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

[Vrajbasi]

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.

I understand why you feel the prices I mentioned seem high, I thank you for your response.

I sincerely apologise please forgive me, I should have mentioned Lfd do some amazing amps cheaper down the chain, the mistral Integrated is seriously seriously good performer at its price point at £2600 inc phono stage or £2250 without this is in a different league to the integrated amps previously produced such as the acclaimed LE MK5 and actually offers better value for money, then you can go up the the line to the Ncse MK111 that LFD exports all around the world and then you have top Integrated the LPCD. I have listened to all of these and feel they offer excellent value compared to whats on the market with extensive part selection all hand built, and hand made custom wiring all done by Dr Bews Himself, not much of the competition acheives this. I suppose this end of the market is what LFD are acclaimed for.

The bigger amplifiers are obviously for a certain market where performance is paramount these amplifiers have had years and years of R and D and use very rare un available components, obviously the price may not appeal to everyone that is understandable. Dr Bews was requested to release his higher end offerings that were previously only created for his own R and D purposes.

I have listened and compared the latest amps to some incredibly very very expensive amps from Rowland, Dan D'Agostino, and Solution costing way way more and the LFD gave me much more musical satisfaction with none of the usual solid state traits.

Obviously the £23500 for four monos in two chassis are to be compared amps at this level how many dedicated bi amped power amps are available and i listened against my very own Kondo amps which you could say are super super crazy priced and found these equally satisfying. The Kondo amps are incredible are they value for money most likely not,they certainly do not humiliate the LFD as they show more than a glimpse of such greatness at a more affordable price. As other respected members on here can vouch LFD amps are fuss free and fit and forget and one does not have to worry about expensive valve changes.

So at the end of the day LFD is great value for specific customers and not only appealing to very hi end market there is something for everyone to enjoy hand crafted artisan products. The higher end model are to demonstrate what can be achieved. I am positive that Dr Bews will continue to serve at all the various price points and values all of his customers. I personally like the unassuming nature of the brand and the sound it offers.

[hifi_dave]

I sold LFD for many years. When I started back in the 90's, it had a cult following, being a high quality, good value, British made range. Trouble is now, no one has heard of it and the prices are obscene. It really is a difficult sell with anonymous boxes and uninspiring specifications.

Not heard the latest offerings but previous ranges were good.

[Vrajbasi]

I sold LFD for many years. When I started back in the 90's, it had a cult following, being a high quality, good value, British made range. Trouble is now, no one has heard of it and the prices are obscene. It really is a difficult sell with anonymous boxes and uninspiring specifications.

Not heard the latest offerings but previous ranges were good.

I first heard an LFD integrated at your shop in the 90,s it certainly was a good demonstration.

[montesquieu]

I sold LFD for many years. When I started back in the 90's, it had a cult following, being a high quality, good value, British made range. Trouble is now, no one has heard of it and the prices are obscene. It really is a difficult sell with anonymous boxes and uninspiring specifications.

Not heard the latest offerings but previous ranges were good.

This is pretty much the enduring impression I have had of LFD gear, hence shock at some of the prices quoted above. I had an LFD phono stage once 10+ years ago (which was fine but not earth-shattering), but have never owned any of the amps or preamps.

[Vrajbasi]

One thing thing for sure it has to be admired the dedication of a man who for the past 30 years has been quietly working away developing new products that taken things to a whole new level having heard previous designs and still offering products across the board.

[Vrajbasi]

The latest offerings are a significant and advancement over the previous ranges this includes the £2200 integrated. The Hi End designs are closely inspired by the likes of Be Yamammura ( who was a good friend of Dr Bews in the 80s i am told). The latest flagship preamp for instance has many crazy ideas such as engineering different sounds in each input in the flagship preamp having weird and wacky input wiring, pure silver ribbons and additional conductors each input in very different allowing one to tune the preamp in to your personal preference. This has to be heard and seen to be understood. How many manufacturers would be bothered to put such effort in such tweaking where they are using cheap parts and basic wiring etc. The hours it takes to learn what individual conducers of silver work together and having special shapes made up like D shapes is of the wall who would invest in such R and D. Richard does not just stick his wire in he thinks of a new concept for that particular application and spends hours of trial and error.

