+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 42

Thread: Linn – are they an irrelevance today?

  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Southern England

    Posts: 2,990
    I'm Howard.

    Default Linn – are they an irrelevance today?

    Are Linn as a culture / philosophy – and as a supplier of equipment – increasingly an irrelevance to many audiophile enthusiasts these days? If so, what's the evidence to support that view – or to contradict it? Here’s the tricky bit, evidence please (either way) but without reference to nostalgia and sentimentality. Thank you.
    Well, hello.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Posts: 424

    Default

    IMHO, the most significant evidence is the price asked for the equipment. Bearing in mind that hifi is a consumer product.

    Higher quality goods are available to do a better job at much lower prices.

    This is because of the manufacturing and retailing model that Linn employ. For example, in other fields, avoiding a dealer markup can reduce the price by half.

    I would imagine that Naim and a few others have the same problem.

    Their goods imo are not the best sound available, and at the price cannot sell effectively against other, better products.

    If they are not already irrelevant, then they may soon be so, because they'll be out of business.

    I predict company sell-offs to "brand-buyers" asap.

    I'll go and hide in the cellar now.

  3. #3
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Southern England

    Posts: 2,990
    I'm Howard.

    Default

    Yes, I agree with you. Yours is a concise, rational and objective summing up - and I thank you for it. We can, I hope, look forward to additional and possibly differing views. HP
    Well, hello.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norfolk, UK

    Posts: 6,209
    I'm BigBobJoylove.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jcbrum View Post
    IMHO, the most significant evidence is the price asked for the equipment. Bearing in mind that hifi is a consumer product.

    Higher quality goods are available to do a better job at much lower prices.

    This is because of the manufacturing and retailing model that Linn employ. For example, in other fields, avoiding a dealer markup can reduce the price by half.

    I would imagine that Naim and a few others have the same problem.

    Their goods imo are not the best sound available, and at the price cannot sell effectively against other, better products.

    If they are not already irrelevant, then they may soon be so, because they'll be out of business.

    I predict company sell-offs to "brand-buyers" asap.
    I'll go and hide in the cellar now. [/QUOTE]

    I have to agree with JC here, there are better quality components available for less money. However both Linn and Naim were very strong contenders in the 80s and 90s and they built an excellent name and strong brand loyalty for themselves. Whether that loyalty continues is questionable, if the companies get too lazy then it's all too easy to undo decades of market leading, however if they suddenly drop all their prices (a la Musical Fidelity) then people lose faith in the brand and start to buy without assumption, which is normally when people find a much better product at a lower price.

    Quote Originally Posted by jcbrum View Post
    I'll go and hide in the cellar now.
    No need!

    Ben Duncan mains conditioner
    2022 MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro 10/16/16/16
    Samsung QE75Q90T 75" QLED TV
    XMOS DSD Async USB to Coax converter
    RME Audio ADI-2 FS (AK4493) DAC
    Chord Clearway XLR interconnects
    Audioquest Crimson USB interconnect
    QED Quartz Reference optical interconnect
    Edifier S3000 Pro active speakers
    Atacama SE24 stands

  5. #5
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Newport

    Posts: 391
    I'm Simon.

    Default

    Obviously as a person owning Linn gear then I'll totally disagree and to be honest this just seems like somebody wanting to have a go at a manufacturer they don't like.

    what a silly idea for a thread.

    Linn a good British manufacturer who have made decent components over the years, one or two ropey ones much like other manufacturers, but have been consistent. I've been a very happy Linn user for many years and have had nothing but excellent service from them.

    their Majik system is excellent sounnding and is priced ok for the market they are aiming for compared to others, in fact the Majik cdp is as good as most £2k players out there and better than most.

    Yes, the LP12 is overpriced compared to the competition out there now and for a similar price you will get a far better TT from the likes of Brinkmann, Michell, Avid, Kuzma, and plenty of others.

    Personally I would still rather pay the extra to get a dealer to install and help setup my hifi then buy blind off the internet or some ebay shop.

    Service is part of the mark up, you either decide it's worthwhile and pay the extra to the dealer or decide it isn't and go elsewhere.

    I still enjoy my Linn gear and haven't heard anything at the price that I would swap it for.

    Tell you what, we don't kill off ALL the UK hifi companies, and really screw up UK manufacturing, what a stupid thread this is Mr Popeck. I suppose you would rather we bought overpriced American gear instead ?

    Let's do away with dealers trying to make a living as well, damn that mark up. I think all these people should give up and LET us have the gear, maybe they can even pay us for it.
    Last edited by griffo104; 02-05-2008 at 14:55.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: North East UK

    Posts: 6,358
    I'm InSpace.

    Default

    Oh, I wouldn't be quite so 'touchy' Griffo, I think Howard is only trying to stimulate some interesting discussion.

    Note his comment below:

    Quote Originally Posted by Howard Popeck (Stereonow) View Post
    We can, I hope, look forward to additional and possibly differing views. HP
    Cheers,
    Mike.
    Shian7
    --------------------------------------------------------

    Kudakutemo
    kudakutemo

    ari mizu-no tsuki

    Though it be be broken -
    broken again - still it's there:
    the moon on the water.

    - Choshu.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Newport

    Posts: 391
    I'm Simon.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Shian7 View Post
    Oh, I wouldn't be quite so 'touchy' Griffo, I think Howard is only trying to stimulate some interesting discussion.

    Note his comment below:



    Cheers,
    Mike.
    Ok Mike maybe I was being a little touchy, but Linn and Naim bashing seems to be prevalent on most forums, usually started off from 'industry' folk who feel a little hard done by in the 80's heyday of these companies.

    I see no difference to Howard's thread than Richard's - let's do away with dealers and flog all our stuff on the internet cos it's cheaper and do away with evil dealers and their mark up.

    These new ways are perfectly acceptable and I accept it can give a cheaper way of buying, but before addressing the irrelevance of companies such as Linn, may be look at the price distrubtors are charging for American gear which cost the same £ for $ ratio rather than the near 2 to 1 ratio the currently exists. I see most UK and European stuff is going up big time in the US due to the weak dollar but yet we still pay through the nose for stuff imported in to this country.

    If you want to change a model for costing and service then maybe look at these guys BEFORE you look at companies within our own isle.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Central England

    Posts: 2,932

    Default

    I think Linn (and/or Naim) is something that every recorded music lover needs to have owned at some point in their lives just for that music first reference point.

    From then on it is a case of finding other brands that do it better and/or for less money. I still believe that the tune dem is a very effective method for evaluating and choosing all of your kit from an interconnect, a mains lead or block, a spike or isolation point, a stand, the electronics right through to the speakers. The winning components are not necessarily those from Linn (or Naim) even if you do use a method of evaluation favoured by these brands in particular.

    Being a flat earther is a state of mind and how you listen not a statement of brand loyalty.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Newport

    Posts: 391
    I'm Simon.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Toy View Post
    Being a flat earther is a state of mind and how you listen not a statement of brand loyalty.
    A very good point

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Nantwich

    Posts: 1,078
    I'm Steve.

    Default

    OK..
    As an owner of a whole pile of Linn kit inevitably I'm going to agree with Griffo.

    However..Howards original posting asked whether it was felt that Linn's philosophy and products were an irrelevance to audiophiles today.

    Looking at the pricing of much of the present kit might suggest that, but I really would urge anyone, even out of idle curiosity to go and listen to their DS equipment.

    Expensive, yes...but awesome music reproduction and pointing in the right direction for audiophile future in the face of a music industry in meltdown.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •