What’s is the best order for LP12 upgrades?

[sktn77a]

I have not seen any plausible reports of bearing issues.

There are hundreds of reports of bad bearing with the early Ekos arms. How the damage occurred is another matter. Linns response to these issues was to "service" the arms (by replacing them with the later model).

Interestingly, there aren't many with the Ittok or later Ekos arms.

 

[cre009]

The original bearings were not the issue. The Ekos1 recall was to fix the sticky tracking force dial. They took the opportunity to also upgrade the bearings and headshell to Ekos2 standard. The Ekos2 bearings are supposed to be superior. This annoyed me when I eventually found out about it because I was never notified about the recall.

 

[Icedragon]

So essentially a Mk1 Ekos might be of Mk2 spec, how can u tell unless the original owner states that? I'm assumng the Serial number would remain the same?

 

[Icedragon]

Images of various ekos for sale look fairly identical to me

 

[Moomintroll]

So essentially a Mk1 Ekos might be of Mk2 spec, how can u tell unless the original owner states that? I'm assumng the Serial number would remain the same?

Yes, serial number had to be carried forward otherwise it becomes another product, so Linn would be deemed to have produced two arms instead of one. I assume this would have a bearing on their Corporation Tax liability. The best way to check a pre-upgrade serial number would be to ask Linn if they had a record of it being done.

’troll

 

[akamatsu]

There does seem to be a fascination with tonearms on this forum, which could represent the greater population. I guess the tonearm being so visible would be the reason. I recall when I got the Ekos SE I noticed at the time I had barely looked at the thing, which I thought odd as I'd just spent a pile of money on it. I do most of my listening in the dark. I guess a chunk of aluminium with no moving parts isn't as sexy, unless one understands its underlying form, or has been demonstrated the effects of the hierarchy.

 

[Mr Kandid]

The little pip on the housing changed colour too from red to white but I think this was not very accurately done by serial for example.

 

[Ron.P]

The little pip on the housing changed colour too from red to white but I think this was not very accurately done by serial for example.

The white clearly has to sound better, more air, more spittle in the trumpet......

 

[Dasher]

Withe regards to the PS, if it hasn't already been done, I'd have the L1 serviced by Class A - the difference between a serviced and non serviced one is significant. I'd do this because, within your 'modular approach, I'd then keep it, wait and search for a decent Ak. Radikal and skip the L4 step completely. I have both a Keel/Rad/Karousel and a L1 (serviced)/Kore/Cirkus here and I listen to the latter a lot- it's good. The Kore has an Ittok. The Kore was donated from my other LP12 when the Keel came along. It had an Ekos on it at that time and I thought long and hard about drilling the hole or trading the Ittok. I had reason to send the Ittok up to AO just before he stopped servicing them and it came back healthy - so I drilled the hole. I don't regret it. A healthy Ittok on a Kore is a very competent performer. Just one thing to watch if thinking about an earlier Ekos - the Benz may be quite a tight fit. My Ekos is the second version (before the SE) and a Lyra Delos was a very tight fit.If the Kore stretches the budget then it's worth bearing in mind that a current Majik sub is quite a step from the Cirkus - more a 'Kore light'. I actually still like what the Cirkus does but if I was in a mood for upgrading then I'd probably swap it for a Karousel whilst I had the deck in bits (Interestingly I didn't do this with mine - the Cirkus was quite recent and as I quite liked it I kept it in there (and still do)). I do have the luxury of one with and one without though.

 

[sktn77a]

The original bearings were not the issue. The Ekos1 recall was to fix the sticky tracking force dial. They took the opportunity to also upgrade the bearings and headshell to Ekos2 standard.

I'm not aware they ever did this. The "service" was to replace the entire arm with the exception of the serial number sticker. To try to replace the headshell (which is permanently bonded to the arm tube with an aerospace adhesive) would have destroyed the arm.

 

[Wenge1]

I use a Lejonklou Entity 1.1 phono stage + Lingo 4, it sounds great, some say it sounds even better than the Naim Superline/Supercap or Radikal/Urika II.

I personally find the last bit to be a stretch to be honest. The Radikal power supply is a big improvement over a Lingo 4. Everybody I know who has done that comparison agrees with it. Any phono stage no matter who makes it is three stages lower in the well-established LP12 hierarchy. I'm not making any comment on whether the Urika2 is better or worse than the Lejonklou Entity 1.1 but I am saying that neither are as important as the power supply when it comes to performance of an LP12.

 

[akamatsu]

Withe regards to the PS, if it hasn't already been done, I'd have the L1 serviced by Class A - the difference between a serviced and non serviced one is significant. I'd do this because, within your 'modular approach, I'd then keep it, wait and search for a decent Ak. Radikal and skip the L4 step completely. I have both a Keel/Rad/Karousel and a L1 (serviced)/Kore/Cirkus here and I listen to the latter a lot- it's good. The Kore has an Ittok. The Kore was donated from my other LP12 when the Keel came along. It had an Ekos on it at that time and I thought long and hard about drilling the hole or trading the Ittok. I had reason to send the Ittok up to AO just before he stopped servicing them and it came back healthy - so I drilled the hole. I don't regret it. A healthy Ittok on a Kore is a very competent performer. Just one thing to watch if thinking about an earlier Ekos - the Benz may be quite a tight fit. My Ekos is the second version (before the SE) and a Lyra Delos was a very tight fit.If the Kore stretches the budget then it's worth bearing in mind that a current Majik sub is quite a step from the Cirkus - more a 'Kore light'. I actually still like what the Cirkus does but if I was in a mood for upgrading then I'd probably swap it for a Karousel whilst I had the deck in bits (Interestingly I didn't do this with mine - the Cirkus was quite recent and as I quite liked it I kept it in there (and still do)). I do have the luxury of one with and one without though.

