Linn 119 & 150 Loudspeakers

[Spannko]

Here’s another recording of the 150’s

https://youtu.be/8ta685aTa84?si=XFfQTs5Q9_-1tysR

I have to say, after hearing a few of these recordings now, I’m not impressed in the slightest. The new linn sound appears to be very clean, clear, smooth etc, but totally lacking musicality.

In any of those recordings, have the 150s been fed by anything analogue, or always Linn/DSM?

All the videos I’ve seen have used a DSM

[Spannko]

Here’s another recording of the 150’s
https://youtu.be/8ta685aTa84?si=XFfQTs5Q9_-1tysR

Are you 100% sure that these are in room recordings?

I’ll have another listen later. What do you think?

[matthias]

What do you think?

It is annoying that you hear music and there is a wallpaper in the background, strange.

[Whatsmynaim]

I'm hearing room acoustics so I think it's an in room recording. But who knows why they only show pictures. Maybe the recorded video was considered not good enough?

[tokenbrit]

What do you think?

It is annoying that you hear music and there is a wallpaper in the background, strange.

Would be a bit strange to make a vid about speakers and then present recordings that aren't of the speakers - this is the Internet/YT tho' so 🤷‍♂️ but Spannko implied these recordings are consistent with others that he has heard, which suggests either the DSM is to blame (in this setup) or the speakers are, or both, unless you find the clips to be musical, of course. That's why I was curious whether there are (in room ;) recordings of 150s fed by a musical (non Linn :) system.

[martijn1001]

Are you seriously judging the sound quality of a music system based on a YouTube video?

[Spannko]

Are you seriously judging the sound quality of a music system based on a YouTube video?

No. That would be stupid. We’re commenting on the musical performance, which videos usually preserve quite well.

[markiteight]

No. That would be stupid. We’re commenting on the musical performance, which videos usually preserve quite well.

But videos do a very poor job of conveying the ABSOLUTE musical performance. You cannot tell how musical a system is from a video recording of it playing. Videos are only useful for comparing RELATIVE differences between two clips. They both can (and often do) sound quite bad, even musically, but that doesn't matter as any difference in the musical performance between the two can be quite clear. It should hopefully also be quite clear that attempting to evaluate the musical performance of a system based on one clip is useless.

[anthony]

I have 150 and find them very musical, better than my previous favourite the 242.

[martijn1001]

Are you seriously judging the sound quality of a music system based on a YouTube video?

No. That would be stupid. We’re commenting on the musical performance, which videos usually preserve quite well.

Now you're making a play on words. Anyway, I would only judge any audio aspect if I could hear it directly with my own ears. And then you take things like acoustics, type of source, etc. into account in my perception.

[Spannko]

No. That would be stupid. We’re commenting on the musical performance, which videos usually preserve quite well.

But videos do a very poor job of conveying the ABSOLUTE musical performance. You cannot tell how musical a system is from a video recording of it playing. Videos are only useful for comparing RELATIVE differences between two clips. They both can (and often do) sound quite bad, even musically, but that doesn't matter as any difference in the musical performance between the two can be quite clear. It should hopefully also be quite clear that attempting to evaluate the musical performance of a system based on one clip is useless.

That’s not my experience markiteight. When listening for musicality, even listening to a single clip is still a comparison of relative differences. The other “clip” is thought to reside within our brain, against which we compare the harmonicity of the notes. This is an instinctive comparison we all do, all of the time. Of course, this is also dependent upon the quality of the recording equipment, but as it’s been said, many times, iPhones do a pretty good job of preserving the musicality within the recording.

[Charlie1]

Having recorded more clips than I would like to admit, and listened to many others on YouTube, I think I can get a broad sense of whether or not the system is conveying music to any degree, rather than just impressive sounds. However, I wouldn't want to rely on it - it's more of a vague sense than anything definitive. I certainly wouldn't listen to an isolated clip of 150s and determine if they were or weren't more musical to my ears than 242s but I don't think Spannko is saying that anyway - I think he's just saying that, so far, he's not heard a musically engaging clip of 150s.

[Tendaberry]

I certainly wouldn't listen to an isolated clip of 150s and determine if they were or weren't more musical to my ears than 242s but I don't think Spannko is saying that anyway - I think he's just saying that, so far, he's not heard a musically engaging clip of 150s.

I didn't find the clip musical either, but I did find the 150s very musical, when I heard them at my dealer's.

[Hermann]

In my opinion, it would be fatal if a recording could not reproduce the musicality of a reproduction. Even if this is not what is being evaluated here, but rather the relative differences between two recordings, it is certainly possible to judge in this direction.

In my opinion, the clip was not recorded with a recorder; it simply sounds too perfect for that, regardless of whether the big system is playing or the JBL308.

