Linn has quite a long history in music file playback . A number of years ago Kivor series was launched by Linn, a series that was based on hard disk playback. It was quite obvious that Kivor was primarily designed for custom installation and multi-room systems with their cabinets were custom installation in 19 "rack. For household use they were not very attractive components, not least because of a fairly significant noise from the hard drive.
It was obvious that Linn eventually should leverage this expertise also to a range of products designed for ordinary hi-fi enthusiasts. Early in the summer of 2007 we received knowledge that there were tangible fruits of Linn's efforts around the corner. After a brief confusion that Kivor-substitute Akurate Music Server was launched in essentially the same design concept as Kivor, came the big news - DS concept was born, and the first-born was the flagship Klimax DS
DS-Concept
But the big question the first time - exactly what is this?
In this article we try to give an overview of the Linn DS concept.
Linn DS is a system for network playback of music. It is based on an established standard called UPnP AV, an international and open standards. To get the best possible understanding of what is really happening, and thus good opportunity to serve the DS system, it is important to familiarize with the various stages of a DS (and UPnP AV) system.
The system has three main stations:
- UPnP Media Server
- UPnP Media Renderer
- UPnP Control Point
It is especially the last two functions it is easy to mix, especially since these two functions are often combined in other systems. We take it in order.
UPnP Media Server.
As the name implies this is a server that is in a network. You must therefore establish a network at home if you must use the Linn DS. And in this network must be established to a server. In practice, this server could be any computer with quite ordinary NIC. Or it could also be a NAS (Network Attached Server) that is becoming increasingly popular and are available from a few hundred Euro.
The network need not be different from what many have gradually established for distributing internet to all its PCs around the small room. However, it is recommended that it is wired connection between the Media Server and Linn DS component.
UPnP media server is thus the storage location for the music, either in a PC hard drive or a NAS or another server. Before we move on to Media Software I want to remind the importance of Backup the contents of a Media Server. I've even had two breakdowns, that has taught me that even RAID is not good enough as the only backup. Back up to a separate external drive!
Another important element that also belong to the section Media Server, the server software. This is to compare with the Library section of iTunes. It is a software that almost creates a kind of library catalog all the music you have.
The three most widespread applications are:
- Twonky Media. This was a while mandatory for those who wanted the music on the NAS, and is well often still the most widely used software.
- Asset UPnP . Favored by me, but when installed on the PC, not the NAS.
- MiniMserver . The latest software.
In addition, it has recently been possible to use the iTunes library that program. See further below Songbox.
UPnP Media Renderer.
A UPnP Media Renderer is the device in the chain that collect music files from the music server and then play them, or make them into music. When I use the term "collect" it is a conscious choice. It is namely the Media Renderer that is captain of this process - it is not a server that "sends the data stream". This is an essential aspect that has to do with clocking. As long as the renderer is the captain of the data stream, it also has control clockwise, and jitter is limited to that which is introduced in the Renderer.
And what is the rendered in a Linn DS system? Yes, it is the DS-component that is the renderer .
Linn has now introduced three different pure renderer. :
- Linn Klimax DS
- Linn DS akurat
- Linn Majik DS
They have also launched a number of rendering components combined with other functionality ..
- Linn Klimax DSM (Preamplifier)
- Linn Klimax DSM Exakt (Exakt Part of the setup, the input selector + A / D converter)
- Linn akurat DSM
- Linn Majik DSM (Integrated Amplifier)
- Linn Majik DS-I (Integrated Amplifier, discontinued)
- Linn Kiko DSM (Integrated amplifier with active speakers)
- Linn Sneaky DSM (Integrated Amplifier)
- Linn Sneaky DS (Integrated Amplifier, but without external inputs)
- Linn Sekrit DSM (Integrated Amplifier)
- Linn Sektrit DSI (Integrated Amplifier, discontinued)
UPnP Control Point
Here we are at the third and final link in a chain of UPnP AV. Control Point is the joint that controls what is to be played. In practical terms, this is a software that acts as a user interface for selecting music placed on the server. It is tempting to compare a UPnP Control Point with iTunes in a mainstream PC-based music system, but this is inaccurate. iTunes has a more complex task than UPnP Control Point in a DS system - iTunes is both a library function in addition to the user interface, and probably also a more active role in the playback bit (Media Renderer).
