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Which Classic Amplification?

Which Brand


  • Total voters
    54
Great feedback with some good suggestions. Thank you for all your contribution. I just wish I can listen to all these classic products.

I know Naim and Linn have been great partners in the early days and parted ways later on when Linn started to get into amplification and electronics. I am very found of the Naim sound and I want to try out Linn.

So I came across a Magic 1 and LK100 that I have just bought. I will have it by the weekend and try it out.

Anyone know the history behind these two great hi-fi companies. I read somewhere the LK100 was based on the Naim NAP140. How true is that? What about the Majik 1?

Thanks all.
 
Great feedback with some good suggestions. Thank you for all your contribution. I just wish I can listen to all these classic products.

I know Naim and Linn have been great partners in the early days and parted ways later on when Linn started to get into amplification and electronics. I am very found of the Naim sound and I want to try out Linn.

So I came across a Magic 1 and LK100 that I have just bought. I will have it by the weekend and try it out.

Anyone know the history behind these two great hi-fi companies. I read somewhere the LK100 was based on the Naim NAP140. How true is that? What about the Majik 1?

Thanks all.

They parted mid 80's as far as I remember, lots of history reading around.
Both companies expanded in late 80's and became some of the leading manufacturers in UK hifi niche.
Linn LP12 turntable and Naim NAP 250 power amp are both classics for decades now.

LK1/LK2 were Linn's first entry into amps
Later Kairn/Klout which still is considered very good and sought after

I've had the LK sized Majik/i too, that's a nice little amp, very friendly pleasing sound, quite far from the similar vintage Naim amplication.
 
Sorry to be pedantic but classic equipment is equipment from the 1950s/60s, mostly valve but some early solid-state from companies like Leak, Quad, Sugden plus a few others. Most of the equipment listed above, in particular solid state from the 1970s onwards is modern equipment. Vintage is prior to the 1950s. I guess some post 1970s equipment could be classified as modern classics.

Don't go looking in the Classic room GT, you'll have a thrombo! :)
 
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So I came across a Magic 1 and LK100 that I have just bought. I will have it by the weekend and try it out.
*IF* you find the Linn amps a bit analytical then you might need to partner with a Linn speaker from that era. Linn Keilidhs should match well and can be picked up for anything between £150 and 300.
 
I have to say that if I were to have a classic (old) amplifier it would have to be tubes.

I absolutely can not see the point of not having no R/C these days. For some weird reason I can accept this more with a valve amplifier ...
 
I have to say that if I were to have a classic (old) amplifier it would have to be tubes.

I absolutely can not see the point of not having no R/C these days. For some weird reason I can accept this more with a valve amplifier ...

Interesting comment
I sort of feel the same with my 80's Naim amps while my Superuniti is operated via remote only.
 
A few votes for Sugden a21 here, which I'd agree with (partnered with the right speakers.) Actually I moved from there to Naim 32.5/250 which was a big step up for me. I appreciate the comments about what constitutes 'classic' but does anyone use Sugden Masterclass? Pre-Power combo?
 
Bear in mind that;

1. Naim chrome bumper were voiced for a pre-Cirkus LP12 with Kan/Sara/Isobarik speakers
2. Olive shoebox pre-amps were voiced for pre-Cirkus LP12/Phonosophie P3 with Naim IBL/SBL speakers - after that, digital became the focus

Not saying you can't venture outside of those but this understanding can help you build a well balanced system (for its time).

An exception are the Nait / Nait 2 integrated amps which are still pretty neutral even by today's standard, but they are fussy about speakers.

Don't know what your budget is but some of the old flat earth kit is expensive now. NAP250s are about £1200, Klouts are about £1000, and CB Nait 2s are about £1000.

CB 62/140 is probably best value for money at the moment but olive 72/140 shouldn't be too much more. CB 42.5/110 is very nice but the 110s are hard to find now. All should be available for £1k, or less. Personally, I stick to Naim serviced or authorised Naim agents (e.g. Class A) but other folks seem happy using other companies.

We love our Phonosophie P3/Aro/Naim PS and LP12/Ekos/Armaggedon - both with Prefix into 552 (active SL2 system) or Nait XS (passive) in different systems but interchangeable.
 


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