Linn Kan Mk1 Thoughts

[jtrade]

And it's also not possible to tune a chainsaw by upgrading to make it fit for performing something fine like a heart transplant.

You might have a point there, torstoi....

So what you're saying is that Braun L620 are not only more melodious than your Kans, but your active 'briks as well ?

I'm driving through Germany this Saturday....

 

[Yank]

The thing is there's a lot happening inbetween the size of the tweeter and mid of the Iso (or Kan)...they don't get, can't get.
And it's also not possible to tune a chainsaw by upgrading to make it fit for performing something fine like a heart transplant.

There's a lot wrong with the Brik and the Kan in the crossover area, but that doesn't mean there's some sort of inherent flaw in using a 5 1/2" bass/mid and a 19mm dome together. It just means that Linn were incompetent at designing crossovers.

 

[torstoi]

I won't say more melodious simply.
The Braun are a true closed 3 way system and quite a sensible one.
It portrays music in the kind of way a Yamaha NS 1000 does, if you know this one.
Not reaching the Yamaha's stunning quality, but this direction and solidly and astonishingly well for a speaker from 1974.
The Braun has a 20cm paper midbass that is very sensible & relatively light and 2 carlottes as mid and tweeter.
Thus they cover the very important mid-treble range spectrum with 3 chassis and greater sensitivity than the Kan with 2.

And with some kind of music, mostly accoustic stuff, this can give you a cold shock coming from Iso or Kan.
I can switch it back and forth as I have both systems running in parallel the moment.

I won't join a pro or against Kan camp, as I see no sense in it.
It is not to be pro or against, but more simply to know what the Kan is and what it is capable of and what rather not.
In my view Kan and Iso do-basicly- the same, do their thing the same way.

Do you drive-by Nürnberg?
I'd invite you for a coffee & within ~10 minutes you'll know what I mean.
That doesn't necessarily mean you will prefer that,
bc depending on your music taste it may be the Kan does better with the music you like.

'Angel' from the Mezzanine of Massive Attack for instance is simply insanely good on the Isobarik.
The Braun does 0 points in that compartment,
this is something a NS 1000 well set up and with beefy amp works with indeed.

Both, NS1000 & Braun cover the upper mid with very sensible conus where the relatively heavy mid chassis of Kan or Iso has no chance deivering finest detail the same way.

If the is fine detail in this freq band to be told, depends on the music you hear, but bass clarinet, saxophone , diverse flutes, trumpet tell stunningly interesting storys in exactly this freq band & imho it's worth being heard.

Also the Kaber does considerably better in this particular field than the Iso,
by far not as fine as the NS1000, but maybe a halfway compromise inbetween Isobarik and the Yamaha.
Might be worth a thought if you'd like a good part from both worlds.

But it's not my aim to talk you off a Kan,,,the Braun costs peanuts, so you easily can have both should you like,
I have the Braun on Kan stands which fit them perfectly btw.

My invite for coffee & a few comparisons is open..

Cheers, T

 

[torstoi]

There's a lot wrong with the Brik and the Kan in the crossover area, but that doesn't mean there's some sort of inherent flaw in using a 5 1/2" bass/mid and a 19mm dome together. It just means that Linn were incompetent at designing crossovers.

I wouldn't go so far & honestly that's not what I think.
But I'm no expert in crossover design so, no point in arguing.

My impression so far though, is that the plain pysical mass of the 5 1/2 bass mid and it's membrane material allows for good levels to shovel out accoustic energy, but not as much to catch the finest nuances in the way a super light & sensible 'bearnose' stlye mid chassis a la Braun do it.

I think the same you optimise on one quality, you have to pay a compromise in others at some point.
For that matter you can have either an excellent motocycle for street racing OR a great enduro, but you will hardly get both in one perfect

The Kan or Isobarik do great in the field of music they 'like'.
The clue is to be well aware if this field matches with your own for the most part & I came to realize these both speakers kind of condition you to listen merely to what they like
and -by tendency- ignore music they cannot cope with too well.

Having no other source available it appears the music simply is not good or not interesting
& only hearing the same music in some place else sometimes reveals that there is more about it than you might have guessed in your home.

