Better than the top Naim??
our reference Naim streamer has to step aside here, sounding a little blurred and soft in comparison. In fact, apart from slightly superior rhythmic drive there’s not one other area that we prefer our Naim’s performance.
our reference Naim streamer has to step aside here, sounding a little blurred and soft in comparison. In fact, apart from slightly superior rhythmic drive there’s not one other area that we prefer our Naim’s performance.
I was sent this picture this morning, which has to be one of the Linn pictures of the year.
‘This is the delivery of 2 Klimax DSM’s for a couple Linn owners I know in Europe, and the Organik boards for the Klimax Exaktboxes for one of them.
‘Great music ahead for both of them
‘This is the delivery of 2 Klimax DSM’s for a couple Linn owners I know in Europe, and the Organik boards for the Klimax Exaktboxes for one of them.
‘Great music ahead for both of them
Nobody in that street knows the eye watering value of those four boxes!
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I agree - they comment “we find them lacking the subtlety and expressiveness of the digital inputs” with no suggestion that the DSM may just be showing up weaknesses in their chosen analogue devices.
Also, “apart from slightly superior rhythmic drive there’s not one other area that we prefer our Naim’s performance” - if my experience of Naim kit is anything to go by, that suggests that the Naim imparts its own character on the music. One of the things that I’ve found to be a delight with the DSM/3 is how expressive it is with the subtle variations in timing of musicians playing together.
’troll
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I liked your review and I am looking forward to your review of the E350's with the Organic upgrade.This afternoon, I visited the HiFi Centre, which is one of Vancouver’s Linn dealers. They received a brand new Next Generation Klimax DSM A/V a few days ago.
The Next Gen Klimax DSM A/V was just set up several days ago, but I wanted to listen to it as soon as possible, once it had some burn in time.
The Klimax DSM was hooked up to a beautiful pair of cherry Katalyst 350’s. I heard these Katalyst 350’s a couple of months ago, when they were still Exakt, and they have recently been upgraded to Katalyst modules in the past month or so. Since the Katalyst upgrade for the modules, I revisited the HiFi Center showroom again, but with the Selekt DSM. Sound quality with the Katalyst upgrade for the 350’s and Selekt DSM was impressive, with great power and aplomb. I was very impressed indeed!!!
The Katalyst 350’s, have their own built in DAC’s, in the amplification modules, making the Organik DAC’s in the Next Gen Klimax DSM redundant, for my listening session today. However, I plan to go back and listen to the Klimax DSM when it is not hooked up to the 350’s, so I can compare the sound quality with the Organik DAC. So for today’s listening session, the Next Generation Klimax DSM was being used as a Klimax Hub for its music streaming functionality.
Unfortunately, the HiFi Centre sold their Klimax LP-12 recently, as the customer did not want to wait for a new one to come in, so I was not able to listen to the LP-12 today through the new Next Gen Klimax DSM.
HiFi Centre has a Roon setup for streaming their music, and also have Tidal available to access additional music selections not in their library.
Some of my reference go-to music includes Steely Dan’s Hey Nineteen, Janie Runaway, Jack of Speed, and Ruby Baby. I also listened to Dire Straits Your Latest Trick, Jain’s Come, The Cat Empire’s The Lost Song, Diana Krall’s No Moon At All, Yello’s The Expert, Till Tomorrow, Tangier Blue, Petro Oleum, and Oh Yeah 2009.
‘I started out with the Steely Dan tracks, and cranked it up for Hey Nineteen. It did not disappoint.The music has tremendous grip and authority. The bass seemed like it was at least 2 octaves lower than what I remember with the Selekt DSM a few weeks ago. There was great depth and power to the bass, yet it did not overshadow or overpower the mids and highs at all. In fact, this is the deepest, best controlled bass I think I have ever heard. The musical detail was brilliant and the soundstage filled the room. The closest I had heard to any HiFi system that had that kind of depth and soundstage was a pair of Komris with a Klimax spec LP-12
Even at low volume, the bass was surprisingly very present with a lot of energy, but the mids and highs seemed slightly compressed. However, turning up the volume to 55 or higher and the system was fully alive, with a seamless dynamic presentation that was stunning on every level. The soundscape was solid, with everything firmly anchored in place, with instruments and vocals. It gave a great sense of being in the studio, with superb timing, pace and rhythm. Truly a highly engaging experience.
After the rest of the Steely Dan tracks, it was on to Yello. The electronica was absolutely staggering, with the speakers providing a rhythmic pace, timing, presentation and balance that was mesmerizing. I am well familiar with all these tracks, and this is by far the best I have heard these songs. It was like being at a dance club and fully immersed in the music.
