Dread
I was considering Stratos v Stiletto last year
I ended up with the Stiletto & Skorpion as the Tiger Paw route doesn’t allow for a dedicated baseplate, the Skorpion and Stratos are not compatible
Lyndon
Dread
I was considering Stratos v Stiletto last year
I ended up with the Stiletto & Skorpion as the Tiger Paw route doesn’t allow for a dedicated baseplate, the Skorpion and Stratos are not compatible
Lyndon
Still wears the same Edwardian V neck too!
So I took delivery of my Klimax Radikal and Keel upgraded LP12 a couple of weeks back.
Irritatingly due to having wooden floors replaced whilst on holiday we returned to a house clouded in sawdust everywhere. LP12 had to be confined to its box whilst my complete system was dismantled dusted and cleaned. Therefore first impressions of the Keel upgrade are being considered against the fact that my system is still getting back on its musical feet after powering down dismantling and re-installation. Also the Radikal is factory new and perhaps not yet fully “run in”.
I left the system powered up for a week before any critical listening over the bank holiday weekend.
I have to admit that the effect of the Keel has been a combination of pleasant surprises but somewhat of a musical culture shock. Initially I was a little troubled by the presentation which sounds stark, sharply etched and transparent with lots of added nuance and subtle detail coming through. For example ad libbed vocal inflections on Horace Andy which were previously unheard along with the studio acoustic/ambience. Ernie Ranglin’ s LP now opened out further and any remains of murkiness in the mix disappeared. Art Blakeys moaning and vocalising during his drum breaks…
The sound overall appears more evenly balanced, a bit less upfront and flatter, allowing for the above described subtleties.
But there was a (difficult to describe) cold clinical rendering which initially troubled me. With the demo model Klimax power supply and standard sub chassis/armboard there was a warmer and more upfront presentation which I thought was missing from the Keel presentation.
However, getting into an extended listen and digging deep it started to become clearly apparent that the Keel was presenting an accurate and uncoloured transcription of whatever music lay in the grooves.
By contrast what I had heard before, thought I was missing and preferred, could be described in my view as the sort of euphonic warmth and colouration akin to the sound of some valve electronics.
The Keel gives an uncompromising neutrality to the music free of artifice. This realisation is the culture shock as it is leading me to completely re assess my expectation and perception of how an LP12 in the 21st Century sounds (or rather doesn’t sound).
It must be working because as my perception is adjusting I’ve bought a shed load of new records!
By the way, on reflection I still can’t get my head around how the Klimax machined case sounded better than the Akurate, particularly as in my installation its only powering the motor. I’m not using a Urika, I have a Naim Prefix.
I spent hours doing an A/B of Akurate vs Klimax attempting to convince myself that I was deluded!
Hifi is weird
@Dreadatthecontrols I will post at he weekend, tiger paw Javelin being fitted, have Lingo 4, core and few other upgrades on my LP12
Also Naim pre powered by HCDR, watch this space
I as you thought Lingo 4 vs baby radikal, my deck spec is on my bio
Love my LP12 so hoping for a real uplift
Be very interested in your thoughts on the Javelin.
Did you read my earlier posts, I found the Klimax Radikal worthy of the extra outlay and have also added Keel.
In due course may consider the Javelin vs Ekos SE. I currently use an earlier version of Ekos that was upspecced, as many were, to MK2 spec.
Happy listening
My Prefix is powered by an Olive HICAP ( recently serviced). Have you listened to a comparison of Prefix/Olive HC vs HCDR? Just wondering how much better, If at all, a DR can make a Prefix sound?
Cheers
Will feed back, rest if the deck is core, Lingo 4, Khan top plate, tramp02, tranquility currently use DV20x which I really like,
I am sure pre will out perform current stageline
Rest of electronics 252/SC/300DR
In my experience, the Keel sounds metallic (I preferred Kore), the latest black T-Kable is lifeless (I preferred the current grey standard Akito cable) and the Trampolin 2 (on a wall shelf) kills the musicality (I preferred the solid base).
Just my 2 cents
M.
Interesting Matteo. My experience is the exact opposite. You pays your money…
Stu
@Dreadatthecontrols my HCDR was powering my 282 before I moved to SC and then 252/SC
so no have not compared with olive but will feed back, the Pre Fix is S and recently serviced and new snaic so I am really looking forward to hearing the difference over stageline
I don’t agree with the description but I think I can get where your coming from. There is to my ears a brightening of the presentation, which with the tonal neutrality, to my ears it adds or subtracts nothing, uncompromisingly so. This perhaps can give a perception of a coldness or hardness to the sound until one starts “getting it”. This is the Culture Shock I referred to in my attempt to put in words my listening experience.
Which motor drive are you using?
From my profile:
“Linn LP12 / Kore / Akito 2b / Adikt / Akurate Radikal / Lejonklou Slipsik 7”
M.
I’m just wondering if your comment about the Trampolin 2 is to do with the possibility that your Radikal motor could be touching the inside of the Trampolin foot. Worth having checked out.
Matteo,…I agree with you,…Trampolin 2 is a “Good Enough”- product.
It was developed for a LP12 to be placed on different surfaces,.and play “Good Enough”.
Trampolin 2 is no product for those who want to get the best out of their LP12.
/Peder🙂
It sounds better than the standard baseboard to my ears/system.
No, it didn’t.
I did the “white paper test”.
M.
Here too. I even have a TigerPaw top plate and Tranquility fitted. Keeps me happy and I also seem to have the worst speakers in the world according to another forum member😄
Well, two weeks since installation and sound of Radikal/Keel still improving (running in?).
John at Audio-t mentioned that Linn say their electronics don’t need running in, that’s not what I’m experiencing.
I am currently collecting the new Tone Poet and BN80 AAA Blue Note reissues. A few of these arrived Saturday morning and my first listen of the weekend was Herbie Hancocks Takin Off, very apt as my system all of a sudden sounded like it had taken off and blew me away. I played something famiar to make sure and it was the same.
Intensely involving, dynamic and musical, I was dancing around to Watermelon Man from the off as it took hold of my senses.
Certainly nothing “mettalic” here as commented above, and any tendency to the analytical has abated.
Has anyone here experienced a run in period using a Radikal from new?
Thanks