The Linn DS / DSM thread

[CnoEvil]

Is there a model that can send files via usb? I doubt it now

I don't think so....it sort of defeats the purpose of a DS in the first place.

Im looking whats available on the market to store all my cds on flac and send straight to dac via usb like the innous to see whats out.

So far the innous looks unique with the usb functionality.

Have you ruled out storing them on a NAS and sending them to a Linn DS? If not, you have nothing to lose by giving it a listen.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Is there a model that can send files via usb? I doubt it now

I don't think so....it sort of defeats the purpose of a DS in the first place. 

Im looking whats available on the market to store all my cds on flac and send straight to dac via usb like the innous to see whats out.

So far the innous looks unique with the usb functionality.

Have you ruled out storing them on a NAS and sending them to a Linn DS? If not, you have nothing to lose by giving it a listen.

 

I can easily set up a nas for relatively small money in comparison to a music server (my hegel can do all the rest and i wouldnt need anything else)
But its the quality linear power supply that in interested in (if it makes a difference)

Im sick of havibg to put my laptop on floor and connecting usb all the time.

Laptop is so noisy as its not ssd

 

[CnoEvil]

I can easily set up a nas for relatively small money in comparison to a music server (my hegel can do all the rest and i wouldnt need anything else) But its the quality linear power supply that in interested in (if it makes a difference)

Im sick of havibg to put my laptop on floor and connecting usb all the time.

Laptop is so noisy as its not ssd

When Linn introduced the Dynamik Power Supply, it made a noticeable difference (Don't tell TrevC).

The reason I went this route is because of the reasons you stated above. Once you have it set up, it can be controlled by any Laptop, phone or iThingy.

It also happens to be the most refined and musical (digital) source that I've come across....though others are available.

Edit. It also has space optimization for tailoring to your room.

 

[Native_bon]

When I replaced my Chord 2Qute original power supply for a Linear one it really did open up the sound. Any sign of mulled bass was gone, also after bout a week the sound went 3D.

From experience integrated and power amps in most cases, do not respond well to mains upgrade, but most sources do.

 

[Pedro2]

Is there a model that can send files via usb? I doubt it now

I don't think so....it sort of defeats the purpose of a DS in the first place.

Im looking whats available on the market to store all my cds on flac and send straight to dac via usb like the innous to see whats out.

So far the innous looks unique with the usb functionality.

Have you ruled out storing them on a NAS and sending them to a Linn DS? If not, you have nothing to lose by giving it a listen.

I can easily set up a nas for relatively small money in comparison to a music server (my hegel can do all the rest and i wouldnt need anything else) But its the quality linear power supply that in interested in (if it makes a difference)

Im sick of havibg to put my laptop on floor and connecting usb all the time.

Laptop is so noisy as its not ssd

I believe that Linn use quality switch mode power supplies which often get a bad press in audio circles but Linn appear to have sorted them. The upgrade in the latest Klimax streamer however, appears to be in the design of the onboard DAC. On reading the Hi Fi Plus review, Linn appear to have created something quite bespoke (don't Chord use this approach?) and it appears to be a game changer. I particularly like ALan Sircom's comments:

'In fact, the first three words I wrote on my note pad sum up the Klimax DS/3 effect better than all the other 1997 or so words written here. And I wrote them in capitals and underlined them twice for good measure: Holy. Living. F**k. That’s the ten-second later comment, and it was still relevant at the time I put away the note-pad. I’ve not heard every single digital device, but I’ve heard a lot of them, and Klimax DS/3 is the best of the ones I’ve heard, or at least the best I’ve heard that don’t cost as much as a decent luxury car.'

 

[Pedro2]

There's a review of the latest Klimax incarnation in the latest edition of WHF (also on website). I'd already read a review from another source which raved about it's sound. Over on the Linn forum, there are already one or two posters who have bought one as well as upgrading their second Klimax streamers to the latest spec (probably living in Trump Towers). All are unanimous in that it offers unrivalled sq from a digital source. This includes one listener who states that his upgraded LP12 turntable hasn't been used since the arrival of the new DS; quite an admission!

From all accounts, this is an amazing piece of kit and I'll wait patiently for the technology to trickle down to the Akurate (could be some time). One good thing about Linn is their upgrade options; biggest downside is their price new. The Klimax is no exception to this and comes in at an eye watering £15000. Oh, another downside is the lack of Spotify Connect but I've mentioned that on another thread and I'm not returning as it's gone a bit Pete Tong.

