On Utopik - Linn's Latest SMPS Power Supply Reviewed

Linn power supplies have evolved over the years, sometimes quietly, sometimes with much fanfare.

Its a bit tricky to say precisely when Linn started to adopt Switched Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) - but it was during the LK era and they appeared in products such as the Kairn pre-amp and Tunebox active crossover.  Initially (and, of course modestly) they were branded as Brilliant, then Slimline, then they were just a PS in a product, gradually adopted across pretty much the full range of Majik, Akurate and Klimax units - pre-amps, streamers, turntable power supplies and power amps.  Until around 2009 these PSUs were pretty much anonymous, but then Linn made a big fuss about a new generation of SMPS - the Dynamik.

This was gradually rolled out across the then current range of products but, crucially, it was also available as a replacement unit across that same product range.  Mostly as a drop-in replacement in Majik and Akurate products, sometimes as a drop-in, sometimes as a return-to-base-for-machining process within the Klimax range.  There was much fanfare about this product but, more tellingly, almost everyone who heard the difference opted for the upgrade.  Linn provided a sticker for the bottom panel of your kit and a new 5 year warranty for the power supply.  It was a big success and probably made a nice contribution to Linn's bottom line.

But hey, a manufacturer offering to make an upgrade available to existing customers is definitely something to be praised.  So many other manufacturers expect you to ditch your existing, perfectly good, equipment and buy a whole brand new box.  I hope Linn continue this service for many years to come.

Which bring us to the (u)topic of this post.  Linn's latest power supply upgrade - the Utopik - was introduced in late 2022, starting with the Selekt (now Selekt Classic) modular streamer / pre-amp / DAC / processor / power amp unit.  Soon it was available for the "next generation" top of the range Klimax DSM/3 then gradually rolled out across the rest of the non-power amplifier products, including integrated loudspeakers, streamers, pre-amps and Akurate level Exaktbox processor / DAC units. I added Utopik to my Klimax System Hub streamer / pre-amp a couple of years ago and thought the improvement worthwhile rather than revolutionary.  That unit is, of course, digital only, do it was almost a surprise to hear any improvement, but there it was for all (who have heard it) to hear.  There are some customers who say they think that it is a bigger upgrade than the Organik DAC, but that's not my perception having heard the 2 separate upgrades in the Klimax DSM which is a streamer, pre-amp and DAC.

So what have Linn got to say for themselves about the Utopik power supply?

Well, here's the blurb, sourced from Ripcaster.co.uk - a Linn Dealer:

"Utopik - the all-new generation of exceptionally efficient and highly responsive Linn switch-mode power supplies.  This exceptionally efficient, highly responsive, and precision-regulated power supply design is Linn's first entirely new topology since 2009. Multiple feedback loops measure output versus input at each stage of the power supply, and persistently filter out mains-borne noise and eliminate 50Hz hum, even at extreme volumes.  Featuring intelligent Valley Switching, Power Factor Correction, and with precision-regulated and isolated power rails – these power supplies are Linn's cleanest and best yet.

Power is nothing without control:  Multiple feedback loops measure output versus input in each stage of the power supply, and persistently filter out mains-borne noise and 50Hz hum, even at extreme volumes. The sophisticated control mechanism at Utopik’s heart is optimised for handling between 90-250Hz mains supply, ensuring that it performs perfectly anywhere in the world without compromise. Utopik is electrically cleaner, and more efficient at higher power than any power supply we’ve ever made. Of course, this is better for the environment and saves on your electricity bill, but efficiency is also a reliable measure of how well a power supply is performing – as energy isn’t being lost as heat or noise. If you improve efficiency, you improve electrical cleanliness.

Intelligent Valley Switching: Utopik is an extremely sophisticated switch-mode power supply. In a sub-optimal switch mode power supply, you have no control over where in the input voltage waveform the switch turns off or on. It would switch anywhere, and randomised noise is generated. With Utopik however, we monitor oscillation at the transformer’s input, and look out for the lowest troughs in the voltage – a technique named Valley Switching. Utopik only throws the switch when at the floor of one of these valleys. With intelligent monitoring and control, we’re therefore keeping voltage as close to the ideal 0V when switching, resulting in dramatically reduced switching noise.

Precision-regulated Rails: Utopik has separate layers of precise regulation on its four power rails. Each has its own feedback loop, so that it is separately controlled, managed and isolated. This improves isolation between the relatively noisy digital power rail – with processors sporadically computing packets of data – and the analogue rails which feed components more sensitive to power fluctuations. Whatever the current demand of any aspect of the whole product, the remaining rails are unflinching.

