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Post by dsjr on Oct 8, 2018 21:01:02 GMT
Looks as if Linn have now permanently buried their site forum and all the information built up over the years. It helped me no end in my recent LK1 rejuvenation and I was hoping that if an LK2-75 came along, I'd get similar online assistance from the massive user/bodger database there. They'd taken the forum offline for a while pending this season's new products, but it seems they've decided to close the forum completely, suggesting 'Wigwam' as the place to go in future.
Shame they couldn't have left it up even if no further posts could be made there.
I read on PFM that most Linn owners today didn't even know the forum existed, so that leads me to suspect that their current client base isn't from the HiFi fraternity - forget the LP12, it's a very minority-interest product and much business is done in upgrades rather than new sales I gather...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2018 21:19:35 GMT
I read on PFM that most Linn owners today didn't even know the forum existed, so that leads me to suspect that their current client base isn't from the HiFi fraternity
I reckon that's right. To me, Linn seem to be becoming an expensive alternative to Bose. Lifestyle sounds if you like, moving to the kind of image B&O have. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2018 22:15:31 GMT
One time I was Googling trying to find the exact measurements for LP12 plinth. Top of the results was the Linn forum, and I viewed it. I read a few others had been there looking for the same information. Not one - not one member would offer any assistance and say, "Yes, it's X,Y,Z". One member's response was: "Ask someone who has one", which was precisely what the enquirer was doing. A cabinet maker was one such individual and of course he was told that any plinth he made wouldn't sound as good as an original item. I just thought it was an ignorant attitude shown.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 8, 2018 22:21:34 GMT
Thenfirim had a bit of a rep for groupthink. They shot down subchassis mods until Linn adopted their own versions. Linn have often denounced third party innovations, only to do a volte face later and act like they are the true innovators.
Like Dave, I think it’s a pity to have the info that was built up taken down.
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Post by antonio on Oct 9, 2018 5:18:43 GMT
Not a pity Westie, but a disgrace. I occasionally went on to the LP12 section and there was plenty of useful info if you were into the LP12. It just shows what Linn think of their customers by binning all that info. Pleased I got rid of my LP12 when I did.
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Post by dsjr on Oct 9, 2018 8:22:01 GMT
There was very much a sheep mentality in the 80's and 90's regarding Linn and Naim and I was as guilty as anyone else back then. A full four-Klout aktiv keltik owning friend was too scared to replace the Sh#t Linn Black interconnects when shown something clearly better for similar money, but of course it was ok to change when Linn intruduced their much needed 'Silver' interconnects, which added much needed 'organic qualities' to their electronics (I don't know why, it's only a well screened flexible coax).
Same thing happened in the late 80's when a Koetsu Black sounded 'better' in an LP12/Ittok than a Troika which may have cost slightly more at the time (I can't remember).
Not sure this mentality applies so much now and Linn are more remote from many Top End dealers, although KJ seems to sell their products alongside naim (horrors) AND the Absolute Sounds portfolio at such enormous costs.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 9, 2018 8:26:31 GMT
There was very much a sheep mentality in the 80's and 90's regarding Linn and Naim and I was as guilty as anyone else back then. A full four-Klout aktiv keltik owning friend was too scared to replace the Sh#t Linn Black interconnects when shown something clearly better for similar money, but of course it was ok to change when Linn intruduced their much needed 'Silver' interconnects, which added much needed 'organic qualities' to their electronics (I don't know why, it's only a well screened flexible coax). Same thing happened in the late 80's when a Koetsu Black sounded 'better' in an Lp12/Ittok than a troika which may have cost slightly more at the time (I can't remember). Not sure this mentality applies so much now and Linn are more remote from many Top End dealers, although KJ seemes to sell their products alongside naim (horrors) AND the Absolute Sounds portfolio at such enormous costs. You forgot Naim mains leads, which are still selling for £30 plus used! Even the Crabtree plug was a decision based on Naim being too tight to buy MK. I remember the same devout faith regarding the Naim interconnects which were made from the same cable as Chord Chrysalis. |
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Post by dsjr on Oct 9, 2018 8:34:51 GMT
There's human hobby psychology here. I've been looking for the official original chunky cable RCA to XLR cables for the LK1, yet I've made up some perfectly excellent (for the preamp) cables myself for under a tenner (two lengths of flexible Van Damme plasma small diameter cable tied together in heat-shrink over 80% of it's length and good but not silly XLR and RCA's on the ends). The Linn cable used then had good gauge inner conductors but I've no idea if it was just a chunky mic cable with no isolation between the channels.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 9, 2018 9:42:42 GMT
