LFD AUDIO: Their new LPCD (low powered class d) integrated amplifier.

Dr Bews tells us .....

The LPCD actually means: low powered class d, and i have been working on this project for 4 years +. Class D amplifiers are very difficult to implement

The cost of the LPCD is for the standard line level version (NO remote control), it can be configured to have internal phonostage or internal DAC (192khz/24bit SPDIF only), at a higher price (probably around 10% extra for phonostage and 13% extra for DAC)..

The standard LPCD will not .....

http://www.hifianswers.com/lfd-audio...for-july-2017/

Hi Neil or Howard, have either of you managed to hear it yet?

Last weekend I was invited to hear the latest Master Series LFD amplification at the dealers place who I sometimes purchase from. I was told these were being run in for a customer who had been waiting 18 months for them to be manufactured. I thought I would make an effort and have a listen so I went along a bit apprehensive to say the least. These new amps are meant to be custom ordered and not a normal stock item I was told, the system is a system I do know very well comprising of very large flagship 400kg Rockport Loudspeakers with a 15" driver.

The source as always at this dealers is Analogue only and comprised of the flagship SPJ ALBA TURNTABLE with a custom made Carbon arm and top diamond cantilever koetsu coral stone. I had heard the system recently with some solution amplifies and previously some agastino amps both times came back not so impressed. This system comprised of the most recent LFD Master Reference amps at 25k a pair and two pairs were used biamped and a special £20000 pre amplifier that has special engineered inputs so each input produces a different sound perspective the sound difference between each input was rather shocking more on that later.

The phono stage was a heavily modified LFD battery disc preamp, cable for the system was some custom massive lfd pure silver ribbons which uses different ribbons for the positive and a series of silver cores for the positive at a breathtaking £50000 a set together with flagship Diamond Vipor interconnects around 10k a pop. Not cheap by any standard I have to say I left rather shocked as I had never associated LFD with such a sound just did not get in the way of the music I have been told that this range of amplifiers has been in the making for many years and has had vast ammount of part selection on another level using totally custom wiring and rare components. We tried some flagship Zensati cables in the system and the whole experience was not so pleasant so i have been told that one has to use the exact cables etc which does make this a very expensive system. I have been told some of this new lfd thinking is to be used in cheaper LFD models in the near future. Lfd has always been one of those very quiet underrated companies never looking for any praise just quietly producing nice amps this new series most certainly makes an jaw dropping impressive sound. I always think of Lfd as very good rather weak sounding amplifiers not this system. The sound was breath taking just simply jaw dropping to say the least it was so fast and dynamic with a sence of ease and drive the midrange was so sweet and natural voices sound just simply amazing no glare or brightness what so ever the overall sound was very open and transparent and balanced with a good amount of warmth. The most shocking part was the bass in terms of quality and quantity it was so so so deep and powerful yet so controlled it touched my chest with the sheer weight not something you would ever associate with LFD. Going back to the preamp each input has a very different sound using very different crazy lfd designed cable configurations so one can tune ones system. I was speechless to hear each input and how different they sound if cables do this I am shocked as each input had its own charm. I thought input 4 with uses large siver ribbons and lots of other conductors was most to my liking, All I can say the sound experience was very very very special indeed.

I forgot to mention we also tried the Sme model 30/2 turntable that I have sometimes found a bit boring not in this system it showed me owning one turntable to be very difficult indeed, the sme sounded to me more real in its perspective, the Spj had a rather nice trace of colour while great drive lacked the solid imaging of the sme, owning one deck is a hard task for me I would have to own both. The Spj through the lfd sounded fast and vibrant but lacked the sheer control and the central image was stunning on the Sme detail was also fantastic on the Sme. The spj did better on air.

At this level all have there good points. Overall i thought the Sme worked very well with the LFD system and seemed better suited the bass was breathtaking the sheer impact was just amazing.It shows its all about system matching and one can easily get locked into one way of thinking.

I could also see why Alistair Robertson Aikman only would use the LFD battery disc preamp to develop his Turntables and why Sme and LFD are strongly associated.

Nice to see someone listening to LFD. I agree about the ‘underpowered’ nature of a lot of their amps, but my LFD DLS pre / LFD PA2M (SE) power is a big step up. I think you wrote well above what the ‘big’ LFD sound is like. [emoji4]

I had a feeling the LPCD would be a great one.

I use Grainless interconnects and their Hybrid Ribbon speaker cable. Much more sensible pricing...!

Are there any images or specification available for the LFD Master Series?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stuartypoorty

Are there any images or specification available for the LFD Master Series?

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As you can see LFD does no marketing, not even a website... prices and products are listed by dealers, but there are no UK dealers that I’m aware of.

If you dig around you can find price lists popping up from international dealers. Or you can ask Howard Popeck. I haven’t heard of the Master Series, just the Anniversary.

Here Is the latest LFD price I requested from Richard Bews on friday I have copy and pasted. Interesting there seem to be a few more additions shame Lfd never get the recognition they deserve.

