Напольная акустика — Linn Series 5 (530)

The 530 is the larger of the two Series 5 loudspeakers that Linn introduced in September 2015, with the compact 520 as its smaller sibling. Linn describes it as a customisable floorstanding speaker system with Exakt technology and Akurate-level electronics, which means the amplifiers, converters and crossover live inside each cabinet instead of in separate boxes. The speaker is built in Glasgow, and the UK price for the pair is GBP 11,590.

Key specs that matter

The layout is three-way, with three 100 W Chakra amplifier channels in every cabinet, one per drive section. The treble comes from a 19 mm silk dome tweeter with an anti-resonant chamber behind it. A 133 mm doped midrange with a two-layer sliced cone sits below, and the bass is handled by a pair of 165 mm units arranged as an Isobarik system. Linn quotes a frequency response from 40 Hz to beyond 22 kHz within 3 dB and a maximum level of 109 dB continuous. Internal volume is 30 litres, and each speaker measures 954 mm tall, 232 mm wide and 325 mm deep, with a weight of 30 kg. Mains voltage is selected automatically across 90 to 135 V and 180 to 265 V at 50 or 60 Hz.

Engineering and use context

Each drive unit receives its own digital crossover, volume control, digital-to-analogue converter and power amplifier, so the signal stays digital until the last stage before the driver. The electronics sit in a module suspension-mounted on the rear of each cabinet. Linn had to design custom drivers for the unusual tweeter and midrange arrangement, and the tweeter chamber works together with the familiar Linn skoop to widen dispersion. In the Isobarik section the two woofers face each other at the foot of the speaker and push air downwards through a tuned gap, while twin ports on the underside give the bass extra airflow. This lets a slim enclosure reach deeper than its size would normally allow. The cabinet is a braced, layered composite construction. Owners can dress it in Linn Fabrik coverings from designer collections, and Linn models each fabric in the Exakt filters so that the choice of cover does not alter the acoustic behaviour. A jewel-cut glass stand and top plate come in several finishes.

Pairing

With its amplifiers inside the cabinet, the 530 needs no external power amplifier and no speaker cable, only mains power and a digital connection. A single Exakt input and a single Exakt output on every cabinet mean the pair is fed from a Linn source with an Exakt Link output. Linn sold the 530 as a system with an Akurate Exakt DSM hub, and later packages used the Selekt DSM as the system hub.

Alternatives

Within Linn's floorstanding range the 150 is a three-way passive tower that can later be converted to Exakt operation.