Anybody heard the Linn Krystal?

[manicatel]

I strongly suspect that no-one here can ACTUALLY comment on the ACTUAL, original question of yesterday.

Yes, I do find it a bit strange that a cart from a high profile brand still seems to be a bit under the radar, compared to the amount of comments on similarly priced carts from other companies.
I guess like Naim speakers with Naim amps, the vast majority of Linn cart owners have them on an LP12 & for whatever reason they don’t seem to be used with non-linn turntables?

 

[Chris]

Or maybe this is all part of an even bigger picture. My retipped and rebuilt suspension with more compliance A&R P77 sounds much more "human" than my retipped and rebuilt suspension Troika ever did. - Discuss

 

[Vinny]

Discuss

That P77 would appear to be an extremely attractive proposition. But it is all just your opinion

 

[Chris]

Hi Vinny,
Was just my opinion. Now there are 2 of us - I lent a spare retipped P77 stylus assembly to a mate in the UK who uses a Hana and he bought a P77 body just to try it. Let´s just say he is very surprised. Mind you between the 2 of us we are 140 years old so maybe there´s the explanation. MC territory stops at sixty !

 

[wylton]

Bearing in mind, that this is a revived thread, (the OP started the thread in 2017). @retseldrib revived it (always better to start a new thread IMHO) because he wanted to know whether to go for the Krystal or the XX2. He said that his taste in sound is a dynamic detailed sound with a tight bass at the expense of warmth. I haven't heard the Krystal, but I can say, that as a long time XX2MkII owner, that the Dynavector isn't that kind of cartridge IMHO.

 

[forester]

The bearing is a no brainer, it will retrieve more detail, and in two years time (assuming the turntable is used a lot) it won't have worn out unlike an expensive stylus, As a skinflint I would go a long way down the road with the bearing, sub chassis and power supply first while happily wearing out £220 Adikt styli. Sorry if it's not a fashionable path these days.

The early LP12 upgrades (Cirkus, Ekos) did make the sound more 'cd like' in a way, the later ones add so much detail you stop comparing them.

 

[forester]

Anyway how easy are folk finding it to get comparisons of cartridges?

 

[manicatel]

Anyway how easy are folk finding it to get comparisons of cartridges?

Difficult, isn’t it. Theres probably only a handful of dealers in the UK that have the variety of stock at different price points, plus the ability to demo on a like for like basis.
Probably easiest with a detachable head shell or an arm like a Naim Aro, where several different carts could be mounted on different arms fit quick changes.
But if you said “I’ve got £1k to spend on a cart, there’s 4 I’d like to hear back-to-back in one sitting” that’s very tough to do.

 

[wylton]

Anyway how easy are folk finding it to get comparisons of cartridges?

The last time I went for a cartridge dem was quite a while back, but I went to Cymbiosis, where I was able to compare carts on an LP12 Aro, but that dealer is a long way off from where I live!

 

[Mike Reed]

Mate said he missed the warmth as the Cirkus was more Compact Disc like and missed that original LP12 sound. Accurate or not.

Mine was a used Valhalla LP12. I bought it the same year as CDPs came out (1982). Was pissed off when I had a Basic arm changed for a Tiktok and the sly dealer added £47 (but not mentioned) to the bill. When questioned, he said it was for a service (which I hadn't asked for). As this was on one of those zero interest one year deals, the finance company agreed with me and got my money back. No more business from me. and I bought the new Karma elsewhere !!!

LP12s seemed to ascend in upgrade order to come closer to the CD presentation, or at least, that was what was being said a decade or two ago. When my LP12 performance dropped a bit (5 or 6 years) I went on to Xerxes/Artemiz/Shiraz. That was okay for another 5 or so years until I dropped in to J. M and got his new Orbe kitted up with SME Five and Clavis D.C.. THAT lasted 14 years; (not the cart., though, the Helikon followed).

 

[manicatel]

Unless you can pretty quickly swap arms/detachable head shells with pre-mounted carts ready to go, you’d need several identical spec turntables to dem a range of carts.
Sadly you have to ask if its reasonable to expect dealers to have 3 or 4 identical spec turntables on the shelf? Probably not.

 

[Mike Reed]

Sadly you have to ask if its reasonable to expect dealers to have 3 or 4 identical spec turntables on the shelf? Probably not.

A decade or more ago, a friend bought an Ortofon Rhomann (sp?) and didn't like it on his Orbe/Five. The dealer brought down (25 miles?) three used/ex-dem. carts for him to try. A Koetsu, a high end VdH and something else high end. Despite the cluttered area and inaccessible space, he fitted and removed each, but none grabbed my friend. He then exchanged the Ortofon for a Helikon (which I had at the time). From photographs taken by my friend, who sent them to me, it was pretty obvious that the dealer hadn't set the overhang (and maybe one or two other parameters) so no wonder a couple at least sounded like crap.

Baffling, as he was trying to make a sale, and what a lot of useless work. I'd already had a Urushi Vermillion from him, and my friend was interested in the other three. Still got my Vermillion in s drawer; lovely cart.

