Lindemann’s Musicbook family is designed to replace all or part of the various components in a hi-fi system. It comprises four items of equipment, including two power units, an all-in-one and a DAC streamer preamplifier. It is this last piece of equipment, of very high quality and impeccable finish, like all the other elements in this family, that interests us here: the Lindemann Musicbook Source 2.
Called the Lindemann Musicbook Source 2, it lives up to its name. In fact, this little box aims to be THE single, universal source for the installation. Note that, to be able to use the oldest sources, it can be fitted with an optional integrated CD player.
In its basic version, it already boasts a wealth of connections and particularly advanced functions. An unusual feature of this type of equipment is that the Musicbook Source 2 has a phono input. It thus establishes a real bridge between the oldest physical media and the dematerialised world. To stay in the world of analogue sources, two RCA ‘Line’ level inputs are also available.
An optical and a coaxial input are also available for digital sources. In addition, a USB-A port is dedicated to playing music files stored on portable media, in particular USB sticks. It can also handle a portable CD-ROM drive to act as a CD player. Finally, an Ethernet port on an RJ-45 socket or a Wi-Fi link will enable it to perform its function as a network player.
However, the quality of a DAC is essentially determined by the converters it uses. This is where the Source 2 breaks new ground. The digital streams applied to its inputs are converted to DSD 256 streams, whatever their original format. This resampling process, based on delta-sigma conversion, uses a special AK4137 processor. As a result, the resolution is 256 times higher than that of a conventional CD.
Digital/analogue conversion is handled by an AK4493 converter. A component with an established reputation for extremely low distortion. What’s more, in order to limit interaction between channels, each channel has its own converter. This architecture, known as double mono or monaural, prevents the appearance of crosstalk and thus preserves all the precision of the spatial definition of the sound message.
Finally, the analogue stages of the Source 2 have been further optimised compared with those of previous equipment offered by Lindemann. Based on high-quality components, they ensure that the finesse and purity of the sound signal are preserved thanks to their particularly low noise level and extremely low distortion rate. We noted that the Source 2 has a headphone output. It is designed to handle any headphones with an impedance of between 16 and 200 ohms. This headphone output gives the Source 2 a degree of autonomy, allowing you to benefit from its services without having to link it to other components.
A free Android and iOS compatible app is available. Simply install it on a smartphone or tablet to take full advantage of the Source 2’s capabilities. It also provides easy access to music streaming services such as Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Highresaudio and now Spotify Connect.
The set up
The Musicbook Source 2 is the preamplifier and converter-streamer in the Musicbook family. Unlike the Combo, you still need to add a power amp if you want to connect it to speakers, and why not simply with the third product in the Musicbook series: the Power 2. A true all-rounder, the Musicbook Source 2 can be easily integrated into a mid-range or high-end system thanks to its three analogue inputs.
For our part, we tried out all these configurations as well as a desktop DAC, listening to dematerialised music through headphones, either via the internal streamer (and therefore the proprietary application and Audirvana), or by plugging in a key via the USB 2.0 input, or simply by launching music from Qobuz on our iPhone via Bluetooth.
The sound of the LINDEMANN Musicbook Source 2
A top-of-the-range product from Lindemann, a manufacturer that had already convinced us with the quality of its small Network 2 streamer (VUmètre no. 44), the Musicbook Source 2 goes much further, not only in terms of modularity, but also in terms of sound. Based on an AKM AK4493 chip, this source takes advantage of the Japanese manufacturer’s conversion to produce a very fine, well-detailed sound.
Less clean than a Sabre conversion on an ESS chip, the AKM conversion is gentler, with a slightly less dynamic rendering than the more high-end ESS9038 PRO or AK4499, but with a very similar level of detail and timbres that are just as well respected. Combined with a streaming section that has also been very well worked on and high-frequency Femto clocks, the conversion is particularly convincing when combined with the internal streamer, although it also delivers very good results with a USB stick or even Bluetooth.
In preamp use, the addition of sources (a network player and a CD player) and a Rega Planar 3 turntable with MM cartridge demonstrates all the Musicbook Source 2’s qualities of neutrality and noise reduction. Only connectable to RCA via small terminals, it develops a sound devoid of impurity, which does not aim for too wide a soundstage, but brings the elements together in a very well controlled atmosphere.
As for the phono section, available exclusively for preamplifying moving-magnet cartridges, it’s more than worth the hundreds of euros that go into phono preamps. And what’s even more interesting, given that it has a pleasant knob on the top for adjusting the volume at will, the Musicbook particularly appealed to us as a desktop source.
Compared to a headphone amp costing several thousand euros, the Source 2 is almost as warm and creates a very fine sound and musical finesse, almost on a par with our stand-alone headphone amp, even though it is connected to XLR by Audioquest Pegasus interconnect cables, also costing several thousand euros!
Our conclusion
Highly modular, the Musicbook Source 2 is just waiting to be integrated into any system to deliver a consistently fine, neutral sound. Musical in its conversion, it is also very pure in the construction of its circuits and clocks. Whether used as a preamp, MM phono preamp or as a DAC and network player, it will always be able to create music devoid of affectation, rendered in beautiful timbres. Thanks to its 6.35 mm plug on the front and its rotary control, this top-of-the-range source from the German manufacturer will also delight headphone users with the quality of its amplification, powerful even with the most power-hungry headphones.
Author: Estève Fabry
Technical sheet: LINDEMANN Musicbook Source 2
- Origin: Germany
- Price : €3,990 (without CD) €4,390 (with CD)
- Dimensions : 280 x 220 x 63 mm
- Weight : 2.6 kg
- Resolution: 768 kHz/32 bits, DSD 512
- PCM resolution : 44.1 kHz up to 384 kHz, 24bit (WLAN up to 192 kHz)
- DSD resolution : DSD 64 and up to DSD 256 (WLAN up to DSD 128)
- Frequency response: 2 Hz to 200 kHz
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 121 dB
- Dynamic range: 125 dB
- Harmonic distortion : <0.001
- Codecs supported : WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, DSD
- Network connection : Ethernet on RJ-45, Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. USB-A port
- Wireless links : Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.2 A2DP
- Outputs: 1 x XLR balanced, 1 x RCA unbalanced
- Output impedance : 100 ohms, on XLR: and RCA
- Headphone output : 16 to 200 ohms
- Power consumption: 18 W max, 0.2 W standby
