Re: Linn Cirkus bearing set

[Sunsun22]

I wish to change my Linn LP12 to Cirkus but the Hong Kong dealer is selling me a full set that includes the spring, subchassis, arm board etc. Why do I need these since I already have them in my turntable? Is there a place that I can only buy the Cirkus bearing?

Is there an online source that I can buy Linn accessories at a reasonable price?

[harwoodspark]

The Cirkus bearing has a larger mounting flange so requires a new subchassis.The bearing itself is different so is matched to a new inner hub. You use your own outer platter. The springs are the black ones. If your deck has the shiny springs, fit the black ones anyway as they are supposed to offer improvements to all decks irrespective. I thought the armboard was the same. There is a Cirkus kit for sale on Ebay at the moment.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CIRKUS-upgrade...QQcmdZViewItem

Si.

[Sunsun22]

Thank you very much.

I also saw in some other forums stating that the most improvement is actually from the sub-chassis while the bearing is only secondary. Do you have any idea on this?

[harwoodspark]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner. The bearing is the main component of the cirkus kit. It is larger and stronger around the mounting points to stop it from flexing.The subchassis is basically the same as before but is different where the bearing fits obviously. There is also a strengthening ring which the bolts pass through to clamp the housing flange to the subchassis. The bearing, subchassis and hub really should be considered as one unit.
I have heard it said that some people prefer the sound of the bearing, subchassis,hub unit which was used immediately prior to the implementation of the Cirkus mod. I've never compared the two so I wouldn't know what the differences were.

Si.

[sq225917]

slapping a disc under the sub-chassis and bolting through to the bearing collar is as good as the cirkus upgrade, there is no magic in it, just a bigger flange.

[harwoodspark]

Originally posted by sq225917
slapping a disc under the sub-chassis and bolting through to the bearing collar is as good as the cirkus upgrade, there is no magic in it, just a bigger flange.

Are there no other differences in the bearing at all?

Si.

[sq225917]

the spindle, subplatter, bearing housing and internal sleeve bearings are identical.

If you make a sub chassis that is solid and stiff and bolt your bearing to it you'd be hard pressed to hear the difference between just the Cirkus bearing and the older bearing. It's the sub chassis that made the difference.

[harwoodspark]

I always thought the Cirkus bearing housing had a larger flange on it to take larger bolts. I have one of the last pre Cirkus bearing housing/subchassis fitted to my Linn. What is different about the Cirkus subchassis?

Si.

[tubenut]

The Cirkus sub afaik is made from a slightly thicker material and the brace is epoxy glued rather then spotwelded (though this was done before). The armboard is a new composition too.

I agree though, the main upgrade wrt Cirkus is the sub, not the bearing. Rather then spending money for cirkus, keep your old bearing and buy a Funk Charm sub and armboard assembly.
Huge improvement and at a fraction of a Keel price.

[tubenut]

Originally posted by sq225917
slapping a disc under the sub-chassis and bolting through to the bearing collar is as good as the cirkus upgrade, there is no magic in it, just a bigger flange.

How thick would you make this disc? The thickness of the disc will affect the space between the top of the sub chassis and bottom of the subplatter if I understand right. There would also be a cavity between sub and this disc, the smaller OD of the cut out in the subchassis then the proposed disc OD would cause this. Could one one not buckle the sub as one tightens the bolts due to this cavity?