MinimServer and Linn Kazoo

[Martin H]

Kazoo has definitely improved from its launch state but TBH it really was more like a beta product when launched and so it probably isn't saying a lot. Today it controls the DS and if all you are after are the basics then it will be fine, especially if you use minimserver with it. The search feature works really nicely with minimserver which is very useful. The Tidal integration has worked well and is a good omen for the future I guess.

However, for the control point for a £50k system (exakt) it is simply 'too' basic and requires you to work things out. The former makes it frustrating for a regular user and the latter makes it difficult to pass to a visitor or occasional user - trust me I have tried . . . . It's difficult to balance the comments but it's not the disaster it was on day one but is this really fit for purpose for such high end kit? I think not. Kazoo, even now doesn't do things that Kinsky did. Surely the first objective should be to match the features of the base product they have withdrawn support for but I was informed that "none of them can reasonably be deemed essential to the operation or intuitive use of the system". 'Let them eat cake' comes to mind.

Listening to music in this day and age really shouldn't be anything but easy. By now Linn should be offering an immersive experience and yet there is no sign of this. Five years ago I could on free software; listen to my music, see lyrics displayed as it played, see information on the album and the artists, have gigs flagged and so on. But with Linn I should be thankful it plays when I ask apparently and accept the fact that I need to reset the hardware every now and then. As you can tell this is becoming an increasingly raw nerve for me and approaching Linn to 'share' was frankly a waste of time.

Kinsky did eventually become a reasonable and stable product and I assume eventually Kazoo will do the same. I am far less sure that I will be using Linn kit by then.

Thankfully minimserver/Simon has a customer centric approach to development and long may it continue.