Template:FAQ:Space Optimisation (Linn Account) FAQ V3.2

The Linn Account and Space Optimisation

What should I do if I see an error message saying “Sorry, something went wrong”?

If you see this error message, please refresh the browser page. Once the browser page has refreshed:

1. click on your Linn account logo in the top right-hand corner,
2. click on Account Settings, and then
3. click on Start next to Send Activity.
   

This will record any further activity, until the browser page is next refreshed, for debugging purposes. Now attempt to recreate the issue that caused the error; if you are able to recreate the issue, please contact the Linn Service team, and our engineers will then be able to look into the issue with your recorded activity as reference.

Note that this issue may sometimes be related to an old Space Optimisation on your music system; turning off Space Optimisation in Linn Konfig and then refreshing the browser page in your Linn account may, in some cases, solve this issue.

How do I add my speakers to my music system?

Click on the Add Speakers button below the graphic of your music system; a dialog prompting you to provide the manufacturer and model of your speakers will appear.

Select the manufacturer and model of your speakers using the drop-down menus, then click on the Add button; if your speakers’ manufacturer or model does not appear in the drop-down menu, select Other. See §2.2 of the user guide for further information.

How do I add my subwoofer to my music system?

Subwoofers are currently unsupported within your Linn account; please use Linn Konfig to configure your music system.

How do I add my Exakt speakers to my music system?

Exakt speakers are currently unsupported within your Linn account; please use Linn Konfig to configure your music system.

How do I add my surround speakers to my music system?

Surround speakers are currently unsupported within your Linn account; please use Linn Konfig to configure your music system.

How is the new version of Space Optimisation different?

The new version of Space Optimisation uses highly sophisticated acoustic modelling to model the interactions between your speakers and room; this acoustic modelling is based on the finite-difference time-domain method. A simple two-dimensional analogy to this method of acoustic modelling is of a fishing net laid over a pond; each knot in the net defines a discrete measurement location, so that when a stone is thrown into the pond we can track the resulting ripple by measuring its height at each knot. The spatial discretisation employed by this method of acoustic modelling allows the new version of Space Optimisation to correctly consider the effects of: non-rectangular rooms; the placement of features like doors and windows; and the location and rotation of your speakers. Furthermore, the time-domain formulation of this method of acoustic modelling means that the new version of Space Optimisation is now able to reduce both the energy and decay time of any artificial distortions caused by the interactions between your speakers and room, resulting in both a flat frequency response and a uniform decay time. Finally, the new version of Space Optimisation has been designed to give a better balance of low- and mid-frequency energy.

Why does Space Optimisation not use a microphone measurement?

The aim of Space Optimisation is to remove the effects of your room, in order to uncover the unique acoustic characteristics of your speakers; after all, this is what you fell in love with when buying your speakers. In order to do this, Space Optimisation needs to understand both the interactions between your speakers and room and the unique acoustic characteristics of your speakers; the unique acoustic characteristics of your speakers are then subtracted from the interactions between your speakers and room, leaving only the effects of your room.

An acoustic measurement of the interactions between your speakers and room can have many sources of error which may affect the accuracy and repeat-ability of the measurement, including: the choice of measurement stimulus, such as MLS or a log chirp; external noise, such as traffic noise and vibration; quality and calibration of the microphone, which can introduce distortion; and the microphone location, which can be sensitive to within a few centimetres. The use of acoustic modelling removes these sources of error: the model can apply an ideal impulse as stimulus; the modelling domain is free from noise; the model can use an ideal microphone; and the listening location is well-defined. It can thus be seen that acoustic modelling has a clear advantage over acoustic measurement in understanding the interactions between your speaker and room.

The unique acoustic characteristics of your speakers depend on many factors, including: the shape and size of the drive units and ports; the constructive and destructive interference between the drive units, ports and any cabinet-edge diffraction sources; and the angle between the listening location and your speakers. Therefore, a simple on-axis anechoic measurement of your speakers is insufficient information; what is actually required is an anechoic measurement with your speakers in the exact same configuration as you have them in your home. While some manufacturers do publish anechoic measurements of their speakers, both on- and off-axis, it is extremely unlikely that they will have performed an anechoic measurement of your speakers in the exact same configuration as you have them in your home. The acoustic modelling of such a scenario is, however, straightforward; the model can simply turn your room into an anechoic chamber to obtain the unique acoustic characteristics of your speakers in the exact same configuration as you have them in your home. It can thus be seen that acoustic modelling once again has a clear advantage over acoustic measurement in understanding the unique acoustic characteristics of your speakers.

From the above, it is clear that acoustic modelling is the best approach to Space Optimisation.

How long should an optimisation take to calculate?

The calculation time of an optimisation will depend on your room and speakers, with large rooms containing multiple speakers taking longer to calculate than small rooms containing few speakers; optimisation calculations may take anywhere between four and twenty minutes, with a typical optimisation calculation taking around five minutes. See §1.2.3 of the user guide for further information.

The processing time is governed by the processing speed available on the Web services. The expected calculation times are:

Small room (up to 25m²) with small speaker (up to 3 drive units): Typically 4-5minutes

Medium room (25m² - 100m²) with medium speaker (up to 4 drive units): Typically 5-8minutes

Large room (More than 100m²) with a large speaker (4 or more drive units): Typically 8-20minute

Note that if your optimisation calculation takes longer than expected this may be due to an issue where messages from the cloud are failing to reach your browser; refreshing the browser page <f5> or SHFT<f5>, in your Linn account should solve this issue.

How do I apply an optimisation to my music system?

Any optimisation may be applied to your music system by clicking on the radio button next to its name, in the list of optimisations below the Optimisations heading under the Space tab; note that application of an optimisation does not require a recalculation. See §2.3.4 of the user guide] for further information.

How do I see what filters the optimisation is applying?

Bass and treble shelves are currently unsupported within your Linn account.