Hi everyone!
First of all Happy New 2019!!! Sorry I have not posted in a while but early in the year several ‘home improvements’ tasks took a higher priority over my blogging time.
Anyway, I’m back and have a few things to report. About two weeks ago a new customer called in to see if I could check his turntable, a Linn Basik, and I gladly accepted. The Linn Basik is an entry-level turntable released to the market back in the mid 90s. Originally the turntable included a Linn Basik Plus tonearm and a Linn K9 moving Magnet cartridge, but the customer’s Basik had a Linn Akito tonearm installed, a later upgrade done for him a few years ago. The Basik is a fully manual dual speed 33.3 and 45) turntable with 3 large rubber feet that work as vibration isolators, a very simple power supply (with polypropylene capacitors which last an eternity), a simple black and grey vinyl covered plinth, and clear dustcover.
As mentioned above this Basik had a Linn K9 moving magnet cartridge which, back in the mid 80s and early 90s, was the MM cartridge to have. Dynamic as hell, engaging, but sometimes a little bright on revealing systems. Linn discontinued the K9 near 20 years ago and no original replacement stylus is available. The K9 engine is a modified Audio Technica AT95 engine, which stylus replacement assembly fits in the K9 body but looks a little weird.
Late last year Audio Technica announced their new VM95 line of moving magnet cartridges and their replacement stylus assemblies are a perfect fit for the Linn K9, K5, and K18 bodies. These new assemblies are available with several different stylus profiles: Conical bonded, Conical nude, Elliptical bonded, Elliptical nude, Hyperelliptical, and Shibata. The one that mostly resembles the original Linn stylus profile (Vital) is the Hyperelliptical version (VMN95HE) and, for the ultimate K9, the Shibata version (VMN95SH). Both will bring the K9 back from the dead!
The customer opted for the cheaper but extremely good VMN95EN (Elliptical nude stylus) to replace the damaged original Linn K9 stylus and is currently enjoying his freshly serviced Basik turntable.
Enjoy!
Vic