Linn News

Renew DS comes to Akurate owners

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:36:04 +0000

Make your Akurate DS sound even better and get a 2nd Linn DS player for your home at the same time!

For a limited period, Akurate DS owners can enjoy a very special upgrade offer which not only improves the sound of your existing system but lets you share great sound with another room of your home too using Songcast.

Renew DS for Akurate is a special upgrade package that lets you update your system with the latest Akurate DS audio performance and turns your old audio board into a second working DS player.

The upgrade package comprises:

a latest Akurate DS audio board which fits into your existing Akurate DS player and improves the sound quality
a new product that contains a power supply and your old Akurate DS audio board, giving you a Renew DS player for a second room of your home - just add power amps and speakers

What’s more, you’ll automatically receive a new 5 year parts and labour warranty on both DS players from the date you upgrade.

The latest Akurate DS audio board was introduced in November 2010 and offers improved audio performance over the original audio board thanks to:

a new lower jitter master clock
an improved DAC power supply and layout
a new lower distortion output circuit

Contact your retailer today to find out more and audition the new, higher performance Akurate system.

Note: the Akurate DS audio board can also be purchased separately as an upgrade.

Ivor shares his twin passions for music and precision engineering

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:49:59 +0000

Discover the inside story from the man who invented the Sondek LP12 and founded Linn forty years ago.

Ivor Tiefenbrun was recently invited to give the annual joint lecture for The Royal Society of Edinburgh and The Royal Academy of Engineering.

For anyone who was unable to make the event, grab yourself a glass of something nice, sit back and enjoy a personal and passionate tale of 'Extreme Engineering' - view film.

Source First

"Conventional wisdom was that the loudspeakers were the most important components in a hi-fi system because that is where the sound comes from. I was told that the turntable just goes round and round. I replied that loudspeakers only go in and out!"

Born from a love for music and a refusal to settle for a dull and uninvolving hi-fi system, the idea for the Sondek LP12 grew from Ivor's home experiments with what was supposedly the best hi-fi available at the time.

With an open mind and the help of his father's engineering company, he quickly moved from a hypothesis to a working prototype, and succeeded in making a turntable that was immune to acoustic feedback from the loudspeakers.

Ivor's turntable, the Sondek LP12, could improve the sound of any system and he overcame industry scepticism to prove that the turntable - the source of the music - was the most important component in a hi-fi system.

The Linn Sondek LP12 evolved swiftly, with every component designed to recover more music from the groove of the record. Ivor's determination to continually improve the quality of music you could enjoy at home has stuck with Linn ever since.

By people for people

"Active listening is a deliberate, conscious, mental process where we try to mimic every sound we hear. If you are concentrating and listening attentively to me speaking, then you are repeating every word I say simultaneously but silently in your head. Listening is deﬁned as silent repetition. All of us have an expectation of what music is. All of us have an internal music reference. All of us can spot a mistake or a wrong note."

An engineering approach that favoured open systems and modular parts meant that a music system could be developed, upgraded and expanded over time - an LP12 manufactured in 1972 can still be repaired, serviced or even upgraded to the latest spec one step at a time. Which makes owning an LP12 a long-term relationship.

Ivor devised a single stage manufacturing process that replaced the conventional production line so that one skilled person performed an entire intelligible task from start to finish. This still survives today - look on the underside of a Linn product and you'll see the name of the person who assembled, tested and packed it for you.

By placing trust in individual responsibility and encouraging people to be enthusiastic about learning and craftsmanship, Ivor proved that people - working in teams and backed by the latest technology - make the best music systems.

The 'people first' analogy extends to choosing a music system - it sounds obvious now but Ivor's insistence on selling by comparative demonstration empowered people to choose for themselves. It wasn't about brand names and technical specifications - if it sounded better to you, it was better.

Think differently

"Music is a universal language of human feeling and emotion. It is sung, written and performed by people for people. Music is the song of our species. It is in our DNA…No one confuses a happy tune with a sad one."

Ivor knew very little about hi-fi when he started to experiment with his music system at home. An open and restless mind helped him think differently and work things through from first principles.

Ivor was told his intention to make a loudspeaker that could accurately reproduce very low frequencies was impossible. It took him less than a week to conceive a workable idea and prove it had potential with a prototype.

If Ivor hadn't been so uninspired by his first music system, he would never have made the Sondek LP12 and Linn would not exist today. He didn't set out to start a company, he just wanted to listen to better music at home. Inspire yourself.

> View full film

> View extract (only relates to the history of Linn)

> View transcript

> Discuss in Linn Forum

Linn wins Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Linn has been awarded the most prestigious accolade available to UK businesses: the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

Linn's award in the Innovation category celebrates the success of our digital streaming technology - Linn DS.

