Linn new products in 2023?

[FangfossFlyer]

Well, it gives me pleasure to be able to answer my own enquiry of a few months ago about the new Linn power supply, the Utopik, now available for much of their equipment it seems. I tried pasting some of the below on the light red piscine forum and it got lost amongst a lot of pro/anti Linn ranting. So for anyone contemplating getting one, I would say it will be a very worthwhile upgrade if you have a goodish system.

FWIW (no rude comments please involving the word vinyl) this is my system:

Linn ADS Kat and Utopik
Linn Klimax Twin
Totem Signature One speakers
Melco N1/A
Melco S100 switch with Plixir power supply
fed optically with ADOT optical links from the Melco and from the Internet

An already clear and “quiet” system, which I have in place for many months and which I know well.

I had one fitted to my ADS Kat streamer on Tuesday by Matt at Sound Organisation, York in ten minutes. We had a before and after demo - nice touch.

Findings - a worthwhile upgrade - like coming away with a new black box on a different product level.

Difficult to describe the improvement without employing the overused cliches. Having said that, here are some...

Instruments in an already steady soundstage on my system come through as more individual voices. The image is more steady and has depth. The upgrade gets you one step nearer to the original mixing desk - sweet and not over analytical, but you can hear the faults and mastering gaps in some old pop recordings.

Tunedemmers would possibly celebrate the fact that musical phrases sound more 'musical'. Feet more likely to tap. Church organ music sounds more like being in a church and melody lines are easier to untangle.

Sounds better after a two day burn in - bass is more full.

I would be interested to hear how other folk find this upgrade. Expensive, yes, but cheaper than a new black box. And could be a cheaper and nearly as good alternative to the Select options.

Good luck

Donuk

Thanks for the hu. We were away most of last month and I got the email from my dealer upon arriving home as he had been trying to contact me. After reading your comments I spoke to him and ordered yesterday. The best part of this is it’s a quick job, ten or so screws, unclipping connections, removing, replacing and putting back together. All done in store without having to go back to the factory. Officially it’s a four week wait but he thinks it will arrive sooner, I’ll let you know how it goes.

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I was on the phone to Cymbiosis yesterday about another matter and in the general conservation Phil mentioned that he had had the Utopik fitted to his own personal KDSM 2 and that he was literally over the moon with the benefits as he saw them. Thought you guys might want to hear that.

I was in The Sound Organisation today and they have fitted a few for their customers in the shop with excellent results. As reported by Donuk the actual fit is straight forward and doesn’t take long.

Richard

[Wenge1]

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Waiting for versions for the Klimax Radikal, Klimax Twin and who knows maybe even Klimax Kontrol .......

[Scooter]

Got the call Friday that my Utopik had arrived so as we were busy I booked into have it installed this morning. So off up the motorway to arrive at agreed time. Straight into the workshop, base plates removed, inspection, dynamik removed and Utopik installed. Base plate back on, power connected, switched on and nothing, dead as the proverbial dodo. Base plate off connections checked, power cable checked, switched on….. nothing. Call to Linn to get replacement sent asap. Tried second Utopik, same again, nothing. Put the dynamik back in, switched on all OK. More calls to Linn, my Klimax on the list, etc. Dealer decided he had an Akurate DS that was in for the change so he decided to do that to see if it wasn’t a faulty couple of Utopik. Installed, switched on and powered up no problem. So there is obviously a compatibility issue with my DS. Linn are aware and checking out. So all in all a wasted morning but bank account static.

[Mr Onion]

OOPS! LINN should have remembered the 6P rule

Hope they find a solution

[Scooter]

Sorted, fair play to Linn. My dealer forwarded serial number of the DS and they have identified the issue. Now making a utopik for my model range which should be here once made. I have to give them credit where it's due, all sorted in a day. Just having to wait again.

[Mr Onion]

Great news, and as you say kudos to LINN for identifying the issue so quickly

[Scooter]

Got a call on Tuesday that my Utopik had arrived but because of life I couldn’t get it fitted until today. So this morning set off up the motorway to my dealer. Arrived into his workshop, off with the base, out with the dynamik, in with the Utopik, powered up and nothing, zero, deader than the famous parrot. So he called Linn’s engineer, after a discussion he suggested turning off/on a couple off times. Turned on, then off and back on again and it came to life. There is a surge protection that protects the display when switched on. To protect the display it turns it back off, so a short burst of power builds up charge and allows it to power up. Then it transpired that they hadn’t sent me the modified version. They (dealer and engineer) weren’t impressed. So I’ve brought it home and it’s working whilst I wait for a modified Utopik to arrive early next week.
Well the bit your waiting for, yes there is improvement instruments more separated, bass especially. I’ve only played half of Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (192/24) and I’m really impressed again the bass seems so much clearer. Marcus Milker will be a test this afternoon. I think there is more of a change than when I changed the DAC’s. I’ve read it gets better with use, so I will have to go through more burn in when the modified version arrives. I’m off for a swim now and will give it some work this afternoon then off over to Liverpool to meet Jim to see Laura Veirs. Tomorrow it will be on most of the day so I’ll have had a better chance to hear more but initially very impressed.

[DiggyGun]

@wenge1

I was on the phone to Cymbiosis yesterday about another matter and in the general conservation Phil mentioned that he had had the Utopik fitted to his own personal KDSM 2 and that he was literally over the moon with the benefits as he saw them. Thought you guys might want to hear that.



I was up there on Tuesday and had the same discussion him when demoing the Organik in my Linn Klimax DS/3 Katalyst.

DG…

[Scooter]

The Utopia has been powered up now for just over 48 hours and in use (according to my ROON log) for 13 hours 38 minutes. I have to say I am well impressed. I think it's been a better upgrade than going to the Katalyst DAC. As I said in the previous post there is better separation on instruments and bass is a lot more defined. It's so much easier to follow instruments. Would I recommend it? Yes definitely but bear in mind it's gone into the most significant part of my system, the source.

[vincent]

I had my Utopik upgrade done at home last week. Fitting was straightforward, apart from one of the shakeproof washer thingies dropping into the bowels of the NGKDSM casework (in fairness probably due to me hovering over dealer's shoulder trying to get a close view of installation – fortunately managed to get it out).

Having listened to the Dynamik'd system before the change, the uplift in SQ with Utopik was immediately obvious (naturalness of vocals, realism of instruments) even from cold. Two days in, I echo all Scooter's comments. It really is a remarkable upgrade, certainly more significant IMO than replacement of original Akubarik DACs with Katalyst.

Another positive is that I'm now convinced of potential for further improvement of Exakt Akubariks, should Organik DAC/Utopik PS become available.