Linn Majik Integrated Amplifier (c. 1999)
The Linn Majik Integrated Amplifier was Linn's budget-conscious entry into the integrated amp market, reviewed in July 1999 at $1,195 for the line-stage-only version and $1,345 with an internal phono stage. Linn, a company that "makes phono cartridges to speakers — and everything in between," positioned the Majik as offering "Linn sound on a budget." It was the second Linn product reviewed by SoundStage!, following the Mimik CD player, and the reviewer noted the Majik shared a distinct sonic signature with the rest of the Linn family — one that seemingly draws from the company's most successful product, the Sondek LP12 turntable.
The Majik is a compact, minimalist unit at just 11 pounds. The front panel has no knobs. It has a row of flat buttons, flush with the faceplate, that control input selection (via microprocessor), volume, mute, and the tape loop. A small LED readout shows input or volume information for only a few moments before a row of dashes (--) appears, though it can be set to stay on all the time. A headphone jack sits on the front panel. The included remote also controls other Linn components, including the various Linn CD players.
The rear panel has gold-plated RCA inputs, an IEC power-cord receptacle, and two sets of BFA (British Federation of Audio) speaker connectors. The BFA connectors are a quirk. They don't easily accept speaker cables terminated in spades, pins, or bananas, so you essentially have to re-terminate your cables with the supplied BFA plugs. The Majik also has Pre Out and Power In connections, so it can work as a standalone preamp or as a pure power amp with no switching or volume functions. Optional tuner and multi-room modules could be added to either version, and the phono-stage version ran $150 more than the line-stage-only model. Linn designed the Majik with ultra-short signal paths to preserve music signal integrity, and backed it with a five-year parts and labor warranty.
The reviewer described the sound as "refined, laid-back, smooth and eminently pleasant and involving." Its perspective sits further back than other integrated amps - ten rows back instead of two - though the performers stay well-rooted in their space. The Majik is tonally cool, even thin by some standards, yet it has an intrinsic friendliness and is poised and proper. It won't be mistaken for tube equipment, since there's no overt warmth or plumpness, but it has the tonal grace and purity Linn is known for, without any harsh, hard, or transistory sound. Clarity is exemplary without being exaggerated, and the Majik walks the line between overly resolving and not resolving enough exceedingly well. Tonal accuracy is exceptional, with individual instruments portrayed with a deft balance of attack and decay, body and overtone. The review noted the 33Wpc output is accurate for the price point: it can play loudly in a smallish room but won't bring the house down with sheer power. The reviewer used Merlin TSM-SE speakers, JPS Labs Ultra Conductor or DH Labs Silver Sonic cables, and a Panasonic SL-S321C portable CD player. An API Power Link power cord was preferred over the stock one for added body and blackness.
The review concluded the Majik does very well against competition in its price range and above. Production years, dimensions, and detailed measured specifications (frequency response, THD, S/N ratio) are not documented in available sources. Owner's manuals for the closely related "Majik-I" list specification categories including gain range, harmonic distortion, frequency response, power consumption, and mains voltage, but the actual values were not present in the research excerpts.
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