New high-end speaker trend from EU: active with digital XO and DSP.

[Glareskin]

- Physical acoustical room treatments is the best way to improve sound.

I fully agree. However in most households this is very difficult. As an example, my wife wouldn't let me make the room like this:

Personally I think it looks quite cool!

- DSP/X-Over active loudspeakers is second best.

Use a DSP to do room corrections yes, I agree. But I also think that there is nothing wrong with using the DSP to optimizing the frequency curve to the room and personal sound character.

For the second I don't understand your point. Why would a digital crossover be second best? I think most experts agree that having multiple amplifiers and a digital XO to balance the speakers and flatten the frequency curve is much superior to the passive crossovers

- High-end audio (now and in the future) will always include the purist audiophile: No signal degradation, the shortest path (straight wire), no noise (pure blackness), no any sort of DSP EQ or digital this or that, and simply the old proven standard of keep it simple all the way. ...And stay that way analog all the way; from input to output.

I think that what you describe is the conventional description of audiophile. But isn't the technology used just the vehicle to achieve what audiophiles really want: the perfect sound? As close to the original recording as possible?
While the first solid state equipment sounded not as good as the tube equipment that was around for a longer time we said valves are better than transistors. But I think over time we were able to improve the technology so it is at least as good.
Same history with digital. When the CD was introduced everybody jumped on it for its convenience but audiophiles found it sounding not as good as vinyl. Over time we perfectionized the sound quality, introduced SACD, DVD-A and later digital streaming. And I have to admit that streaming high-res recordings through my Linn DS it sounds better than Vinyl.
So my personal definition for high-end audio or audiophile is save no technological efforts to achieve the most realistic reproduction of music.

 

[NorthStar]

Music recording studios are not your normal rooms where the wife and kids and guests hang like in a regular living room.
{Acoustical room treatment is a 'natural' DSP EQ to give you your desired 'house' (room) curve.}

The best x-over is no crossover. ...And active is better than passive.

The true hardcore purist audiophile will never use more than what it is truly necessary to change his mind.
There is simply no substitute for deep roots into ephemeral nostalgia.

Only the honest sound explorers dare to go beyond simple plausibility and belief.
Audiophilia is a myth, a harness, a cult.

High-end doesn't exist; high fidelity does.

 

[Glareskin]

Only the honest sound explorers dare to go beyond simple plausibility and belief.

 

[NorthStar]

---- :exciting:

 

[Glareskin]

Very promising.

I guess to kick it up notch a GISO gb would help, no?
www.acousence.de

I don't think it is necessary but galvanic separation won't hurt I guess....

 

[wisnon]

Feedback I got was that it created a WOW improvement. This from a trusted pal and amateur reviewer with a KILLER system. That pal did not want to believe it was necessary to spend €400 just for that, but after trialling a friends unit he raced to get one for himself and may even get another for his Dual PC CAPS.

 

[wisnon]

Oh, you could try a full-bipolar Quad-active with a LMT tweeter!
ROWEN A12 loudspeaker
ROWEN - Bi-, Tri-, Quad-Active loudspeakers
ROWEN - Linear Motion Transformer - LMT

Just a medium sized drive to the CH border from the NLs. Many people do it all the time! LoL

 

[Glareskin]

Oh, you could try a full-bipolar Quad-active with a LMT tweeter!
ROWEN A12 loudspeaker
ROWEN - Bi-, Tri-, Quad-Active loudspeakers
ROWEN - Linear Motion Transformer - LMT

Just a medium sized drive to the CH border from the NLs. Many people do it all the time! LoL

Great stuff Norman! I always like to learn something new.

 

[NorthStar]

Yeah me too.

 

[Glareskin]

Now tested in Audio: the new Linn Exakt.

The Exakt is a speaker with built-in DAC, digital cross over and a connection to a dedicated Exakt Klimax DSM with improved analogie inputs. The result is a relaxed sound that sounds good with audiophile and non-audiophile material!

So I wonder if anyone in this forum has experience with this product. I know Linn is not a beloved brand in the US mainly because of poor dealerships but the product seems to be pretty darn exciting.

 

[Rufus McDufus]

I've heard the Klimax Exakt system a few times - Klimax Exakt DSM with K350A speakers in this case. I owned a non-Exakt Klimax system for a few years.
The system I heard wasn't greatly set up as it was pretty much out of the box at that point. The speakers weren't fully run in, but they still had the characteristics of Linn's 350 speakers that I don't like - rather flabby bass and generally rather coloured and frankly a bit boring too in my opinion. The Exakt system definitely had superior detail and accuracy. It almost sounds like the jitter has been reduced to virtually zero, even though the jitter figures aren't actually much less than the non-Exakt system. Noise floor is much lower. It is very good, but unfortunately I don't like their speakers much and never have! In future they say they will perform correction on non-Linn speakers but I wouldn't hold my breath.
The concept is clever and very well-engineered. The Klimax Exakt system is pretty expensive though and I personally think you can do better for the price. They have just announced the cheaper Akurate Exakt system though, and the Akubarik speakers are pretty good so this could be interesting.

 

[Glareskin]

I've heard the Klimax Exakt system a few times - Klimax Exakt DSM with K350A speakers in this case. I owned a non-Exakt Klimax system for a few years.
The system I heard wasn't greatly set up as it was pretty much out of the box at that point. The speakers weren't fully run in, but they still had the characteristics of Linn's 350 speakers that I don't like - rather flabby bass and generally rather coloured and frankly a bit boring too in my opinion. The Exakt system definitely had superior detail and accuracy. It almost sounds like the jitter has been reduced to virtually zero, even though the jitter figures aren't actually much less than the non-Exakt system. Noise floor is much lower. It is very good, but unfortunately I don't like their speakers much and never have! In future they say they will perform correction on non-Linn speakers but I wouldn't hold my breath.
The concept is clever and very well-engineered. The Klimax Exakt system is pretty expensive though and I personally think you can do better for the price. They have just announced the cheaper Akurate Exakt system though, and the Akubarik speakers are pretty good so this could be interesting.

Yeah I have heard the 350's in the past and I wasn't impressed either. Very clean not enough emotions for my taste.