don't think it is a Harbeth problem all together but for sure there are not enough dealers for the sudden surge in demand.

 

[joeinid]

When I saw the Joe's thread about the delay on his Harbeth speakers delivery just got me curiosity to call our Harbeth distributor in Toronto. He told me he's got 15 pairs of SHL5 , tons of C7 and 3 pairs of M40.1. What's wrong with the us distributor LOL

Wish I knew.

 

[Jerome W]

Joe,
I never heard LFD amps.
The french Harbeth importer is now the LFD importer too but over the phone he does not seem to join the universal super praise for them but he did not get all the line.
I would be tempted by the monoblocks.
Anyway, Harbeth speakers are so good, they really shine with many many various amps.
With time, I understand more and more Alan Shaw's statement " the amp must be a decent made one."
I listened yesterday to various tunes from the Keith Jarrett trio with the 300B preamp and the MC2205 power amp. I attended various live concerts of Jarrett. I never heard a more faithful, resolved and alive reproduction of what I heard yesterday with this combo on the 40.1's. I was simply transported on the sites of the performance. The absolute truth of timbre. While the MC2205 may sound "colored" on various speakers, the Harbeth sound is super natural with it. So yes, Shaw is right. Harbeth shines with well made amplifiers. And there are thousands of them on the market.
So although I would like to try the LFD monoblocks at home, I do not think that I could be that impressed compared to the various amps I already have.
It is a strange statement for a bunch of audiophiles like us, but yes, Harbeth really shines at the top of music reproduction no matter the amp. Really.


Envoyé de mon iPhone à l'aide de Tapatalk

 

[joeinid]

Hi Jerome,

I totally understand your love for them. I LOVED the 30.1, so for me moving up to the 40.1's is a natural step. I bet if the 40.1's were in my room, I would not have ordered the Strads (so quickly or at all). I am excited to see where these speakers (both the 40.1's and Strads) will take me. I think I will have the best of many types of speakers. It will be wonderful. I think I have enough variety of gear to keep me entertained.

 

[joeinid]

Bump.

Brian,

Did you find out anymore about these LFD amps? I've been coming across more and more great info about them and now I am curious about them too. Thoughts?

http://www.tonepublications.com/review/lfds-latest-amplifier/

"The NCSE was a fantastic match with the Harbeth Monitor 40.1′s (which you can also get from Gene Rubin), doing what only the best gear does – offering ever bit of nuance your recordings have to give without sounding analytical or harsh. Many have called the LFD amplifiers “tube-like” and I think the NCSE comes even closer to that description than its predecessors."

 

[Shadowfax]

Joe,

I have not been back to the location where they sell these. I may get a chance next month if I can arrange it while dog sitting for a few days. All the reviews I have seen are good but I am unsure if I want another system with no remote volume. Been playing that game for over 10 years now.

I will let you know if I get a chance.

Hey, side note. It seems like if a person does not catch an update to a thread when clicking New Posts within a short time, they drop back off and I never know that there is a response to my threads. I would think any New Post I have not viewed should populate until I do. Anyway, I just happened to navigate individual forums today and found this.