Linn have a long history of trying to put their knowledge and technology into one box solutions. They've met with varying degrees of success and their first efforts (Classik) were ahead of the times. However now, one box solutions are extremely important to the market and with perfect timing the Majik DSM5 (the latest derivative) arrives.
Majik DSM is an all in one music player and a hub for the connection of all your sources. So this means you get to enjoy streaming, internet radio, an excellent amplifier and you get to connect your turntable and all your TV related sources. Simple and neat but with plenty of power to drive the sort of speakers you might select to fit into your lounge.
Linn say -
The Linn Majik DSM/5 is the latest generation of Linn’s all-in-one music player, and it’s designed to make high-end hi-fi as simple as possible: just add speakers.
What it is
The DSM/5 combines four things in one box:
- A streamer for playing music from online services or your home network
- A DAC (digital-to-analog converter) for pristine sound quality
- A preamplifier with plenty of inputs, including HDMI for your TV
- A power amplifier that can drive most quality loudspeakers
This means you don’t need a stack of hi-fi separates – the DSM/5 takes care of it all.
In the shop
Listening in our demo room was promising. Promising enough that I thought I'd take this unit home and try it in my own system. Spend a little time discovering its strengths and weaknesses.
At home
My own system is a Naim NDX2 streamer plugged into a Linn Klimax Kontrol and Klimax stereo power amp. I've been using some of the new Linn 150 speakers for the last few weeks and I'm almost at the point of deciding to transfer some funds and keep them. I also use a close to Klimax spec' LP12 but with a Hana Umami Blue moving coil cartridge. I tend to stream and play vinyl fairly equally, using the Sondek or Qobuz depending on my mood and the amount of time I have. I also have my TV connected to me stereo system, although these days I don't actually watch a lot of television.
The Majik plugged in easily. I had to replace a couple of optical cables with a single HDMI (Arc) for my TV but everything else was the same and connection was a doddle. Innitially I wasn't getting enough gain from my turntable but this was easily rectified by making a chance in settings in the Linn app. Once this was done I settled down and played some music.
From the off I was pleased that the presentation of the Magik was of the same family as the Klimax. It wasn't as good as the Klimax by any means and in truth I didn't expect it to be. The Klimax costs almost four times as much and does not have the streaming capability. But the family sound was there and the lack of fatique was there. I was extremely surprised how the unit drove the Linn 150's. It would never be partnered with these speakers in the real world because they're too expensive and I expected them to be too demanding. In fact the DSM did a decent job.
I could immediately tell that the phono stage was good. For a start it was quiet and noise-free. There was no harshness or sibilence and everything sounded controlled and musical. At low to medium volume the DSM had no issues at all and it was only when I pushed it harder that I felt it was struggling with the speakers a little.
Streaming was a good experience. I like the LINN app and here I felt I got the best performance from the DSM. It left me wanting to try one of the higher end Selekt units through my system. I'll do this soon. I'll be honest I've been using Naim streamers for such a long time that I struggle with poor apps. I needn't have worried though as LINN have put as much effort into app development as they have into the product itself. It was smooth and seamless to use and to browse and play music.
My final test was with the telly and here the Majik DSM also did well. I didn't dwell on this but it was impressive and sounded immersive and not detached in any way.
I've had the Majik DSM at home now for four days and I can honestly say that it has exceeded my expectations in all regards. It is a neat and attractive solution and it sounds better than it has any right to. I have not delved into Space Optimization. This is free software that enables the equipment to remove and improve room characteristics. I've used this to good effect before but at home simply didn't feel the need.
The Majik DSM is now back on demo at the store and costs £4299.