What are the next things to become collectable?

I think these resurgencies in interest will continue only while us load of old fogeys are still around and who still remember these products when they were new. Once we are all pushing up the daisies then the mythology and interest will soon fade away.

Had lots to think about lately and Isobariks is one of them... i don't think we had amps able enough to drive the 3 ohm load until the mid 80's and by that time they were past their best i currently feel. The Naim 250 in bolt up form was a sweetie when working right, but the CB 250 was harsh toned (better after a fifteen year service I remember) and the 135's weren't always comprehensively better when new.

Today, we've got vintage Krells (in the UK from around 1985) which though not quite the current pumpers in original form (as the 80 and siblings were), they could drive the load without effort - and modern preamps are better too I reckon. Many of the better pro amps from this period (Adcom and some Crowns) can drive the load well also (the earlier QMI Gain cell was the best I EVER heard passive Briks but these self-destruct by all accounts) and although we sold the Nakamichi PA7 models with 'Briks, I'm not altogether sure it was a perfect marrriage and this model took two hours to stabilise it's banks of output transistors (why I'm still suspicious of amps thus equipped).

Macca, ACTIVE, Linn speakers may still not have been perfect, but my Gawd they were a damned sight better all-round and VERY clear. Keildh's came to life with a couple or three LK140's driving them actively (less grainy than Lk100's imo) and Ninka's were a hidden gem later on even in passive mode. Early active 'briks could sound enchanting and deeply involving and a proper working set here would sound good in this room I think. Espeks were good too when active, the last remaining boom disappearing with the extra bass control.

As for Kabers, Keltiks, Sara's and Kans, what pleased my ears then wouldn't now, so I'll say nowt. A pair of early bi-wire passive Keltiks with later tweeters sounded much better and the bass didn't sound off on this pair either, but memories of a later set run active in a pal's spare bedroom sounded horrible i recall. All in the room again I suspect, although the original mesh tweeters were ghastly for neutral sources imo.

Kabers were seriously well built. Sadly they sounded horrible.. Kans were quite well put together but Saras and Isobariks were insanely well built. The Hiquphon tweeter was also used in a number of Linn speakers and it’s good (and not cheap). The “bull bar” tweeter used in later Kabers, Keilidhs and other Linns is also a good tweeter. I don’t know who made it though. The ceramic dome tweeter it replaced almost took your fillings out.

I dunno... The early chipboard active 'Briks I heard (quite a few sets in my career and one notable set was Jimmy H's used with bolt-up 250's and three KSA50's) could sound excellent and two of these systems I heard on orchestral and chamber music as well as pop and rock... Passive 'Briks had colourations, but I still sneakily feel the driving amps couldn't do the load justice back then, not even 135's! I readily admit you have to choose very carefully - passive models - as no two were ever quite the same mostly, but there was a golden era just after the vertical XLR sockets were introduced (March '83) till late '84 when KEF got the midrange drivers about right and they sounded really nice at this time (I know an immaculate walnut pair that's been boxed in storage for thirty years, but no idea how they'd sound today after all this time - the grilles would have perished in storage no doubt.

I'd be happy for Linn amps to become collectable, my LK100 will start going up in value.


Actually when I bought the LK1 off ebay to partner it the auction turned into a bidding war. It was a mint, boxed example though, one owner from new. A doctor. I ended up paying £150 which was my top line. That was about 14 years ago but it was still an old and not especially rated pre-amp even back then. Never underestimate the influence a badge can have on the price, and I think Linn's laurels are still mostly intact with the mass of punters. It was always, along with Naim, considered to be aspirational kit, the kit of the wealthy and successful, and that cachet doesn't die easily.

They need droppImg.....from a great height. Gutless, scratchy things to me.

Funny, I'd say the opposite: plenty of meat on the bones but a bit veiled compared to the best. It could drive my Celestion A2 and that was no easy task, a number of lesser amps failed it including a Cambridge P70 and a big Rotel. Build quality is close to military-grade as well. Last time I looked, which was a few years ago, a minter was fetching £250 to £300.

Output is 50w into 8 ohm and 80W into 4 ohm so a fairly stiff power  supply.