Newbie from Oxford

[Lp160]

Hi folks,

I’m new to ‘hi-fi’ but have loved music for the last 40 years. All kinds from a to z as long as it’s good, and by good I mean I think it’s good! I realise everyone’s tastes are different.

I’m not sure about the quality of my hearing, I don’t think i could ever critically asses a hifi, but again I know I can recognise a sound I like and a sound I don’t. What I couldn’t say is which was technically better or worse.

I’m building a second system on a budget at the moment, and will be interested to see how it works out!

[Mr Onion]

Welcome aboard

as long as it’s good

Thats all that matters

... and as for HiFi, its only a means to and end which is enjoying the music. If you enjoy it thats all that matters

[akamatsu]

Welcome! I've visited Oxford. What a beautiful city. As for being able to critically assess hifi, I think not being able to makes you better able. When I try to hear a difference between this and that, I can't, or at least find it confusing and difficult. But if the system is playing right, and the music is flowing, I find myself not wanting to move from the listening position. To me, this is a better way to assess a hifi. Enjoy!

[Moomintroll]

Hi folks,

I’m not sure about the quality of my hearing, I don’t think i could ever critically asses a hifi, but again I know I can recognise a sound I like and a sound I don’t. What I couldn’t say is which was technically better or worse.

As long as you can hear when instruments sound out of tune or not keeping time, you’ll go far.

Dave

[Mr Onion]

I’m building a second system on a budget at the moment, and will be interested to see how it works out!

I know we are all dying to know, whats the second system going to be (as well as whats the first)

[timster]

I’m building a second system on a budget at the moment, and will be interested to see how it works out!

I know we are all dying to know, whats the second system going to be (as well as whats the first)

[Wenge1]

Hi folks,

I’m new to ‘hi-fi’ but have loved music for the last 40 years. All kinds from a to z as long as it’s good, and by good I mean I think it’s good! I realise everyone’s tastes are different.

I’m not sure about the quality of my hearing, I don’t think i could ever critically asses a hifi, but again I know I can recognise a sound I like and a sound I don’t. What I couldn’t say is which was technically better or worse.

I’m building a second system on a budget at the moment, and will be interested to see how it works out!

.
How you 'assess'? - I say 'Whatever' works for you ........

You think it's good? - That's all that matters and it works for me too ........

Hearing - With the caveat of 'As long as you get checked out if you think it may be a problem' - You've got what you have got and so you end up back with 'what sounds good to you' .......

Sounds like you're doing fine to me ......

[Lp160]

Thanks all for the welcoming replies. My first system, is not Linn at all and some probably wouldn’t consider it hifi!

I have a Thorens TD160 turntable with standard arm and a Pickering cartridge. Rotel integrated amp, and mission 728 loudspeakers. It was all 2nd hand and in total cost me less than a £1000 many years ago.

For budget level equipment it’s all ‘fine’. The loundspeakers have a fairly poor reputation, or at least a very ‘mixed’ opinion, but I have always quite liked them. But bear in mind prior to this I listened to music on even lesser equipment!!

I bought the amp from sound organisation in York second hand and it was the most expensive item of the three. The owner was a really helpful guy and showed me and played some of the linn equipment for me. I told him I couldn’t afford it but he could see I was genuinely interested. And from then I always had it in the back of my mind to build a linn system.

We moved house recently and I have a little study (actually) it’s a reasonable size as it’s one of the double bedrooms. And I wanted to set up a 2nd system for it. As we are renting until we know the area a bit better before we buy I wanted to get cheap equipment to keep me going until we buy a house.

On eBay I found some LSA1 speakers locally and went to audition them. Again a really nice guy a deal was done for what I consider a bargain, the princely sum of £50!!

They are probably of the period I listened to the linn equipment in York so i though ok, that kit might be quite cheap now let’s get some and see how it goes.

I’ve already made my first mistake though. I’d been looking at a few power amps on eBay, but accidentally purchased the wrong one, it’s an lk100 which I’m ok about, but it has aktiv bass cards so I need to think about removing them or tinkering with the loudspeakers and getting another lk100 etc. tbh I don’t really understand how it all works, but Google is my friend. Once I have sorted that a phono stage and contol amp of similllar period is on the list.

I’m really interested to see how this goes, I’ll be using my td160 as source, the plan when we have our new house is to get an lp12 and finance permitting build a full linn system around that with more modern components.