Approved by Her Majesty The Queen following the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Queen's Award for Innovation recognises the engineering prowess and passion for music embodied within Linn's industry-leading range of DS systems.

A royal connection

Awarded the Royal Warrant in 2002 as providers of entertainment systems to the Royal Household, winning this award for innovation exactly a decade later is especially pleasing.

From the birth of the Sondek LP12 40 years ago to the development of our latest digital stream players, we have never been afraid to think differently.

Our success with 24-bit Studio Master music recordings led Gramophone magazine to name us Label of the Year in 2010, with their editor James Jolly praising Linn Records as "the very model of a modern record company".

The future of music

Gilad Tiefenbrun, Linn's Managing Director, is delighted to receive the Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation:

"Innovation is at the heart of Linn. We designed our DS platform from scratch, starting in 2004, and launching our first product, the Klimax DS, in 2007. Klimax DS immediately set a new performance benchmark in home music systems. Since then, we've released a full range of DS systems across the price spectrum, with all of them playing everything from mp3 to 24-bit Studio Master and making the music sound better. Our most recent updates let you play music wirelessly from computers and mobile devices, stream online music and movies, and connect everything in the modern living room through your Linn system."

The launch of DSM Systems has pushed Linn DS technology even further forward, with recent upgrades improving the audio quality of movies, games and online services such as Spotify, YouTube and Netflix for all Linn DS owners.

Find out more about Linn DS - the beating heart of every Linn system - and discover how digital streaming works.

Share your favourite Music Moments

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Everyone has moments in their life when music makes the difference. It captures the moment perfectly, intensifies our emotions or changes the way we feel.

In these moments, music and memory become linked forever, and it becomes impossible to think of one without the other.

We've created an interactive Music Moments wall to collect these special moments together for everyone to see, listen and add their own.

#MusicMoment

Check out the new Music Moments wall and explore the stories, photos and videos posted by music lovers everywhere.

Add your own favourite Music Moments and tell everyone how music has shaped your finest and most poignant moments. Post your story to the wall and help re-live those times when music makes the difference.

You can join in and share your moments with Facebook or Twitter - use the hashtag #MusicMoment to add your moments to the stream and see what music is making the world spin right now.

Share your Music Moment

It could be your greatest music memory or it could have happened this morning on the way to work. Happiness or heartbreak (and everything in-between), tell us about the music, the emotions it stirs and the memory it evokes.

Words by themselves are fine but you can bring your Music Moment to life by adding a picture or movie. If you’ve got an original photograph or film clip, perfect. Or just find something that illustrates the moment perfectly for you.

You can add as many moments as you like and share them with the friends that helped inspire them. Add a Music Moment today and share those times when music made the difference for you.

Fill your home with better sound in our Linn DS Multiroom promo

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

To celebrate the launch of the new range of Linn DSM Systems and Songcast, we have a special promotion that lets you enjoy better sound from everything you listen to in more rooms of your home.

We’re giving away free Linn DS rooms* with Linn DSM Systems purchased between now and 17th February 2012.

Buy a Klimax DSM System and get two free rooms
Buy an Akurate DSM System and get one free room

There’s never been a better time to move to Linn DS.

Contact your Linn Specialist to find out more or Try a System at a shop near you to hear the difference Linn can make to your favourite music, movies, TV and games.

Terms and conditions apply (see below).

*A free room comprises Sneaky DS player (black / silver) and Unik loudspeakers (black / white).

Linn Multiroom Promotion - Terms & Conditions

1. The promotion runs from 31st December 2011 to 17th February 2012 inclusive. Only orders placed during this period will qualify.

2. Customers purchasing a full Klimax DSM or DS System (minimum Klimax DSM or DS player plus Klimax loudspeakers) will receive two free rooms each comprising one Sneaky DS player and one pair of Unik loudspeakers.

3. Customers purchasing a full Akurate DSM or DS System (minimum Akurate DSM or DS player plus Akurate power amplifier plus Akurate loudspeakers) will receive one free room comprising one Sneaky DS player and one pair of Unik loudspeakers.

4. This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other customer offer.

5. There is no limit to the number of systems that can be purchased as part of the promotion.

This promotion is being run by Linn Products Ltd (‘Linn’), Glasgow Road, Waterfoot, Eaglesham, Glasgow, G76 0EQ, UK. Registered Company Number: SC 52366.

New software for Linn DS makes your computer and phone sound better

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:00:54 +0000

We get sound from so many places these days - music, movies and games; computers, tablets and phones. You need to be able to get the best from it all.

