Is Less Really Enough? 

There has been a long-held assumption among audiophiles and high-end manufacturers that breaking out an audio component into a greater number of separate chassis is a necessary pathway to improved system performance despite the increased complexity and financial outlay. In practice, this is best exemplified by five-chassis DACs with monaural power supplies and external femto clocks, among numerous other examples.  

Conversely, over the past few years there has been a trend among high-end manufacturers to produce integrated, multipurpose products that attempt to reduce the number of chassis, decreasing complexity and financial outlay without sacrificing sound quality. 

 The Linn Majik DSM ($5950/all prices US) is one of the latter products. It combines a network player, preamplifier and power amplifier (identified in the manufacturer’s specifications as simply “x2 100W Class D”) in an attractive one-box solution. All that is required to bring high-quality music into your home is a network connection and a pair of speakers. 

Established in 1973 in Glasgow, Scotland, Linn Products Limited is a well-established, even storied, manufacturer in the high-end audio industry. Founder Ivor Tiefenbrun is well known for extolling the sonic benefits of a well-engineered turntable. It's now legendary Linn Sondek LP12 turntable is akin to the Porsche 911 of audio – it has remained in the Linn product catalogue since its inception in 1972, getting over 50 upgrades to date while remaining true to the spirit of the original design. Linn currently offers a full suite of home audio products including speakers, power amplifiers, turntables, network players and accessories, as well as complete systems. 

Technology, Design, and Unpacking 

First introduced in 2009, the Majik DSM is the fifth generation of Linn’s entry-level network music player. It sits immediately below the mid-level Select DSM ($8,020), which in turn sits below the flagship Klimax DSM ($48,230). For this latest iteration of the Majik, the manufacturer describes several aesthetic and performance-based upgrades, including the elimination of physical buttons, a new 100Wpc Class-D amplifier with post-filter feedback loops, and an improved DAC with precision clocking technology and upsampling.  

Linn states that the current Majik supports up to 24 bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 digital files, and it integrates with the Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz streaming services. The Majik’s rear offers HDMI eARC, TosLink S/PDIF, USB-C, line-level RCA, and both MM and MC RCA phono inputs. There are also speaker binding posts that accept both bananas and spades, an RCA phono line out, an RCA Subwoofer out, and, on the front panel, a 1/4" headphone jack. Of note for those electing to use the Majik as a front-end digital component, it does not accommodate balanced interconnects.   

The Majik arrived in a well-padded box with a remote control and a detachable power cord. The unit is quite compact at 4.5”H x 13.8”W x 14.6”D and it weighs a svelte 12.5 pounds. I was quite impressed with the design and build quality. Per the manufacturer, the outer sleeve is constructed from 2mm aluminum that is cut to high tolerances and then sprayed with a powder paint coat to provide a satin-like sheen. All cutting, punching, folding, machining, and circuit board design and populating is performed in-house.  

The Majik’s top surface features an attractive illuminated cut-glass rotary dial to control the settings and volume level, among other functions. Its monochrome front-panel display features an optical-grade acrylic fascia, and its text can be easily read from across the room. The plastic, but robust and well-designed remote replicates many of the features of the Linn App (iOS/Android).  

 Set-up and Associated Equipment 

The Majik was connected to my Wilson Audio Sasha W/P Series 1 loudspeakers by my reference Purist Audio Designs Proteus cables, and hard-wired to my network via a combination of Audioquest Ethernet cables and an English Electric 8Switch. Linn’s stock power cord was replaced with a Tara Labs “The One.” Some system complexities evidently remain despite our attempts to simplify! The Linn app, which I downloaded to my mobile device to access my Qobuz catalog, provided a relatively straightforward and easy-to-navigate user experience.      

Listening to a Simplified System 

I anticipated that my high-end Wilson Audio speakers were an atypical pairing for a unit such as the Majik. But also, I saw it as an opportunity to examine the Linn’s true capabilities by partnering it with a revealing full-range transducer. I’ll admit to some degree of trepidation in replacing 210 pounds of separate electronics worth about $18,000 with a single player weighing in at 12 pounds. I am thoroughly familiar with the sound of my reference system, however, and looked forward to observing what might conceivably be missing from the sonic landscape when using the Majik and, just as importantly, what might not be missing.   

