Linn Axis turntable & cartridge

[SteveCG]

Alan: thanks for the suggestion re tracking weights. I've tried it at 1.75 gm on a record I know and heard no problems/issues. However my hearing is not what it used to be so that may not be the most reliable guide! A proper comparison, as you say, is indeed another matter. If though I may be allowed an opinion, I thing this Linn Axis set-up is not bad at all.

You are quite correct concerning what being said in the Hi-Fi mags of the 70s and 80s concerning lower tracking weights.

richrussell: from what has been said here it seems that the yellow stylus holder on the Linn in front of me was just an earlier version of your later grey K9. Hence the wise words about replacing the cartridge to a more recently made model.

[D_S_J_R]

I think you lot have all covered it. the K9 had a 'vital' proper elliptical stylus of good quality and tracked at 1.7g. the bias correction on the LV V, X and Basik Plus arms was set slightly high, so I set them to 1.5g for a 1.7g downforce. I can't remember if this was corrected in the similar looking Akito arrangement. Current decent equivalent is the AT520 which has better wiring inside, or possibly the new VM95-EN with naked diamond, which is more a spiritual descendant I feel as these Linns did indeed seem to use the AT95E basic body with different mounting 'clothes.'

Akito mk1's suffered from over enthusiastic Linn dealers over tightening the pillar, which appeared to be made of some kind of metallic plasticine At the time, they replaced faulty ones and quickly upgraded the parts, the price increasing dramatically thereafter. Current Akito's are £1600 or thereabouts I gather (still sounds grainy to me...) and I do prefer the basik Plus if you can find a decent one (Cymbiosis seem to locate them but possibly only for their rather well prepared used but fully refurbed LP12's from yesteryear)