New Bearing for LP12--The Karousel
- Thread starter stackowax
- Start date
Eyebroughty
JohnC
Ever worked in a manufacturing plant?
It's worth experimenting with as the thrust plate/pad material makes a big difference to the sound. And as long as it's retrofittable then why not?
wow&flutter
pfm Member
Why would a bearing assembly have an impact on electrical safety? From the Cymbiosis website,
“The Karousel bearing is physically compatible with all current and historic Linn turntable configurations, however it must not be used with Nirvana or Valhalla PSUs or 3rd party clones of these as electrical safety protection issues can carry potential fatal risks.”
“The Karousel bearing is physically compatible with all current and historic Linn turntable configurations, however it must not be used with Nirvana or Valhalla PSUs or 3rd party clones of these as electrical safety protection issues can carry potential fatal risks.”
Yip.
Interesting. I hadn't thought of the original sub-platter as being electrically isolated from the bearing housing but maybe it was? Maybe the new bearing is physically wide enough to hit part of the Valhalla board? Guessing.
Two years ago I’ve got a new Cirkus kit from Peter of Cymbiosis. It was an update of mine not too old bearing.
I think, that Linn have worked on it, as it was better not only sonically. After I switch off the motor, the platter is spinning about half a minute more than the previous one.
I think, that Linn have worked on it, as it was better not only sonically. After I switch off the motor, the platter is spinning about half a minute more than the previous one.
david ellwood
Kirabosi Kognoscente
The bearing pokes through the valhalla pcb and the new bearing probably gets too close.
ex brickie
pfm Member
I’m afraid it doesn’t always include fitting with Linn (see my earlier post). I bought a Lingo 4 and was charged for fitting. I still believe this is unreasonable but Peter at Cymbiosis (not my dealer - but he was being helpful explaining to me) confirmed that dealers are within their rights to charge for fitting it.
So free fitting isn’t universal - and quite a shock to the system when you aren’t expecting it and there’s quite an outlay already
YNWOAN
100% Analogue
This is just Linn covering themselves against any possible issues. All they really mean is that the outside diameter of the bearing housing is slightly larger than before and so, as it passes through the circuit board, it brings it closer to electrical circuit tracks.
I don't know if it is correct but I heard somewhere that the bearings wear in quite quickly and lose their performance edge. This idea does make sense to me. When you think about it, the Cirkus bearing wasn't that different from the previous style and in mst cases would have been replacing a worn older bearing. Also, the subcassis is a different design as well so you can't make direct comparisons between the two bearings.
It's possible that your new bearing sounded better because it was replacing a slightly worn one.
YNWOAN
100% Analogue
No, the sub platter isn’t electrically isolated from the bearing housing with the Cirkus. However, if the new thrust pad coating is non conductive then the new one will be.
lencotweaker
Mostly dreaming of record players
Pretty sure I read that Cirkus is not going to be offered alongside Karousel. Karousel is the de facto bearing available from Linn from 23rd March onwards.
A side effect of this however is that for Valhalla and Hercules users, if you must have a brand new bearing from Linn for whatever reason, you’ll need a new PSU too.
Fortunately there will be a glut of used Cirkus kits about as folks upgrade and the likes of Cymbiosis will have many inspected ones on the shelf from trade ins.
Um I think we have worked out it is £750 fitting included. But your point stands. I think in fairness we all understand your point, you feel hard done by because when Cirkus came out you could no longer buy the original bearing new. Of course at that time a heap of second hand original bearings were floating about at dealers as people upgraded to Cirkus. Same will be true now with second hand Cirkus. So given a flood of second hand bearings coming on to the market, why would Linn, or anybody else for that matter, continue to try to sell the previous generation bearings brand new at a price that is bound to look huge compared to the second hand bearings? I really don't think you are tilting at the correct windmill. Almost all companies discontinue old products. Can you buy, new, the previous generation of anything much nearly 30 years later? Nah. You can't. So you are right, Linn will almost certainly do the sensible thing and withdraw Cirkus from manufacture, why wouldn't they. Entirely reasonable - and that is where we will have to differ.
Maybe. We're only guessing about what the 'safety issue alluded to is but even if we are right, if there is sufficient clearance it might be possible to put a bit of heat shrink or something around the new bearing housing.
It depends on how you look at it. Is the LP12 one product or a series of closely related ones?
I think of the LP12 a bit like the Fender Stratocaster, which I'm sure you will agree is a very flattering comparison to make. There have been many versions and variation of the Strat but Fender still sell lots of different types of pickup, bridge, tuner etc at different price points so that you can fix, maintain or upgrade any style of guitar.
sq225917
Bit of this, bit of that
Making the bearing too big for older and some third party psu is a genius forced upgrade move by Linn. Making the bearing mating point on the sub chassis thicker would have a more pronounced effect on stiffness of the assembly that a wider flange does. I commend them on their sneaKy thinking; handily there's a recent psu and motor upgrade already available...
david ellwood
Kirabosi Kognoscente
Recently? 30 years ago! FFS