Linn/MultiRoom etc was Re: SonicBlue now have Rios on sale in the UK

["nick_towers2000" <nickt@xxxxxxx>]

I've a Linn Classik (nice smart amp/tuner/CD with added bonus of 4
balanced line outputs compatible with KAT5). Cost =A3750. Good piece of kit - I'm pleased with it.
When I bought it last year I thought Linn multiroom is very tempting
if money no object, but it's not now the way I'd go as I think the
downside is (IMHO)
1) They like to use STP or FTP Cat5, and nonstandard pinouts,
consequently it will probably not be plug and play on a standard Cat5
netwrk.
2) They do not release technical info very readily so it's difficult
to figure out what you can and cannot connect up. Gives the
impression of forcing you down the Linn only route, which costs!
3) Their multiroom model is based on individual room amps with audio
distribution via balanced line signals over CAT5 - this means that
you need another box or few boxes in each local room. This point is
probably personal to me - were I a real "audiophile" it might be = an
advantage, but my <<ideal>> multiroom hifi system would consist= of
all the kit hidden away in a rack in node 0, with ONLY speakers and
IR "eyes" in each room. I would compromise on "theoretical&q= uot; audio
quality for discreteness (and in Linn's case - price!).

My feeling is that Linn are not that advanced technically - they do
produce nice quality audio kit though and it looks pretty. I reckon
KAT5 technology (switcher??) with IR distribution will match Linn for
multiroom functionality, if not looks, at hopefully a fraction of the
price. For what I think I now would ideally want (which no doubt will
change in 6 months), I'd go with QED products if I was looking at
commercially available solution.

Just my thoughts.

Nick





--- In ukha_d@y..., "Kenneth Watt" <kennwatt@b...> wrote: > Ah right then, here's a discussion I had with a few mates one
night...
>
> "Define a multi room system?"
>
> Now try and pin down *exactly* what that means. For example I could have
> several hi-fi stacks placed in each room with cross-linked sources, MP3
> or AV, whatever control it with a Pronto and it _IS_ a multi-room
system
> IMO. However, my way I can tailor the system to suit my needs, my
tastes
> and *exactly* what I want that system to do and not do in any given > location and no system can match that flexibility.
>
> Granted, the Linn system probably is very good, for that kinda
money I'd
> bloody well hope so, but I don't think I'd go down that path even
if I
> did have the money, too inflexible for my liking and I don't like
being
> at the mercy of a single manufacturer should I want to change
something.
>
> K.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Gerard McGovern [mailto:stuff@i...]
> > Sent: 10 April 2002 10:56
> > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx > > Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Re: SonicBlue now have Rios on sale in the =
UK
> >
> > > > You obviously have never heard the Linn system ... it i= s
> > > out of this
> > > > world.
> > > >
> > >
> > > That would be "out of this world on price" then wo= uld it ;-)
> > >
> > > I'm afraid that I wouldn't stretch to 40K for a hi-fi system= ,
> > > unless someone else is offering to pay for it of course... > >
> > It's all relative really. There is no doubt that the Linn is the =
best
> > sounding multi-room system in the world. Whether one feels the cost is
> > justified or not is an entirely individual matter.
> >
> > I'm with you; I wouldn't spend 40k on *any* hi-fi system. But I <= BR> can
> also
> > appreciate the quality of the Linn system
> >
> > G
> >
> >
> >
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