Linn Klimax System Hub

The Klimax System Hub is Linn's reference streaming source for a fully active Exakt system — the component that sits at the centre of the most resolving digital music architecture currently available, managing every source, every network connection, and every analogue input, then passing the signal downstream via Exakt Link to loudspeakers or Exaktboxes where the Organik DAC performs conversion as close to the drive unit as physics permits. At £17,500, it occupies the same machined aluminium enclosure as the Klimax DSM and shares the same Utopik power supply, the same ADC, and the same connectivity suite — but its primary output architecture is fundamentally different, and that difference defines its purpose entirely.

The Klimax System Hub does not contain a full-output DAC in the conventional sense. That is not an omission. It is the correct engineering decision for a system where the DAC already exists — inside the Klimax 350 loudspeaker, inside the Linn 360, or inside an Organik-equipped Exaktbox — and where adding a second DAC at the source would introduce an unnecessary conversion stage into a signal chain whose entire purpose is to minimise such interventions. The Klimax System Hub is the product that makes sense when the DAC is downstream, when Exakt Link is the primary output, and when the goal is to deliver the digital signal to that downstream DAC with the least possible interference and the greatest possible precision.

The Architecture of an Exakt System

The distinction between the Klimax System Hub and the Klimax DSM is architectural, not hierarchical. Both are Klimax-tier products. Both are built to the same standard. The difference lies in where the DAC conversion happens.

In a conventional high-end streaming system — even a very capable one — the signal path runs: source → DAC → preamplifier → power amplifier → passive crossover → drive unit. Each stage introduces something: noise, distortion, phase error, insertion loss. The passive crossover in particular — the network of capacitors and inductors inside the loudspeaker cabinet — introduces phase shift at and around the crossover frequency that cannot be engineered away. It is a physical consequence of passive component behaviour, and it is present in every passive loudspeaker system, regardless of how much was spent on the rest of the signal chain.

Linn's Exakt architecture removes the passive crossover entirely. The signal travels from the Klimax System Hub via Exakt Link — a lossless digital connection — to the loudspeaker or Exaktbox, where a digital crossover applies mathematically precise frequency division, time alignment, and driver-specific correction before conversion by the Organik DAC immediately before the amplifier stage. The result is a system in which the crossover is not a physical component subject to tolerances and phase rotation, but a mathematical operation applied in the digital domain with complete precision. The DAC then converts the processed signal at the point where it is needed — in the loudspeaker, as close to the driver as the design permits — rather than at the hub, where the converted analogue signal would have to travel through an interconnect to an amplifier and through a passive crossover before reaching the driver.

The Utopik Power Supply

The Klimax System Hub is powered by Linn's Utopik supply — the Valley Switching power supply with Power Factor Correction that Linn developed for the current Klimax range. Utopik delivers cleaner, more stable power than a conventional linear or switching supply, with lower noise and better rejection of mains-borne interference. The quality of the power supply is directly audible in a system of this resolution: noise that a lesser supply would inject into the signal chain is simply not present, and the benefit accumulates across every source, every input, and every Exakt output.

ADC and Analogue Source Integration

The Klimax System Hub includes the same enhanced low-distortion ADC as the current Klimax DSM — the most capable analogue-to-digital converter Linn has engineered for the LP12 or any other analogue source. A turntable connected to the Klimax System Hub via its analogue input receives ADC conversion at a standard that is genuinely competitive with any standalone ADC at this price level, before the digitised signal enters the Exakt chain and benefits from every stage of downstream processing.

For LP12 owners at Klimax level — running a Linn Klimax LP12 or a Linn LP12 Selekt Turntable — the ADC quality of the System Hub is a meaningful part of the system's overall performance ceiling, not a bottleneck to be worked around.

Connectivity

The Klimax System Hub provides the full Klimax connectivity suite: two Exakt Link outputs for Linn Exakt loudspeakers and Exaktboxes, balanced XLR and RCA analogue outputs for conventional amplification where required, HDMI with eARC for television audio integration, and a USB Type-B input for direct computer connection. Network connectivity covers Gigabit Ethernet via both RJ45 and SFP optical input, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 4.2.

Supported streaming services include Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify Connect, Deezer, and Roon Ready. Maximum digital resolution is 24-bit/384kHz, with DSD256 support. Space Optimisation is built in — Linn's mathematically derived room correction, applied at source before the signal leaves for the downstream components.

The precision-cut glass dial, customisable smart buttons, and high-resolution display are shared with the Klimax DSM. Each Klimax component is assembled and individually signed at Linn's factory in Glasgow.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The Klimax System Hub is for those building or completing a Klimax Exakt active system — specifically anyone running Linn 360 Active Loudspeakers, Klimax 350 speakers, or an Exaktbox with Organik DAC, where conversion is handled at the endpoint rather than at the hub. In that configuration, the Klimax System Hub is not merely the correct choice — it is the purpose-built component for that architecture, and the Klimax DSM's internal DAC would be redundant alongside it.

Those who need a full internal DAC for use with conventional passive speakers and separate amplification should consider the Klimax DSM instead. The choice between the two is determined entirely by what is downstream — and it is a conversation worth having properly before ordering. For extended bass management within a Klimax active system, the Linn Exaktbox Sub integrates seamlessly within the same Exakt framework.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

Choosing between the Klimax System Hub and the Klimax DSM is a system-level decision that depends entirely on what is downstream of the hub — we can demonstrate both configurations at our Norwich showroom and advise on the architecture that is correct for your specific system and listening goals.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.