If Jazz classics is your thing, I predict it will annoy you sooner or later,
if it is mainly the wide field of pop there will be perhaps no or less issue.

 

[jtrade]

My invite for coffee & a few comparisons is open..

Thank-you so much for your kind invitation - I will not pass Nurnburg this trip (heading south from Amsterdam to Tubingen area), although sometimes I do when en route for Passau in the summer, so I will remember

I have been looking on eBay Kleinanzeigen and see there are many Braun speakers available at low prices, some very intriguing; they also appear from time to time on Marktplaats here in NL, so I have made a note to explore further.

I love my Kan Mk 1, even though they are not perfect. I don't listen to much jazz, but almost everything else, from rock to opera - I have always enjoyed classical on the Kans.

I feel the winds of change blowing, having not "scratched any audio itches" for many years. I have almost convinced myself that the way forward is active with miniDSP, probably with Dirac as well ... without any practical experience of these whatsoever ! Perhaps with active Kan Mk 2, but I also want to try Saras... (I have 2 x LK100 amps picked up locally sitting on my desk as I write, having read the thread in the DIY section here about modding them...).

That's the thing about itches.... usually it's best not to scratch them... & can I be bothered LOL

 

[cantgetnonut]

I heard Kans many years ago in an audio salon in Austin, Texas. Jimi Hendrix's A:BaL 1/2 speed master on a Linn LP12 with presumably Linn amplification. I loved how that sounded--very engaging. That's all I got.

 

[Lee T]

Pair just sold for £30 on Gumtree, didn't get chance to see the ad description as it's gone but £30??

 

[Mc.naim]

Has anyone done a Kans vs N-sats bake off or owned both with a Linn/Naim system at the same time?
I have never had a chance with Kans but know N-sats. I think N-sats only sound good when playing at high dB, I just today retrieved my pair from storage with the N-stands and set the up against a hard back wall and measured the dB where I think they hit the spot and monitored the dB at 101-105! fun for short listening session but not what my ears would like all day.
Has anyone who is a Kan fan monitored the dB required for listening at the point where fun and joy is achieved?

 

[per flemming]

Has anyone done a Kans vs N-sats bake off or owned both with a Linn/Naim system at the same time?
I have never had a chance with Kans but know N-sats. I think N-sats only sound good when playing at high dB, I just today retrieved my pair from storage with the N-stands and set the up against a hard back wall and measured the dB where I think they hit the spot and monitored the dB at 101-105! fun for short listening session but not what my ears would like all day.
Has anyone who is a Kan fan monitored the dB required for listening at the point where fun and joy is achieved?

I have done plenty of these bakeoff's

The most successfull Kan's in my room were mk1 back then with LP12/CDS/32,5/160, indeed very interesting albeit far from anything neutral some records sounded unbelieveable some horrible

Royd 7L, Sorcerer, Eden, Sapphire etc, they are more universal, accept cd-replay and cheaper TT's, easier to get going but won't play same SPL's, nevertheless great bookshelfs with other compromises. they were great even on a little Creek amp & Planar TT, a small room setup I would like more than most so-called mega buck American high-end available today

n.Sat's, first time I had them I was surpriced to find I preferred them vs Sorcerer's, much more universal than Kan 1, accept cd replay but, as other mini's, no real bas performance even what is, is very good, a lovely tonal meaty midrange with no spittyness tweeter as sometime Rega RS1 or Kan (on wrong source)

Luck exploring Kan's, they are true love and/or hate speakers - I no longer own any Kan and would not bother unless you have the source/amp in demand

With todays nSat price level these are a must" - superb for smaller room, clash the SBL's in most areas, works on allmost any Nait, and, as all other Naim speakers - discontinued

 

[Mc.naim]

Thanks PF, I am just wondering if Kans are like N-sats in that they are fast but bass lean and don't sound right unless played too loud for my ears.

 

[Gaius]

I don't find that with my Kans at all, they are just a very engaging speaker.

 

[Lee T]

It's how i experienced them also, must be some that sound just horrible by the looks of things, not the pair i purchased, very clean & detailed with plenty of involvement.

 

[topa]

I found N-Sats horrible after Kan IIs. Same room and system.