Linn Klimax Twin Power Amplifier

The Klimax Twin is Linn's reference power amplifier — the component that sits at the absolute pinnacle of the Linn amplification range, and the standard against which every other amplifier in the Linn ecosystem is measured. At £9,390, it is built without compromise in power supply design, output stage architecture, or materials. In a Linn Exakt active system, the Klimax Twin represents the furthest point you can take amplifier performance within the Linn world, and the results are extraordinary.

It is a two-channel design, operating in stereo or — configured as a mono block — driving a single channel with the full resources of the chassis behind it. In mono block configuration, paired Klimax Twins are among the most capable amplifiers available for Exakt active use, providing each drive unit with a dedicated, reference-grade amplification stage of extraordinary dynamic authority and resolution.

The Klimax Design Philosophy

Linn has been refining power amplifier design for decades, and the Klimax Twin embodies the accumulated understanding of what matters at the absolute limit of performance. The power supply is not a shared compromise between two channels — it is a fully specified, high-current design built to handle the worst-case dynamic demands of any programme material without constraint. The output stage is built with components selected for linearity and consistency, and the chassis design prioritises mechanical stability and thermal management above all else.

In an Exakt active system, the amplifier connects directly to the drive unit with no passive crossover component between the Klimax Twin and the driver cone. What comes out of the amplifier is precisely what moves the driver. At this level, the differences between the Klimax Twin and lower-tier amplifiers are not subtle — they are immediately and consistently audible across every kind of programme material.

The Klimax Twin receives its signal from a Klimax DSM over the Linn Link digital connection. All signal processing — crossover filtering, time alignment, speaker-specific optimisation via Linn Space Optimisation — happens upstream in the DSM. The Twin's function is to convert that processed digital signal into the mechanical movement of a drive unit with the minimum possible degradation between input and output. It performs that function with unrivalled authority.

The sonic character of the Klimax Twin — to the extent it has one — is the absence of character. It does not add warmth, or air, or any of the colourations that are sometimes described approvingly in amplifier reviews. It amplifies the signal Linn's DSM sends it, faithfully and with complete authority. The result, in a well-configured Exakt active system, is music that sounds like music: detailed without being clinical, dynamic without compression, spacious without artificiality.

Klimax Twin in an Exakt Active System

In stereo configuration, the Klimax Twin drives both channels of a two-way active speaker — bass to one channel, treble to the other — or both channels of a passive speaker pair. In a three-way active stereo system, multiple Klimax Twins are needed to cover all six required channels.

For system configurations demanding more than two channels, the Klimax Twin's mono block capability — one chassis, one channel — allows each drive unit in a multi-way active system to have its own reference-grade amplifier stage. It is an extraordinarily capable and extraordinarily purposeful way to build a loudspeaker system, and in our experience the results justify it completely.

The Linn Klimax System Hub sits at the centre of the most ambitious Linn systems, and the Klimax Twin is the natural amplification partner for those configurations. For those building systems around the Linn 360 Active Loudspeaker, the 360's integrated amplification removes the need for separate Klimax Twins — but for active systems built around other Linn-compatible loudspeakers, the Klimax Twin remains the uncompromising amplification reference.

Technical Specifications

Verify full specification details at linn.co.uk. Dimensions and weight are approximate.

Who Is It For?

The Klimax Twin is for those building the finest Linn Exakt active system available, without compromise. It requires a Klimax DSM to drive it and is most often found in systems built around high-quality multi-way loudspeakers where the full dynamic and resolution capability of the amplifier can be exploited. It is not an entry point into the Linn world — it is the destination.

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.

A Klimax Twin system is a significant investment, and one that deserves proper guidance from a dealer with long, first-hand experience of the Linn range at its best. Come and hear what a fully configured Klimax Exakt active system sounds like at our Norwich showroom.

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.