Digital Drive: REVIEW: Lyngdorf CD-1 CD Player/Recorder by decree

Model:	CD-1
Category:	CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price:	$3500
Description:	CD Player
Manufacturer URL:	Lyngdorf
Model Picture:	View

Review by decree on October 23, 2011 at 17:56:56
IP Address: 24.83.172.246 Add Your Review
for the CD-1

Just picked up a Lyngdorf CD-1 and frankly, I am blown away.
Let me digress...

I have a had a favourable relationship with digital since my Dad bought me my 1st cd player: a Sony ES 705ESD for my 21st birthday - a great solid well made cd player, it saw me right through my 20's without a hiccup.
After thousands of hrs of use the laser started acting up on the Sony and I sold it for some decent pocket change and bought myself a Njoe Tjoeb 4000.

Until now nothing has trumped my NT 4000 - I have upgraded it as far as it goes coupling it with some fantastic Ediswan tubes. The sound is big, friendly and warm and I have loved every minute with it.
Recently, I had to exchange the whole transport as it had started to fail - I plunked in a brand new transport courtesy of Upscale in California and it now has another 10 years on it, easily...

But this made me think it was time to try something else, something newer with more current technology. So, I went through a number of highly regarded players: Moon CD-1, Roksan Caspian, NAD 565BEE....
They were all good, solid, players - but, believe me they do not share the same stage as my turbo'ed Tjoe Tjoeb - and, I thought that's it - why bother? You have the best cd player already ding dong!! Chill pill - settle down...

Anyway, if you are still bothered to read on - I decided to take another plunge and try another CDP to satisfy my curiosity...so, I picked up a used Lyngdorf CD-1.
It looked good, had a lot of great functions and was highly regarded - let's do it!

WOW...yeah, WOW! That's my summation.
This is a revelation in digital. This player makes CD's sound soooo good, soooo right. Everything is bang on - everything is placed impeccably into a perfect musical picture. Everything sounds better - more realistic, more weighty, more fleshy with incredible insight and detail....and best of all it even makes my oldest cd's sound big, realistic and fleshy. Bravo.
I'm listening to Boards of Canada right now as I type and it sound altogether like a new system - so many cues and details in the music I was unaware of...drums are big and fast like bullets - bass is deep and tuneful - synths are wide, rich and completely analog...and no tube in sight. Right on.

It's nice to see that something that cost new in the 3 thousand dollar range should be so well made and do everything that one would expect of an expensive CD player. Oh yeah - It's a keeper.

Product Weakness:	nadda
Product Strengths:	Bass, detail, overall coherence.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Sugden A21a v.2
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): -
Sources (CDP/Turntable): -
Speakers: Art Skibo
Cables/Interconnects: VDH Ochid
Music Used (Genre/Selections): all/any
Room Size (LxWxH): 50 x 16 x 14
Room Comments/Treatments: -
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 month
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): -
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): -

Amplifier:	Sugden A21a v.2
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	-
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	-
Speakers:	Art Skibo
Cables/Interconnects:	VDH Ochid
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	all/any
Room Size (LxWxH):	50 x 16 x 14
Room Comments/Treatments:	-
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 month
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	-
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	-