Linn Selekt Journey

[DiggyGun]

As reported, I picked up a TP-Link Media Converter kit on eBay for £25, so giving that a try.

I particularly like a Jazz trio comprising of piano, bass and drums.

Firstly, listened to “A Letter to Bill Evans", which is very delightful and relaxing, but with just the right amount of thump when needed.

I think, that this set up is slightly quieter than previously as I’ve had to increase the volume slightly, up from 55 to 60, so not a huge increase.

The piano is crystal clear with the deep notes of the bass coming through and the deeper notes of the piano are well defined. The drums appear to be gently supporting it all.

After this, I played “Sunday at the Village Vanguard” by the Bill Evans Trio, which is one of my all time favourite albums, so a very pleasant way of spending the evening.

I’ve played the Bill Evans Trio album a fair number of times, so am very familiar with it. Feels like you’re there in a small back street Jazz club, taking it all in. The interplay between the trio is most enjoyable.

I know it’s the first evening of using the Media Converter kit and this is my first comment on it, but it does appear to make the music a bit quieter and more relaxed. I’ll try some more up-best tempo Jazz next to see how that comes across.

The next album I played this evening had a Latin up-beat tempo vibe, “Tjader goes Latin”, by The Cal Tjader Quintet. Although more up-beat and livelier, again, it had a relaxed feel, but very detailed.

The last album this evening was “Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff” by Taj Mahal, another album I’m very familiar with. This time on the second track, “Kalimba", it was very clear and detailed, the reverberation of the notes was very noticeable.

Initial thoughts are that the music appears more relaxed, clearer and detailed, brighter with a wider soundstage with good positioning of the instruments

DG…

[DiggyGun]

@IDAK

I’m thinking of getting the same ADOT package for my Klimax DSM. It will be interesting to see it improves clarity and slam

Be worth looking at the TP-Link as a fraction of the price.

Externally, the only visual difference is that the ADOT use a SFP adapter, whereas, the TP-Link does not, apart from that it looks the same.

Not being familiar with this technology, not sure what a SFP is or does. Is it one extra link / connection thing that could go wrong, or is it the best thing since sliced bread. I’m sure someone will let us know.

If you have the NGKDSM, I believe that comes with an Optical Ethernet (SFP?) socket, so you only need one Media Converter and fibre optic cable.

DG…

[IDAK]

Yes I already have the optical input in the Klimax DSM. The dealers are keen as mustard to sell me the ADOT and I’ll try it out for a couple of weeks. I tried looking up the TP link equivalent but can’t find it on t’internet

[DiggyGun]

@IDAK

weeks. I tried looking up the TP link equivalent but can’t find it on t’internet

The ones I’ve got are the MC100CM

Here’s a picture if this helps.

DG…

[IDAK]

Thanks, that is very helpful. So essentially you plug the Ethernet cable into the TP box and leading from the box there is a very narrow optical cable that plugs into the back of the Linn?

[IDAK]

And where do you get the optical cable from?

[DiggyGun]

@IDAK

And where do you get the optical cable from?

I was looking at Amazon and BroadbandBuyer.com. I think the prices were cheaper on the latter around £2-3, you only need one that’s suitable for 100Base-T

I went for OM1 based on this;
OM1 and OM2: Typically support speeds up to 1 Gbit/s . OM1 and OM2 fibres are commonly used for slower network connections over shorter distances

DG…

[IDAK]

This is great. Thanks so much

[DiggyGun]

@IDAK

Thanks, that is very helpful. So essentially you plug the Ethernet cable into the TP box and leading from the box there is a very narrow optical cable that plugs into the back of the Linn?

If I understand from Linn Docs, Ethernet cable from last switch into the TP-Link Media Converter, then Fibre Optic cable to the NGKDSM.

Remember to get the correct connectors on the cable as the NGKDSM has a SFP socket (LC Type), whereas the MC100CM has a SC type connector.

This is from Linn Docs regarding the SFP

Optical SFP

The small form-factor pluggable (SFP), is a compact, hot-pluggable network interface module that plugs into the Linn DS/DSM and network devices. This will a connector, such as the LC connector with fibre optic cables to provide Ethernet to the products.

Examples of 1G SFP Multimode Modules:

• H!Fiber.com : ASF85-24-X2-Cisco-2pcs-HF(EU)
• II-VI / Finisar : FTLF8519P3BNL
• …

DO NOT use SFP+ 10G Multimode modules

For more information check

Optical cable is colour coded as described here: Fibre Optic cable.

