New best ever Linn LP12 – Ekstatik MC cartridge and Radikal 2 power supply

It’s been over five years since Linn last released a new cartridge for LP12. Since then of course we have seen some other pretty phenomenal upgrades from the Glasgow-based audio engineering company – notably Karousel Bearing and Lingo 4 power supply. Now, we have a brand new reference moving coil cartridge – Ekstatik – and reference power supply – Radikal 2.

First, Ekstatik moving coil cartridge
Loud & Clear’s demo Ekstatik cartridge arrived on Wednesday; here it is running in on our ‘Supreme Reference’ Sondek LP12 with Ekos SE tonearm, Keel subchassis and Tangerine Audio Stiletto plinth/top plate:

Ian’s verdict on first play?  “Sounding pretty spiffy”

And now on day 3 of running in?  “It’s phenomenal”  (expletive omitted😄)

In order to better Kandid, Linn needed to look further afield and at more varied materials. Linn engineers conducted extensive experiments; auditioning different materials and configurations for the body, inserts, cantilever, suspension, windings and leads.

The result is Ekstatik.

• A micro-ridge stylus on a sapphire cantilever makes for an extraordinarily responsive cartridge
• Featuring aluminium-bronze inserts, to reap the sonic benefits of this alloy
• Bespoke honeycomb cut into the cartridge body means mass is reduced to Linn’s preferred sweet spot of close to 7g
• Designed to outperform our Kandid MC cartridge
• RRP £5,500

This new flagship cartridge sets a new bar for arm/cartridge synergy; its unique construction forges a harmonious synergy with Ekos SE; wicking away more unwanted resonances along the arm, and out through the sub-chassis.

In the search for ever better materials, experiments led to the implementation of aluminium-bronze inserts. Now a feature of Ekstatik, these inserts allow Ekstatik to reap the sonic benefits found in this alloy.

A micro-ridge stylus on a sapphire cantilever makes for an extraordinarily responsive cartridge. The sapphire is far stiffer than boron or aluminium, eliciting less loss between the stylus and the generator. The result is an agile, responsive cartridge, with the added performance yielded from specifying these materials; masterfully matched in unique configurations.

New reference power supply: Radikal 2
This will be available as a new product, in both Akurate and Klimax enclosures, or as an upgrade to existing Radikals.

We have had our new Klimax Radikal 2 in the shop for a few weeks now, so we know how good it is, as do quite a few of our customers😊. Here’s the detail:

Radikal. Refreshed.
Motor Control
New Radikal features hyper-accurate speed management technology which generates sustained, uniform rotation closer to 33⅓rpm than any turntable. It works hard behind the scenes, so that your ears don’t have to. You will experience even more of the music, in perfect pitch, thanks to an FPGA managed motor control unit (MCU) and the latest, precision-engineered motor technology – working in unison to produce ultra-smooth rotation and Linn’s lowest drift measurements ever.

Motor
Radikal’s cutting-edge DC motor design generates negligible electromagnetic interference, effectively eliminating it as a source of distortion. To make things mechanically quieter than ever, an all-new housing decouples the motor from the deck more effectively. The motor itself features lower noise voltage regulators and smaller components, making everything electrically quieter than ever too.

Power Supply
The improved board design at the heart of new Radikal incorporates whisper-quiet power supply rails – yielding Linn’s all-time lowest noise floor. An all-new, 6-layer board facilitates shorter signal paths, smaller componentry and minimal overall noise via dedicated ground and power planes. These quieter, regulated supply rails not only provide impeccably pure power to the motor, but have the added halo effect of making Linn Urika phono stages sound even better.

Part Exchange programmes are available for both cartridge trade-ups to Ekstatik and upgrades to Radikal from existing LP12 power supplies, details below as well as complete Klimax LP12 component part prices.

NB the Linn part-exchange offer only applies when purchasing a new Klimax Radikal 2 (i.e. Klimax casework) but Loud & Clear will of course offer our own trade-ins against Standard Radikal 2 as well as other Linn and non-Linn trade in equipment on an individual basis.

Just get in touch to discuss.

We will hold a full launch event for new Klimax LP12 in due course (likely 2022 now) but both Radikal 2 and Ekstatik are available for listening and A/B demonstration in store now and Ian is a very busy bee indeed with appointments so get in touch soon to arrange – 0141 221 0221.