Not at all it’s blown way out of proportion and greatly panic exaggerated the differences are minuscule and almost noticed by accident.
Ridiculous it’s no different to any other ongoing product development 
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At this stage to significantly better the Kandid I think you’d need to go to an Ekstatik or an AT-ART1000 (what I chose).
The Kleos is very close, though the SL marginally outdoes the Kandid IMO.
Darren at Class A advised me to turn the bias on my Ittok from zero to max a few times to stop it seizing up. This only works if not already seized.
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Done…! Still floats nicely… 
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It was never the bias that seized it was the stylus pressure dial.
Worth a six monthly or annual spin to lube. 
Trade in value for a new Kandid = £960
New Kandid = £4175 - trade-in value = £3217
You’d need to pay the full wack price for a Lyra
I exchanged my original Kandid for a new Kandid after 5 years of use, the difference was a considerable improvement, and my original Kandid was still fairly clean.
The only caveat here is my LP12 had the Karousel Bearing Kit same time as Kandid replacement… but no complaints about the performance after, even running-in it sounded marvellous 
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Having nothing better to do this evening, nothing on the TV worth watching, I thought I would have go with AI.
"Linn tonearms, particularly their older models, have been noted for certain issues with their anti-skating mechanisms. This issue often stems from the use of a simple bias mechanism that can be less consistent compared to more modern designs.
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Inconsistency: The anti-skating force in Linn tonearms may not be as precise or consistent as some audiophiles would prefer. This can result in uneven wear on records and styli, as well as potentially affecting sound quality.
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Design Simplicity: Linn’s approach, especially in their older models, was relatively straightforward, which sometimes meant that the anti-skating force didn’t track perfectly with the arm’s position across the record. More advanced tonearms use more sophisticated mechanisms that adjust the force more accurately.
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User Adjustment: Adjusting the anti-skating on Linn tonearms can be less intuitive compared to other brands. This can lead to improper settings if not done carefully, impacting performance.
Despite these points, Linn tonearms are still highly regarded for their overall build quality and sound performance. Many users find that with careful setup and maintenance, these issues can be mitigated.
For audiophiles particularly sensitive to the nuances of anti-skating, there are aftermarket modifications and adjustments that can improve the performance of Linn tonearms. Additionally, newer Linn models have seen improvements in this area, addressing some of the criticisms of earlier designs."
"Linn has produced several tonearms over the years, and while some of their older models had more simplistic anti-skating mechanisms, their more recent designs have incorporated improvements to address these issues. Here are some Linn tonearms known for having better-designed anti-skating mechanisms:
Linn Ekos SE
- Features: The Ekos SE is one of Linn’s high-end tonearms, designed with precise engineering and superior materials.
- Anti-Skating: It includes a sophisticated anti-skating mechanism that offers more consistent performance across the record. This model is highly regarded for its overall stability and precision.
Linn Akito (newer versions)
- Features: The Akito has gone through several iterations, with newer models incorporating significant improvements.
- Anti-Skating: Recent versions of the Akito tonearm have a more refined anti-skating mechanism, which addresses the inconsistencies seen in older designs. The adjustments are more intuitive and provide better performance.
Linn Krane
- Features: The Krane is a relatively newer addition to Linn’s lineup and is designed to offer high performance at a more accessible price point.
- Anti-Skating: This tonearm includes modern design principles and materials, resulting in a more reliable anti-skating mechanism compared to older Linn tonearms.
Linn Ittok LVIII (later versions)
- Features: The Ittok series has been popular among Linn enthusiasts for its robust design and sound quality.
- Anti-Skating: Later versions of the Ittok LVIII tonearm saw improvements in the anti-skating mechanism, making it more reliable and consistent than earlier models.
General Improvements in Modern Linn Tonearms
- Precision Engineering: Newer models benefit from advances in materials and engineering, leading to more precise and consistent anti-skating mechanisms.
- User Adjustability: Improved designs often feature easier and more accurate adjustments, allowing users to fine-tune the anti-skating force with greater confidence.
