Linn Krystal MC Cartridge | Moving Coil | Martins Hi-Fi

The next step towards perfection.

Krystal brings Kandid's nude design principles to Linn's mid-range, delivering highly musical performance with exceptional agility. Painstakingly engineered to minimise mass and maximise rigidity, this moving coil cartridge tracks minute groove modulations with remarkable accuracy. It's the natural progression for LP12 owners seeking genuinely high-end performance without flagship investment.

Features & Benefits

Nude Design Philosophy

Like its premium sibling Kandid, Krystal employs a nude generator design that minimises unnecessary mass. This stripped-down approach reduces inertia, allowing the cartridge to react instantly to the complex topography of vinyl records. Lower mass means better tracking through demanding passages, improved transient response, and more natural dynamic expression. You'll hear music with greater immediacy and life.

Precision-Machined 7075 Aluminium Body

The cartridge chassis is precision-machined from aerospace-grade 7075 aluminium, providing an exceptionally lightweight yet rigid platform for the generator assembly. This high-strength alloy offers excellent vibration damping characteristics whilst maintaining minimal mass. The stiff, stable structure ensures the generator operates without mechanical interference, delivering cleaner signal reproduction and improved clarity.

Triple-Point Mounting System

Krystal's precision-engineered mounting uses three contact points to create a solid, vibration-free connection with your tonearm headshell. This rigid coupling ensures optimal mechanical energy transfer whilst maintaining perfect alignment. The system provides secure installation and the geometric precision required for reference-grade tracking performance—no looseness, no compromise.

Optimised Adhesive Selection

Even the adhesive bonding Krystal's components was painstakingly selected through extensive testing. The chosen adhesive provides the most rigid bond possible, avoiding any dampening effects that would compromise signal transmission. This obsessive attention to seemingly minor details demonstrates Linn's commitment to extracting maximum performance from every design element.

Nude Diamond Stylus

The nude diamond stylus benefits from reduced mass compared to bonded designs, improving high-frequency tracking and detail retrieval. This exposed diamond configuration provides more intimate contact with groove walls, extracting musical information with greater accuracy whilst the lower effective mass allows quicker response to sudden transients and complex modulations.

Enhanced Tracking Agility

The cumulative effect of reduced mass throughout Krystal's design creates exceptional tracking agility. The cartridge responds instantly to groove variations, maintaining optimal contact through even the most dynamically challenging passages. This agility translates to better resolution of complex orchestral textures, tighter bass articulation, and improved reproduction of percussive attacks.

Highly Musical Presentation

Krystal delivers marked sonic improvements over Adikt and Koil, providing noticeably greater refinement, detail resolution, and dynamic expression. The performance gap is immediately apparent—wider soundstage, improved tonal accuracy, better micro-dynamic nuance, and more natural timbral reproduction. It's a genuine step-change in musical engagement.

Strategic Position in Linn's Range

Positioned between entry-level and flagship offerings, Krystal represents the sweet spot for serious LP12 owners. It delivers genuinely high-end performance without Kendo or Kandid investment, making it the logical next step for those upgrading from Adikt or Koil. The performance-to-value ratio is exceptional for vinyl enthusiasts building towards reference-grade playback.

Technical Specifications

Cartridge Type

• Moving coil (MC)
• Nude generator design
• Low-mass, high-agility construction

Body Construction

• Precision-machined 7075 aluminium chassis
• Lightweight yet rigid platform
• Excellent vibration damping properties
• Optimised for minimal resonance

Stylus

• Nude diamond stylus
• Reduced effective mass design
• Enhanced high-frequency tracking
• Improved detail retrieval

Mounting System

• Triple-point mounting configuration
• Solid connection to tonearm headshell
• Precision-engineered contact points
• Secure, vibration-free installation

Design Features

• Nude design minimises unnecessary mass
• Painstakingly selected adhesive for rigid bonding
• Optimised for quick reaction to groove topography
• Enhanced tracking agility

Output & Loading

• Moving coil output voltage
• Requires MC phono stage or step-up transformer
• Recommended for Linn Urika, Urika II, or Uphorik
• Optimised for use with Linn LP12 and tonearms

Performance Characteristics

• Highly musical presentation
• Marked improvement over Adikt and Koil
• Enhanced detail resolution and dynamic expression
• Natural timbral accuracy
• Wide soundstage reproduction

Compatibility

• Designed for Linn Sondek LP12 turntables
• Compatible with Linn tonearms (Ekos, Krane, Arko)
• Suitable for other quality tonearms
• Professional installation required

Position in Range

• Mid-range offering beneath Kendo
• Natural upgrade from Adikt or Koil
• Step towards flagship Kandid performance
• Exceptional performance-to-value ratio

Why Buy from Martins Hi-Fi

As an authorised Linn specialist dealer, we provide expert Krystal installation and precision alignment to ensure this cartridge delivers its full performance potential. Our experienced engineers understand the critical setup procedures required for optimal tracking geometry, azimuth, and VTA. Visit our Norwich demonstration facilities to experience Krystal's remarkable musicality and agility within a reference LP12 system. We offer comprehensive upgrade consultation, helping you plan the optimal pathway from entry-level to flagship LP12 performance. Benefit from professional installation, expert phono stage matching advice, lifetime support, and genuine Linn products with full UK warranty.

Call: 01603 627010 | Email: info@martinshifi.co.uk