Linn Arkiv B
The Linn Arkiv B is a low-output moving coil phono cartridge, sold new for $2,200.00. That, along with the fact that it exists, is about as much as the documentary record will reliably support. No technical specifications appear in any of the sources found - output voltage, impedance, frequency response, tracking force, weight. Production years are undocumented too.
Most of what is known comes from a single period review. Stereophile (undated, p. not captured) noted that the Arkiv B "may not be a brand-new design - I heard my first sample in mid-1997" - which suggests the model was in circulation by then. The review also called itself "long overdue," which implies the cartridge had been around a while without full coverage. The review's editorial text was captured, but its measurements were not, so the reviewer's test results are lost.
One seller's listing claims the cartridge was "Lyra/Koetsu made," but that attribution appears only in an Audiogon listing title and no authoritative source backs it up. Treat it as unverified. Owner reports are generally positive. One forum user described running an Arkiv B into a Naim 82 with internal K cards as producing "beautiful results," and an LP12 Bits listing noted it "play tested very well with loads of detail and soundstage." A used example has been seen listed at £600, and an eBay sale of a serviced unit ("unused since" service) closed in June. The LP12 Bits example included bolts, guard, and original inner packaging, but no outer box.
Known facts, in brief:
- Low output moving coil (LOMC) phono cartridge
- Original retail price: $2,200.00
- In circulation by mid-1997 per Stereophile
- No technical specifications documented
- No production years documented
- Manufacturer-origin (Lyra/Koetsu) claim unverified — appears in one seller's listing only
That is the whole record. People clearly rate the Arkiv B highly and keep buying and selling it used, but hard data on it is thin.
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