Product Review: Linn's Next Generation Klimax Streamer, KDSM/3 Organik

 

HOW MUCH?

Let's get the most, err, controversial element of this new Linn product on the table right from the start.  But its going to take a while to get there, so bear with me for a few minutes please. 

Here is a £65,000 BMW M4, first sold in 2015 (just over 5 years ago at the time of writing):

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104221685194?model=M4&radius=1500&advertising-location=at_cars&make=BMW&price-from=27500&sort=relevance&include-delivery-option=on&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=ch71eh&price-to=30000&page=1

If the link to the ad no longer works, here's the summary:

BMW M4 DCT;   2016 (under 5 years old);  Mileage: 38,000;  Cost New: circa £65,000;  Price Now: £30,000

But 'Musings is a music and hifi blog, so what's that all about?  Well, as they say, follow the money.

That M4 has endured £35,000 depreciation in 5 years. £7,000 every year, £1 (ish) per mile.  Here are some guesses for other costs per mile:

Servicing (5x £300) =£1500 =  £0.04 per mile

Insurance (5x £750) = £3750 = £0.10 per mile

Road tax (5x £500) = £2500 = £0.06 per mile

Fuel @ 28mpg and £8 per gallon = £10,850 = £0.28 per mile

Cleaning 1x per month at £15 =  £900 = £0.02 per mile

2x sets of tyres @ £350 per tyre = £2800 = £ 0.07

So the guesstimate total for under 5 years use is £57,500 or £1.51 per mile.

Now, if this car has travelled at an average of 50mph (lets assume its not used for commuting in London!) then that is 760 hours of travel / entertainment.

So £57,500 for 760 hours is £75 per hour.

And that's a pretty typical way to spend "disposable" income on a luxury product.  Whilst some might find that a little profligate, its really never questioned.  Luxury cars and the money they consume are normalised.  But hifi?  Oh no, that's in a completely different space when it comes to luxury products.

Let's do a few more loose calculations:

Listen to music = 10 hours per week, that's 520 hours in a year or 2,600 hours in 5 years.

Buy music = 5 new albums per month at £15 (expensive for a FLAC download, a little low for a slab of vinyl) = £900 per year or £4,500 over the 5 years.

Electricity?  Let's call it £1,000 over 5 years.

So, if you prefer music to driving, where does that leave us?

The "sunk" costs of new music and electricity over 5 years = £5,500. So how much should you invest in your system to give you that 2,600 hours of music in 5 years, compared to the M4?

Let's take the £5,500 music "running costs" from the £57,500 BMW 5 year costs, leaving us with £52,000.  So we can now look at this in 2 ways:

Spend the same money on the music system = £52,000 divided by 2,600 hours = £20 per hour (compare with £75 for the BMW)

OR spend the same amount per hour on the music system = £75 x 2,600 hours = £195,000 to spend on the hifi

OK, the arithmetic might not be perfect and its probably easy to pick holes in it, but here's the thing - compare the equivalence factor in cash vs the equivalence factor in "acceptability" in the eyes of others. £75 per hour on a car is generally accepted, but spend £20 per hour on listening to music - you must be crazy is the normal reaction!  But why do I bring all of this car based accountacy to the 'Musings? Its because there are plenty of people losing their cool that Linn has just launched their new "next generation" Klimax DSM - a streamer / pre-amplifier that costs up to £30,000. That's not a typo - it is essentially twice the price of its predecessor, the Linn Klimax DSM/2.

You put a brand new £65,000 M4 on your drive and most will take no notice or be impressed. Put a £30,000 streamer on your hifi shelf and those same people may well be questioning your sanity.  But look at the numbers above - assuming the Linn will be worth around £12,000 in 5 years time you'll have spent £23,500 against the car which will have cost you £57,500, but you'll have had 3.4x the number of hours of entertainment.

So who's the crazy buyer? Either, neither or both?  I think its a choice for the individual here, and I'm sure there are a subset of people who can enjoy both of these luxury products, but really I'm trying to drive at perceptions of value and social norms.  The new Linn is crazy expensive for a hifi product, but its not crazy expensive when compared to luxury products, per se.  A BlueSound node will do as much or more as the Linn in the same way as a Dacia Sandero will do a similar job to an M4 - but that's not what luxury products are about, is it?  I do wonder if the Linn brand can sustain that level of pricing - its a new tier of luxury somewhat higher than their normal heartland.  I wish them well with it, but also think that those (like me) who might've aspired to the earlier Klimax products are just, well, disheartened by the size of the new gap - discouraged rather than encouraged to save for the flagship product. I hope Linn choose to maintain a product priced somewhere between existing Akurate and this new tier of Klimax.

By the way, I'm not in the game of justifying the price of the new Linn streamer, I just wanted to provide some kind of context that challenges why that price may or may not be reasonable in a World of luxury products. Everyone has their own perception of value for money, everyone has their own ceiling that they consider is reasonable within a product category. And that's fine and quite right. But please don't lecture others if they choose a different mix of parameters from you.

Which is a long winded way to get to the product itsself, so let's take a look.

(NEXT GENERATION) LINN KLIMAX DSM

Naming - sometimes Linn are inspired (LP12, Klout, Kremlin), sometimes mundane (350, Basik) but quite often just a bit, well, contrary.  And here, in my view, we're in the latter territory.  Klimax has been the top of the house range for about 15 years. The last streamer / pre-amp was called the Klimax DSM/2 (being, confusingly, the 3rd generation of this product).  That's a very elegant, slim, understated but quality design. So now we have a new Klimax DSM/3 (2020 variant) which is in a brand new enclosure, features a brand new Organik DAC and is twice the price of a DSM/2. It'll be a replacement, right? Well, no, or at least not yet. The existing DSM/2 will continue in the range with its onboard Katalyst DAC.  As will the Klimax System Hub which is the Exakt only version that has no DAC - of which there is also a next generation version, presumably named Klimax System Hub/1.  Even more confusing, the older Klimax DSM/2 will later be upgradable from Katalyst to Organik DAC.  Goodness knows what they'll call that version!  Its almost as if its all designed to be confusing so that you feel the need to go to a dealer just to figure out what's going on - if they're not scratching their heads too of course!

