Friends,
I am new to this forum. I do not use Linn components but I am big fan of UK products, especially Linn and Naim. At the moment I use a Verdier Nouvelle turntable with a Linn ekos2 tonearm. At the moment I am facing a problem installing the Ekos. I got a Linn Silver T-Kable with P-clip along with the Ekos2. This cable is very good sonically but the p-clip is obstructing in the installation (please see the picture below). Is there anyway I could buy the same cable with a straight pin ?
Linn does not sell a cable with a straight connector. You would have to get a straight connector and have it soldered on. I'm sure there are various companies who make that type of plug as several cable companies make arm cables with a straight connector including AudioQuest, Cardas and Nordost. I have not evaluated any of the connectors used so I can't make any recommendations. Maybe someone else has some experience?
A few of us have compared the newer T.Kable with Mogami wire to the older with Linn grey wire and we have found the Mogami to be distinctly less musical than the original. There is a very good comparison that Fredrik did discussed here:
There were additional posts about it here and there. I did a comparison myself sometime later and I also find the original T.Kable musically superior to the later Mogami version.
ThomasOK wrote:A few of us have compared the newer T.Kable with Mogami wire to the older with Linn grey wire and we have found the Mogami to be distinctly less musical than the original. There is a very good comparison that Fredrik did discussed here:
There were additional posts about it here and there. I did a comparison myself sometime later and I also find the original T.Kable musically superior to the later Mogami version.
Did the original t-kable have the P-clip or some other connector ?
ThomasOK wrote:A few of us have compared the newer T.Kable with Mogami wire to the older with Linn grey wire and we have found the Mogami to be distinctly less musical than the original. There is a very good comparison that Fredrik did discussed here:
There were additional posts about it here and there. I did a comparison myself sometime later and I also find the original T.Kable musically superior to the later Mogami version.
Did the original t-kable have the P-clip or some other connector ?
First off I need to clear up the terminology here. The P-clip is not the connector at the end of the cable that plugs into the tonearm. It is a plastic clip that is used to hold the arm cable to the back chassis bolt on an LP12 to terminate any vibrations that might travel up the cable to the tonearm. When properly setup it also assures that the cable has minimal effect on the suspension.
What you are referring to as the P-clip is simply the 90° tonearm connector which in the case of the T.Kable you have pictured (which is an original) is black and made by SME. The newer T.Kable with the Mogami wire uses a newer connector designed by Linn as can be seen in the photos in the thread I have linked to above. This newer connector is also a 90° connector, as are all Linn arm cable connectors, so it would be of no use in your situation.
WARNING - This is most important. (At least, in my estimation.)
DO NOT change the connectors on your cable! As you now have learned, the silver cable you have is no longer made, which makes it valuable AS IT IS. If you read more on this forum, Linn's terminations are unsurpassed, and allowing someone/anyone to chop off the end to "fix" it would do irreparable harm. Mr. Lejonklou is one of the top authorities on soldering and on Linn silver cable terminations. Search around the forum - it's all here.
Should you ever wish to sell your Ekos, it's value will be diminished by not having the proper cable. Indeed, given the "obsolescence" of your cable, it's value will probably be enhanced.
I would strongly suggest getting a new cable from one of ThomasOK's sources, but do not spend much. A proper demonstration will prove impossible to get, and price does not correlate with tunefulness.
A few resources to try:
Linn. I would almost wager with certainty that you will receive a similar reply to ThomasOK's response. They have no reason to know this information.
Peter Swain at Cymbiosis. I have no direct experience of him nor heard his work. He is the only person I know of that literally travels the world to set up LP12s. He has also worked directly with cable companies (Chord) to have custom solutions made for the LP12, and therefore should know something.
Colin Macey at What You See and Hear. Ditto my non-experience. Another LP12 technician with decades of experience and willing to help. (on Linn forum)
ThomasOK is probably the best LP12 technician in the US, certainly that writes on the forums, and as you have learned, he is a great writer.
Fredrik Lejonklou knows everything - from experience and exhaustive testing - and even better, if he doesn't know he will tell you. Hardly ever happens.
These are the folks I would go to first, (the last two being "mission accomplished") that use English and American. You may inquire of them for additional resources. I have no direct experience with them or their work, but their writing totally corresponds with my experience.
The right angle connection that you have is more the norm, not the exception on suspended tables. Another common set-up is to run the tonearm cable from the back of the arm continuously to a terminal on the rear of the turntable where standard RCA interconnects are used. The straight connection that your table requires is found on rigid tables such as yours.
