Pete's System

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springwood64
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Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

Since the pandemic my system has undergone a radical transformation.

That's what happens when we're made to spend more time at home :).

During lockdown I ticked quite a few longstanding jobs that had been left over from the house build when we moved in 9 years ago, and sorting out my digital source was on that list.

I restarted the research that I had abandoned the previous decade and discovered the Hakai forum here. This is the result:
IMG_20201017_092224541.jpg
IMG_20201017_091937560_HDR.jpg
My listening has been transformed and the whole family has found loads of new music which has become part of our staple.
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Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by ThomasOK »

Nice setup. We have been given more time for "home improvement", haven't we? I'm just trying to figure out what that third speaker is on the far left. ;-)
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Re: Pete's System

Post by maffe »

Good to see I'm not the only one using insulation tape the Gigaport :)
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Re: Pete's System

Post by V.A.MKD »

Nice system ...
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

maffe wrote: 2020-10-17 15:16 Good to see I'm not the only one using insulation tape the Gigaport :)
Ha! Gotta tame those leds
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

Thanks for the nice comments.

When we designed the house, the alcove for the hifii rack was put on its own fused spur with separate earth, and K400 run under the floor to the speakers, which face the other direction (towards and parallel to the rack but firing about 2m to the side). The idea was to try and minimise the vibrations that the rack would experience.

Unfortunately, if I put my head in the left hand corner of the alcove when playing music, I can hear a distinct bloom of bass. It's slightly to the left of the rack, but I guess it's a reflection off the right wall.

I'm thinking I might benefit from something to soak up the vibrations in this corner, but I'm not sure what would work.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by OscarH »

Nice one! I can really identify with a (comparatively) human system that the entire family enjoys.

We have very similar digital sources...

Is it mainly the Hakai and Boazu that are new?
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

OscarH wrote: 2020-10-17 18:20
Is it mainly the Hakai and Boazu that are new?
Yes. The hakai has brought fab new music and the Boazu has brought it all to life, improving vinyl as well
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

ThomasOK wrote: 2020-10-17 15:14 I'm just trying to figure out what that third speaker is on the far left. ;-)
Anthropomorphic speakers are clearly the future....
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by OscarH »

springwood64 wrote: 2020-10-17 18:48
OscarH wrote: 2020-10-17 18:20
Is it mainly the Hakai and Boazu that are new?
Yes. The hakai has brought fab new music and the Boazu has brought it all to life, improving vinyl as well
What did they replace?
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

For digital music I was using Sonos and my amp was an Arcam AVR300.

The Sonos was only good enough for background music, so the Axis was the main source.

Having introduced the Hakai, now I'm listening via Qobuz and Radio Paradise and digital is the main source, although I still play vinyl regularly.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

I've upgraded the TV.
IMG_20201019_210111572.jpg
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

I've been reflecting on my hi-fi and music journey, Linn's role in that journey and how diminished that role is going to be in future.

I've had a record player and listened to vinyl since about 1974. The first turntable I used was the family's Philips Dansette, bought by my Mum. A family friend built me a record player & radio in a drawer to fit in my chest of drawers in my bedroom a year or so later. It was fun, if a bit crap.

I went to university in 1981 and with a cheque for my full grant immediately went to Dixons and bought a Sony music centre. I loved this, kept it until 2008 and I still regret giving it away. It was stereo! I finally heard the other half of all my Beatles records, as the Dansette could only play mono.

By 1989 I was back in the UK, working and could afford to buy some hi-fi. I read a lot of magazine articles and went to Sevenoaks Hifi to listen to my picklist. Between a Rega Planar 2 and a Dual CS 505-4 I picked the Dual, with a Pioneer A400 and Jamo speakers.

My selection method was simple: I took 3 or 4 records and picked the kit that kept my attention and made me want to keep playing the music. If my mind wandered or I lost interest in the music, whatever was playing was off the list. This was the sole criteria, because I played music to absorb my attention to the exclusion of all else, like reading a book. To my surprise at the time, the only hi-fi magazine 'best buy' that passed the test was the Pioneer amp. I really didn't like the Rega or any of the 'budget' British amps.

A few years later my girlfriend bought a Systemdek turntable for me from a friend. This had a Linn Basik arm that needed replacement and was my first encounter with Linn. I visited my local Linn dealer who recommended an Akito. At £300 (equivalent to £700 today) I was now the proud owner of a brand new Linn tonearm. At the same time I listened to a Linn Majik-I, which passed my listening tests with flying colours. This I think cost around £330 new. These entry level Linn products were very affordable by today's standards.

I was unaware of Linn's reputation at the time until a friend of mine later asked me if I was now a 'Linnie'. He had a much more esoteric and costly system, including some huge Yamaha speakers and mono-block amps. His system really did punch the air, but I found I did not want to listen for very long, whereas he thought my system was too polite and lacked bass. However, we did both gain a lot of new music from each other.

Having found that Linn gear seemed to match what I listened for in hi-fi, persuaded by what I understood of their guiding philosophy, and being tempted back by my local Linn dealer to add an LK100 to my Majik-I, I stopped listening to other brands.

It seemed a waste of time. Linn's approach aligned with mine, and working up the Linn hierarchy was a reliable way to get more and more enjoyment out of my music. At the same time eBay emerged and the second hand market offered the opportunity to upgrade at nearly zero cost through judicious buying and selling.

