My new DAC: Linnenberg Satie

[Kimo]

Should have it by mid next week.  

 

 

Seems to check all the boxes.

 

http://linnenberg-audio.de/html/satie.html

 

I will report on performance.  It will also serve as the preamp for the Innuos, Sony, and VPI.

 

Anyone have any experience with this model?

[ArthurOtt]

How do you know what boxes it checks? Their website is pretty short on details.

 

[AudioDoctor]

Cool, I hope you like it!

[Kimo]

49 minutes ago, ArthurOtt said:

How do you know what boxes it checks? Their website is pretty short on details.

 

Fully balanced, discrete design, multiple femtos, Sabre 9038 pro.  

 

What's missing?

[Kimo]

27 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Cool, I hope you like it!

Thanks.  Had to get it to match the amp.  

[ArthurOtt]

What inputs does it have? I'd like to see photos of the rear of the unit and some reviews. 

[Possum Jenkins]

https://bohne-audio.com/de/high-end-produkte/die-besten-vorstufen-und-dacs/linnenberg-satie-dac/

 

 

[Kimo]

1 minute ago, ArthurOtt said:

What inputs does it have? I'd like to see photos of the rear of the unit and some reviews. 

 

Comes with the standard fare; I suppose.  2 Coaxial, 1 USB, 1 optical, 1 AES, and 1 balanced analog in.  Looks like balanced and single ended for outputs.

 

http://linnenberg-audio.de/Manual_SATIE_1.pdf

 

[matthias]

6 hours ago, Kimo said:

Should have it by mid next week.  

 

 

Seems to check all the boxes.

 

http://linnenberg-audio.de/html/satie.html

 

I will report on performance.  It will also serve as the preamp for the Innuos, Sony, and VPI.

 

Anyone have any experience with this model?

 

@Kimo,

what is your set-up upstream of the Satie?

Thanks

 

Matt

[Kimo]

1 hour ago, matthias said:

 

@Kimo,

what is your set-up upstream of the Satie?

Thanks

 

Matt

 

Innuos Zenith Mk II server and a Sony ubp 800 player for blu ray and dvd.  Belkin gold USB cable, and Apogee coaxial.  VPI table, Soundsmith cartridge, and Avid Pellar phono stage for analog.

[matthias]

1 hour ago, Kimo said:

 

Innuos Zenith Mk II server and a Sony ubp 800 player for blu ray and dvd.  Belkin gold USB cable, and Apogee coaxial.  VPI table, Soundsmith cartridge, and Avid Pellar phono stage for analog.

 

Did you consider a source upgrade, maybe from Zenith to Statement, before upgrading the DAC?

Thanks

 

Matt

 

 

[Kimo]

10 hours ago, matthias said:

 

Did you consider a source upgrade, maybe from Zenith to Statement, before upgrading the DAC?

Thanks

 

Matt

 

 

 

Down the line, I may upgrade to the III and add the re-clocker.  

[matthias]

4 minutes ago, Kimo said:

 

Down the line, I may upgrade to the III and add the re-clocker.  

 

I mean it would be worth to explore if Statement plus Telemann outperforms Zenith 3 plus Phoenix plus Satie. According to Source First the former combo should be superior.

 

Matt

[mevdinc]

I'm also looking to upgrade my DAC soon and looking for alternatives.
Linnenberg Satie looks good on paper, hope to read a few reviews before considering more seriously. It has analog input and also built-in preamp, which I like in DACs.

[Kimo]

2 hours ago, matthias said:

 

I mean it would be worth to explore if Statement plus Telemann outperforms Zenith 3 plus Phoenix plus Satie. According to Source First the former combo should be superior.

 

Matt

 

Telemann has already left the building.  I did get a chance to compare, however.  Telemann and Satie have different characters.  Telemann is very lively and bold.  Satie is even keeled, digs in a more, and has less sheen. 

[Kimo]

1 hour ago, mevdinc said:

I'm also looking to upgrade my DAC soon and looking for alternatives.
Linnenberg Satie looks good on paper, hope to read a few reviews before considering more seriously. It has analog input and also built-in preamp, which I like in DACs.

 

I will provide details, as the new unit burns in.  I have heard both Telemann and Satie into Wydor.  They do have different presentations, but both are very clean.

[matthias]

4 minutes ago, Kimo said:

 

Telemann has already left the building.  I did get a chance to compare, however.  Telemann and Satie have different characters.  Telemann is very lively and bold.  Satie is even keeled, digs in a more, and has less sheen. 

 

IIUC, you compared DACs directly, but not the combos directly, right?

So you do not know which combo sounds best.

 

Matt

[Kimo]

52 minutes ago, matthias said:

 

IIUC, you compared DACs directly, but not the combos directly, right?

So you do not know which combo sounds best.

 

Matt

 

Both with Zenith Mk ii, Wydor, Alta.

 

Neither with the Statement.  Statement is probably beyond my price point anyway.

[matthias]

3 minutes ago, Kimo said:

 

Both with Zenith Mk ii, Wydor, Alta.

 

Neither with the Statement.  Statement is probably beyond my price point anyway.

 

Yes, Statement is expensive, bit if you take upgrade to Z3 and upgrade to Satie into account and add the  price for Phoenix it should be roughly the same.

 

Matt

[ThenewGearPPK]

The jitter numbers look incredibly good.

 

How much was it?

 

[Kimo]

11 hours ago, ThenewGearPPK said:

The jitter numbers look incredibly good.

 

How much was it?

 

 

Retail around 10K.  

[RickyV]

34 minutes ago, Kimo said:

 

Retail around 10K.  

 

Isn't that a bit expensive for a of the shelf DAC chip DAC.

[Kimo]

2 hours ago, RickyV said:

 

Isn't that a bit expensive for a of the shelf DAC chip DAC.

 

It is, but it is also serves as a balanced preamp with a very nice analog volume control.  It is hand made by the owner, to my understanding, and imported from Germany, so that adds to the cost, as well.

 

I have the matching amp, so hopefully I will be getting maximum bang for the buck.

[Air]

That mine friend has Style!

 

Looks Great!

 

Hows it sound

[Kimo]

23 hours ago, Air said:

That mine friend has Style!

 

Looks Great!

 

Hows it sound

 

Still burning in, but I am a little stunned.

 

Precise placement with instrument spacing, both front to back and side to side.  Lock solid on imaging.  Neither forward, nor recessed with excellent depth. Low noise floor is obvious.  No hardness, no hash.  No gloss. Plenty of color, yet very clean with great detail.

 

I am pretty amazed at this point.  Sounds better than I can recall, but then again I previously heard a very early unit.