In physical terms, here's the old one (black and silver options):

and here's the new one (black and silver options):

Looks are very much a personal thing, of course.  For me, the pictures make the new DSM look a bit, well, clunky next to the original which is slim and elegant. The review sample was silver, which, when looked at from the top is well finished and attractive with is machined in "record grooves" and classy but understated Linn logo to the left rear, also machined into the panel.  From the side though, the way the silver top plate overlaps the black display glass is a little jarring.  I expect this will not be an issue with the black version.  The 3 feet (the front one aligned centrally, echoing the dial) are well finished with a polished look - high quality but a little blingy for my taste. The front full width panel acts pretty much as a mirror when the display is dormant.  When the display is in use the font is extremely clear, simple, attractive and understated but its pretty obvious that the display is not full width which spoils the effect a little.  There is a "LINN KLIMAX DSM" illuminated logo at the bottom right of the front panel which is much nicer that the old Linn ultra bright blue LED.  The display goes to sleep after a few seconds of no changes but comes back to life when you approach the device (optionally - this can be switched off) or when the track changes or an instruction to do something is sent to the device or input by the dial.

Along the front are a row of high quality feel switches which can be "pinned" with a user defined function - perhaps go straight to a radio station, or a streaming service playlist, or an album.  Useful if the unit is being used by members of the household who aren't into the whole hifi stuff for quick access to what they normally like to listen to.  The remote is the standard £55 Linn slimline unit - neat enough, but not in the same league as the finish and luxury of the main unit.

Knob - where do you stand on the knob, or "dial" as Linn prefer to refer to it? Its a beautifully crafted thing - the action is smooth, the circle of LEDs very responsive, the finish first class, the inscription full of confidence.  The vertical click action (for on/off) is not very positive and has a tiny bit of "squish" - the rocking action (for next track, for example) is quite a pronounced movement, much further than I was expecting, but I guess that is to avoid accidentally actioning something unwanted. For me, and I know this is a personal thing, the dial is fabulous in a couple of ways - it is a fabulous bit of jewellery and a fabulous waste of money.  I would never use it as everything it does can be done from the listening position - on your tablet, PC, phone.

Beautifully crafted jewellery. From my perspective, it adds nothing to the user experience and nothing to the way it sounds.

The top plate is machined with curved grooves from about 1/3 of the way from the front right to the back and this is enhanced by the deeply machined "Linn" logo at the left rear corner.  All very crisply executed.

Groovy

Back panel connectivity depends on if you select Music (no HDMI) or AV (with HDMI) versions. Included are ethernet ports in both copper and (new to Linn) optical connectors, USB, optical digital, analogue, coax digital and Exaktlinks. Addition Linn is now supporting wifi and bluetooth connectivity.  As with other Linn streamers, management of the product (setting preferences, amending room optimisation options etc.) are available through the desktop Konfig application and your online Linn account in a browser.  I noted that Konfig does not allow the rear panel LEDs to be turned off as they are in other streamers, but Beta versions of the Davaar operating system suggest that this is on the way.  It is totally necessary otherwise the flashing network LEDs reflect distractingly against the wall behind the device (post review update: software has been updated to allow the LEDs to be switched off).   I'm not clear on the precise details, but I understand some, or all, of the circuit boards inside the unit are on suspension systems and this was a major part of delivering the performance improvements.

Here are a few shots of unboxing the device:

 

Chunkier than the traditional Linn packaging

Pair of Linn "silver" interconnects, standard mains lead, standard Linn slimline remote

The unit is enveloped in a folded thick soft plastic wrap which curiously leaves the dial uncovered - I understand that there is a separate piece of vinyl for the dial which has gone missing on the review sample - this unit has already been out for demos in several homes

Peeling back the wrap

Unboxed

The KDSM/3, as with all Linn streamers, supports the Glaswegian approach to room optimisation called SPACE.  I won't go into the details here, you can learn more at Linn: SPACE Explained

As with the original generation of Klimax product, this new version is machined from solid alloy billets in Linn's in-house machining department. Here's a video featuring the previous generation Klimax DSM where you can see the complexity of the internal machining:

Some internal photos of KDSM/3 from Linn dealer Silences are available here: https://blog.silences.be/2021/04/klimax-dsm-organik-ouverture-des.html

Then there's the whole Selekt comparison - they're visually, superficially, very similar but sit in very different price brackets indeed.  Clearly Linn like this form factor, but is the Selekt too similar and might it therefore subconciously eat into the Klimax's kudos?

Price run-down:

Klimax DSM/3 Music - £30,000; onboard stereo Organik DAC, aimed at being a source / pre-amp in a traditional system. Can be used as a source / pre-amp in an Exakt system, but that's not very cost efficient.

Klimax DSM/3 AV - £30,000; onboard stereo Organik DAC but also HDMI inputs to enable connection to video related sources. Can be used as a source / processor in an Exakt system when equipped with the optional £1200 surround processor module. Can be used as a source / pre-amp in an Exakt system, but that's not very cost efficient.

Klimax System Hub/1 - £15,000; no onboard DAC, can only be used as a source / pre-amp in a full Exakt system (Linn Exakt active speakers or more interestingly with Exaktboxes and power amps to feed a wider range of speakers). Has HDMI inputs and can be used with the optional surround processor module (£1200) for DTS / DD high definition surround goodness. 

