Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here.
The TDAI‑2210 is the third integrated amplifier–DAC in Lyngdorf Audio’s current lineup. The Danish company also manufactures two audio/video processors, both a multichannel and a stereo power amplifier, and a CD player. And they produce multiple freestanding and inwall loudspeakers and subwoofers, but their number of SKUs is fairly limited. So, when Lyngdorf introduces a new model like the TDAI‑2210, it is a relatively rare event, implying that a lot of thought and effort went into its design and production.
Judging by its spec sheet and appearance, the TDAI‑2210 superficially looks to be a scaled-down version of the still-current TDAI‑3400 I previously reviewed, which was introduced way back in 2017. However, a lot has changed since then, and according to Roland Hoffmann, Lyngdorf’s director of product marketing, the 2210 is much more than a smaller, less expensive version of the 3400. Many improvements have reportedly been made to its circuitry to enhance performance, especially in its more powerful and much faster DSP. So, while the 2210 is significantly cheaper than its older sibling, it benefits from recent advancements in IC technology. The result is a compact, high-performance component at a relatively reasonable price.
And when I say reasonable, I mean very reasonable by high-end audio standards, especially considering all of the 2210’s advanced features. It is priced starting at US$4499, CA$7499, £3499, or €3999 for the base configuration. An analog input module including an MM phono stage can be added for an additional US$550, CA$700, £500, or €501. Or, a digital HDMI 2.1 input module is available for US$650, CA$1139, £900, or €801.There aren’t many integrated amplifiers available at this price point with true high-end aspirations. And those that are available at this price don’t have both the TDAI‑2210’s high quality of construction and comprehensive feature set.
True Digital Amplifier Integrated (TDAI)
The most noticeable difference between the TDAI‑2210 and previous Lyngdorf products is the inclusion of a color touchscreen, a first for the company. All functions can be accessed via the touchscreen, and it provides plenty of information—including cover art when streaming, a relatively rare feature in high-end components. There is also a redesigned app, which is compatible with all current Lyngdorf control products. While the old app was functional, the new one looks appreciably better and is much easier to use. And because Lyngdorf’s RoomPerfect room-correction system’s computing functions run completely within the processor’s hardware, I was easily able to perform the measurements and configure it using the new app on my smartphone, without the aid of a PC. Even the touchscreen’s menu system is intuitive and easy to use, considering the multitude of features available. All of this adds up to a very positive and uncomplicated user experience, even for such a complex and feature-laden component.
With its heavy, super-smooth-feeling volume control, the 2210 still seems as solid as other premium Lyngdorf products, and it is said to have an even sturdier and more rigid chassis than the larger and more expensive TDAI‑3400. The dark-gray matte finish is not flashy, but it nicely complements the understated aesthetic of the component. The left side of the front panel consists mainly of the color touchscreen, and the right side is dominated by the large volume control, the diameter of which is nearly the same as the height of the component itself. A small power-standby button flanks the volume control to the right, and a 3.5mm headphone output is situated to its left. I really liked the smaller form factor and overall aesthetic of this compact and technologically advanced integrated amplifier, which measures only 4″H × 12.8″W × 11.8″D and weighs 10.6 pounds.
Being compact, the TDAI‑2210’s back panel is quite densely populated, yet effectively laid out. Most of the connections are situated on the lower half, while the speaker outputs are above and spaced slightly apart for ease of use. The upper-left-hand portion of the panel is reserved for one expansion module, while a standard IEC power inlet is situated on the right-hand side. Inputs and outputs are clustered starting at the bottom-left and comprise two sets of line-level analog inputs (RCA), one set each of balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA) analog outputs, an XLR input for the provided calibration microphone, two optical (TosLink) and three coaxial (RCA) S/PDIF inputs, and a single coaxial S/PDIF output. There is also an HDMI eARC input for connection to a television, a USB‑C PC input, and a USB‑A port for music-file playback from a local drive and for firmware updates and backups. Finally, there are both a 3.5mm trigger input and output and an RJ45 LAN port for ethernet connection to a network.
The TDAI‑2210 also has Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. It’s Roon Ready and supports Google Cast, AirPlay 2, DLNA/UPnP, Plāys with Audirvāna, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, and airable internet radio.
