Linn Klimax DS. How good is it?


Hi all. My first post. Anyway, building up a system for last months since we moved to a new house.

Started with the digital source that I best liked and frmo there went to a right combo of speakers and pre-amp, that would sound well together. You can see in my system choices I made: Esoteric X01-d2, Classe CP-700 pre, Classe CAM-400 monoblocks, and B&W 802D.

From there went with speaker cables, interconnects, conditioner and power cords. After many alternatives and extensive listening, (plus a couple of what proved to be wrong purchases) went all Synergistic Research.

NOw that what I would call the core of the system is done, I want to add two more sources. First one streaming solution and later on will see if I get into analog or not.

So regarding Streaming I was wondering: anyone heard the Klimax DS from Linn? I've read nice reviews of it, for what they are worth, and some very positive opinions of "all Linn systems" owners. Have not read many from no Linn customers, like me, who added this piece into their systems.

To all of them. What do you think of this device? How would you describe the sound of it? How does the sound quality compare to the Esoteric, if anyone had the chance to listen to both? Do you think it will be a good fit into my system?

Any feedback to the above questions, or general info based on personla listening will be very welcomed.

Thanks in advance
Eli
eelii08
Perrew, indeed. Actually the sweet spot from slim devices logitech, IMPO, is by far, far, a Receiver with the Ipeng. Great sounds, excellent control, cool and convenient, for under 150 euros...!

TDA2200, thanks for extensive feedback. You know what? I do agree with the duet (actually the receiver is the music player). This not only sounds better than SB3, but also it is very close to the transporter in performance....if not superior. it is a hell of a player for the money. Probably one of the best cost/performance ratios I know out there in digital playback, period. A hell of a player. I did A/B comparations with several CDPs worth in the thousands... not that much behind, and in specific aspects of the music reproduction even better than some of the CDPs. Really, I do recommend it. For just 130 Euros, you need to hear to believe this piece.

Anyway, interesting all your feedback on the DS's. Good news it seems. Not sure what you want to say by liking better the Klimax only if you are a music lover vs a hifi person. Can you please elavorate this a bit?

Also I would like to know what other digital sources, CDPs in this case, are you familiar with and listened to before the DSs? How would they compare to the later.

Lastly, is there an specific music type where the Klimax exceeds over others (classical vs jazz, vocals, live performances...)

Thanks in advance
Eli
Eelii08,

do I understand you correctly when you say you want to keep the Esoteric X01D2 and add a Klimax DS and possibly an analog front end?
If so I would recommend you to keep the X01 and send it to APL HiFi to have it rebuilt to a NWO-4.0-SE player.
This means you would have the Klimax functionality and Esoteric transport in one box and with way better sound than the Linn and Esoteric. Also you dont need to worry about analog unless you need the medium for hard to find cds.
But the question he would then have to ask himself is when (or if) he would ever get his player back from APL after paying all that money.
Hi Eli

Yes the duet is diffently the sweetspot in the smlim line up.

The akurate Ds/ with dynamik gives the Wow factor , it has that big dynamic window teh majik a and slim procucts lack.
It also stringes everything harmonicly together and puts weight to the music at the ecxact right time,wich is what i would call exceptional musical and gives a great emotional connection to the music i havent heard since i first listend to the sondek cd12.

But you are still aware its reproduced music as spetacular as i may sound.

The akurate ds is most diffently also for the music lover.

Why i would recormendt the akurate ds if you arent toallay into hifi for the love of music , is mostly because the Klimax cost 3 times as much.

There is one area where the Klimax instantly sounded different and that is the dynamic headroom and extension, its also the first player where 24 bit truly sounds alot better the flac, infact its also the first player where my 320 bit mp3s really showed there shortcomings wich is a good/bad thing becuse it seems that its only limitaion is the data its playing, if buget is not a problem by all means get the Klimax .

This may sound alittel long haird but i mostly judge a source component by the way my buddy responses to the music , When i demoed the klimax i feelt it more then enything else.
I havent listend to ones without getting goosspots,It really captures the rave emotion of live music , heard or played, if you have the same prioertyes the Klimax is a golden ticket and priced very reasonble compared to what the wadia , DSC can offer.

There is no music it handels better , but the more complex music you throw at it the more it will shine, rock, pop, classic it captures the emotion and dos as littel as possible to destroy it.

Linn also have a long time record company and have indeepth knowledge on what the recoding sounded like live in the studio.

Thnaks

Sorry i accidently pushed Submit as-is

Read this instead

Yes the duet is diffently the sweetspot in the slim line up.

The akurate Ds/ with dynamik gives the Wow factor , it has that amazing soundkvality and musical rightness the best digital has wich the majik and slim dont .

It also stringes everything harmonicly together and puts weight to the music at the ecxact right time,wich is what i would call exceptional musical and gives a great emotional connection to the music i havent heard since i first listend to the sondek cd12.

But you are also still aware its reproduced music, as spetacular as i may sound.

The akurate ds is most diffently also for the music lover.

Why i would recormendt the akurate ds if you just listning to great spund (wich many hifi people do) for the is mostly because the Klimax cost 3 times as much.

Havever There is areas where the Klimax instantly sounded different and that is the dynamic headroom and extension, its also the first player where 24 bit truly sounds alot better then flac, infact its also the first player where my 320 bit mp3s really showed there shortcomings wich is a good/bad thing becuse it seems that its only limitaion is the data its playing, if buget is not a problem by all means get the Klimax .

This may sound alittel long haird but i mostly judge a source component by the way my boddy responses to the music , When i demoed the klimax i feelt it more then enything else.
I havent listend to it ones without getting goosspots,It really captures the rave emotion of live music , heard or played, if you have the same prioertyes the Klimax is a golden ticket and priced very reasonble compared to what the wadia , DSC can offer.

There is no music it handels better , but the more complex music you throw at it the more it will shine, rock, pop, classic it captures the emotion and dos as littel as possible to destroy its the source to get if you want to feel somthing.

Linn also have a well established record company and have indeepth knowledge on what the recoding actually sounded like live in the studio.
Its just neutral