I thought the K9 body was originally metal but they later changed to plastic.
Three cartridges made audio technica based on the AT95
- Thread starter audioflyer
- Start date
Tony L
Administrator
The K5 was the plastic one, K9 was always metal as far as I’m aware.
Nigel
pfm Member
https://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/renovate-an-old-linn-axis.221055/page-2
it would appear the last of the bunch were grey plastic.
it would appear the last of the bunch were grey plastic.
Tony L
Administrator
I’d dispute that! My bet is any “K9” with a plastic body is actually a K5 with a K9 stylus fitted for whatever reason. I have both a (grey) K9 and K5 body - here’s an old pic I took to prove an AT95 stylus would fit (its in the K9, the K5 has the grey body, the AT95 the silver/black):
The K18 had a bolt on the front, but I never owned one of those (I never used the K5 too, it just landed in my parts/spares box somehow, I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard one!).
PS I like my choice of background!
Tigerjones
Bagpuss
Interesting you rated the E3. I've thought about trying one of these and might just do so now.
I agree with Tony. Don't know if my post in the linked thread caused confusion but the K9 has always had a metal body.
The early K9 had a silvery metallic body with a yellow coloured stylus.
Fairly early on the stylus colour changed to grey and is the more common version of the stylus that shows up on ebay.
Probably at a later point the metal body changed to a grey finish. Both types appear to show up on ebay in similar numbers.
The weight of both versions of the cartridge is similar.
My interest in this thread is concerned with the ride height of the K9 and how well the stylus from the new AT range will be presented when fitted. Like the OP I use the K9 on an LP12/Ittok combo where it can work well.
The early K9 had a silvery metallic body with a yellow coloured stylus.
Fairly early on the stylus colour changed to grey and is the more common version of the stylus that shows up on ebay.
Probably at a later point the metal body changed to a grey finish. Both types appear to show up on ebay in similar numbers.
The weight of both versions of the cartridge is similar.
My interest in this thread is concerned with the ride height of the K9 and how well the stylus from the new AT range will be presented when fitted. Like the OP I use the K9 on an LP12/Ittok combo where it can work well.
Tony L
Administrator
If anyone goes this route please post your findings and a few pictures of the stylus fitted. The AT95 stylus always looked daft on a K9 as it was so obviously not designed to fit as there was a bit of a gap between the plastic and the body sides. It worked ok, but the 95E is a crude shank-mounted tip so was only ever going to be waste of the body really. The dealer selling the new AT tips only shows views from beneath, I’d like to see a top and rear view to establish how well it actually fits. I’d hope the better new tips would get you most of the way to an AT150MLX, though minus the lovely boron or whatever it is cantilever.
audioflyer
No going back once you heard a ceramic cartridge
I'll post some photos of the K9 with the VMN95E later today it is a perfect fit.
I've also order a VMN95ML stylus to try in the K9 so I let you know my finds.
Sharif.
Craig B
Re:trophile
Interesting unboxing/man-handling video of Goldring E3 where, once the stylus assembly is removed, it is easy to see how the A-T 90 series can/generator is fit into the large plastic outer body/mounting plate. Note the absence of the usual countersunk Philips screw that holds the mounting plate to the can of AT-95E.
The stylus assembly certainly has a Bat-gadget flavour to it...
The stylus assembly certainly has a Bat-gadget flavour to it...
audioflyer
No going back once you heard a ceramic cartridge
Two K9's VMN95E and NOS K9 stylii
Sharif.
Sharif.
DSJR
Between us and them
Late reply but here goes - thanks for the PM Nigel, I've only just found it...
The K9 started off with a metal body and this remained during its most popular lifetime in the 80's. The K5 had a conical tip as I now recall and the grey plastic mount. I caused a sarcastic chuckle with the Linn guys when I tried a K9 stylus in a K5 body mount and preferred it (silly dealer comment as the K9 was obviously superior and more profitable of course). That was it after 1991 or so, as the dealer I worked for lost the agency in the early 90's dealer purge (long story and more to do with arrogant boss attitude in our now long defunct business rather than lack of business and staff enthusiasm for Linn, but I digress). The yellow stylus assembly had a suspension tweak to improve stability and reliability a couple of years in, but the sound was always lively, keen and just a little bit ott sometimes, lacking the finer details irrespective of the arm it was mounted in. A very 'universal' cartridge though and worked in anything from a Dual 1019 to the top decks of the era, linn or otherwise.
