I've always wanted to review a Linn product.
But what, exactly, is a "Linnie"? I've heard several definitions over the years: 1) a fan of audio gear manufactured by Linn Products; 2) an audiophile who believes that a system's front-end, whether analog or digital, is its most critical part; 3) an audiophile who believes that a system's ability to "carry the tune" and inspire the listener to "tap his feet" to the music is at least as important as its neutrality, resolution of detail, and ability to soundstage.
My purchase of a Linn Sondek LP12 turntable in 1982 certainly…
This midrange neutrality and detail resolution went hand in hand with the 109's superb ability to render subtle low-level dynamic inflections. In the tango collection Serà Una Noche (CD, MA Recordings M052A), Gabriel Rivan's subtle midrange phrasings on bandonán breathed in and out in uncolored fashion, as if he were in my listening room. The 109 also liked well-recorded piano performances. Listening to Robert Silverman's reading of Rachmaninoff's Sonata 1 in D Minor (CD, Stereophile STPH019-2), I found it easy to follow the subtle phrasings emerging from the rich lower midrange of his…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units: 0.75" (19mm) fabric-dome supertweeter, 1.2" (30mm) polyurethane elastomer soft-dome tweeter, 5" hand-coated paper-cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: 1.5kHz, 6kHz. Crossover options: conventional passive or fully Aktiv. Frequency range: 72Hz–>20kHz (65Hz–>20kHz Aktiv version). Impedance: 4 ohms (7 ohms each drive-unit, Aktiv version). Sensitivity: 88dB/W/m (1kHz).
Dimensions: 12.75" (327mm) H by 7.5" (192mm) W by 10" (256mm) D. Weight: 13 lbs (5.9kg). Dedicated stands: 23.4…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: VPI TNT-IV turntable & Immedia tonearm, Koetsu Urushi cartridge; Rega Planar 3 turntable & Syrinx PU-3 tonearm, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridge.
Digital Sources: Lector CDP-7T, Creek Destiny CD players.
Preamplification: Vendetta Research SCP-2D phono stage; Audio Valve Conductor, Eclipse line stages.
Power Amplifiers: Audio Research Reference 110, Creek Destiny.
Loudspeakers: Amphion Helium2, Epos M16i, Monitor Audio RS6 Silver.
Cables: Interconnect (all MIT): Magnum, MI-350 CVTwin Terminator, CVT Terminator 2.…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Linn Majik 109's voltage sensitivity is specified as 88dB/W/m at a single frequency, 1kHz. I prefer a broadband figure, as the sensitivity at one specific frequency can be misleading. My estimate of the Linn's B-weighted sensitivity was significantly lower than the specification, at 85dB(B)/2.83V/m. The speaker's impedance remained between 4 and 8 ohms over much of the audioband (fig.1), but did drop almost to 3 ohms in the mid-treble. Fortunately, the electrical phase angle is low at that frequency, ameliorating the drive difficulty.
Fig.1…
Over the course of his 30-plus years in high-end audio, Nelson Pass's designs have never been far from the leading edge. In his first Threshold amplifiers he pioneered the use of dynamically adjusting bias and cascode circuitry; then, in the later Stasis models, he switched gears to the simpler approach of pure class-A. All were innovative designs, and among the very best-sounding amps of their time, but were just warmups for what was to come. In 1991, Pass Labs introduced the Aleph 0, a class-A amplifier that was a startling departure from conventional solid-state designs and combined design…
My system was pretty stable during the XA30.5's tenure here. I used two turntable-tonearm combos: the VPI HR-X, and a Spiral Groove SG-2 with a Triplanar arm, each fitted with either a Grado Statement Reference or Lyra Titan i cartridge. Digital signals were supplied by a Primare CD31 CD player, and the electronics consisted of a Sutherland PhD phono stage feeding either a Sutherland Direct or Placette Active line stage. The Pass drove two sets of speakers, the Sonics by Joachim Gerhard Allegras and my Wilson Audio Sophia 2s. After experimenting a bit, I settled on Nordost Valhalla…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state stereo power amplifier. Inputs: 1 pair unbalanced (RCA), 1 pair balanced (XLR). Outputs: 2 pairs binding posts. Rated power output: 30W into 8 ohms, 60W into 4 ohms (both 14.8dBW). Maximum output voltage: ±35V. Maximum output current: ±20A. Voltage gain: 26dB. Input sensitivity: 0.77V at 26dB gain. Frequency response: 1.5Hz–100kHz, –3dB at 1.5Hz, –2dB at 100kHz. Signal/noise: 150dB at full power. Distortion: 0.01% at 3W, 0.1% at 30W. Input impedance: 30k ohms balanced, 15k ohms unbalanced. Damping factor: 150 at 8 ohms. Slew rate: ±50V/…
Sidebar 2: Associated Components
Analog Sources: VPI TNT HR-X turntable & tonearm; Spiral Groove SG-2 turntable, Triplanar tonearm; Lyra Titan i, Grado Statement Reference cartridges.
Digital Source: Primare CD31 CD player.
Preamplification: Sutherland PhD phono stage; Sutherland Direct, Placette Active line stages.
Power Amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.20.6, VTL Ichiban (both monoblocks).
Loudspeakers: 804NHT SuperZero, Sonics by Joachim Gerhard Allegra & Anima, Wilson Audio Specialties Sophia 2.
Cables: Nordost Valhalla, Stereovox, Audience Au24, Nirvana S-X Ltd.…
Sidebar 4: Measurements
I examined the Pass Labs XA30.5's measured behavior with Stereophile's loaner sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It" and www.ap.com); for some tests, I also used my vintage Audio Precision System One Dual Domain.
Before performing any tests on an amplifier, I run it for 60 minutes at one-third its specified power into 8 ohms, which is thermally the worst case for an amplifier with a class-B or -AB output stage. Superficially, the XA30.5 appears to be a 30Wpc class-A design. But this is not the…
