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Now the dust has settled - the Karousel

In the review of the German „Stereo“ the author claims the Krane tonearm being made from carbon fiber, referring to the shiny silver color. In fact the arm tube is not
made from carbon fiber but from glass fiber.
That‘s a huge difference and should be corrected…
BR
Rad
 
Hello again,
I have to correct myself: The Krane tonearm tube probably is not made from glass fiber but might be from aluminum…?
The CA tonearms with its shiny silver color and the woven pattern are made of glass fiber (GFK) tubing though there are some models with carbon tubing as well…
Sorry for any confusion here!
BR
Rad
 
What stopped Ford from producing the Focus ninety years ago?
New materials, new techniques, new engineers, new ideas, more money for research.

There's nothing new about that bearing that couldn't of been machined 60 years ago never mind 30, so it's not down too materials, techniques or ideas.
 
What stopped Ford from producing the Focus ninety years ago? New materials, new techniques, new engineers, new ideas, more money for research.

It's not the same. The Karusel bearing doesn't employ any technology in materials or construction that was not available decades ago. Of course there has to be testing and development of ideas and that takes time but it has taken them a very long time to do this. Other manufacturers have been using far more advanced bearings than Linn for years.
 
The Karusel bearing doesn't employ any technology in materials or construction that was not available decades ago.

Although DLC coating is now mature technology it’s only recently become mature/economic. Given the Karousel took six years to develop I wonder how many bearing technologies were discarded along the way.

You only have to listen to a Tranquility to hear how a ‘more advanced’ bearing can be a big step in the wrong direction.
 
There's nothing new about that bearing that couldn't of been machined 60 years ago never mind 30, so it's not down too materials, techniques or ideas.
I think a significant reason why the Karousel sounds fabulous is down to the way it is fastened onto the sub-chassis. It will be interesting to compare the differences between:

(1) Cirkus / Cirkus sub vs Karousel / Cirkus sub
(2) Cirkus / Cirkus sub vs Cirkus / Keel sub
(3) Cirkus / Keel sub vs Karousel / Keel sub

I'd hazard that delta of (3) is greater than that of (1).
 
It will be interesting to compare the differences between:

(1) Cirkus / Cirkus sub vs Karousel / Cirkus sub
(2) Cirkus / Cirkus sub vs Cirkus / Keel sub
(3) Cirkus / Keel sub vs Karousel / Keel sub

Are you going to do that??

I'm looking at LP12s just now and the permutations are doing my head in! Whether it's best to get a newer deck with a more basic spec or a higher spec older one. No idea!
 
Are you going to do that??
No, I don't have a Cirkus bearing or sub to start with. I went straight from Pre-Cirkus / glued steel sub to Pre-Cirkus / GS Klone to Karousel / GS Klone. Both changes brought significant, but different improvements.

First the Greenstreet ...

The most immediate difference was clarity. There is improved incisiveness to the way notes are shaped and portrayed. I'm not talking about starting and stopping, but the manner in which they unfold and decay. It sounds altogether more organic.

I could swear the bottom end is considerably firmer, and more muscular. Now, listening at late-night volumes, it's a fair bit easier to discern basslines. My LP12 never had much of that rose-tinted midbass hump. Now, it's gloriously tuneful and entirely even-handed.

I think resolution has improved too. I'm now hearing more vibrato effects on some pieces whereas previously they sounded like straight notes or chords.

Then I fitted the Karousel ...

The Karousel has been fitted. First impressions are:

-- I'm hearing textures in bass notes I've never heard before.

-- There seems to be more layering of musical information, where it's easier to hear subtlety amidst loud passages. There is better dynamic contrast.

-- Articulation seems more incisive. the timing and pitch of notes changing are better differentiated instead of blurring together.

-- Background noise is vastly reduced. Clarity is definitely improved.
 
I'd get a Technics SL-1200G.
For the avoidance of doubt, I'm quite serious. I have progressively invested in my LP12 over a period of almost 35 years, so its cost over time is well spread. But it is irreplaceable in its exact form without buying bits and pieces from the used market. I'd have to buy a fully loaded NEW LP12 to get a similar level of performance at a price I cannot justify. Hence, the sharply priced and well-received 1200G makes economic and musical sense.

I may consider buying one to satisfy my curiosity if I can find one at the right price.
 
For the avoidance of doubt, I'm quite serious. I have progressively invested in my LP12 over a period of almost 35 years, so its cost over time is well spread. But it is irreplaceable in its exact form without buying bits and pieces from the used market. I'd have to buy a fully loaded NEW LP12 to get a similar level of performance at a price I cannot justify. Hence, the sharply priced and well-received 1200G makes economic and musical sense.