LFD AUDIO
Retail Price List: Amplifiers, Cables and Digital products (31/1/2019)


Description Retail Price

Phonostage MMC £2750
Phonostage MMC (Signature) £3300
Phonostage MCT (Signature) £5500
Integrated (NCSE) (I1I) £5750
Integrated LPCD £8300
Anniversary Linestage R £11000
Anniversary Linestage R MK11 (SE) £16500
Anniversary Mono Power £10000
Anniversary Mono Power MK11 (SE) £15500
Master Dual (Bi amp power amp) £23500
Master Reference Mono Power Amp £25000
Master Reference Biamp Set £50000
Mistral integrated amplifier £2250
Mistral integrated amplifier (phono) £2600
Integrated LE (VI) £3750
DAC5 SE £3500
Phonostage LE £1000
Phonostage LE (special edition) £1400



















Description Retail Price


0.7m Spirolink £160
1.25m Spirolink £200
0.7m Spirolink IV £250
1.25m Spirolink IV £320
0.7m Grainless Interconnect £390
1.25m Grainless Interconnect £490
0.7m Reference Silver (II) £800
1.25m Reference Silver (II) £1250
0.7m Silver Scorpion £1700
1.25m Silver Scorpion £2500
0.7m Silver Scorpion SE £2000
1.25m Siver Scorpion SE £2900
0.7m Black Widow MK11 £4200
1.25m Black Widow £5700
0.7m Diamond Viper II £6800
1.25m Diamond Viper II £9500
0.7m Sapphire Raptor Screened £9800
1.25m Sapphire Raptor screened £13500
1.65m Golden Cobra Statement £27750 Made to order
1.25m SME tonearm Copper Reference £600
1.25m SME tonearm Reference Silver £1250
1.25m SME tonearm Silver Scorpion £2500
(SME tonearm screened version Or Balanced + 20% for silver, +40% for Copper)

LFD Grain Free Biwire 3m £650
LFD Grain Free Biwire 5m £830
LFD Grain Free Biwire Signature 3m £1100
LFD Grain Free Biwire Signature 5m £1600
3m Spiroflex I Loudspeaker £280
5m Spiroflex I Loudspeaker £360
3m Spiroflex I Bi-Wire Loudspeaker £460
5m Spiroflex I Bi-Wire Loudspeaker £600
3m Hybrid Ribbon Loudspeaker £580
5m Hybrid Ribbon Loudspeaker £790
3m Reference Silver Loudspeaker £2800
5m Reference Silver Loudspeaker £4000

3m Ultima Silver Loudspeaker 11 £4300
5m Ultima Silver Loudspeaker 11 £6300
3m Ultima Silver Signature II £6000
5m Ultima Silver Signature II £9000
3m Grand Master Loudspeaker £12500
5m Grand Master Loudspeaker £17500
3m Grand Master Signature £15000
5m Grand Master Signature £21000
3m Grand Statement £35000
5m Grand Statement £50000
0.7m Digilink copper II £95
1.25m Silicone Mains lead £325


Please Note we also provide many special custom built versions

I commented a few months back after hearing the new Lfd Master Reference Monoblocks bi amped and how I was blown away with the Performance. The dealer I use seems to be the only one who gets involved with the higher end Lfd amps and invited me to hear another brand new offering. The Master Dual this is a class d amp only to be used biamped as there are two amps per channel four amps in total in two chassis so takes up less space than the Master reference.

It seems LFD is really going for it the Master Dual is better value @ £23500 than the Master reference if one can call it that as you get 4 amps. I was blown away yet again the midrange performance of this amplifier was to die for so sweet an natural maybe not the same level of bass performance compared to the master reference and overall transparency and see through ness. The overall sound was just so musical they had the musical ability of my Kondo amps but with real drive the sound stage was wide and open this is quite a different perspective to all the lfd amps as they were quite warm without being boring the bass was strong and powerful. These amplifiers had an musical ability that was breath taking I have to confess I have ordered a pair. I look forward to receiving them in the next 6 weeks.

I noticed that the new amps feature on the latest LFD price list together with other additions.

I find the older LFD stuff of great interest and have been quietly waiting for something 'classic' to come up to have a play with (nearly bought an integrated off Jake before he withdrew it)

But for recent and current models prices seem to have ballooned into the stratosphere to the point where the amount asked seems to me to be a bit silly... it's simply impossible for me to believe that £16k for a plain solid state linestage or £23k for class D monoblocks can represent anything like value for money. These may be clever designs but they don't appear to be complex to execute, or that expensively dressed.

Maybe I'm wrong and if I got a decent demo I'd want to sell my Radford and EAR and dip into the premium bonds to make up the difference - but I just can't see it. There was a ton of stuff at Munich High End that seemed similarly overpriced for what it was. Decent I guess (though not all of it was). But who would spend that on it?

And don't get me started on the cable prices.