Radikal Dynamik for Majik CD

paolo · Post by **paolo** » 2011-05-06 14:21

Hello,
from what I could verify the original Radikal PS is exactly the same as the Majik CD PS: PCAS 551. So the qs. comes immediate, is it possible to install the new Radikal Dynamik into a Majik CD? It would be of course an attractive upgrade for the many users of Majik CD, giving it that bit more of grip and detail it somehow is actually lacking. Anybody has tried and can confirm it does work?

Paolo

ThomasOK · Post by **ThomasOK** » 2011-05-06 16:45

I haven't been able to try it so I can't confirm whether it works or not but it seems like it should unless some of the voltages are not present. I would also expect it would make quite an upgrade for the Majik Kontrol - possibly close to original AK/D.

Charlie1 · Post by **Charlie1** » 2011-05-06 17:55

MK with Dynamik - that would be a good value pre-amp. People still miss this from the product line and are often asking it, especially with the much higher cost of the AK.

Tony Tune-age · Post by **Tony Tune-age** » 2011-05-06 18:02

Charlie1 wrote:MK with Dynamik - that would be a good value pre-amp. People still miss this from the product line and are often asking it, especially with the much higher cost of the AK.

Has there been an explanation from Linn why the Majik Kontrol was dropped from their product line? Plus, is there any indication if Linn is planning a replacement for the Majik Kontrol?

Charlie1 · Post by **Charlie1** » 2011-05-06 18:05

The common belief is that the MK and AK had the same electronics and only the PSU differed. Therefore, if they both got a Dynamik PSU then they might sound the same. But this was prior to the latest AK version, so there is now more of an opening for the MK to return.

Tony Tune-age · Post by **Tony Tune-age** » 2011-05-06 18:13

Charlie1 wrote:The common belief is that the MK and AK had the same electronics and only the PSU differed. Therefore, if they both got a Dynamik PSU then they might sound the same. But this was prior to the latest AK version, so there is now more of an opening for the MK to return.

Most interesting indeed. If Linn knew they would be releasing the revised Akurate Kontrol, they should have retained the Majik Kontrol. Not sure how cost effective it is to stop production, then restart production later? It's tough to believe Linn didn't think of that before eliminating the Majik Kontrol from their product line.

But then again, they've always been a unique company in many aspects.

Charlie1 · Post by **Charlie1** » 2011-05-06 18:20

There was quite a long gap between the end of the MK and the new AK. At least a year I would say. Whether that's long enough to redesign the AK I don't know.

Maybe the MK just wasn't selling enough following the release of the Majik-I

Tony Tune-age · Post by **Tony Tune-age** » 2011-05-06 18:26

Charlie1 wrote:Maybe the MK just wasn't selling enough following the release of the Majik-I

That is a good point. Also, perhaps Linn is only interested in having two dedicated stereo preamplifiers in their product line.

However, with their current rate of product design changes...most anything could happen in the near future!

paolo · Post by **paolo** » 2011-05-07 01:27

Thanks for your comments Thomas, Charlie and Tony, sure both MCD and MK had the same PS so if the new Radikal Dynamik fits one it will fit both.

The importance of having an entry level line has been long disputed but it seems Linn lastly has decided to keep its range as simple and limited as possible - probably a cost saving decision though surely with the consequence of leaving to competitors many potential new entry customers. Quite a heavy decision in my opinion for a brand who always had customer loyalty as one of its strongest trait.

ThomasOK · Post by **ThomasOK** » 2011-05-07 16:03

I would be the last one to say that Linn shouldn't have an entry level series - I bugged them about it for some time after the discontinuation of the Genki/Kolektor/LK85/LK140 series. I was also disappointed when the Classik 2008 was discontinued. In the LK series days we even talked here about how nice it would be if we could come out with a line of equipment in enclosures that matched the LK boxes but were even less expensive. Things like a $999 CD player and a $599 FM tuner for people who wanted decent FM but didn't want to spend $1100 for it.

But I think you have to look at it from Linn's point of view. First, they want to keep the manufacturing in Scotland rather than moving it to China. How many UK electronics companies, besides Linn and Rega, have managed to keep most or all of their manufacturing in the UK? This imposes a cost level that does make really low priced equipment difficult to make (although Rega does manage pretty well-but even their budget products have been creeping up). Second, they have the seemingly ever increasing costs of UE regulations: electrical standards, recycling requirements, etc. These are certainly increasing the cost of manufacture of their products. Thirdly, they made a move from the LK casework to the AV casework as their minimum chassis type and this has also raised costs, especially as the cost of aluminum has been going up as well.

So several valid reasons why it is no longer commercially feasible for Linn to make a $1000 preamp or a $895 power amp. Also Linn seems to have set a bit higher minimum standard for their products with Dynamik power supplies and Chakra amplification virtually across the entire range (small exceptions being the Sneaky DS and Sekrit DS-I, etc.).

But look at the positive price/performance aspects of the current line. The Majik I has a preamp that is markedly better than a Kairn, let alone a Kolektor, with a better phono stage as well (much better than the Kolektor) and it likely outperforms the Majik Kontrol as well (although I haven't done this comparison). And it has a power amp that is more powerful than the LK85 and musically better than the LK85, LK140 or a 5125. This at a price of $2975 which is pretty good compared to the $2495 a Kolektor/LK140 would have run you years ago - inflation alone would make up that difference. An even better example would be the Majik DS-Iwhich at $4200 throws in a DS unit better than the Sneaky DS but not quite as good as the Majik DS. Compare this to a Genki/Kolektor/LK140 at $4445! The MDS-I kills the LK stack on all musical counts: better amp, much better preamp and an astonishingly better source! You also get Internet radio so you could argue you would have to add a $1100 Pekin to the LK stack for equal flexibility. And that doesn't even count the flexibility of using the internal DAC for better performance from things like DVD players, cable boxes, etc.

So I think it is safe to say that the Majik DS-I is a pretty amazing and powerful entry level piece, even if that entry is a bit higher than it once was. And I find customers see it that way too. I have been very successful with the MDS-I for customers who come in asking for a good quality CD player and amp. If they have delved into computer based music at all they easily see the advantage of the Linn solution. I recently sold a Majik DS-I to one older couple who haven't gotten into computer music yet but see the advantage of being able to do it in the future. They also bought a Rega Apollo to use until they have their CDs ripped to a hard drive and will plug it into the MDS-I DAC for better sound.

Now I still would love to see Linn have an even less expensive entry level just so that we could reach a wider range of customers and get them into wonderful musical reproduction. I'd be way interested in a DS replacement for the Classik - a $2500 to $2800 integrated unit with somewhat lesser performance then the MDS-I. Or, if you will, a Sneaky DS with real preamp, a display and a better power amp. But maybe this just isn't economically possible at this point? It would be great though. I do think it would also be a great idea to reincarnate the Majik Kontrol. A $3000 to $3500 preamp with MM/MC phono and the Dynamik power supply should be a big step up over the original MK even if it used the same main board without being too close in performance to the new Akurate Kontrol. With the Kairns starting to fail here and there and them no longer being serviceable, having a similarly priced replacement that is substantially better would be a really good move. Telling someone their originally top of the line Linn preamp can no longer be repaired and that it will cost them more than double, $6990, to replace it is not likely to win a lot of friends. Having a $3250 replacement with substantially upgraded performance would at least help to take the sting out of it.