Old K400 (split) vs New K200

[Charlie1]

Just got some K200. If it's no good then I'll use it on my second system which just has bell wire at the moment.

I bought 2.48m long, although I guess that may not be optimal for this cable. Same Linn Knekt terminals and solder.

Initial impressions are it's much less tuneful, but it was cold / stiff having just been delivered. I will compare again in a few weeks once it's had some good run in time.

I prefer the K200 sound; better mids/highs and more punch/weight in the bass, so I hope it improves a lot over time, although based on other reports this does seem unlikely now.

EDIT: It's better now it's warmed up to room temperature, but still musically some way off K400. It's just a bit of a drag waiting/hoping it will improve. I might get bored of it sooner rather than later :(

[Charlie1]

I've given up. Quite a downgrade and really not enjoying my music.

Anyone know if there is a specific period after which speaker cable breaks in? Does it ever make much difference?

I suppose I could connect a digital device and leave the system playing whenever I'm out.

Shame cos it's a nicer sound.

[beck]

Thank you for the report Charlie1 on the new speaker cables. Interesting but not really a surprice to me. I have long left the road of “nice sound” and it has made me happy.

[lejonklou]

Thanks for reporting Charlie!

I agree that the Silver K200 sounds nice but performs worse. I had a 250 cm pair a month ago and it completely robbed my system of the magic I'm used to. Sounded nice but there was no spark.

These days I have no patience with anything boring, I'm not impressed by nice sound in the way I used to be. Five years ago I thought "well it sounds nice, so it has something, now if I could only add some magic to it..." But it doesn't work that way. Nice sound is easy, magic is really hard.

Regarding break in I'm sorry to say that soldered joints take almost four months until they're completely settled. However, performance doesn't climb steadily during that period, it fluctuates. Often it starts by sounding good and then within a very short time span - hours to days - it goes into a confused state and then emerges in another good, but different, state. Then it varies between stiff, grey, confused and good until it finally stops varying altogether. The trick is to make it end on 'good'.

This break in period is sometimes hardly noticeable, especially with a product that isn't very good to begin with. But something that is truly magic can appear to have big variations - probably because you sense that suddenly the magic is lost. And then it's back! And then it's lost again. And back!

[matthias]

Fredrik,
now after the K400 has expired, maybe someone from our community here could ask Linn kindly for the manufacturing details or do some reverse engineering to make a single-wire relaunch of it.

Matt

[lejonklou]

It would certainly be nice to know where it was made. I have no clue.

Reverse engineering cables is very tricky to say the least (I nearly wrote 'impossible'). I have ordered precisely defined cable constructions and they never sound the same from factory to factory. It's similar to all those power cords sounding so surprisingly different - many of them have identical dimensions and materials.

I know there's supposed to be one cable company that manufactures audio cables for the majority of European HiFi brands, but I've never learned which that company is. Anyone who knows?

[macrotech2]

Interesting reports on the K200.

At the Linn factory event a couple of years ago I was talking to Phil Budd in the bar and he said as I recall that they couldn’t get hold of the K400 any more. He also agreed with your findings that it sounded more hi-fi, but less tuneful, and was likely to divide opinion.

[matthias]

Interesting that Linn launch a product which is inferior to its predecessor.
I am wondering what would happen if they do the same with DS or LP12.

Matt

[Charlie1]

At the Linn factory event a couple of years ago I was talking to Phil Budd in the bar and he said as I recall that they couldn’t get hold of the K400 any more. He also agreed with your findings that it sounded more hi-fi, but less tuneful, and was likely to divide opinion.

That's a little comfort in my view. It would be worse if they thought it sounded musically superior.

The new K200 is a good size/colour. It's much less obtrusive, being rounded and lighter tone. I wonder if cosmetics featured in their requirements for the new cable - i.e. from upper management / marketing team.

[matthias]

The new K200 is a good size/colour to aim for though. It's much less obtrusive, being rounded and lighter tone.

Yes, it is a trend that audio gear is more appealing to the eye than to the ear.

Matt

[macrotech2]

And don't forget the huge increase in cost.

[macrotech2]

Interesting that Linn launch a product which is inferior to its predecessor.
I am wondering what would happen if they do the same with DS or LP12.

Matt

I think this was Phil's personal opinion, but others in Linn believed it superior. Please remember this was two years ago so I can't remember the full details.