There's human hobby psychology here. I've been looking for the official original chunky cable RCA to XLR cables for the LK1, yet I've made up some perfectly excellent (for the preamp) cables myself for under a tenner (two lengths of flexible Van Damme plasma small diameter cable tied together in heat-shrink over 80% of it's length and good but not silly XLR and RCA's on the ends). The Linn cable used then had good gauge inner conductors but I've no idea if it was just a chunky mic cable with no isolation between the channels. HI Dave, it was ordinary mains cable. A linn/Naim service engineer told me. He ran the amps in his own system for more than a decade and serviced them too, so I would expect him to know. |
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Post by dsjr on Oct 9, 2018 11:54:09 GMT
Really? Effin 'ell!!! I thought the original aux/tuner and power amp leads would have been shielded mic cable at the very least, but the gauge of the conductors certainly was different. I must admit to not remembering ever dismantling one to find out - I know Naim used three core mains cable (not very heavy either) from supply to their 250 and 135 amps up to the early current cosmetic models(can't remember what the current cable is if different). I know I use mic cables often with the screen disconnected a la NVA and I have no rf issues here and I still have half a drum left over from the last batch of Phono 2/PSU's i made over two years ago now. i should make a couple up and see what happens. Such a shame to limit stereo separation though, as the LK1 can generate a very fair sound-field, albeit within a well defined 'box.'
As an aside, I made a XLR to DIN cable using a SNAIC (LK1 to Quad 405-2) and it made the Quad sound like a Naim - ugh! Over-wide centre image and narrow extreme L-R - I think I had the ES14's by then, but it was 1989 or thereabouts. Changing to a more conventional shotgun screened pair sorted it.
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Post by macca on Oct 9, 2018 17:16:37 GMT
I suspect 90% of Linn's customers don't have English as a first language or don't have any at all. So they were never going to go to the forum anyway. It isn't going to cost them any business.
In fact I also suspect it is a deliberate move to distance themselves from the enthusiast side of the hobby altogether, the punters they are chasing now have no interest in that, they get their information from the mags and the dealers. I think this is an attempt by Linn to define what is the legitimate source of that information: 'Internet forums? Bunch of nuts. Linn won't have anything to do with that sort of thing. Now let me show you our new streamer, a bargain at just ten K. The Absolute Sound raved about it.'
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Post by dsjr on Oct 9, 2018 17:59:01 GMT
You know, I think you're probably right, but it's sad they almost seem to have done away with the gear that started their venture into consumer electronics and in fairness, I think the concept of this stuff was streets ahead of Naim, Quad and others (it was five years before Naim launched a remote control preamp at huge expense - the 52/Supercap - and a few years before the remote-only Quad 66 came out - these could also fail due to dry joints and other ailments after a few years). Difference is that Quad will try to service almost anything they've ever made and the Naim uses bog standard parts and can be serviced easily I believe.
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Post by macca on Oct 9, 2018 18:47:14 GMT
Yes, but it makes financial sense. It's premium British brand, full pedigree, and that goes down a bundle in the Far East and to a lesser extent the USA. Huge market, lots of wealthy people. You go downmarket a little to sell to the masses then you cheapen the brand (rightly or wrongly) and you're now in a much tougher market to succeed in.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 9, 2018 19:44:09 GMT
I suspect 90% of Linn's customers don't have English as a first language or don't have any at all. So they were never going to go to the forum anyway. It isn't going to cost them any business. In fact I also suspect it is a deliberate move to distance themselves from the enthusiast side of the hobby altogether, the punters they are chasing now have no interest in that, they get their information from the mags and the dealers. I think this is an attempt by Linn to define what is the legitimate source of that information: 'Internet forums? Bunch of nuts. Linn won't have anything to do with that sort of thing. Now let me show you our new streamer, a bargain at just ten K. The Absolute Sound raved about it.' Intelligent and insightful post. Makes a lot of sense to me. |
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Post by macca on Oct 9, 2018 20:11:26 GMT
Well if you put me in charge of Linn that's what I'd be doing with the brand. You have the cachet and that's not easy to get. Why chuck it away?
Must say I had many years of listening pleasure from my Linn LK1/LK100 combo. Superb build quality, sound quality more than adequate unless you're a proper hi-fi nut. 100% reliable over thousands of hours. Linn was never, ever bad kit in any way.
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