This new software update from Linn simplifies how you enjoy music at home, letting you experience all of it through your Linn DS System and share it round your home.

Make your computer sound better

Simply install the Songcast app on your PC or Mac and every sound you’d normally hear through your computer speakers can now be Songcasted to your Linn DS and enjoyed in glorious Linn quality.

From music accessed in iTunes, stored on hard-drives or streamed from online services such as Spotify and last.fm, to TV and movie content from Blu-Ray or DVD discs, downloads and web services such as YouTube and iPlayer - Linn DS makes it all sound great.

Make your phone or tablet sound better

Because Songcast is now interoperable with Airplay, any sound your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad makes can also be experienced in Linn quality.

Angry Birds has never sounded so good…and your friends can join in too, DJ’ing from their personal devices to your Linn DS System.

Songcast shares it all

And, of course, anything you listen to on your Linn can be shared with another room. With Songcast you can share it across your entire home network and listen anywhere without sacrificing quality.

How to upgrade

Every player in the the Linn DS family can be upgraded and the Songcast app is available here.

For help upgrading, please contact your Linn Specialist or follow our upgrade guide

Last orders for Renew DS and + 2 promo

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:10:00 +0000

Most Klimax DS owners have already taken advantage of our innovative Renew DS upgrade package. If you haven't yet, now's your chance.

Klimax DS owners can upgrade to the new Klimax standard and get a second Linn DS player for their home as part of the package. Renew DS re-uses your existing Klimax DS audio board in a custom-built enclosure.

With our popular +2 promo also drawing to a close, this is a good time to get along to your Linn Specialist and have a listen to our latest music systems.

Renew DS

Double your DS with our unique Renew DS offer and use Songcast to stream music from one Linn DS to another, sharing better sound all round your home.

Your Klimax DS (and Renew DS) will automatically receive a 5 year parts and labour warranty from the date it is upgraded.

Renew DS can be ordered up until 30th September 2011, after which date it will still be possible to upgrade your Klimax DS. Find out more.

+2 promo

Add 2 extra channels of amplification for free when you buy any Majik or Akurate power amplifier before 16th September.

+2 means you can get a Majik 4100 for the price of a Majik 2100, or an Akurate 4200 for the price of an Akurate 2200, giving you +2 amplifier channels in each example.

Or if you’re thinking of buying an amplifier to go fully Aktiv, we’ll let you choose between the extra channels you need or free Aktiv cards. Find out more.

Linn Kinsky is now available for iPad and iPhone

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:07:00 +0000

Linn's own DS control app, Kinsky, is now available as a free download from the AppStore.

Get wireless control of your Linn DS player from your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Browse your music collection by album artwork, select albums, artists or songs and change volume, all with your fingertips.

Discover new music from a wide selection of internet radio streams and podcasts. Create playlists to suit your mood or for special events.

Go Multiroom with Songcast

Take advantage of the latest Songcast feature to stream music from one Linn DS to another, sharing whatever you're listening to across your home.

You can even use Songcast to stream vinyl or tv - anything you have connected to a Majik DS-I or Sekrit DS-I can be shared.

Get Kinsky

Kinsky is compatible with all Linn DS players running the latest software (Davaar) and can be used alongside any other desktop or third party control apps.

Download directly from the AppStore or follow the links from the Linn website.

Turn on, tune in and power up with +2

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Add 2 extra channels of amplification for free when you buy any Majik or Akurate power amplifier during Linn’s +2 promo this summer.

+2 means that, for a limited time, you can get a Majik 4100 for the price of a Majik 2100, or an Akurate 4200 for the price of an Akurate 2200, giving you +2 amplifier channels in each example.

Alternatively, if you’re thinking of buying an amplifier to go fully Aktiv, we’ll let you choose between the extra channels you need or free Aktiv cards…whichever saves you more money.

Why +2?

Normally, one amplifier channel is required per speaker, so a Majik 2100 or an Akurate 2200 would be enough to power a pair of stereo loudspeakers.

An extra two channels of amplification immediately allows you to bi-amp a stereo playback system to significantly improve performance. Bi-amping reduces distortion and increases separation between high and low frequencies, with individual speaker drive units powered with greater efficiency and control.

Our +2 promo makes it easier for you to experience the quality of Linn amplification, helping you to reach the number of amplification channels you need for less and hear the difference Linn power amplifiers can make to your favourite music and movies.

From bi-amping to fully Aktiv

Bi-amping is an easy first step along the multi-amping path (tri-amping, quad-amping) towards the audio nirvana of fully Aktiv, where all speaker drive units (bass, mid, tweeter etc.) are driven individually by their own amplifier channels and use their own Aktiv filters.

