Yes, the Aro was designed with the Troika in mind, hence the third mounting hole being positioned where it is and the fact that Aro+Troika works so well. Oh, yes, and the 'bouncy bass" is definitely the thing the Troika does so well.
The Klyde was effectively the replacement for the Asaka. As you say, it’s a bit dark and works better with something like the Ittok or Ekos. I’ve never been tempted to put my own Klyde on the Aro - it stays on the Ittok.
p.s. Interestingly though, IIRC, wasn’t the Klyde built for Linn by Goldring…?
I am currently using a LP12/Aro/DV20H/Geddon into my EAR868pl and I do find this an attractive option. What are your more detailed thoughts on the Troika? Did you use one historically?
Unlike a DV20H, Troika is a low output cartridge ( iirc, 0.2mv ) so you need a capable phonostage for this. What is your output off your EAR phono? Typically you’d need 64db or more. I am using a Linn Linto and it seems to work fine. ( I’m sure Superline would give the cartridge a bit more oomph & drive )
Moving Magnet cartridges are easy to set up and can be hugely fun, but moving coil cartridges especially low out put ones can get more out of records since they can be much quicker and responsive than heavy moving magnet types.
I am 100% sure, when set up with appropriate ancillaries, a Troika will give much more than a DV20H. I ran a DV20L with my ARO whilst it did not do anything wrong it lacked a groove. You know what was good? A DV XX1. Boy that was a nice cartridge on my ARO. Current XX2 mk.II is too expensive for what it is.
If you can source a used Troika and have it rebuilt at Goldring for £350 is a no brainer to me. If you are in the UK, the shipping cost is cheaper and you don’t have to pay tariff! ( They slapped me with a £77 tariff shipping from US to UK )
In last few years, the cost of cartridges skyrocketed so I am delighted to find a guilt-free alternative.
I am not sure who built a Klyde but IIRC, current Adikt is built by Goldring as well as Krystal.
P.S. Good to know Goldring can rebuild a Fidelity Research cartridge. I got to listen to friend’s FR1 a few years back and this one did not pass my Propellerhead test. I will let him know he can send it to Goldring to have it serviced.
Scantek must have built the Arkiv. I have not heard this cartridge but it looks very similar looking to Akiva which I used in the past. Akiva does not sound anything like Troika. Completely different house sound.
I am curious to find out why Linn went to an opposite direction.
I have tried a standard 103R as well as the OC9. I did not care much for either. Altho, AT offers a new generation of OC9s which looks interesting.
I have not heard a Zu 103R but I could see it can work with ARO due to added weight from a metal body. But I very much in doubt if Denon carts ever be fun or organic as Troika!
As this cartridge breaks in, I am finding out its dynamics above average. I did not find dynamics are not the particular strength of Denons. I figured that its even-keeled mellow midrange is what attracts many folks. ( including my friend who was listening with me to a DL103 asks ‘what is wrong with this?’. I said ‘nothing. nothing is happening!’ )
Back in the day I went through two Troikas before they were superseded by the Arkiv. My dealer insisted that the Arkiv was superior, and in some ways it was, particularly bass definition and tracking (the Arkiv was the first Linn cartridge I heard that tracked well). But to my ears it was a somewhat cold presentation, lacking in soul, and I never got on well with it. The arrival of the Arkiv in my system coincided with the bad years for vinyl lovers – mid 90s to early 00s – and things didn’t significantly improve until I replaced my worn out Arkiv with an Akiva, which was the first cartridge I owned that I was fully happy with.
I’m interested to read the comments about a good refurbished Troika being better than a Krystal. I occasionally wonder about the running costs of my Kandid and, given the high esteem for the Krystal, I’ve sometimes been tempted to downgrade. But a Troika? That’s certainly something to consider …
Akiva! I loved mine! I went through 3 before moved over to Lyra Kleos SL. ( then on to Kandid ) It was a great match with the Phonosophie No.3.
I don’t know if Troika betters Krystal. They sound so different in that I’d think there is no clear line. It’s like a personality preference. I tell you one thing tho, a minute I replaced Krystal with Troika, ( mind you i haven’t even tweaked anything aside from setting a vtf @ a bit under 1.8g or so ) This cartridge seems to infuse life into the music. I must say I was pretty wowed. The last time I had that feeling was with Miyabi. I don’t know if Troika tracks better than Kandid. I know Krystal doesn’t. ( that I can confirm when I got a Etna SL, we played a Kandid, Krystal and Etna SL three way in the main rig ) Krystal did pretty good, tho! Kleos SL which I replaced got more information out of a record than Krystal but it should at almost a twice the cost.
Keep in mind that I have been using this Troika in 52/300 system which is a lot less open than 552/500 system. So not sure how this cartridge does in more revealing system. I would guess that a Kandid is a better cartridge for EKOS SE and a Troika used with an arm designed for (ARO ) has a lot going for it, maybe. Are you using a Linn or Naim arm?
In due course, I just might try Troika in EKOS SE in a main rig to see if it holds up. Etna SL’s tracking ability is hard to fault. It even surpassed a Kandid in this regard.
A running cost of cartridge is also a concern of mine, too.
Thanks for the follow-up. Regarding tracking, I never had any problems with either of my Akivas or with my Kandid, so I wouldn’t be able to say which is better on that score, although I think the Kandid has the better reputation. The Troika, on the other hand, could occasionally be provoked into mistracking, and even did some damage to my copy of Vaughan William’s Sinfonia Antartica, during the organ passage in the third movement. I have a copy of the “hot mix” of Led Zeppelin II, and I would hesitate to play that with a Troika.
Good point about the 52 vis-a-vis 552. Perhaps it’s nostalgia on my part, but I suspect the Troika is most at home in an olive-era system – energy and engagement, at the cost of some roughness in the presentation. I’m using an Ekos SE, which is what Linn designed the Kandid for. When I had Troikas I had an Ekos I: I wonder how it would fare in an Ekos SE? Probably not a whole lot different.
I’ve heard it said that the Krystal is equivalent to an Akiva, but that might be conjecture. I’m curious if anyone has done a comparison?
Neither Kandid nor Akiva were ever great trackers, IMO, though the Kandid was certainly better. I’d rate it as “competent”, but it’s part of the reason I moved away from it.
I’d expect the Troika to be very limited in that regard based on fame, but perhaps that is just an Internet legend?
A better tracker alone does not make a good cartridge for sure. ( otherwise we all would have a Shure V15 )
Miyabi was never a good tracker yet I still miss that darn thing!
I think there is a lot of hype around the Troika for sure plus it just looks great. But this cartridge does sound very different from Lyra made Linn carts. Pity that Lyra themselves moved away from Parnassus/Olympus type of sound.
Absolutely not - I’ve come to realize it’s a requirement for me though as I cannot listen in peace to a cartridge that doesn’t track well.
I was happy with the sound of the Kandid but its tracking limitations led me to explore other cartridges and end up with something that (IMO) sounds and tracks better than it.
My Klyde is worn out and needs replacing. I’ve heard Troikas in the past, and very much enjoyed what they did for music. As I have an Ittok, a Troika might be an even better fit than a Krystal or AN Other.
There’s a company called British Audio Products Online who are selling refurbed Troikas for £799. They say: " They are fully re-cantilevered, re-tipped and generally re-engineered to full original spec (They come with a full guarantee), by a specialist UK cartridge manufacturer."
Anyone know anything about them, or who might have refurbed them?
Current XX2 mk.II is too expensive for what it is.
