Having just turned 50, and having not upgraded my front end for 14 years, I decided it was time to explore the possibility of replacing my Linn Majik DS/Kontrol combo with a new DSM.
I've been to Grahams this morning to demo the Majik DSM, Selekt DSM with standard DAC and Selekt DSM Katalyst. As I have tri-aktiv Ninkas in my system, Paul at Grahams though it best I hear the options through active speakers, so in the room were a pair of Klimax Aktiv speakers, which I wasn't expecting.
We used the following tracks for the demo (all streamed from Qobuz)
The Song Remembers When - Trisha Yearwood
Please Remember Me - Tim McGraw
Home by Now - Muna (I am utterly obsessed with this track at the moment)
Something Wonderful - Carly Simon
Apart from the Muna track, these have been my test tracks for 20 years - I know them very well.
We started by playing the tracks in the order above on the Majik DSM. Paul had explained when I booked the demo that this wouldn't be much of an upgrade compared to what I have already, but I was still quite impressed. I'm sure part of this was the quality of the amplification and speakers, but the Majik DSM did a very good job. Paul commented that in his view, the Majik DSM is a respectable streamer and pre-amp combo, but the power amplifier isn't as good as the previous version's.
We then switched to the Selekt DSM with the standard DAC and played the tracks again, this time in reverse order. The improvement was dramatic, and shows how important the source and pre-amp are in a system - same speakers and amps, but much better sound. Easier to follow the different parts of the music - harmony vocals on the Tim McGraw track were easier to follow, as was the orchestral accompaniment on the Carly Simon track. The biggest improvement was to the Muna track - there's a lot going on and the Selekt DSM made a much better job of putting all the pieces where they belonged than the Majik DSM. It was clear at this point that the Majik DSM was off the table.
There was a small break while the Selekt DSM was taken out of the demo room to have its standard DAC replaced with the Katalyst version. It was at this point that Paul explained that Akurate kit was coming to end of life, with Selekt being being the future. He added that at some point, Organik would be offered for the Selekt DSM. I mentioned at this point I'd already heard standard vs Katalyst Selekt DSM at a launch event at KJ West One and had not been impressed by Katalyst so was interested to hear it again.
We started the demo with the Trisha Yearwood track, and I was pretty unimpressed - Katalyst didn't seem to add much at all. Moving on to the Tim McGraw track, I was more impressed. It wasn't as big as the jump from the Majik to the Selekt, but the separation of the instruments and voices improved, and the music seemed further forward in the room, without being oppressive.
From there, Katalyst won me over more and more. Katalyst did a great job again with the Muna track making it easier to follow the instruments as well as the main vocal - it was much easier to focus my attention on the different instruments. To my surprise, the improvement on the Carly Simon track was also quite big, with the orchestra better placed. I was pretty sure I was hearing things I hadn't heard before in all the times I've played that track.
So, I've ordered a Selekt DSM with Katalyst. Lead time is quoted by Linn for Selekt DSM at 10 weeks, but Paul's going to call them next week to see if they have a more up-to-date estimate.
I've been to Grahams this morning to demo the Majik DSM, Selekt DSM with standard DAC and Selekt DSM Katalyst. As I have tri-aktiv Ninkas in my system, Paul at Grahams though it best I hear the options through active speakers, so in the room were a pair of Klimax Aktiv speakers, which I wasn't expecting.
We used the following tracks for the demo (all streamed from Qobuz)
The Song Remembers When - Trisha Yearwood
Please Remember Me - Tim McGraw
Home by Now - Muna (I am utterly obsessed with this track at the moment)
Something Wonderful - Carly Simon
Apart from the Muna track, these have been my test tracks for 20 years - I know them very well.
We started by playing the tracks in the order above on the Majik DSM. Paul had explained when I booked the demo that this wouldn't be much of an upgrade compared to what I have already, but I was still quite impressed. I'm sure part of this was the quality of the amplification and speakers, but the Majik DSM did a very good job. Paul commented that in his view, the Majik DSM is a respectable streamer and pre-amp combo, but the power amplifier isn't as good as the previous version's.
We then switched to the Selekt DSM with the standard DAC and played the tracks again, this time in reverse order. The improvement was dramatic, and shows how important the source and pre-amp are in a system - same speakers and amps, but much better sound. Easier to follow the different parts of the music - harmony vocals on the Tim McGraw track were easier to follow, as was the orchestral accompaniment on the Carly Simon track. The biggest improvement was to the Muna track - there's a lot going on and the Selekt DSM made a much better job of putting all the pieces where they belonged than the Majik DSM. It was clear at this point that the Majik DSM was off the table.
There was a small break while the Selekt DSM was taken out of the demo room to have its standard DAC replaced with the Katalyst version. It was at this point that Paul explained that Akurate kit was coming to end of life, with Selekt being being the future. He added that at some point, Organik would be offered for the Selekt DSM. I mentioned at this point I'd already heard standard vs Katalyst Selekt DSM at a launch event at KJ West One and had not been impressed by Katalyst so was interested to hear it again.
We started the demo with the Trisha Yearwood track, and I was pretty unimpressed - Katalyst didn't seem to add much at all. Moving on to the Tim McGraw track, I was more impressed. It wasn't as big as the jump from the Majik to the Selekt, but the separation of the instruments and voices improved, and the music seemed further forward in the room, without being oppressive.
From there, Katalyst won me over more and more. Katalyst did a great job again with the Muna track making it easier to follow the instruments as well as the main vocal - it was much easier to focus my attention on the different instruments. To my surprise, the improvement on the Carly Simon track was also quite big, with the orchestra better placed. I was pretty sure I was hearing things I hadn't heard before in all the times I've played that track.
So, I've ordered a Selekt DSM with Katalyst. Lead time is quoted by Linn for Selekt DSM at 10 weeks, but Paul's going to call them next week to see if they have a more up-to-date estimate.
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