Power Factor Correction: Switch-mode power supplies are common in modern technology. When in operation, each one of these is intermittently taking short gulps of current from the mains – acute spikes in current draw – which introduces mains-borne noise that affects other products on the grid by producing harmonics in the supply. Utopik modifies its current draw to be proportional to the voltage, and spreads it out over the length of the AC waveform. Instead of taking short gulps, the current draw is spread out to be more consistent over the length of the waveform. This is called Power Factor Correction – and by implementing it in Utopik, we can ensure that the product it’s powering isn’t introducing any distortion to the mains supply in the room, the building, and beyond.

Power Factor Correction is yet another technology in the power supply chain that regulates voltage and ensures that no ripples get through to the output stage of the product as a whole.  

Delivering the cleanest possible power to the rest of the chain. Utopik presents a consistent 400V output – anywhere in the world – regardless of mains supply quality."

So there you go. A lot of claims, although to look at, it's physically very similar to Dynamik.  Some comment on its switching frequency being much lower on Utopik to explain its performance, but I'm not sufficiently knowledgable to confirm or deny this speculation.

At the time of writing, Utopik can be added to the following Linn products:

Klimax DS (all models)

Klimax DSM (all models)

Klimax Renew DS

Klimax System Hub (all models)

Machined Radikal (original, /1, /2)

Klimax Exaktbox

Selekt DSM (all models)

Akurate DS (all models)

Akurate DSM (all models)

Akurate Exaktbox-6 and -10

Akurate Kontrol (all models)

Akurate CD

Kustom DSM Z4 and Z8

Majik DS (all models)

Unidisk (all models)

Two Versions

There is a physically larger version of Utopik that was released first, then there is the Utopik Miniline (the marketing term, as can be seen above, slimline seems to have made it onto the circuit board labelling).  The standard product is available in versions of Selekt and Akurate products and for the Klimax DSM/3.  The older, and physically much slimmer, Klimax products seem to have to make do with the Miniline version.  As there is only one choice to fit the product you might own, there's no way to directly compare the performance of each version against each other. Most new products have Utopik onboard from their release date - examples being Selekt Edition, Klimax Exaktbox/3 and Klimax Solo 500 and Solo 800.  Although the integrated top of the pile 360 loudspeaker is a very recent product, Linn are a little cagey about if it has Utopik or not - there's a fair chance that it is a hybrid product from a PSU point of view, perhaps having Utopik for the lower current areas such as the DACs, and Dynamik for the power amps.  But this is purely me speculating.

Klimax Exaktbox

As mentioned previously, Utopik for the streamer / pre-amp Klimax products, such as Klimax DSM, were released early in the Utopik product life.  Those with Klimax Exaktboxes have had to wait just over 3 years to see the retro-fit become an option. Even though it is the Miniline version of the PSU that comes to Exaktbox, its still necessary for a Linn dealer to send the unit back to the factory for some internal machining and the installation of the Utopik.  My UK domiciled unit was away for about 10 days, which is a very decent turnaround.  The PSU upgrade comes with a new 5 year warranty.

Just briefly - Exaktbox is Linn's proprietary multi-channel processor / DAC.  It takes an Exaktlink feed from a Linn digital streamer / pre-amp and does lots of stuff to do with phase correction, time alignment and loudspeaker crossover requirements.  Its a 6-channel box so is good for up to 6 loudspeaker drivers in mono or 3 loudspeaker drivers in stereo.  Its output is fed to multiple power amplifier channels (one channel per speaker driver) and on to speakers which have had their internal passive crossovers by-passed or removed.  Of course nearly all Linn speakers are supported with this digital approach to active crossovers, as are many others from third party provider speakerfilters.

Installed

For your investment, unlike with the Utopik upgrade to the Klimax System Hub, Linn provide you with a sticker for the underside of the Exaktbox to show the upgrade has been installed.  When the unit comes back from the factory (it has to go back there as the internals need to be machined to accommodate the new PSU) a "Utopik" sticker is provided in the box - it also includes the serial number of the Exaktbox.  Its good that this is provided, but its not an ideal solution - the sticker is too shallow and too long to go over the existing "Powered by Linn Dynamik" logo on the base panel, and a bit clumsy looking to sit underneath the existing serial number information.  I guess its generic and not specific to the Exaktbox, but that's a bit disappointing at this price. I opted to squeeze it in under the serial number.

Context

Here's the system context of this review:

Sources: CD rips and 24 bit downloads from Minim Server on Melco N1Z / Qobuz streaming service

The Chord Company Sarum-T ethernet cable

Streamer / pre-amp: Linn Klimax System Hub/0 fitted with Utopik PSU

Meicord Cat 6 Exaktlink

Processor / DACs with analogue outputs: Linn Klimax Exaktbox/2 which has the Organik R2R ladder DAC and a Dynamik PSU - this is the item to which the Utopik power supply has been added. This is has the crossovers from speakerfilters installed for the PMC Fact.12 loudspeakers.

