Linn 360 Active Loudspeaker

The 360 is Linn's flagship speaker — a 4-way active floorstanding design at £55,000 per pair that represents the fullest expression of what Linn's engineering can achieve in a loudspeaker. It is not a passive speaker with an amplifier bolted on: the 360 was conceived from the outset as an active design, with Exakt digital crossover, Organik DAC technology, and Adaptive Bias Control amplification integrated as a unified system rather than assembled from separate components.

It is designed to work with the Linn Klimax DSM, and in that configuration — Klimax DSM feeding a pair of 360s via Exakt Link — there is no analogue signal path at any point from source to drive unit. It is one of the most complete expressions of that idea available at any price.

Four-Way Active Architecture

The 360 uses four drive units per cabinet: a 19 mm dome tweeter, a 64 mm carbon dome midrange, a 190 mm aluminium/magnesium upper bass cone, and two 220 mm long-throw lower bass cones. Each driver has its own dedicated amplification channel — all operating in Class A/B with Adaptive Bias Control — and each receives its own digitally filtered, time-aligned signal from the Exakt crossover.

Adaptive Bias Control is the same technology found in the Klimax Solo amplifiers. It monitors the output stage in real time and adjusts bias current dynamically, eliminating the crossover distortion inherent in conventional Class AB designs without the heat and power consumption of full Class A operation. In a 4-way active speaker, applied across all four amplification channels simultaneously, the effect on low-level detail and dynamic linearity is significant.

Power DAC for Bass

The two lower bass drivers are driven by Linn's Power DAC technology. Rather than following the conventional digital-to-analogue conversion path, Power DAC combines conversion and amplification in a single step — the digital signal drives the bass cones directly, without a separate amplification stage. This removes a conversion step from the bass signal chain and reduces the accumulated noise and distortion that multi-stage bass amplification introduces.

The practical result is bass that is tighter and better defined than the cabinet volume and driver size might suggest. The 360 does not trade bass quality for bass quantity.

Organik DAC and Exakt

The 360 Exakt Integrated variant incorporates Linn's Organik DAC — designed and manufactured in Glasgow without third-party converter chips — into the speaker itself. In conjunction with Exakt digital crossover, Space Optimisation, and the Klimax DSM source, every stage of signal processing from digital storage to physical driver movement is under Linn's control. There are no interfaces between system components where quality is lost.

Space Optimisation models the speaker's interaction with the room and corrects it mathematically. At this level of resolution, accurate room correction makes a more audible difference than it does at lower price points — the system is resolving enough that the room's contribution is clearly audible, and clearly addressed.

Cabinet and Finish

The 360's curvaceous cabinet uses 3D laminate construction, with the front baffle flowing continuously around the cabinet sides. The aluminium trim is machined from 5754-grade stock and incorporates concentric arcs that reference the Sondek LP12's record grooves. It is a cabinet that is designed to be looked at as well as listened to.

Two finish collections are available. The Glasgow Collection offers finishes that reference Scottish heritage — Clyde Built, Single Malt, and Linn Heritage — with textures that change character under different lighting. The Classic Collection offers Piano Black and Alpine White. Custom colours are also available.

The 360 is also available in a Passive variant with active bass — for those using separate amplification for the upper three drivers whilst retaining the Power DAC for bass.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The 360 is for the listener who wants the most complete realisation of what Linn's engineering can achieve, and who is prepared to commit to the system that realises it properly. It demands a Klimax DSM source and the Exakt Link connection — the 360 does not reach its potential when used as a passive speaker driven by conventional amplification. When the system is configured as intended, what it does with timing, low-level detail, and bass definition is not easily replicated elsewhere.

It is not a casual purchase at £55,000, and it should not be auditioned casually.

Buying from Martin's Hi-Fi

Martin's Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968, and the Linn range has been part of what we do for years. We are still family-run — Ted Martin's daughter Elizabeth runs the business today — and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

The 360 is a speaker that needs a proper demonstration in a controlled environment — we would ask anyone considering it to come and hear it in Norwich before making any decisions. The system context matters as much as the speaker itself, and we can demonstrate it in its correct configuration.

Reach them at dave@martinshifi.co.uk, chris@martinshifi.co.uk, info@martinshifi.co.uk, call on 01603 627010, or WhatsApp Dave or Chris directly on 07554 687137. You can read more about who we are and how we work on our Why Martin's page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY, open six days a week.

Contact: info@martinshifi.co.uk | 01603 627010 | WhatsApp: 07554 687137 | 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY