News

Linn Focuses on Linn DS Digital Music Streaming Systems and Announces Exit from CD Player Market (20/11/2009)

Linn Products Limited, manufacturer of specialist home entertainment systems, has taken the dramatic decision to cease production of its range of CD players from the start of 2010 to focus on digital music streaming systems.

As the first manufacturer to make this landmark move, Linn’s exit from the CD player market is testament to the supremacy of digital streaming technology, the emergence of the networked home and the growing customer demand for higher quality audio performance. In 2009 Linn cemented its position as the market leader in this arena as sales of Linn’s DS range of digital music streamers dramatically surpassed those of its CD players.

With Linn DS, specialist dealers have an unparalleled opportunity to differentiate and grow their business by appealing to a new generation of music lover with an innovative proposition that delivers higher performance with more flexibility, convenience and value for money. Linn DS players operate on a standard network infrastructure and are developed with a completely open programming system for seamless operation and integration with a potentially unlimited number of control devices and home automation systems.

Gilad Tiefenbrun, Managing Director of Linn Products Limited, comments: “Our customers have fast recognised the limitations of CD players and in the age of home networking, people now want better control of their music and the ability to enjoy it in any room of their home.”

He continues: “Having spent the past two years significantly developing Linn DS and listening to feedback from our customers, we have every confidence in our decision to discontinue the manufacture of CD players. A specialist proposition must offer customers the highest available performance and optimum value, and the breakthrough level of performance achieved with Linn DS along with its many other advantages makes it clear that CD players no longer belong in the specialist domain.

CDs still have a role to play in peoples’ lives but we recommend that customers now listen to them through a Linn DS player to benefit from higher performance playback and improved music management.“

Linn’s record label has seen a dramatic uptake in Studio Master Quality downloads, which account for over 70% of all download sales, and will continue to produce and sell CDs and SACDs for those who prefer printed media.

With a heritage steeped in industry firsts, Linn has a proven track record in delivering precision engineered specialist systems that bring listeners closer to the artist’s original performance. Amongst many other audio industry landmarks in its 37 year history, Linn is famous for creating the Sondek CD12 - widely acknowledged as the best sounding CD player in the world. More recently the company became the first to introduce Studio Master Quality downloads and is now recognised as market leader in specialist digital stream players.

www.linn.co.uk