Do I go active with my Linn 5140s ?

You would have to check with Linn as to whether there are newer version Aktiv cards for Chakra amps that work with 5140's. Since the 5140 and it successor, the Espek, are now discontinued, they may never have made new version Aktiv cards for those speakers for Chakra amps.

However, that issue aside, it ultimately doesn't matter. If you can find old Aktiv cards, either second hand, or remaining stock from a Linn dealer, you can buy an adaptor from Linn. The adaptor allows old style Aktiv cards to fit the newer Chakra amps.

Just today my dealer installed six Aktiv cards in my Chakra 6100 for my 5140s and two Aktiv cards in my Chakra 2100 for 5120. So they do exist! I got them during the Linn free Aktiv card promo this summer.

I still haven't listened enough yet to give a full report (just about to go do that).

Speaking of which, has anyone adjusted the gain on their amp for 5140s or 5120s? I left them all at the Linn default (3 = 0db).

FYI, just posted similar question at Linn forums:

http://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=926&pid=9611#pid9611

Rsnodgrass... out of curiosity, can you tell me whether the Aktiv cards you had installed are new Chakra cards, or are they the old non-Chakra cards with an adaptor?

Also, what would be the reason to adjust the gain on the amps?... to play louder...to play relatively inefficient speakers...or something else?

They are the new Chakra cards. I believe the adapter that Linn sells now is actually to fit the new "Chakra" style cards into old amps so they don't have to manufacture two styles for each speaker type (just the adapter cards themselves).

My thinking on adjusting the gain on the amp is to balance the dB output level for each driver within a given speaker. For instance, boost the treble to match the same SPL level as the other drivers in the speaker. I suspect at worst I'd only adjust the gain for ONE of the drivers. Best case, Linn has it perfectly balanced and it I don't need to change anything (which I suspect they do). The only other reason would be to boost treble, for instance.

Hopefully someone can post their experience/insights into whether it is even worth fiddling with the gain for individual drivers.