Aktiv playback systems benefit from improved timing and control, as well as lower distortion across the entire frequency range thanks to the elimination of electronic interaction within the passive crossover. Why Go Aktiv?

If this all seems a bit complicated, don’t worry - simply pay a visit to your local Linn Specialist who will be happy to demonstrate the difference between a passive and Aktiv system, and talk you through the options for your system.

LK-style

And if you’re still holding on to your precious LK-style amplifiers, there’s never been a better time to upgrade them or pass them on to someone else - Majik and Akurate power amplifiers feature Linn's Chakra and Dynamik technologies for efficient, responsive and distortion-free amplification.

Terms and Conditions apply.

Songcast heralds new era for Linn multiroom

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:55:31 +0000

Songcast for Linn DS marks a new era for Linn multiroom as the digitally connected home of the future becomes reality.

Songcast lets you stream audio around your home at exceptional quality and perfectly synchronised, giving you the freedom to move from room to room and still enjoy your favourite music.

In fact, whatever you enjoy listening to can be shared across all DS players in the home. From playlists, your iTunes library content, internet radio stations or podcasts through to your favourite TV programme or movie streamed from any source connected to a Linn DS player with inputs (Majik DS-I or Sekrit DS-I) - you won’t miss a second as you move from room to room.

This is a music system which can make a real difference to the way you and your family live your life, and the good news is that if you already own a Linn DS player you’re most of the way there.

With Linn DS Multiroom there’s no need for special equipment racks full of boxes, dedicated controllers and complex software programming. Everyone with two or more Linn DS players is ready to Songcast - simply download the latest software and you’re ready to go.

The incredible flexibility of Linn DS Multiroom means that you can add rooms or upgrade the performance of individual rooms over time, building a music system around your life.

With no limit to the number of controllers you can have, and a growing number of control apps on the latest mobile platforms, you can pick the ideal set of controllers for your family or simply turn your own touchscreen tablets or phones into controllers.

How to get Songcast
Songcast is a feature of the latest Davaar software for Linn DS. New Linn DS players automatically include this software, and existing DS players and controllers can be easily upgraded to take advantage of the latest features.

The latest DS software also includes a stylish new user interface across the Kinsky range of control software and improved handling of recordings with excessive dynamic range compression.

New versions of KinskyDesktop are now available for PC and Mac (also available from the AppStore), along with KinskyPDA, KinskyJukebox and KinskyPronto.

Updated control apps from other suppliers which include Songcast compatibility are also widely available for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone and Android.

For help upgrading your DS player and controllers, please contact your Linn Specialist, who will update your system to the latest standard and demonstrate the latest functionality. If you are happier upgrading your DS system yourself, please follow our How to upgrade DS Software guide.

Linn Knekt owners can take advantage of the great improvements in performance and control now available by contacting their Multiroom Specialist to find out how to upgrade their Knekt system to enjoy the benefits of a new Linn DS Multiroom system.

Audition the new Linn Klimax System now

Tue, 10 May 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Groundbreaking performance enhancements to Klimax have raised the standard set by Linn's reference music system once again and to celebrate we'd like to invite you to a special event series.

We've improved the Klimax DS, already the world's best digital music player and now significantly better with reduced distortion and greater dynamic range.

Now featuring Dynamik, new Klimax Solo and Klimax Twin amplifiers have been a decade in the making and we're sure you'll appreciate the effort which has gone into improving a truly exceptional power amplifier design.

Audition Linn's finest ever music system at an upcoming New Linn Klimax event and hear the astonishing results from a fully Aktiv Klimax Music System, featuring Klimax DS, Klimax Kontrol and Klimax loudspeakers with Klimax Solo and Klimax Aktiv Crossovers.

Upgrades are now available for Klimax DS, Klimax Solo and Klimax Twin, with an additional 5 year parts and labour warranty for all products upgraded to the new Klimax standard, giving you the peace of mind your music is in safe hands.

Klimax DS owners who choose the Renew DS upgrade package to create a second DS player for their home (making use of the new Songcast feature to enable perfectly synchronised multiroom playback) will also receive the same 5 year warranty for both products.

Contact your Klimax Specialist to book your place at one of these special launch events or complete an Arrange a Demo request and we'll organise a personal demonstration for you.

Linn Klimax - the art of audio perfection.

Epic new Klimax standard soon to be revealed

Wed, 04 May 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Improving a great design is always a challenge, which is why we're delighted with the epic new standard in musical reproduction set by the new Klimax Music System.

