Hi Kuma,
Had a good chat with David this afternoon from Goldring; he used to do the refurbs for Linn when they offered it in the '80s.
I am tempted. I am now using SBLs and my LP12/Aro/Geddon with an ARO and Troika may well have been one of the front ends they designed them around.
M
Mr. U,
David is a good chap. Your Olive 90s system would be a prime for Troika!
If you decided to give it a go, report back!
Kevin,
I don’t know who they are but why not enquire who is a specialist UK cartridge manufacturer? Maybe they are the same.
Your other option is to have your Klyde retipped or rebuilt by Goldring. Then buy more records with savings. 
Have you tried a Troika on an ARO?
Which arm are you using?
No, never have, hence why I was speculating about it based on all I read on how the Akiva, which I don’t rate as a good tracker, is reputedly better in that department than the Troika.
The Akiva and Kandid were used on my Aro until I replaced it with an Ekos SE a couple of years ago (which does allow the Kandid to perform better). It is what I still use, though with the ART1000 now.
That is so cool!
Love to see ART1k in Ekos SE.
I was wondering tho, do you send it to Aduio Technica in Japan for refurb? I understand they have to change over the whole blessed thing and noone can service it except AT.
I would have the same problem. Once a cartridge has mistracked once, it becomes very difficult not to be a little on edge every time you play some demanding music.
It certainly looks like it belongs there:
Yep - it’s the knowledge that it is eating your records that I can’t shake.
Looks fab Ricardo 
Did you ever get around to trying the Archidee stand?
ATB,
Mark
Cheers, Mark!
I did, though with a Planar 6 in my second system - as I mentioned to you, I just couldn’t figure out a way to safely have it in the main system with the dogs and cats around. 
It is a lovely thing, though, and I’m positive it would be my first choice even over the Audiotech wallshelf currently in use if I can figure out a way to make it work.
Ah yes…the dogs and cats! You are probably right not to risk it with those paws and tails …Enjoy the 1000. Are you still running a Urika?
No, I actually went back to using the Naim boards. The Urika is not really a great match loading-wise for AT cartridges, IMO, whereas Naim’s S loading sounds pretty good.
I may explore something else in the near future - perhaps go back to an Uphorik or test some others like the Aura.
Aura looks quite interesting…I’m trying some new combinations as well- it never ends:grinning:!
Thanks for the photo.
I would have loved to hear that someday along with their original ART1 which came out about the same time as Troika did.
How do you describe the sound of your ART1K?
Hi Kuma,
Not Olives, my LEAST favourite Naim amps. I have been powering the SBLs with an EAR868pl > Nord One Up …until three days ago when I slotted my EAR534 back in place of the Nord, which I have been running in; the EAR will remain as my main amp - I’ve organised to run it up to Cambridge for a service in three weeks time.
A friend has offered to come round with a couple of cartridges he uses in his Garrard 401 + Audionote arm, so that will be interesting to compare with the DV20H.
I dropped David a text this morning passing on the Troika he has available at the moment, for a good price, as I just want to spend some time seeing what else I can listen to.
Thanks for this thread, interesting to read what you have tried.
Cheers,
M
‘like’
My Troika recollection is in a full Linn set in the early nineties. The sound was good but not interstellar. Possibly worth recalling that the Linn was pre-Cirkus (because the Cirkus didn’t exist), with a Lingo and Ekos.
A couple of years later, and possibly of more value to the Kevster, I heard a Troika on a PT Anniversary with Naim Aro at a dealer. The amps were 52/ SC/ 250 and the speakers were HB1s. Glorious.
Taking the Kandid as the reference, the first thing that struck me was how much clearer the ART sounds - not in the sense that it has more treble, but rather that it doesn’t have a certain congestion going. The Kandid sounded “nasal” in comparison.
I remember being taken aback at the demo at Peter’s (on Aros) where it struck me as sounding “real” immediately. Big Lyras, DVs, the Kandid and a Kiseki of some sort just didn’t do it that day.
It also goes much deeper on the bass than the Kandid.
The fact that it also tracks everything was a bonus on top of the sound.
which big Lyra? Atlas?
Kandid on EKOS SE does perform better than on ARO in terms of tracking but it does not do much of in-room presence regardless of which arm was used. I don’t think that’s Linn’s top sonic priority. But it gives a plenty of groove without sounding too mechanical.
P.S. What is your test torture LP to check tracking?
Sorry, not that big. The one that is slightly more expensive than the Kandid - Kleos SL, maybe?
Nope, agree. The thing is I don’t feel I lost groove with the move.
Unfortunately over the years I ended up with a long list of records that the Akiva and Kandid couldn’t play, so they were some of the first I tried on the ART once I had it home. Some off the top of my head include:
Great thread – a relief from some of the poisonous drivel in padded cell!!
enjoy/ken
