New Linn Dynamik Power Supply

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Post by monkeydevil »

ThomasOK wrote: I received one upgrade for an Akurate Kontrol that should be fitted soon but that's about it.
It would be nice to hear your view on this particular upgrade!
Most reports on Dynamik concern either source or poweramps. People seem to be very enthusiastic about what it does to poweramps, so following the hierarchy it should be even beter on a preamp. Though the only comment I've read about Akurate Kontrol with Dynamik was rather negative.
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Post by Lego »

Linn say upgrade source ,power amp then pre amp with DYnamik; in that order
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Post by Music Lover »

Lego wrote:Linn say upgrade source ,power amp then pre amp with DYnamik; in that order
Linn who?
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Post by Lego »

Music Lover wrote: Linn who?
Linn Products
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Post by lejonklou »

:lol:
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Post by Music Lover »

It was a serious question :roll:
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Post by Lego »

Yeh we know
I know that tune
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Post by lejonklou »

ML: Did you feel that the recommended order that Lego mentioned was somehow incorrect? I agree that it contradicts the hierarchy, but on the other hand, all the reports I've had has pointed towards the power amps benefitting perhaps the most from the upgrade.

Which in a way doesn't surprise me, as that old power supply for the power amps is a ten year old design and a LOT has happened on the switch mode arena since then.
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Post by ThomasOK »

Although it does seem to contradict the hierarchy, which was my impression as well, there is a technical reason for why it might be. Linn has released a short white paper about the Dynamik design called "Why Dynamik?". (You can find a link to it from the Dynamik page on the Linn web site - it also gives a history of Linn switch more PS development which shows the Dynamik as the 5th generation!) In it Linn state that the Dynamik for amplifiers has "a 30% increase it its RMS output power". Although this is a little unclear and I doubt it means that a 100 Watt amp will now be a 130 Watt amp, it would indicate that the Dynamik has significantly stronger current delivery to the amp which should make any of them much better able to drive whatever speaker it is connected to. I would think it would especially help the 5125 which I believe was current limited to 100 Watts per channel if all five channels were fully driven whereas it could put out 125 Watts from any individual channel. If I am reading Linn's statement correctly, the 5125 should now be able to deliver 125 Watts continuous from all five channels at once. A nice boost for surround systems and Aktiv applications.
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Post by Music Lover »

lejonklou wrote:ML: Did you feel that the recommended order that Lego mentioned was somehow incorrect? I agree that it contradicts the hierarchy, but on the other hand, all the reports I've had has pointed towards the power amps benefitting perhaps the most from the upgrade.

Which in a way doesn't surprise me, as that old power supply for the power amps is a ten year old design and a LOT has happened on the switch mode arena since then.
Fredrik and Thomas, have you compared Dynamik in a source and in an amp?
I have compared with/without Dynamik numerous times in different rooms&equipment. (in total 6 different KDS, 4 ADS and 4 MDS)
Compared 5 different 2200 (well, one was my 4200) in 2 different locations as well.
NO DOUBT, the source benefit most and not only the tune but also the sound.
However, the amp upgrade change the sound character in a way an improvement in the source can't. When you hear it you understand. I have in an earlier post in this thread described it as similar going active. (not as big though)
The amp seems to be a lot more powerful and deliver in an effortless way. Again as active...

BUT, where it matters, quality of tune and sound and not quantity, sorry but it's the source that bring most to the table.
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Post by Music Lover »

ThomasOK wrote:Although it does seem to contradict the hierarchy, which was my impression as well, there is a technical reason for why it might be. Linn has released a short white paper about the Dynamik design called "Why Dynamik?". (You can find a link to it from the Dynamik page on the Linn web site - it also gives a history of Linn switch more PS development which shows the Dynamik as the 5th generation!) In it Linn state that the Dynamik for amplifiers has "a 30% increase it its RMS output power". Although this is a little unclear and I doubt it means that a 100 Watt amp will now be a 130 Watt amp, it would indicate that the Dynamik has significantly stronger current delivery to the amp which should make any of them much better able to drive whatever speaker it is connected to.
If I understood the Dynamik information given during the Glasgow event the other weekend, it's not about more power, it's about the WAY the PSU deliver the power to the amp boards.
The Dynamik PSU simply respond FASTER and more ACCURATE to "delivery requests" from the amp, hence the impression of more power.