The analog expansion module provided with my review sample adds one set of balanced XLR and two sets of RCA stereo line-level inputs in addition to a moving-magnet phono input on RCAs with a grounding post. Analog-to-digital conversion is also improved with AKM’s AK5572 converter, versus the Analog Devices AD1939 used on the other analog inputs. The available HDMI expansion module includes two HDMI 2.1 inputs, a passthrough to a single HDMI output, and support for CEC control. The 2210 can accommodate one of these two expansion modules.
The coaxial, USB‑C, and HDMI digital inputs can accept signals with resolutions up to 24‑bit/192kHz, but the optical inputs and coaxial output are limited to 24/96. Supported file formats include AAC, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WAV, and WMA. The TDAI‑2210 supports playback of locally stored and streamed music files with resolutions up to 32/384, which I partially confirmed by playing a 24/352.8 FLAC file from a USB drive.
Specified power output is 105Wpc into 8 ohms or 210Wpc into 4 ohms, with a maximum current of 35A per channel. Frequency response is 20Hz–20kHz, ±0.5dB, with maximum THD of 0.05%. Lyngdorf’s amplification technology, previously referred to as Equibit, converts pulse-code modulation (PCM) digital audio directly into a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal, keeping the signal in the digital domain right up until the speaker output stage. Volume is controlled by adjusting the voltage output of the power supply. While the basic topology is the same as previous Lyngdorf products, the new amplifier platform is said to have been completely redesigned from the ground up.
The 2210 is equipped with Lyngdorf’s RoomPerfect room-correction system, meant to set an adaptive target curve that retains the loudspeaker’s inherent sound performance and musicality rather than making it fit a singular target curve. EQ filters called voicings can also be added individually to each input. Fourteen preset voicings are provided; custom voicings can be created with up to eight filter sections and modified graphically in real time on the touchscreen. There are no loading options for the MM phono input, but I found the Neutral or Music voicings to sound very good with most of my vinyl recordings. A subsonic, aka rumble, filter is provided. The Neutral and Soft voicings sounded best to me with most digital material.
The DSP also allows for a high-pass or low-pass filter, as well as for setting distances to compensate for differences in placement of subwoofers and speakers. And, similar to voicings, speaker EQ profiles can be set, with built-in filters for speakers manufactured by Lyngdorf or custom filters designed by the user.
I’ve used a lot of high-end audio gear over the past several decades and little, if any, can match the TDAI‑2210 in terms of design, build quality, and overall excellence in execution at its price. From small touches like the ultra-luxe feel of the weighted volume control and how the app mimics its function with haptic feedback, to the plethora of advanced and useful features, this newest Lyngdorf amp appears to offer amazing value. About the only thing that doesn’t scream premium about the 2210 is its rather unexceptional two-year warranty.
True digital ease of use
I connected the TDAI‑2210 to my home network via ethernet for ease of initial setup and stability of connection. I also tested Bluetooth, USB local drive, USB‑C PC, Tidal Connect, and Google Cast connections just to confirm that these functioned properly, but I primarily used the 2210 as a Roon endpoint over the network. The analog source was a Technics SL‑1500C turntable with an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge. Loudspeakers were my MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9s. I did not use any subwoofers, as I was more concerned with how the 2210 would fare in driving a pair of large floorstanding speakers like the ESL 9s. I knew that its DSP-based crossover with adjustable speaker distances and RoomPerfect room correction would provide excellent results with the addition of subwoofers, as was the case with other RoomPerfect-equipped Lyngdorf products I had used in the past.
The menu system is accessible through a mobile app (I used the Android app and did not try the iOS version), web interface, and the color touchscreen, which can also be controlled via the slim-but-solidly-built remote. Setup options include (but are not limited to) editing input names, power and standby settings, display options, output settings (including crossover and speaker EQ), volume settings, connectivity setup, and firmware and data backup. The app, web interface, and touchscreen are all superbly executed. They have a simple-to-navigate layout with logically nested menus and easily identifiable icons. Depending on the mode of operation, the touchscreen can display cover art, input, volume level, title and artist, track length, and elapsed time, including a progress bar. An illuminated Lyngdorf logo next to the touchscreen indicates different power statuses.
