Linn Karousel bearing announced

Hi-Fi Corner
1

Just came on to my Facebook feed. Anyone know any details. Looks like an upgrade for all LP12s from Cirkus?

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2

Damn :persevere: I’d heard hints something was in the offing. I wonder how much this is going to set me back? There are details on the website. I got to it via Twitter. Unless it’s mental money I can see that flying off the shelves!

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Blimey! Hopefully it will be worth that sort of money!

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Lower noise floor?
Cheaper than a Radikal - sign me up!

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Thanks all. £750 for a fundamental Linn part like this must be seen as being ‘relatively’ affordable. Karousel/Keel/Ekos will presumably have some synergy. It will be interesting if it changes the Linn as much as the Cirkus upgrade did all those years ago.

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9

I wonder if the Tiger Paw Tranquility will be compatible? Or if the new bearing will be better without the TPT? At that price, being such a fundamental item, I suspect they’ll struggle to keep up with early demand if feedback is positive.

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I never had my Tranquility fitted.

Think I’ll wait awhile!

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@stuart.ashen - apparently the price includes the bearing, a new sub-platter and new springs, so it’s not too bad.

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Oh no… here I go again… Keel isn’t a month old yet!

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Yep - would have to include both parts of the bearing so that’s the inner platter as well. I bought a cirkus kit years ago for £350 IIRC and it came with outer bearing and inner platter, oil, springs and grommets, 2 belts, glued steel sub chassis and an armboard all nicely laid out in a full size carton.

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14

It’s such a great marketing wheeze. I bet hardly any new LP12s are sold, but just think of the profit in selling a new bearing to all those thousands of existing owners. On the positive side I guess it has to be good that the performance can be elevated further for a relatively modest sum, modest in Linnland anyway.

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Well I was going to get a new bearing when I upgrade the cartridge, mine being an original Cirkus from the mid-90s. And only a couple of hundred pounds more than the existing Cirkus bearing, this doesn’t seem too bad. I’ll have to plan a day in Rearsby.

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Looks like a shoe-in at next fettling and cartridge replacement.

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I’d only be interested in the new bearing if my existing cirkus bearing is showing any wear next time it’s checked. Or possibly if they offered the bearing as a kit that included the Kore at a good price. Or just leave well alone as it sounds great as is.

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I imagine they are selling more now than 5 or 10 years ago, what with the resurgence of interest in vinyl.

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Well, I bought mine in 2016 so my Cirkus is only four years old. I will await the reaction but unless it really is a massive improvement I am happy with what I have. What I find interesting is that I wouldn’t buy a pre Cirkus Linn because of the bloom in bass. Cirkus really addressed this for me. Will the new bearing be so radical? (Pun intended).

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21

They’re spinning in their graves, at 33 1/3 rpm.

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I bought my Cirkus in back in 1997, so I can see myself investigating this…

Then again, I wonder if Linn would suggest upgrading Kore to Keel first, and then Cirkus to Karousel?

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23

If it costs a lot of money yes…hopefully your dealer is a little more considered in recommendations.

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Buy the lot!! Boost the flagging economy.

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