More info on cable classes here: Multi-Mode fibre

If you need further help, I have found that Linn Customer Services are very helpful and should be able to guide you further.

I’m sure others more knowledgeable will come in and give further advice.

DG…

[Mike_S]

@IDAK

I tried looking up the TP link equivalent but can’t find it on t’internet

Alliance Wholesale, about $50. They might do the cable too, otherwise Jaycar?

[IDAK]

Thanks Mike. I’ll mosey down to Jaycar who are 15 minute walk from here

[IDAK]

No luck with Jaycar. They had not heard of such things. I think the devil is in the details So I’ll just see how the ADOT goes. LC vs SC and 10 gigabytes vs 1 gigabyte do my head in. Plus you’ve got to get someone to connect the plug to the cable. No mas!

[james_n]

Good plan - just get the dealer to loan you the ADOT MC01 or 02 kit as a starting point to see how you get on.

As DG and others point out, you can easily DIY a solution, but the ADOT kit is a very simple plug and play way of finding out if Optical ethernet is for you.

You’ll get the media converter, PSU, two SFP modules and the cable. The 01 kit comes with a small SMPS supply, the 02 with a Linear plug top supply and the 03 with the PliXiR supply.

One SFP module goes into the media converter, the other into the KDS (The supplied ADOT badged SFP module works fine in the KDS). Plug in the optical cable between the KDS and media converter, plug in your existing Ethernet cable to the media converter and power it up. The KDS should recognise the optical Ethernet connection is active and off you go.

Good luck and i’ll be interested in what you think.

[Timbo]

Just started my journey, couple of days ago. So far it sounds wonderful, reminds me of my early Naim days with a 32.5/HiCap/250 with the music coming through and so easy to follow. At the moment I’m still exploring what this Selekt DSM Edition thing can do. Roon seems to work well, but had a couple of dropouts overnight where Roon can’t find the DSM but a reboot seems to cure that. But a longer term fix might be purchasing a recommended ethernet switch as I’m using and English Electric 8 which is in the loft.

The Kudos Titan T606’s are rather sublime and with the upgrades to my LP12 I’m like a kid in a toy shop.

Happy days

Tim

[DiggyGun]

@Timbo

Just started my journey, couple of days ago

Glad that you’re enjoying it too. Did you get the ADOT kit or go DIY?

Similar to me, it sounds different, to me more enjoyable, as reported above, so I’ll try some different albums later and see what happens. Perhaps put some Yello on to get the bass working a bit harder.

Interestingly, there is so much difference when playing Jazz24 on the Radio. However, when using Qobuz, the difference is more noticeable.

Fun times to come.

DG…

[Timbo]

No ADOT kit at the moment, I’m using a Melco ethernet cable to the wall socket, CAT 6A in the wall to the loft. Then EE8 to main 16 port switch which goes down to the router. A bit convoluted but has been stable for the past 5 years.

I’m going to give it at least a month to settle down and get the speakers running in a bit more before I experiment with any changes. Just got to sort my Roon problem and will just enjoy.

Tim

[DiggyGun]

The T606s are just lovely.

DG…

[Orac]

Hi @Timbo
Glad you are enjoying the new “toys”. Good idea to just let them settle down and run in. Maybe update your profile whilst listening to a tune or two?
My own streaming solution within my house is from a BT Hub in the study via external cat 6 cabling round outside of house to a simple gs105 switch in the lounge. Sounds great to me and no drop outs. Use Qobuz as my main source and sometimes my NAS in the study, no discernible difference. Maybe I’m lucky with little to no noise/interference or my ears ain’t what they used to be .

[Klout10]

While this threat is not really about the Linn Selekt anymore, I’m reading the discussion with great interest! I have not tried or experiment with fibre optic connections myself, however, I’ve used these on several projects in my professional work.

I’m surprised that converting an electrical signal into light (fiber optic) and after that back to an electrical signal can cause these differences … in the end, you’re transferring a good electrical signal back and forth and you hope that the outcome is still the same electrical signal that you’ve started with …

From work, I know that for example big power motors can generate powerful magnetic fields and these can obviously disturb an electrical signal , but in my belief, this will not be the case in a household environment and only then when you use long runs of cable (think of >100 m).

[DiggyGun]

@Klout10

While this threat is not really about the Linn Selekt anymore

As the OP, I’m happy for thread deviation.

It all started about my initial journey to get my Klimax DS/3 Katalyst upgraded to Organik, but it morphed into the Selekt DSM; Edition Hub when we did the demo.

Mind you, still playing with it, so the journey continues.

Hope that you’ve enjoyed reading it.

DG…