The Android app immediately located the 2210 on my network and displayed a brief set of setup steps. I was able to configure RoomPerfect through the app with no difficulty and appreciated not having to use a computer, as I previously had to do with the Anthem ARC Genesis and Dirac Live room-correction systems. ARC and Dirac do allow for the use of a smartphone for configuration, but with some limitations. With RoomPerfect, two sets of speaker measurements can be stored in memory, and those, along with all of the other configuration settings, can be backed up to a USB drive. The provided calibration microphone even includes a highly articulable stand and a long XLR cable.
Other than my vinyl front end, sources included a Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphone and a Beelink mini PC running Windows 11 and Roon, and streaming Tidal or locally stored music files. Accessories were various cables and power products from AudioQuest, Analysis Plus, Blue Circle Audio, Shunyata Research, and Zero Surge.
Truth in sound
The TDAI‑2210 integrated is quite different in design from my much more expensive and more conventional Lyngdorf MP‑40 2.1 multichannel processor and MXA‑8400 multichannel power amplifier, but what wasn’t so different was the similarly balanced and neutral sound of both systems. The 2210 is also one of the least expensive integrated amplifiers I have reviewed that offers a full cadre of DSP-based features, including room correction.
The 2210’s transparency and lack of coloration was abundantly apparent on “Full of Life” from Christine and the Queens’ Paranoïa, Angels, True Love (24‑bit/176.4kHz FLAC, Because Music / Tidal). The sample of Pachelbel’s Canon performed by Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields that appears throughout the track set an exquisitely buoyant tone from the outset. The sound of the pure and unadulterated strings hovered weightlessly between the speakers, with Héloïse Adélaïde-Letissier’s vocals anchored solidly in the center. While those sometimes incredibly powerful vocals sometimes had a touch of crispness, the amp avoided making them overtly hard or brittle.
And when the bass ramps up, the deep notes held steadfast with precision and authority, making me appreciate how satisfying the ML ESL 9s can sound with the right amplifier and room correction. Equipped with dual 8″ woofers, the ESL 9 is a powerhouse, capable of delivering nearly full-range sound. My room can make deep bass a bit boomy, and it imposes a significant suck-out in the lower-mid bass. But the 2210 was indeed the right amplifier. The TDA-2210 reproduced the final chorus, with its dreamy mix of wispy, swirling vocals and ornately baroque strings, with exceptional clarity. It was utterly captivating.
“In the Ghetto” from Elvis Presley’s ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits (LP, RCA / Legacy 88875111961) had a compelling immediacy that blew me away. I was not expecting this level of performance with vinyl from Lyngdorf’s advanced DSP-based PWM amplifier. Presley’s silky baritone was right there in the room with me, as were his backup singers. The guitar and percussion were placed precisely in the left channel, and richly bowed strings were positioned just inside of the right speaker. The electric guitar of “Suspicious Minds” mixed nicely with the string section and some dynamic horns, but it was Gene Chrisman’s crisp drum fills that really did it for me. The small orchestra was now laid farther out in front of me and thus lacked some of the palpability of “In the Ghetto,” but the pace and melody were exhilarating. And all the while, the rock-steady drumming anchored the tune with an occasional flourish, capped by the controlled splash of a perfectly struck cymbal.
The headphone output was also particularly capable when driving a pair of HiFiMan HE400se headphones. “La Femme Chinoise” from Yellow Magic Orchestra’s eponymous album (24/96 FLAC, Sony Music Direct (Japan) Inc. / Tidal) had plenty of bounce in its playful electronic beat. The backing drums were fast and dense but still had some articulation in their decay, and the synth notes were clearly defined in front of them. The presentation wasn’t quite as articulate as through my dedicated JDS Labs Atom headphone amp, but it reminded me a lot of the extremely controlled nature of the THX AAA headphone amplification circuitry I’d previously experienced with the Bluesound Node Icon streaming preamplifier.