I returned to working with Linn, Naim and Rega in the late 90's by which time, the K9 had the same plastic mount, grey painted body and grey stylus housing as the K5 and without a microscope, the only easy way to tell them apart was with the fine writing on the stylus itself. the sound by this time had been refined a little, still lively, but possibly 'sweeter' in tone due I suspect to the plastic body mounting. The price was rising though, but it still compared to the Goldring 10** series in a positive way.
To bring this shit up to date, I'd say one of the better VM styli would be more like it. The VM95EN has a lower mass naked diamond than the albeit well finished bonded 95E and if the arm is fully adjustable for height as well as overhang, one of the fine line or Shibata VM95 styli could be considered I suspect. At least the VM95 series look better on a K5/K9/K18? than the old ATN95E needle
-Edit- I don't know how the Goldring E cartridges have their stylus housings mounted. Do they pull down and off like the AT 95/Linn K models, or do they tilt down at the front and pull forwards to 'disconnect the key' as the AT91/Rega Carbon/VM500 and previous generation do?
Just to add that until recently, I understand that the 'Cymbiosis' recommendation for a K9 replacement was apparently the AT 520 at a ton or so (for those not able or willing to fork out for an Adikt) and this reportedly has better copper in the coil windings as well as access to the 540 stylus (check the Lowbeats site in German for measurements as well as sound bites on the full AT500 range). No idea why the AT530 wasn't recommended instead, but all of them reduced slightly in price recently so the 520 is now a hundred quid and the 530 is £159. I'm very fond of the previous AT120E, but accept this model prefers a very low mass arm if the bass is to properly integrate and although I love the slightly extra sparkle, some systems and phono stages won't. I gather the VM500 series are tamer in this respect, if still 'lively' as the K9 used to be and both 95 and 500 model ranges track at 1.8 to 2g - 2g being the recommendation for pretty well all of them I think.
I have a yellow stylus housing K9 with a knackered stylus and it sounds total shit in all honesty - all splatter and splash. One day, I'll get round to trying a new better stylus for it and one of the VM95 styli are earmarked as and when funds permit.
The K9 started off with a metal body and this remained during its most popular lifetime in the 80's. The K5 had a conical tip as I now recall and the grey plastic mount. I caused a sarcastic chuckle with the Linn guys when I tried a K9 stylus in a K5 body mount and preferred it (silly dealer comment as the K9 was obviously superior and more profitable of course). That was it after 1991 or so, as the dealer I worked for lost the agency in the early 90's dealer purge (long story and more to do with arrogant boss attitude in our now long defunct business rather than lack of business and staff enthusiasm for Linn, but I digress). The yellow stylus assembly had a suspension tweak to improve stability and reliability a couple of years in, but the sound was always lively, keen and just a little bit ott sometimes, lacking the finer details irrespective of the arm it was mounted in. A very 'universal' cartridge though and worked in anything from a Dual 1019 to the top decks of the era, linn or otherwise.
I returned to working with Linn, Naim and Rega in the late 90's by which time, the K9 had the same plastic mount, grey painted body and grey stylus housing as the K5 and without a microscope, the only easy way to tell them apart was with the fine writing on the stylus itself. the sound by this time had been refined a little, still lively, but possibly 'sweeter' in tone due I suspect to the plastic body mounting. The price was rising though, but it still compared to the Goldring 10** series in a positive way.
To bring this shit up to date, I'd say one of the better VM styli would be more like it. The VM95EN has a lower mass naked diamond than the albeit well finished bonded 95E and if the arm is fully adjustable for height as well as overhang, one of the fine line or Shibata VM95 styli could be considered I suspect. At least the VM95 series look better on a K5/K9/K18? than the old ATN95E needle
-Edit- I don't know how the Goldring E cartridges have their stylus housings mounted. Do they pull down and off like the AT 95/Linn K models, or do they tilt down at the front and pull forwards to 'disconnect the key' as the AT91/Rega Carbon/VM500 and previous generation do?
