Linn Krystal Moving Coil MC Phono Cartridge - Pre-Loved

Free Shipping (Contiguous U.S. Only)

General:
The Krystal from Linn is a high-performance Moving Coil (MC) cartridge. It sits in the middle of Linn's cartridge lineup and is often considered the sweet spot in the range. MSRP on this cartridge is $2415.

Standout features include a precision-machined 7075 aluminum body that looks and feels exotic in the hand while providing exceptional rigidity. Other performance highlights include a Vital Fine Line stylus and a three-point mounting geometry that's a perfect match for Linn turntables. Also included is its proprietary cartridge protector.

This cartridge was tested on our shop calibration station and is performing beautifully. It was also inspected under our microscope, where we observed only very minimal wear on the diamond stylus. It will be shipped in a wood cartridge box for safe transit.

MSRP on this cartridge is $2415 so this is a savings of $825 for an essentially new cartridge.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Very light wear, Great condition.

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:
Just the Unit

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Original MSRP:
$2,415.00

Specs:
- Stylus Type: Vital Fine Line
- Cantilever: Aluminium tube
- Armature: Cross
- Pin Connection Type: 1.2 mm gold pin
- Mounting Points: 3
- Coil Wire: Copper
- Output Voltage: 0.5 mV @ 5 cm/s
- Channel Balance at 1 kHz: ±1 dB
- Channel Separation at 1 kHz: Better than 30 dB
- Load Resistance: 50–200 Ω
- Load Capacitance: 100–1000 pF
- Tracking Force: 1.5–2.0 g
- Cartridge Mass: 7.0 g

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.