Linn Silver analogue interconnects

3x Lejonklou Tundra Stereo 2.5 power amplifiers

Naim SuperLumina loudspeaker cables

PMC fact.12 loudspeakers on Iso Acoustics Gaia feet

Puritan Audio mains cables

Quadraspire Evo racks with Mission / Cyrus Isoplats

Listening Notes

I ran the system for about 10 hours before I started to do any listening.  I've no idea if Utopik is considered as needing to be "burned in" but I thought I'd give it some time anyway.  At the time of writing the system has been played for around 30 hours - I can't say I've heard any variation over that time period, but obviously can't say that none will happen in the future.  Many, of course, say that there's no such thing as burn-in...

Thoughts here are directly related to how the system sounded when the Exaktbox was powered by Dynamik, they're not intended to be absolutes.

Like Utopik for the Klimax System Hub streamer / pre-amp, the first thing to notice is yet another drop in what's going on in the negative parts of the music and the gaps between the music.  Yep, a tiny layer of noise has gone - and its a weird one because (like an extremely well set up subwoofer), you don't notice it until its not there.  I'd say this was a bigger change to this aspect than the PSU made inside the streamer.

Secondly, it seems that the music has picked up in pace.  Of course it hasn't, because the track still plays for the same length of time, but there is a little more urgency - I would guess this has something to do with the reproduction of transients of each new note - presumably there's a little bit less time lag for them to happen.  Thankfully this has been achieved without any sign of aggression nor harshness, which is the danger with systems that "crack along".  Its a welcome change, not one that should put you off if you like a more laid back kind of presentation - this isn't like a change between warm valves and analytical digital which can be presented as edginess, its just what feels like a timing improvement.

The main change, for me, is in the way that the music interacts with itself, if that makes any sense.

An example is Submotion Orchestra's "Prism" (from "Kites" on SMO Recordings) starts with Wood's floaty vocals underpinned by strings - after about 1m 30s the bass line kicks in.  Now this sudden contrast feels greater, the emotional change has more impact, the contrast between voice and backing is greater. Then as the vocals and bass line work more closely together you get a real feel for a collaborative effort building the crescendo across the rest of the track.  

On Tash Sultana's "Kiss the Sky" (from "Return to the Roots" on Lonely Lands Records) the lilting dubby background flows more convincingly, the kick drum effect has more thump, the initial cymbal crash has more impact and startles that bit more than before. Its an interesting contrast between the crispness of the rimshot, the brass and the flowing easy going nature of the under-currents.  The shimmering guitar part towards the end of the track really adds more lift to the song and makes me wish for a longer version to continue the experience. Overall the track is more fun to listen to and I get into the groove straight away.

Malia and Boris Blank's "Smoldering Ashes" (from "Convergence" on Universal) starts with a tom tom type drum pattern.  Previously this was easy to follow in terms of the pattern and the indivdual drum sounds but now it bounces along which gives a more jaunty feel - the toms that have a bass under pinning them have more punch and drama.  This track is full of tension but the short punctuations of minor chords, using various different instruments, really add more impact and shades of intrigue. The drum pattern is easier to follow through the whole track. 

Bonobo adds a few clicks and twists to the beginning of the track "Brambro Koyo Ganda (featuring Innov Gnawa)"  (from "Migration" on Ninja Tune). They might seem a bit superfluous, but actually they weave in and out of the whole track. This weaving in and out is now more relevant and tends to help tie the intro into the whole track.  Then there's that bass line - now more punchy, more purposeful and again there's that new ability to drive the track along with more energy but without more aggression.

To find out how an improvement to the presentation of individuals and instruments improves with this PSU, Michael Kiwanuka's recent track "The Rest of Me" (from "Small Changes" on Polydor) is a good example. The resonance qualities of the opening acoustic guitar are richer, more nuanced and add to the feel good factor right from the off.  The cymbals are shimmering, adding to the good feeling, not clashing nor jarring - they're full of subtle complexity.  The bass guitar, like the Malia track, bounces along to add feeling and groove.

To summarise, this PSU will give you more of a feel for the rhythm of the music, the contrasts, the emotions and the complexities.  If it is value for money, or not, is a personal choice.  For me its not far off the improvement that the Organik DAC brought to the musical experience.  More believable, more engaging.

Now, just one more track...

PMC Twenty5 / Twenty5i Active Module Review

What's an active loudspeaker?