Wish me look and any advice really welcomed as I admit I’m rather clueless at the moment!

All the best

[Mr Onion]

I had a mate with 728's on the end of a Rega/NAD system and the overall sound was pretty good.

The important thing is that you enjoy it, not what any "expert" says about it

[Wenge1]

.
Welcome to the HiFi Kabin. Always good to see new members. It doesn't matter what kit you have - as long as you enjoy what your hearing, it's the music that's important. As to your Lk100 'problem', I can't help as I know bugger all about that but there will be other Kabineers on here who will be able to help .....

[Moomintroll]

“I’ve already made my first mistake though. I’d been looking at a few power amps on eBay, but accidentally purchased the wrong one, it’s an lk100 which I’m ok about, but it has aktiv bass cards so I need to think about removing them or tinkering with the loudspeakers and getting another lk100 etc. tbh I don’t really understand how it all works, but Google is my friend. Once I have sorted that a phono stage and contol amp of similllar period is on the list.”

The aktiv cards in the LK100 will be for a specific Linn speaker(s) and aren’t a generic crossover for any speaker. Best to research how to remove them and restore the amp to passive mode. If you’re lucky, the cards will simply unplug and possibly require a jumper to be moved on the board. If you can open up the amp and post photos, you’ll get more relevant advice here. At the moment, you’ll only be hearing low bass through it and not full range.

The LSA1 (Living Sound Audio?) are an unknown to me and, probably, most on here. But you probably got a bargain.
Dave

[Lp160]

Yes, I am almost certain I will remove the cards, it seems from Google depending on the age of the amp they are either soldered in or plugged in. In the case of them being plugged in a link is cut so if that’s the case I’ll have to solder it back together or replace depending what I find.

The LSA are indeed living sound audio and I have are indeed a bargain my opinion. Little to find on the internet but they sounded good on the sellers exposure system and sound good on my Rotel integrated.

Any recommendations for a control amp of similar period to the LK power amp, that I might be able to find at the budget end price point on eBay?

I’m really keen to see how cheap old second hand kit sounds! If it’s safe and half decent I’ll be adding a streamer / dac / some sort of digital interface and giving it to my daughter when we move and I get the lp12.

[Moomintroll]

A Linn Kairn would be an obvious choice to partner a LK100. The original model sports very decent MM and MC inputs, the later “Pro” model replaced these with extra line level AUX inputs. Early models had a toroidal transformer, later replaced by Linn’s first SMPS - “Brilliant” which sounded better but which can fail with age. Later still, this was replaced by the “Slimline” SMPS which is more robust (I believe, but none of these are in the first flush of youth now) If you look for one, make sure it’s had the front panel rechargeable battery replaced.

[Lp160]

Brilliant thanks. I will look out for one.

I’ve opened up the lk100 and the cards plug in so they appear easy enough to remove.

I’ll add photos.

Logic tells me (though often fails me) that this is where I will need to recreate a bridge, immediately adjacent to the plugs are links which appear to have been cut. I’ll attach a photo. But they are annotated as ‘link210’ and ‘link310’. Before I simply solder them back I’m going to try and make sure that’s it, but googles not helping me here! So if anyone know please shout out. I’ll add photos.

Not of any significance but labels in the amp suggest it’s from ‘96.

[Lp160]

[Lp160]

Aktiv boards for keilidh (amp boards) are now removed from the lk100. Surplus to requirements so free to good home (untested by me, but previous owner advised in perfect working condition). So private message if you want them.

Also if anyone has any knowledge of a good Kairn that is available for sale please let me know otherwise I’ll take my chances on eBay.

[Lp160]

[Coyote Jim]

Aktiv boards for keilidh (amp boards) are now removed from the lk100. Surplus to requirements so free to good home (untested by me, but previous owner advised in perfect working condition). So private message if you want them.

Also if anyone has any knowledge of a good Kairn that is available for sale please let me know otherwise I’ll take my chances on eBay.

IMG_2191.jpeg

Please use Emporium Rules for posting previously enjoyed.

[Lp160]

Will do, sorry.

[Coyote Jim]

Will do, sorry.

It will get seen better there than in a post.
You might be lucky.

[Lp160]

Now posted in the emporium.

[Coyote Jim]

Now posted in the emporium.