The unit on review as the AV version and has been used for several tens of hours already - I didn't notice any "burn in" nor "warm up" when listening - but then again all listening was done after at least 20 minutes of playing as that's necessary for the Lejonklou amps to come fully on song.

Highly reflective front panel

AV Version Rear Panel - inputs on the lower half and top left, outputs top right

Once connected to the network, just like any other Linn streamer, the new box appears in Konfig for set up purposes:

At the time of the review the product was about 2 weeks old. There was already a software update available to install.

NEXT GENERATION KLIMAX DSM AS A SYSTEM HUB IN AN EXAKT ACTIVE SYSTEM

Snappy subtitle there.  There are 2 ways you can use a new fully featured Klimax DSM/3 - either with its internal stereo Organik DAC as a source into a traditional pre-amp / power amp / passive speaker system, or you can use the Exaktlink output and connect it to a pair of Linn Exakt active speakers or to one or more Linn Exaktboxes and power amps into speakers that are ready to accept an active signal per individual drive unit.  It is this second context that we explore here as that's how it easily sits into my regular system.  If used in this way then it would be better to go with the DACless Klimax System Hub/1 which halves the purchase price. Of course, its necessary to have the Linn Exaktbox DACs or a set of Linn Exakt speakers with their integrated DACs and power amps, so that money is spent elsewhere, albeit with more choice of price points.

More information on Linn's Exakt technology can be found here: https://www.linn.co.uk/uk/technology/exakt  If you look at that page you'll see that Linn claims Exakt transfers digital data to the DAC and on to the speakers flawlessly.  So why would anyone purchase a Klimax System Hub at £15k when "exaktly" the same digital information can be delivered by a new Akurate System Hub at £2700 or even a used Majik DSM at £1500?  A very valid question. 

So, finally, on to some listening.  The system used for this demo:

PS Audio PowerPlant 5 power regenerator powering DSM, Exaktbox and Melco.

Melco N1ZH "NAS"

Linn Akurate Exaktbox 6/1 (with Katalyst DACs)

3x Lejonklou Tundra Stereo 2.5 power amps

PMC Twenty.26 speakers converted for active use, Gaia III feet

PMC Twenty.26 Exakt Filters Production v2.2 by Speakerfilters.com

Quadraspire Evo racks, Cyrus Isoplat isolation platforms

Cables by Chord, Meicord, Linn, Naim, Puritan

Comparisons between the AEDSM and KDSM/3 were achieved by moving the cables to the Melco and the Exaktbox between the 2 units, hence minimising changes. Both were powered from the PS Audio using Puritan mains cables.  As the KDSM/3 on demo was not fitted with the optional surround module, all the listening was to stereo music.

SPACE Optimisation was the same for both devices - my regular settings were used.

Here's the silver demo unit sitting alongside my Akurate Exakt DSM (now named Akurate System Hub, but functionally identical to each other):

A streamer - it just takes 1s and 0s from a storage drive (local, or in the cloud) across a network, reads some metadata for control / information purposes, and passes the 1s and 0s unmolested along to the DAC which turns them into analogue waveforms that we can listen to, after amplification.

Right?  So as long as the streamer is competent, there will be no difference in the 1s and 0s that get to the DAC and its all about the DAC. Right?

In my Exakt system the Klimax DSM is doing precisely the same job as the Akurate Exakt DSM that is the main source / pre-amp in use every single day.  With the system being Exakt, the DAC is at the end of another piece of Cat 5/6/7 cable in the Exaktbox which does the Exakt phase correction, separation of frequencies for each speaker drive unit and applies time correction, room optimisation and volume levels. So, in this demo the Klimax DSM/3 is only acting as though it were a Klimax System Hub/1 which would be a much more cost effective approach in this system.

Start up sequence:

 

 EXAKT LISTENING

Below I list the tracks used for testing.  My notes are not "absolutes" about the tracks, what I've tried to capture is what KDSM/3 does over and above AEDSM and these are highlights from tonight's session:

Agnes Obel - Aventine - The Curse - 16/44.1: Strings that "breath" as they are bowed. Pizzicato that twangs with a convincing staccato pluck. Coherence across all the strings as they form the flowing build up with the piano remaining crisply contrasting with its clipping percussive feel. You get a much better sense of not only what is being plucked / bowed, not only how it is being plucked / bowed, but much more about why its being played the way it is being played.

Rufus du Sol - Live From Joshua Tree - Eyes - 24/44.1: A track that drives along at a pace but that pace is far more "driven" and precise with a much wider image filling the room better.  There's a bridge at about 2:50 that I've never really thought fitted in with the song but now it seems to make far more musical sense as the song "rests" from the driving beat - giving a breather along the way.

Rufus du Sol - Live From Joshua Tree - Underwater - 24/44.1: From about 50 seconds in this track has a deep bass / percussive underpinning which is a little loose and bloated on the AEDSM but now it i taught, balanced in the mix with the notes having incredibly complex texture. I close my eyes and get a little lost in the way the music is structured, layered - complex but fully coherent. 4 minutes in and there's a tense build up using entirely synthesised sounds that works on a more emotional level than usual. Its impossible to ignore the music's message.

Christine and the Queens - Chris - 5 Dollars - 16/44.1: A track I really like musically but it can get a bit strident in the chorus, and to an extent its still there in way, but is better tamed here.  Other than that and a little more stability in the imaging, I didn't get a great deal more out of this than I do with the usual streamer.

Renegade Creation - Bullet - Bullet - 16/44.1: Blues rock from Robben Ford and friends, not a bad recording but not the best - perhaps a more rough and ready feel is part of the intended approach. Again that timing thing - there is a sense of urgency here that works perfectly on this track, plus the vocals are easier to follow as the cacophony of instruments are both controlled, aggressive but not overwhelming the singer. Somehow the track seems about 30 seconds shorter than usual!

