New LFD Zero LE mkIV

Listened to the lfd le mk4 signature version with a pair of Neat Mystique. Stunning in every area. More open than the older design and tonality is a real treat. Told that there is no onboard phono option however because casework is more compact than older design. But the sound more than makes up for it. Except for power which is still more than adequate it competes with seperates costing close to 10K. No remote and looks are only modest but unusually high quality under the hood.

"Finally, if you can’t afford or choose not to get the LFD NCSE then buy the latest LFD Zero LE integrated. In its price band, it’s unbeatable. But it’s not the LFD NCSE in disguise." Howard Popeck of Stereonow Ltd

I own the LE3 and a friend lent me his NCSE. Personally, I prefer the LE3 to the NCSE. There is more of what Sam Tellig describes as the illuminated light from within. The NCSE is also very, very good but I found it too clinical for my taste! If the new LE IV sounds more like the NCSE then I will very contentedly stick with my LE3.

LFD makes excellent integrateds! Very musical!

Denjo. The LFD's are great bare bone integrated's (the simple box w/o extras turns off most US shoppers, but their loss), especially a used one with b/i phono stage, the used LE3 is a bargain. I owned an LF3 and had time to A/B with NCSE. Took more than a few weeks to realize the strengths of the NCSE over the LE3 such as the firm control of bass (cello, skin on drum skin, etc.) and revealing of details was better from some of my recordings, but I could have stayed happy with the LE3. P.S. the old Sam Tellig LE3 review irritated me as silly, but it did serve a purpose to make many aware of a small builder like Bews/LFD.

I wonder if the if the NCSE has more current and lower output impedance (damping) than the MKIII - might be that the MKIII works better with easy loads and operates a bit more like a tube amp might, the bass improvement would be more noticeable to users of speakers that benefit from beefier current capabilities.

How does the MKIII, and other LFD integrated stack up against other top flight integrates, tube or SS?