My initial impression of the Majik was that it combined a high degree of transparency with a laid-back perspective. Microdetails clearly emerged from the source material but were projected at more of a distance between the listener and the music. Soundstaging was nearly equal to that of my reference electronics, extending just beyond the outer border of my loudspeakers. After approximately 10 hours of active listening, I noted a degree of increased separation and dynamics, but the overall character of the Majik remained consistent. 

When listening to “Werewolf” from Fiona Apple’s fourth studio release (and contender for longest album title) The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, Clean Slate/Epic /Qobuz), the Majik’s strength with midrange detail was apparent in its ability to extract the subtle rattle and rumble of the piano as Apple played the opening notes. This album features a unique production where studio artifacts are intentionally audible throughout, and all those delights were on full display with the Majik at the helm. 

I had a similar impression when listening to “Jesus, Etc.” from Wilco’s revered Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (24-bit/192kHz FLAC, Nonesuch/Qobuz), with the Majik capturing the nuances of Jeff Tweedy’s gravelly vocals. The cello and backing vocals were present, but they sounded slightly more recessed relative to the presentation of this song by my familiar electronics. The treble never sounded hard, brittle or bleached, though some listeners may prefer slightly greater prominence in the upper registers.  

For such a compact unit, the Majik delivered a surprising level of dynamics and impact. As I cued up Lianna La Havas’ breathy cover of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes” from her 2020 self-titled album (24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, Warner Records/Qobuz), the opening drums had excellent weight, and the electronic bass was rendered with precise rhythm and detail.  

Another torture test for the Majik, one that came as quite a surprise, was Lux (24-bit/96kHz FLAC, Columbia/Qobuz), the latest full-length from Spanish fusion popstar Rosalia. This album contains some of the most complex string and vocal arrangements from a commercial artist in recent memory. The sonic palette of this incredible production was on full display through the Majik, particularly on the lead single Berghain that features contributions from Bjork, Yves Tumor, and the London Symphony Orchestra. While the Majik’s dynamic range could not match that of my separates, it was nearly their equal with respect to low-end detail and soundstaging. 

Conclusion 

I certainly enjoyed my time with the Linn Majik DSM. It fundamentally met the challenge of being paired with my very revealing Wilsons and satisfied my listening expectations across most of the frequency spectrum. But to return to my original question: What, if anything, was missing with the Majik relative to my reference electronics?  

When evaluating the Majik from the perspective of the hard-to-describe emotional region that reacts to the gestalt of the performance, the Majik did not deliver those transformative moments to the same degree that I have experienced with those expensive separate electronics. But that is not a knock against the Majik, which was designed to combine functionality and convenience with capable, impressive sound. For those looking to simplify their system or who are limited by space, the Majik is an excellent solution with a stunning design.    

Linn Majik DSM  

Price: $5950 USD 

Warranty: 5 years parts and labor, no registration required 

Dimensions: 4.5” H x 13.8” W 14.6” D 

Weight: 12.5 pounds 

Manufacturer 

Linn Products Limited 

Glasgow, United Kingdom 

Website: linn.co.uk 

Associated Equipment: 

Digital Source: Lumin T2 Network Player 

Preamp: McIntosh C500T 

Power Amp: McIntosh MC402 

Speakers: Wilson Audio W/P Sasha Series 1 

Interconnects and Speaker Cables: Purist Audio Design Venusta XLR (x2) and Purist Audio Design Proteus  

Power Conditioner: Audience Adept Response R12 

Power Cords: Tara Labs The One (x2) and AudioQuest Tornado High Current 

Network Switch: English Electric 8Switch 

Ethernet Cables -: AudioQuest Vodka and CinammonEquipment stand and Isolation Platform: Salamander Designs S30 and Ensemble ZOBRO 

Acoustic Treatments: Vicoustic Multifuser Wood 36 (x4), Multifuser DC3 (x4), CinemaRound Premium (x4), Wavewood Ultra Lite (x2), Super Bass Extreme Ultra (x3), VicTotem Ultra VMT (x2) 

Isolation Footers: IsoAcoustics Orea, Bronze, Indigo and Bordeaux 

Grounding system: Entreq  

Other Accessories: AudioQuest NRG Edison 20A Outlets (x2), iFi Audio LAN Silencer, Furutech carbon fiber 104D Plate and FI-28M rhodium AC Plug, PS Audio Noise Harvester  

Room: Custom-built, 22’ x 15’ x 9’, two dedicated 20-amp power lines