Linn has announced the launch of its first-ever in-house designed loudspeaker drive units, now available in the company’s flagship 360 loudspeaker.
Developed from first principles over three years, the new 6in upper bass and 8in woofer units are built around Linn’s proprietary Pistonik motor system, delivering “ultimate linearity” across a wide excursion range, with significantly lower distortion and improved accuracy, says the company.
When designing the 360 loudspeaker, Linn sets out to reduce distortion to unprecedented levels. Technologies including Adaptive Bias Control, Power DAC and the Exakt phase-linear digital crossover, combined with a heavily engineered cabinet design, already contribute to the system’s wide dispersion and low distortion characteristics. However, the use of off-the-shelf lower-frequency drive units remains a limiting factor, says the company.
To address this, Linn spends three years developing its own drive units from the ground up. At the core of the new design is the Pistonik motor system, engineered to deliver consistent force throughout the driver’s full range of movement, even under demanding, bass-heavy conditions. This is achieved through a long-stroke motor topology and extended magnet gap.
According to Linn, the Pistonik system is designed to eliminate magnetic, mechanical and thermal factors that can compromise linearity. When integrated into the 360 loudspeaker, the drivers are capable of moving large volumes of air with high levels of control, supporting what the company describes as the widest truly linear excursion of any low-frequency drive units.
The design incorporates permanent magnetic saturation within the motor assembly to stabilise the magnetic field and reduce eddy currents. Linn says this approach lowers distortion and improves responsiveness by reducing magnetic drag and amplifier demand.
A triple-layered ventilation system is also employed to minimise acoustic compression and eliminate air turbulence within the motor structure. Thermal performance is addressed through carefully designed airflow paths, allowing heat to dissipate efficiently and maintain consistent performance during extended listening sessions.
The drive units are paired with a bespoke suspension system, developed using advanced multi-physics simulation. This enables controlled performance up to maximum excursion, with the suspension stiffening predictably at extreme limits, ensuring stability and linearity.
Each driver features a rigid yet lightweight aluminium diaphragm, designed to push break-up behaviour beyond the operating range while maintaining efficiency. Linn also applies its Exakt technology to each individual unit, using laser measurement during production to create a tailored performance profile. The company says this allows each drive unit to perform within 0.0625dB of the reference.
From today, the new drive units are standard in all newly built 360 loudspeakers and are also available as an upgrade for existing systems. The upgrade takes a maximum of two hours and can be carried out in the customer’s home, says the company.
To coincide with the launch, Linn introduces a new real wood walnut veneer finish for the 360 loudspeaker, joining the Classic Collection with a choice of anodised black or silver machined aluminium trim.
Pricing details
Drive Unit Upgrade for 360 £16,500
360 Exakt Integrated Loudspeakers £99,500
360 Passive with Active Bass (PWAB) Loudspeakers £67,000
