Ekos Alternatives for LP12

I have the Audio Origami PU7 on my LP12.
Very nice combination. It isnt too heavy,so suits the Linn well.

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Nick - I know of at least 2 dealers who can demonstrate the Vertere arms on a Linn. Haven’t heard myself but worth a listen I’d suggest.

Yes, Cymbiosis have adapted and reconfigured an Audio Origami (I think) armlift, which they call The Lifter, and can be fitted to an LP12 with the Keel/A subchassis. I discussed this on a recent thread with Peter Swain of Cymbiosis - you should be able to find it using the Search facility here. Apparently it requires the hollowing out of a ‘dimple’ (or whatever it’s called) on the armboard section of the Keel/A.

I shall be asking Audio T in Brighton to get one in to be fitted to my LP12 as soon as I escape my current loony bin.

I don’t know how easily The Lifter could fit to any other armboard, but no doubt Cymbiosis will provide the gen.

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I thought it was Rega based…? Search is not helping me…

I really have no idea, Ian, and the Search facility isn’t working properly on my Mac, so I can’t check for previous posts.

I have had an exchange with Peter Swain about The Lifter on these boards within the last week or 10 bays. If you use ‘Audio T Brighton’ in your search, that may help you to track it down. Sorry that I can’t help further.

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It’s here:

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Thank you. Well Done… :grin:

It is Rega based…!!

Yes, well done and thank you. My memory is not what it was, sadly…

And my current alien environment is helping in any way. Effing place driving me mad, actually, but that’s another matter entirely.

Locking up not good for human beans.

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Profile update maybe :wink:

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There are lots of things that may be worth a listen, sadly, even if I only think about LP as a source.

Arms? Supertrac at £1500 (I am assuming my Ekos is worth just over half that).
AO PU7 - £2800-ish
Vertere SG-1 - £2300
RB3000 - £1200-ish
Aro - ???
Any more?

As with all these discussions, I am quite happy with what I am listening to now and I have changed lots already in the last year or two. However, if I come across a way of potentially hearing quite a bit more music for not much cash, I’ll always be interested. VFM?

My Krystal is over 5 years old - it’s ok so far, but probably won’t get through 2023. A new one is £1400 before trade-in, a Kendo is twice that (just more than a Kleos SL), and a Kandid is £3800 (which is a lot of £)

I have a Kore, but could swap to Keel (or TA Phoenix or Stack). Stack is cheap, but the others aren’t.

I have a standard (but not from the 80s) Linn top plate. A TA Karmen is £1400, and highly regarded by most, while a Stack Alto is £550 (but hard to hear)…

That makes me think spending a net £700 on changing my Ekos could be sensible if the upgrade is anything like as big as some suggest and we can sort out the lift-lower issue. A PU-7 or SG-1 would cost a lot more in net outlay.

At the moment, my best guess is that I will get a new Krystal and a Karmen (for the same cost as a Kendo or Kleos SL). Or I may jus get Kendo/ Kleos and keep my plate.

I also guess that I will keep my Kore, whether I not I change the arm for a sub-£1000 net cost. Even if the arm is good, it may still have less impact than a Kore-to-Keel switch, but then that costs a lot more to do.

I think all that means looking at this arm is not a daft misallocation of time and money - if it sounds markedly better than an Ekos 1 and if there is a lift-lower solution (probably adapting the Cymbiosis Lifer), it could be a good Buy.

However, if others who have been down this road think any of the above suggests concussion/ senility, I’ll be happy to listen to reasons.

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Never heard or tried an SME/LP12 but I’m pretty sure they were once regarded as not a good match in engineering terms

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I traded my Ekos/1 for SE/1 and got £800 for it iirc

To add to your list, Tiger Paw Javelin if you can find one?

It used to be that a little surgery was required on the corner brace to make a Rega arm fit (which is why some dealers were reluctant) is this still the case?

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Golden rule of hifi if you’re enjoying the music leave well alone!

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I know what you mean, but in that case I would have saved a lot of money - and my hi-fi now would be first one that I found so enjoyable that I didn’t notice the hi-fi apart from occasional vinyl noises.

That would be: -
LP12, Valhalle, Cirkus, Basik+, K9
Marantz CD52 2SE
Naim 72 with MM boards
Naim Hicap
Naim 140 (or maybe the 250 that followed)
Heybrook HB1s (or maybe the Shaninian Compasses that replaced them)

It was an enjoyable system, but I listen to more music per week and to a wider range of music than I did, and the changed hi-fi is certainly part of the reason.

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Of course it’s not a rule I’ve ever adhered to!

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I think that a certain breed of ‘hip’ buyer considered Linn and Naim as the’ cool’ newcomers, while older marques exemplified by previously highly regarded names such as QUAD and SME were ignored.

But I don’t think that SME arms and LP12 turntables are incompatible per se. Linn certainly used to sell their wooden armbands (remember them?) pre-cut for SME arms.

I believe that the LP12 exhibited in the National Museum of Scotland used to have an SME arm fitted. That may have changed to incorporate either a Japanese-built or a Scottish-built Linn arm more recently.

And I recall that the first ever review of the LP12 in Gramophone in the mid-1970s (in the days when it was still a publication of record) also featured an SME arm.

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I will believe you on both points. On the other hand, there was no Ekos or Ittok in the mid 70s. I also seem to recall that early Lin arms came from Japan, while SME really don’t. Might that explain what you saw?

I take your point about some bearded flat-earthists in the 80s, though I doubt many here today are much biased by what is hip/ cool.

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Hey I’m still a proud flat earther and I dont have a beard either! :wink:

Reminds me of a HiFi Show in Brighton many moons back. I went into a demonstrators room ( wont say who), the guy pounced on me, 'ere ave a listen to this!..whatdya think of the speakers…erm not sure I’m not familar with the music I repiled…go on choose a record he said…No,no not that one!..How about this! 10CC you know why there called 10CC right?..whatdya think of the speakers? I sat rather non plussed and unmoved by the “great speakers”, so whats your system then?..Linn, Naim I shrugged…Oh! So your one of those f*ckin flat earthers then! And feigned spitting at my feet :rofl:

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It’s an unusual sales technique, but not too different from what many report when they own up to the shame of not having the salesman’s magic ears.

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Linn’s arm of choice was the Grace G707, I think…?

s-l500

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