Dire Straits Your Latest Trick was a 16 bit version from Tidal, and sounded really good, but was not up to the sound quality of the previous tracks. From Steely Dan or Yello.
‘The Cat Empire’s The Lost Song came to life like I had not heard before, and the drums and vocals superb. With every beat of the drums, interlaced with the other instruments and vocals, a truly compelling experience. Stunning!!
‘My only real disappointment was that Diana Krall’s No Moon at All was only available on Tidal and it did not have the presence and detailI I was hoping for. That said, it still sounded wonderful, but I have been spoiled by the 24/192 version
‘Overall, the sound quality of the new Klimax DSM A/V was extremely impressive and entertaining, with an engaging, powerful, dynamic, immersive “live” at the concert feeling.
‘Hopefully, in the next week, I will bring the DSM home to audition in my HiFi system. Not only try out the music in stereo and surround, but explore all the features that the Next Generation Klimax DSM A/V has to offer.
As a side note, the HiFi Centre has already ordered the Organik DAC modules for the 350’s. I am definitely looking forward to that audition at their showroom.
‘My bottom line: Linn has done a superb job in developing and building the Next Generation Klimax DSM, that is truly a giant leap forward in sound quality from the previous generation of Klimax DSM’s
‘Build quality rivals the best I have seen, and at almost 40 pounds, it is a substantial piece of kit
If you zoom in on the picture of the setup I listened to today, you can see the reflection of the mirrored surface of the face of the DSM that Pdcman describes, and see the Vicoustic diffusers on the back wall.
My order for Organik is in the queue...it will be going into a KDS/Katalyst.
Lucky you! I have yet to hear the organic upgrade to a DS. Did you demo the differences prior to ordering? Just wondered what your thoughts were if you did? Thanks
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Well firstly I had to purchase a KDS...as I owned an ADS/3(Katalyst).
The KDS I bought was a newer model which already had the Katalyst upgrade.
At the dem I listened to all three versions of KDS..my own Katalyst version, KDS with Organik and the new £30 k version.
The conclusion I came to was that the Organik DAC upgrade was similar to what Katalyst had been...it was another huge improvement in performance.
I traded in my ADS in this transaction, owning it since 2012 it was a brilliant streamer all these years.
Organik arriving on the scene has enabled the leap to Klimax level for me and others at what I consider to be a reasonable cost when all things are considered.
In the meantime I am still enjoying my KDS/Katalyst while my order makes its way thru' the production process!
I'm an old fashioned original Klimax case lover,just don't think the new styling oozes the same class....As with my previous ADS I never look at or use the display.This afternoon, I visited the HiFi Centre, which is one of Vancouver’s Linn dealers. They received a brand new Next Generation Klimax DSM A/V a few days ago.
The Next Gen Klimax DSM A/V was just set up several days ago, but I wanted to listen to it as soon as possible, once it had some burn in time.
The Klimax DSM was hooked up to a beautiful pair of cherry Katalyst 350’s. I heard these Katalyst 350’s a couple of months ago, when they were still Exakt, and they have recently been upgraded to Katalyst modules in the past month or so. Since the Katalyst upgrade for the modules, I revisited the HiFi Center showroom again, but with the Selekt DSM. Sound quality with the Katalyst upgrade for the 350’s and Selekt DSM was impressive, with great power and aplomb. I was very impressed indeed!!!
The Katalyst 350’s, have their own built in DAC’s, in the amplification modules, making the Organik DAC’s in the Next Gen Klimax DSM redundant, for my listening session today. However, I plan to go back and listen to the Klimax DSM when it is not hooked up to the 350’s, so I can compare the sound quality with the Organik DAC. So for today’s listening session, the Next Generation Klimax DSM was being used as a Klimax Hub for its music streaming functionality.
Unfortunately, the HiFi Centre sold their Klimax LP-12 recently, as the customer did not want to wait for a new one to come in, so I was not able to listen to the LP-12 today through the new Next Gen Klimax DSM.
HiFi Centre has a Roon setup for streaming their music, and also have Tidal available to access additional music selections not in their library.
Some of my reference go-to music includes Steely Dan’s Hey Nineteen, Janie Runaway, Jack of Speed, and Ruby Baby. I also listened to Dire Straits Your Latest Trick, Jain’s Come, The Cat Empire’s The Lost Song, Diana Krall’s No Moon At All, Yello’s The Expert, Till Tomorrow, Tangier Blue, Petro Oleum, and Oh Yeah 2009.
