My Lingo 2 was made in 2006 which was the final year of manufacture. Darran at Class A suggested about every 15 years for a service. Mine was still only 17 years old so I held off a while. I’ve had it back a few weeks now and there is definitely an improvement. Hard to pin it down exactly but more drive and engagement to the music are two things that come to mind. The Hi-Fi stuff is also a bit better, such as slightly more refined midrange.
I’m not sure everyone will experience the same benefits but I think it’s worth considering, especially at just over £100 including return shipping. I’ve also noticed that it spins up quicker than before and Darran said that this ‘can’ be a sign that a service is required but not always.
My Nait 50 and Lejonklou amps don’t have bags of power and I occasionally wondered if they were struggling a bit. I’m now suspecting it was the Lingo 2 cos I don’t get that feeling now.
Similarly, I always felt the Lingo 1 (serviced by Class A - now sold) had more drive and assumed it was just a shift in Linn voicing but now wonder if the L2 has always been operating slightly below its best since I bought it a couple of years ago.
I bought a pre-loved Lingo 1 in 2021. I contacted Linn (they were quick to reply) and they told me it was made in Aug’91 - so it was 30 years old.
I had it serviced by @Darran at Class A, due to it age. I also had the IEC inlet replaced as the original one had been literally hacked, to remove the filter, at some point - and Darran did not consider it safe, as it was.
I cannot say if the changes made a difference. In my mind, its age dictated it should be serviced.
So it was…
Julian Vereker looked at the design of the Lingo and said that that mains filter will have a disastrous effect on the sound quality…and very right he was.
"Date: March 10, 1999 02:28 AM
Author: julian vereker
Subject: filters
I have not delved into the whys, but when we were first forced to look
in detail at the EMC regs and the effects on our designs, we found
that the easy way to solve the mains borne interference was to use a
mains filter. However the effect on the sound quality was disasterous,
so we had to solve the problem at the source(s) inside the equipment.
A filter in one piece of equipment appears (electrically) across the
mains supply to the whole system.
As I have said before, the simple fact of plugging in a Lingo (or more
obviously) a CD12, one can clearly hear a degradation of the overall
musical performance - (not using either of those components).
In your system, one is discussing several choices which have obvious
contra-indications. The Lingo has the filter, the Valhalla is very
noisy, the Ekos is a gimbelled arm . . . (I have no home experience of
any of these products for at least ten years, but I do get to hear
them in the factory and at dealer’s)
I can understand that - I always felt they had different strengths and weaknesses, although this L2 servicing has made me question that. Unfortunately, I don’t have the serviced L1 anymore to compare - also with filter removed by Darran.
What Lingo model did you compare the L1 against? If L2, was it serviced?
Interesting - thanks. I will probably find some things still better in L1 then. For me L1 (without filter) was more old-skool foot-tapping Linn, and L2 was more modern tunedem Linn.
The Lingo 1 will typically output 90 volts at start up, when speed has stabilised this will drop to 60 volts.
The motor runs with far less vibration at the lower voltage. For comparison a Valhalla outputs a constant 85 volts.
Shame about the filter problem cos I think a lot of Olive Naimies would have really enjoyed the L1 when it came out. I prefer it to the Geddon to be honest.
