Linn has made its debut on the stage of high-end, mono-block power amplifiers. And it may well be a game-changer.
Klimax Solo 800 is Linn’s new reference power amplifier, the largest in Linn’s long history, the most powerful (800W into 4 ohms) and most importantly, the best. By a distance.
As the UK’s largest Linn retailer and proud Linn specialist of 30 years, we were excited to attend Solo 800’s launch at Linn HQ in December. And we were smitten. First impressions? Stunning aesthetics: machined from solid aluminium, big, but not too big, illuminated logo on a beautifully sculpted faceplate. So far so good.
Next, listening. Solo 800 versus old Klimax Solo; no contest. Then a leading competitor amp, again Solo 800s win hands down. More detail, clearer tune, more accurate timing; the music is simply better. Measurement charts display Solo 800’s superb signal-to-noise ratio and staggeringly low distortion: 100 times less than the competition! How? Three crucial new Linn technologies:
Utopik Power Supply
The power supply dictates the flow of current to its components; the more stable this feed, the better those components perform. Solo 800 features a bespoke version of Linn Utopik which delivers a perfectly steady, non-fluctuating voltage, resulting in rock-steady performance despite dramatically changing requirements. Utopik’s switch-mode design negates mains fluctuations that are enormously detrimental to performance and musical enjoyment. In Solo 800, if mains input varies, output doesn’t.
Adaptive Bias Control
Class AB amplifiers like Solo 800 use ‘bias currents’ to control signal crossover and minimise distortion. Traditionally, bias is fixed and cannot adapt to variations in components, temperature, etc. Not ideal. Solo 800 however, measures ideal bias continuously in real time, ‘autocorrecting’ accordingly. This produces the most linear signal possible to your loudspeakers, free from the distortion and crossover noise associated with fixed bias and making light work of driving even the most stubborn loudspeakers.
Superb Heat Management
Amplifiers can get hot, sometimes they work very hard, especially if you like loud music! So Solo 800 utilises ingenious heat regulation: all circuitry is mounted directly to the huge heat sink – the side ‘fins’ – a direct thermal path to super-effective heat dissipation, keeping internal temperature low and ensuring components operate optimally and consistently.
Solo 800’s self-regulating design devours every challenge - musical, mains or impedance - with ease. Performance is unerring. So, what does this mean for the listener?
Perfect playback: from the quietest of passages to the most thunderous finale, the entire audio spectrum is crystal clear. Nothing interferes - no distortion, no noise. You can hear everything - every note, vibration and vocal is pitch-perfect, bass perfectly controlled.
Solo 800 will elicit peak performance from any loudspeaker, be they Wilson, Kudos, B&W or anything in between. It will enhance the finest of systems.
Linn is throwing itself in the ring here with the international big guns of amplification – Dan D’Agostino, Gryphon, Mark Levinson et al. 20 years after turning digital audio on its head with the ground-breaking Klimax DS and over 50 since changing the entire hi-fi landscape with LP12’s ‘source-first’ principle, can Linn do it again with Klimax Solo 800?
Come and hear for yourself. Our two Solo 800s are sounding sublime in our demonstration rooms with every loudspeaker we’ve tried. For even more on the Solo 800s watch our overview YouTube video below.
Contact Nigel in the Carlisle store or Danny in our Newcastle store to arrange a listen. And prepare for your jaw to drop!
Nigel - 01228 546756
Danny - 0191 285 7179