Experience with Linn Select DSM?

I ended up going in a different direction - and am hoping i didn’t make the wrong decision.  Not because it doesn’t sound good.

I bought the Auralic Aries G2 streamer - very nice upgrade over the Node 2 (and my Aurender N100H in another system).  But, now I’m in the awful loop of evaluating cables (have already gone up $$$), wondering about my DAC, power conditioning etc.  I was already evaluating replacement speakers.  

So, I probably could have saved myself a lot of trouble - and perhaps money by just buying the Selekt DSM.

Doesn’t make sense to turn back now....

@mgrif104  

Do you still have your PMC speakers? 
PMC speakers have great synergy with Naim electronics. In the beginning you're looking for a single box solution integrated. I should have had pointed out and recommended you the Naim Uniti Nova ($7500). The Naim Uniti Nova is a all-in-one box or a single box solution. It is a streamer/DAC/integrated amp all in a single chassis. A highly musical sounding unit and will sound really good on the PMC speakers. Musically engaging and involving, smooth, refined and the music sounded very natural & organic and was so effortless and has very good drive, rtyhm, pace, speed & timing without straining or sounding forced. The tonality is on the warm side of neutral (but intoxicated warmth) and has punchy well defined bass. 

I happen to own the Naim Uniti Nova paired with PMC standmount (bookshelf) speakers for my bedroom setup. 
The Nova has built-in Tidal and is Roon ready. I also use the Naim Uniti Core music server connected to the Nova. 

The streamer & DAC in the Naim Uniti Nova is really good. Naim is really good at and is very well known for making high end streamer/DAC, and their standalone top of the line ND 555 streamer/DAC plus an external Naim 555 PS DR power supply unit for the streamer/DAC retail for $32k. The standalone flagship Naim ND 555 streamerry/DAC and other Naim 500 series components don't have onboard power supplies and each component needs to be paired with Naim 555 PS DR external power supply unit for each single component. 

Naim is somewhat or at least used to be Linn's direct competitor but Naim takes things a little bit differently. Both Linn and Naim believe in source first and your front end source components (digital or analog) are backbones of our setup/system. 

Back to the Naim Uniti Nova. While the amp section of the Nova is only rated at 80 wpc @ 8 ohms it's capable to drive just about most speakers and is stable down to low impedance loads. The quality of current delivery that matters, not just mere power output ratings (wattage). All Naim amplifiers are very conservatively rated. 

Regarding Linn, I also like Linn and in my main reference stereo setup/system I used to own all Linn Klimax DSM with Katalyst DAC architecture paired with Klimax Chakra Solo monoblock amps driving Linn Klimax floorstanders. All Linn Klimax setup. Later on I moved up to Linn Klimax Exakt system and got rid of the monoblock amps and upgraded to the Klimax DSM Exakt with Klimax active Exakt floorstanders. But I don't have the Linn anymore and lately have gone through couple different upgrades since the Linn Klimax Exakt DSM system. 

As people mentioned earlier about Linn Selekt DSM integrated. I did get to hear the Selekt DSM at my local dealer and it was fine musical sounding unit. 
Linn Selekt streamer/DAC is superior to that of the NAD M12 pre/DAC. Although the NAD M22 power amp is rated and is more powerful than the amp section in the Linn Selekt DSM integrated but the quality of the amplifier itself is superior with the Linn Selekt eventhough the Selekt is somewhat Linn's lower end series. There are two models above the Selekt, which are the Akurate and the Klimax. 
In general, NAD isn't in the same league as Linn or Naim. Far from it. 

Anyways, congrats with your new Auralic & Aurender purchases. They should be quite a step up from what you had previously. 

Caphill, thanks for the comprehensive and thoughtful  reply.  I think you might be mixing me up with another poster as I don’t have and never have had PMC speakers.  

Interestingly, I wasn’t originally looking for a one box unit, but came across the Linn Selekt and found it appealing from a functional standpoint.  I will say that while I hold Linn and NAIM in very high regard - particularly for their upper end units, I stand by my previous comment that you “pay up” for the brand in terms of performance.  Of course, it’s reasonable to assume that the streamer built into the Linn unit is quite a bit superior to that of the Node 2.  But, I’m also guessing it’s performance falls Short of the Auralic G2 I acquired (though I can’t say for sure as I’ve no way to compare directly).  I would also say that I’m skeptical the amplifier in the Linn Selekt is superior to the NAD M22 I’m using - a very well regarded amp.  I find it powerful, smooth, and engaging and it is a very large and clear step up from the Paraound Halo amp I have in another system. I’ve no doubt the Klimax units are outstanding and a step up from what I have. As they should be at a multiple of the price point, too. 

I am circling back to the Linn Selekt DSM because of something I saw on the Selekt web site. It states that the Selekt DSM's XLR analogue outputs can be connected to a separate preamp. Now this is very interesting to me  because I have a few analogue sources that require a preamp. The Linn Selekt DSM will not get additional analogue inputs in the future. It will be limited to the single analogue phono input.

So my question is, has anyone used the Selekt as a DAC only into another preamp. How did the sound compare to using the Selekt as a preamp connected to an external amp.

My plan is to get a seperate amp, a preamp for analogue sources, and a DAC. The Selekt could serve the role of the DAC + SPACE OPTIMIZATION.

In a few weeks I expect to attend a speaker unveiling at a dealer that carries the Selekt and I will have this conversation with them but I am interested to hear from non-dealers. 

My post above mistakenly stated that the single analogue input was phono. There is actually a phono input and an additional aux analogue input for things like a tuner. That analogue input will be converted to digital.

Just an FYI. I am posting this because my dealer did not know how to do this and I was stumped for over a year until someone on the Linn forum gave me a solution yesterday.

My situation is I have multiple analogue sources that require connection to a preamp. The Linn Selekt DSM only has 1 RCA analogue input. My post above should have looked at the solution to the problem in the opposite manner. That is add another preamp and use the output of that preamp into the single input of the Selekt DSM preamp.

The following passive preamp,

https://www.tisburyaudio.co.uk/mini-passive-preamplifier

, can take 3 RCA analogue source inputs and it has 2 RCA outputs.

Output 1 is the primary output and its level is set by the volume control. Output 2 can be configured (by switches on the base) as either an additional primary output, or as a ’tape loop’, to bypass the volume control and loop out to another device

https://hifipig.com/tisbury-passive-preamplifier/

Now my preferred DSP preamp choice, the Linn Selekt DSM, can have all my analogue sources hooked up to it. My 3 choices for DSP capable preamps were the following:

- Anthem STR preamp (incredible features)
- Linn Selekt DSM (great DAC + non-mic based DSP)
- Lyngdorf 3400 (I do not like the amplification on this one)

I think the Linn and Lyngdorf likely have a better sounding DAC than the Anthem. I have not heard the Anthem but have heard the other 2. I am going on reviews of the Anthem DAC. The Selekt DSM also can be ordered without amplification, whereas, the Lyngdorf is must be ordered with the amplification module.

I also like the fact that the Linn Selekt DSM does NOT stream via RJ45 Ethernet. You connect via USB. Which I plan to do with the Sonare Signiture Rendu SE Optical. I think the lack of ROOD READY on the Selekt is a moot point since a Rendu will be used.