Linn Owners

Linn 50th Anniversary

90sLinn

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What do we think Linn will introduce during their upcoming 50th Anniversary next year?

The CD12 was one for the 25th. With Karousel bearing for the LP12 already a few years old and Organik already introduced what's to come next year?

Surely it should be something for the LP12? New tonearm? New Ulrika, Radikal?

New speaker range(s)? Klimax level or Majik?

Will they have a 2-way or at least 3-way or how long will the 2K and especially 3k-array dominate their speakers?

Any passive speakers or keep the aktiv only?

Any new power amps? Solo successor? Or will they only focus on integrated speakers? But with Class D amplification?

New Akurate form factor? Or will it be stopped in favour of a new updated 50th anniversary Selekt?

My guess is something for the LP12 and at least some new speaker(s) or power amp(s) (whether separate or speaker module amp range).

 

akamatsu

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First of all, when is the 50th anniversary, 2022 or 2023? Not meaning to doubt the OP, but I've heard both. :)

Something for the LP12 at Klimax level please. Maybe a new top spec cartridge?

 

90sLinn

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Wondered myself and found some signs of both -72 and -73 on Wikipedia. But then there were a lot of hits with 25th anniversary products in -97.  So went for next year..

But even if it would be -23, why not start speculating in good time 😀.

If nothing else, just to be ahead of Paulssurround.. 😄

 

Dasher

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They may well have been formed as a company in 1972 but my old LP12 (serial no 14xx) is definitely from  the Summer of 1973 (I have the original receipt).

 

Chris 1970

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What is this class D you are all talking about ? 🙂

 

Moomintroll

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Chris 1970

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Ah, my mistake. Linn have already dabbled with Class D - Majik DSM/4 and Selekt - and it is widely assumed that their direction beyond Chakra (and Solo) could be to further develop Class D into a high performance product.

https://docs.linn.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Amplifier_classes

‘troll
Thanks Troll !

I was not in the hi-fi news since a long time…

Selekt and Majik had good reviews with these class D amplifiers? I mean better than with the previous technology, reducing the gap with Klimax Chakra?

 
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TooManyCatweazles

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Haha, I was thinking about starting a thread like this myself. According to my dealer, the anniversary should be 2023, so still some time to go. As this is a transcription deck anniversary, there should be something LP12ish in the works, unless Linn kick-off a completely new category of gear in their portfolio.

A new Urika II appears plausible, given that the new Klimax probably introduced new ADCs, which might be ported to replace the original ADCs. But isn't this just a "normal" replacement?

A new Keel comes to my mind, which might improve the synergy with the Karousel, but is this shiny enough for the 50 yrs anniversary fireworks?

New amps appear quite plausible, if Linn can port the achievements of the Select Class D amps to Akurate or Klimax. On the other hand, this kind of upsizing is not what Linn used to do in the past. They started most innovations at the top.

A Klimax NAS device / switch / server?

I'd expext Linn to come up with something to wow us, not the usual car's mid-life design upgrade kind of thing.

Frankly, I have no idea, what it could be. But I admit, that I feel reluctant to spend anything on upgrades, right now, to prevent betting on a dead horse. A quite unusual feeling this is, especially with some money in the pocket as  I went out of my long-time job with a golden (well, let's call it brass) handshake, and just signed with a competitor where I'll start working in mid-october. Looking forward to embrace a higher income tax this year, than usual ;-)

PS: This thread must be real fun to the guys at Linn, who are in the know. Slàinte!

PPS: Ekos SEL with optical pick-up?

 
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Elad Repooc

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I did hear a rumour from a dealer of new top level power amps being developed.
I could be wrong but I think this was a rumor that began as a dinner conversation and became wildly blown out of proportion. Just my comprehension of this particular topic, it's hard to say what they are working on next given the fact they make full systems as opposed to only being a speaker company, for example.

 

cre009

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Linn was registered as a company in February 1973. The ad in HI-Fi News that announced the LP12 was replacing the Ariston RD11 was in the May edition in 1973.

The prototype turntable that initially became the Ariston RD11 was developed by Ivor Tiefenbrun in late 1969 through into 1970 and Ivor told people it was based on the Thorens TD150 design. Ivor had once owned and sold a TD150 and could not get on with a direct drive that replaced it.

Hamish Robertson became involved in 1970 though not clear exactly when. Hamish did some work on the development though unclear how much and the styling was acknowledged by the Tiefenbrun's as down to him. 

Ivor left Glasgow to work in Israel. Not sure when but he had left by early 1971. I understand he intended to settle there and take up citizenship.

Hamish Robertson marketed the Ariston RD11 and it was presented for its first public appearance at the Harrogate show in September 1971.

Following a bust up with Jack Tiefenbrun, Hamish took production of the RD11 to Dunlop-Westayr in late 1971 or early 1972. Advertisements for the RD11 appeared in the December edition of Hi-Fi News in 1972 but I have not seen an RD11 show up that would date to then. Further production of the Dunlop-Westayr RD11 was then halted until late 1973. 

The dispute led to Jack applying for a patent on the bearing in April 1972.

A large batch of Castle built RD11s were factory sold. Not clear when they started the sale but some went out as Ariston RD11 and later on as LP12s. These all had the twin start buttons.

Ivor returned to Glasgow in late 1972. I have read but not been able to verify this was after Gilad was born so last quarter of 1972.  

The dueling Wikipedia entries (Linn Sondek LP12 v Linn Products) are highly misleading. They have been subject to a Wiki war and are distorted as a result. For example the LP12 entry implies the patent hearing was about the similarities between the Ariston RD11 and the Linn LP12. This is absolute nonsense. The patent hearing was about the validity of the bearing patent and whether Jack could use it to prevent Hamish from producing RD11 decks with that bearing elsewhere.

 

Moomintroll

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it's hard to say what they are working on next
Absolutely, and just as it should be. Linn seem to be much better at keeping secrets these days. There have been rumours of new range topping speakers and power amps for years and I’m sure that prototypes have come and gone. However, this doesn’t align with their “source first” approach, in that more revealing amps and speakers may first need better source products to really excel in the way Klimax products should. We’ve already seen Karousel and Organik improve things greatly, perhaps there’s more to come. 

I’m sure we’ll be very surprised and, hopefully, delighted by whatever and whenever the next development turns up.

’troll

 

TooManyCatweazles

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It's tempting to speculate, that an engineering-driven innovative company like Linn is developing a lot of things in the lab, to learn from it, and most of the time trash it. Thus, they have been playing with this or that, is probably business as usual to the development department. I wouldn't bet to much on such rumours. It appears more promising to look at the capability, competition, and consumers, which are fencing the market potential of any new product. In the end Linn need to build, and sell what they develop.

 
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akamatsu

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I could be wrong but I think this was a rumor that began as a dinner conversation and became wildly blown out of proportion.
There was a bit more to the rumour that I heard. Linn had queried a dealer for feedback on the potential product, from a customer point of view. I heard this from the dealer queried, the actual person, that is.

 
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Chris 1970

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How about a Klimax Exaktbox-I? NG case with digital stuff, DACs, crossovers on the ground floor, and class D amps on the floor above. Would it all even fit?
Hum…. It’s a LOT in the same case!
So 3 floors completly isolated.

A very nice idea 😄

 
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