Hi-Rez Highway: REVIEW: Lindemann D680 SACD Player Other by Norm

Model:	D680 SACD Player
Category:	Other
Suggested Retail Price:	$8300
Description:	Super Audio CD Player
Manufacturer URL:	Lindemann
Manufacturer URL:	Lindemann

Review by Norm ( A ) on October 18, 2002 at 17:19:58
IP Address: 4.63.101.45

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I have now had my Lindemann D680 sacd player for over a week. I now have gotten the breakin far enough along and the sorting through of both interconnects and ac power cords for use with the unit that I can now say that I have heard nothing that even approaches it for sacd and that for cds it is right there with the very best cd front ends that I have heard.
Specifically, I am comparing the Lindemann's sacd performance with my old Marantz SA-1 and indirectly with the Sony SCD-1 that I sold some time ago as not competitive with the Marantz. I am comparing the Lindemann's cd performance with that of an Accustic Arts Drive 1 into a Zanden 5000 dac and ultimately with the Lindemann used as a cd transport into the Zanden. To some degree I am also considering the performance of my old Audio Note DAC 4.1x Signature which I have not heard since it was stolen from me by Jim Anthon of Rochester New York.
The associated equipment equipment I use is a H-Cat P12 line stage, Exemplar 300B SET with parafeed and active loads, the Beauhorns Virtuosos, two Sound Application units, many Aurio 1.0 all with 7/16" tungsten carbide balls, all on at least level 5 Mana stands, mainly Omega Mikro ac cords except with Elrod EPS3s cords running the Sound Application units, Siltech Emperor speakerwires, Stealth PGS-3D ic between the preamp and amps, and Siltech Compass Lake and Omega Mikro LCX7 ics connecting the dac and sacd and preamp. Throughout the review I had the Lindemann on a level 5 Mana stand with the Aurio 1.0 with 7/16" tungsten carbide balls underneath. Two Walker 1" pucks where on top as were two Sun Mook pucks. The Zanden additionally had a Mapleshade 2" maple base under it and also was on level 5 Mana stands.
Let me first say a few words about my difficulties in doing this review. The Lindemann requires two ac cords with one going to an outboard power supply for the analog stage and the other going directly into the unit for the digital side. I initially put an Absolute power cord on the digital and an Omega Mikro red on the analog. A comparison with first day experience with the sound and that in later days showed it to be improving as it broke in. But the initial edginess did not go away and the depth of the image remained shallow. When comparing the Lindemann and the Accustic Arts as cd transports, the Accustic Arts sounded more open and effortless. It was easy for me to exchange the Audio Consulting pc that I used on the Accustic Arts with the Absolute that I used with the Lindemann digital. The units reversed their characters with that change. From that point on I only used the Audio Consulting pc on the Lindemann digital. But the edginess persisted.
I have had much experience with the Omega Mikro red and blue ac cords, but I was slow to realize that the Lindemann demanded the blue. When I did this the edginess immediately went away, but the sound was still somewhat lacking in depth. Just by the sheer perversity of events, I had received a new Sound Application at the same time as I received the Lindemann. From previous experience I knew that these units take a good deal of time to breakin, but I figured it would affect the Zanden and Accustic Arts equally with the Lindemann. Thus I should be able to do my comparison as the Sound Application broke in.
Three evenings ago I decided that the overall magic was gone from my system and began to ask myself why. As even the Zanden did not sound as magical as it had, I decided to go back to the older Sound Application unit I had been using. Bingo! My review is based on the sounds I heard after this point.
First there is no question that the sacd on the Lindemann is far superior to anything I ever heard on the Marantz SA-1 or Sony SCD-1. It is clearly superior in soundstaging and both high end and low-end extension. Generally the whole presentation is more plausibly real than cd. On the Dave Brubeck Time Out sacd, I got realism that I have never heard regardless of the format, including LPs. Brubeckâ€™s piano has a real piano presence, and the impact of the drums is strikingly real. On the McCoy Tyner New York Reunion sacd the bite of the Joe Henderson Sax is just awesome. Overall, were the Lindemann just a sacd player, it would be a great step ahead for me in appreciating sacds. Frankly now I have decided that any time I can replace a cd with a sacd, I will. The realism is just spooky and thrilling, and it is not limited
to a few sacds. It holds for all I have tried thus far.
The Lindemann used for cds relative to the Accustic Arts or Lindemann used as a drive and Zanden combinations has been far more difficult. I had not purchased the Lindemann to play cds, nor had I purchased the Marantz SA-1 to play cds. I expected to keep my Zanden, but hoped I might be able to use the Lindemann as a cd transport. As I could hear absolutely no difference in sound using the Accustic Arts and the Lindemann as a transport, as long as I used the same ac cord, the comparison was thereafter between the Lindemann used alone and the Lindemann and Zanden combination.
It should be noted that there is a substantially different philosophy between the Lindemann and Zanden designs. The Zanden uses a 16/44 chip, while the Lindemann upsamples to 24/192. This comparison was complicated by the Lindemann output being somewhat louder than the Zanden. So each comparison meant changing the volume one notch on the H-Cat. Across a big range of cds from Sinatra and Basie at the Sands to more recent cds, such as Dianne Krall, with fair consistency the Lindemann envelopes you when the music comes on. I suspect this is part of the better top end of the Lindemann cd dac. The Lindemann also has a better bottom end although it is not a profound in 40 to 60 Hz region as the Zanden. On some cds the background low-end noise can be disturbing as the subwoofers pressurize the room. Pianos on the Lindemann are more realistic. But it is so hard to not be enticed into listening to the Zanden for female vocalists. Its forte is the midrange. I am soon to get the Ortho Spectrum DR 3000 jitter reduction unit. Perhaps this will reverse some of what I have said about what I prefer for cd playing, but I still expect that will not be a best buy to keep the Zanden and Ortho Spectrum and Siltech digital and two additional expensive power cords
I, of course, cannot say how good the many third generation sacd players coming on the market might be or how the already here Lindemann might compare, but the Lindemann sacd performance will knock your sox off.

Product Weakness: It doesn't cost $500
Product Strengths: Lindemann sacd performance will knock your sox off

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Exemplar 300B SET
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	H-Cat P12
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	lindemann, Zanden
Speakers:	Beauhorn
Cables/Interconnects:	See review
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz and Pop
Room Size (LxWxH):	18 x 28 x 14.5
Room Comments/Treatments:	15 Room Lens
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 week
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Sound Application
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	It doesn't cost $500
Product Strengths:	Lindemann sacd performance will knock your sox off