Stream everything. Connect anything. Linn's network music players are flexible and future-proof. From high-res albums to movie soundtracks: it's all at your fingertips. Welcome to high-performance music streaming.

Linn

Founded by Ivor Tiefenbrun in 1973, Linn was born from one man’s belief that he could vastly improve the sound quality of his music system, using precision-engineering and determined experimentation. The central philosophy to this is the source first approach.

Picture this charismatic Scot turning up at HiFi dealers, LP12 for dem showing up the more established brands of the time - pulling more information off a vinyl record than was thought possible. Information lost at the source is lost forever. No matter how good the amplifiers or loudspeakers that follow, you can't get back what has already been lost, so it’s essential you put the best source possible at the front of your system.

The Linn DSM first appeared in 2011, 2 years before this they had declared that the CD was dead and controversially no longer made a CD player. Streaming services were in their infancy and the average broadband speed in the UK was 14Mbps - there was no Spotify! The current incarnation of Selekt was launched in 2018 as - The world’s most configurable digital music player, to critical acclaim.

The Linn Selekt DSM is probably the most versatile high end HiFi component with a single unit that can turn its hand to pretty much any setup you care to imagine, exemplifying the single vision for Linn over their 50 year history that - source is king.

The Swiss army knife of Hifi with precision & finish of Swiss watchmakers

The standard Selekt, as of late 2022, comes in 2 case options - the Classik and Edition hub. The Edition Hub is a superior-quality enclosure, featuring an all-machined construction for improved rigidity, interior isolation, and elevated aesthetic appeal – with sleek sight lines, concealed joins and a lovely wave form CNC’d into the vents. Also of note, it comes with left and right sub outs and a headphone jack on the side of the unit - this is not on the Selekt Classic.

the modular nature of the linn selekt: From left to right: dac module, line out or amplifier cartridge, chassis

Both versions have; internet connection via Wifi or wired, digital inputs via Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, USB, TOSLINK x2, COAX x2 (note that this can be configured as a digital line output), or Linn’s own Exact link. Moving to the analogue duties, we have 1 pair of RCA in, an MM and MC phonostage, That blank plate next to the analogue stages can be configured to hold a five input HDMI input when the surround module is configured.

Next we choose the DAC performance level; Standard, Katylst or Organik. The entry level DAC is still capable of 24/192, The Katalyst uses it own stabilised power supplies and voltage reference point. This mean that any "crosstalk" from other audio channels and circuitry are isolated and give a cleaner/purer music.

With Organik we enter a world where Linn has designed their own in house DAC. Most manufacturers take off-the-shelf chips, compliance check, programme and tweak to get the best out of them. The extreme would be to bake your own circuits in silicon, if you have some sand and a billion or so lying around. Linn have chosen the middle still expensive route of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) - deep programmable logic far more efficient in terms of processing time as well as offering very tight timing when compared with optimsed code running on 3rd party chips. Organik uses an 8-layer circuit board, facilitating optimal delivery of power and clocks to the DAC. Power for the conversion stage is generated by a discrete regulator, and delivered using multiple internal power planes.

Lastly, amplification. This is where things get mightily modular. I worked out there are 8 configurations across 2 case options with 2 case colours with 3 levels of DAC.. The 3 cartridge slots can be configured as a single line out or as complex as a HDMI card, surround module 5.2 50W Class D amplification per pair of speakers.

Setup

Linn’s documentation is extremely good, with community help over at LinnDocs, a thorough read is a must. As a line level source, it slots into any system and is configurable through Linn’s Manage systems/Kloud Konfig , which will allow you to set up from a webpage.

Another great setup tool is Linn’s Space Optimisation, which uses acoustic modelling to build up a complete picture of how your speakers, their placement, and the unique characteristics of your room interact to affect the sound you hear. It’s a free software upgrade to all existing owners.

In Summary - The King of Source

We have many hours of listening to the Linn Selekt with standard DAC, Katalyst, Organik stereo and Organik Dual mono DACs - each level a leap in performance.

The Organik occupies the stratospheric rarefied air of top performing streamers. The strength is clarity and engaging with emotional depth of performance that is so difficult in the digital realm.

What Linn has achieved is remarkable, uniquely sticking to a philosophy for 50 years that source is king and providing the HiFi world with a product that is modular, future proof and upgradable as Trigger’s broom, like the first LP12.

Conceivably you could take an entry level £4,900 Selekt Classic edition with line out and standard DAC and upgrade all the way to a performance close to the £35,500 Klimax, by way of the Edition mono line out Organik DAC variant.

Book an audition and sample a wee dram of Scotch, In the words of Linn’s Ivor “…Play it for the people and let them hear for themselves what it does, and let them decide if it's worth it to them. Let them decide whether we deliver the performance." - - John Atkinson interview with Ivor Tiefenbrun

Thanks for reading.

Justin, Max & James - Audio T Bristol

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