Linn finally acknowledges DSD exists

Kuoppis

Kuoppis

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Replacing its dated Wolfson architecture Linn finally added a DAC chip to the Klimax Streamer/ DAC, which can actually play back DSD.

From a Linn perspective this is a huge change of heart, as they have been a very strong proponent of the PCM camp so far.

https://www.linn.co.uk/technology/katalyst
 
Haha. That's funny. They had such an anti-DSD campaign for so long.

Maybe they should have skipped DSD, saved face and gone straight to MQA.

Lumin has some significant competition now, but the last time I checked, the Linn app was no where near as polished as the Lumin app.

If you can't beat 'em....[emoji6]


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Better late than never. If they do DSD like they do PSM could be interesting.
 
Have to agree with Mike that the change of heart is almost funny.

But you do have a good point as well: if they indeed do DSD or MQA for that matter) as well as they do PCM it could freshen up the market a bit. I used to own a Klimax and must admit you can't say anything else, than that it was very good. But at that time Lumin was not around yet...


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Kuoppis said:
Replacing its dated Wolfson architecture Linn finally added a DAC chip to the Klimax Streamer/ DAC, which can actually play back DSD.

From a Linn perspective this is a huge change of heart, as they have been a very strong proponent of the PCM camp so far.

https://www.linn.co.uk/technology/katalyst
Click to expand...

On the link that you have included you can see they still don't support DSD.

Schermafbeelding_2016_09_25_om_18_46_17.jpg


Mike said:
Lumin has some significant competition now, but the last time I checked, the Linn app was no where near as polished as the Lumin app.

If you can't beat 'em....[emoji6]
Click to expand...

If you can't beat 'em...., use them! That is what I do for years now for my Linn and Auralic mini. I agree the Lumin app is a lot better.

Lumin_picture_Aries.jpg



I realize Linn has no traction in the US. For what I understand due to a poor distributor. But here in Europe Linn is the most sold and acknowledged hi-end streamer brand. And according the high-end audio magazines as well as users in Europe on a higher level SQ compared to Lumin. True or not, Linn brought this new Katalyst to improve sound quality and as early users say it is again a big step up.
 
Glareskin said:
Thanks. Can you send the link because I couldn't find it and also the Linn community seems to think it cannot support DSD. http://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=34384
Click to expand...

I digged into the specs and it came up, and of course the DAC chip supports it. So I think they would be plain stupid to disable it.

But frankly speaking, I don't care. I switched to Meitner some years ago due to lack of DSD support of the Klimax. So figure it out, I am not going to engage in an irrelevant battle here if someone is not able to read product specs. I do not mean to be rude, but I simply do not care enough to argue about this.


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Kuoppis said:
figure it out, I am not going to engage in an irrelevant battle here if someone is not able to read product specs.
Click to expand...
Wow! I don't understand where this reaction is coming from. I am just asking your source as I haven't found it and it was you who started this thread. I am not looking for a battle, just facts.
peace-sign-hand.png
 
As said, the intention is not to be rude. Just dig into it and find out for yourself. Happy hunting.


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Glareskin said:
On the link that you have included you can see they still don't support DSD.

Schermafbeelding_2016_09_25_om_18_46_17.jpg




If you can't beat 'em...., use them! That is what I do for years now for my Linn and Auralic mini. I agree the Lumin app is a lot better.

Lumin_picture_Aries.jpg



I realize Linn has no traction in the US. For what I understand due to a poor distributor. But here in Europe Linn is the most sold and acknowledged hi-end streamer brand. And according the high-end audio magazines as well as users in Europe on a higher level SQ compared to Lumin. True or not, Linn brought this new Katalyst to improve sound quality and as early users say it is again a big step up.
Click to expand...

The Linn is very musical. But a few years ago, Jock (The Professor) and others compared the top of the line Linn (Klimax??) to the Lumin and the Lumin was preferred.

Will be interesting to see if Linn does support DSD, MQA, etc. in the future.


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I guess they will have a tough stand, as Lumin is quite up-to-date with the latest technical developments.

And as you mentioned Mike, the Lumin app appears to be state-of the-art.


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Kuoppis said:
I guess they will have a tough stand, as Lumin is quite up-to-date with the latest technical developments.

And as you mentioned Mike, the Lumin app appears to be state-of the-art.


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Click to expand...

Plus a much lower price point here in the U.S. and many model options available from $2k to $10k. And Lumin is participating here on AS daily and always available, answering questions.

Didn't the old man who founded Linn retire and now the kid is running the show? I could be wrong...

As for AKM, isn't that the same chip used in the new Esoteric network music player? I think that's competitively priced too.

Linn had the market. They were the pioneers. But at least here in the U.S., they buried their heads in the sand and told consumers they were wrong to want DSD. Gave us all kinds of charts and graphs and reasons to tell consumers they were wrong. That didn't work out so well.

I would love to see Linn up their game here. That may push Lumin too! Good for consumers.

AKM...interesting choice. Good. But interesting.


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Mike.......Just for general information in response to your commement above, the new Esoteric K-01X and K-03X CD/SACD/DAC players use the AKM AK4495S DAC. The newest, and yet to be released, Esoteric Grandioso K1 SACD/CD/DAC player uses the AKM AK4497 DAC.
 
Double-D said:
Mike.......Just for general information in response to your commement above, the new Esoteric K-01X and K-03X CD/SACD/DAC players use the AKM AK4495S DAC. The newest, and yet to be released, Esoteric Grandioso K1 SACD/CD/DAC player uses the AKM AK4497 DAC.
Click to expand...

What does the Esoteric D-02x use? Any idea?
 
Well, to present the "other side" of the story, I actually prefer the Linn app (Kazoo) to the Lumin app. I've them all installed on our iPads, and most people that come here end up preferring Kazoo too. Plus, there's Kazoo on my Mac, so I don't even need to reach out for the iPad... Since Linn created the actual protocol Lumin runs on (and made it open), there would be no Lumin if it weren't for Linn :)

Second, the whole DSD thing was problematic, yes. I'm still annoying when I pick an album from my collection, and the Linn simply won't play, because it's DSD. But from what I understand, dealing with DSD wouldn't allow Linn to provide the compreensive DSP / room optimization that its streamers provide:

https://www.linn.co.uk/technology/space-optimisation

It's just not feasible to apply DSP to DSD streams in real-time (not today, let alone many years ago when Linn started this whole streaming thing), so they went with what was possible, PCM.

I will know more about these new products in about a week. I'm pretty curious to see if they really did DSD, and if they did, how are they coping with the DSP stuff...

One thing I agree with Mike, though: technological progress should turn better (and cheaper) products for us! And besides, choice is good :)


cheers,
alex
 

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