Cno - not sure if you're still active in these parts but I know you appreciate the Linn streamers and I'm sure it's caught your eye.

 

[Pedro2]

It's been far too long coming but Spotify Connect has finally been enabled on Linn ds/dsm streamers. To access, users need to update to the latest beta firmware and I imagine this will become standard within a short time.

There should be many more happy Linnies around when this becomes widely known. Just waiting for Spotify to stream at CD quality and my satisfaction will be complete.

Well done Linn (finally) and I can stop moaning at you now.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

Also looking forward to Spotify releasing their hi-fi version of lossless audio....wish they'd hurry up..so I can stop buying those shiny discs and cluttering up the place.

I downloaded a couple of hi-res albums from qobuuz recently and am not entirely convinced that it is worth the extra outlay over standard cd quality as yet.....one at 24/96 khz and a couple of others at 24/44.1 khz.Although they weren't that expensive compared to the HD tracks website.

Oh and my apologies for going off topic of linn streamers.

 

[CnoEvil]

It's been far too long coming but Spotify Connect has finally been enabled on Linn ds/dsm streamers. To access, users need to update to the latest beta firmware and I imagine this will become standard within a short time.

There should be many more happy Linnies around when this becomes widely known. Just waiting for Spotify to stream at CD quality and my satisfaction will be complete.

Well done Linn (finally) and I can stop moaning at you now.

Glad you finally got what you wanted.

Still enjoying the system?......speaker upgrade? *diablo*

 

[Pedro2]

Thanks Cno,

I'm an ardent user of Spotify and so is my better half; it'sused on various platforms in a range of settings. Using it on the Linn however was a bit of a pain in the ar*e with the Chromecast Audio needing some nimble manoeuvres on the remote. All is now sweetness and light however and I'm only surprised at how low key Linn have been about its introduction. Maybe they'll make more fuss when it's no longer in Beta stage. It does sound great I must add!

Regarding the speaker upgrade, life keeps getting in the way I'm afraid - hill walking, cycling and enjoying some wonderful Greek hospitality. As soon as the summer starts to fade,however, I'm definitely going to hear those actives!

 

[CnoEvil]

At the risk of stirring the pasta pot....and just in case it's of interest, Linton Audio have a sale of Black Ravioli original pads.

http://www.lintone.co.uk/black-ravioli-standard-pad

I say this because I felt it made a substantial difference to my Majik DS....and wrote about it (to much ridicule) here:

https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/black-ravioli

I'm sure Linton Audio would send some for you to try, if interested....as this is a "must try" tweak.

 

[Pedro2]

Cno. Have just ordered one of these but now not sure whether the Akurate would need more? Anyway, willing to give it a whirl at the price so will let you know what I think after it arrives. Also read your earlier post and intrigued by the findings. I wonder if other forms of pasta have similar effects!!!

 

[CnoEvil]

Cno. Have just ordered one of these but now not sure whether the Akurate would need more? Anyway, willing to give it a whirl at the price so will let you know what I think after it arrives. Also read your earlier post and intrigued by the findings. I wonder if other forms of pasta have similar effects!!!

When it comes to the Pads....you need a lot more than one.

I would put them 2 high......with a minimum of a set in each corner.....so 8.

I've actually got 12 of them.....with the extra under the power supply.

I ended up with 12, as I experimented with taking them in and out....and for me, that was the sweetspot. I suggest, that if interested, you would start off with 8.....you can always order more if you like the effect.

IMO. The most noticeable effect, is when you take them out....and the sound sort of shrinks....weird!

NB. It's vital that they go under the chasis, not under the feet (or they won't work).

Why don't you ring Linton's and have a discussion with them.

It was because of the price reduction that I highlighted them, as that is a reasonable saving over 8-12 pads.

 

[Pedro2]

just heard from Lintone. They've run out of the ravioli on special offer so refunded me. Seems like a good outfit to me and very helpful/apologetic.

Anyway, just ordered from the ravioli site direct which has the original pads on offer to. Now ordered 8 as my original 1 would have been useless.

keep you posted on their effectiveness after I've used them for a couple of weeks.

By the way, CNO, do you use Linn Space Optimisation? And any other Linn DS users? I have applied the suggested settings for my room but haven't as yet spent time customising as explained by Paulsurround on the Linn forum. Could do with a spare day or two!

