In order to benefit from all these features, the Lindemann app must first be installed on a smartphone or a tablet. It's available at Google Play for Android or at the App Store for iOS. For all users of a Google-free smartphone with Android, the web also offers sources with the APK file, which can be installed and used at one's own risk. After the easy installation the Limetree Network is ready to be accessed. However, I could make it work only after several attempts. But once the connection has been established, it's reliable and could only be thwarted by fluctuations in your personal W-Lan. But the software can't be blamed for this. The Lindemann app is pleasantly calm and, luckily, not too colorful and easy to use. The respective providers of streaming, internet radio or hard disk are quickly selected; for the services you can enter various search parameters, and thus narrow the results accordingly. This is really simple and intuitive to do and, in almost all cases, will lead to the desired results.

At my place, Qobuz and TIDAL are available as streaming providers for high-res material, and also Spotify in its basic version, so I can check out the functions extensively. One word about the supply: it's true that the providers promise us that we may confidently sell off our CD collection at the flea market since everything is available online. But this isn't quite true. Some of the—what I would call "side repertoire"—is not listed. A lot of notably older pop productions, often exist only in remastered versions, and sometimes you just want to have the original. But nine times out of ten you will have bought such things anyway and, as the case may be, they may be ripped onto hard disk; then network streaming will work for you. And the old LPs should be kept anyway; there are indeed quite a few gaps. But that's not our point here. Rather it's great fun to get inspired in your search by the app recommending similar artists and then simply take another road for a change. You will certainly discover new and unknown music here and there.

Unavailable in good time for a test, a new firmware version is out now, which enables one to address a CD drive via USB. This is very practical for those who want to continue using physical data carriers also in the future. After several attempts I was using the Lindemann Limetree Network as a streamer/converter. As a mere preamp it sometimes didn't deliver enough output level in my chain. On the other hand, the Lindemann is an excellent partner for connecting high-class active loudspeakers with adjustable input sensitivity. In the first round, just to get an idea of the Limetree Network's character, I was playing from hard disk without re-sampling, competing against a CD player through the Audioquest Beetle with the same material. In spite of its drier bass, the—in absolute terms—very good Audioquest had to admit defeat here.