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Linn Klimax Radikal for LP12

A couple of days ago, I heard the new Linn Klimax Radikal for the LP12 in a friend’s system. This is a dual Utopik power supply for the motor and a Urika phono stage. It is very expensive. In fact, the full list price in the UK is nearly as much as I paid for my entire Klimax LP12. My friend’s system is almost the same as mine and I heard it before he got the new Klimax Radikal, so I can easily determine any differences due to it.

As it turned out, the differences were not subtle. It is staggeringly good. I was becoming sceptical about the benefits of upgrades, but I would do this one in a heartbeat if I had the cash for it.

The first thing that struck me was the amazing quality of the bass, not just terms of the amount of it but also the richness, shape and textures. Vocals and harmonies were fantastic too.  Voices were more distinct from each other. Overall it brought out subtleties in a familiar album that I hadn’t noticed before. Surface noise was considerably reduced, too. Every aspect of the music was better.

Having improved the streaming side of my system recently, I was becoming increasingly of the view that it is a par with vinyl sound quality wise. From what I heard, the Klimax Radikal pushes the LP12 way ahead of streaming.

newton_john
newton_john's avatar
newton_john OP
546 posts
 

@audphile1 

You could always call in at your nearest Linn dealer to hear it for yourself, if you are sceptical.

All I can say is that adding the new Klimax Radikal to a Klimax LP12 with Urika ii, Klimax DSM/3, etc. produced the best sound I have ever heard bar none. 

That was a complete surprise to me, but I trust what I hear. Theory exists to explain what you hear, not tell you what to hear.

The cost is very high in line with Linn pushing up the prices of new products like 360 speakers, Bedrok, Solo 500/800 amps and Klimax Exaktboxes into the stratosphere. Whether that is justified is for the market to decide. 

As an upgrade to the Klimax Radikal 2, the net cost is about £7,000 in UK. The two people who I know who’ve done it are more than satisfied.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,832 posts
 

I’m not at all skeptical of an improvement. I’m questioning the degree of improvement of this upgrade vs stepping up to an overall better(may be objectively) phono stage. 
Also, Urika 2 is a digital phono stage if I’m mistaken. Not sure what takes place in a digital domain other than the RIAA equalization and it’s very interesting. But does it render it into the same category with the likes of Sweetvinyl…I could be mistaken. Good bad or different I am sure it’s fantastic doing what its designers intended. 

daveyf's avatar
daveyf
3,112 posts
 

I heard recently a friends system using the Urika 2, we then compared it to my phono stage in my CAT preamp ( which includes a number of NOS tubes); frankly the Urika 2 was outclassed. Easy to hear the difference. I am contemplating upgrading my Radikal to Klimax Radikal, but see no reason to do so at the moment due to how it is configured to work with the Urika 2 phono stage. To spend $16k on a power supply upgrade that is designed to have one rail for the Urika, makes zero sense to me.

slaw's avatar
slaw
26,433 posts
 

My local music friend has a similar setup, I don’t retain this stuff like I once did. Hard to remember where the Ks go 😅

newton_john's avatar
newton_john OP
546 posts
 

@audphile1 

“Not sure what takes place in a digital domain other than the RIAA equalization and it’s very interesting.

In an Exakt system, not only the equalisation, but also preamp and crossover function plus DSP of room bass modes. In that environment with a Klimax DSM/3, the Urika ii comes into its own.

 

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