Which Linn pre-amp

I haven't heard the Wakonda, but I've had an LK1 for about 13 years, and I am still happy with it. I upgraded it in '91 with the outboard power supply (the Dirak), and it hasn't missed a beat. Same for my LK2, upgraded to 280. It's also been on for most of that time, and now plays about 20 hours a week in my multiroom rig. My point is just that these things are sooooo cheap that they are off the scale in value. This is not an easy choice. Upgraded amps are nice, but are they worth it in a tri-amped active system? I'm sure you would be happy with a Wakonda, which is a likely successor to the LK1 in my own system, when the time comes. But I'm not replacing my LK1 until it expires! In your place, I would likely go with the 140's and the best quality LK1/Dirak I could find. I might even go with the 85's and spend the savings on software. BTW, John Atkinson reviewed the LK1/LK280 in Stereophile in '89.

Buy a Kairn with the Brilliant power supply. It is still their best sounding stand alone preamp. Kairns can be had in the $1K range. Linn Kicks Butt! Best system I ever heard was a fully active Kairn/Quad Klout/Keltik system...it was breathtaking. I get in about 1 Kairn a month and they never last long!

Kevin
The Sound Broker
Oxnard CA

My opinion is that the latest incarnation of the Kolektor is ahead of the Wakonda. If you strictly use the tune-dem method for comparison, you will come to the same conclusion.

But I can recommend Wakonda if you are using a record player, since it has a better phono-stage than the Kolektor.

Kevin, have you heard the Komri yet? I heard it this weekend. Ikemi/av5103/2xKlimax/Komri
and THAT was the best system I have ever heard. I was completely blown away. Btw, you are right about the Kairn is a good pre-amp. It is a lot better than the Wakonda/Kolektor but it is also in a different price range.

This was my 5 cent worth.
Cheers,
Rikard

I wouldn't put an LK1 into a decent Linn system. I had one for a few years and wasn't terribly impressed with it compared to many other preamps I reviewed later on. The LK85s are much better amps than the LK1 is a preamp.

I ended up getting a used Kairn and was quite pleased with it, although I eventually went to a BAT VK-5i which was an incredible step up! The LK's are great little amps but they really need a good preamp before they shine.