Linn Kan mk1, an alternative with more bass extension

[Nic Robinson]

Kabers seconded. I used to own a pair along with a mint pair of Kan 1s. I occasionally put the Kans in the main system and was always glad to get the Kabers back. More of everything.

 

[Julf]

Linn ?

No, the amps are hypex class D ones. 4 nc400's, but limited to 1200W by the two smps600 power supplies/speaker. Active digital crossover.

Nice thing is that 4 channels of amplification + power supplies fit in the speaker stands.

 

[torstoi]

No, the amps are hypex class D ones. 4 nc400's, but limited to 1200W by the two smps600 power supplies/speaker. Active digital crossover.

Nice thing is that 4 channels of amplification + power supplies fit in the speaker stands.

aaaah, yes, ok...I heard good things about those..

Sounds you found a pretty good solution..

 

[timola]

I use active isobariks, but if you want new then try to get a demo of these:

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=195667

Also I agree with other posts here Naim 250 or Linn klout will add more bass and control to your kans which must be on the correct stands and close to the wall.

 

[fay spook]

Active IBLs? Active, they REALLY sing. You can pick them up for not much too.

 

[bob atherton]

Active IBLs? Active, they REALLY sing. You can pick them up for not much too.

Indeed they do..

Lived with an active pair (2 x 250) for quite a wile and they were a very hard act to beat.

WAY better than passive SBL's IMHO.

 

[OracleFi]

I'm looking for a loudpeaker with the same sound of the Kan but with more bass extension. Does it exist?

I agree that the Linn modified Scanspeak is a great tweeter and hard act to follow.

If you want more bass weight from Kans (I don't think they do ultimate extension well anyway) and you have the mk II stands, replace the top spikes with three (front corners of the top plate and center back) small pieces of 1mm thick cork floor protection tiles. These have the benefits of spikes without the thinning of the bass that spikes give with certain floors. Note though that felt, blu tack, rubber etc. do not work, only cork. Also if you have suspended floor, do not use the bottom spikes of the stands directly into the floor, use Linn Skeet floor protections between the spikes and floor. Stand spikes used in wrong environment can really kill the bass.

 

[hp1]

To they op, which mk1 kans do you have as the earlier ones with the red /black sockets go lower in the bass.
I loved mine in a small room driven by a nap 160, the bass had a bottomless ease to it until you just played it that tiny bit too loud and the voices bottomed out.

Happy days.

 

[hp1]

sorry that should read the voice coil formers bottomed out.

 

[frozenice]

I have a set of passive SARA 9 on the end of an olive 250 and replacing the tweeters with a new set of the correct hiquphon really brought them to life. The best I ever got the bass was with blu-tac on a pair of single pole stands filled with sand. The spiked Linn stands open up the sound, but definitely reduce the bass weight. Heavy stands are something to try with your Kans even though it goes against commonly accepted practices.

 

[Mullardman]

You will not get proper., deep bass extension from an LS3/5A sized box without losing something else. It is simply too small.

Have look for Rogers Studio 3 (s/h) Same size, better overall balance and a highish overall impedance so you don't need a million watts to drive them.

 

[PTWild]

In my experience, there is only one way to achieve your goal:- And as a bonus, you can keep the Kans. You just need to swap to a small room in a terraced house with solid walls.

 

[Mullardman]

I have a set of passive SARA 9 on the end of an olive 250 and replacing the tweeters with a new set of the correct hiquphon really brought them to life. The best I ever got the bass was with blu-tac on a pair of single pole stands filled with sand. The spiked Linn stands open up the sound, but definitely reduce the bass weight. Heavy stands are something to try with your Kans even though it goes against commonly accepted practices.

I agree.

'Commonly accepted practices' with Linn are full of contradictions. Sadly, a lot of this was seemingly deliberately propagated by dealers to reinforce the 'mythology' surrounding Linn.

Linn is just another pile of stuff offered at a price. You either like it or you don't, but please don't buy into the bullshit.

Some stuff got so extreme that Linn themselves had to issue instruction regarding 'What we mean by 'tight''. People were tightening cartridge screws, arm pillars etc., so much that they were actually deforming the metal..

Sheer idiocy.

Mull

 

[James]

Yes, I quite agree about the ERGO IX; I heard a pair at a PFM member's house, mounted on Naim N-Sat brackets. They look great and sound fantastic, but unless you can find a pair ready-built, you need good DIY skills!

I designed the E-IX to be a latter-day Kan with bigger balls. By most accounts, they seem to do the job. Here is a picture courtesy of Vuk. You can build a pair yourself by referring to this reference post, or as another poster suggested by contacting Stefan a.k.a. Orangeart.

You will not get proper., deep bass extension from an LS3/5A sized box without losing something else. It is simply too small.

Hoffman's Iron Law is a bitch. Hence, my E-IX offers about 50% more enclosed volume by virtue of a deeper box.

