Deep extended bass, excellent clarity and soundstage, simply blows you away.

This type of sound only with 2 LK140's bi-wired with Aktiv cards, and a Kairn pre-amp

To start with, I have to say that I am a Linn lover. I have had the set up of a Genki, Majik and Keilidhs for a year now and have spent the Summer looking to blow all the hard earned money that I have earnt. Always helps when you've got a Internship with a company like KPMG. :-)

I decided to spend the money on the amplication what with all the hoop-la about SACD. All you folks that are thinking of a serious upgrade via the source, wait for a year. No point blowing a couple of grand and then suddenly seeing the industry support SACD in a big way. As most magazines will tell you, £600 SACD machines are on par with the detail and sheer musical reproduction of CD players 2-3 times that price. The Keilidhs are brilliant speakers and I was not hearing what they can really do with the system I did have.

Please bare in mind that this review is for the complete bi-amped bi-wired Aktiv system, with the Kairn as the pre. So where to begin....In a word, this system amazes. The base extension is jaw-dropping. The best tracks to test out any system is Prodigy. By its very nature, the music is very demanding and asks a lot from the system. I felt that my initial 3-piece system was awesome, but the Aktiv set-up makes a HUGE difference. The Kairn is also an awesome pre-amp. Naim is always a front-runner with Linn as high-end stuff. IMHO,this sytem made an 82 pre (£2200), with a 250 power hicap (£2500) sound slightly slower. The source was the Genki and the speakers were the Keilidhs. Maybe the Naim stuff simply does not go with the Linn equipment....I don't care to be honest. This Aktiv system is brilliant. The Kairn makes a huge difference and is a far better pre-amp than the (£800 more expensive) NAC 102. You could hear it in the music. What the speakers were putting out via the Kairn was simply more detailed. If everybody says that Naim equipment is more in your face then I sure as hell couldn't hear it. Not even with the 250 power which is a SERIOUS piece of kit.

All I can say is that go out and hear it. It's the only way. One thing though I have to admit, I traded up the 2 LK140's with Aktiv cards for the Klout. This £2400 Linn power amp is in a league all in its own (switch mode power supply). Haven't heard the Chord power amp at about £2700 but one Klout on its own is better in every aspect than a complete 2 LK 140 Aktiv Linn system. Don't forget the role that the Kairn plays in all of this. It is a SIGNIFICANTLY better pre than the Wakonda...And I do mean significant. This power amp from Linn just kicks ass. The Aktiv system does well to come up with a good imitation of what the Klout is doing with the music. Price wise, you're paying £800 less for the 2 LK-140's and Aktic cards. It almost mimiks a Klout...Almost.

An overall rating of 4 stars, because the Klout is a 6.5. WOW!?!?!? That power amp is amazing!!!!!!

Please feel free to e-mail me with your comments.

Similar Products Used:

Klout, Genki, Majik, Ikemi, Naim 180/250 Power, Naim 102 pre+hicap

Powerful clean sound

None

Paired with the excellent Kolector Pre-amp, the LK140 performs in a manner far exceeding it's £750 price tag.The sound quality is astounding, extremely detailed,punchy & above all refined. An amplifier that can be listened to all night without any fatigue,amazing! It has really instilled a new lease of life into my Royd Abbot speakers and I can recommend it to anyone in search of an amplifier in this price bracket or higher. Give it a listen!

I purchased my first LK140 in Aug 98 and with the Aktiv cards partnered it with an existing LK100. Linn's R&D must have really been working overtime to produce this unit. I had always liked the sound of my LK100, but the LK140 was definitely a step up. More detail, more pitch-accurate and extended bass with a real improvement in detail and information retrieval. This superior resolution came through as a more expansive and realistic soundstage. And darn it if it wasn't just more fun to listen to! The LK140 has loads of detail but is very natural and easy to listen to. I could listen for hours and I know I'm hearing everything on the recording. I purchased a 2nd LK140 and running two of them in Aktiv mode is a real treat. I didn't know that my Linn Keilidh speakers could be so resolving of detail, space, and talk about clean... The LK140 is a worthy front to speakers in the $2,000 - $4,000 price range and really sings in the context of an all-Linn system. Definitely worth a listen

I have owned many Linn products over the years and concur with many of the opinions expressed in several of the Linn forums about this amp. The LK140, although not quite up to the performance of a Klout, represents good value for the money in terms of performance and musicality and the Klout is on its way out. It's amazing that this line of equipment evokes such a fanatical response from it's devotees, however the previous post clearly shows up the contradictions of this company.

With many of Linn's new products being a substantial improvement over the previous versions, such as the Ninka and current generation of LK series power amps, I don't know how many times that I've read that changing to one of the new speakers or one of the new amps in concert with the new speakers is better than using active crossovers. If you are looking for an amp that can provide superior resolution and control along the same lines as a Klout, then there are many alternatives that are one heck of a lot cheaper, especially in North America!

Additionally, using one quality amp such as a Klout or Moon, or Bryston or YBA or whatever to drive your speakers will, to a greater extent, render the very type of hifi artefacts that people who cherish the rhythm and toe tapping qualities of Linn systems typically despise.

Ahh, but wait, using one amp is too easy. It does not evoke that Pavlovian response at the thought of acquiring the latest "black box" from Linn that will raise the level of your system to new heights, drain your pocket book, and keep your local retailer and Ivor happy.

Regardless of what people say about the merits of one particular amp over another, in the end your system will nearly always be improved mostly by having a good preamp and source. Forget active crossovers, spend your money where it really matters first.