Show us your Sondek

Thanks for that, Bevo, it is a beautiful thing to behold. I’m intrigued by your having two plinths. Do you swap them round occasionally, as the fancy takes you? And are you sufficiently competent to do that yourself, or do you have a friendly dealer who helps?

(I confess that I’d be terrified at the thought of changing a plinth myself!)

No, I have an amazing Naim/Linn dealer here in Sydney whom I have been a customer of since around 1988. He is a god

This turntable started its life as a basic Linn Majik about 6 years ago from memory with the standard black Linn plinth and in those days the Majik had as standard a project arm and I think had the standard Linn MM cartridge . It was my second system TT .

My dealer found the ARO arm from customer who no longer interested in vinyl , it was a rare find here in Australia

So gradually over the years have built it up to an impeccable standard today. Still has the Kore so ARO Keel last bit to go, horrendously expensive as will have to source overseas, so we shall see

All good fun, I’m real happy with it as it stands

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Thank you for your speedy reply, Bevo.

Yes, a good dealer makes this hobby that we share so much easier, doesn’t it.

I have had an ARO on my lovely old LP12 for a long time now. I can’t imagine ever changing it, one of Naim’s best ever products.

If you can get your hands on a Keel/A, go for it - probably the biggest ever single upgrade that I made to my LP12. I bought one of Linn’s first ever production run.

Second hand Keel/As do come up for sale occasionally, so don’t give up! If I were you, I’d get in touch with TomTom Audio in St Albans, who specialise in top quality Naim second hand stuff (they have Julian Vereker’s prototype NAP500 on display in their shop). They are immensely helpful, and have been able to find things for me that I just couldn’t find elsewhere. (They found my lovely NAT 01 after it was suddenly discontinued by Naim years ago.)

If that produces nothing, the best course might be to contact Grahams in London, or Cymbiosis in Leicester, both of whom were instrumental in persuading Linn to make the ARO version of the Keel in the first place.

Bonne chance, mon ami!

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Yes Peter Swain at Cymbosios has some stock I do believe

We shall see

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Pretty sure Peter does Bevo as I was exchanging mails with him on this exact subject earlier this week when debating whether to go Kore - Keel or upgrade my Radikal Akurate. He’s in the US until 1st week October but picking up mails.

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And what do you think Johnners ?

Go Keel ?

"And what do you think Johnners ?

Go Keel ?"

Good question Bevo and I wasn’t sure which direction to take. It was Peter Swain who reminded me it’s the PSU first in the hierarchy of upgrades which should be attended to first. That and the cost were the deciding factors in upgrading my Akurate first.

:+1:

@Jonners
Hi
Just my 2p but I’d definitely go upgrade Radikal first.
The improvement in performance is remarkably more noticeable than when I went from Kore to Keel.
The new motor control and metal motor fixings are a major upgrade to the first generation motors with screws into the plastic " resin " housing.
Your in great hands. :+1:t2:
I might have replied to the wrong poster but the advice is the same.
Sorry for any confusion.

Now this is a great discussion Skeptikal

Power supply before Keel do you think ?

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In terms of PSU upgrades I went from Hercules to L4 to Radikal Akurate. I didn’t think the 1st of these was “all that” which may surprise some people reading this but going from L4 to Radikal was a game-changer, to my ears it was bigger than Karousel and Kore (which I did both together).
Peter said to me R2 or Keel would both be big but for him R2 “just pips the Keel” and it follows Linn’s own advice in where to focus first. Must say I am very excited…

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@Bevo
Hi
Yes definitely no question as I mentioned through my own upgrades I did Kore then later as I was so impressed with the value for money aspect I did indeed bite the bullet for a Keel.
There was an a interesting and enjoyable icing of the cake but I have to say the difference wasn’t any where as obvious as the Kore but the finesse of the Keel really sharpens up all the improvements.
As for Radikal I did have an Akurate one this was night and day above my old Lingo 1 and got rid of what I always thought was a rather Heath Robinson arrangement of the old AC motor.
I later upgraded to a Klimax Radikal and as was the case with the difference of Kore and Keel I found the same level of refinement.
The bigger story is now I’ve had my Klimax Radikal upgraded to MK II spec and it’s happened all over again and I was really delighted that the motor now has metal fixings for the top plate screws now instead of set screw threads into the motor body " composite"
I hope my findings help you make a decision and it’s always easy spending other peoples money but I think I’m a good judge of VFM and with the help of a super dealer like Peter " Cymbiosis " made all of this quite painless.
And bear in mind as my profile says my location is indeed as close as Linn’s Broom Kloset.
Hope this helps and good Luck. :+1:t2:

