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Conclusion. With its musicbook range, Lindemann have hit the jack pot. Aside from exceptionally attractive looks and top-shelf fit and finish, both decks show brilliant real-world practicality, a mature concept and great sound. Here the musicbook:25 network player becomes the real star. Not only would its tech specs do a studio proud, the sprightly very cleanly rendered sound is competitive with noticeably costlier kit. Relative to bona fide audiophile ambition, the musicbook:25 was the hands-down best compact all-in-one deck I’ve yet hosted.


The musicbook:50 power amp had its own strengths. Its bass was unbelievably cracking and the entire bandwidth felt veritably unleashed. I’d rarely listened to a class D machine with this much get-up-and-go brio. Dynamics and speed were two real high points. For two hours straight I indulged in Verve label live-Jazz recordings to forget that I wasn’t actually at the concert. Really great. On the debit ledger some competitors will deliver a more expansive colour palette and more finesse in the treble if one looks hard enough. Ditto for more stable image precision aka coherence. Mind you, these were but slight tendencies or flavours to play to personal taste.


Psych profile for the Lindemann Audio musicbook:25 network player…
• Tonality was no issue and the entire audible bandwidth was beautifully resolved without exhibiting the slightest emphasis anywhere.
• Dynamics and energy transmission were strong points.
• Soundstaging was realistically broad, deep and cohesive.
• The analog volume control implemented with a resistor relay acted truly lossless to work flawlessly into low playback levels.
• On Redbook material wireless and wired cannot be told apart. With hi-rez material the hard-wired connection does win.
• A very mature GUI on the app connected to a display that’s brilliantly legible from the distance made for extraordinary user-friendliness.


Psych profile for the Lindemann Audio musicbook: 50 power amp…
• Solid power from modest energy consumption, multi-stage standby features and rechargeable remote control battery all sing the environmentally conscious song with extra chorus accompaniment.
• Bass was very articulate and exceptionally quick.
• Midband differentiation was typical for its price class.
• The treble was very present and illuminated but not sharp.
• Soundstage scale was pleasantly generous and precise at mid to high volumes but depending on recorded complexity and density, of variable width and depth.
• Two high points were dynamics and vitality which particularly with high-energy live music made for honest pleasure.


Facts.
musicbook:25
• Concept: Network player with preamp and CD player functions
• Digital inputs: 2 x Toslink, 2 x coax up to 24/192, Ethernet, WLAN
• Analog inputs:  2 x RCA
• Analog outputs: 1 x RCA, 1 x XLR, 1 x 6.3mm headfi
• Digital outputs: 1 x coax, 1 x Toslink
• Internet radio: vTuner
• Supported formats: MP3 up to 320kBit/s, WAV, FLAC, AIFF all up to 24/192, ALAC up to 24/96, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WMA
• Dimensions & weight: 280 x 220 x 65mm WxDxH, 3.5kg
• Power consumption: 200mW standy-by sleep mode, 4W standby, 30W max
• Warranty: 2 years


musicbook:50
• Concept : 2-channel power amp
• Inputs: RCA and XLR
• Power output: 80wpc into 8Ω
• Dimensions & weight: 280 x 220 x 65mm WxDxH, 3.1kg
• Power consumption: 450mw standby sleep mode, 2.5W mute, 10-20W typical, 200W max
• Other: Speaker outputs exclusively on bananas
• Warranty: 2 years
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Lindemann Audio website