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Linn Kan 1 v 2

I had Mk 1 Kans for many years and later added Kabers to the main system. I often swapped them over and was always surprised how well the Kans did - but was also always glad to get the Kabers back in - a fuller presentation, or more of everything, you might say.

I am now the proud owner of Spendor SP2s which (to my ears) are vastly superior to either and make me regret not looking beyond Linn speakers many years ago.
 
Mk1 Kans are the REAL deal, having owned several pairs over the last 30 years i love what they do, and they work amazingly well with a Nait1 or a pair of 135's. My last pair were in lovely walnut finish but one of the drivers fell apart a couple of years ago, since then i've been using a cracking pair of IBL's which are the equal of a MK1 Kan and maybe a little better and work beautifully in my office system on the end of a CD5X and Nait2. For my money, the real Kan is MK1, sticky out binding post, after that they were dummed down to be made easier on the ear for both lesser source and electronics. If anyone who has never heard a good pair of Kan Mk1 on the end of a top flight LP12 32.5/Hi/250 or 135's gets the chance, do so, it's one of those moments when you look for a hidden pair of Isobariks...... cos the Kan cannot possibly sound so big!! can it?
 
DAMPING is the difference.

And what you want is a hybrid.


To explain...


A mate had a pair of Kan 2s, and converted them to active.

He then converted a friend's Kan 1s to active. And noticed all this damping material in the Kan 1s that weren't in his Kan 2s.

So he shouted into the Kan 1s and his voice didn't come out, he then shouted into his Kan 2s and his voice did bounce off the back of the speaker cabinet.

He then got some cork tiles from a DIY shop and lined the walls of his Kan 2s so his voice was absorbed by the cork tiling.

A few years later, he then did something better, he sold his hybrid Kans 2s to me. I also ended up with a pair of Kan 1s as well (for surround speakers) and I did compare the 2 speakers side-by-side. The Kan IIs were better in all respects I found.

So, buy some 2s, line the cabinet with damping material.
 
...the final KanII's had Ku-Stone for internal damping.
Maybe the early KanII's would benefit from some additional materials.

I have original chip-board external binding post low serial# Kan1's.
They are stuffed full of damping material.
They will not be going anywhere.

michael
 
Years ago (1995? 96?) I bought kan 1's (very early w scanspeak tweeters) in preference to Kan 2's (late pair) - both pairs were used, demo'd in a Linn/Naim dealer of some repute. Everyone voted mk 1!

Having said that, I could happily live with either: at least on the end of several Naits and a 42/140, the differences were not as staggering as some would have you believe.

And btw - LOVE them, NO desire to upgrade. (the amp that never gets usurped is not surprisingly a late Nait 2 w/o phono). And I think that says it all. (And for a while I did keep trying/buying/swapping other speakers all the way up to some very large Spendors etc).

Do get the Mk II stands!
 
Guys,
Do you ever heard about official Linn service of Linn Kan I or II? I mean not twitter or bass unit but electronics. Does Linn Kan contain some serviceable part of crossover, maybe some capacitors that should be serviced after 20+ years of usage? How sound of Kans may change after opening up this pandora box?
 
A friend drove his Kan 2s with homemade Naim 135s and measured them with kit he had at work flat down to 50Hz and then dropped off to 0dB very quickly.
 
Another advance of hybrid Kans is you can have other Kan 2 refinements with Kan 1 damped performance. For example the Kan 2s my friend damped were the latest Kan 2s with the bass performance enhancing Kustone block in the bottom of the cabinet.
 
gary yeowell said:
If anyone who has never heard a good pair of Kan Mk1 on the end of a top flight LP12 32.5/Hi/250 or 135's gets the chance, do so, it's one of those moments when you look for a hidden pair of Isobariks...... cos the Kan cannot possibly sound so big!! can it?
Click to expand...

I'm there using 135s. They are superb.
 
135s and Kan mk1..... Nice!

Am presently having a LOT of fun with a completely different approach, small amp and big speakers, my Nait2 and SL2's..... Odd combo, but it works beautifully in my small office.
 
gary yeowell said:
135s and Kan mk1..... Nice!

Am presently having a LOT of fun with a completely different approach, small amp and big speakers, my Nait2 and SL2's..... Odd combo, but it works beautifully in my small office.
Click to expand...

Garry, so where have the IBLs gone?

The Kan 1's have landed here. Great speakers but the IBL's are staying. Will write some guff about how they have worked out one day. The Kan 1's are in a 2nd system at the moment doing sterling work, they are perfect for that set-up.

Still hankering after some SL2's one day. Money too tight at the moment.

ATB, Bob
 
Seems there's no keeping this old thread of mine down!!!

Bob, be interested how you found Kans v IBLs, look forward to that.
 
Hi Bob,

The IBL's have been in storage for the last 3 months since I've had the SL2's, I won't sell them for the stupid small change they sell for as they are too good. The SL2's seem to do all what the IBL's do with a bit more scale and better looks.

Cheers,
Gary.
 
Not done the test of SBL with SL2 side by side, however I've owned SBL's in the past and never really loved them like I loved my IBL's, whereas I am very happy with SL2's.

Thanks for the offer of a few pennies for my IBL's::D

Gary.
 
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