When choosing a Linn tonearm, opting for the latest models or those explicitly mentioned for their enhanced anti-skating mechanisms will help ensure better performance and reliability. If you’re considering older models, it might be worth checking if they have been serviced or upgraded to address any potential issues."
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The numbers on the dial are only a guide.
Check how the stylus lands on the lead- in groove, if it slides onwards increase the bias, if it slides outwards or appears reluctant to drop in the lean-in reduce the bias.
Play some music and see how the stereo image seems. It should sort of snap into focus, bass lines should be more tuneful too. Make sure the last track on a side sounds good too.
Set the tracking force first though preferably with a gauge initially and do the listening tests. Then move to the bias settings.
You can then get feel of what each control does and it’s effect on the music and fine tune until it is perfect as you can get.
If I was the OP I’d be worried about the mis-tracking on the weak side of the bias. 
On Ekos and Ittok arms and early Ekos SE models, rotation of the antiskating knob acts on a spring extended by a rubber band, which can weaken its tensioning effect with age.
This reduces the lateral restoring force. Simply replace the rubber band to restore the balance of the graduations on the thumbwheel.
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There is no rubber band it’s a non elastic man made fibre that does not stretch or shrink type fixing.
Any other material would perish and be inconsistent.
At first, when the buckle is new and made of synthetic materials, it’s rigid; over time, the fiber changes its length, as a belt can do. I had new Ittok and Ekos, Ittok the buckle remained rigid, Ekos the buckle became a few millimeters longer after two decades. On an Ekos SE like mine, Linn did away with the buckle and kept only the spring, which means fewer intermediaries, simpler and stronger. Another thought: the intermediate ring in the counterweight that grips the rear tube of the arm. After ten years, I replaced this part with a new ring, which is interesting for music.
An 0 ring on a counterweight I’ve seen being replaced but only on very old arms.
The rest of what you speak about buckles and anything changing size up to 4mm beats me.
There is no rubber band only a spring.
4mm is huge in these situations.
Well, last time for my Ekos SE, at the beginning of 2020 just before the brexit, I bought a SE counterweight ring from Cymbiosis, and I can confirm that this brand new joint has refreshed my listening. 24/29/ufa9.jpg - Visionneuse Zupimages
24/29/prws.jpg - Visionneuse Zupimages
Furthermore, the antiskating was weakening on my Ekos (1) arm at first hand, and I noticed a loosening between the spring and the secondary anchoring loop. An increase in the antiskating compensated for the balancing. Depending on your opinion of the complementary loop to the spring, which is different in my case, it’s possible that Linn has made modifications depending on the generation of the arms.
I can understand a new ring might bring improved performance but it makes me wonder what kind of very hard life it must have had or been damaged.
Looking at the picture if it’s yours it looks very rough indeed.
The counter-weight on my ittok remained squeaky tight all of its life.
Bias worked perfectly too since 1988.
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Likewise here never had to change any such spare parts these in proper use almost never get disturbed never mind gashes on the housing
I wonder what the always handled bits look like.
Same here. Since 1982 (*).
(* - 1981 LP12 bought; 1982 - Ittok (and 42/10) bought; 1983 Asak bought)
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I had no problems with my 1980 Ittok. With my 1988 Ekos? in 2005 I increased the polarization balance setting for Akiva( weight 1.75g) from 2.2g to 2.5g, because of the softened bias easily detectable when listening to monophonic vinyl.
On my 2009 Ekos SE arm, Linn has removed the loop in the return mechanism, compensated by a single extended spring.
This time, the 1.75g lateral force scale corresponds to the support force of my Kandid 1.75g. Curiously, in 2020 I replaced the SE counterweight ring, priced under £10 and on sale in the Cymbiosis online store; with a nice little detail for the price, the result was interesting.
The photo of the counterweight details in close-up some marks when the counterweight was out of the SE arm, a small animal rolled on the ground against a piece of furniture, the metal is soft, but without having been deformed without worries with the music.
The counterweight is Stainless Steel surely?