 

[CnoEvil]

By the way, CNO, do you use Linn Space Optimisation? And any other Linn DS users? I have applied the suggested settings for my room but haven't as yet spent time customising as explained by Paulsurround on the Linn forum. Could do with a spare day or two!

No I don't, I'm afraid.

 

[mond]

Hi Pedro2

I use Space optimisation or SO as it is referred to and for my system it makes quite a big difference with the sound. They don't have my speakers listed so I just chose something similar, in my case MA Gold bookshelf speakers. I didn't do it in the most scientific way but I did get some nice results. I first "set all to calculated" after putting all the room dimensions in as instructed and then opened each room mode and reduced the Gain down by about half. (Can't remember who suggested this but I read to reduce the room nodes for each one as a good starting place). As my speakers are small bookshelf designs I wanted to add a bit of bass so I then added a 2 db. gain on a bass shelf and then done the same for the treble as I wanted a bit of a lift here too. I also added a custom filter which I again used to boost the bass a bit, this time I used the frequency of 100hz. It's very easy to switch the SO on and off to see if you like the changes and also easy to "save as" and then experiment some more. Maybe start by reducing the room modes and take if from there. You can't break anything and it's quite good fun adjusting things and listening for the changes in the SQ. When I have the SO applied the sound is richer and warmer with a tad more bass and treble, and the whole thing sounds a bit more atmospheric, which is exactly what I wanted to achieve. Have a go, you've nothing to loose

 

[mond]

Oh and I also use Black Ravioli under my streamer, although TBH didn't here that much difference with my system.

 

[Pedro2]

I'll wait and see what ravioli brings to the party!!!!

I'll get round to playing about with Space again when I can access my stored music on a new NAS. At present, following the death of a tranquil PC NAS a few months back, I rely mostly on Spotify and radio streams. It appears that these are not the best sources to modify Space settings.

Mond, your speakers were once on my audition list before I bought the ATCs. Never got round to hearing them, however, as no dealers nearby. Are you happy with their sound? I read some very favourable reviews.

And CNO, dare I ask why no Space exploration?

 

[CnoEvil]

And CNO, dare I ask why no Space exploration?

I'm very happy with the sound I am getting....but never say never.

 

[mond]

I'm very happy with the sound of my MAD speakers. they sound bigger than they are and are very smooth sounding , with nice bass and plenty of detail. They never sound fatiguing and seem to suit the digital front end nicely making the overall sound sophisticated and never tiring. They are probably the opposite to bright sounding, which is fine by me. I didn't audition but spotted a nearly new pair at bargain price so thought I'd take a chance. I prefer them to the ageing Audio Note ANK that they replaced.

 

[newlash09]

but I got locked out of my vinyl vs digital thread. Iam seriously considering the Linn majik DS, in no small part due to Cnoevil's recommendation. I understand that the competition at this price is from the Naim nd5xs. But it doesn't have room optimisation. Any other streamers I should also be auditioning at this price. Though iam mostly sold on the Linn already

 

[CnoEvil]

but I got locked out of my vinyl vs digital thread. Iam seriously considering the Linn majik DS, in no small part due to Cnoevil's recommendation. I understand that the competition at this price is from the Naim nd5xs. But it doesn't have room optimisation. Any other streamers I should also be auditioning at this price. Though iam mostly sold on the Linn already

Let me know what you think after having a demo....and hopefully we will have another member of the club. *dance4*

 

[newlash09]

Cno evil..
Should be next summer all going well. Will post back here my thoughts. Thanks

 

[mond]

Well I tried to post a reply half a dozen times but it was blocked as apparenty I am a spammer so I guess you won't now see my reply! What is this BS that is happening on this site??

Anyway a short version is the Linn streamers are very good, I've had a Sneaky connected to a dynamiked power amp and now use the Renew which is a repackaged board from a Klimax rehoused in a plain black box, both have been very accomplished players. For me there is no turning back, I cannot be doing with faffing about with vinyl , I tend to play my whole record collection on random and just skip a track if I'm not in the mood for it. I never listen to whole albums!

The only other one I would look at is the Moon Neo ACE which is an all ine one amp and streamer which has had good reivews , although I have not actually heard one I'd quite like to

 

[CnoEvil]

The only other one I would look at is the Moon Neo ACE which is an all ine one amp and streamer which has had good reivews , although I have not actually heard one I'd quite like to

I have heard a few Moon Amps and CDPs....I have really wanted to like their sound, as they are well built with good features, but I didn't find the sound musically engaging.

There are many who disagree.