I had a Cirkus sub in my deck then upgraded to Kore is was night and day improvement and indeed made me even more keen to try a Keel later.
I did and bought it but in the law of diminishing returns I love the keel and the extra refinement and detail it brings but the Kore did about 70% of what the keel did so I reckon it’s a bargain all round.
Don’t go the third party roundabout as all the DNA and consistency disappears then it’s a mismatched frankendeck.
IMHO. 
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Hello,I agree that the upgrade from the cirkus chassis is worthwhile even from a purely engineering aspect, the joint between the tonearm and the cirkus sub chassis was via the armboard and 3 screws obviously which was not direct, the cirkus chassis is the full width of the armboard which the tonearm bolts attach directly to the sub chassis, in my opinion the biggest difference between the majik and kore is the material of the armboard, the majik is the traditional multi layer laminated and the kore is a bonded solid construction, which was the whole point of my original post not the upgrade from cirkus to kore but majik to kore.
As it should have been out of the box. Compared to other turntables in terms
of an engineering point of view having three screws into a flimsy armboard that also can bounce is to me a very strange solution. But maybe this was before stiffness became important.
It was considered OK, back in around 1973…
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Hello, all I can imagine is initially the original concept and configuration was to isolate the tonearm from platter and bearing vibration, as bearings and power supplies improved than this became less important and the more direct coupling improved sound quality, it’s a bit like the initial concept of the lingo was to move the electric components out of the plinth, now we have the lingo 4 which I appreciate has the dc motor but once again puts an awful lot of electronics back inside, who knows what’s next.
The wooden armboard and flimsy mounting to the sub chassis using 3 small self tapping screws seems hopelessly under-engineered. But it is necessary to introduce some compliance due to the resonant behaviour of the steel s/c. Also the older non- cirkus bearing was apparently not quiet enough to allow a more direct bearing to chassis connection.
The cirkus bearing is quieter and this allowed for a ‘tighter’ bearing to chassis fixing, but with the s/c still being steel (though now glued together rather than welded) some compliance was still needed at the s/c armboard interface - though now with longer screws and a ‘stiffer’ armboard than previously.
It would seem obvious that a stiffer and less resonant path from bearing to arm pillar is the way to go. That said it’s certainly not hard to get great results from a steel chassis LP12 so long as it’s properly set up and the accompanying system is well matched.
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My LP12/ Ekos/Troika had been idle for 20 years. It’s a 1982 model which I had modified to a Pink Linnk external power supply, top plate and motor.
Wind forwards to just before this Covid malarky I decided to return the Linn to stock and do a few upgrades. The second hand market for mint LP12 components is very healthy. I purchased a perfect (boxed) Kore for just £550 from a company called LP12bits along with a few other practically brand new items like a motor, top plate arm cable and circus bearing.
The point I’m making is that it’s possible to assemble all the components to for an upgrade through different channels.
Currently loving the revitalised Linn till the next upgrade bites me.
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Hello Guy at Lp12 bits are very good friends with my bank manager, and I totally agree he is not only a font of knowledge but also offers excellent service at good prices.
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I appreciate my punctuation and grammar isn’t the best so I apologise, I do hope that it is acceptable, regards.
I appreciate this discussion a lot as I am more or less making the same set of decisions - current Cirkus, Majik subchassic, Ittok III, Hercules, upgrading with Karousel, Lingo 2, and maybe Kore. I think I’ve decided to do the Kore simply because it feels like I might as well get on with it, even though it sounds like the least impactful of the three - I’m starting to take the attitude of “why wait” on audio upgrades - might as well enjoy the whole thing now rather than metering improvements out. Of course, requires a financial stretch. And then of course you’re left thinking about yet another upgrade (plinth?) 
Hello, yes I do understand your dilemma, I do agree with your insight and the path you have decided to take, I believe I have made a decision to stay with the majik sub chassis and the mk 3 ittok arm, I would like to fit a kore but object to drilling the hole for the arm rest even if it can later be blanked off, unfortunately the only other way would be to upgrade the arm at the same time, this puts it firmly outside of the available budget at this time, apparently the upgrade from majik to kore isn’t a huge improvement so my logical way forward would be arm first with majik the upgrade to kore later, this is to be used with a karousel and a re capped lingo 1, hope you agree with my my plan or any ideas, regards
Hi Neil, I don’t have the experience to comment – but the logic is sound! I am very curious to hear what the upgrade sounds like - I sure like what I have now, but everything I’ve done previously has been positive, so, well, here goes!
Hello, actually I had a rush of blood to the head last night and noticed an unused lingo 4 for sale on that well known site for a very reasonable price, after a bit of thought it was a no brainer my lingo 1 needed a service plus I had just ordered a new motor which I now no longer need plus after buying the lingo4 I popped the one on sale and it sold in 1 hour, so the damage to the bank account isn’t that bad, I was actually looking for that tonearm which will have to wait a while now, or will it?
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@Neil1956 just bagged my dealers exdem Lingo 4 for £995. So the deck will now be full akurate level on Saturday.
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Hi and well done that’s a far better price than I bagged, however I’m happy with what I managed to get if for, I’m after an ekos to replace the ittok 3 next, but no rush.
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Call from my lovely dealer - the fluted Honeynut plinth is in…couple of weeks and we’ll set a fitting date (including Kandid healthcheck). I am so looking forward to having flutes again!
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Final up grades to my LP12 (yes I know famous last words)
held a demo with @Cymbiosis earlier this year on Keel vs TA Phoenix to me and my fellow friends - the Keel was superior in every respect, and yes inc the invoice - but to me Keel is a final fit to deck
so plans for March of this year - move to TA Stiletto, Chord Signiture RCA to DIN and the big one moving from Akrute Rad 1 to Kilmax Rad 2
again having heard the musical difference and moreover the more detail, focus and soundstadge the Klimax Radikal offers it was going to happen
rest of the deck then as now Karasouel, Keel, Ekos SE, Urika, DV XX2 - should be one hell of a source into 252/300DR
will post once @Cymbiosis has fitted - I think then I have reached the end of my journey or a least at the last stop - CAN’T WAIT !!! 
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That’s more than a bit exciting …
Please share a picture, when you can?
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Definitely will.
I think the new fluted plinth is not as ‘slim’ as my old original, looking at pics, but still, it will bring back that old Sondek style that I love and that my beloved fruitbox deserves.
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Hi, and I went the other way in favour of just the plain oak plinth, the lingo4 came today, just waiting for the trampolin base to come in at the dealer then I to can arrange the build, I am looking forward to vinyl again, although the cdx hold its own. Regards
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