Linn LK140x2 With Totem Model 1 Signature Speakers, need connection advise

[Thinkdifferent]

Dear Friends,

I recently got old LINN gear and you experts advise is needed.

I have recently got hold of Linn Lk140 ( 2 Amps ) with 2 Active Stereo Cards and a Wakonda Pre Amp ( without Line Stage) and I have Totem Model 1 Signature Speakers. so here are my few questions that I need your help & guidance.

1. How can I connect these 2 Amps to the Wakonda Preamp?

2. is there a way to connect 1 Amp to 1 Speaker and 2nd to the other? how can I make all the connections in this scenario?

3. My Totem Model 1 Signature Speakers are rated at 120RMS @ 4 Ohms / with 87db Sensitivity. & LK-140s amps are rated @140 RMS so if I connect 1 amp per 1 speaker will it be a over kill given the ratings? and damage my speakers in any way?

4. I have these ( Cable Research Lab Bronze Series Speaker Cable & Interconnect (TAS 210) | The Absolute Sound) Speaker Cables with Banana connectors (which I was using with my Naim Gear earlier) and Im planning to use these same cables with BFA to Banana adaptors, will these be good with the above gear? if not? then what is the Linn Recommend Speaker Cable for LK140 amps?

5. Finally I have Active Cards Stereo Active Cards, with Treble & Bass written on each card and also Ninka written on them, so these means these cards only work with Ninka Speakers? or can I also use these cards with Linn Katans or other Linn Speakers? with this cards in Active Mode?

or any other options that youd suggest?

Many Many Thanks in Advance for your time will be eagerly awaiting for any help.

Best Regards
Pramod.

 

[asliarun]

I used to have the Totem Model 1 (not signature). They are quite power hungry and I don't think you need to worry about overpowering your speakers. At any rate, generally speaking of course, speakers are more in danger from underpowered amps. Unless of course you completely blast the volume sky high with hugely overpowered amps - which is hardly ever the case.

I have no knowledge of Linn products, but it looks like you have a preamp and two stereo power amps. I would imagine that the simplest configuration would be preamp -> 1 power amp -> both speakers.

LK 140 is 95W at 8ohms and 140W at 4ohms. Totem Model 1 dips down to about 3.6 ohms but still, I think one of these power amps should be sufficient to drive both speakers. This is quite a beefy and robust amp!

But I think you do want to use your second amp and your active cards to make this an active setup (active crossover +biamped). I don't have much experience in this so perhaps someone else can chime in.

But maybe you can do the straightforward setup (i mentioned) for starters, and then move to an active setup. That way, you can also evaluate the benefits, if any. In fact, it would be quite interesting for some of us to know what changes you hear after moving to the active setup!

 

[Thinkdifferent]

I used to have the Totem Model 1 (not signature). They are quite power hungry and I don't think you need to worry about overpowering your speakers. At any rate, generally speaking of course, speakers are more in danger from underpowered amps. Unless of course you completely blast the volume sky high with hugely overpowered amps - which is hardly ever the case.

I have no knowledge of Linn products, but it looks like you have a preamp and two stereo power amps. I would imagine that the simplest configuration would be preamp -> 1 power amp -> both speakers.

LK 140 is 95W at 8ohms and 140W at 4ohms. Totem Model 1 dips down to about 3.6 ohms but still, I think one of these power amps should be sufficient to drive both speakers. This is quite a beefy and robust amp!

But I think you do want to use your second amp and your active cards to make this an active setup (active crossover +biamped). I don't have much experience in this so perhaps someone else can chime in.

But maybe you can do the straightforward setup (i mentioned) for starters, and then move to an active setup. That way, you can also evaluate the benefits, if any. In fact, it would be quite interesting for some of us to know what changes you hear after moving to the active setup!

Thanks for the reply, Yes they are power hungry indeed, and that's exactly the reason I would like to use both the amp's ( since I have extra one at hand so why not use) but wanted to re-confirm, and that raised my question of connectivity, so if I use both then how to make the connections..

Pre -> 2 Amp's - > Speakers

sadly I cannot use the Aktive cards with non Linn Speakers, I will have to get Linn speakers to go Aktive, and they hardly come up for sale ( since I need older versions)

Thx.

 

[asliarun]

Thanks for the reply, Yes they are power hungry indeed, and that's exactly the reason I would like to use both the amp's ( since I have extra one at hand so why not use) but wanted to re-confirm, and that raised my question of connectivity, so if I use both then how to make the connections..

Pre -> 2 Amp's - > Speakers

sadly I cannot use the Aktive cards with non Linn Speakers, I will have to get Linn speakers to go Aktive, and they hardly come up for sale ( since I need older versions)

Thx.

A conventional way to use two power amps would be to use them as monoblocks. That is, one amp drives one channel. But to do that, the power amp usually has a switch that lets it being driven in monoblock mode. I don't think your power amp has this feature. I guess you could still connect only one channel of preamp output to each power amp. But am not sure if the power amp will benefit from only having to amplify one channel instead of two. My Parasound power amp used to have a monoblock mode switch but I don't see it in yours.

The speakers and amps do support both biwiring and biamping. Biwiring is nothing but using two sets of wires instead of one - the benefit is questionable. You can also do biamping but as I understand, you will need an electronic crossover (if not Linn, then an external one like Behringer). You will have to feed the preamp output to the crossover which will then split the signal into tweeter and woofer frequencies. Then you feed these separate outputs into each amp, and into the speaker. So then one amp only drives the tweeter in both speakers, and the other amp drives only the woofer in both the speakers. In either of these cases, you will have to remove the jumper (the copper strip) that is currently attached to the terminals in your speaker.

Again, I myself have never done this so please don't take this as a recommendation. I am only thinking aloud as your problem is quite interesting. And honestly, I don't think your 1 amp setup is bad at all - Totem Model 1 is not *that* power hungry especially at reasonable volumes. I mean, you are not driving it with a weak integrated amp or an AVR or anything. And I remain a bit sceptical about the improvements you will get even with biamping (benefit commensurate to effort and additional cost).