SSI 2009

In the Brosseau Audio/Video suite, Linn's Adolfo Cano provided a fascinating demonstration playing back Barb Jungr's "Beautiful Life" from a Linn Recordings sample disc.

The all-Linn system was comprised of the Majik 140 floorstanding loudspeakers ($2995/pair), Akurate DS digital streaming source ($6850), Akurate CD disc player ($3500), Majik Kontrol preamp, and Majik 2100 power amplifiers.

First, we listened to Jungr's sweet song as played through the Akurate CD player. We then compared the CD playback to an exact file of the data, but as conveyed by the Akurate DS. Finally, we compared the DS presentation of the CD to that of the studio master.

While I could have lived happily with even just the CD performance as played back by the Akurate CD player, each step up managed to reveal more of the music's soul, inducing a greater emotional response, to the point where I'm truly fooled into believing that I'm listening to a breathing human being and that musical sounds produced by real instruments are blooming all around me. Finally, I'm aware of the pain and urgency and hope in Barb Jungr's voice as she sings, "It can be a beautiful life." Indeed, I reply.

"To me," says Adolfo Cano, "the DS is very exciting because I have added convenience, while improving my music collection simply by ripping it."