 

[guy]

Linn Kan history is the following (from Linn forum), my Kans are the first release, SN 17xxx with binding post.

G.


KU-STONE Fitted to speakers, units now fitted with gaskets instead of silicone. (Upgrade not retrofittable) Sept.91 48,489/90
Crossover: Revision no. changed to PCAS 134/L4R4 Mar. 1989 42,601/2
Kan II:
Kan II introduced. Incorporates changes to crossover; bi-wired option; change in position of treble unit. Jan. 1989 41,905/6
Crossover: Capacitors improved to Bennic type. Feb. 1988 39,005/6
Bass Unit: Improved performance. Dec. 1985 33,005/6
Sockets: Changed to Linn 4 mm metal socket. Crossover change. Feb. 1985 26,791/2
Treble Unit: Smoother response. Linn logo incorporated on front plate. Crossover revision. May 1984 24,077/8
Crossover: Resistor added in parallel to treble coil. Feb. 1983 20,005/6
Unit Damping: Unit painted with sound deadening material.
Cabinet: Material changed to medite. May 1982 19,153/4
Drive Units: Bass units painted with sound deadening paint - silicone sealant Mar. 1982 18,501/2

Cabinet: Damped with KuStone and drive units are mounted with discrete gaskets instead of mastic. This was the final incarnation of the Kan. Sep 1991 48489
MajorRevision: Kan II introduced: this involved a change to a biwirable crossover (with 4 sockets) and a move in the tweeter positioning (mounted 7mm more forward than before on an substantially improved front baffle). Jan 1989
Bass Unit: Change to new long throw low frequency driver Kef B110B. May 1985
Connections: Changed from binding posts to the new style 4mm sockets. Feb 1985
Tweeters: Change to Hiquphone tweeters, which gave a flatter response. Having the Linn logo printed on the front plate, along with "LINN PRODUCTS" identifies these. The plate also has 2 concentric circles printed on it. May 1984 24077
Cabinets: Changed to Medite cabinet and began doping the B110 with some sticky black mastic for damping purposes. 1982
Introduction: Scanspeak tweeter. Original unmodified KEF B110 bass drivers. Cabinet essentially made of chipboard. The speaker used 4mm binding posts. Pre 1982

To they op, which mk1 kans do you have as the earlier ones with the red /black sockets go lower in the bass.
I loved mine in a small room driven by a nap 160, the bass had a bottomless ease to it until you just played it that tiny bit too loud and the voices bottomed out.

Happy days.

 

[fay spook]

There's mileage here for a Kan/JR150 hybrid. I'm sure we could deal with keeping the larger panels quiet........?

 

[Foot Tapper]

I first owned Linn Kans (the original version from about 1978) with a Linn LP12, the straight basic arm an A&R Cambridge P77 cartridge and A&R Cambridge A30 amp (a wonderful, sweet music maker). The Kans were on spiked Linn stands and positioned hard up against a solid wall. That little system was just lovely, beautifully conveying the essence of music. However, the absence of bass was always noticeable.

The Arm became an Ittok, the cartridge a Linn Karma, the amp a chrome bumper Naim 32.5/hicap/250. This was brilliant. All it needed was a bit more bass...

So the Kans became Linn Saras because that was the official upgrade hierarchy in the mid 1980s. At this point, I suffered musical indigestion. No matter what I did, the system with the Saras never conveyed the joy & musical engagement that it had with the Kans.

Then Naim launched a new mono power amp called the 135. My dealer slotted a pair of these into my system and we sat back to listen. Oh. My. God. So that's what had been missing all along with the Sara. The NAP250 couldn't grip the Saras hard enough. But the 135s did, and how. Awesomely better. But I couldn't afford a pair.

Meanwhile, Robin Marshall has also just released a new speaker called the EPOS ES14 and my dealer happened to have a pair on trial. I sold the Saras, bought the ES14s and was in musical bliss for a number of years.

As others have said, if you like what the Kans do so well, Saras driven by a pair of NAP135s might be a possibility, EPOS ES14s if you can find a pair in good condition may be worth a try, or as others have already suggested, an actively driven pair of Naim SBL or IBL.

Or, settle for what the Kans do so well and forgive them for what they can't.

Hope this helps, FT

 

[matt j]

As others have said, if you like what the Kans do so well, Saras driven by a pair of NAP135s might be a possibility, EPOS ES14s if you can find a pair in good condition may be worth a try, or as others have already suggested, an actively driven pair of Naim SBL or IBL.

Really, are ES14s are similar to Kans and Naim speakers?

 

[hp1]

Hi Guy,
The resistor in parallel with the hf coil adds more refinement and better balance to the overall sound and probably make s the bass a bit more noticeable.

The 160 is quite loose in the bass as well, it all adds to the illusion.

 

[Guest432]

Snell K mk1

Have never heard a Linn speaker I'd describe as great, the Kans are ok but get annoying very quickly and I've always sold them a few months after buying them (twice)