Are you tired of the high-fidelity rat race that is all about louder, bigger and more expensive? Have you given up on your giant horns and no longer need hifi worship for self-affirmation or social distinction? Then you really ought to listen to the Lindemann Woodnote Combo. Don't be put off by its unimpressive dimensions or power. The Combo is a serious component without deficiencies under the normal listening conditions of flats and row houses. Volume junkies with inefficient speakers will look elsewhere of course. On the plus ledger there is a tonal completeness that's in no way inferior to much larger far more expensive solutions. In addition there is this relaxed feel with natural timbres and a wonderful sense of timing and rhythm. So the Lindemann Woodnote Combo manages the high-wire balancing act of playing in a neutral manner but never sounds bloodless or boring. There are small compromises of fine resolution in complex richly arranged pieces if you are a particularly meticulous listener but for my ears this can't spoil the great emotional overall impact. This streaming amp easily compensates with its sheer joy of play and stress-free long-term suitability. In the end I was particularly impressed by how Norbert Lindemann managed to wring heart and soul from a streaming class D platform [with a class A input stage, DSD processing and the smallest best-sounding module of the latest nCore generation of Hypex – Ed.].

Psych profile of the Lindemann Woodnote Combo…

• tonally completely inconspicuous, almost Swiss neutral:
  • The bass cleanly carries through into the sub-bass. There's nothing missing in terms of tone although all of this applies primarily to reasonable volumes. The Lindemann amp clearly is no party animal. The bass is dynamically agile and nimble.
  • Completely coloration-free midrange which offers a broad palette of natural tone colors without resorting to gimmicks. This is where the Woodnote Combo really shines.
  • The treble is beautifully airy and extends up into super-tweeter turf but always remains stress-free.
• Clean in terms of macro and micro dynamics and excitingly snappy and quick to accelerate.
• Fine resolution appropriate for the price range but that is not the main focus when on complex densely arranged pieces, things can get more analytical elsewhere.
• Stages without special effects or surprises. The panorama is pleasantly large and separates cleanly from the speakers without creating hyper-realistic 3D worlds. The Combo is able to credibly model a complex sound body but does not get lost in micrometer-precise sorting.
• Clean workmanship and an elegant, timeless and unique look. Last but not least, the real wood gives this small device a certain flair.

Facts:

• • Category: Streaming amplifier
  • Power: 30/50wpc into 8/4Ω
  • Streaming: via Bluetooth, LAN, WLAN ( UPnP and DLNA)
  • Inputs: S/PDIF optical, S/PDIF coaxial, HDMI eARC, USB-A, Toslink
  • Outputs: S/PDIF coax, USB, volume-controlled RCA line out, 4mm banana sockets
  • Supported codecs: WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, DSD native
  • Streaming services: Tidal Connect, Qobuz, Deezer, HighResAudio, Spotify
  • PCM resolution: 44.1 kHz to 384kHz, 24-bit (WLAN up to 192kHz)
  • DSD resolution: DSD 64 to DSD 256 (WLAN to DSD 128)
  • Dimensions (WxHxD): 207 x 62 x 250 mm
  • Weight: 1.7 kg