Introduction The Linn Classik Movie Di is the latest all-in-one movie system from Linn and the big brother to their compelling Classik Movie System. The Classik Di is essentially Linn’s high-end option for a home theater-in-a-box. Like the Classik Movie, the Di is an all-in-one entertainment solution, complete with CD playback, AM/FM tuner, multi-channel DVD, and multi-room distributed audio, for a price of $4,900. During my recent trips to the large electronics retailers, I have noticed more and more “Home Theater In a Box” systems crowding the shelves. These systems typically feature a 5.1 subwoofer/satellite system, packaged with a surround receiver containing a built-in DVD player. The difference between the majority of those systems and the Linn CMS Di is the emphasis Linn puts on sound quality. The Di sets itself apart from garden-variety electronics by providing time-tested audiophile sound in a physically tiny, aesthetically pleasing package. The CMS Di, at $4,900 in black or $4,950 in ...

Introduction Consumer acceptance of DVD-Audio and SACD has been slow despite the undisputed and enormous improvement in sound quality. While there is no doubt that the bitter format war between these two high-resolution formats is to blame, making matters worse is the apparent inability of the record companies to agree on a non-proprietary digital connection standard. This not only puts an additional, unwanted layer of digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversion in the signal path, but it creates further problems as well. Audio enthusiasts looking to add both these competing high-resolution formats to their systems have been limited by their home theater processors, which at best contain only one set of analog 5.1 inputs (Lexicon’s MC-8 is an exception). Initially, this forced consumers to make a near-impossible choice. After all, many of my favorite bands have released their music on one format or the other, but not both. Recently, however, a handful of manufacturers have designed hybrid players ...

Introduction There are few companies that are as synonymous with excellence in digital design as Meridian Audio, and perhaps no other company has etched its corporate fingerprint into the future of high-performance digital music and movies more deeply than Meridian. Powered by the vision of company founder and technical leader Bob Stuart, Meridian has pioneered MLP (Meridian Lossless Packing), the universally accepted technology used for DVD-Audio highest-performance audio playback. Even before the advent of MLP technology, Meridian has been creating innovative products, including digital speakers and modular components that actually live up to the company’s promises of future upgrades. The Meridian 598 is a single-chassis player that will read many different discs, including both DVD-Audio and DVD-Video discs, plus CDs that are dedicated to DTS surround sound music, standard 16-bit CDs and more. The 598 is Meridian’s answer to consumer demand for a more affordable version of their critically acclaimed reference transport player, the Meridian 800. The ...

Introduction With the Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) now firmly established as the most popular consumer electronics product in history, the economics of mass production have kicked in, with the result that an increasing number of players are available for absurd prices. I’ve already reviewed one of these players, the Sampo DVE-611, which is specifically notable for its ability to become a multi-standard, multi-region player, all for under $120. Some of the players that are around now are even cheaper, and you can pick one up for well under $100 – in fact, for close to half of that. The secret is manufacturing in the People’s Republic of China, where costs can be kept down. But are they any good? Some Chinese players have been of dubious quality, with unreliable hardware and buggy software. I took a look at the Toshiba SD-K610, with an unrealistic list price of $179.99. It is available new at national retailers ...

Introduction In the moderately recent days when Marantz was owned by Philips, the company released two high-end players that were intended to be direct equivalents of one anotherr: one was a Super-Audio CD player (SACD), and the other, the DV-12S1, was a DVD player capable not only of DVD-Video playback, but also replay of the latest high-resolution DVD-Audio (DVD-Audio) discs. With the Marantz equipment of this period, the higher the quality of the unit, the lower the model number, and the DV-12S1 is as low as the numbers get. The first thing you notice about the DV-12S1 is how heavy it is. The unit is big and solid, and has a large footprint – it’s nearly 16 inches deep and weighs 29 pounds. The unit itself has curved corners, in keeping with much of the Marantz gear, and elegantly complements their other equipment. The build quality overall is excellent. The rear panel includes an S-video output, ...