Linn introduced the Ekos tonearm in 1988 as a development of its popular Ittok.
The resulting platform is designed to match exactly the weight and centre of gravity of the original assembly, and the differing wall thicknesses and variations in the depth of ‘pockets’ is said to break up unwanted vibrations. Yet the Keel is fashioned from a single piece of aircraft-grade aluminium alloy – forming a composite, unyielding subchassis/armboard/arm collar platform – precision machined to leave diagonal strengthening webs on the underside.
Linn has traditionally warned against any modification that ‘improves’ this joint, as the result is said to be a harder, brighter sound that actually results in a loss of low-level information and a deterioration of the all-important ‘tune’. Part of the synergy of the Sondek is based on a lossy coupling between the armboard and subchassis, traditionally fastened together by three tiny wood screws. And the Keel is intriguing because, excepting a change from spot-welded folded steel to one with a glued-on brace, the subchassis has remained a constant on the deck since the first model. Like an iceberg, the important part of the subchassis component lies below the surface out of view.
Linn Products made three updates for the Sondek in 2007 – a new version of the Trampolin isolation baseboard, moving from plastic to a metal plate a revision to the flagship Ekos arm, up to ‘SE’ status and most subversive, the Keel metal subchassis upgrade.
#Linn ekos collar upgrade
However, since the Lingo power supply upgrade in 1991, the Sondek motor unit has effectively been in stasis, remaining essentially the same for over 15 years. Notable changes to the core motor unit include the Nirvana upgrade in 1981, using new springs, grommets and fasteners and the late 1980s change in main bearing, made available to older decks as the Cirkus upgrade. Aside from the deck itself, Linn has also made steady developments in its tonearms, cartridges and power supplies to keep the design fresh. It’s a reminder of the company’s heritage but also surely a testament to the turntable’s abiding popularity, since Linn wouldn’t trouble itself to make something no-one would buy.Įxternally almost identical since 1973, many small changes have been made inside over the years in order to improve its sound, principally by tightening tolerances on metal components and substituting superior suspension pieces. And although Linn Products has earned its credentials as a progressive company by embracing new areas of business such as multiroom and AV electronics, and despite the low demand for record players compared to the heyday of the 1980s, the LP12 has stubbornly stayed in the catalogue. It’s no idle exaggeration to say that the Sondek LP12 has been a touchstone for record playback during the three decades-plus of its continuous production.
#Linn ekos collar series
A major series of revisions of the classic Linn Sondek is now available, with some subversive changes inside - starting with a precision machined all-metal subchassis and armboard.
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