Eddi Reader - Mirmama - Hello In There - 16/44.1: A very emotional piece and one that didn't become any more emotional here.  There was a little more definition in the the breathiness of Reader's vocals and perhaps a little more insight into the technique of the percussionist.

Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises - Half Moon Bay 24/44.1: In typical downbeat mood, SKM uses short stringed instruments (mandolin?) to illustrate melancholy with short piercing minor chord changes that give a feeling of extra pains experienced from time to time. Here those minor chords carry just a little more heartache and as the track reaches its conclusion I'm under the impression that life continues regardless, may be even despite of the singer's grief. The instrumental finish is beautifully resolved and emotional. Blimey.

Calexico - Carried To Dust - Man Made Lake - 16/44.1 - opens with a delicate bell-like sound that floats effortlessly mid air and then is punctuated by a bass drum of solidity in stunning contrast. You pay attention. The carefully picked guitar has a hard twang that's better defined, the distorted screaming guitar is better resolved but not painful to listen to (to be fair, its not painful on the AEDSM either, its just a little less screamy) and the lyrics float over the top but bring it all together as something that gels better on the KDSM.

Oh, I've been listening for 3 hours.  Where did that go?  Off to bed and more appraisal tomorrow.

Submotion Orchestra - Fragments - Thinking (Mark Knight Remix) - 24/44.1: Opening with some lightweight faux percussion, this track doesn't bode well. But then the bass percussion punches in and the track gets going - the KDSM/3 really kicks this out, super tight, really driving and a bit addictive. At 1 minute there's a break and the bass riff gets going. The electronic instruments are just bleeps and blops, right? Well no, not with this source - its difficult to get across just how much more nuance is in these notes, and there's that differentiation between notes but with a timing precision that's better again. Some of the background intertwined vocals, electronic swooshes etc. are more prominent here, yet they add to the feel of the track, they don't shout "look at me", then add to the mix. Its quite the trick.

Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection - 16/44.1- the opening sequence has a very gentle set of chords that introduce us to the feel. Now the strings are struck with more care, with more thoughtful intervals, the background splashes feel more like a part of the feel rather than mere jewellery. The background male vocals have more of a raspy edge. Unfortunately for my family I feel I just want to "sing it, sing it, sing it".

St. Germain - St. Germain - Mary L. - 24/44.1: complex multi-layered jazztronica sophistication. Who knew there was even more complex multi-layered stuff going on here. Plus, that underlying bass rumble is now not just bass, but a little threatening and tying the whole thing together much more coherently. You know when you watch an artist start a painting of a lanscape with a pink base, then adds multiple coloured layers that are nothing to do with what you see as a moor of heather, then, with the last layer or 2 and a few brush strokes it comes together to give you the feel, the atmosphere of the scene? Well, that, but with music.

Rush - Moving Pictures - Red Barchetta - 24/96: chosen as this is one of my favourite tracks but is pretty poor in terms of production values. I listen to it now and then, but the poor quality is always a bit of a distraction. Well. Its very good this streamer, but its not a worker of miracles, after all. That thinness and feeling of compression is right there, unfortunately. On the plus side that ability to really drive the tune without aggression is displayed well.

An observation - the Linn Akurate Katalyst DAC is quite capable of revealling what this streamer is doing to the musical message, which is very good sign in terms of its capabilities.  There's lots of talk / hope of a version of the Organik DAC coming to the Akurate range, but I'd add that it would be great to get something of what this streaming platform is doing as an update to the Akurate Exakt DSM / System Hub please.

I think the imaging stability of my system is one of the best I've heard anywhere but the Klimax DSM/3 takes it to a level I've never heard anywhere on any system at any price. Its one of the most uncanny aspects of this source - what is it doing to the digital bits that its sends to the DAC that makes this happen?  What's wrong with systems that don't do this?

Summarising all the above is to say that this is another step closer to the musical experience - yes, there's lots of "hifi" improvements but they do not distract. And that's really important - too often at shows a system sounds amazingly detailed, or startlingly clear, or really dynamic but within a few minutes of trying to figure out what's going on with the artists' messages to the listener it becomes apparent that you either don't have a clue, its taking too much effort or you just can't be bothered.  There's something not getting through, or there's so many individual bits coming through at their own pace or volume or time that they don't join up at all.  I'm finding the dynamics of the tunes enjoyable at 4 or 5 volume clicks lower than usual - more dynamic but more relaxed at the same time? And that's the trick that the KDSM/3 (used as a KSH/1) pulls off - it does oodles of detail, masses of information, but the information is not tripping over itsself. Its not getting in the way of the message, its a solid and coherent part of the message. There's so little processing for the brain to do - the emotion is being provided for you, you don't have to go looking for it.  Given that this is "just" a streamer, that's a remarkable achievement and really clarifies that the streamer is important, that source first is still the right approach.

NEXT GENERATION KLIMAX DSM AS STREAMER, ORGANIK DAC AND PRE-AMP IN A MORE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM

By more traditional I mean no Exakt, and no active amplification. So source - pre-amp - power amp - passive speakers. I thought for quite some time about how to do this, and what would the comparison be with.  Certainly I needed to convert my PMC Twenty.26 speakers back to passive, but then I don't have a streamer that's capable of outputting an anlogue signal.  I resolved it using a feature Linn added about 18 months ago to their Exaktbox - if you're not interested in this detail, skip the next paragraph.

How to run passive speakers in a system with a Linn Exakt streamer and a Linn Exaktbox DAC / DSP that is designed to operate with multiple amplifers (one for each speaker drive unit) and active ready speakers?  Well about 18 months ago (maybe a little longer?) Linn added the option to run a surround module inside the Exakt DSM. But along with that they added a lot more options to the Exaktbox configurations so that an Exaktbox could be used as a multi-channel full range DAC. So rather than using an Exaktbox to DAC per drive unit, it was possible for it to DAC per complete passive speaker.  So that's the route I went down for this comparison.

