What Hi-Fi? Verdict
A startling departure from Linn, but a brilliantly realised one, too. This is a genuine alternative to a CD player
Pros
- +
Exceptional sound quality
- +
compact and easy to get to grips with
Cons
- -
Some price rivals are a shade more flexible
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
If you ever wanted proof that the digital music revolution is well under way, here it is: Linn, one of the most highly respected names in traditional hi-fi, has come up with its very own digital media player, the Sneaky Music DS.
In fact, the Sneaky is one of four Digital Stream (DS) players in the company's line-up. It's a flexible little beastie, and not just because it can be orientated vertically or horizontally.
Even if you switch to Linn's Komponent speakers and treat the Sneaky as a local hi-fi fed by 'plain' old Flac files from the AVA RS3, it retains a musical edge on rivals.
Downsides? The Linn isn't wi-fi enabled, so a multiroom installation is a little more convoluted (but hardly insurmountable).
Plus, it doesn't come with a control interface – although it can be controlled by any offboard UPnP third-party device, such as the HP iPAQ PDA that came supplied with our review sample. Otherwise, consider this a brilliantly accomplished music player.
