Thought I would share that the Organik upgrade arrived today for my Selekt. This was a delivery to my dealer on the west coast of the US.
My dealer did the install for me. Had a bit of an unexpected experience when I brought the unit home. Couldn’t get any sound to play regardless of source input, content type, etc. No upgrades available in Kazoo or Konfig.
I finally started poking around in the Linn “Manage Devices” website, and saw an Update Bitstream option which I’ve never noticed before. I did this and the device started working. There’s a pic below so you folks can see what I saw.
Haven’t had a chance to come to any conclusions yet about sound quality. I’m coming from a Katalyst DAC in this same unit, which drives a pair of Wilson Audio SabrinaX speakers. To my ears, the system sounded fantastic before the upgrade. It sounds at least as fantastic now. I’m not sure that I’ll ever conclusively and confidently say that it sounds substantially better.
In any case, this post is less about sound quality claims and more about availability and installation. Hope it’s useful to someone.
Thanks, can you update your impressions on change/improve of sound quality please?
And was your Katalyst module given back to the dealer/Linn or did you have to sell it on secondhand market?
Hi, @Dan_Rosen.
I don’t trust my ears or my brain enough to say anything concrete that might influence a purchase decision one way or the other. The system sounded great before the upgrade and I think it sounds great now. As much as I feel like I have more to say, I think I’m going to leave it at that.
Purchasing an Organik upgrade doesn’t require trade-in of your existing module. They’d have to build the difference between Katalyst and standard modules into the purchase price if they did that, and they don’t.
I moved the Katalyst module into another Selekt I have which had a standard module. I’m actually likely to sell that Selekt including the Katalyst. It’s a great unit but it’s not getting use where it sits (the Selekt + Organik gets all the use).
I had Klimax 350 actives with Katalyst, got them upgraded to Organik. To my ears, the wins were faster, more incisive attacks, better layering, better micro-dynamics, contrasting to with the slightly rounded, somewhat more laid-back Katalyst/AKM sound.
I finally was at my Linn dealers place and could compare a Selekt DSM Katalyst to a Selekt Organik (both with utopik psu) with active Speakers.
The perceived difference in sound quality wasn’t as subtle when you replace spikes with absorbers underneath your speakers. It was a clear difference that one would be able to distinct even with blind testing. Not every song reveals the differences at the same level, but among those songs I tested the positive results were undeniable.
The sound is more precise and concise. Where firstly you hear a guitar strum, with Organik you are able to distinct if the strings are nylon or metal, because suddenly there is more texture, more information. You can more easily concentrate on a single detail/instrument in the arrangement and follow it. There is no more of an acoustic halo around an instrument, the imaging is more focused.
It seems that I will present myself a gift for Christmas
Which active speakers? One of my Linn setups has Klimax Organik DSM with ATC SCM40As, which I think is an especially good match for the characteristics you mention.
Same here. I have owned my KDS since 2011 and have upgraded to /2 and /3 Katalyst. It no longer resides in my Naim 2 channel system (dCS Rossini kicked it out) however it does full time duty in my Stax headphone systems.