PMCs after conversion back to passive

Using long Linn Silver interconnects to reach the power amp for passive use

Organik passive listening.  The table is faulty - no beer!

 

I don't have a previous generation Klimax Exakt DSM/2 to hand for comparison. But I do have Akurate level Katalyst DACs in my Exaktboxes - so here the comparison is with Linn's previous generation DAC, albeit from one down in the hierarchy.

Linn has been in the digital business since they launched a CD player (reluctantly, and late to the game) in the 1990s. Since then we've seen a number of DAC iterations in Linn products, culminating in their "Katalyst" architecture in Klimax and Akurate products about 2.5 years ago. This uses an "off the shelf" AKM DAC chip built in a Linn designed multi independent power supply setting along with Linn's usual FPGA based pre-DAC processing and upsampling etc.  Now, with Klimax DSM/3, Linn has moved to an in-house design from scratch DAC. For Linn its a major change and places them in a similar place to other high end DAC designs from the likes of Chord and dCS. So the previous Katalyst DAC was a major uplift in the musical ability of the Linn streamers - now they claim, with their in-house Organik design to have taken it a step or two further.  You can learn a little about it at the link, along with a nice marketing video.  Suffice to say, Linn are claiming much greater control over the whole digital to analogue conversion with the ability to prioritise what they believe is important in getting the music to the listener:  https://www.linn.co.uk/uk/technology/organik

The system used for this demo:

PS Audio PowerPlant 5 power regenerator powering DSM, Exaktbox and Melco.

Melco N1ZH "NAS"

Linn Akurate Exaktbox 6/1 (with Katalyst DACs) - used as a 2 channel DAC in pass through mode

Lejonklou Tundra Stereo 2.5 power amp

PMC Twenty.26 speakers running in standard passive configuration, Gaia III feet

Quadraspire Evo racks, Cyrus Isoplat isolation platforms

Cables by Chord, Meicord, Linn, Naim, Puritan

Comparison between the Akurate Exakt DSM, Akurate Katalyst DACs (not working as Exakt, but in pass through full range mode) and KDSM/3 working as a standard analogue output source with the Organik DAC.  This was achieved by switching the analogue output cables from each of the units at the back of the power amp, hence minimising changes (although the KDSM/3 location necessitated a longer interconnect, but both were Linn silver). Both were powered from the PS Audio using Puritan mains cables.  All the listening was to stereo music.

SPACE Optimisation was the same for both devices - my regular settings were used.

Mark Knopfler - Privateering - Privateering - 24/96 Qobuz: I'm not really a fan of Knopfler's post Straits work - it feels too much like American country and western which is not a genre of music I choose to purchase.  Americana yes, C&W, no. I'm listening to this track as part of a regular on line music introducing session run out of the Linn Enthusiasts Facebook page. Normally I would get about 30 seconds to 1 minute into a song like this and dismiss it. But these sessions are about recommended music to try, so I listen to all the tracks all the way through. And with Privateering this turns out to be a good thing as it develops into something more rounded and complex compared to my expectations. I get involved in the song. Is this just because I've forced myself to be more patient, or is it part of the KDSM/3 experience?  Either way, I enjoy this song - a first really. I can't give you specific comparison comments, but that bigger picture of enjoying a song I didn't expect to - perhaps that's enough to be getting on with.

Rush - Moving Pictures - Red Barchetta - 24/96: as earlier, the next gen Klimax is not a miracle worker, yet there is another improvement in understanding the song and the intent - possibly from the timing, possibly from better resolution but the urgency of the chase here is just that bit more, err, urgent.

Roisin Murphy - Crooked Machine - Capable Rhythm - Qobuz 16/44.1: this track has a very solid, driving bass line and percussion, played off against an insistent strumming electric guitar and interspersed short sharp chord changes. That "very solid", with Organik becomes 3 dimensional, tangible bringing the track into the room almost as if the bass is being carved into the air. At the end the backing track fades and the guitar strumming is crisp, sharp, intense compared to a more subdued feel with Katalyst.  It puts you on edge, eager to hear what Murphy is going to conjure up next.  And that's the point isn't it? Wanting more music.

Christine and the Queens - Chris - 5 Dollars - 16/44.1: As mentioned above, a track I really like musically but it can get a bit strident in the chorus, and to an extent it was better tamed with KDSM/2 as a system hub, but here its pretty much eliminated.  Using the Organik DAC adds to the sense of pace in this track, further driving foot tapping and appreciation of the energy involved - it remined me of the first time seeing "Tilted" being performed on Jools Holland and marvelling all elements of the artistry involved - words, music and dance.

As a complete source - streamer, DAC and pre-amp, there's no doubt from this experience that its a huge uplift from Akurate level Katalyst and - from memory - from KDSM/2 too. This is the first Linn source I've heard that makes a passive Klimax level source sound better than an Akurate Exakt Katalyst source - and its not by a small margin. Can't wait to hear Organik in an Exakt system!

SUMMARY

Do I want one? Close my eyes and ignore the bank balance and the answer is an unequivocal "yes", no doubts. Would I get more emotional connection to my music choices? Yes. Would I spend even longer browsing through new music on Qobuz to see what grabs the attention? Yes. Would I only leave the music room for food and beer? Possibly :) Open my eyes and it would have to be the black version. Open my bank account and it would be screaming at me with red ink. Do I need one? Not quite, but only because life's other priorities mean its just not realistic.

Is it value for money? In absolute terms, no, but nothing is at this level. The law of diminishing returns kicked in at many thousands of pounds further down the ladder. Is is value for money against the way a brand new BMW M4 depreciates? Yes, totally. But then again, that 5 year old M4 will depreciate much more gently now...

