An Audiophile's All-in-One: Linn's Majik DSM

by The Audio Beat | August 13, 2020

he new Majik DSM ($3835) is the newest version of Linn's all-in-one digital and analog audio component. It features updates to its DAC implementation, power amplification and volume control, which are, according to Linn, "all underpinned by a new, higher power processing platform." A Majik DSM owner need only add speakers and a turntable to have a full-function, small-footprint, complete audio system that can handle many different formats of digital audio along with LPs and even TV.

The Majik DSM's DAC architecture came from Linn’s Katalyst technology, with its improved upsampling and ultra-low-jitter clock. The unit's in-house-designed class-D 100Wpc power amplifier boasts lower noise and distortion and more efficient signal conversion, "allowing even greater musical detail to be extracted." The Majik DSM's digital volume control removes "a lossy component from the signal path," resulting in lower noise and distortion.

Connectivity is abundant, with four HDMI 2.0 4K-compatible inputs, a flexible moving-magnet phono input and line-level inputs for other analog sources. The phono stage benefits from hybrid architecture derived from Linn’s reference Urika II phono stage, combining digital and analog processing to derive the RIAA curve.

A Type-B USB port allows high-resolution audio to be played directly from a PC. Onboard WiFi enables high-resolution audio streaming, while Bluetooth provides a way to play music wirelessly with minimum setup.

Finally, for personal listening, the Majik DSM includes a 1/4” jack on the front panel for connection to the unit's dedicated headphone amplifier, which was "specifically designed to power high-quality, audiophile-level headphones."