Linn has announced the latest iteration of its flagship turntable in Klimax LP12, and if you’re at the Dutch Audio Event in Eindhoven on October 30th, you’ll be able to see it in the flesh for its first public appearance.
The Klimax LP12 can be used with the new Radikal motor system, features improved power management and a new flagship Ekstatik moving coil cartridge. Linn claims the various improvements will allow listeners “to experience their favourite albums – both cherished classics and those freshly unwrapped – as if it were for the first time.”
Linn has said the new Radikal motor system generates sustained, uniform rotation closer to 33⅓rpm than any other turntable. The pitch music is delivered in is said to be better, thanks to a digitally (FPGA) managed motor control.
Accurate to “five times tighter tolerance than its predecessor”, the new Radikal’s persistent autocalibration is said to produce a more consistent and accurate speed management for a more faithful sound.
Other aspects of Radikal’s design including “negligible electromagnetic interference” for less distortion that could affect the sound. Mechanically it’s quieter than before due to the housing being decoupled from the deck, and the motor features smaller, lower-noise components to make the LP12 “electrically quieter” too.
Power management has been improved, with the “whisper-quiet” power supply coupled with smaller, modern components to yield the all-time lowest noise floor in a Sondek LP12 so far.
The new 6-layer board offers shorter signal paths, smaller componentry and less noise thanks to dedicated ground and power planes. Linn says this a by-product of this advancement also helps make their Urika phono stages sound even better.
Moving onto the all-new Ekstatik cartridge, Linn experimented with different materials and configurations for the body, inserts, cantilever, windings and leads. Combined with the Ekos SE tonearm, Linn says unwanted resonances are passed on and out through the suspended sub-chassis for minimal effect on the deck’s performance.
The cartridge is also more responsive than before, with the sapphire cantilever stiffer than using either boron or aluminium, resulting “in less loss between the stylus and the generator.”
Customers can order the new Klimax LP12 fitted with the new Radikal motor and Ekstatik cartridge as standard now. The price for the Linn Klimax LP12 is £21,795. The new Radikal in a machined or standard enclosure cost £6,500 and £4,250 respectively. If you’re seeking to upgrade to the new Radikal motor, that costs £1750, while the Ekstatik cartridge is £5,500.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
