In its 50th anniversary year, Linn has lifted the lid on a new flagship loudspeaker that is said to produce the lowest levels of audible distortion ever of any Linn loudspeaker past and present. Say hello to the Linn 360 (and look, no quirky ‘k’ in the product name!)
“It’s hands down the best speaker we’ve ever made,” said Linn CEO Gilad Tiefenbrun, “streets ahead of our previous benchmark.”
According to the Scottish company, this has been achieved by developing ‘everything’ from a new cabinet to new drive units.
The latter sees a 19mm Beryllium dome tweeter married to a woven carbon fiber midrange cone, both of which Linn says are engineered to push the distortion they inherently produce above what’s audible to the human ear. Bass frequencies are delivered by both the aluminum-magnesium alloy upper and lower bass drivers, with the pair of lower bass drivers capable of producing greater range and more than double the excursion than Linn’s previous maximum.
Linn says bass response has been further enhanced thanks to the all-new Power DAC technology, which combines digital-to-analog conversion and amplification in one stage, extending the digital path and reducing loss.
In addition to implementing Linn’s digital wizard Exakt system and Space Optimization room correction technology, the 360 speakers also introduce the company’s latest amplifier technology, Adaptive Bias Control, which works in real time to eliminate distortion from the amplifiers to ensure optimal performance.
The curvature of the faceplate alongside the recessed placement of the drive units and a concentric arc, waveguide-incorporating surround finish have been chosen for optimal dispersion in every direction – perhaps hence the loudspeakers’ name.
Constructed from “meticulously folded” 3D laminates and housing a front baffle that extends either side of the speaker, the sculpted cabinet can be finished in one of five colours: Clyde Built (matte grey), Single Malt ( amber ) or Linn Heritage (glossy black) from The Glasgow Collection, or Piano Black or Alpine White from The Classic Collection.
Two versions of the 360 are also available. The first is the Exakt Integrated variant (£87,500), which, as you might guess, houses all the crossover, DAC and amplification circuitry in the speaker, and is designed for use with a Linn DSM network player. The second, meanwhile, is the passive with Aktiv Bass (£55,000), designed for use with a non-Linn amp or a full external Linn Exakt system with Exaktbox.
MORE:
When Linn turns 50, we choose the 13 Best Linn Products ever made
Read our Linn Selekt DSM: Edition Hub Review
Best hi-fi systems 2023: micro, vinyl and streaming music systems for the home
The best test tracks to try out your hi-fi system