[ThomasOK]

Yeah, not really doing much for me here either. If the diagram they showed in the video is correct they are using a Selekt DSM with three Class D amplifier modules/Exakt crossovers to drive the speakers actively. It also appears they are using the internal Selekt phono stage, which I believe is a digital hybrid phono stage, similar to a Urika 2 but simpler. This is fed by a Majik LP12 with Adikt cartridge for the tracks that are shown as played by the LP12. So nothing is analog once the signal gets into the phono stage until converted back to analog at the output of the power amps.

[ThomasOK]

I would certainly never use a clip like this to judge the absolute quality of a component. We have no idea of all that is going on with that system. Variables such as speaker placement, speaker and AC cables, power conditioning (if used), etc. can all have a positive or negative effect on the musicality of the reproduction we hear.

However, I don't agree that clips are only valuable when they are being used to compare two things to determine the better. I and others have put single clips up here from time to time with people commenting how enjoyable the system is. Meanwhile other clips, like this group, leave most listeners finding it lacking. In this case that include people who have heard the speakers sounding musical. What that tells you is that something is likely not right with these clips and it would be better to hear more, and preferably the speakers in person in a known good system, before making a judgement.

[Nicolav]

I have 150 and find them very musical, better than my previous favourite the 242.

Very interesting Anthony! I also own a pair of 242 and I was thinking of replacing them with the 150 in particular because they have less ways. So you think they are more musical than the 242? To be honest I also had this suspicion but you’re confirming that it is true. If I may ask, what is the rest of your system?
Thank you

[anthony]

I have 150 and find them very musical, better than my previous favourite the 242.

Very interesting Anthony! I also own a pair of 242 and I was thinking of replacing them with the 150 in particular because they have less ways. So you think they are more musical than the 242? To be honest I also had this suspicion but you’re confirming that it is true. If I may ask, what is the rest of your system?
Thank you

Hi Nicolav
I still rate 242s very highly and wouldn’t rush to change them without the source being the best.
I use them with a kdsm and tundra, and also a selekt organik with amplifier module.
I actually really like the selekt amp. They sound so good, I haven’t experimented with adding two more modules and making them aktiv.
I don’t think Fredrik is over keen, so I think it important to have a demonstration.

[Nicolav]

I have 150 and find them very musical, better than my previous favourite the 242.

Very interesting Anthony! I also own a pair of 242 and I was thinking of replacing them with the 150 in particular because they have less ways. So you think they are more musical than the 242? To be honest I also had this suspicion but you’re confirming that it is true. If I may ask, what is the rest of your system?
Thank you

Hi Nicolav
I still rate 242s very highly and wouldn’t rush to change them without the source being the best.
I use them with a kdsm and tundra, and also a selekt organik with amplifier module.
I actually really like the selekt amp. They sound so good, I haven’t experimented with adding two more modules and making them aktiv.
I don’t think Fredrik is over keen, so I think it important to have a demonstration.

Please forgive me if I am going back to the subject, but you stated that the 150 is more musical than the 242, using the same source, I suppose.
Could you explain in detail why you think the 150 are more musical than the 242?
I am very curious to know your opinion.
Thank you in advance
Best regards

[Spannko]

Here’s a few new YouTube videos of the 150’s

https://youtu.be/XyXLCVwOJZc?si=95jyp91Sq5u9_HO5

https://youtu.be/omFsvolZjwU?si=hEThSPTZKfh_Vtws

https://youtu.be/g9cEn2OPhoU?si=syoDGBlXg50nKToB

[Tendaberry]

Here’s a few new YouTube videos of the 150’s

Again, this has nothing to do with how they sound "live". Try them at home...

[matthias]

Thanks, but all 3 boring...

[tokenbrit]

Here’s a few new YouTube videos of the 150’s

Again, this has nothing to do with how they sound "live". Try them at home...

These do seem set-up quite differently to how most people would install them at home, including the system rack fwd into the 'middle' of the room... I've seen a number of clips (primarily on YT) with the system arranged as in the HiFi Immersion* clips, but don't recall (m)any being musically inviting. Interestingly though, that's similar to how I've seen & heard Overture Audio setup**, and no-one described that as lacking musicality so, maybe, it's the recording(s) &/or YT.


* the PJ (& EV) fan here didn't seem particularly immersed in the 2nd clip

** with Dynaudio which makes more sense given Thomas's post below

[Spannko]

Here’s a few new YouTube videos of the 150’s

Again, this has nothing to do with how they sound "live"

Why do you think that is, Tendaberry? Do you think the 150’s have qualities which are not being revealed in these clips, or do you think that video recordings in general are unable to reveal musical differences?

[ThomasOK]

I don't know what the recommended setup is for the 150 but with previous Linn speakers we never had them that far from the wall. I believe that the 140 ended up best about 11.5" from the back wall with a half inch of toe-in. Speakers from companies like Sonus faber and Dynaudio ended up being best farther out into the room.

I can't say those clips are doing anything much for me and I was surprised to find that the one on LP was the track I liked the least.