A passive loudspeaker has a power amplifier connected to a set of components inside the speaker cabinet that separate the music frequencies between the drivers. These components are unpowered and sap power from the musical signal - typically they need to be quite large components to cope with the power flowing through them which leads to lower levels of accuracy in their manufacture and performance.

Done properly, like this option from PMC, an active loudspeaker means a set of powered crossover components fed from a pre-amplifier which send the split signal to a power amplifier dedicated to each driver in the loudspeaker. The powered crossover components deal with low power signal levels so can be manufactured more accurately and better quality crossover designs are possible. Sometimes the powered crossover and power amplifiers are external to the speaker, sometimes internal and in the case of the PMC Twenty5 and Twenty5i conversion they're a module which fits into the back of the cabinets, directly replacing the standard passive crossover panel.

Above I say "done properly" because some manufacturers (usually in lower priced products) call a loudspeaker active when really its just powered by an internal amplifier that drives a standard passive crossover.

So what are PMC up to with active modules in the Twenty5 and Twenty5i speakers?  The first of the Twenty series speakers were called just that - the Twenty range and they were launched to celebrate 20 years of the company.  In the domestic audio market I would say that this was the range of speakers that turned PMC from a respected but relatively little known manufacturer into a much higher volume well known brand.  Five years later they launched a replacement range called Twenty5 which had different cabinets across the board and then a couple of years ago these were tweaked into the Twenty5i range.

The Twenty5i range consists of a very small 2-way standmount 21, a large 2-way standmount 22, a slim floorstanding 2-way 23, a larger floorstanding 2-way 24 and the range topping (far more impressive as a performer) 3-way 26.  More details at PMC.

What's in the box?

There are 2 options here - you can buy a Twenty5i 21, 22, 23 or 24 speakers with the active module already fitted into the speaker in place of the passive crossover, or, if you already have Twenty5, 21, 22, 23 or 24 or Twenty5i 21, 22, 23 or 24 passive speakers you can buy the active module to be retrofitted by the dealer.  If buying a brand new speaker the active version is approx. £1500 more than the passive equivalent.  As a retro fit to an existing speaker the cost is around £1800.

Note that only 2-way speakers are currently covered by the active module.  The Twenty5 and Twenty5i 26 3-way speakers and the C centre channel are not included at the moment (even though the C is a 2-way design - I would speculate that there isn't room in that cabinet).  It seems that there's no current plan to add these models.

Demo

In the interests of transparency, I've not been a fan of the Twenty / Twenty5 / Twenty5i models with the smaller bass driver - ie the 21 and 23 models, even though its the 23 that's the mainstay of sales.

The demo system featured 2x pairs of Twenty5i 23.  Front end source was a Linn Selekt DSM streamer with the Organik stereo DAC module (approx £10k).  Output from this was fed to an ATC CDA2 combined CD player / pre-amp acting as a pre-amp (approx £3k).  The passive version of the speakers were driven by a Linn Akurate 2200 stereo power amp (approx £3.4k).

Our host played 3 tracks on the passive system - "Hey Laura" by Gregory Porter, "Here Comes The Sun (2019 version)" by The Beatles and "Happiness Is Easy (12" Mix)" by Talk Talk. Resolution is good, bass weight is fine for the size of the speaker but it feels a little "lazy". This is the main characteristic of the 23 models that I find to criticise - it just doesn't boogie, the music doesn't drive the along the way you might hope for a £4.5k speaker. Vocals are nicely resolved and have the emotion you'd hope for but are a little polite and recessed in the mix.

We get the first couple of minutes of Talk Talk again and then we swap from the passive system to the active system - the speakers now being directly connected to the pre-amp and the Linn Akurate power amp gets to rest a while. The speakers were positioned in the same marked location in the room (more on this later) and we went straight back to Talk Talk.  It only takes half the track to hear the differences the active conversion brings.  Everything is much more clearly presented - treble is tidier - bass is fuller and vocals stand clearly in the mix. Any downsides?  Probably not. The only downside we discussed between us was that perhaps the bass was a little too full - to be fair it would probably be worth experimenting with room positioning as this is a significant system change at play.  Remember here that we're looking at replacing a £3.4k power amp with a £1.8k active module.  That's not to say the Linn is a poor amplifier, its a testament to how fundamental it is to move the crossover from sapping power in passive mode to replacing it with far more accurate circuits in front of the power amp.  And I've saved the most important change to last - each driver has its own power amp and they are connected directly together - no power sapping passive components getting in the way.  And that will be part of the biggest improvement this option brings - the starting and stopping of the notes is in a different league, as is the impression of the music driving along - there's pace, dynamics and enthusiasm.  But its not aggressive nor wearing - we listened to another hour's worth of music and it was far more enjoyable - foot tapping in action.  It made a big difference to enjoyment of the music.

