Linn Forums

Wammer · 2012-04-22, 19:27

In the three years since I bought my Sneaky I have become a confirmed DS fan, and in that time I have hardly used my Naim CDX2, even though the latter probably has the edge in sound quality. I have decided therefore to trade in the Sneaky and CDX2 to finance an upgrade to my existing system, the core of which consists of a Kairn Pro and two LK140s driving a pair of Ninkas passively. I also have a number of other source components including a Sky HD box and cheap Sony BluRay player.

The Sneaky is very good but I would like a more detailed, 'musical' sound that betters that of the CDX2. I have also noticed that my system struggles to cope with hi-res files, sounding congested and distinctly edgy, which my dealer thinks is more likely to be down to ageing components in my very old Kairn Pro than to any limitations in the Sneaky. I would also like a pre-amp that can take the digital outputs that are starting to become the only ones available on some source equipment.

My dealer has recommended an Akurate DSM and Majik 6100 and has offered to demonstrate them in my house so that I can make a direct comparison with the Sneaky/Kairn combo. However, I only have around £3k to spend, after trading in the CDX2, Sneaky, and Kairn. This would just about buy me an Akurate DSM if I kept my two LK140s. Alternatively it might stretch to a Majik DSM and 6100 if I traded in the LK140s as well. I am unlikely to have further funds available for at least a couple of years, so which option would be the better one?

Wammer

rowlandhills · 2012-04-22, 22:26

I'd definitely go for the Akurate DSM. It will sound a lot better than the Majik DSM, and although the 6100 would be better than the LK140s, I don't think the difference would be close to making up for the loss in falling back to the Majik.

If the dealer is happy to bring the Majik DSM and 6100 over to your house, I'd just ask him to bring an ADSM too, and try that as well!

Finally, if you do have more money to spend one day, it'll be far easier to add a better power amp to the ADSM than a better source to the Majik combination.

NickP · 2012-04-23, 10:55

I arranged to arrive early at one of my dealer's evening events so he could show me why it might be worth me considering replacing my Kairn Pro which, at the time, sat between KDS and Keltiks driven by 4 Klouts. I was stunned at how awful it sounded in comparison to the KK, and would expect any contemporary preamp unit (whether separate or packaged) to be a huge step up from this 20-year-old design.

N

Akurate_Guy · 2012-04-23, 22:47

I am sure what you say is right. However to be fair though a KK costs ~5 times what a Kairn did and in the last 15-20 years the price of electronics has generally tumbled so the real comparison is probably far higher.

Bit like saying a £60k BMW M3 of today betters a £12k Golf GTI of early 1990's - not half!

Just saying!

NickP · 2012-04-24, 12:21

(2012-04-23 22:47)Akurate_Guy Wrote: I am sure what you say is right. However to be fair though a KK costs ~5 times what a Kairn did and in the last 15-20 years the price of electronics has generally tumbled so the real comparison is probably far higher.

Bit like saying a £60k BMW M3 of today betters a £12k Golf GTI of early 1990's - not half!

At the time the Kairn was the very best that Linn could do. I was attempting to suggest that this 20-year-old design would probably be beaten, resoundingly, by practically anything in the current product range and not just the current flagship.

And re your first point: like the cost of the ingredients at a good restaurant, I suspect that we'd find that the purchase cost of the bits that go into our Linn kit is scarily low - but that the cost of deciding which bits are to go in, and where they're placed, is scarily high.

N

Akurate_Guy · 2012-04-24, 21:35

Agree product range is better (but isn't that true for most design/manufacturing companies in all sectors?) though perhaps not worlds apart for Majik Kontrol v. Kairn (I own both) especially given 15 years more R&D and electronics costing a fraction now of back then.

And yes most of the product cost is bound to be R&D, Marketing, Distribution, Retail costs etc. - electronics probably <10%!

Interesting ADSM costs only ~60% of ADS + AK together - probably proves how much of cost is not electronics.

Wammer · 2012-04-28, 22:17

Thanks to everyone for your advice. My dealer is coming over on Wednesday to put the Akurate DSM up against the Majik DSM, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they compare.

Wammer.