True that
Put simply, the Lyngdorf TDAI‑2210 was about as much amplifier as I wanted, or needed, for both digital and vinyl listening in my system. Perhaps I could have used a touch more power at times, but with its RoomPerfect room correction system, it sounded nearly perfect with the ML ESL 9s. And besides, you could always add subwoofers and set a high-pass filter to relieve some of the load on the amplifier to increase the system’s headroom. In that respect, NAD’s fantastic Masters M33, with its 200Wpc Purifi Eigentakt modules, is still the better and more powerful streaming amplifier. However, that added performance and power comes at a price. The current V2 version of the M33 is priced at US$7199.
In comparison, the less expensive Hegel H150 integrated amplifier (US$3600) did make an impressive showing, but it couldn’t quite match the Lyngdorf’s cleaner and more transparent sound. ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits sounded great on the Hegel, but it was the Lyngdorf that made me blurt out an expletive as I heard Elvis’s deep, lilting vocals sounding that much more palpable. The Lyngdorf does cost US$5049 with the optional analog MM module, but if you don’t need a phono stage, you can save the additional US$550. The choice is yours. The Hegel sounded subjectively as powerful as the Lyngdorf, but it lacks room correction and other DSP features like EQ; ultimately, it was a little opaque in comparison. Through the Lyngdorf, Eva Cassidy’s voice on Nightbird (16/44.1 FLAC, Blix Street Records / Tidal) was breathier and more present on the cover of Sting’s “Fields of Gold,” and when she hit the highest and loudest notes on her amazing interpretation of Doug MacLeod’s “Nightbird,” the vocals did not exhibit any signs of compression.
There are other fine integrated amplifiers in the $5K-to-$10K price range, some with excellent phono sections and some with DSP, including room correction—but there are few with both like the TDAI‑2210. My reference in this product category is still the NAD Masters M33 V2, but the TDAI‑2210 comes remarkably close in subjective performance and costs US$2150 less when purchased with the analog MM phono module. The M33 may still be the true reference in this category, but considering its price, the TDAI‑2210 is my new favorite.
Conclusion
It took Lyngdorf Audio a long time to produce another premium TDAI streaming amplifier after its flagship 3400 model. It was well worth the wait. The totally redesigned and fully featured DSP-based TDAI‑2210 performs similarly to other top models in this product category, and it does so at a price that is significantly lower than its competition—and even lower than the company’s own TDAI‑3400 (US$7449). Although it may be bettered in some aspects of performance by those other top models, the TDAI‑2210 is my pick for the high-end streaming amplifier representing the greatest value.
. . . Roger Kanno
rogerk@soundstagenetwork.com
Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here.
Associated Equipment:
- Loudspeakers: MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9
- Headphones: HiFiMan HE400se
- Preamplifier: Lyngdorf Audio MP‑40 2.1 multichannel processor
- Power amplifier: Lyngdorf Audio MXA‑8400 multichannel power amplifier
- Headphone amplifier: JDS Labs Atom
- Integrated amplifier–DAC: Hegel Music Systems H150
- Digital sources: Beelink mini PC running Windows 11, Roon, and Tidal, Oppo Digital UDP-205 4K Ultra HD universal BD Player
- Phono preamplifier–ADC: miniDSP ADept
- Analog source: Technics SL‑1500C turntable with Ortofon 2M Black cartridge
- Speaker cables: Shunyata Research Venom-X
- RCA interconnects: Analysis Plus Chocolate Oval-In
- Digital interconnect: Analysis Plus Black Digital
- USB link: Analysis Plus Purple Plus
- Power cords: Essential Sound Products MusicCord‑Pro ES, Clarus Aqua
- Power conditioners: Blue Circle Audio PLC Thingee FX‑2 with X0e low-frequency filter module, ZeroSurge 1MOD15WI
Lyngdorf Audio TDAI‑2210 streaming integrated amplifier
Price: US$4499, CA$6500, £3499, €3999; US$5049, CA$8199, £3999, €4500 as equipped, with optional MM phono module
Warranty: Two years, parts and labor
Steinway Lyngdorf
Rævevej 3
7800 Skive
Denmark
Phone: +45 9614-5600
Email: contact@lyngdorf.com
Website: www.lyngdorf.com