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October 2nd, 2024
Cosy up this autumn with a new pair of Linn loudspeakers - the first passive speakers they've released for quite some time - and ones they're rightly proud of!
Linn's philosophy behind the design of the 119 and 150 loudspeakers "was to create fundamentally entertaining loudspeakers, but with refinement, sophistication and neutrality, so that they would play any source material equally well and equally enjoyably."
Moving away from the 'Majik' moniker, Linn have superseded their best-selling Majik 109 speakers with the new Linn 119 bookshelf speakers. Similar in dimensions to the old 109's, these speakers are perfect for small to medium sized rooms and pair perfectly with the Linn Selekt range.
We've been running in two pairs of speakers, one passive and one aktiv, since their launch and have been very impressed. The new drive units, inspired by the development of their flagship 360 loudspeakers, are mounted on the front of the baffle (with no grille) to "minimise occlusion and improve excursion". In practice, the speakers are much more open and dynamic compared to the Majik 109's with a greater sense of realism.
We've found the rear bass port they've introduced does mean you need them slightly further from the wall (compared to the front-ported Majik 109's) but don't let that detract you, as you can optimise the speakers when setting them up with a Linn streamer to account for this - and even if you don't own one - the new speaker design has a more controlled and tight bass compared to the old model. All-in-all, a real step up!
The real star of the show is the new Linn 150 floorstanding loudspeakers. Featuring a three-way design and downwards firing bass port, these speakers have much more presence, detail and control compared to the Majik 140 speakers they've replaced. We've found them very forgiving in terms of placement and a considerable improvement over the older speakers in almost every regard.
Like the Linn 119's, you can drive the 150's Aktivly should you wish to improve them even further. With the three-way design, you 'only' need three stereo power amplifiers (such as three power amplifier modules in a Selekt) to achieve this compared to the 140's, which requires four amplifiers, and therefore two Selekt Hubs as they can only accommodate three cartridges each!
Finally, Linn have given the Selekt DSM: Classic Hub not only a facelift but almost an entirely new construction. Now featuring a much improved powder-coated, folded aluminium casework (available in either a black or silver finish), a new display which is similar to their premium Selekt Edition Hub and also a much-requested headphone socket so you can listen to your system without disturbing anyone late at night.
The Selekt Edition Hub certainly has a superior construction and a slight sonic advantage due to better shielding, but we welcome the updated model as it feels and looks like a premium product you'd be happy to have out on display for friends and family to admire.
