The setup included the JBL Classic SA550 ($1999) and SA750 ($3000) integrated amplifiers, and three sources: the MP350 Classic music player/streamer ($799), CD350 Classic CD player ($699), and TT350 Classic turntable ($999).
Starting with the compact L82 Classic MKII speakers ($2900/pair) powered by the SA550, Lake Street Dive's "I Want You Back"…
Today, a turntable price of $7000, while not exactly cheap, can't be called stiff. What happened between then and now…
That situation changed when, soon after New Year's, a pair of Linn's 60lb Klimax Solo 800 monoblock amplifiers ($90,000/pair) arrived from Scotland. Right away, they delighted me with their ease of maneuverability, handsome, uncluttered look, and relative compactness. Given their…
Other engineering goodies
I asked Roscoe how much power the Klimax Solo 800 outputs in class-A before switching to class-B and if the number fluctuates with the ohm rating of loudspeakers. "By controlling bias current at the optimum value, the Klimax Solo 800 suffers far lower distortion than an amp which operates in class-A up to a higher, more arbitrary power level. I would therefore say that the changeover power level from class-A to class-B is not relevant for the Solo 800 because you will simply not hear it.
"We've thought about each stage of the amplifier, paid lots of…
Description: Solid state, class-AB, monoblock amplifier with 2kW Utopik power supply, 20A IEC connector, and Adaptive Bias Control. Inputs: one each balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA). Output: One pair Furutech 4mm FT-816(R) banana/spade binding terminals. Passthrough: One single-ended (RCA), one balanced (XLR). Rated output power: 400W into 8 ohms, 800W into 4 ohms (both equivalent to 26dBW), 1.2kW into 2 ohms (24.8dBW). Nominal gain: 26.6dB unbalanced, 22.6dB balanced. Bandwidth: 150kHz into 8 ohms, 140kHz into 4 ohms, 130kHz into 2 ohms, –3dB. Output…
Digital sources: dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC, Vivaldi Upsampler Plus, Vivaldi Master Clock, and Rossini Transport; EMM Labs DV2 Integrated DAC, Meitner MA3 Integrated DAC; Innuos Statement Next-Gen Music Server; Small Green Computer Sonore Deluxe opticalModule; Uptone Audio EtherREGEN with SOtM sCLK-OCX10 Master Clock and sPS-500 power supply; Finisar FTLF8519P3BNL and Broadcom/Avago AFBR-5718PZ 1GB SX-SFP, Gen 5 fiberoptic modules; Nordost QNet switch and QSource linear power supplies (2); Sonore Audiophile Linear Power Supply; Synology 5-bay 1019+ NAS with…
I performed a complete set of measurements on one of the Linn Klimax Solo 800s (serial number 1593390) with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system. I preconditioned the Solo 800 by following the CEA's recommendation of running it at one-eighth the specified power into 8 ohms for 30 minutes. At the end of that time, the temperature of the top panel was just 81.6°F (27.6°C) and that of the side-mounted heatsinks only slightly higher, at 89.0°F (31.7°C). The Linn amplifier runs cool, especially considering its high rated power.
The Linn amplifier's balanced and…
We are thrilled with Stereophile's verdict on the Klimax Solo 800. Jason's considered words acknowledge the innovation and hard work that have gone into development of this new flagship amplifier, in a new category for us at Linn.
John Atkinson's verdict based on his measurements is also graciously received. However, the charts published differ significantly from our own repeated measurements here at the factory. Linn's working assumption is that the model measured by Stereophile was not performing to the level of a current, full-production Solo 800. We have…
When I measured the Linn Klimax Solo 800 for Jason Victor Serinus's review in the May 2024 issue of Stereophile, I was very impressed by what I found. I concluded, "The Linn Klimax Solo 800's measured performance is one of the best I have encountered, offering very high power with extremely low levels of noise and distortion. Wow!"
However, as you can read in their Manufacturer's Comment, Linn felt that, as good as the measurements were, the Solo 800 should have measured even better. They sent me some graphs that the company's…