Majik 140 Aktiv Upgrade

[silkie]

Hi Gents, long time no speak.

I made a mistake recently, I bought some Isoacoustics Gaia feet for my M140 speakers... it's given me the upgrade itch.

Exakt, I can't afford, ideally I'd purchase an exaktbox10. I am however an Aktiv convert and love my Katans Aktiv.

I've been sat here trying to work out the most cost effective way to get them Akitv and I see at least 3 sets of mono cards online for the £400 mark. A fair price for a Linn upgrade and FAR short of the £7860 for Exakt.

My plan is this... set my Katans passive for a while releasing my M6100/D, an AV2125 will replace it, maybe permanently, should a pair of stereo Akitv cards for Katans become available. So with the M6100/D + with a pair of LK140's with the mono aktiv card conversion just sat in the loft I have enough mono channels to give this a whirl.

Here's the question; Majik or LK amps on tweeters or bass duties? Which would give the "best" performance theoretically?

While we are at it I'd love to know of people who have taken M140s Akitv and thought it worth while or not.

Looking forward to reading the hiveminds thoughts on this one.

 

[LSPC]

Hi Silkie is your DSM exakt ? a used exaktbox I kat @£3000 ish is an awesome way into exakt. I have just gone this route with M140's after running tri aktiv Ninkas, imho they are on another level compared with aktiv card speakers.

 

[Tendaberry]

That's what I was thinking too. Sell/trade your ADSM/3 for Akurate System Hub + Akurate Exaktbox-I.

 

[Pennypacker]

If your av5125’s are dynamiked i would sure try these with an Exaktbox10, also as suggested the ADSM/3 could be swapped in the deal for a systemhub.

 

[Pennypacker]

Hi Gents, long time no speak.

I made a mistake recently, I bought some Isoacoustics Gaia feet for my M140 speakers... it's given me the upgrade itch.

Exakt, I can't afford, ideally I'd purchase an exaktbox10. I am however an Aktiv convert and love my Katans Aktiv.

I've been sat here trying to work out the most cost effective way to get them Akitv and I see at least 3 sets of mono cards online for the £400 mark. A fair price for a Linn upgrade and FAR short of the £7860 for Exakt.

My plan is this... set my Katans passive for a while releasing my M6100/D, an AV2125 will replace it, maybe permanently, should a pair of stereo Akitv cards for Katans become available. So with the M6100/D + with a pair of LK140's with the mono aktiv card conversion just sat in the loft I have enough mono channels to give this a whirl.

Here's the question; Majik or LK amps on tweeters or bass duties? Which would give the "best" performance theoretically?

While we are at it I'd love to know of people who have taken M140s Akitv and thought it worth while or not.

Looking forward to reading the hiveminds thoughts on this one.

You can’t use the LK140 Aktiv with the M140, u need later x100 or x200 amps. Shortest and cheapest would be to source another x100/D and all the chakt cards for your M140. And yes Aktiv is very worthwhile with M140 IMHO.

 

[silkie]

My LK140's have been converted to take charka Aktiv cards along with the required minuscule resister soldering!

As such, for £400 I'm going to suck it and see. The experience is worth that alone.

I had an AV5125 give up on me and the LKs stepped in on bass duty passive. They where a lot punchier than the AV and I want that back. It's all down to taste. I can't do Exaktbox-I as I don't really want to be tied into Linn Amps if I go that way.

I'm going to give Aktiv a whirl.

 

[Pennypacker]

My LK140's have been converted to take charka Aktiv cards along with the required minuscule resister soldering!

As such, for £400 I'm going to suck it and see. The experience is worth that alone.

I had an AV5125 give up on me and the LKs stepped in on bass duty passive. They where a lot punchier than the AV and I want that back. It's all down to taste. I can't do Exaktbox-I as I don't really want to be tied into Linn Amps if I go that way.

I'm going to give Aktiv a whirl.

I did know that AV could be converted, LK is new for me. I think you are right on the fact that the experience is worth it on it’s own, this is a win-win AFAIK.

 

[Jail4CEOs2]

LK on bass duties for sure.