I progressed through Linn's amplifier history (Kairn, AV5103, Kinos along with Klout, 5125, C2200, KCT) and a series of LP12s.
I also learnt a lot about set up tuning, and in the process I found more and more in my music. I did occasionally find myself listening to high-end systems, one or two of which sounded more impressive than mine, but none of which made me want to keep listening to the music to the exclusion of all else, confirming that the Linn gear seemed genuinely uniquely compatible.

I never really engaged with CD or digital, despite owning a variety of CD players, although I kept an eye on it as streaming emerged and experimented with improvised setups. However nothing digital I tried passed my listening test the way that vinyl did, and I was not prepared to buy new into the Linn streaming world as the prices were too high for me.

My house build in 2009 drove a coach and horses through my finance, forcing me to sell off most of my hi-fi. It literally paid for the roof over my head :) However a cheap used Linn Axis kept me happy, and it is still my only vinyl source.

Because of this forum, I gambled that Lejonklou kit would, like Linn, be compatible with my approach to music and bought without prior listening a used Kinki 3 to use with the Axis. Likewise, I made the same bet on a Hakai and a Boazu. These bets have all definitely paid off. I am particularly impressed by Boazu, which has catapulted my system into another league.

For the first time I now have a digital system that is engaging and absorbing. It is also regularly introducing me to new music, so really it is the best music system I have ever owned.

In my mind, Lejonklou equipment has replaced Linn as a safe affordable bet, certainly for amplification.

I don't expect to be replacing Boazu for a long time, but when I replace the Axis with an LP12 I will be upgrading the Kinki with a Slipsik, confident that this will bring me more music.

In future I suspect that Linn will only be of interest to me for vinyl source, and if I eventually decide to replace my Espeks I will not default to Linn but listen to speakers that follow the same philosophy as Lejonklou.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by beck »

Great writeup Pete. I can follow your sentiments. :-)
Playing cd’s…………
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Re: Pete's System

Post by Tendaberry »

Great story Pete! Maybe a pair of Klangedang M2 speakers for you in the future?
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Re: Pete's System

Post by V.A.MKD »

Tendaberry wrote: 2020-11-11 14:54 Great story Pete! Maybe a pair of Klangedang M2 speakers for you in the future?
Or Lejonklou Speakers??? When the project is OK.
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

Tendaberry wrote: 2020-11-11 14:54 Great story Pete! Maybe a pair of Klangedang M2 speakers for you in the future?
Well, as you can imagine, I've been following the Klangedang story with interest.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by macrotech2 »

Great story Pete. I fully appreciate your comments as I too have now moved away from Linn and discovered massive musical improvements, which I wouldn’t have thought possible after all these years. The only thing left is 2 pairs of silver interconnects and “Lejonklou style K200” speaker cables, though the latter are going shortly.

There is musical life after/without Linn!
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Re: Pete's System

Post by ThomasOK »

Nice story, Pete. I believe it is one that a number here relate to. As you can see my system follows up on your ideas. I think you will find people using Lejonklou electronics with a wide range of speakers, certainly my dealers sell a large array. A system with a Linn turntable or a really good streamer and Lejonklou electronics will let you hear what many speakers can really do so have fun when you are ready to look at them.
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

Much as I love my Axis now it's fought back to supremacy over the Hakai as Number One Source, I'm on the waiting list with Peter Swain and Cymbiosis for an upgrade.

I'm replacing the power supply, bearing, chassis, armboard and plinth..... Over the next half year I'm hoping to welcome a Radikal, Kore and Karousel pimp-up for my Axis. I figure if I keep my Akito arm then I can call my deck one of the best Linn Axis turntables around.

Exciting.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

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With advent of Källa I put my plans for turntable upgrade on hold. Instead I'm going to decide between digital or vinyl as my primary source.

To that end, I thought it was time I went and listened to comparable Linn digital and vinyl sources at my nearest dealer.

I heard a Majik LP12+primare amps vs a Selekt DSM with in-built amp. I was hoping to hear them through Boazu but unfortunately the speaker cables were terminated in spades.

In the end it was a rather inconclusive session.

While it was obvious that the Majik LP12 was bringing a lot more detail, it wasn't optimally set up. I could hear more but I felt no urge to boogie. It sounded more impressive than my Axis, and tonally more like the Selekt than my Axis, but I wasn't drawn into the music.

The Selekt was stubbornly refusing to play through the right hand channel, though Sting sounded quite engaging through the left hand channel.

The speaker positions hadn't been tuned either, so I think the demo system was punching well below its weight.

Back at home my Hakai immediately pulled me into the music, so I was left only with the conviction that I had not heard anything to make me want to replace the Hakai.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to listen again in my home system, which I think will provide a more controlled and more representative experience.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

I have put down a deposit for Källa 007. Having read the accounts of his European tour, I take particular pleasure in finally giving him a loving home. He'll be with me in a couple of months.

I'm too fond of Hakai to sell it, and anyway its resale value is nowhere near that of equivalent alternatives, so I will find another role for it.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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Re: Pete's System

Post by Spannko »

Great news Pete! I know for sure that you’re going to absolutely love it with your Boazu and Espek’s!
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Re: Pete's System

Post by ThomasOK »

That will be a very nice upgrade. Have fun!
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Re: Pete's System

Post by springwood64 »

Thanks! As you can imagine, I'm looking forward to finally hearing Källa for myself.
Pete

Linn Axis, Kinki, Källa (GS308T+Amplifi HD x 2 + BJC), Boazu, Espeks
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