Lindemann 820 Review....of sorts (long)

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As this is more of an informal review, I'm not using the prescribed format to allow me more latitude to wander where I will. As many are aware, there appeared a review and follow-up of the 820 in issue 24 of Positive Feedback (PF), so I'll not repeat details covered in that review and will limit comments to my own observations and cite where my opinions might divurge from those of PF.

I've had my Lindemann 820 SACD/CD player for about 21 months now and it continues to play music just the way I like it; naturally refined with a full tonal balance. I know, that's what they're all supposed to do, but my two previous SACD players didn't. One was digitally bright (Sony), and one was just downright unreliable (Marantz).
Back in the spring of 2005, when I was looking to buy a new player to replace my very unreliable Marantz SA-1 that had finally succumbed to a mod from hell, I limited my field to one-box, 2-ch players from companies that had proven reliability records. I wanted a one-box player because I already had two many boxes in my system strung together with too many ($$$) wires. I wanted two channels because I'm not into MC and don't intend to be, so I wanted all the quality I could afford concentrated on the only two I'd be using. But most of all, after getting stiffed by Marantz USA over a warranty repair for the 5th problem I'd had with my SA-1, I wanted reliability.
As the newer Ayre, Cary and Meitner one-box players weren't yet introduced, my research soon led me to the Lindemann 820. After reading several very positive reviews in European publications, I contacted Lindemann at their Gilching (near Munich), Germany, factory and was very pleased to encounter a very professionally run operation that exuded an aura of competence and quality (unfortunately, not the norm these days). Elisabeth Junker, who handles the business and public relations side of the house, is a very personable and courteous professional who just so happens to have a graduate degree in engineering. Dr. Norbert Lindemann, chief design engineer and company founder, is a man who has his priorities in order. To him music comes first, and his designs reflect that philosophy. Once he assured me that problems of any kind appear in fewer than only two percent of his players, and that those numbers were steadily declining, I knew I'd come to the right place. As there was no U.S. distributor for Lindemann products (apparently still the case), I ordered my 820 directly from the factory on a 30-day trial basis complete with three-year warranty.
Right out of the box, the 820 sounded very good, much better than the SA-1 or the heavily modified version it later became; but, as with any new piece of gear, I wasn't expecting miracles when I first fired it up and after about 50 hours I was beginning to wonder whether I might already be hearing everything the 820 had to offer. A quick email to Norbert came back with assurances that even better things awaited in only about 30 hours. Amazingly, almost right on cue the sound really opened up and continued to improve over the next 200 or so hours. That fact made me question some of David Robinson's conclusions in mentioning that he'd had the new machine in his home for less than two weeks before handing it off to Rick Gardner, who wrote the full review.
Like Rick, who "loved" the 820, I'm into audio for the music, and I wouldn't characterize myself as being on a quest for detail retrieval as if it were some sacred mission in life. To me, more detail does not equate to more or better music, and in practice the opposite is more often true. As long as it's not artificially highlighted, detail is important to give music that "live" quality we all seek, but of course opinions on just how much detail it takes to create that illusion differ greatly. For instance, my brother prefers a darker presentation that he believes draws the listener more into the music, whereas I'd say that's more a matter of craning just to hear it. He, of course, thinks my system is too revealing.
I hear exciting things from the 820, and those exciting things are real music. It ebbs and flows with the continuousness that propels music giving it its rhythmic drive and vitality. This term "continuousness" that some reviewers often site as the key ingredient to a natural and cohesive flow of music doesn't come about by klieglighting every recording artifact for those wanting to hang another conversation piece on their resolution trophy walls. It's the way those details are presented that makes for really great digital, and that makes analog still the acknowledged standard for consumer audio playback. The information in those details should serve the music and the performance and not thrust every flaw in the recording chain in the listener's face as a harsh reminder of the state of the art.
Norbert Lindemann claims he actually hears mild complaints from some of his Asian customers that the 820 leans a bit too far to the warm side, but to my ears the player strikes just the right balance. As for comparing it to the new Meitner, Ayre, or Cary players, I can't. I haven't heard them. Rick Gardner, who had been "irretrievably and hopelessly forever in love" with the 820 now claims to have a new darling in the Meitner. My advice to Meitner: beware the fickle suitor!
Actually, I understand that print mags and even e-zines can't (or aat least shouldn't) pronounce their undying affection for any piece of equipment lest their supply of new gear dwindle. Rick reports that a new Lindemann 820S is to be introduced that will sport some serious improvements. As "newer and better" is the life blood of audio magazines, I'll leave it to him to frolic in those waters. I'm very happy with the present 820 and likely will remain so for many years to come.
As for tweaks, I haven't spent a great deal on AC cords and my rack is largely homemade, but I've found that floating the outboard power supply (yes, there's an outboard PS but it's still technically a one-box player in my book) on a couple of aurios does further open things up a bit. Lindemann has put a lot of thought and effort into the design of the three adjustable aluminum feet with integral ceramic balls, but in my less-than-ideal rack, I find that aurios isotones provide a small improvement under the main chassis as well. I gather then that the design of the player's feet is oriented more towards draining vibration away from the chassis rather than isolating it from external vibration. In my set-up, I definitely need the latter.
Quibbles? This is really reaching, but I would increase the length of time before the drawer automatically closes, which it does after about one minute when left open...probably to prevent inadvertent damage or dust collection (a useful function), but I'd rather it stay open for about three minutes. I also find it sometimes tough to locate (read) some of the less often used functions on the otherwise excellent remote in low ambient light, but that might be more attributable to my 56-yr-old eyes than the gray-on-silver labeling.
The Lindemann 820 is certainly not inexpensive, but I think it's still a good value and reasonably priced considering the dollar's weakness against the EURO. That balance has improved somewhat since I bought my player, but it's again heading in the wrong direction. Would I buy the 820 again for that money? Yes, I would, but there are more players to consider on the scene now than in May of 2005, and I'd love to hear the 820S; however, I remain very happy with this player for its superb playback quality, it's appearance and robust construction, and certainly not least of all for its proven (to me) reliability.

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Kimber Kable

Topic - Lindemann 820 Review....of sorts (long) - Waldteufel 13:11:21 03/26/07 (4)

Re: Lindemann 820 Review....of sorts (long) - DkB 12:02:34 03/28/07 (3)

You hit the nail right on the head, DkB,... - Waldteufel 22:36:49 03/28/07 (2)

5.5 years on Sony 555 changer, no problems. nt - oldmkvi 20:24:47 03/29/07 (1)

Re: 5.5 years on Sony 555 changer, no problems. nt - Waldteufel 21:32:35 03/29/07 (0)

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