Linn Owners

Outperform

Sound Man

Newbie
Wammer
Aug 7, 2020
216
182
48
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Will the Selekt DSM Edition with its dual mono line out / dual mono Organik DAC and Utopik PSU outperform the 30K Organik DSM launched last year? It just strikes me that it may well do. Linn HQ must have by now tested the 30k DSM with the new upgrades?
 

Nestor Turton

Nestor Turton
Wammer
Jan 30, 2019
1,852
3,514
148
Nowhere in Particular
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Yes it may do, but without hearing or even seeing a list of the differences between the two, it’s only speculation. My guess is the Utopik in the NG KDSM will restore it to top position if it had lost its place at the summit. However, it is nice to see Linn producing something slightly more affordable with its state of the art components.

I wonder what a revised Majik DSM will sound like with Utopik and Organik? It would certainly give competing brands a run for their money. In my opinion based on owning both is the MDSM/2 is more than a match for Naim’s NDAC/555PS+NAC282/SC+NAP200; one box for less money. So if Linn can market its new products as well as it can deploy its technology then the future is bright.
 
Last edited:

Oscar P.

Newbie
Wammer
Mar 6, 2020
154
191
48
Will the Selekt DSM Edition with its dual mono line out / dual mono Organik DAC and Utopik PSU outperform the 30K Organik DSM launched last year? It just strikes me that it may well do. Linn HQ must have by now tested the 30k DSM with the new upgrades?
I don’t think so.
An Utopik would be far more expensive then. It’s ‘only’ 1350.
It would be strange if the Utopik brings a better sound quality than the difference in quality between two Hubs. It’s wishfull thinking.
It would be nice though if an Utopik gives a significant improvement.
 

Munro

Newbie
Wammer
Oct 10, 2018
7
46
33
York
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
I had the Selekt Edition (Mono Organik Boards) at home to compare with my home KDSM3 Organik over the weekend. Sadly there was no real comparison. The heavier, more expensive machine costing nearly twice as much was twice as good - as you might reasonably expect. On the bright side the Selekt’s Utopik psu was discernibly clean & clear with good natural piano tone free of ‘glare’ which was very welcome. However the Klimax 3 offered an authority, richness and depth quite beyond the cheaper machine.
Maybe our brand new Selekt has issues that I’m not aware of and I will need to confirm these findings at our shop in before being certain. I would also stress the both machines were being played in stand alone mode using analogue outputs to my power amps - Linn Solos, and were not part of an Exakt setup where results might possibly have been different.
I understand that there are some opinions out there suggesting otherwise, but on this evidence I would very surprised if this new Selekt outperforms the current (slimline) KDSM especially with Organik and future Utopik psu upgrades on board.
The Utopik should be available to add to most but not all products that currently employ the Dynamik psu next May or June with Linn’s summer offer.
Remember the Selekt is designed with different parameters in mind from traditional Linn Products - adaptability and sustainability being high on the agenda.
For anyone interested contact your local Linn Retailer and request an audition to allow you make your own mind up.
 

Goon525

Newbie
Wammer
Feb 6, 2019
93
74
23
Although Munro’s report is very interesting, and one of the first comparisons to be reported here, I can’t for the life of me how, with so many variables in play, he can say that the Utopik psu was responsible for the few good bits he found of a player only half as good as his Klimax. Was the difference between them really so stark? Suggests that the top Selekt is a bit of a failure, as it ain’t exactly cheap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nestor Turton

Nondigital Paul

Newbie
Wammer
Jan 29, 2020
78
86
38
Do you mock me?
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I had the Selekt Edition (Mono Organik Boards) at home to compare with my home KDSM3 Organik over the weekend. Sadly there was no real comparison. The heavier, more expensive machine costing nearly twice as much was twice as good - as you might reasonably expect. On the bright side the Selekt’s Utopik psu was discernibly clean & clear with good natural piano tone free of ‘glare’ which was very welcome. However the Klimax 3 offered an authority, richness and depth quite beyond the cheaper machine.
Maybe our brand new Selekt has issues that I’m not aware of and I will need to confirm these findings at our shop in before being certain. I would also stress the both machines were being played in stand alone mode using analogue outputs to my power amps - Linn Solos, and were not part of an Exakt setup where results might possibly have been different.
I understand that there are some opinions out there suggesting otherwise, but on this evidence I would very surprised if this new Selekt outperforms the current (slimline) KDSM especially with Organik and future Utopik psu upgrades on board.
The Utopik should be available to add to most but not all products that currently employ the Dynamik psu next May or June with Linn’s summer offer.
Remember the Selekt is designed with different parameters in mind from traditional Linn Products - adaptability and sustainability being high on the agenda.
For anyone interested contact your local Linn Retailer and request an audition to allow you make your own mind up.
🤔
 

Nestor Turton

Nestor Turton
Wammer
Jan 30, 2019
1,852
3,514
148
Nowhere in Particular
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I’d need to listen in a controlled environment to the 2 PSUs in identical DSMs to decided if Utopik sounded better than Dynamik. Even then it’d be my opinion. Question: would I enjoy music more on the more costly system? Doubt anyone knows. If I saw in-room responses I’d be convinced; I assume Utopik measures and sounds better.
 

