Linn/MultiRoom etc was Re: SonicBlue now have Rios on sale in the UK

["nick_towers2000" <nickt@xxxxxxx>]

Ben,

You can put the wire in before committing to Linn (or whoever), just
make sure you think carefully about what you put in, how much and
where you put it! When I renovated last year I put in quite a lot of
CAT5 (nearly 70 runs), plus speaker cable, (and coax) but if I were
doing it again I'd do it differently and dfinitely think more about
where it was being terminated in individual rooms. For example, most
of my CAT5 outlets are just above skirting height - not ideal for
(say) wall mounted IR points. Also I should have given myself more
flexible options for speakers.
At the end of the day the cable costs are tiny, retrofitting cable is
costly however.
Doubtless your house will take some months to build - maybe there
WILL be better options when it's finished..
I have heard however that Linn gets more cost effective the bigger
the install so you could end up with them after all, but I wouldn't
commit just yet.

HTH

Nick

--- In ukha_d@y..., "bensbarn2001" <ben_wilkinson@h...> wro= te:
> I'm glad this subject has come up as I'm at the point of shelling
out
> =A320k for a Linn System!!  I do have some reservations about it =
though
> and would dearly like a solution such as the KAT5 switcher. 
However
> that doesn't exist yet and I need to put wires in now! 
>
> I agree with all the negative points on the Linn Knekt although the > way I've seen costs, it doesn't add up to as much as I've heard
> quoted here.  Basically, it's about =A31200 per room + =A35000 fo= r the
> controller + whatever sources you want.  This is probably about <= BR> =A3800
> more per room than any other system (such as Rio etc) as they all
> need amps and speakers (even if all put together).  I looked at <= BR> QED,
> Living Control etc, but I have 12 rooms which need doing and
they're
> actually more expensive if you go this route.  I'm worried about =
> obsolescence of the Linn, although I think this is unlikely as it
> hasn't changed much in the past 5 years.  The other plus for the =
Linn
> system is that you can have one room with outstanding quality just by
> uprating the amp and speakers and don't have to double up on all
the
> sources.
>
> The Imerge CD server provides 4 concurrent CD (stored on hard disc) > signals which allows 4 different CDs at once and costs about =A34k.&nb= sp;
> I'll probably put this in eventually.
>
> Another way of looking at this is if I'm spending =A32-300K building <= BR> a
> house, then it doesn't make much difference to the total if I put
in
> something like Linn (I've used this argument consistently and
that's
> why it's cost that much so far!)
>
> So I'd love to be persuaded out of the Linn system as it does have > big flaws, but haven't seen anything with quality and flexibility
> which is as good.
>
> By the way, I'm sure Linn outlets will negotiate (at least the reps > I've been speaking to imply they will) - anybody got any ideas on
> where to go for a better price than standard!
>
> Ben
>
> --- In ukha_d@y..., "nick_towers2000" <nickt@t...> wro= te:
> > I've a Linn Classik (nice smart amp/tuner/CD with added bonus of =
4
> > balanced line outputs compatible with KAT5). Cost =A3750. Good piece
> of
> > kit - I'm pleased with it.
> > When I bought it last year I thought Linn multiroom is very
> tempting
> > if money no object, but it's not now the way I'd go as I think the
> > downside is (IMHO)
> > 1) They like to use STP or FTP Cat5, and nonstandard pinouts, > > consequently it will probably not be plug and play on a standard =
> Cat5
> > netwrk.
> > 2) They do not release technical info very readily so it's
> difficult
> > to figure out what you can and cannot connect up. Gives the
> > impression of forcing you down the Linn only route, which costs!<= BR> > > 3) Their multiroom model is based on individual room amps with > audio
> > distribution via balanced line signals over CAT5 - this means that
> > you need another box or few boxes in each local room. This point =
is
> > probably personal to me - were I a real "audiophile" it= might be
an
> > advantage, but my <<ideal>> multiroom hifi system wou= ld consist
of
> > all the kit hidden away in a rack in node 0, with ONLY speakers <= BR> and
> > IR "eyes" in each room. I would compromise on "the= oretical" audio
> > quality for discreteness (and in Linn's case - price!).
> >
> > My feeling is that Linn are not that advanced technically - they =
do
> > produce nice quality audio kit though and it looks pretty. I
reckon
> > KAT5 technology (switcher??) with IR distribution will match Linn=
> for
> > multiroom functionality, if not looks, at hopefully a fraction of=
> the
> > price. For what I think I now would ideally want (which no doubt =
> will
> > change in 6 months), I'd go with QED products if I was looking at=
> > commercially available solution.
> >
> > Just my thoughts.
> >
> > Nick
> >
> >
> >
> > 
> >
> > --- In ukha_d@y..., "Kenneth Watt" <kennwatt@b...>= ; wrote:
> > > Ah right then, here's a discussion I had with a few mates on= e
> > night...
> > >
> > > "Define a multi room system?"
> > >
> > > Now try and pin down *exactly* what that means. For example = I
> could
> > have
> > > several hi-fi stacks placed in each room with cross-linked <= BR> > sources,
> > MP3
> > > or AV, whatever control it with a Pronto and it _IS_ a multi= -
room
> > system
> > > IMO. However, my way I can tailor the system to suit my need= s,
my
> > tastes
> > > and *exactly* what I want that system to do and not do in an= y
> given
> > > location and no system can match that flexibility.
> > >
> > > Granted, the Linn system probably is very good, for that kin= da
> > money I'd
> > > bloody well hope so, but I don't think I'd go down that path=
even
> > if I
> > > did have the money, too inflexible for my liking and I don't=
like
> > being
> > > at the mercy of a single manufacturer should I want to chang= e
> > something.
> > >
> > > K.
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Gerard McGovern [mailto:stuff@i...]
> > > > Sent: 10 April 2002 10:56
> > > > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx > > > > Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Re: SonicBlue now have Rios on sa= le in
> the
> > UK
> > > >
> > > > > > You obviously have never heard the Linn syste= m ... it is
> > > > > out of this
> > > > > > world.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > That would be "out of this world on price&quo= t; then would it ;-)
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm afraid that I wouldn't stretch to 40K for a hi= -fi
system,
> > > > > unless someone else is offering to pay for it of c= ourse...
> > > >
> > > > It's all relative really. There is no doubt that the Li= nn is
> the
> > best
> > > > sounding multi-room system in the world. Whether one fe= els
the
> > cost is
> > > > justified or not is an entirely individual matter.
> > > >
> > > > I'm with you; I wouldn't spend 40k on *any* hi-fi syste= m. But
I
> > can
> > > also
> > > > appreciate the quality of the Linn system
> > > >
> > > > G
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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