The remaining options are to get another arm to fit the table, or to get an LP12. Sadly, I have no experience (meaningful demonstration) of any arm to fit your table. I also have no experience of the Verdier. Check carefully first, but a Rega arm may work. It has been some time, but I believe they have a continuous run from cartridge to RCA plugs. I can't remember hearing one on anything other than a Rega table, hence my previous statement. Thomas would know. (This is unforgivable, and proof I am too old, with the number of Planar 2s and 3s I have set up...)
Welcome to the forum. I don't post much, as others here are much more knowledgeable, but this is the most useful and enjoyable audio forum I have found. Good luck.
ADDENDUM: Just noticed your FS post. Keep your Mayware, as it will fit and has qualities you enjoy. Search here on "tunedem" and "hierarchy" and also at Linn. It will be helpful, and may explain the Mayware sale. Best wishes.
I was definitely not intending to modify the Linn cable. I know it carries a value due to its pedigree. I was only trying to figure out a cable which performs at the same/similar level and has a straight pin. If there isnt anything better as such then its my poor luck to miss out on this one. Since this came free with the Ekos2 tonearm I bought recently I was even more eager to give it a good shot. I know Linn doesnt waste time on non-performing items.
I totally agree with you that tuneful products dont need to be expensive. On the contrary, most high end products screw up that aspect. No wonder that I find it so difficult to replace the stock Naim power cords from my phonostage and preamp (both are non-naim products). These power cords cost $40 but has seen off many $1000 power cords in my system. It is a good news and a bad news too, because these Naim power cords lack in the areas of refinement which most other power cords solve but none of them get the musical flow and tones as correct as the Naim power cords. So, I am stuck with a sound that is enjoyble but not too neat.
Regarding the Mayware, I am totally aware of this gem. It is such an amazing tonearm. But then I have too many arms (all of them special). I have an Aro, an Ekos2 and 47 Labs RS-A1. All of them do something very special. But my TT has only one tonearm board so most of the time other arms are lying idle. I thought if I could liquidate at least one arm and use the funds to buy some good power conditioners or AC cables.
I would agree with Sonett that having a new connector soldered on is generally not a good idea and am sorry if I gave the impression it was. It is a possibility and might cause little harm if done by somebody like Fredrik who is a master at soldering. However, despite his soldering abilities he readily admits to not being able to solder a pair of Linn Silvers as well as Linn does it (nor have I been able to) so we both recommend factory Silvers. I believe this would also hold for he T.Kable.
However, I did come up with one idea that might work for you. If you look at the last photo in the link I posted above you will see a newer Linn T.Kable partly disassembled. This is the newer plug Linn designed to replace the SME plug. The cap for it is held in place by three screws and the connector itself is the same diameter as the arm pillar. So you could order a new Akito arm cable (which sells for about $400 in the US) and would give you the older light grey wiring. You could then remove the cap and carefully bend the cable to go straight down. I haven't tried this and it could be a bit tricky to get the cable to go straight down without breaking a contact but I think it would be possible. If you are able to do this I would also recommend you attach the cable to the black wood of the turntable as shown in the photo to act as a strain relief. You might also want to try some heat shrink although you might need a few sizes to really have it work to relieve strain.
If you are able to do this it would give you a similar quality cable to the original and you would likely be able to return it to original condition if you later wished to sell it.
By the way, if you are trying power cables I'd recommend trying the stock Linn ones. They are similar in price to the Naim ones and I have found them to work well with equipment other than Linn. They may give you the music you are looking for.
Last edited by ThomasOK on 2013-11-13 18:16, edited 1 time in total.
Pani, what happens if you remove the silver coloured screw that holds together your SME DIN connector on the Linn T kable? Perhaps that's enough to let your arm move freely (in the turntable I otherwise know nothing about).
Thanks everyone for some bright ideas and I was able to use the cable by the method Lejonklou suggested the last post. It is a very very good cable, much better than the Jelco 501 cable which already was a superb cable.
Anyway I have finally decided to sell the Ekos2. All my other arms are unipivot, I bought the Ekos2 to see if gimballed bearing arm suits my taste better. It indeed surprised me with some seriously dynamic and ballsy performance. On good recordings it was way ahead of my other arms. I still felt I would like to live with Unipivots for some more time, so I am selling the Ekos2.
Pani wrote:Is this also a standard mogami cable with Linn termination ?
No, this is Linn's own "Silver" cable. Same cable (but with a grey jacket) was used in the old T kable and is now used in the tonearm cable shipped with Akito.