Just look at the crazy battery disc stage created as part of a essex university project this was a completely off the all design dual mono construction hand made custom modules not output zoble and a pure battery system that never could use any mains devises what so ever. This was £5000 in 1987 and martin colloms who reviewed it suggested that it should retail for £10000 even then at it was full of rare and expensive parts.

Dr Bews is using many rare and un obtainable components taking much of the approach of the great Japanese makers and implementing it in his own way. I was shown inside the preamp and it certainly looked interesting.

I remember in the 90s hearing a yamammura system and being blown away now that was really crazily priced i think £300000 to £400000 in the 90s in very simple boring looking cases etc, and can see what the hi end LFD products are all about.

The integrated amps such as the Ncse MK111 have been evolved over the years and have quite a presence and cult following and are selling very well especially overseas by the likes of Gene Rubin in america and an active Canadian distributor where the prices tend to be higher. I have also been told they have active representation in Belgium, my own dealer has been doing quite well with the brand here in the UK too.

I suspect the bulk of the business will always be at the integrated level. The build and finish is also superb now with the latest casework.

I have a very good friend who has just purchased a NCSE MK111 and is getting very fine sounds with his Harbeth 40.2 loudspeakers using lfd cables. He previously had an far more expensive audio research pre power costing six times as much and the latest LFD was far more enjoyable in a musical sence and much cheaper he also owned and older LFD LS3 PA3 combo.

I also know of a individual who owned some flagship Mcintosh power amps who has replaced them with the Master Dual driving expensive Rockport loudspeakers. I know not many see Dr Bews making such hi end products as his lack of marketing maybe does not do him many favours but still has a cult following. As I always say the proof is in the listening.

[Neil McCauley]

The only (as far as I can see) viable online presence is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1837476199596276/ Dr. Bews regularly engages in Q&A there.

Neil

[Yomanze]

On the cable prices, how much do you think custom made pure OCC silver is? A lot is the answer. A lot of LFD wire is custom made in Asia. Another reason prices are so high is simple: R&D costs, and also keeping demand down enough to focus Dr. Bews on properly creating hand built units.

Finally, you don’t weigh out a Patek Philippe watch to derive the cost, and I think the same logic applies here with LFD. You are paying for experience and craftsmanship, not what the components cost.

[montesquieu]

On the cable prices, how much do you think custom made pure OCC silver is? A lot is the answer. A lot of LFD wire is custom made in Asia. Another reason prices are so high is simple: R&D costs, and also keeping demand down enough to focus Dr. Bews on properly creating hand built units.

Finally, you don’t weigh out a Patek Philippe watch to derive the cost, and I think the same logic applies here with LFD. You are paying for experience and craftsmanship, not what the components cost.

Jacking up the price as a means to suppress demand is a common enough business strategy - Tim de Paravicini did it, fairly successfully I assume, when he trebled his prices in just 2-3years in the mid to late 00s. But that strategy can also be a big turn-off to the honest punter who is wiling to pay a fair price, but who has to weigh his purchases carefully, as opposed to those to whom money is no object. (Who in their right mind buys EAR kit brand new these days, at least in the UK?)

Astronomical prices based solely on use of supposedly rare components, rather than based in actual design and feature differences, are another turn-off for many. What's the benefit in kit filled with unobtanium components come time for servicing?

Patek is not a sensible analogy here, as LFD are not in Veblen territory where demand actually rises the more money you charge.

[Vrajbasi]

Jacking up the price as a means to suppress demand is a common enough business strategy - Tim de Paravicini did it, fairly successfully I assume, when he trebled his prices in just 2-3years in the mid to late 00s. But that strategy can also be a big turn-off to the honest punter who is wiling to pay a fair price, but who has to weigh his purchases carefully, as opposed to those to whom money is no object. (Who in their right mind buys EAR kit brand new these days, at least in the UK?)

Astronomical prices based solely on use of supposedly rare components, rather than based in actual design and feature differences, are another turn-off for many. What's the benefit in kit filled with unobtanium components come time for servicing?

Patek is not a sensible analogy here, as LFD are not in Veblen territory where demand actually rises the more money you charge.

Lfd Have not really Jacked the price they have developed amazing new products over the years and continue to do so, as Far Cables dr Bews thinks way way out of the box where he is hand pulling silver core of many many different dimensions also haveing custom d shape and differents shaped conductors to tune things. The development time and labor time is nuts a Golden Cobra cable is complete madness to produce and every aspect is hand built by the mand him self. The products show complete dedication of one man.