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Linn Kan 1 Setup

C

Charlie_1

pfm Member
I recently modified the speaker connectors to enable me to move my Kan 1s (on Kan 2 stands) back another 15mm so that the cabinets are now 5cm from the rear wall. I've compared my Kan 1s to a few others and they do have a peaky upper mid that Kan 2s and other Kan 1s didn't have (I've always hung onto mine cos they are the most engaging despite this weakness.) However, since moving them back most of this peakiness has gone.

1.) Is it worth trying to get them even further against the rear wall? I would need to use Naim right angle connectors but more disruptively, I'd need to get some skirting board removed.

2.) Another tweak would be to remove the carpet gripper board that the rear spikes are now dug into. Perhaps that would also further improve things. It's a suspended wooden floor.

3.) Lastly, I expected to get more bass from this shift back 15mm but really couldn't hear any difference in that area. Why is that do you think? It's a thick solid wall behind.
 
No-one has chimed in here, so I'll give you my experiences. You've probably optimized the available bass from the Kans with your current positioning. I did not find appreciable differences in overall response by tweaking the last 15 cms between the speaker backs and the wall. I too have a suspended wood floor with carpet, and a solid wall behind.
 
I would suggest trying a pair of Sound Organisation Kan wall brackets. They are very difficult to find but I found them to be preferable to Kan 2 stands. They also allow you to have the speakers at the height you want.

If you want/have to stick with stands then I would suggest that you probably have them at or close to optimal. Removal of the carpet gripper board behind that stands might allow you to get the speakers slightly closer to the wall but it it really going to make much difference ? You could tie yourself in knots agonising over the optimum position.
 
Could play with a minidsp in the tape loop. But the kans are lean speakers from everything I have heard. Even the old Royd Edens are supposedly better here.
 
Charlie_1 said:
I've compared my Kan 1s to a few others and they do have a peaky upper mid that Kan 2s and other Kan 1s didn't have. However, since moving them back most of this peakiness has gone.
Click to expand...

I doubt moving them 1/2" closer to the wall would get rid of the early Kan's notorious midrange honk/squawk.
But if it pleases you, that's all that counts.
 
I have had a pair of Mk 1 Kans for many years, as main speakers and currently hooked up to my TV in an Ikea unit, driven by an old Technics amp. In my main system they sounded best:
a) close to the wall, but not necessarily right up against it
b) firing across the width, not down the length of medium/large rooms
c) on the most rigid part of the suspended floor, so close against the wall supported by the floorboard parallel to the wall. This floorboard would then be supported along its length. If you can't grasp what I mean then look at this picture - the boards near the back wall would be stiffer than the ones by the radiator. Getting the floor stiff helps the bass as well in my experience.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zr44MLiK...jc1BURDuroywfqJRHmgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0707.jpg

d) I found some nice slate squares that fitted under the stands which helped the rigidity and improved the stereo imaging and the bass.
e) the mid-range honk is also accompanied by a rolled off treble. You can put them into quite lively reflective rooms with hard surfaces to push the treble up a bit if you prefer that.
f) they like amplifiers with lots of current. Naim 110 was recommended back in the day, but a Supernait sounds better, and a 250 better still. They completely sucked the life out of a large Yamaha AS-3000 I tried once.

Having said all that, they are doing a great job as TV speakers! The Ikea unit is big and heavy, so a good support platform to help the imaging, and the mid range is tamed but just emphasises speech so you can resolve dialogue well. Musical interludes like the 'what composer is this?' on University Challenge are quite distractingly lovely :)

Hope this is helpful, best of luck with them.
 
dadgad said:
c) on the most rigid part of the suspended floor, so close against the wall supported by the floorboard parallel to the wall. This floorboard would then be supported along its length. If you can't grasp what I mean then look at this picture - the boards near the back wall would be stiffer than the ones by the radiator. Getting the floor stiff helps the bass as well in my experience.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zr44MLiK...jc1BURDuroywfqJRHmgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0707.jpg
Click to expand...
Wasn't sure which way the boards run but they do run along the length of the rear wall to the speakers so that's good.

Thanks for the pointers.
 
Charlie_1 said:
I've not put masses of effort into their positioning. It was just that this simple move backwards had benefits that I'd not anticipated
Click to expand...
You have probably got it right then. It’s far too easy to get obsessive over this “just a mm forward, no 2mm back” etc…. The sweet spot is when the music overrides whatever compromises you believe the speakers to possess. Have fun experimenting but not to the point where it induces audio nervosa.
 
Put into the floor some suitable cross headed screws and place the stands spikes into the heads. Use a spirit level on top of the speakers and adjust to rock solid steady and level. Remove the carpet grippers in that area first. Normal banana plugs with Linn K200 will just avoid touching the rear wall.

Good luck....and get a Klout.
 
Charlie_1 said:
3.) Lastly, I expected to get more bass from this shift back 15mm but really couldn't hear any difference in that area. Why is that do you think? It's a thick solid wall behind.
Click to expand...

If you've got a nice solid wall, why not fix them to the wall and get rid of the stands? Cheap to try out.
 
dadgad said:
I think you are the first person on this site to spot the musical origin of my user name so congrats back in your direction! Here's a tune to listen to - turn up the treble as it has a really good tweeter in the background :)
Click to expand...
I once heard a drunk person ask someone if they were playing in Baghdad tuning.:)

Re the OP, the only thing I would add is that having them against a supporting wall is better than a partition wall and if you have wooden floors, a nice big concrete paving slab under the stands improves things.
 
Stemcor said:
I would suggest trying a pair of Sound Organisation Kan wall brackets. They are very difficult to find but I found them to be preferable to Kan 2 stands. They also allow you to have the speakers at the height you want.

If you want/have to stick with stands then I would suggest that you probably have them at or close to optimal. Removal of the carpet gripper board behind that stands might allow you to get the speakers slightly closer to the wall but it it really going to make much difference ? You could tie yourself in knots agonising over the optimum position.
Click to expand...
The SO wall stands will have them back out to where they were before.

The pair I had were roughly 200mm D x 190mm W with the spikes at circa 170mm W x 140mm D.

My Kan, which I still have, are 190mm W x roughly 165mm deep (excluding binding posts).

If we subtract the depth of the Kan from that of the SO the speaker backs will be 35mm out from the wall. Regardless, mine sounded fantastic on a load bearing wall with lumber floor.
 
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