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

["BUTLER, Tony, FM" <tony.butler@xxxxxxx>]

> I'm glad this subject has come up as I'm at the point of shelling out =
> =A320k for a Linn System!!  I do have some reservations about it = though>
  and would dearly like a solution such as the KAT5 switcher.  Ho= wever
> that doesn't exist yet and I need to put wires in now! 

Ben - put the wires in by all means - it's the same cable regardless.
I have all my Knekt _wires_ in place, + some actual zones set up.

I discussed controlling the KAT 5 switcher from an RCU with keith, but it came to a dead end really, for a variety of reasons:
- Keith hasn't got Knekt so would be unable to test (if he did have it, he<= BR> probably wouldn't be developing the switch!)
- Linn give nothing away, so it's pure guesswork about protocols etc etc - The demand for this would be very low - especially in comparison to deman= d
for KAT5 IR, switcher, VGA units etc
- Linn might not take kindly to someone trying to reverse engineer bits of<= BR> their system.....

> I agree with all the negative points on the Linn Knekt although the > way I've seen costs, it doesn't add up to as much as I've heard
> quoted here.  Basically, it's about =A31200 per room + =A35000 fo= r the
> controller + whatever sources you want.  This is probably about = =A3800

Ah, my memory is fading somewhat - I thought I paid 2.5k for the intersekt<= BR> (an 8x8) maybe it is more - or is it coz you're (presumably) going for one<= BR> you can upgrade to 8 x 16?

The RCU's were definitely 399.  I thought the Line receivers were abou= t the
same - though I only bought one from the dealer - the rest I sourced from eBay in the states!)
The amps I use are parasound Zamps, which I think were about 250 each. = ; In
my example eariler, I just stuck with 400 as an easy number.....
Ditto the speakers - mine ranged from 150 a pair in the kitchen to just ove= r
a grand for a bose surround system in the lounge, so again, 400 was a ball<= BR> park average.
Certainly you can do it for less, but as a minimum you need an RCU and line=
receiver + _some_ kind of amp & speakers......

> actually more expensive if you go this route.  I'm worried about =
> obsolescence of the Linn, although I think this is unlikely as it
> hasn't changed much in the past 5 years.  The other plus for the = Linn
> system is that you can have one room with outstanding quality just by =
> uprating the amp and speakers and don't have to double up on all the <= BR> > sources.

One of the big reasons I went with it - shell out on the infrastructure now=
& upgrade the amps & speakers when wallet has recovered....
In terms of obsolescence, I think the major let downs are:
- No video switching
- RCU can only count to 255 (a bugger when you have a 300 disc jukebox)
- The only streaming media system that will realistically work (from a
control perspective) is their own bloody expensive system.

They move quite slowly & seem rather cautious about what they bring out= -
but when they do bring out something, it's usually the nuts.
(I'm still waiting for a DAB tuner from them to replace my yamaha analogue<= BR> one!!!!).

> The Imerge CD server provides 4 concurrent CD (stored on hard disc) > signals which allows 4 different CDs at once and costs about =A34k.&nb= sp;
> I'll probably put this in eventually.

Unless this integrates fully with knekt, you could probably do a PC based solution for a lot less.
Multiple Audiotrons can be supported by a single server apparently (only have the one ATM) and they are quite small units, so you could have one in<= BR> each room as a local source if you wished, plus one or more central sources=
(they have IR control so you could beam thru the RCU to control them).

> So I'd love to be persuaded out of the Linn system as it does have > big flaws, but haven't seen anything with quality and flexibility
> which is as good.

I can't do that I'm afraid - I h8 the price of the kit, but I love the
system I have got & would love to expand it further.
I _wish_ it did video switching, but it doesn't.
I _will_ be getting a KAT 5 switcher and will probably end up using that fo= r
upstairs and/or using a combination of the two both upstairs and down.
Obviously without knowing the full capabilities of the switch, it's a littl= e
difficult to know exactly how it will be used......

If you've got the dosh though, what the hell - go for it!

> By the way, I'm sure Linn outlets will negotiate (at least the reps > I've been speaking to imply they will) - anybody got any ideas on
> where to go for a better price than standard!

Maybe if you're having it all done at once they will move a bit on price.&n= bsp; I
was 'only' spending 12k with Musical Images in Beckenham and I think they looked down on it a bit because I was doing all my own cabling and was only=
doing a few zones and already had all my sources, so it was a 'low end'
install really.....
No chance of a discount, though they 'generously' gave me a Linn remote
control for 'free'.

Anyway, I've looked around a bit and I don't think there's much movement on=
knekt prices anywhere - you have to be an authorised knekt reseller to flog=
the stuff & you have to go on an installer course for a week @ great ex= pense
(though I had figured out the software in minutes and ended up showing the<= BR> installer how to use it!!!) and you _have_ to install the kit for the clien= t
(at great expense to the client of course) so the usual box shifters aren't=
gonna have the stuff to sell you.
If you're pally with your local dealer, I have heard that some _will_ sell<= BR> you stuff on the sly for you to install - but Linn would get very shirty if=
they found out.

Just my 2p worth

Tony

PS - if you _do_ go ahead, make sure you get a copy of the disk for
programming the RCU's - otherwise any time you want to make a change to you= r
system, (eg unplugging your On Digital box and replacing it with a SKY
Digital box - you'd like the RCU to say 'SKY' now wouldn't you?), you will<= BR> have to pay your installer to come out and do it for you.
Luckily mine accidentally left one of the disks in my house.
Sadly, I have since lost the damned thing :(
And I wouldn't go back to MI again because of the crap service I had off them :<
So, if you do get it installed AND get to keep the setup software, can I have a copy please so I can reconfigure my system?

T.


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