If you enjoy your music and can indulge yourself in luxuries at this investment level, by all means go and have a listen, the chances are very high that you'll place the order, probably you'll have decided within 5 tracks.  If you can possibly save hard and get there, go for a listen - you'll need to make your own vfm judgement of course, but don't be surprised if you start working out what there is in your house that could be moved on to make the KDSM/3 happen for you, within the first 5 tracks.

If you like the pace, rhythm and timing of a Naim system (downside: aggressive, sometimes harsh), but the refinement and sophistication of a Linn system (downside: too polite?), then finally you can have both without any of those downsides. But more and better than both combined together.

If you browse the blog from time to time, you'll know the number of systems, shows and homes that have been visited to bring the content to the readers. And you'll know that there are some seriously high priced systems that get short shrift for their lack of musicality. It would be easy to dismiss the KDSM/3 as a pointless luxury, a way to generate profit. But don't, it would be a mistake to miss out on what would seem to be a landmark product in the streaming world. I'm going to plagiarize and slightly amend a phrase from a friend: the songs don't serve the KDSM, the KDSM serves the songs. Unequivocally.

Enjoy a demo at your peril!

Thanks to Simon and Marcus at Grammo for persuading me to have a listen, bringing the unit over to allow this in very familiar surroundings and leaving it for a good few days to try out the different combinations and to get some time to get to grips with what's going on.

A Night In An Abandoned Power Station - Yello Go Live

Yello. What’s that all about?

Electronic. Experimental. Pioneering. Eclectic. Humorous. Niche. Unique. Acquired taste. Quirky. Arty.
Does that help? To an extent it probably does. But add another few important descriptors to that list.
Shy. Studio bound. Publicity avoiding. Aloof, even?

Where to start with Yello? For me it goes back to 1988 on the Isle of Man. As you might expect (weird), or not (much more likely). With a bunch of good mates, we’d just seen 3 days of the best tarmac rallying you can imagine. This guy called Snijers had popped over from Belgium in his BMW M3 seeking European championship points. He’s never going to beat the established Brits and Irish who’ve dominated the event for years – surely he had no chance against the likes of Jimmy McRae? And yet there we were watching this M3 dance over the roads of Man – perfectly placed, power sliding spectacularly, pushing the limits at every opportunity, flying flat and landing squarely ready for the next bit of aggressive driving. To win by a margin of over 30 seconds on a debut on the island is unprecedented. Have a look at this YouTube video to get a flavour.

We turn up at the massive prize giving ceremony venue and the podium placed cars are in the room, arranged in front of the stage. The lights go down and we’re treated to a 4 minute highlights video on the big screen – 4 minutes of incredibly aggressive yet controlled and spectacular driving from Snijers in the BMW. Those of you who know Yello will have guessed where this is going – the backing track was “The Race” and I guess the whole atmosphere and spectacle meant I was hooked on Yello from then onwards.

Fast forward somewhat across the decades since 1988 and I’ve a fair collection of Yello albums – mostly from that period onwards. Boris Blank and Dieter Meier have been working together on the Yello project on and off for 38 years at the time of writing. Quite some career. Based out of Switzerland, they’re a niche band in the UK – their new album launched in September 2016 did pretty well by Yello standards, peaking at number 84 in the chart.  They have a very loyal but thinly spread fan base across the globe. In 2013, you can read what we did at the Scalford Hifi Show when we played a Yello DVD all day on a loop with a projector and a Sony / Linn / Rotel / Mission based system. It drew praise and disdain in fairly equal measure, to be fair – but fun to do something different at the show.

Its often not long before a Yello track is played when I’m sitting down in front of the Musings system. It helps that the music is produced with great care and attention to sound quality. My 15 year old daughter’s caught the bug too – we both really looked forward to the new album this year.
So 38 years, and yet never a live show. There’s some debate about that “fact”. Apparently they played in Zurich a good few years back, but its unclear if there was anything “live” about the performance, beyond the vocals. Either way, they’ve never done a real “gig” and most of us expected it would never happen. Boris is now 64 and Dieter 72, so what are the chances?

Rumours of a new album kicked off in mid-2015, and would be their first together since Touch in 2009.  That’s how long this loyal fanbase has to wait! The album was “coming soon” for a very long time. Then suddenly, this summer, a few rumours started circulating about a couple of one-off gigs, late in 2016.  Seemed implausible to impossible. And why would they do it after all this time? A couple of old guys on stage behind synths – what kind of show would that be? But its never straightforward with Yello – their videos are often quirky, use interesting and contemporary techniques and they apply as much attention to this and the album artwork as they do to the music. May be this could work. May be it would never happen.

Bang! It happened – I can’t remember which way around it happened, but I think it was the gig announcement first, then the definitive release date of the new album – to be called Toy. As you can imagine, the excitement about the gigs set that tiny corner of t’internet that concerns itself with electronic music on fire. But no clue as to location, number of gigs, was it a tour, etc. etc. Shortly the information came clear – 2 gigs in Berlin. That was it. How could I resist? Then it became clear that the dates were in the school holidays. I spend quite a bit of time with my son who’s also into cars and we go mountain biking together but here was a chance to spend some time with my daughter which would be great. We even managed to get tix to the first of the 2 live gigs. Making it a weekend (we’ve never been to Berlin before) flights and hotels were sorted.


When Yello released the first single from the Toy album – Limbo – the video was filmed in a concrete former power station building in Berlin called Kraftwerk – some might find that a little ironic. Its all very robust, industrial, brutal and with the fog and lighting in the video it created a very atmospheric backdrop, and this was to be the venue for the gig.  Mixed feelings about that. Standing, in an old power station, pretty unusual way to go about it. How the gig would be staged, what tracks would be played, would the venue work – all of these things were hot topics of on line discussion. After the first 2 gigs were sold out – 2 more were added, one before the one we had booked so ours was no longer the first gig. The new first gig was to be seated which I initially thought would be better, but it turns out I was wrong about that one.

