General Asylum: REVIEW: Linn Genki CD Player/Recorder by Keith

** This is only a 2-hour impression, not an indepth review. **

One box cd players with volume controls usually raise an eyebrow for minimalist audiophiles, and the Linn Genki adds to that growing list. Furthermore, this cd player is also one of the most affordable ones out of the bunch, especially when compared to the $3-6k behemoths from Wadia and Mark Levinson. It's cheaper than the Camelot Morganna and the Theta Miles (SE) too. And it's coming from the company that brought you the $20k Sondek this past year.

The new Linn Ikemi and Genki are the company's two new cd players just released a few months ago, replacing the older Karik and Mimik. They retain the same cute little Linn-boxy form, although the front panel now has a few more buttons for balance and volume control as well. The top of the machine feels a little cheap, feeling slightly flimsier than even the Arcam cdps. Interestingly, the Genki has a half-inch height plastic cd tray mechanism (with a terribly shallow ditch for the CD compared to my CAL Delta), while the Ikemi has a thin, solid-metal cd tray (like that of the Madrigal players). The back of the Genki has pairs of RCA (no balanced) outputs for both variable and fixed outs, a BNC digital out, additional remotes, and an IEC power connector. The Genki also came with a quite large system remote to control all Linn components, and their own set of Linn interconnects, which was used throughout the listening session.

Last year I heard the Mimik, reaching the conclusion that it had an ability to draw the listening into the music, but presented an overall quite laid-back, polite picture which placed a big "mellow" word on everything. I ended up prefering the Meridian 506 with which it was compared to, saying that the 506 had more punch, more rhythm, and created a more upbeat, exciting, pacy musical atmosphere. The new Linn cdps boasted of upgraded power supplies (trickle down technology from the Sondek), upgraded DACs, and other improvements which made me quite excited to hear it. However, I must say that I was more disappointed with the Linn today than I was with the Mimik. Most everything I played, ranging from Heifetz on Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, to Bill Evans, Sarah McLachlan, Midori, Natalie Merchant, and Keith Jarrett, all turned out to be quite boring and just... there. Moreover, things seemed to be best described as "veiled"... my preference is that the midrange sounds a lot more open, with more body and microdynamics in the notes, and more separation (sonically) in the notes. It really sounded like the Genki was having trouble resolving everything and presenting each part of the music in its own layer, and instead, mushed everything together to the point where you just felt like it was meant to be played as background music in some bedroom system. Most of the time I was using this cd player's volume range in the upper 70's and 80's (out of 100, I think), and this cdp really sounded strained. Why put a volume control on a cd player if it can't be really used as a linestage without feeling congested? I'd be inclined to think that a significant power source and output can be put in such a small little one-box cd player.

It did, however, have quite good silences; the backgrounds were very dark. However, it just did NOT swing; compared to some other cd players we've heard (my friend was with me), he said to me, "You know, this Genki sounds like we just went back from tubes to solid state... things are just not fun, not really coherently musical, and just boringly put there in front of you." I can't agree more... the only times we seemed to have liked the sound was when it was a simple, solo part; as soon as large orchestral or complicated bands came up, everything was congested. For this price, I'd expect more. And it does not sound like any other 24-bit DACs, like the Arcam, or the Morganna.

Maybe it's just not my cuppa tea. But whereas at least the Mimik had soothed me with music while lacking the open-ness, airyness, and sharper macro/microdynamics showing the initial attacks on notes which I love from other American cdps... the Genki wasn't even able to do that much.

REVIEW: Linn Genki CD Player/Recorder Review by Keith at Audio Asylum