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Sorry for confusion with my replies.
You won’t be disappointed and as I said you’re in very safe hands just do it and enjoy.
ATB :+1:t2:

Best thread of all mate

We love our Linns over so many years

Thanks for your inputs and thoughts , love it

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Not at all Skeptikal and it’s great to muse over what I think is something of a high-class problem! I’ll be over to the land of pork pies 1st week October and if anyone’s interested I’ll report back on my impressions of Akurate v Klimax.

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No, I have an amazing Naim/Linn dealer here in Sydney whom I have been a customer of since around 1988. He is a god

Blockquote

Good to see Harry from Audio Genesis in Darling Harbour is still looking after you :slight_smile:
KR.

Peter

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If we are asking about next upgrades…

I have Kore, Ekos, L4, Karousel and Krystal feeding a Superline. I now also have the SRM base (modest but definite improvement on a wall shelf) - see above.

Next year, I’ll need to replace the Krystal, which has done heroically to be sounding good after what must be 1500 hours+.

I could get a new Krystal, but (as suggested on another thread) will be prepared to spend a bit more if I can hear an actual uplift (not just a difference in presentation). As well as the Kendo that almost no-one has heard, that brings in a couple more Lyra and Dynavector choices, but it still sounds simple - just have a listen to perhaps 4 cartridges.

Unfortunately, reading here and on the PFM site suggests another option or two.

I could swap Kore for Theo Stack’s Alto sub-chassis for little net cost , or the Soprano version for rather more (but still vastly less than a Keel).

Or I could get a new top plate - Stack make a sensible-looking Alto option, but I think few have heard it. However, both Khan and Karmen options seem very well regarded - few if any seem to have heard them and not thought them a big improvement, and (if I have understood the website comment) Peter Swain’s view that both work better than current standard and that the Karmen’s extra price looks about right for SQ per £.

So, do I (a) change just the cartridge to a sharply better one, or (b) spend a bit less on the cartridge but also swap sub-chassis, or (c) stick to the same level of cartridge I have now and go for a specialist top-plate?

If anyone does recommend that Stack top plate, is there any reason why I would particularly benefit from also having their sub-chassis, or can I treat the 2 questions as separate?

‘Source-first’ would suggest spending the money before the cartridge, but only of course if those third party upgrades are real…

If it works better, I won’t mind having a Frankendeck, as I don’t care about its eBay value.

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Well NOW, that’s a dilemma, hmmm. I think if you were to follow Linn upgrade hierachy then it’d be the sub and if it were me I’d go for a cheaper cartridge or an ex-demo “better” one as I gather that’s usually the last thing to be touched. We both share the same dealer, he’s certain to point you in the right direction I’m sure…

That (excellent) dealer unsurprisingly likes Karmens, but talk of damaged threads and fittings mean that they won’t install an ex-dem or s’h top plate if I found one. I’d get further, I suspect, with a request to fit new Stack kit (for a fee) - you can get a lot for the cost of a new Karmen - but of course there may be a reason for that.

Perhaps, the existence of the Ekstatik will see lot of ex-dem Kandid bargains next year, but a new Karmen plus a sense of shame/ proportion about the whole business would probably mean that a new cartridge will be another Krystal or something of similar cost.

The same apples even more to keeping the old top plate but buying a Keel. For the cost of a Keel, for example, one can buy Stack’s top of-their-range Soprano top plate, sub-chassis, cross-brace and arm-board and still have a few hundred quid toward the cartridge.

At least I know where to go to hear a Keel…

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That’s a really nice pic. IMV the original black plinth is looking mighty fine!