I may consider buying one to satisfy my curiosity if I can find one at the right price.
I think you're probably right. I couldn't afford buying my deck new, and I certainly couldn't sell it for what it's cost over the years.
 
For the avoidance of doubt, I'm quite serious. I have progressively invested in my LP12 over a period of almost 35 years, so its cost over time is well spread. But it is irreplaceable in its exact form without buying bits and pieces from the used market. I'd have to buy a fully loaded NEW LP12 to get a similar level of performance at a price I cannot justify. Hence, the sharply priced and well-received 1200G makes economic and musical sense.

I may consider buying one to satisfy my curiosity if I can find one at the right price.
A few years ago I scored a minty SL1200 for a great price to see what all the fuss was about. I popped a Linn MC on it and it sounded good on its own. I made some recordings of it then popped the same cartridge on my similar aged Rega Planar 2. The Rega is more musical.
 
I preferred the Technics over any Rega, never a fan.
But now have another Voyd with SME V and Hana SL cartridge and it beats the Technics hands down, much better than the Linn I used to have too.
 
A few years ago I scored a minty SL1200 for a great price to see what all the fuss was about. I popped a Linn MC on it and it sounded good on its own. I made some recordings of it then popped the same cartridge on my similar aged Rega Planar 2. The Rega is more musical.

John,

I also have a SL1210 which is 25 years old with stock arm and a Linn K9 on it.It's a good deck,very pitch perfect and the build quality is great ( As are all Technics Turnatables).
I know my Technics is probably showing up the K9 but I do find it lacks warmth and can sound a bit sterile.
The K9 has been on my LP12 and sounds really nice.More warmth.
There both great decks,but the LP12 for me sounds more musical.
Loving the Karousel and what its brought.Bass definition - Voices - Drum kit especially cymbals - Seperation.The noise floor is so low.
 
@Mr Pig I'm confused. I thought that your Rega RP10 outclassed the Linn in every area?

Nope. It's is better in every objective area.

Noise floor is lower, speed/pitch stability is much better, more neutral, more detailed, in all Hi-Fi respects it is better and not slightly. Many things are different ballgame better. But? What the LP12 does is make you love the music more.

In Hi-Fi terms there is no comparison but I enjoyed the music more on the LP12. Maybe if you put the right cartridge on the Rega but I've tried a lot and most of those worked fine on the Linn. I was thinking about trying an Ania pro but I think I'll just draw a line under it and move on. Can't say I'm all that happy about the prospect but musical involvement is top priority for me and a decent LP12 scores very highly in that regard.

But I'm going to buy a Linn before I sell the Rega just in case I can't go back to it.
 
Nope. It's is better in every objective area.

Noise floor is lower, speed/pitch stability is much better, more neutral, more detailed, in all Hi-Fi respects it is better and not slightly. Many things are different ballgame better. But? What the LP12 does is make you love the music more.

In Hi-Fi terms there is no comparison but I enjoyed the music more on the LP12. Maybe if you put the right cartridge on the Rega but I've tried a lot and most of those worked fine on the Linn. I was thinking about trying an Ania pro but I think I'll just draw a line under it and move on. Can't say I'm all that happy about the prospect but musical involvement is top priority for me and a decent LP12 scores very highly in that regard.

But I'm going to buy a Linn before I sell the Rega just in case I can't go back to it.

Well, thanks for the honest answer; I'm sure that you gave the Rega it's best opportunity to shine & just couldn't get on with it. Having said that, you left yourself open to criticism because of the evangelical nature of your prose when describing the SQ of the Rega vs the Linn. Myself, I have no axe to grind either way; I'm a long term LP12 user that now uses other turntables in preference to the Linn, but I could never get myself to sell it, so now it resides in the office system upstairs. I must admit though, I am curious as to how it would sound with the new bearing. The Linn is currently: LP12/Kore/Audiomods Classic/Metal bodied DL103/Norton AirPower (though I do have a Lingo as well).

I personally wouldn't chase improvements for the Rega; it really ought to sound good with almost any cartridge on it.
 
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I personally wouldn't chase improvements for the Rega; it really ought to sound good with almost any cartridge on it.

That's my thinking. The idea was that it would be an end-game turntable. I was sick to death of all the Linn upgrades, tweaks and question marks. I just wanted a simple but high quality record player.

What I've found is that the nature of the RP10 remains irrespective of the cartridge. Maybe I'm just conditioned to the sound of the Linn, lots of people love the Rega, but I just can't warm to it.

I've been putting this off for ages because I know what I'm going to loose going back to a Linn. Hoping to get something that's at least better than the deck I had but it's all up in the air.
 


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