btw max power output from the high voltage Dynamik is 750W (again if my memory serves me) so that is less than the present PSU in 2250/5125 I believe :wink:
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Post by ThomasOK »

Music Lover wrote:
ThomasOK wrote:Although it does seem to contradict the hierarchy, which was my impression as well, there is a technical reason for why it might be. Linn has released a short white paper about the Dynamik design called "Why Dynamik?". (You can find a link to it from the Dynamik page on the Linn web site - it also gives a history of Linn switch more PS development which shows the Dynamik as the 5th generation!) In it Linn state that the Dynamik for amplifiers has "a 30% increase it its RMS output power". Although this is a little unclear and I doubt it means that a 100 Watt amp will now be a 130 Watt amp, it would indicate that the Dynamik has significantly stronger current delivery to the amp which should make any of them much better able to drive whatever speaker it is connected to.
If I understood the Dynamik information given during the Glasgow event the other weekend, it's not about more power, it's about the WAY the PSU deliver the power to the amp boards.
The Dynamik PSU simply respond FASTER and more ACCURATE to "delivery requests" from the amp, hence the impression of more power.

btw max power output from the high voltage Dynamik is 750W (again if my memory serves me) so that is less than the present PSU in 2250/5125 I believe :wink:
There is no question that Linn claim the Dynmik is faster, more accurate and has lower noise than the previous switch mode power supplies. However, according to the "Why Dynamik?" document I referred to, Linn state that the older power supplies used in the 5125/2250 and those used in the Chakra/Majik/Akurate amps were 500 Watt units whereas the Dynamik is a 750 Watt unit.

In response to your previous reply, nobody is claiming that the power amp Dynamik makes a bigger musical improvement than the source Dynamik does. What Lego claimed was that Linn stated the order to upgrade was Source, Power amp and Preamp. I don't see any mention in your post of comparisons of Preamp vs. Power amp Dynamik upgrades which is what is really in question here. Have you done any comparisons with preamp Dynamiks? If so how did it compare to the improvements from the power amp Dynamiks?
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dynamik

Post by anthony »

Having heard kds, kk1 and chakra before and after upgrades. I can only conclude the kk1 upgrade was less dramatic, whereas kds and chakra are quite significant.
Interestingly 350P improved more than I was expecting, so would imagine 350A would be considerable improvement also.
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Post by Music Lover »

ThomasOK wrote: However, according to the "Why Dynamik?" document I referred to, Linn state that the older power supplies used in the 5125/2250 and those used in the Chakra/Majik/Akurate amps were 500 Watt units whereas the Dynamik is a 750 Watt unit.
Really?
Have to check that doc...

All I know is that in the Linn documentation for chakra amps and 5125/2250, Linn specify max input power to 300W for the chakra amps and 1000W for 5125/2250 (also 1000W for Twin and each Solo, with 840W for Klout)

ftp://194.128.160.114/Manual/2250_(E).pdf
http://linn.co.uk/files/e1764fc3/Akurat ... fo_1.1.pdf
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Post by Music Lover »

ThomasOK wrote: Have you done any comparisons with preamp Dynamiks? If so how did it compare to the improvements from the power amp Dynamiks?
Sorry, forgot to respond to this.
Yes I have. KK/D is better in same way as a source with Dynamik is. More informtion (music and sound). Simply better compared with an amp dynamik that ALSO sounding impressive.
People looking for a change in sound, get the amp Dynamik but if quality matters, think source first!
Power vs. finesse
WOW vs. just better

