Linn Akiva or Lyra Skala ?

I wonder how a Akiva compares to the more popular Helikon ?

Dear Pani: Not in my system but other systems, the Ekos ( I think is the model ) seems to me very good and obviously a very good match with the Akiva.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Pany, You can take a look at the new Linn/Lyra/Scantech cartridge - Kandid.

Thanks guys. Leicachamp, I am waiting eagerly to hear from you regarding the Miyabi vs Kleos.

Raul, thanks for the valuable input, have you ever tried the Linn tonearm ? How good are they ?

If the Akiva has soldered leads, you may not be able to use them on tonearms that have fixed headshells or dedicated cable from pin to base of tonearm.

Something I forgot that's a very important Akiva's characteristic is that comes with dedicated cartridge wires soldered directly, avoiding the usual cartridge pin connectors that at this level degrade the cartridge signal more that what we can imagine.

This is a very nice design touch that Linn had and have for years, IMHO makes a difference for the better.

I wonder why other top cartridge designers don't follow the Linn trend in that regards other that some top tonearms comes with female connectors too but maybe could be possible that the tonearm manufacturers could give both options: male or female connectors. Anyway, only a thought.

R.

Dear Pani: I heard in my system the Skala and I own the Akiva and I like more the natural music color and agresiveness that exist in the live music that the Akiva shows than the Skala, this one is a little in the lifeless side against the Akiva.

I don't heard yet in my system the Kleos but I heard the Titan i and in other audio systems too. The Titan is very good performer and better than the Skala ( is has to be for the price. ) but I can't say against the Kleos.

IMHO you can't go wrong with the Akiva.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Hey Pani

Wait Pani I compare you'd Red Rose with my Kleos!

Thanks Theo.

Kleos is also in my consideration. Can anyone give any comparisons between the Skala and the Kleos ?

Although I can't speak to owning either. I have a LP12 that had a Troika and I sold it to get a Kleos. I never looked back. The Lyra sound to me is much more involving, detailed and deliveres accuracy without an analytical approach. Bass is much more controlled and defined the mids and highs are much more precise with fluidity that keeps them musical. The overall extraction of information is overwhelming to me on my favorite LP's to hear more of the recording left "maybe muted" by the Troika.
The only reason I respond to your question is that at one time the Troika was considered a pinnacle of the Linn sound. As far as the Skala I have heard them amny times on different tables and liked the cartridge but bought the Kleos for the employment of the newer suspension and geometry of the cartridge.