EvilTed

The reviews for the NG Linn Klimax DSM seem to rate it's low level detail amongst the best. I'd be interested to hear how it compared to the Lumin X1, which has just received an Absolute Sounds Editors Choice Award for 2022, "It also performs as well sonically as any streamer/DAC/preamplifier SS has ever had in his clutches. Low-level detail through the Lumin X1 is exemplary". The X1 is also $13,990 vs. $30,999 for the Linn, that's a $20K premium.

QNAP now supports ZFS on newer devices. The backplane of my TVS-873 started giving problems after 4 years of continuous use and it would cost $600 to repair, so I opted to replace with the new TS-873a. This supports ZFS. Got a couple of the original (fast) Samsung EVO 970 512 GB M2 NVMe SSDs for $150 on sale on Amazon and put 64GB of ECC server memory in it. The TS-873a also has extended warranty to 5 years for $200, which one can add up to 9 months after purchase. I have everything restored on ZFS with triple disk redundancy. ZFS gives faster and more efficient snapshots and array rebuild times in minutes instead of hours. The TS-873A also has USB 3.2 gen 2 ports, so hooking up a drive to an external docking station that supports this faster protocol gives an easy way to back up and remove the disc and hide somewhere.

Any thoughts on the sound quality? User interface and experience goes to Roon. The Tidal app is a horrible mess. Never used it before :( The Lumin app isn't much better, but is in between Roon and Tidal experience wise. How about sound quality? Anyone noticed a tangible difference? I changed out my line stage tubes right at the same time, so hard to know the cause, but sound quality, even of non-master material sounded more realistic and musical with Tidal Connect. Personally, I've never been a fan of the sound out of Roon. Yes, I know it's bit perfect and it shouldn't sound different, but it does. Even the old Linn player sounds better. I don't get any value out of Roon anymore, so I'm not going to continue. Spotify at highest quality is acceptable for non-serious listening and now Tidal Connect direct to Lumin is all I need :) Thoughts? ET

@Kal Rubinson There point I'm trying to make is there is no principal for the need or not for a preamp. If it make things sound better, then use one. One cannot simply be reductionist in opinion and state unequivocally that digital is better without. At least in my experience, this has never been the case. ET

@Kal Rubinson As a Senior Contributing Editor of Stereophile can you explain quite how this works? I'm curious because I have a pretty high end analog rig: SME 30/2 + custom SME V with only static balance + Koetsu Onyx Platinum + OCC silver leads etc. For a preamp I have an EAR 912 with the best old NOS tubes I could find, which include new Amperex pinched waist 6922s from 1959 in the line stage and Mullard pinched waist PCC88s from Harleen Holland (1957) in the phono. My digital source isn't quite as exotic - a Lumin X1 with an Audio Sensibility Signature OCC silver DC cord. Now, the Lumin X1 supports LeadH volume control. Supposedly better than regular digital volume. I ran the system for 3 months without the preamp while it was being hand built in the UK over Covid. I know what the digital only, no preamp sounds like. Digital sounds close to analog in my system when played through the preamp. Without the preamp, digital sounds dull, flat, uninspiring and just meh digital. From a purist perspective, less things in the chain should sound better but they don't though do they though ;) ET

@chungjh Jay, It takes a while to break in, probably 400 hours to get at it's best. Bass is noticeably more dynamic, cleaner and deeper and the presentation is more natural and relaxed. Seems less tiring to listen to these days. I wish they could redo the internal wiring loom without screwing the warranty, because if you look at the internal pictures, the stock cable is used internally from the switch back to the motherboards. It uses plastic clip connectors to the board, so it may be possible to replace the socket without needing to resolder anything. ET

I have the AudioSensibility Signature Cable in 0.5m length. It is a definite upgrade over the cable I made myself previously using Duelund tinned copper. Both were noticeably better than the stock cable, once they had time to break in. Building your own is not easy or cheap. First you need the pinout diagram that shows the high current vs. low current. Not an issue if you use 20 awg or thicker everywhere, but the raw OCC cable is going to cost you. You have 10x connectors at 0.5m = 5m + enough to terminate cleanly at both ends. Call it 6.5m to be safe. 6.5m = roughly 21 feet. Neotech 20 awg solid core OCC silver cable is $23 / ft on Parts Connection. 21 x 23 = $483 just for cable. Add more for good silver or gold solder. The connectors and cable clamps alone will set you back close to $200, and it is a royal PITA to solder, because the pins are very close together. You are going to be close to $700 for parts alone. Then you are going to spend hours messing with the soldering. It took me 2 weekends to complete it and I have a degree in electronics :) Save the hassle and give Steve a call and get the AS cable ;)

Simply stunning example of top end industrial design. Using the LP metaphor is a nice touch and has a connection with Linn's history as one of the most important vinyl LP playback brands. I love the mirror display that fades out when not in use, the stainless steel buttons, overall machining excellence, materials used, everything. Well done Linn and if any of yooos talk smack aboot it, I'll brain ye, fer that!

Just put some passive attenuators inline and be done with it.... http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/attenuators.html

Analog

Someone just gave me a new mastered pressing of Spiritualized's "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in Space" and it is breathtaking. A real journey! Fabulous vinyl. https://www.vinylmeplease.com/products/spiritualized-ladies-and-gentlemen-we-are-floating-in-space Lacquers Cut From Original Tapes By Barry Grint At Alchemy Mastering

Surprisingly, when you use a good high end turntable + arm + cartridge + cable + phono stage + preamp + mint condition records, there are no pops, crackles, tracking error, vinyl roar or anything else. Just inky black silence...

Not true. Coldplay's first album had a whole side that was taken from analog tape direct. That was 2002. I buy first pressing from the days when digital wasn't even in the studio. You need to compare apples to apples. Maybe some of you have never heard good analog and that's the problem :)

You guys are getting way too analytical over something that is more emotional. It either sounds better or it does not. We use the same judgement call when we buy any equipment, be they speakers, amps, cables, whatever. I have an Lumin X1 and I have a great turntable. The turntable sounds better. I also do not care at all for LeedH or any form of straight digital into my amps. It sounds flat, 2D and boring to me. Yes, I've tried it straight for 2 weeks and went back to the preamp. So to the original poster. Does analog sound better? It depends... :) Which one moves you? Which one do you use for serious listening? Does it make you tap your foot and have a shit eating grin on your face? If so, then that one is better.

Are you guys still arguing over this? I've been buying up rare records on Discogs and reliving my youth :)