Conclusion

So no hesitation in saying this is a significant improvement on passive - and in this comparison, significantly better value for money.

Oh, and I've now heard a 23 I can enjoy :)

Thanks are due to Rob and Phil at Adventures in Hifi, Chester for the demo.  I'm sure they'll be happy to offer a similar demo for you.

Exploring Naim Power Amplifier Alternatives - Guest Contributor Clive

He's back!  After only a short gap, Clive is back with more insights into experiences with his system.  Opinions are Clive's own. Enjoy.

A couple of months ago I was speaking with John Jackson aka JJ about improving the amplification of my system without swapping my 2 x 250s for 4 x 135s - I didn't want to increase the box count. My 250s have already been upgraded with the addition of Avondale HCR200 power regulators & John's Phoenix amplifier boards, sound amazing & outperform standard 135s so I appreciated it might be a tall order... but read on.

 

For those of you who don't know him, JJ is ex Naim Senior Test & Service Engineer & was Witch Hat Lead R&D Engineer before their demise. He is now operating under his own name as JJSThatcham (https://www.jjsthatcham.uk/) offering Naim servicing & upgrades. When I put my question to him, he told me that there was a modification that's he'd been thinking about for a while but not got round to trying - did I want to be a guinea pig?

 

The modification involved taking a pair of his highly acclaimed Dragon Newts (which will elevate the performance of your Hicap or Supercap) tweaking them to produce +/-42 volts rather than +24 and using them to power a specific section of the Phoenix boards, which would benefit from these ultra-low noise power regulators.

 

So I took a deep breath, put my system back to passive & handed one of my amps over. The development had to overcome a couple of hurdles. The first build of the 42 volt Newts wasn't a quiet as John wanted, but a redesign solved that. Secondly a variation to ensure PSUs start up safely in all conditions caused another issue but that was soon resolved. And about ten days ago John called me to say my amp was ready for collection.

 

 

Those of you that don't know my system may be thinking that, when I mention Aktiv& 250s in the same breath, there'd be something like a 52/supercap/snaxo/ in front of the power amps, and in fact there used to be. But the clue is in "Aktiv" rather than active. Now at the front of my system is a Linn Klimax System Hub which is a streamer/pre amp followed by a Klimax Exaktbox Organic which performs DAC & digital crossover filter duties. I found that the Linn Aktiv implementation is a significant improvement over the Naim snaxo. My speakers are now Kudos 707s although until recently I had SL2s with bespoke crossover filters created by SpeakerFilters / http://speakerfilters.blogspot.com/

 

 

So how does it sound? I've initially left my system passive so I can easily compare to the existing amp. Straight out of the box it was obvious that the addition of the Dragon Newts had made improvements but now they've got 200 hours /10 days under their belt, I sat down do a serious comparison. I pulled up my Test Tracks playlist (link at the end) & chose five tracks. First up was Mary Coughlan - The Beach. It was immediately apparent from the open opening notes that the sax intro has more detail, more of a rasp to it. When Mary starts singing, the vocal has more air & is more breathy. The guitars are more distinct & more defined. Notes start & stop with more precision. But the overall impression is of a more musical, more real, more live performance.

 

Other tracks I listened too were Hanne Boel - After Midnight, ERA - The Mass, John Campbell - Way Down in the Hole & Nils Lofgren - Little On Up (you thought I was going to say Keith Don't Go didn't you). It was the same story. Snare drums have more snap, bass lines are tighter, there's more air round instruments, there's more vocal inflection & everything is easier to follow. On the ERA track the timpanis sound more - well more like timpanis& the track has more drive. The Nils Lofgren track while it's easier to separate the two guitars, the whole track is more poignant, you can feel the emotion.

 

 

 

To summarize, the modification retains all the PRaT that Naim amps are famed for and gives you more of the attributes you'd want - tighter bass lines, more precision, more decay on sustained notes, more shimmer & shine on symbols, airiness & separation, greater insight into vocals & individual instruments. However it manages to do this in a hugely musical & real, non HiFi sort of way. It sounds more like a live performance, be that in a controlled studio environment, on a stage or in your local pub. It sounds like the musicians are having just so much fun. Fantastic. Swapping back to the original amp (very briefly) & that sounded a bit dull & pedestrian by comparison, & bear in mind that this is an amp that out performs standard 135s.

 

I was now itching to have Dragon Newts fitted to my other amp so I can go back to AktivExakt.

 

Well a couple of weeks later I got my second 250 back from JJ with Dragon Newts fitted & put my system back to AktivExakt and gave it a couple of weeks for the second amp to burn in. I listened to the same playlist (links at the end) that I used in my initial assessment of with / without the Dragon Newts - so how does it sound?