Was thinking the same. I had my Lingo 1 rebuilt by @ThomasOK . I was astounded by the result! The OP could be very happy with this setup whilst looking for a used ARadikal. I ended up trading in my L1 just three months after the rebuild in order to take advantage of a promotion and got a 15% discount on the Radikal. 50th is coming up.

 

[quinn_t]

The little pip on the housing changed colour too from red to white but I think this was not very accurately done by serial for example.

My Ekos 2 has the red dot, does it mean it is not really an Ekos 2?

 

[sktn77a]

No. The changeover to the silver dot was made around the time of the update to Ekos 2 but not exactly. The were some Ekos 2 arms that had the red dot. I'm not aware there were any Ekos 1 arms with the silver dot.

 

[Nestor Turton]

I use a Lejonklou Entity 1.1 phono stage + Lingo 4, it sounds great, some say it sounds even better than the Naim Superline/Supercap ..

I’d hope it does

As an ex-SuperLine/SC2 owner, I’d say if your Lejonklou Entity didn’t sound better then I’d send it back. I didn’t get on with the SL at all. Never heard Lejonklou kit, but assume it doesn’t pickup unwanted radio stations when playing Ice Cream Man by Jonathan Richmann & the Modern Lovers or other favourite tracks.

This is why I think home demos are vital because in the shop, the SL sounded OK, but at home anything but. I’d take a DynaVector P75 over the SL any day of the week.

I’m now a very happy Urika II user and my SL nightmares are only a distant memory.

 

[quinn_t]

I’d hope it does

As an ex-SuperLine/SC2 owner, I’d say if your Lejonklou Entity didn’t sound better then I’d send it back. I didn’t get on with the SL at all. Never heard Lejonklou kit, but assume it doesn’t pickup unwanted radio stations when playing Ice Cream Man by Jonathan Richmann & the Modern Lovers or other favourite tracks.

This is why I think home demos are vital because in the shop, the SL sounded OK, but at home anything but. I’d take a DynaVector P75 over the SL any day of the week.

I’m now a very happy Urika II user and my SL nightmares are only a distant memory.

I can say that I am a happy owner of the Lejonklou Entity 1.1 with the Linn Arkiv B (rebuilt completely by SoundSmith).
At the moment, I am totally satisfied with my LP12, and I am not thinking of any upgrade.

 

[Nestor Turton]

@quinn_t
Soundsmith - if I wasn't committed to an all Linn record player and electronics then I'd go for one of their Strain Gauge cartridges. I know they are expensive, but you can buy one with 10 replacement styli so there is little or no ongoing cost. Many years ago, I owned a Strain Gauge cartridge from Micro Acoustics and used it in Garrard TT and I have very fond memories of it.

A few years a go a neighbour had a Soundsmith SG in a Musical Fidelity record player - he's moved now - if anyone had asked me to recommend an amplifier and speakers, I'd have said avoid valves and horns. He had a Conrad Johnson amplifier driving some Tannoy Westminster horns - sound was wonderful. Shows how much I know.

I'm sure your Soundsmith rebuilt Arkiv B sounds superb. Soundsmith come across as a top notch company.

 

[Dasher]

My Ekos 2 has the red dot, does it mean it is not really an Ekos 2?

Mine also has the red dot - is well over the s/n 7000 'break point' and has always been considered an Ekos 2 (it is an Ekos '2'). This is precisely why I didn't mention the 'higher than a certain s/n' in my post. I'm in agreement with you - there are Ekos 2s with red dots (and in my case annoyingly sticky arm lifts)!

 

[Dasher]

@quinn_t
Soundsmith - if I wasn't committed to an all Linn record player and electronics then I'd go for one of their Strain Gauge cartridges. I know they are expensive, but you can buy one with 10 replacement styli so there is little or no ongoing cost. Many years ago, I owned a Strain Gauge cartridge from Micro Acoustics and used it in Garrard TT and I have very fond memories of it.

A few years a go a neighbour had a Soundsmith SG in a Musical Fidelity record player - he's moved now - if anyone had asked me to recommend an amplifier and speakers, I'd have said avoid valves and horns. He had a Conrad Johnson amplifier driving some Tannoy Westminster horns - sound was wonderful. Shows how much I know.

I'm sure your Soundsmith rebuilt Arkiv B sounds superb. Soundsmith come across as a top notch company.

I have a Soundsmith Asaka and it is very good. It now sits in a box as a spare. I sometimes regret moving on my Linto as, if I hadn't done then this SS Asaka would be living in the Ittok equipped LP12.

 

[Moomintroll]

Mine also has the red dot - is well over the s/n 7000 'break point' and has always been considered an Ekos 2 (it is an Ekos '2'). This is precisely why I didn't mention the 'higher than a certain s/n' in my post. I'm in agreement with you - there are Ekos 2s with red dots (and in my case annoyingly sticky arm lifts)!

Switchover was serial number 6200, unless you’re referring to something else.

’troll