‘I started out with the Steely Dan tracks, and cranked it up for Hey Nineteen. It did not disappoint.The music has tremendous grip and authority. The bass seemed like it was at least 2 octaves lower than what I remember with the Selekt DSM a few weeks ago. There was great depth and power to the bass, yet it did not overshadow or overpower the mids and highs at all. In fact, this is the deepest, best controlled bass I think I have ever heard. The musical detail was brilliant and the soundstage filled the room. The closest I had heard to any HiFi system that had that kind of depth and soundstage was a pair of Komris with a Klimax spec LP-12
Even at low volume, the bass was surprisingly very present with a lot of energy, but the mids and highs seemed slightly compressed. However, turning up the volume to 55 or higher and the system was fully alive, with a seamless dynamic presentation that was stunning on every level. The soundscape was solid, with everything firmly anchored in place, with instruments and vocals. It gave a great sense of being in the studio, with superb timing, pace and rhythm. Truly a highly engaging experience.
After the rest of the Steely Dan tracks, it was on to Yello. The electronica was absolutely staggering, with the speakers providing a rhythmic pace, timing, presentation and balance that was mesmerizing. I am well familiar with all these tracks, and this is by far the best I have heard these songs. It was like being at a dance club and fully immersed in the music.
Dire Straits Your Latest Trick was a 16 bit version from Tidal, and sounded really good, but was not up to the sound quality of the previous tracks. From Steely Dan or Yello.
‘The Cat Empire’s The Lost Song came to life like I had not heard before, and the drums and vocals superb. With every beat of the drums, interlaced with the other instruments and vocals, a truly compelling experience. Stunning!!
‘My only real disappointment was that Diana Krall’s No Moon at All was only available on Tidal and it did not have the presence and detailI I was hoping for. That said, it still sounded wonderful, but I have been spoiled by the 24/192 version
‘Overall, the sound quality of the new Klimax DSM A/V was extremely impressive and entertaining, with an engaging, powerful, dynamic, immersive “live” at the concert feeling.
‘Hopefully, in the next week, I will bring the DSM home to audition in my HiFi system. Not only try out the music in stereo and surround, but explore all the features that the Next Generation Klimax DSM A/V has to offer.
As a side note, the HiFi Centre has already ordered the Organik DAC modules for the 350’s. I am definitely looking forward to that audition at their showroom.
‘My bottom line: Linn has done a superb job in developing and building the Next Generation Klimax DSM, that is truly a giant leap forward in sound quality from the previous generation of Klimax DSM’s
‘Build quality rivals the best I have seen, and at almost 40 pounds, it is a substantial piece of kit
If you zoom in on the picture of the setup I listened to today, you can see the reflection of the mirrored surface of the face of the DSM that Pdcman describes, and see the Vicoustic diffusers on the back wall.
I've mabye invested in an end of line product but it has pride of place in my system.
It will be even better when I eventually get the Organik fitted hehe!.
You will love the Organik upgrade for your Klimax. Looking forward to your review when that comes about.I'm an old fashioned original Klimax case lover,just don't think the new styling oozes the same class....As with my previous ADS I never look at or use the display.
I've mabye invested in an end of line product but it has pride of place in my system.
It will be even better when I eventually get the Organik fitted hehe!.
In my experience, the Organik boards will require a bit of run-in time, as the highs were a bit bright initially, but smoothed out as the hours were put on
I had my faithful AEDSM powering my system for many years, and 5 or 6 months ago or so I upgraded to the 2018 variant Klimax Hub. It brought a tremendous improvement to my Linn system. Both of them are hidden behind smoked glass, so I did not care as much about how they looked.
If I were to get the new Klimax Hub, I am not sure if I have enough clearance to place it in the cabinet with the knob on top. I may have to place it on top of the cabinet
Yes,very much looking forward to hearing it in my home...as an aside my loudspeakers come from Montreal...Totem Acoustics Forest Signature in high gloss cherry...they are lovely looking speakers and get all the visitors attention!.
Linn HQ is across a field from my house here in Waterfoot outside Glasgow.
I retired last year and have been busy upgrading my setup...The Sondek was treated to a new Karousel bearing plus a newer version Lingo 4.First major turntable upgrades in years.
I acquired a KDS/Katalyst recently,with the intention of going Organik.
My ADS/3 was a stalwart for many years, the step up to Klimax was a revelation!.
I will post my thoughts on Organik here mindful of your experience with it!.
Linn HQ is across a field from my house here in Waterfoot outside Glasgow.
I retired last year and have been busy upgrading my setup...The Sondek was treated to a new Karousel bearing plus a newer version Lingo 4.First major turntable upgrades in years.
I acquired a KDS/Katalyst recently,with the intention of going Organik.
My ADS/3 was a stalwart for many years, the step up to Klimax was a revelation!.
I will post my thoughts on Organik here mindful of your experience with it!.
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