The Toy album was released and it’s a fantastic piece of work – musically and physically, particularly in the CD format which is a small hardback book of images, lyrics, artwork etc. Musically I find 80% of it very listenable and there are 4 outstanding tracks – 30,000 days, Dark Side, Blue Biscuit and Electrified II. It bodes well for the gig as there’s bound to be a good few new tracks on the set list. Guest vocals from Malia (who collaborated with Boris Blank a few years ago to create the excellent Convergence album) and newcomer Fifi Rong from London complement the music very well and contrast starkly with Dieter Meier’s robust bass ramblings.

Berlin is a great place for a visit, but we’ll not concern ourselves with the rest of the city here.  Let’s get on with the gig. My 15 year old daughter’s first experience of a proper rock/pop event, and an interesting place to start. Let’s also cut to the chase – this evening was a fantastic experience – I really did have concerns about “never meet your heros” and would the whole thing work as a concept and would it feel like a live gig, given the very electronic nature of the music. So how come it was such a great experience? People, music, visuals, atmosphere, buzz, anticipation, seeing something that you never thought would happen, sharing the experience with my daughter who was equally thrilled, it all gelled together so well.

The gig and the use of the venue was extremely well thought through. After meeting up with some fellow concert goers in a bar 2 mins walk from the venue, we discussed what we thought the gig would be like, if we needed to be in early or not, etc. Information before hand has been distinctly sketchy, although it was very clear that doors open at 7pm and the band would be on stage at 9pm. We headed round the corner and entered the anonymous looking building through what looked like a side door. No grand venue entrance or branding here. Adds nicely to the sense of mystery and anticipation.

Specially commissioned beer glasses contributed to making a gig into an event -

Kraftwerk is split into 2 levels. Entering on the ground floor we found a few of the usual things you expect – a bar with overpriced beers and a merch stall with overpriced t-shirts, beanie hats and some signed vinyl albums. Beer was served in plastic glasses unique to the event – combining the latest Yello logo with a graphic of the TV tower of Berlin – a nice touch. But really we were already into the gig. Arranged all around the lower floor were large old skool CRT monitors, playing classic Yello videos and there were instrumental Yello tracks washing around the venue.  This, combined with the stage smoke and shafts of light cutting through, had already created the atmosphere and it was still 90 mins before the start of the show.  We mingled downstairs for a while, then made our way to the performance area on the upper floor.  Here the sheer scale of the building became clear – the place is massive – a high roof supported on rugged concrete pillars, the original gantry cranes still up there to add to the authenticity. Again the lighting up here was clever, emphasising the vastness of the space, creating long dark shadows and the choice of background music was dark, bass driven and of the menacing variety. Large cut-out areas in the floor allow views to the gathering area below and the gentle fade changes of colour in the mist were very effective.

Downstairs amidst the videos and the mist

Looking down into the pre-gig gathering area

Looking towards the stage - here you can see the old factory cranes still suspended from the ceiling

Looking away from the stage into Kraftwerk's vast space

The stage is at one end of the hall and has a vast array of electronic “stuff” arranged in a horseshoe to the right, but we also get a clue about the approach tonight – there are 2 drum kits on stage and there’s clearly going to be a good few people up there with Boris and Dieter. As a backdrop there’s a vast screen of the type normally seen at big sporting events. 20 minutes or so before 9pm, a tiny blurred yellow set of letters appear on the vast screen – and they’re rotating as individual letters.  Over the 20 minutes the letters gradually get larger – soon its clear that the 5 letters are YELLO – they rotate as individual letters and their place within the word – sometimes spelling OYELL, LOYEL etc. And they become clearer too.  At pretty much exactly 9pm they are fully resolved and fill the complete screen. Backed by the intro to the track Takla Malan, this is a great way to build up the intro and grab the attention of the crowd.

Build up

A view of and from the desk

A long long wait (decades!) finally ends as “Magma” plays and the band emerge onto stage. Boris takes up station behind the horseshoe of gear and Dieter takes centre stage. The first full tracks are "Do It" and “The Evening's Young” and there’s a hint of stiffness on stage – this is only the second night and to start with, that shows. Dieter spends the evening reading his lyrics from a prompt, Boris looks like he’s playing perhaps a lead melody over the top of the rest of the electronic sounds. That might sound like it wasn’t going to be a good night, but that’s not the case. The visuals behind the stage were spectacular – mixing clips from classic Yello videos, new patterns and graphics, vivid colours and well matched to the mood of each track. But what really brought the performance to life, for me, were 2 things – the live musicians and the extension of the light show into the entire arena.

With 2 drummers and kits and a lead guitarist to the left, a trio of backing singers right of centre and a 5 piece horn section arranged to the right, their playing and on-stage animation and activities brought life and enthusiasm to the gig. And by about 3 or 4 tracks in, there was a palpable change in the atmosphere on stage – everyone seemed to get relaxed into their roles and from that point on, it really looked like the whole ensemble were enjoying what they were doing. And its fair to say the audience followed suit – standing became the right way to arrange a Yello gig as the tracks ramped up in pace and familiarity.

Brass section gets animated

What about the building? The robust “architecture” worked well for this gig. The lighting techs did a great job of lighting the whole environment – shafts of light piercing through the mist, emphasising the size of the venue and adding to the feel of some of the more ethereal and moody tracks. Sequenced to work with the music the lights switched between low level mood colours, seemingly random dancing and chasing around the building in sequence. This all underpinned by the openings in the floor that exposed the floor below and emphasised the space even further.

