I’ll make this short and simple. I currently have the following upgrades ahead of me. Question is which one to do first. Get Sagatun monos to replace KK, get Ekos SE to replace Ekos 2, upgrade 242 bases to solid. Also, is there anything im missing here regarding upgrades..?
As always, thanks for your time,
Jon

In your shoes I would go for the Ekos SE/1

Thanks Tendaberry. If/when I go this route, should I continue to use the T-Cable that is on the Ekos 2, or use the Cable that comes with Ekos SE/1? Having never heard a tonearm upgrade, I’m anxious and maybe even skeptical as to the improvement it will bring. (I have never heard Ekos SE). I completely understand that this is an improvement.. guess it’s just hard to think of how/what this will improve. Anyone with any experience going from Ekos2 to SE?
Thanks everyone!

Definitely Ekos SE/1. It is the highest up in the hierarchy and will make the most important musical improvement. In addition the Kandid you have and the Ekos SE were designed to work together in such a way that they are more than the sum of the parts when used in combination. I have had a few customers who went Kandid on an Ekos 2 since their Arkiv or Akiva were worn out. Later they upgraded to the Ekos SE. In all cases the comments were along the lines that the Ekos SE really lets you hear what the Kandid is capable of. They were surprised how much the Ekos 2 compromised the perfromance. It is not subtle.

I prefer the original light grey T.Kable to the newer one using Mogami wire. So I would stick with the original T.Kable if that is what you have with the Ekos 2. It will also let you hear the difference that only the arm makes.

This all assumes that your main serious listening is on the LP12. If you listen more to a streamer then the Sagatun Monos would improve both sources so that could weigh on the decision. But since there is no streamer in your system listing, and I doubt the Pekin is a main music listening choice, I'd go with the Ekos SE/1.

bonzo wrote: ↑2019-05-02 17:49 Thanks Tendaberry. If/when I go this route, should I continue to use the T-Cable that is on the Ekos 2, or use the Cable that comes with Ekos SE/1? Having never heard a tonearm upgrade, I’m anxious and maybe even skeptical as to the improvement it will bring. (I have never heard Ekos SE). I completely understand that this is an improvement.. guess it’s just hard to think of how/what this will improve. Anyone with any experience going from Ekos2 to SE?
Thanks everyone!

I don't think you are using the original T-Kable with the Ekos 2, since you have a Urika. You'll have a short cable inside the LP12 and the silver cables from the Urika to the preamp.

Tendaberry wrote: ↑2019-05-03 10:13

bonzo wrote: ↑2019-05-02 17:49 Thanks Tendaberry. If/when I go this route, should I continue to use the T-Cable that is on the Ekos 2, or use the Cable that comes with Ekos SE/1? Having never heard a tonearm upgrade, I’m anxious and maybe even skeptical as to the improvement it will bring. (I have never heard Ekos SE). I completely understand that this is an improvement.. guess it’s just hard to think of how/what this will improve. Anyone with any experience going from Ekos2 to SE?
Thanks everyone!

I don't think you are using the original T-Kable with the Ekos 2, since you have a Urika. You'll have a short cable inside the LP12 and the silver cables from the Urika to the preamp.

Good catch. Somehow I managed to miss that. Yep, no T.Kable is involved. Captured short cable to the Urika, then interconnects from there.

I went from Ekos 2 to Ekos SE with no other changes.

Immediate improvement in sonics and musicality. Was it worth the financial outlay? To me it certainly was.

I did the change to integrate the ‘deck as a system. I think the Keel, Ekos SE and Kandid were designed to work as a system. The Radikal provides the lowest noise floor to let more of the music through to the platter/sub chassis/‘arm and cartridge assembly. The Urika is a really good phono and makes sense with the power supply from the Radikal.

That’s my experience and I would have no doubts about doing it again.

The Ekos 2 is a very desirable ‘arm and will sell on well.