Linn Klout, How good is it?

[Floyddroid]

Well?

[Floyddroid]

I have seen one fully recapped for £1250 + P&P which seems a lot of money to me. I was hoping to get hold of one to uses as a n alternative to my Prologue 6 valve power amps. I am of course unsure as to whether the Klout would work with a valve Pre-amp. So, any advice would be appreciated.

[Macca]

it will work with a valve pre-amp, I would not pay even half that amount for one though.

[Floyddroid]

it will work with a valve pre-amp, I would not pay even half that amount for one though.

I agree its expensive even fully recapped. As you know, I've been after an Odyssey Stratos but the seldom come up for sale. Having seen Ali's post about his new acquisition i don't want to get into the Krell thing. I haven't the know how to repair them if they go wrong and they are hefty mothers.

[Macca]

I hear you Steve but I don't think a Klout is the way to go. Especially not at that price.

[DSJR]

I've known the Klout since launch and have heard various samples in different systems until it was discontinued.

I'm going to say that this amp, together with late issue LK280's, tends to suffer with the preamps and period Linn speakers often used with them. The band limited LK1 is fine into different power amps, especially 'livelier' types, but into the 280 and directly descended Klouts, it makes them sound grainy, constricted and dull (I have one here with tetchy control board). The later Kairns with Brilliant supplies (when working) were a lot better and in my final time with the Klout, a 5103 set for stereo was even better, the amp easily able to reproduce venue and recorded acoustic and reverb etc (Linn have moved well on in terms of preamps and prices have risen to match). I have here a late issue LK280/Spark and this sounds excellent in a 'quietly confident' kind of way and I have no reason not to think the Klout would be at least as good as this as layout and slight tweaks have helped I think.

Hope this helps. I doubt you'll find many people using 'bits of' Linn electronics with non Linn stuff, but I've discovered some of it is actually very good in isolation (I'm fond of the similar era LK140 for example).

This is where purely subjective vibes can come unstuck, as I had a downer on the LK280 and early Klouts back then, where the real issue was elsewhere I discovered.

[Floyddroid]

I've known the Klout since launch and have heard various samples in different systems until it was discontinued.

I'm going to say that this amp, together with late issue LK280's, tends to suffer with the preamps and period Linn speakers often used with them. The band limited LK1 is fine into different power amps, especially 'livelier' types, but into the 280 and directly descended Klouts, it makes them sound grainy, constricted and dull (I have one here with tetchy control board). The later Kairns with Brilliant supplies (when working) were a lot better and in my final time with the Klout, a 5103 set for stereo was even better, the amp easily able to reproduce venue and recorded acoustic and reverb etc (Linn have moved well on in terms of preamps and prices have risen to match). I have here a late issue LK280/Spark and this sounds excellent in a 'quietly confident' kind of way and I have no reason not to think the Klout would be at least as good as this as layout and slight tweaks have helped I think.

Hope this helps. I doubt you'll find many people using 'bits of' Linn electronics with non Linn stuff, but I've discovered some of it is actually very good in isolation (I'm fond of the similar era LK140 for example).

This is where purely subjective vibes can come unstuck, as I had a downer on the LK280 and early Klouts back then, where the real issue was elsewhere I discovered.

Thank you. That was very helpful.

[Ali Tait]

I agree its expensive even fully recapped. As you know, I've been after an Odyssey Stratos but the seldom come up for sale. Having seen Ali's post about his new acquisition i don't want to get into the Krell thing. I haven't the know how to repair them if they go wrong and they are hefty mothers.

To be fair the Krell worked perfectly when I got it, I just decided to swap the Roe caps as they are a known failure at this age, and not just in Krells. Checking and adjusting if necessary the bias and DC offset is a similar job in any vintage amp- stuff does drift over time.

[Ali Tait]

Have you seen the Accuphase on here for sale Steve? That would be a nice amp I reckon.

[Floyddroid]

Have you seen the Accuphase on here for sale Steve? That would be a nice amp I reckon.

I will have a look at it Ali