Percussion

There’s some brief introductions to songs and a little banter from Dieter – most of it in English, some in German, and a warm welcome to the gig. But in the main, the focus is on the music – a set list which blended some early tracks, some greatest hits and, of course, a number of tracks from the new album “Toy”. Dieter’s largely spoken vocals were well delivered at the right time and I didn’t notice any fluffing, if any happened.  Each track from the “Toy” album was played pretty much as per the studio version, the older tracks get a little new flavouring or twists, but they were all very easily recognised and comfortingly familiar. Like most of the audience, we talked and sang along with the lyrics, but luckily for those around us, the PA easily drowned out my bad singing. There’s been quite a bit of discussion of the setlist – quite a few were looking for more of the “classic” tracks and, inevitably with such a long back catalogue, it was impossible to cover everyone’s favourite track. Here’s what Boris and Dieter chose to run with:


Pre-show background: Intro to Takla Makan
Magma during walk-on
Do It
The Evening Is Young
Limbo
Bostich
Electrified II (with Malia)
Cold Flame (with Malia)
30,000 Days
Time Tunnel
Kiss The Cloud (with Fifi Rong)
Lost In Motion (with Fifi Rong)
Tied Up
Liquid Lies
Starlight Scene (with Malia)
Tool Of Love
Oh Yeah
Blue Biscuit
Si Senor The Hairy Grille

Visuals for "Time Tunnel" - Boris Blank just visible behind his rig on the right

The boys were joined on the stage by guest vocalists Malia and Fifi Rong to perform songs from “Toy”. Malia was introduced to me through the “Convergence” collaboration with Boris Blank – she has a fabulously smokey smooth jazz voice that works so well with Blank’s very sophisticated tunes and soundscapes. On that album is a track called “Smoldering Ashes” which is a smooth melodic and dark song. For “Toy”, Yello have re-worked the track into a more electronic, rhythmic vibe – renamed it "Cold Flame" - and I have to say I prefer the original when listening at home. But on stage in a live setting, the "Cold Flame" version worked very well indeed – a real drive to groove along to. Fifi Rong is a very young artist from London who is starting to make way in the music business. Her vocals are a contrast to Malia, skilfully applied to exactly the right music flavours by Boris, a sound that’s more ethereal, spooky if you like. Both ladies added significantly to the success of the evening and performed flawlessly – they added to the visuals too with spectacular clothing and Rong’s extreme eyelashes!  The camera work was great here too – blending close-ups of the singers over the top of the main video / graphics showing on the big screen at the back of the stage. Its worth mentioning the horn section here too – they really contributed to the tracks you would expect – adding impact, dynamics and a visual aspect to the music.

Dieter is joined on stage by Malia

Visually and vocally, Fifi Rong stunned the crowd

The sound wasn’t perfect – using the now common curved arrays suspended from the ceiling either side of the stage and then at 2 further points down the length of the venue. We were positioned just right of centre, about 20 rows back and mid-way between the stage side arrays and the first set of reinforcements down the length of the hall. There was plenty of power and all the hard surfaces of the venue didn’t, for us at least, give an empty echoing acoustic, thankfully. The music was a touch muffled – it could of done with more clarity and slam – and for some of the tracks the vocals could have been higher in the mix. It wasn’t bad, it worked better than I expected given the type of venue, but I’ve heard better and much much worse of course.

Given that the track “The Race” hadn’t been part of the main set, it was pretty obvious what was going to feature in the encore – which, equally obviously, was demanded by the audience. But there was another treat first – something which seems to have been added compared the first show. Boris launched a smartphone app a few years back called Yellofier. It’s worth looking up, but I always thought it was a toy rather than a way to produce music. So the boys brought a smartphone on stage, plugged it into the PA and took us through developing a track, supposedly “live”. I suspect the creating of the track probably was “live” but seems to have been a repeat of creating an existing track to show how that can be captured and then developed. I say this because what followed on from the basics of the track was a fully developed version that really bounced along and got the audience animated again. Dieter vocalised over the top in his familiar style. Good fun.

And so to the final track of the night – of course, “The Race”. More great visuals mixing parts of the original video with new content, the audience in motion and joining in with the choruses. Part way through, the track backed off a little and Rush, Push, Cash was skilfully inter-weaved with The Race as Dieter introduced the whole 15 piece band. “The Race” was a great (if predictable) way to finish the show – great stuff.

Yellofier - live

The Race

Taking a bow

Then back downstairs to the free aftershow party – glasses refreshed and we revisited the CRT videos and listened to the tracks being spun by the DJ in the dark misty and atmospheric venue. Here Malia, Fifi and the backing singers mingled (maybe some of the musicians too, but I didn’t see them myself) with the crowd, posing for photos, signing autographs etc. A really nice touch and so refreshing to see band members making themselves available.

And there’s further good news. As the Berlin gigs worked so well, Yello have announced that they’ll take the show on the road. Its not clear what that means, but I think we can expect a small number of gigs in a very select number of cities worldwide.  Plus, Yellosphere at the Ministry of Sound in London on 24th November 2016 - an evening of electronic music with Dieter and Boris playing some of their classic tracks and some recordings and visuals from Berlin. With the 3rd and 4th gigs being recorded, there's hope for a DVD in the near future too.



An aside:
If you make a bit of effort, as we did when going to Berlin, and get dressed up in something appropriate and unique for the gig, you might just get a round of applause on entering the gig, pictures with the guest singers, a chat with the album cover photographer, a chat with the band's sound / mastering engineer, and if you're extremely lucky, the chance to go backstage to meet the band. An excellent weekend became something to exceptional and treasure for a long time to come...

The power station's control room (and, indeed, the rest of the Kraftwerk venue) where we met up with Dieter and Boris, is featured in the Limbo video: