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Akito Mk1 vs Mk2

D

deltaunit

pfm Member
Does anyone have experience of these two tonearms?

Linn lore seems to suggest that the Scottish built Mk2 was built to a higher standard and is the better tonearm but I was talking to an experienced linnie today who said that some crucial part in the bearing housing was made of plastic instead of metal and that the Japanese Mk1 was actually the better arm.

Does anyone know if there was a significant difference between the two?
 
Well I know from experience that the mk2 is better in performance terms and by some margin, it's actually closer to an ittock!

In terms of reliability I have seen plenty of faulty mk1s but no faulty mk2s.

However for the new price of an akito you could get a mk1 ekos, there's no contest there!
 
The Japanese Akito has a bad rep for many instances of wrecked bearings - blame heavy handling, users over-tightening and fixing carts with the arm in situ etc.. They were also somewhat variable from new. However, treat it with kid gloves and if you have one that's still good (or better get to pick one with superb bearings) then it's a really good arm. Appreciably better than the LV-X+ and waay better than the LV-X. However, it's not one I'd ever buy sight unseen unless it was dirt cheap. Actually, that goes just as much for any arm bar a unipivot.
 
Thanks all.

I wonder if the metal bearing cap/cover (or whatever the name of the part is) was responsible for the wrecked bearings? The different plastic part in the Mk2 might be why it has a better reputation if it was.

I have a perfect (at least to me) Mk1 here and was considering getting a mk2 as an affordable upgrade for the LP12 I'm planning on buying. Almost all the advice seems to be that the Mk2 is much better in all areas but hearing an alternate view from someone whose might be called a guru here has made me question my plans somewhat...
 
I'd send it to Audio origami , Johnny will then transform it from very good (or bad if it is) to excellant. he isnt expensive either.
 
deltaunit said:
That's undoubtedly true and fine advice that any sensible audiophile should follow.

Now, ittoks? :D

Thanks muzzer.
Click to expand...

Well, for the cost you should try one (fettled RB250/251) - you may acually like what you hear and if you don't, you can always sell it on for not much loss. My guess is you'd keep it - unless of course you can't handle the venom you'll most definitely receive from Linnies.

Remember to trust your ears.

Also remember that plastic isn't that bad used in a tone-arm mounting, the RB251 has a better measured performance than the 250 due in part to a plastic three point mounting, granted the 251's arm-tube is slightly thicker as well, but Rega do know a thing or two about making a decent tone-arm.

John R.
 
And if you did want to try a rega based arm I have an origin live ol1 for sale in the classifieds...

Sorry for the thread jack
 
The Akito is a really nice arm and comparing it to an Ittok is perhaps unfair. While it doesn't have the fireworks it's actually more neutral.

But the Rega arms render it pointless as they are just plain better. They utterly destroyed the Basik arms obviously. There isn't any way in which the Akito beats an RB300 and a modified RB300 beats an Ittok in most respects, Ittok bass is good.

The scary monsters stories of damaged bearings from overnighting pillars and cart mounting should tell you something too. When was the last time you heard of someone damaging their RB300 bearings? They use exactly the same bearings as the Ittok but mount them differently.

I've used all the Linn arms except the Ekos, I've now got two modified RB300s and not a Linn arm in the house.
 
I had an Akito Mk1 fitted on a Linn Axis(bought new in 1990) which I later transfered to an LP12.
I thought it was great for a while. Then the problems began....

1) Lift/lower device went.
2) Started to misstrack.
3) The bearings were busted( according to dealer)

Cue Ekos 2 bought 2nd hand in 2003......


Ditto

Anyway I went to listen to an new Akito Mk 2(3) this time last year.The needle was placed on the LP the arm was busted again. The dealer returned it to Linn.Is there something fundermently wrong with early Ekos/Akitos?

I heard the Ekos SE the same day which was excellent. But at a price!!!
Still got the Technics 1210 in my system playing records.....
Until I can find a nice Naim Aro. But for some reason the price has gone up!!!
 
I think Akito labelling needs to go beyond sound-check counting.

The Akito was made in Japan until the early 90s. My local dealer at the time told me manufacture was then brought in-house to Glasgow and made to the same specifications, though the arm performed much better and so the price went up about 40%.

A few years ago people started talking about an Akito mk 2. (mk 3?)

I've only had a Japanese Akito, for about 13 years and had no problems with it. I actually got one with a great set of bearings as it got a higher number of the swing test than was usual for an Akito.

It is interesting to note that when on a factory tour, with the guy who made my Kan 2s, I mentioned I had a Lingo 1 at the time. He said Linn didn't use that numbering as they'd made so many refinements to the Lingo over the years, not just the change in box size. I wonder if there have been several Akito changes also.
 
Well I have an Akito 1/B. I know of the 2/B and have seen one, much improved, but I can't really see much difference between the MKI and the 1/B. What were the differences.
 
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