 

[silkie]

Cards arrived today!!

LKs on bass and M6100 on tweeters, I'll install over the long weekend.

I've got a good feeling about this.

 

[Matteo]

So?

 

[silkie]

So?

Well I fitted them last night. I'm a "measure twice, cut once" kind of guy and the conversion to Aktiv M140s took me four hours!!! That aside Aktiv M140s are a new high water mark for me. My ten year old son said it best "I didn't think the hifi could sound any better, until this!". I have to agree, I've not heard a better system. 100% worth the effort. I never really liked the M140 and ADSM/3 system in the lounge, lazy and muddied I always thought. I considered my MDSM/3 M6100 Katan Aktiv system the better system. Well that's changed since introducing Aktiv to the ADSM/3 M140 rig. Aktiv just gives so much more drive, punch and urgency to the music. I've obviously noticed the difference in the passed but never associated it with Akitv amplification.

Another point of note has to be the instrument separation and imaging, phasing from left to right has never been so obvious. The ability to pick out and track a single instrument is so much easier. Little sparkles of high pitch percussion really shine, while at the same time it's so easy the follow bass guitar lines that are typically so very easily lost.

My experience is limited. As suggested earlier, unfortunately, I've never heard anything above this "level" of Linn gear. You guys with 50 solos and Komri's may well be laughing but I am over the moon with my little setup. It's hard to find demos of the top Linn stuff, probably just as well.

I need to re-Akitv(ate) the Katan's on the study system. I think my pair of AV5125's will be up for sale to go towards another Chakra 4 channel amp. Seems a shame having the Aktiv katan cards back in the box.

For £400 and 4hrs labour, it really was a no brainer.

Akitv Rocks! \m/,

 

[Jail4CEOs2]

I think I would try to stretch to a 4200 for the Katans...but you have stereo kardz, not mono chakra kardz?

 

[LSPC]

That's great news Silkie, enjoy your new sounding system and what a bargain price !! Great thing about Linn is their upgradability

 

[Paulssurround]

Another happy outcome in Linnland

Great news Silkie

 

[Matteo]

Well I fitted them last night. I'm a "measure twice, cut once" kind of guy and the conversion to Aktiv M140s took me four hours!!! That aside Aktiv M140s are a new high water mark for me. My ten year old son said it best "I didn't think the hifi could sound any better, until this!". I have to agree, I've not heard a better system. 100% worth the effort. I never really liked the M140 and ADSM/3 system in the lounge, lazy and muddied I always thought. I considered my MDSM/3 M6100 Katan Aktiv system the better system. Well that's changed since introducing Aktiv to the ADSM/3 M140 rig. Aktiv just gives so much more drive, punch and urgency to the music. I've obviously noticed the difference in the passed but never associated it with Akitv amplification.

Another point of note has to be the instrument separation and imaging, phasing from left to right has never been so obvious. The ability to pick out and track a single instrument is so much easier. Little sparkles of high pitch percussion really shine, while at the same time it's so easy the follow bass guitar lines that are typically so very easily lost.

My experience is limited. As suggested earlier, unfortunately, I've never heard anything above this "level" of Linn gear. You guys with 50 solos and Komri's may well be laughing but I am over the moon with my little setup. It's hard to find demos of the top Linn stuff, probably just as well.

I need to re-Akitv(ate) the Katan's on the study system. I think my pair of AV5125's will be up for sale to go towards another Chakra 4 channel amp. Seems a shame having the Aktiv katan cards back in the box.

For £400 and 4hrs labour, it really was a no brainer.

Akitv Rocks! \m/,

Good news

Agree: aktiv is the way!

M.

 

[silkie]

I think I would try to stretch to a 4200 for the Katans...but you have stereo kardz, not mono chakra kardz?

Will push for the a4200. I have Linn spares that will drive me someway there if I can muster the energy to do battle on eBay. Doing so will release four channels of chakra aktiv amps so I can use my Katan chakra aktiv cards again. The AV5125's only take stereo cards that I would need to purchase so the money is better invested in another four way chakra amp. The Katans are relegated to passive until such times.

Until the next upgrade lads!! \m/,