The plinth is nice, Fifty-Fifty. Is it Linn-built, or one made by one of the really good plinth builders out there?
(I’m waiting at the moment to have my Linn black plinth - now well over 30 years old - replaced by a lovely dark Wenge plinth made by Paul at Solid Sounds.)
Graham
No it’s the original Linn plinth from 1982 which had aged nicely over the years. Before I proceeded with the refurbishment of the LP12 with updated parts, the plinth was checked for squareness as it’s so early it doesn’t have the corner bracing. Enjoy your new Solid Sounds plinth. Wenge would be really nice move from black.
Paul
Sorry i thought people were aware i am in Brisbane Australia.
By Calculator Retail $1095 @55p = 602 GBP.
Paid $985 @55p = 541 GBP. So more than the estimate.
HANNA SL Continued…
I try not to comment on the sound of things people can actually buy as people have different experiences. But as i all ready have with the Hanna SL a conclusion is needed.
Using the 1.75 TW setting i tried 2 sets of H/S wires SME and VDH.
All the Treble seems to be of the one single tone it tends to be bluntish it does not ring or shimmer. I suspect the cartridge has a clipped HF response which clips it harmonically.
The cartridge actually does nothing wrong the freq response is even and it makes all the right sounds.
But it is not fully transparent and is emotionally dry - it has a old fashioned sound very much
like a 1970s Supex SD900.
Many Hi Fi Reviews get 5 Stars simply because the sins of omission are harder to identify
than those of addition.
This will be the first cartridge sold of those i have. And the next bought likely be a
Nagaoka MP500 Moving Magnet.
I boxed up the HANNA and also came across a old ASAK with a note attached saying
“75% Wear - Suspension Adjusted” ( The ASAK sits very low this would have been adjusted with a magnifying glass resetting the suspension Tie Wire to regain the Cantilever angle)
I fitted it up to the ORBE (The ASAK has 1mm Pins not wanting to mess with my wires i used some random ITTOK H/S wires from the 80s.)
MY GOD ! It’s the TROIKA all over again but this time on the ORBE, there was a increase in Life it’s Faster. It has the TROIKA richness to the lower M.R. similar Treble with air, and that same depth to the sound. The difference between the LINN and ORBE now very little indeed.
It is a hint light in upper bass ( something the LINN adds 1 db to ) but the sound is so fluid and transparent, and a fiddle with H/S wires may? improve it.
I don’t know whether to sell the HANNA or hit it with a hammer!
I also have a Fidelity Research FR1 MK2 from my Grace 707 days the note says “Interesting sound, very sweet” i will slip that into a H/S just to see what it does.
The morning sun is providing for much better light today.
So, here’s a better photo of my Troika…
Enjoy.
In my opinion the best looking cartridge I have ever seen.
Richard
And, actually, a great name.
That’s how I feel about the Troika too.
Hi Kuma,
Thought I would give you some feedback now that I have my Troika bought and installed.
I am using a couple of Phono Stages at the moment, the Chord Huei and the Naim cards.
I really enjoyed the DV 20x2H. The Huei in MM mode was trampled by the Naim MM cards. BUT, when placed in MC mode with the impedance maxed and the gain minimised the Huei returned the privilege.
Putting in the Troika immediately showed that it paints on a wider and deeper canvas. It is more detailed and allows me to follow baselines more easily.
My 35 year old K cards vs the Huei is interesting. I would say they are equally good but the presentation is rather different.
A friend is bringing over his PS Audio Stellar PS tomorrow, hopefully. Should show both a very clean pair of heels.
Having written this, personally I wouldn’t be in a tearing rush to move on from a Dynavector. It is a very enjoyable cartridge. BUT, when time comes to replace it I would be thinking of a Goldring Troika if you are running an LP12/ARO.
Thx for your feedback.
M
Yes, if only Goldring would bring out a ‘new’ Troika, I (and, I suspect, many others) would buy one in a heartbeat. But the process of grubbing around trying to find an old one, which is then sent off to Goldring for renovation, is just too much faff.
And, I admit, I don’t particularly want a second hand cartridge playing in my system.
I’m on record elsewhere on this Forum as saying that the Troika is a classic piece of design. Form Follows Function, and all that!
If Goldring were to launch a limited run of brand new Troikas, I’d be at the very front of what might be quite a long queue.
But, sadly, I don’t suppose that will ever happen.
In much the same way as I don’t suppose I shall ever own an XPS-T for my NAT-01.
I was casting about for an oldy and decided to call Dave @Goldring. I was lucky, he sold me his and I paid for the refurbishment.
These are my ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos: when I say I bought a shagged Troika , I wasn’t kidding… (Goldring / ArmourHome rebuild).
I wonder if the Troika’s sound signature gets changed as so much face lifting has been done?
That’s impressive.
Looks like Dave @ Goldring has done a pretty good job refinishing that metal work with a close matched paint.
Pretty much most of the coil and internal parts get refurbished.
So, it is practically a new cartridge (inside) coming back…
But, not sure how a bit of paint on the external metal casing can affect the sound signature.
This is what I really meant. 
Very impressive work, but the original SQ may not be the same? Maybe better, maybe worse?
Yes, I was delighted when it came back touched up like that…
