Linn K18 MM (Moving-Magnet) Phono Cartridge

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General:
Great quality MM cartridge from Linn, this particular example seems to have been lightly used and looks great. This would be a great fit for a 'table at almost any price point, and is an especially good fit for the legendary LP12. 

We inspected it under our shop microscope and found little to no use, along with a straight and true stylus.

From Linn:
A high quality moving-magnet cartridge to suit a wide variety of tonearms.
- Metal body for strength and rigidity
- Replaceable stylus, incorporating a locking system to maintain mechanical integrity
- Nude diamond stylus and gold contacts

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Some scratches on the cartridge but good condition otherwise.

Ownership:
Single Owner

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:
Unit and box

Packing:
Original Manufacturers Packing

Specs:
Type: Moving-Magnet
Tracking Weight Range: 1.5g-2.0g
Compliance: 12 cu
Recommended Load: 47 Kilohms
Output: 4.5m V
Stylus: Vital
Weight: 7.9g
Pin connection: 1.2mm gold-plated PCOCC
Separation at 1KHz: >30dB
Channel Balance at 1KHz: Within 1dB

Approximate Age:
1992

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Testing Process:
We start by doing a detailed physical inspection under light magnification to asses the cantilever condition, its position in the cartridge body, and the condition of the suspension.

We also inspect any coil wires and the output connections to make sure it hasn't been strained. We then perform a light cleaning with specialized agents and very carefully blow dry with compressed air.

Following that, we conduct a thorough examination using our Wild Heerbrugg professional microscope. From there we can asses the wear and quality of the stylus and determine how much use it has seen, and if there are any mechanical issues. We can also identify if it needs further cleaning or care.

We then move the cartridge to a digital microscope where we take photos of the cantilever and stylus for future reference.

Next we move to the test bench where we can check for continuity of each channel and resistance.

On certain cartridges (or if the technician feels necessary) we install the cartridge on a turntable and run several test records to ascertain tacking ability, distortion, and compliance.