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Keltik or Komri a worthwhile upgrade to Isobariks?

W

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pfm Member
I'm on a role. I'm in the middle of upgrading my Akito arm on my LP12 to a late Ittok LV3 MK3 with a Denon Cart.

While I"m on this role, I am giving a little bit of though to upgrading my late Isobariks also.

I'm quite happy with my Isobariks, but just wondered if anybody can shed any light on the speakers that replaced them, the Keltik, and the speakers that replaced those, the later Komri.

Are the Keltiks a worthwhile upgrade from the Isobariks, and what about the Komris?

I have not heard Keltik or Komri. From what I can see, there are plenty of Keltik's to be had on eBay for £1,500, but have no idea what Komri go for.

Oh, finally, do the Keltik and Komris have the Isobarik double-bass speaker design?

Thanks guys.
 
I have just read that Keltiks can only be run in Active mode, so as I don't want to change my Naim amp system, I guess the Keltiks are out.

That leaves the Komris?
 
Keltiks are isobarik, whereas the Komris use a servo design. Note that Linn currently have a new Isobarik model, part of their Majik series, that is receiving good opinions.

Andrew
 
I've had Isobariks, passive and active, and have heard Keltiks and Komris.

I'd suggest you buy some ATCs! They are in a different league and then some. Depending on your budget and your room, look at the active 20s, 25s, 50s or 100s. All fully active so you can sell your amps. Or checkout the passive models

www.atcloudspeakers.com
 
I remember when the Keltiks came out. My local Linn dealer ran active briks at the time. He continued to do so.
 
Ah yes, I remember auditioning some ATC speakers at Audiofile in Cambridge three years ago.

I was not impressed with the SCM20SL floorstander, I felt it had a very 'tube-like' sound, as if the cabinet was made out of a 1 metre piece of plastic drainpipe. My old Heybrook HB1's had more tune and clarity.

The salesman got out some SCM50SL floorstanders, again, I felt I could buy vintage 70's or 80's speakers on eBay for £400 used that would be way better. The 50SL was just too digital with no smoothness anywhere.

I'll stick with my Isobariks for now.

Just spinning ideas at the moment and this one has run into a brik wall; no pun intended ;) Stick with my Briks.
 
Oh really? I guess that Mark Knopfler and Dave Stewart, not to mention many others, have wasted a fortune then .. Maybe they don't know about eBay. See here.
 
Perhaps Andy, I just know what I heard. And as we all know, it is subjective.

For me, the two models I mentioned did nothing for me. However, the AudioFile's demo room leaves a lot to be desired, there is too much glass in there and the room is too small.

The Mark Knopfler and Dave Stewart comment is a little silly really, Andy. I hope you are not trying to 'bate' me into a petty forum battle.

I'm an ex concert pianist and Steinway Model D grand pianos did absolutely nothing for me either, I prefer Bosendorfer. It is only 'Me' that personally prefers them, along with other pianists, but the pianists who chose Steinway are certainly not waisting their money are they now?

Come on Andy, sound and audio is a personal thing, don't take it personally ;)

I never did like Dire Straights or the Eurythmics anyway ;)
 
ATC have many professional users in the field of classical music too .. See here. I very much doubt that any of them would agree with you that 40 year old £400 speakers from eBay are better. That isobarik midrange must have coloured your judgement as well as your music ;)
 
I have a hunch that the Isobariks were replaced by the Keltiks because the latter where not only cheaper to build (the Isobariks had to be very labour intensive) but had a higher profit margin for both Linn Products and the dealer, and since they were activ only mandated tripling the amount and cost of supporting amplification. Another plus for the sales side. How hard would it have been for Linn to also offer a passive module?

I heard the Keltiks only once...my dealer had a pair set up when I went to pick up my NAC 52 preamp. So we unboxed it and played it through the Keltiks (fronted by a full LP12/Ekos/Troika) and it sounded sooooooooooo bad the dealer was on the phone within minutes to Naim trying to see if the 52 was faulty.

Replacing the Keltiks with some Kabers driven by a NAP180 showed that there was nothing wrong with the 52. Just the Keltiks. I don't know if they were properly set up or performing to spec...but they were pretty miserable for any price.
 
I was working at a dealer when the keltik came out and spent three years trying to get a decent sound out of them.

Never managed it even with klimax crossovers.

Komris can sound good with care but I wouldn't swap.
 
Rodrat said:
I remember when the Keltiks came out. My local Linn dealer ran active briks at the time. He continued to do so.
Click to expand...

I know another Linn dealer who did the same thing. From what I can make out the Keltiks were just Isobariks made on the cheap. Making them active only was a good way of avoiding too many direct comparisons and ensuring there was half a chance of them sounding good.

I love all the 'classic' Linn speakers, Kans, Saras and Isobariks, but after that I think Linn speakers went to pot. I don't know what their current offerings are like, not heard any of them, but if I was looking new speakers Linn wouldn't even be on the radar.
 
AndyU said:
ATC have many professional users in the field of classical music too .. See here. I very much doubt that any of them would agree with you that 40 year old £400 speakers from eBay are better. That isobarik midrange must have coloured your judgement as well as your music ;)
Click to expand...

You dont know xdcams isobariks do you? Very very last of the run. Well into te thinking of the Keltik development etc. Customised Linn Units top to bottom

Need good amps - and big room

I think what you want sound wise lies in earlier loudspeakers xd cam. I sold the briks partly because the later ones arent as amazing as the early ones I got from a staff member at Russ Andrews Edinburgh HiFi Corner. Incredibly battered but amazing. It sounds like people prefer early Kans so I shouldnt be surprised its true for Briks

xdcam Do I recall you are a musician composer? The later Linn sound is so polite compared to the older stuff. You compose music therefore go for immanence in the sound - I use esls 57's and cheap tannoys now - and a 401 it is way further into recordings -

thrashed early briks - bit of a myth in my opinion - owners liked these things -
 
I've had Isobariks since '84 and had them serviced by Linn through studio 99 before they closed to B &O. I was told by the staff at 99 that the passive speakers were superior with the built in crossovers that the latter crossovers fitted at the base.
Regards,
Martin
 
I suppose the early active ones would be ones to aim for. But external older crossovers will be rarer to find. Later x'overs from Falcon- are they for early or later modded unit briks?
 
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