[matthias]

And don't forget the huge increase in cost.

Yes, AFAIK double price.

Matt

[matthias]

I think this was Phil's personal opinion, but others in Linn believed it superior.

Maybe they should reinforce their tune dem training department.

Matt

[beck]

I think this was Phil's personal opinion, but others in Linn believed it superior.

Maybe they should reinforce their tune dem training department.

Matt

Ivor has left the building. We are left with the remains (2nd hand) of tuneful equipment. :-)

[matthias]

Ivor has left the building. We are left with the remains (2nd hand) of tuneful equipment. :-)

Yes, the results are somewhat mixed, but David Williamson does a very good job and the new DS (now with DSD support too) is clearly better than its predecessor.

Matt

[Music Lover]

Interesting that Linn launch a product which is inferior to its predecessor.
I am wondering what would happen if they do the same with DS or LP12.

Matt

Well, they do that since many years. (DS Firmware, and before that Unidisk firmware)
Today it’s all about features and hence...some FW are good, some not.

[Jacsimo]

If new K200 is really not up to it, please can members recommend an alternative.

I do know of at least one member who is really happy with new K200 too!

I’m looking forward to buying my First Tundra and would like a good cable to singe wire passive connection to Akudoriks.

Unfortunately they’ll need to be c.5.5m long and ideally no larger dia than new K200 (8mm) for running under carpet.

It will replace Chord Rumour Install which is silvered and hence a little bright.

Thx

[lejonklou]

And don't forget the huge increase in cost.

Yes, AFAIK double price.

Matt

No, the new Silver K200 is exactly 3.4 times as expensive as a K400 split in half.

[matthias]

No, the new Silver K200 is exactly 3.4 times as expensive as a K400 split in half.

Bravo, quite an achievement, similar to the price increase of the belt!

Matt

[sunbeamgls]

If new K200 is really not up to it, please can members recommend an alternative.

I do know of at least one member who is really happy with new K200 too!

I’m looking forward to buying my First Tundra and would like a good cable to singe wire passive connection to Akudoriks.

Unfortunately they’ll need to be c.5.5m long and ideally no larger dia than new K200 (8mm) for running under carpet.

It will replace Chord Rumour Install which is silvered and hence a little bright.

Thx

Naim SuperLumina is exceptional - heard it in a number of different systems. It is, however, stupidly priced.

[sunbeamgls]

Interesting that Linn launch a product which is inferior to its predecessor.
I am wondering what would happen if they do the same with DS or LP12.

Matt

Well, they do that since many years. (DS Firmware, and before that Unidisk firmware)
Today it’s all about features and hence...some FW are good, some not.

Agreed that it is not certain that later products are better than earlier ones. Keosa was a shadow of Keilidh, as was the matching Centrik II compared to the original (chopped in half Keilidh) version. There's a whole group who believe LK products are better than the current ones (but I think that's too much of a sweeping approach and each product should be considered on its own merits).

[lejonklou]

Interesting that Linn launch a product which is inferior to its predecessor.
I am wondering what would happen if they do the same with DS or LP12.

Please note that I have great respect for Linn, they make fantastic analogue and digital sources. Perhaps the best ones you can buy today. And they, together with Naim, are the reason I'm doing what I do today. Thank you Linn! I'm forever grateful and I say that with sincerity any deep humbleness.

However... Everything related to cabling they have unfortunately screwed up in the last decade:
• The best interconnects are the very earliest Silvers, later ones perform about half as good as the best early specimen,
• the black Mogami T kable for Ekos tonearms is much worse than the previous grey version (which is still available for Akito, even as a spare part, please do hurry and buy one before they kill it!),
• the new Knekt bananas are in a new shiny aluminium alloy that looks better but sounds worse than the old matte one,
• and the Silver K200 looks and sounds nice, but has lost the magic of the old K400/K600 (originally it was a K200 but they never released it - guess why!),
• and I won't even mention the K40 speaker cable.

[The FlatEarther]

I share all your feelings. When I moved from K20 to split K400 I really liked the tunefulness but felt the K20 was much sweeter and open and I still miss that sound but the K400 is definitely superior. However, the the K200 is the worst of both worlds, less tuneful and too bright.

That however, is not the worst sounding linn product which has to be the 350’s. Even at the factory they sounded dire.

[Maggio]

Oh I agree, the 350's sound abysmal. Did you own a 350, FlatEarther?