At a material point Linn have expanded and enhanced UPnP protocol. Originally indicate UPnP standard that Control Point is to have the continuous operation of the playlist. Linn have seen that this is inappropriate, and received approval for an extension of the original standard. In Linn's DS system the ControlPoint has as only taks to be the interface against you as a user when the music should be selected. After this, the "playlist" which is automatically generated by the choices you make is transferred to media renderer for implementation. That this is the better procedure, is best illustrated if one uses a Control Point for the original standard. When required the fact that the Control Point at any time is alert and execute playback of the next track immediately when a track is finished. This simply does not work at all using the original UPnP Media Streamer on the Nokia n800/n810. When it is time for the next track the Nokia simply may have gone to sleep, literally. Media Renderer (Linn DS component), however, is always awake and always have an overview of playback status, and may order the next track from the server to the correct time for local caching.
Different interface
In a DS system has various incarnations of Control Point. Linn's first user interface was Linn GUI / Linn Kinsky for PC / mac. It was a program that had decent functionality, and similarly lackluster sensuality. Evil tongues could conceivably have argued that the purely graphic might look like if it was developed by the audit department at DnB. This interface was probably a brake on the spread of the DS concept at first, especially since at the time competed with Squezebox that launched more elegant interface.
But then came a significant turning point. Linn launched a new version of Kinsky - a very attractive interface with album art and otherwise good graphics. This new edition was gradually extended to special version of iPod / iPhone, and tendons also iPad and Android. Linn is constantly upgrading Kisky, and currently there are rumors about a new version with major improvements.
Linn has also developed a version for PDA, called KinskyPDA . This program actually requires Windows Mobile 6 to drive safely, but it works in practice under Windows Mobile 5. The latter possibility opens up for using Dell Axim 51V, a good choice because it came with the docking station. The advantage of it is that it is always operating as either active or just choose music as a "now playing" Satellite for graphical information. KinskyPDA had a far more appealing interface than the original Linn GUI with album art. It also had the advantage that it had a separate section for controlling the preamp Linn Kinos. The catch with this system was that the Dell Axim 51V on Windows Mobile was unstable in the period I spent there, unless I know for sure if it was the PDA or Windows Mobile to blame.
After the introduction of the modern version of Kinsky, lost KinskyPDA completely its timeliness as UPnP Control Point, also for the few who had installed such a setup, including yours truly. The only argument for KinskyPDA was still advanced controll of Kinos, a topic that regrettably is still lacking in the modern Kinsky.
Support Program / functions.
In addition to the functionality that is Kinsky, it is 2-3 second widgets that are essential for good use of a DS-setup.
Linn Config.
This has evolved to become a great center for configuring DS setup, including some external preamps from Linn. Through this widget you can manage and maintain your DS player and Kinsky. You can also configure a set of preamps, but the underlying settings must still be made directly to the preamplifier setup menu. This is a loss, especially for those of us who have mulitichannel processors from Linn in the setup.
Linn Songcast.
This is perhaps the most significant upgrade of the DS concept, at least for those of us who use PC as audio source. Linn Songcast is simply a small support program for the PC that lets you stream all sounds from your PC wirelessly (or wired) directly to a DS. In other words, much like the Mac world's Airplay, with the difference for the better that everything will be streamed regardless interface.
Songcast has two modes, music and film. The former may have far greater buffering to ensure stability, but introduces lip-sync as an issue. This is minimized in the movie mode.
Airplay was in general also supportid in DS around the same time that Songcast was introduced.
Linn Songbox.
This is a support program for playlists and iTunes integration. It allows iTunes libraryfiles to be used.