Troika anyone?

I’ve been running one rebuilt by Goldring for a few weeks now.


They’ve done a terrific job.
This is what I sent in. It was in a working condition but it sounded dull and tired. ( it was even outdone by a brand new Rega Ania )

This is what I got back. They even put in a jewel case and proper stylus guard which I did not have either when I sent it in.

They really did a nice job. Out with Krystal. In with Troika!

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Hi Kuma,

Is that on an ARO?
What other cartridges have you used?
What phono stage(s) have you used?
…how much did the refettlement cost?

Thx,

M

How does it compare to the Krystal that you had before? I always thought that the Krystal was an improvement on the Troika?

Stu

I wish I’d done that some years ago instead of chintzing out and replacing my beloved (second) Troika with a Klyde. I’ve never cared for the replacement, maybe because I had Troikas for so long.

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:small_blue_diamond:Stuart.ashen,…Not in our opinion.

You have to compare with a new Troika against a new Krystal.
You can’t compare an old one to a new Krystal.

Goldring is very good at rebuilt Troika’s,.we have tried other famous firms (no names mentioned), but we think Goldring is very close to an original Troika.
Krystal plays more cleaner and clearer,.but also more impersonal.
Troika keeps the music together in a superior way,…has more musical “flow”.

Some in our group have both Krystal and a rebuilt Troika.
Everyone has the same view as I’ve written above

:heart:Then it’s also the sexiest in the market :grin:.

/Peder🙂

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Thanks Peder. That makes sense given how the LP12 has evolved. It has been many years since I heard a Troika so impossible to remember. I did love my Krystal though and think it is great value for a Linn item.

Stu.

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:small_blue_diamond:Considering what an Krystal costs,.So is the cost of making a rebuilt on a Troika almost cheap.

You just have to find an old Troika-house.They usually cost between £125:- to £165:-.
If you are lucky to find one for sale.

/Peder🙂

I have a Kandid now Peder so no need to go Troika hunting…

Stu

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:small_blue_diamond:Stuart.ashen,…I made it more of nostalgic reasons (rebuilt a Troika).
But is more than 100% satisfied.

One in our group has replaced his Kandid against a Goldring rebuilt Troika.
He is more satisfied with his Troika.

So if you get the opportunity,.to listen at a Goldring rebuilt Troika.
Do it,…if not otherwise of nostalgic reasons.

/Peder🙂.

There’s just something about a really good Troika.

I did listen to a bunch of rebuilds many years back. Different rebuilders and very different results - none of them were up to the performance of a mint low use original. However, Chris Murphy in NZ was kind enough to give me one of his Goldring rebuilt Fidelity Research FR1 MkIIIFs, which I really enjoyed, so I’d certainly have some confidence in a Goldring rebuilt Troika. Nice touch too to send it back in a proper jewel case and with a stylus guard.

Kuma, I look forward to hearing how you get on with this one.

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Yes. ‘Lady in Red’

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Yes it is an ARO.
There are so many cartridges I tried I can’t remember them all! :flushed:
I used all Naim phono stages, Linn varieties, Dynavector, Art Audio & Nagra valve phonos. Compared to cartridges I tried on my ARO, my phono stages experience has been limited. I haven’t even bothered with a step up transformer either.

The cost for the Troika rebuild was £350 excluding shipping.

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Krystal and Troika are very different sounding cartridges. I see why people still reminiscing the cartridge. I’ve listened to Troika a few times but not at my home. I always was a bit underwhelmed with its performance but recently a good friend was waxing poetic about it and I thought, ok I’d give Goldring a go for rebuild. Figured they would have a better chance restoring some of Troika’s old glory than ESC.

The thing is I have never heard a brand new Troika so I have not basis how this cartridge supposed to sound like. Yet I could tell this has a different genetic makeup from Krystal.

It’s much more fluid and have certain ease. The bass delivery is also different from Krystal. ( I haven’t done a direct AB yet. Not sure I will cuz, I’m having a great time with Troika! )

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Long way from the Etna!

Bet it sounds great.

Looks like a great re-build kuma. I have fond memories of my time with the Troika on an Aro and

… thats more or less as I remember it…

enjoy/ken

Ken,
Yeah. but after the rebuild, the bass is very bouncy so it has a nice balance. :grin:

Now, I don’t know if that’s how a Troika’s bass delivery is supposed to be. But my dealer told me Troika had the best bass in the business.

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Which arm did you use?
Klyde does not work with ARO. Too dark. That’s why Krystal was a welcome replacement for it.

Klyde was never meant to be a replacement for a Troika was it? ( I’m vague out Linn’s product hierarchy )

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:small_blue_diamond:Kuma,…No…Arkiv,.and later also Arkiv B was replacement for Troika.
Below a picture of Linn Arkiv B,.not as sexy as Troika.
Also a picture of Krystal,Kandid and Klyde below,as also mentioned in the thread.

300linn

Krystal-3Q-x220%20(2)
:black_medium_small_square:Krystal.

Kandid-Cover-3Q-x220
:black_medium_small_square:Kandid.

product_337132
:black_small_square:Klyde.

/Peder🙂

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Good to hear Kuma. Interesting how many products of the flat earth days have attained almost legendary status. My personal fave are SBLs but the Troika does seem to have a special place in the hearts of many.

Stu

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Richard,

I wish I could listen to a fresh Troika! I’d reckon it’s probably hard to get a real good Troika even back then. Even a lower hour ones, not sure if a suspension holds up for that long?

I have listened to ESC retipped Troika in friends system. I wasn’t convinced. I thought that the problem might be in a stylus they used. I found later that they use Paratrace stylus profile. Goldring use Ogura fine line. it’s still not the same as Elliptical vital the original Troika used but I figure it would be an improvement. Stylus profile alone will not determine a character of a cartridge, but I thought would be better than say, Paratrace or Shibata! Also I like the fact that they don’t use anything fancy for cantilever. Just a plain original aluminum. Also according to their product supervisor, they rewound a coil with a new copper wire.

And yes, it was a nice surprise they returned a new cartridge in a Linn jewel box. I suppose they do enough Linn legacy cartridge work, they must have some old accessories.

BTW was Troika used for a development for the ARO ? Curious to know as how Guy determined the position of the 3rd bolt on the headshell?