 

 

Short answer - awesome. Longer answer - I have my amps configured so that, rather than one for bass/mid & one for tweeters, one powers left bass/mid & left tweeter & the other the right speaker drive unit. Linn's ExaktAktiv implantation brings a depth & precision to the sound stage and separation between performers that you just don't get in passive configuration.

 

In ExaktAktiv configuration, the Dragon Newt modification to the amps brings an extra level of airiness /breathiness & dynamics to the performance. On the first track the rasp & inflection on the sax was more obvious, more real. Bass lines gain in solidity & Mary Coughlan's voice is anchored centre stage - close your eyes & she could be in the room with you along with the saxophonist & bass player (although that makes it quite crowded in my lounge)

 

On the Era track you really get more of a feeling of a massed choir. There's a greater sense of menace with the  timpanis like rolling thunder, and the driving bass lines sound like something from an Indiana Jones movie when the bad men are lowering him into the pit of hell

 

John Campbell's  voice sounds even more gravelly if that's possible, ravaged by years of smoking cigars & drinking cheap whisky. And if Little On Up doesn’t bring a tear to your eye you must be made of tough old boot leather.

 

Going ExaktAktiv takes the attributes that I experienced after JJ had added Dragon Newts to my first amp - tighter bass lines, more precision, more decay on sustained notes, more shimmer & shine on symbols, airiness & separation, greater insight into vocals & individual instruments and builds on them. But importantly, it does so in a hugely musical & real, non HiFi sort of way. It sounds more musical, more real, more like a live performance in your living room. It sounds like the musicians are having just so much fun. Fantastic.

 

 

As a foot note, I've heard the new white logo Naim 250, and I know some people are raving about it. For me, that is hifi, amazingly detailed but ultimately not engaging. If you are looking for the PRaT that Naim are famed for, but in spades, get an Olive 250 & have JJ breathe his magic on it. And if you fancy going down the ExaktAktiv route, but have speakers that aren’t supported (I previously had Naim SBLs & the SL2s) contact SpeakerFilters:  http://speakerfilters.blogspot.com/

 

 

Test Tracks (subscriptions may be required to access these playlists)

https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/7693858

https://tidal.com/.../5822bbac-97fc-4471-83bf-d6e284571a13

 

Kudos Audio - Exclusive Factory Visit, August 2023

Now a very visible and significant player on the international high quality audio scene, Kudos Audio has taken a different approach to producing music for its enthusiastic customers and are actively pursuing new ideas, as I type.

Favourable reviews are now the norm for the company's Titan range, including a number on Audiophile Musings.  Step this way to get a flavour of what the reviewers are saying about the company's products and some of the numerous awards and accolades bestowed upon them:

HiFi Critic Titan 505 

The Ear Titan 606

HiFi+ Titan 707

HiFi+ Titan 808

Hifi Critic Super 20A

What Hifi? Super 10A 

Hifi Choice C10 

Audiophile Musings "Sound of the Show" (Titan 808) and "Highly Commended" (Titan 505) at Chester Show, 2019

Audiophile Musings "Sound of the Show" at Bristol 2020 with Titan 707

Audiophile Musings went to find out what makes the company tick, being invited for an exclusive factory tour in the North East of England, UK - it turned into a 5 hour history lesson, factory tour, Titan 808 listening session, and zero nonsense...

Most of you will be familiar with the old joke:

Tourist: "how do I get to Town X"

Local: "well, I wouldn't start from here if I was you..."

I came away with the impression that the Kudos story has a similar origin.  Derek Gilligan, founder and head honcho at Kudos has a solid background to work from with a family in the music and live music PA business, but the route from there to today took an interesting path. Today's Kudos is a testimony to thinking differently, building a team that incudes family & those you can trust, being obsessive about quality and ensuring the basics are right.

As a fellow Darlingtonian, it was easy to chat with Derek about the pros and cons of "Darlo" and the area in which we grew up.  Different schools though, so not totally parallel experiences. I very much remember my early forays into hifi in the 1980s and they were supported by some canny purchases from used audio specialists in High Northgate, Darlington "North East Audio Traders". Derek became part of the team there and may even have served me in the shop, but thankfully neither of us remember! North East Audio Traders was a novel idea in the region at the time and was reasonably successful. Going to hifi shows to demonstrate their equipment was part of the game, but speaker consistency proved a challenge. Hence the guys at N.E.A.T. put together a small standmount of their own to enable easy comparison between equipment that's just not possible when a stock of used speakers is constantly changing from day to day. Soon reviewers were asking to review the speaker in its very rudimentary form, but were very complementary about the way it performed. Derek was involved in the speaker using a renowed driver from earlier speaker products that needed to be sourced from wherever they were still available from stock. Eventually this driver had to be re-manufactured once the speaker took off in the market. It was partnered with a modern dome tweeter. The NEAT Petite is now a very well known speaker and continues in a revised form to this day, as the Petite Classic.

