I tend to agree with you re Krystal , had it for about 6 months but eventually had to move on to the Kandid which is a cracker in my view
I’m reluctant to spend what I regard as very high end silly prices for a consumable component to be replaced every few years.
If £1000 - £1500 can be regarded as sensible money then carts like the 17DX offer a great value balance between higher end performance and cost. I think this represents a sweet spot after which diminishing returns really start to set in.
As Linn have demonstrated over the years, the cart is the least important component in the turntable, following the correct upgrade path and maximising everything prior to the cartridge enables even budget level carts to perform amazingly.
So, for me I would prefer to use an “affordable” (£1250 !) And buy more records
Now you’re taxing my memory to a point where it won’t go!
My recollection is that there was a significant price step on each change, and I certainly don’t think that it was a mere £50 or so. (That wouldn’t make sense in Dynavector’s range, to have two cartridges competing with each other at effectively the same price point,)
But I stand to be corrected.
Each to their own. I have the Kandid in both my sondeks ( Ekos SE and ARO) and does it for me. That’s my price limit for a cartridge
You misunderstand me Graham, its about a £50 difference currently (the last time I looked) between an XX2 II and a Karat 17DX.
My point being that if someone is interested in either its worth comparing both if possible.
The reason I was trying to clarify if you went to XX2 II from a 17D2 or 17D2 II is that the performance difference from an earlier D2 would be greater than from a 17D2 II.
Yes, the prices of the Karats have increased steadily but each new version significantly improved over its predecessors.
Earlier Karats could be criticised for sounding subjectively a little on the thin or lean side at times but this was outweighed in my view by the sheer musicality and fast, dynamic presentation, the good old fashioned PRaT.
Over the years improvements have ironed out those early criticisms and the DX is worlds away from those earlier versions. The new DX also benefits from a body machined from solid Brass rather than the cheaper plastic/resin moulding that went before.
One word of caution is that the Stylus design has almost no cantilever, its only a couple of mm, the stylus and cantilever are as one made from one piece of Diamond. This is apparently one of the reasons for its fast, and dynamic presentation. A lot of energy is transferred through the tone arm which the bearings in lesser quality arms cant cope with. This has never been an issue with my Ekos arms and shouldnt be, but worth bearing (sorry for the pun) in mind when considering a Karat or the views of any detractors.
Pear Audio (UK Distributor) supply Karat carts with damping washers that fit between cart srews and headshell, but again I’ve not found them to be neccesary with an Ekos and I doubt would be on other Linn or Naim arms.
Interestingly, Karat carts are often used with Well Tempered tone arms which dont have a bearing as such but a golf ball floating in a silicone fluid, but thats another story…
Of course! I wasnt trying to be critical of your choices or of the Kandid, hope it didnt come over that way
Not at all, Dread , all good
Well they do. When I was auditioning there was a £50 difference, however I see there have been price increases since and both carts are now £1399 (cheaper if exchanging from another DV)
It does make sense because as I said earlier they are both very different cartridges
Give thanks for that, cant stand the sight of blood, especially when its mine!
Ha ha good one
Hello, there, again, I’ve looked at the prices and you’re absolutely right, the two Dynavectors cost almost the same. (Which strikes me as odd, but they must have their reasons, l am sure.)
Thinking back, the other change that I made at the time was to switch from an Ittok tonearm to an ARO in my LP12. I can only assume that my listening at Grahams HiFi in Islington led me to prefer the XX2 to the Karat in the ARO. The XX2 certainly looks a heck of a lot better in the ARO than the gaudy gold Karat.
As I’ve said elsewhere on these pages, my short term memory is not what it was.
Anyway, onwards and upwards with the new Te Kaitora Rua, which I’m really looking forward to hearing once I’m home.
I too use a Kandid in my Aro. I bought it when it came with a ‘free’ Karousel, which helped justify the expense. I think it’s an astonishingly good cartridge, but I wonder how much longer Linn will keep it in the range.
Maybe your reply has crossed with my last one.
They both cost the same now, its not odd as they are both very different cartridges.
Surprised to see you appear to have traded up to a TKR without hearing it, you obviously have loyal faith in DV
Why do you say that, Clive? Is the Kandid not a good seller, or is there anything else that you have in mind? I suppose that Linn have made some changes to the range recently.
On a related point, who makes Linn cartridges these days? I know that the beautiful Troika was made by Goldring, but what of the current range. Are any made in dear old Glesca?
Yes it’s a beauty Clive
Well there is a huge price difference between the Kandid and their new premium one ( Ekstatik) so I would think maybe it will hang around for quite a while
Who knows though Clive
I’ve been slightly unwell recently, but I’ve recovered now.
So I have indulged in a spot of retail therapy, acquiring two long discontinued unused Nikon F2Titan cameras, the new Dynavector, quite a few LPs. and a pair of cherry Falcon LS3/5As for a new bedroom system. I’m pleased to report that the therapy is working.
Keep well, and continue enjoying your hobbies.
Ive also been rather unwell and currently not working as a result so you have my empathy and best wishes.
Great therapy is it available on the NHS? It should be!
I was thinking that the Kandid was still £3,210, which was very close to the new Kendo at £2,800. However, I notice that the price of the Kandid has now been lifted to £3,800 , which might justify its continuation. I would like to hear an Ekstatik though. Or maybe I wouldn’t.
Actually Clive I was about to mention that - my instinct was there would be a significant Kandid price increase so it fits more easily into the range.
I haven’t heard the Kendo, must ask my dealer who now has it, but my feeling would be it’s quite a way off the Kandid
But I might be totally off beam here