Just to add that until recently, I understand that the 'Cymbiosis' recommendation for a K9 replacement was apparently the AT 520 at a ton or so (for those not able or willing to fork out for an Adikt) and this reportedly has better copper in the coil windings as well as access to the 540 stylus (check the Lowbeats site in German for measurements as well as sound bites on the full AT500 range). No idea why the AT530 wasn't recommended instead, but all of them reduced slightly in price recently so the 520 is now a hundred quid and the 530 is £159. I'm very fond of the previous AT120E, but accept this model prefers a very low mass arm if the bass is to properly integrate and although I love the slightly extra sparkle, some systems and phono stages won't. I gather the VM500 series are tamer in this respect, if still 'lively' as the K9 used to be and both 95 and 500 model ranges track at 1.8 to 2g - 2g being the recommendation for pretty well all of them I think.
I have a yellow stylus housing K9 with a knackered stylus and it sounds total shit in all honesty - all splatter and splash. One day, I'll get round to trying a new better stylus for it and one of the VM95 styli are earmarked as and when funds permit.
Just done some further research and according to a quoted post by Colin Macey the later K9s were sold with a K5 body which does support what Dave has written.
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=88878.260
Never owned a K5 but may look to pick one up now if I see a cheap one just to compare.
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=88878.260
Never owned a K5 but may look to pick one up now if I see a cheap one just to compare.
Craig B
Re:trophile
Just one minor correction Dave; the K5 had a bonded elliptical tip, although, at .4 x .7mil, it wasn't that far off from a .6mil conical.Late reply but here goes - thanks for the PM Nigel, I've only just found it...
The K9 started off with a metal body and this remained during its most popular lifetime in the 80's. The K5 had a conical tip as I now recall and the grey plastic mount. I caused a sarcastic chuckle with the Linn guys when I tried a K9 stylus in a K5 body mount and preferred it (silly dealer comment as the K9 was obviously superior and more profitable of course). That was it after 1991 or so, as the dealer I worked for lost the agency in the early 90's dealer purge (long story and more to do with arrogant boss attitude in our now long defunct business rather than lack of business and staff enthusiasm for Linn, but I digress). The yellow stylus assembly had a suspension tweak to improve stability and reliability a couple of years in, but the sound was always lively, keen and just a little bit ott sometimes, lacking the finer details irrespective of the arm it was mounted in. A very 'universal' cartridge though and worked in anything from a Dual 1019 to the top decks of the era, linn or otherwise.
I returned to working with Linn, Naim and Rega in the late 90's by which time, the K9 had the same plastic mount, grey painted body and grey stylus housing as the K5 and without a microscope, the only easy way to tell them apart was with the fine writing on the stylus itself. the sound by this time had been refined a little, still lively, but possibly 'sweeter' in tone due I suspect to the plastic body mounting. The price was rising though, but it still compared to the Goldring 10** series in a positive way.
To bring this shit up to date, I'd say one of the better VM styli would be more like it. The VM95EN has a lower mass naked diamond than the albeit well finished bonded 95E and if the arm is fully adjustable for height as well as overhang, one of the fine line or Shibata VM95 styli could be considered I suspect. At least the VM95 series look better on a K5/K9/K18? than the old ATN95E needle
-Edit- I don't know how the Goldring E cartridges have their stylus housings mounted. Do they pull down and off like the AT 95/Linn K models, or do they tilt down at the front and pull forwards to 'disconnect the key' as the AT91/Rega Carbon/VM500 and previous generation do?
Just to add that until recently, I understand that the 'Cymbiosis' recommendation for a K9 replacement was apparently the AT 520 at a ton or so (for those not able or willing to fork out for an Adikt) and this reportedly has better copper in the coil windings as well as access to the 540 stylus (check the Lowbeats site in German for measurements as well as sound bites on the full AT500 range). No idea why the AT530 wasn't recommended instead, but all of them reduced slightly in price recently so the 520 is now a hundred quid and the 530 is £159. I'm very fond of the previous AT120E, but accept this model prefers a very low mass arm if the bass is to properly integrate and although I love the slightly extra sparkle, some systems and phono stages won't. I gather the VM500 series are tamer in this respect, if still 'lively' as the K9 used to be and both 95 and 500 model ranges track at 1.8 to 2g - 2g being the recommendation for pretty well all of them I think.
I have a yellow stylus housing K9 with a knackered stylus and it sounds total shit in all honesty - all splatter and splash. One day, I'll get round to trying a new better stylus for it and one of the VM95 styli are earmarked as and when funds permit.
In answer to your question. the Goldring E series stylus housing pulls down the same way as that of AT95E and the VM models. You can clearly see this, and the embedded AT9x body, round 1:50min in the unboxing video linked to in post #31 above.