Would be interesting to compare what is best; KK mkI/D or KK mkII without D!
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Post by monkeydevil »

ThomasOK,
have you had the chance to listen to the Akurate Kontrol with Dynamik yet? I am really curious as to how it performs!
Since the Akurate DS/D gets very close to the KDS without Dynamik, one starts hoping the Akurate Kontrol would be close to the Klimax Kontrol.... :P
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Post by lejonklou »

I will, very soon.
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Post by ThomasOK »

I have not yet had the opportunity to hear the AK with DS. I will be installing one for a customer, as well as tuning up his LP12, in about three weeks. He is driving in from a fair distance to have the work done so I won't have a lot of time for listening comparisons, but I hope to at least give it a quick listen and I may be able to compare it to an original KK without Dynamik.

Whatever comparison I am able to do I'll report here.
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Post by Charlie1 »

ThomasOK wrote:...but I hope to at least give it a quick listen and I may be able to compare it to an original KK without Dynamik.
Someone reported on the Linn forum that their C6100 dynamik improved quite a lot in the first week.

Get my C6100 done tomorrow :)
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Post by Charlie1 »

Initial impressions of Dynamik'd C6100 are very encouraging indeed. They are driving Ninkas 3-way aktiv btw. Treble is particularly improved - more refined, delicate and lifelife with real finesse. The overall balance is richer and fuller sounding like going from white wine to a full bodied red (my first and hopefully last wine analogy :mrgreen:) but without becoming soft or overly warm sounding in the process. Bass is stronger and will benefit from a speaker retune.

No striking improvement in musicality as yet - nothing like the Radikal as you'd expect really. I pretty sure it's more tuneful already, but probably needs more burn in and I need to retune the speakers. Will report back in a week or so, but looks like being very good value for money already.

Somewhat related to Dynamik upgrades, I Heard Dynamik'd KDS (cara2) and Dynamik KK/1 driving Solos/Klimax 350s today. Really really good. If I started this game from scratch I think I'd go digital and that's the first time I've felt confident enough. It's going to be swings and roundabouts of course, but I think even a Dynamik KDS lags behind Radikal LP12 with CD quality (in general), but it would be close enough for me now to pick digital. Still, I have a record collection and an LP12, so it's all academic really.
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Post by lejonklou »

Cool Charlie!

I have a 2100 with Dynamik and it does sound very good. Musically, it's not a revelation compared to its predecessor, but it's clearly better. And the sound is much nicer, it feels relaxed and powerful at the same time.
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Post by Charlie1 »

lejonklou wrote:I have a 2100 with Dynamik and it does sound very good. Musically, it's not a revelation compared to its predecessor, but it's clearly better. And the sound is much nicer, it feels relaxed and powerful at the same time.
As someone that's also owned an x200 amp, how close would you say the Dynamik x100 is now to the non-Dyamik x200?
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Post by lejonklou »

I can't really say without a direct comparison. I used my 4200 together with aktiv cards and everything since has been passive.
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Post by monkeydevil »

lejonklou wrote:I will, very soon.
Have you heard it? :)
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Post by Music Lover »

lejonklou wrote:Cool Charlie!

I have a 2100 with Dynamik and it does sound very good. Musically, it's not a revelation compared to its predecessor, but it's clearly better. And the sound is much nicer, it feels relaxed and powerful at the same time.
Have your 2100 improved over time?

Hearing quite a few chakras, brand new with /D and upgraded amps - they seems to require burn-in.
Brand new and cold they are not funny. But give them a few hours...yeah!
I have also noticed a small plastic smell from new dynamik PSUs during the first hours.

Same with dynamiked DS players, brand new/cold they are not as good but picking up nicely in a few hours.
On the pre, only demoed a KK/D that had 2 weeks under its belt so I can't comment on the dynamiked pre's...

Any other with same experience?
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