Linn Urika II Phono Stage

The Urika II is the internal phono stage for the LP12 Sondek — and it represents one of the most technically rigorous approaches to vinyl replay available at any price. Where conventional phono stages amplify and equalise the cartridge signal entirely in the analogue domain, the Urika II converts the signal to digital at the earliest practical point in the chain, before any additional noise can enter, and applies the RIAA equalisation curve mathematically in the digital domain with a precision that analogue circuitry cannot match. The output travels via Exakt Link directly into a Linn DSM, where volume control, Space Optimisation, and speaker drive all occur in the digital domain. For the LP12 owner with a Linn Exakt system, the Urika II is not merely an upgrade — it is the logical completion of a coherent engineering philosophy applied from stylus to drive unit.

Digital RIAA — Why It Matters

The RIAA curve is the equalisation standard applied to all vinyl records during cutting and reversed during playback. It is one of the most exacting equalisation operations in audio: a deviation of even a fraction of a dB across the audio band produces audible tonal imbalance, and implementing the curve accurately in the analogue domain demands precise component matching, tight tolerances, and a fundamental acceptance that some error will always remain. Even the finest analogue phono stages are working against the inherent limitations of passive components and the noise accumulated through high-gain amplification.

The Urika II implements the RIAA curve as a mathematical operation in the digital domain — a process that is not subject to component drift, temperature variation, or the noise floor that analogue gain stages inevitably introduce. The accuracy of the equalisation is not approximate; it is as precise as the digital processing allows. The subjective result is a lower noise floor, a more accurately rendered tonal balance, and a retrieval of low-level detail from the groove that analogue phono stages, however well designed, cannot equal.

Critically, each Urika II is individually measured during manufacture. The tolerances of that specific unit's analogue input stage — the stage before digital conversion — are characterised and corrected for in the digital processing. No two Urika II units are identical in their analogue behaviour; every unit accounts for its own.

Exakt Integration

The Urika II outputs via Exakt Link — not an analogue signal. From the point of conversion inside the LP12 plinth, the signal is digital, transmitted losslessly to the Linn DSM and processed there. Volume control, Space Optimisation, and the drive to Exakt-enabled loudspeakers all occur in the digital domain. At no point after the initial conversion inside the Urika II is there a second analogue-to-digital conversion. The signal path is as short and as clean as engineering currently permits.

This demands a Linn DSM or DS with Exakt capability. The Urika II is not a general-purpose phono stage — it has no analogue output and will not function in a system without Exakt Link. For the LP12 owner committed to the Linn Exakt ecosystem, this is not a limitation; it is the architecture working as designed.

Cartridge loading is managed entirely via the Linn app — select from a library of cartridge presets or enter custom values for load resistance and capacitance. Changing cartridges requires a settings adjustment, not a soldering iron.

Physical Installation

The Urika II mounts on the integrated Trampolin baseboard inside the LP12 plinth, powered by the LP12's Radikal power supply — either the Linn Radikal Standard Power Supply or the Linn Klimax Radikal. Mounting the Urika II inside the plinth is not incidental to its performance — the LP12's suspended sub-chassis provides a degree of mechanical isolation for the phono stage circuitry that no external box on a shelf can replicate. The environment in which a moving coil phono stage operates matters; the Urika II's environment is among the best available.

Fitting is carried out by an authorised Linn dealer. This is not a self-install upgrade, and it should not be.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The Urika II is for the serious LP12 owner who has committed to the Linn Exakt ecosystem and wants their vinyl source treated with the same rigour as every other element in the chain. It is a moving coil-only design — the Adikt MM cartridge is not compatible. The relevant cartridges are the Linn Koil, Kendo, Krystal, Kandid, and Ekstatik. For LP12 owners at Klimax specification, the Urika II is typically integral to the build. For Linn LP12 Selekt owners looking to step up meaningfully in vinyl performance, combining the Urika II with Radikal is one of the most coherent and transformative upgrades available.

If your system is not built around a Linn DSM with Exakt, the Urika II is not the right choice — a conventional external phono stage is the appropriate route. If it is, the Urika II is without question the correct phono stage for the LP12.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

The Urika II is the kind of upgrade that warrants a conversation before purchase — it only makes sense within a Linn Exakt system, and we will want to understand your current setup before recommending it. We fit LP12s and carry out LP12 upgrades in-house, and we have heard the Urika II across multiple LP12 specifications and cartridge combinations.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.