Original NEAT Petite Loudspeakers

The design process of Petite, based on listening for musicality and a try and re-try approach set the tone for the future. What Hifi? were impressed with the result "as tuneful as they come".  When demonstrating the speakers, N.E.A.T. used the exceptionally substantial Kudos speaker stands...

Derek parted ways with NEAT for a few years, pursuing other activities until he returned for a second stint with the company to work on speaker designs such as the Ultimatum, where we can see techniques such as isobaric bass loading being deployed, as it is in today's Titan range (also used elsewhere such as Linn's Akubarik). NEAT bought the Kudos brand as part of buying up the stock of speaker stands as Kudos' then owner moved on to different products and markets. During this time Derek had developed some design ideas he wanted to try but the opportunity wasn't presented to go in that direction.  Time for a new direction...

So we come to the inception of Kudos Audio as a speaker manufacturer in its own right - a "do or die", "all or nothing" decision for Derek and his wife.  With a good network of contacts in the industry and dealerships, understanding what was wanted in the market and what was possible from a design perspective, the initial Cardea products, although fairly conventional in construction, were very well received and the business was underway.  The basic tenets behind those early designs hold true today - listen, listen, listen, use high quality components, gentle slope crossovers to minimise component count and phase distortion, build in the UK using UK producers and components wherever possible. But the scale has moved on, as has the size and breadth of the product range.

Based in the North East of England (close to Derek's roots) isn't the UK hifi heartland, but everything is within easy reach and, of course, electronic communications mean distance isn't the blocker it used to be.  The company is split across 3 sites on the same compact business park - storage, manufacturing and design / demo buildings. This is the second location for the company and it has grown into the current arrangements organically - annexing a next door unit here, installing a mezzanine floor there, plus the major investment in the design / listening / demo suite. Its a compact, cleanly presented, logically laid out facility. This appears to work very well for the core workforce, consisting of Derek, production manager Mark with Derek's son Louis looking after quality control and his daughter Kay joining the team on the week of my visit to take on office management, accounting etc. after several years experience in similar roles in other companies. The extended team includes another 7 colleagues across sales, marketing and export colleagues based locally or where the dealer network needs them to be.

We talked through the design and manufacture of the higher, and very successful, Titan range of products to understand the Kudos approach.  Essentially Derek uses the experience of existing designs and applies new ideas to those products or completely new concepts to push the boundaries of what's possible and what's effective - sometimes it shows promise, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it takes very little refinement to be just what he's hoping for.  The exact percentage of those outcomes wasn't shared with me :)  An example is using isobaric loading for the mid-bass drivers in Titan 505, 606 and 707. Basically isobaric means 2x drivers - one internal, the other on the front baffle - linked by a sealed air chamber between those drivers, giving the impression of a much larger single drive unit in a larger cabinet. Its unusual in the industry to use isobaric so high in the frequency range, but Kudos found that allowing a minimal air gap around the voicecoil of the driver, coupled with "back to back" driver mounting reduced the effect of differences between drive units (even very expensive drive units are never identical) to give a better performance over a wider frequency range.

Another example of experienced based innovation is the cabinet construction of Titan.  Its core is a relatively thin MDF structure, the panels of which flex (the deflection is not visible to the eye) because the outer panels of the cabinet, in heavier gauge veneered MDF, are compliantly coupled to damp the flex of the inner cabinet wall. A mix of 2 existing, usually mutually exclusive, philosophies in the industry, but applied in a different way. The composition of the damping disks connecting inner cabinet to outer cabinet and the exact location of the mounting points were subject to the iterative try, listen, change, listen, change, listen approach until the best sounding materials and mounting locations were established. A further example of the design approach is that each panel in the internal cabinet has one of a number of thickness options - to vary the natural resonance of each panel rather than having all the panels contributing one resonance.

Titan 606 Inner Cabinets and Connector / Crossover Panels

Kudos work very closely with Norwegian driver manufacturer SEAS who have been found to be exceptionally co-operative and collaborative on driver design changes - be that cone materials, coil winding, cone shape, doping etc. etc. Only the basic driver basket remains unchanged for mid-bass drivers, everything else is available to change and Kudos exploits that opportunity with drivers going through several iterations before being custom manufactured to their final spec.  The Krescendo tweeter used in Titan is another example of the collaboration with SEAS, being based on a existing metal dome driver but with the magnet from a different SEAS model and the dome using a fabric and shape of Kudos' choice. As a component, compared to those in many other loudspeakers, the Titan tweeter is "reassuringly expensive".

