So will it be Keel or TA Phoenix ??????

[Antz Davis]

Off this morning to @Cymbiosisfor a demo - I want to choose the final Sub Chassis for my deck - choice is either Keel or TA Phoenix

rest of the deck is Karsouel, TP Khan, Kore, Ekos SE, Urika, Radikal with DVXX2 cart

will post my thoughts -

 

[Moomintroll]

@Antz Davis cool photo.

’troll

 

[Dasher]

Ah, but if you go TA is that 'final' or the  beginning of a whole new journey. Your current build is almost identical to mine. It's an interesting one as a new Phoenix sits about  the same price as a used Keel.

Enjoy you day out! Being a Khan user myself I will be interested to read what your thoughts are.

 

[Mr Kandid]

Why mess with the designed culture and the DNA I’m sure it will be clearly obvious in a demonstration.

Either way you can be sure of a great setup with no compromise. :^

 

[sktn77a]

So, how did the demo go?

 

[Antz Davis]

OK, sat down had some food a glass of wine, so let's start great day @Cymbiosis lots of demo's changing source and plenty of albums

The 3 decks on demo where all the same apart from sub, so Akitto, DV10x uphorick for ease of change, system was Naim 252 into 3x 250DR active into Kudos T808.

Albums were Tori Amos Native Invader Wings and Fleetwood Mac The Dance Silver Springs, started with Phoenix then Keel and then Kore. For me the fight was between the Kore and Phoenix both showed the music off well with a slightly forward presence, detailed sound stage on both Kore and Phoenix, however I have to say when the Keel's turn came the music went up on both detail,focus and poise, sound stage was wider and deeper, so for me Keel was my favourite out of the 3 sub chassis on demo it was head and shoulders above Kore and TA Phoenix

So choice made then @Cymbiosis put on a stiletto deck to show the difference between the musical delivery of two Radikal PSU, again easy to so Akurate was very good as you would expect music was easy to hear right from the start plenty of detail and focus and I'm happy because I have a Akrurate n my system........however the Radikal took the music buy the collar and just gave more of everything, almost to the point you may well of thought the system was changed, it wasn't Radikal in name and delivery

Albums were Dire Straits Brothers in Arms - x2 Abbey Road & MoFI - The Blue Nile High

Any then final demo of the day @Cymbiosis. just before you go the NEW Cord Array on 252 was another eye opener.... all I will say is a demo is a must !!! I have brought to home on demo for NDX and 5 Pin will post review

so for me it's Keel which is being fitted next week and I hope plan Stiletto early 2022, well thats the plan

 

[Ady]

Interesting, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience. I too, found the Keel to be a worthwhile investment. 👍

Cheers Ady 

 

[John76]

Are there any pictures that show the full underside of the TA Phoenix?  Does it have the pockets of the Keel?  What’s the price difference between the Kore and Phoenix?

 

[Mr Kandid]

OK, sat down had some food a glass of wine, so let's start great day @Cymbiosis lots of demo's changing source and plenty of albums

The 3 decks on demo where all the same apart from sub, so Akitto, DV10x uphorick for ease of change, system was Naim 252 into 3x 250DR active into Kudos T808.

Albums were Tori Amos Native Invader Wings and Fleetwood Mac The Dance Silver Springs, started with Phoenix then Keel and then Kore. For me the fight was between the Kore and Phoenix both showed the music off well with a slightly forward presence, detailed sound stage on both Kore and Phoenix, however I have to say when the Keel's turn came the music went up on both detail,focus and poise, sound stage was wider and deeper, so for me Keel was my favourite out of the 3 sub chassis on demo it was head and shoulders above Kore and TA Phoenix

So choice made then @Cymbiosis put on a stiletto deck to show the difference between the musical delivery of two Radikal PSU, again easy to so Akurate was very good as you would expect music was easy to hear right from the start plenty of detail and focus and I'm happy because I have a Akrurate n my system........however the Radikal took the music buy the collar and just gave more of everything, almost to the point you may well of thought the system was changed, it wasn't Radikal in name and delivery

Albums were Dire Straits Brothers in Arms - x2 Abbey Road & MoFI - The Blue Nile High

Any then final demo of the day @Cymbiosis. just before you go the NEW Cord Array on 252 was another eye opener.... all I will say is a demo is a must !!! I have brought to home on demo for NDX and 5 Pin will post review

so for me it's Keel which is being fitted next week and I hope plan Stiletto early 2022, well thats the plan

 

[Antz Davis]

New pricing The Kore is £800 & TA Phoenix £1,700

 

[sktn77a]

So Tangerine dropped their price by £200?  Gee, I wonder why!

 

[Antz Davis]

home this evening, will just set the deck up and play some music tommorrow - the Keel is exceptional !!

 

[akamatsu]

Looking at your profile, it appears that your LP12 is practically at Klimax level, with the Kore to Keel upgrade being the last upgrade to current level. Yours could be the best opportunity to assess the improvement of Keel over Kore in isolation on a top spec deck. I anxiously await for impressions.

 

[sktn77a]

View attachment 94527

Scary, the machinations we have to go through for our LP12s!  Living in LA in the early 1980s, it was a trip across town to my dealer (don't let that fool you, with LA traffic it was a 3 hour trip), then, in Upstate NY in the late 1980s, it was 15 min (unfortunately, that dealer was worthless and so that's when I learned to do my own LP12 adjustments).  Sadly, I still don't have a Linn (LP12) dealer within 3 states of me in Central NC, so again I have to do all my upgrades/adjustments myself.  

:$

 

[Dasher]

Sadly, I still don't have a Linn (LP12) dealer within 3 states of me in Central NC, so again I have to do all my upgrades/adjustments myself. 

But at least you do know what has been done, and how it has been done. I now consider my jig as an important part of my enjoyment of the hobby but it has taken time to learn - including a period early on where I had a spare  LP12, the sole purpose of which was to be stripped, rebuilt, listened to, repeat the cycle. I have amassed drawer -fulls  of springs grommets and fasteners over the years!

Only yesterday I went the same route as the OP. I to had mulled over  the choice of Phoenix or (used) Keel  to replace my Kore and was lucky enough to catch a pre-owned Keel  for the same price as a new Phoenix. My LP12 is very similar to the OP's - apart from the Ekos2 as opposed to  SE (even down to the Khan). I listened to the same two albums, in the same system, 3 hours apart. The Keel brings a depth, resonance and resolution that builds on what the Kore provided. If I think back to what I felt that the Kore brought over the Cirkus Sub then the Keel just takes this direction further. However, I'm glad that I went Radikal first - I certainly feel that Lingo - Radikal was a more significant change. They changes are different - the Radikal brought areas of silence whereas the Keel brings tonal clarity and depth.

 

[Antz Davis]

@Dashersimilar journey to mine - first major upgrades on the deck was Kore, Lingo 4 and Cirkus then had Ittock VII - I was planning on then having the TP Javelin arm - just before they "closed" so went for SH Ekos SE from @Cymbiosis

then last year had Karsouel fitted on promotion with free if you spend - so with the PX of Lingo 4, NAIM pre etc it worked out perfectly - so with Ekos SE, Kore, Urika, radikal the next move was written

however saying that we did a demo day with Peter of Keel vs Phoenix - to me the Phoenix was good, and improvement over Kore - the Keel was head and shoulders above - so I would certainly recommend demo on both

the muscial uplift on Keel is truly a joy - the depth of the music and focus - in one sentance I would say I was delighted with the Kore, however the Keel is exceptional

deck finished! well for 2021