linn komri...

Just heard, at a local fair, this money-trashing-machine (CD12, new Linn preamp, a series of Klimaxes, and Komris). You could buy the fastest Porsche with such a silly amount of money.

The problem was just that there was an excellent Wilson Benesch set in the room next to it.
Complete set price of the other system (with WB Arc's, small, excellent soundstage and WAF) was about £5k.

You guessed it, the Linn system was just blown away. It was, indeed, much more neutral and clean than the cheap WB setup, but incredibly booring and lifeless. I remember walking past the Komris, looking at them for a moment and saying to myself, 'oh, I can hear some music... it's a new product, so it's supposed to be good'. Oh.

We heard dozens of systems that day and the Linn turned out to be one of the worst, in terms of lifelessness. I asked my friend who on earth would buy such a thing, he just answered:'Oh yes, some petrol or computer tycoon will jump on it - the more expensive, the better'.

I think he hit the point.

Cheese

Sorry guys but I havn't heard a decent linn set up for a very long time.

Even their flagship the linn lp12 is blown away by my Roksan Xerxes.

For the last few years I believe Linn have traded on their name and their products have just become over priced and over stated.

Regards



NB

to be fair, my experience @ harrods cannot be considered a "proper dem". but honestly, i was shocked at just how bad the system sounded. one of these days i will listen to a proper komri setup, just to satisfy my curiosity. something to put at the tail-end of a 552 dem...

enjoy

ken

Yes, I was there too. They sound crap, but I think it's due to the setup. I can't believe that it's the fault of the Komris...

- Jun

Some of these 'commonly held views' are a little 'Mandy Rice Davis'.

Paul

Well I have no real comment as yet, as have yet to hear the Komris properly set-up. I look forwarding to being in the financial position to do so...

Linn @ Harrods was rather impressed with a piece of music I used for a demo, and plonked it on the Klimax/Komri system and wang'd the volume to 90 (out of 100). Let's just say it showed a hell of a lot of potential, even if it was at the display area.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
Linn Binn Sinner

....please see my other postings under"Changing from Linn to Naim".....I won`t repeat it all here, save to say that I am in the "cannot understand what people see (hear) in Linn" camp.

What really does sink it for me, as I mention in said postings, is my direct experience of their very poor after sales service. Taken together with their sound "quality" Linn does not have very much going for it (in my not so humble opinion)

Laurie S

I have no experience with the costlier Linn kit, but for what it's worth here's a semi-defence of more mainstream Linn...

My own journey began when I realised that my Cambridge pre/power amps from good old Richer Sounds were a pile of cr*p. I went to my local 'proper' hi-fi dealer and said I wanted an Arcam A85. If it was good enough for What Hi-fi? then surely it would be good enough for me. I know... Anyway, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes skywards he says why not listen to some of the options at different prices. (What an extraordinary idea, to ignore the reviews and listen to the products!) I listened to the Arcam, Naim Nait 5, Linn Kolektor/LK85, and a Rega pre/dual mono power combination (Cursa + ??), all through Rega Elas with Naim CD5 as source. I listened to several orchestral bits, plus some choral and organ music.

Arcam was first to go; no resolution at all, just a mess of sound. And dare I say it, next off the list, after the organ CD, was the Nait. It sounded just, well, unrealistic, boxy, odd. The Linn and Rega combos sounded very similar with all the music thrown at them, with good natural timbres. The Regas cost £1500, the Linns £1000, and indeed with the Rega setup there was a smidgeon more resolution and greater sense of immediacy. But I was already over the Arcam budget, so the Linn combo it was for me.

OK, having offended everyone here, there is a kind of positive ending! When it came to speakers a few months later, I heard Rega Elas, Royd RR1s, Linn Ninkas and Naim Intro2s, all with the Linn amp combo and this time Linn Ikemi as source. This time Naim speakers won the day, with fantastic dynamics and immediacy, and, to me, convincing timbres. The big orchestral stuff sounded fantastic, slightly to my surprise as by now I'd picked up on the Naim = rhythm/timing = good for rock/pop etc. line, and assumed this meant therefore not so hot for orchestral stuff. The Regas had a lovely midrange but someone seemed to have stolen the low bass - the response curve seemed to just fall off a cliff at 70 Hz! The Royds were interesting, but a little strange, and the Linns were just artificially smooth. It was as though each note had been run through a filter to round the sound off. Perhaps the Komris are a more expensive way of achieving the same effect!

Anyhow, for the minute I'm very happy with this slightly unconventional (I guess) Linn/Naim set-up.

Dan

I listened to the Komri though the Klimax/CD12 Linn system at my Linn dealer over an extended period. They are very clean, perhaps a little forward/bright, and very uncoloured but compared to Naim, rather uninvolving. Perhaps they need to be run-in over an extended period to sound more alive. However, the cost is enormous despite being partly active.

Paul

quote:

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the good doctor said: wang'd the volume to 90 (out of 100).

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Seeing as you like it loud (even to my standards, which is frightening), perhaps you wang'd that poor 110 'till its nose bled?

The LK140 has more useable power than the NAP110, no?