Paulssurround

Space Explorer
Wammer
Oct 11, 2018
3,991
4,295
148
Vancouver
AKA
Paul
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I guess the Selekt was new out of the box. The KDSM/3 needed 50 hours to sing. So comparing a 5 h box vs. a 50+ h Box is not easy.
I recall my first experiences when I took a brand new Klimax DSM/3 AV with Organik to 4 different Linn systems, including mine. My Linn system is Exakt, so I was not using the Organik DAC’s

When I brought it over to my friend‘s home that required the Organik DAC’s, sound quality was harsh in the higher frequencies. We discovered that the Organik DACs needed at least 50 hours and I would say more likely 100 hours were necessary before the Organik DAC’s started to shine

I am curious to hear if Munro finds improvements in sound quality with more break-in time and redoes the comparison. 😊
 

Munro

Newbie
Wammer
Oct 10, 2018
7
46
33
York
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
I recall my first experiences when I took a brand new Klimax DSM/3 AV with Organik to 4 different Linn systems, including mine. My Linn system is Exakt, so I was not using the Organik DAC’s

When I brought it over to my friend‘s home that required the Organik DAC’s, sound quality was harsh in the higher frequencies. We discovered that the Organik DACs needed at least 50 hours and I would say more likely 100 hours were necessary before the Organik DAC’s started to shine

I am curious to hear if Munro finds improvements in sound quality with more break-in time and redoes the comparison. 😊
Will do, but I won’t get a chance till next week sometime. As I’m sure you know the Organik circuits in the Selekt are not exactly the same as those in the KDSM3. They have needed to have been significantly shrunk in size to be fitted into the slotted amplifier modules of the Selekt which is a significant engineering feat in itself. Well done Linn for being able to do that. Will let you know.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Paulssurround

Paulssurround

Space Explorer
Wammer
Oct 11, 2018
3,991
4,295
148
Vancouver
AKA
Paul
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Will do, but I won’t get a chance till next week sometime. As I’m sure you know the Organik circuits in the Selekt are not exactly the same as those in the KDSM3. They have needed to have been significantly shrunk in size to be fitted into the slotted amplifier modules of the Selekt which is a significant engineering feat in itself. Well done Linn for being able to do that. Will let you know.
Thank you Munro

I am very interested, as 2 people I know are seriously looking at purchasing Selekt DSMs
 

dol

Newbie
Wammer
Feb 3, 2019
110
86
33
After installing the KDSM Organic upgrade I first though my speakers were broken.. It sounded like horse ***. The next day it was alright. So yeah, the Organik might require a bit of breaking in..
 
  • Like
Reactions: kryno

Munro

Newbie
Wammer
Oct 10, 2018
7
46
33
York
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
Anyone considering buying one of the new Selekts would do well to watch Jon Nelson of Ripcaster and his excellent YouTube video on the various combinations possible with this highly adaptable machine. . I’ve delayed posting again until I had further explored the initial indifferent performance of our Selekt Edition. Linn have now sent us a replacement set of Mono Preamp Cartridges and Mono Selekt Organik boards. I’m pleased to say that they have done the trick and brought the machine up to speed. It now sounds better than our Akurate DSM with greater clarity, better timing and is now more tuneful and more enjoyable. Whereas before, with initial cartridge & boards, it‘s performance was clearly inferior to the older, cheaper machine. The initial boards and cartridges will be returned to Linn for investigation. So far I’ve not had a chance to compare the Selekt Edition with our legacy KDSM Organik or the KDSM3 but still guess that it may fall behind these two machines - especially if and when they are upgraded with the excellent Utopik psu next year. Hopefully the Akurate DSM will also have this option so existing owners unable to afford the new superior Selekt Edition will have a very worthwhile upgrade to look forward to. Best check out all my views with a dem at your own Linn Dealers to make your own mind up.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
113,444
Messages
2,451,263
Members
70,783
Latest member
reg66

Latest Articles