SEAS Mid-Bass Drivers to Kudos Custom Spec

 

We step through the build process.  Cabinets are, of course, Kudos designs, but built by specialist suppliers.  A subject of intense discussion in the UK speaker manufacturing industry right now as one of the major suppliers of cabinets to the vast majority of UK loudspeaker brands has abruptly ceased supply.  For a small company this means a great deal of disruption to source a new supplier, but this looks to be resolved for Kudos and supply will continue to be delivered to customers as there are good stocks of parts in place right now. Every cabinet (internal and external damping panels, stand components etc) are inspected for any imperfections before being accepted and placed into stock. With Titan the internal cabinet remains consistent and the external damping panels bring the differences in colours and veneers. A number of veneers are available as are piano black and white gloss.

Drive units come in from SEAS in batches, passive crossovers are constructed on the production benches. Crossovers for Titan are hand built on the connector panel with components being direct wired (no circuit board) and use very gentle crossover slopes and the natural roll-offs of the drivers in the cabinets as Kudos believe this reduces "stuff getting in the way of the music".  Its a relatively expensive way of making crossovers, but demonstrates the passion for getting the right end result.  All the components for a complete speaker pair - drivers, internal cabinet, external damping panels, crossover, stands, packaging, connector panels, etc, - are gathered together onto a single pallet.  This pallet is then transferred to the build area for assembly by one member of the team. Seeing the details of the drivers, and the layered construction of what look like relatively simple stands opens my eyes to how much effort has gone into the design of Titans, something not at all obvious to the customer. Every pair is then put through listening tests before being packaged ready for despatch. 

Alongside the build area is a newly constructed office unit and the basics needed to keep the team fed and watered through the day.

Titan 808 Crossovers - Bass on the Left, Mid and Treble on the Right

 

We move over to the design / listening / demo suite where, in typical Kudos fashion, we enjoy a straightforward sandwich and cuppa whilst listening to the system currently set up.  At this point we also discuss the "active" option for Super 10A, Super 20A and the Titan range, and why Kudos chose to go in that direction, another distinctive differentiator in the market. It is, unsurprisingly, a fairly simple answer - to get a better musical result.  As an independent manufacturer, with no ties to existing electronics partners, Kudos can work with multiple different active electronics partners with ease.  Linn, Naim, Exposure and Devialet options have been made available and the speakers can be converted to active operation with a simple change to links on the connection panel.  

Listening Room with Titan 808

Kudos have long been a favoured brand of speaker amongst Naim electronics customers and that manufacturer's kit has featured extensively during the development of Kudos products and demonstrations at hifi shows (in passive and active form), along with Linn's Exakt active option. But today we have a system fronted by an Innuos server / streamer, Chord DAVE DAC, Chord Ultima Pre and Ultima Power amps. This was a surprise choice for me, given my past experience with Chord amplification hasn't been so enjoyable.  But this new Ultima range changes that completely, being musical, with coherent timing.  This system was feeding Titan 808s passively through, of course, Kudos KS-1 speaker cables. We range through some church choral recordings (great representation of the space), electronic dance music (great pace, controlled impactful bass lines) and Leonard Cohen (expressive grumbling vocals) and the time passes very quickly enjoying the music (note, the music, not the treble nor bass nor mids!).

Chord Stack on the Left In Use for Our Demo - alongside Naim including the active SNAXO crossover option. Another rack in the room contained other manufacturer electronics including Linn, currently being refreshed to Selekt spec.

What of the future?  Well Kudos have lots more ideas to take through their iterative, listening based process of product innovation and improvement. Some interesting ideas on drive units and active options could be on the way if they meet that essential criteria - is it musically more enjoyable than what went before? If today's products are anything to go by, the results will be interesting indeed.

Thanks very much to Derek and the Kudos team for your time, openess, straightforward discussion and hospitality.

Annerstedt-Hegge Acoustic Launches Brand New Speakers at Norway Show 2021

A new speaker brand will launch at the Horten Hifi Show in Norway on 6/7 November 2021. 

The A-Ha brand is a local blend of Norweigian & Swedish skills and will bring its first model, the A2a to the show. It will be launched as an active ready version designed to work with Linn Exakt electronics using Exakt digital filters developed in Wales by SpeakerFilters.com. Passive and built-in active versions are planned.

More details here: http://www.a-ha.se/a2.html

 

Show information here: http://hifimessen.no/

 

 

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.