 

[lambo]

Hi Kent
I purchased my first Krystal when it was released in feb 2016
It replaced an xx2
I was very pleased with it but sadly mine was one that collapsed due to careful use of SPT fluid after 300 hours
I wasn’t very happy as you can imagine however I bit the bullet aand purchased a replacement and I am glad I did
the second one purchased in oct2017 has now done 400 hours and is the best cartridge I have owned by far
I have it on an Ekos S/E1 on an lp12 with radical keel and urika
However no fluids have gone near this one You will benefit from the synergy it brings to your system
Enjoy
Tony

Hi lester
Now look what you have gone and done !
you get the old rega down from the loft and go and buy a linn and suddenly the options are endless
Anyhow this was my feeling on the matter before Covid took my LP12
if you fancy a chat give me a call
Cheers
Tony

 

[retseldrib]

Hi lester
Now look what you have gone and done !
you get the old rega down from the loft and go and buy a linn and suddenly the options are endless
Anyhow this was my feeling on the matter before Covid took my LP12
if you fancy a chat give me a call
Cheers
Tony

thanks Tony and I will probably will very soon!

 

[forester]

I didn't think cartridge comparisons were easy any more. I expect Cymbiosis would have four identical decks but not many others, and it's 350 miles each way for me. Back in the day (early 1980's) when I bought a Rega 3 I auditioned at least four cartridges and could probably have tried more, in Russ Andrews shop in Edinburgh.

 

[Mike Reed]

Yes. I remember when cart. comparisons, or even just dem's (of the one you were interested in) was normal. Not sure why this has changed over the decades, except that the hifi dealership format has changed a fair bit, which may have some bearing.

However, the enormous resource of reviews and personal accounts on Google plus forum advice wasn't around then but is now, and potential buyers can do a great amount of due diligence before forming a preference or short list. Another point is that a dealer dem. isn't just about the kit and will only be a rough guide to what you'll experience in your home. Admittedly more apposite to amplification and esp. speakers, but still applicable to vinyl front end constituents.

My last, fairly protracted) dealer dem. (a mid-market CDP against my own same company predecessor) left me wondering what the difference was between old and new. Later that year I acquired the same new(ish) CDP as a punt and the difference in performance within my set-up was chalk and cheese ! The dealer did admit that their ramshackle hifi mains supply, and possibly dem. room, weren't up to scratch. Good dealer though, still trading.

 

[Miss Ariel]

Concur Mike,
I would imagine dealers are stocking far more streaming platforms and dacs so box brand swapping is comparatively easy to do.
For instance last year I got a AT95 ML cartridge loads of advice here and research on the net.My dealers blog spot on it saying it was like the old Linn K9 massive thumbs up..we love it etc.
So just walked in had a chat about it.No dem but LP12 going back for service etc anyway.Just said put one on it.
I remember back in the day,like you that you could compare say a LP12 - Ittok - Troika,with say a Xerxes - Artmiz - Shiraz as the dealer could well stock both and it was easy to do.
Also I suppose theres not many stores who are vinyl specialists these days.I know Cymbiosis in Leicester are and have loads of them but most dealers probably just carry their dem stock ? and just order in.
Avoiding the financial tie up.
Wow ! you have certainly had some tasty cartridges in the past especially your Koetsu's - Lyra Clavis....the highest I have been was a Linn Karma...but it did sound lovely...Linn Krystal could well be arriving by Christmas.

 

[manicatel]

Back in the day before playstations, cd’s, surround sound home theatres, Spotify etc, a turntable was a very common item.
Now, how many people want a “proper Hifi system”.........
And of those, how many want a turntable.........
And of those, how many are prepared to spend £1k+ on a cartridge?
Not that many.
So yes, Cymbiosis may well have the desire, ability & variety of stock to demo 4 similarly priced carts in one sitting. And all credit to them for that.
However I think most dealers are more likely to concentrate on one or two brands of carts, & recommend what they think is the best at a particular price point.
Not that many want so much money tied up in stock sitting on the shelves that may take several months to shift.
Same as phono stages I guess. How many dealers stock more than one or two at each price? Having 4 or 5 equally priced phono stages to demo at each budget is pretty rare & sadly I can’t blame them, as much as I’d like to hear demos like this!

 

[Mike Reed]

Wow ! you have certainly had some tasty cartridges in the past especially your Koetsu's - Lyra Clavis....the highest I have been was a Linn Karma...but it did sound lovely...Linn Krystal could well be arriving by Christmas.

Have been looking up your Krystal. It has an ally cantilever, where previous top Linns (and the Kandid) had boron, to the best of my memory. Actually, modern Linn cart's look like different designs to the Karmas and Troikas of yesteryear. The price of the Krystal is in Lyra Delos territory; now that would be a hard choice, I'd imagine.

There are a heck of a lot of popular high end cart's I've not had (VDH, DV etc) but lovely though my Ks are/were, the Transfig. Proteus is indescribable and almost incomparable by its superior transparency and dynamics (1 ohm internal impedance !!!!). Sadly, Transfig. is no more.