The new Klimax DS brings 4 years of Linn DS development back full circle to the original source, with a completely redesigned audio board significantly lowering distortion, jitter and noise floor even further.

It's taken us over a decade but we're delighted to announce some incredible improvements to two legendary power amplifier designs. New Klimax Solo and Klimax Twin amplifiers feature the latest generation of Dynamik technology and offer increased power and reduced distortion.

For Klimax DS owners we've taken the unprecedented and innovative step of creating a Renew DS upgrade package which re-uses your existing Klimax DS audio board in a custom-built enclosure (shown below right), making a second Linn DS player for your home.

Now available in black as well as silver, all Klimax components are perfectly machined from a single billet of aluminium and polished to a velvet-touch finish for the ultimate in precision-engineered style.

To hear the astounding new Klimax Music System for yourself at upcoming New Linn Klimax events, and for more detail on these exciting developments and a range of upgrade options, contact your Linn Klimax Specialist now.

Full product information, including technical specifications and photography, will be published next week along with event dates - sign up to Linn News updates to receive an e-mail as soon as they are announced.

Now is the time to move from CD to DS

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:00:57 +0000

Until 31st January 2011, we’re offering 10% off Linn DS players* when you trade in your CD player.

In celebration of our recent Label of the Year honour at the prestigious Gramophone Awards for our innovation with Studio Master downloads and Linn DS players, we are making it even easier to experience the highest quality music in your home.

Motivated by our passion for music, Linn pioneered Studio Master downloads and Linn DS players in 2007 to enable people to enjoy original studio quality, just as the artist intended, at home. Other record labels have followed Linn’s lead and now there’s a huge variety of high resolution digital music available across all genres which is growing rapidly.

This Studio Master music can only be experienced to its full potential on a Linn DS player, so if you’re listening on anything else you’re missing out. Not only that, the quality of CD reproduction through a Linn DS player far surpasses that of a CD player, and offers greater convenience, reinvigorating your existing CD collection.

Make the move from CD to DS and start enjoying the highest quality music streaming, available at the touch of a button, for less.

Visit your Linn Specialist today to audition Linn DS against CD and find out why there’s never been a better time to move from CD to DS.

*terms and conditions apply

Apple Mac and iTunes library support added for Linn DS

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:30:12 +0000

Packed into a bumper release of new Linn DS software published today is the first official KinskyDesktop for Mac release, plus iTunes library support and enhanced radio features for all users.

KinskyDesktop for Mac is now available, allowing Apple Mac users to select and play music from your Linn DS or iTunes library while building playlists and enjoying your favourite album artwork.

With all iTunes music formats* already supported by Linn you'll get immediate access to your favourite albums, all played back in the highest quality possible through your Linn DS player (which you can now fully configure using Konfig for Mac).

iTunes Library

Both Windows and Mac KinskyDesktop users can now play music from existing iTunes music collections on any Linn DS player.

Simply follow the iTunes icon from your KinskyDesktop homepage to select and play music from your entire iTunes library, with album artwork and playlists automatically shared and updated in the background.

Radio DS

Radio metadata is now added to your DS player, allowing you to identify what artist or track you're listening to from all compatible radio streams (including Linn Radio, of course).

Radio DS is further enhanced with our new Shoutcast plugin providing instant access to over 75 high-quality 320k stations (including everything from good old rock 'n' roll to some funky vocal house, with some classic reggae and dubstep along the way). A WFMU plugin also enables live and on-demand content from the longest running freeform ('no playlists') radio station in the USA.

For UK users we've also added a BBC plugin that makes the latest BBC radio podcasts and Listen Again broadcasts a simple click away whenever you want to listen.

Green DS

With all this extra listening we've thrown in reduced power consumption on all DS players when in standby or 'sleep' mode, letting you save that little bit extra on those rare occasions when you're not listening to great music.

Add in all the usual speed improvements and bugfixes (plus new versions of KinskyPDA, KinskyJukebox and KinskyPronto) and you'll see this is an essential upgrade for Linn DS users.

Speak to your Linn Specialist for help upgrading (or purchasing...) or follow this upgrade guide if you're happy installing software yourself.

* excluding DRM formats

Revealing the new Linn Akurate System...

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:31:57 +0000

Linn's Akurate system has been completely transformed to deliver truly exceptional performance from your cherished music collection.

Linn Akurate is a dedicated stereo system designed with one clear purpose: to reproduce the highest quality music recordings in mind-blowing audio quality for you to enjoy in your home.

Be first to audition our gorgeous new Akurate System and experience the beautiful sound for yourself at one of our forthcoming events.

The new Akurate system is coming to a Linn Specialist near you very soon...more information and images will be released next week.

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