Should I use a reciever with Majik140s?

Make sure you do not need any UPGRADES with LINN!! They should make their products right the 1st time and charge accordingly so you really know what you are actually spending for what you are getting. Don't fall into this trap. BTW I have a Linn Kudos tuner that I am happy with, but beware of the upgrade (sound card) game. How can you not " think " something is better when, after all, you just spent more money on it? Maybe next year when the new and improved upgrade is out? Good luck. polk432

I don't want to discourage you from getting the speakers first if you really like them. I put together my system with the speakers first simply because that's the order in which the products I wanted came up on the used market. However, the 140's are a good speaker if you like the Linn sound. If you mate them with a not so good front end and amp, then you certainly won't be getting the sound quality you paid for in the speaker. If you do get a lesser quality front end and amp and only keep it a short time, then it's okay. But if you plan on keeping the stuff for years before upgrading, then you're wasting your investment in the speakers. That's why I suggested the Majik amp if you start with the 140's. It's inexpensive used since its now discontinued (about $500 on Audiogon). It's a good match for the speakers, and you can upgrade to Aktiv with power amps and crossover cards, while still using it as a pre-amp. It's a better investment for the speakers if you don't have a lot of cash flow after buying the speakers and need to keep the amp for a longer period of time. Another thing to consider is that the 140's are a new product, so you'll pay full price. If you start with the front end, you can catch the speakers next year at a discount once they start to hit the second hand market.

Thanks for the response Mark. It's something I'm going to have to consider, what should come first, the input or the speakers.

Whether it is a waste of the speakers will depend on what you get. I think that what Linn would recommend, and I certainly don't speak for them, is that you invest in the front end and work your way downstream, rather than start with the speakers.

However, if you are hell bent on getting the 140's, then look for a used Majik integrated amp. That's the old Majik amp, not the newer series. They're dirt cheap used, as far as Linn prices go, and would be an excellent match. It's a bit underpowered at 33 watts, but it can be used as a pre-amp only if you later want to add power amps as you build your system.