Output, gain & loading
Output voltage and internal impedance help determine required phono gain and loading. MM designs may also specify capacitive loading. Low-output MC designs demand especially quiet gain.
Linn’s Koil is the entry point to the company’s moving coil cartridge range, designed to deliver a clear step up in resolution and refinement from the Adikt moving magnet model. Engineered for the Majik LP12 MC, it uses a nude Microlinear stylus on a boron cantilever to extract fine detail and maintain accurate tracing across the record surface. The trapezial armature and copper coil wire contribute to a fast, controlled transient response and a low noise floor, helping the cartridge retrieve subtle dynamic shadings and spatial cues.
With an output of 0.4 mV at 5 cm/s, Koil is intended for use with a moving coil phono preamplifier. Its 100 Ω recommended load and 1 nF load capacitance make it straightforward to match with a wide range of phono stages. The cartridge tracks between 1.8 and 2.2 grams, with a nominal 2.0-gram setting, and its 7.6-gram body mass suits medium-mass tonearms. Koil is available as a factory-fitted option on a new Majik LP12 MC or as an upgrade for existing Adikt users seeking greater transparency and musical engagement.
Pearl Audio can help with cartridge matching, installation, and alignment.
Call (503) 222-2599 to start a conversation.
Product: Linn Koil Moving Coil Cartridge
Linn’s Koil is the entry point to the company’s moving coil cartridge range, designed to deliver a clear step up in resolution and refinement from the Adikt moving magnet model. Engineered for the Majik LP12 MC, it uses a nude Microlinear stylus on a boron cantilever to extract fine detail and maintain accurate tracing across the record surface. The trapezial armature and copper coil wire contribute to a fast, controlled transient response and a low noise floor, helping the cartridge retrieve subtle dynamic shadings and spatial cues.
With an output of 0.4 mV at 5 cm/s, Koil is intended for use with a moving coil phono preamplifier. Its 100 Ω recommended load and 1 nF load capacitance make it straightforward to match with a wide range of phono stages. The cartridge tracks between 1.8 and 2.2 grams, with a nominal 2.0-gram setting, and its 7.6-gram body mass suits medium-mass tonearms. Koil is available as a factory-fitted option on a new Majik LP12 MC or as an upgrade for existing Adikt users seeking greater transparency and musical engagement.
Pearl Audio’s Cartridge Method
The right cartridge is the one that works as a complete mechanical and electrical match with your tonearm and phono stage. Pearl Audio evaluates the generator, output, compliance, stylus profile, and setup requirements together—so the cartridge can perform as its designer intended.
Moving-magnet and moving-coil designs ask different things of phono-stage gain, noise performance, capacitance, and loading.
Cartridge mass and compliance work with the tonearm’s effective mass. A good match supports stable tracking and controlled resonance.
Stylus geometry and cantilever construction influence groove contact, setup sensitivity, tracking behavior, and long-term care.
Alignment, tracking force, azimuth, vertical geometry, anti-skate, and the maker’s replacement or rebuild path all matter after purchase.
Selection, setup & ownership
A specification is useful when it answers a system question. Use the product details above together with the guidance below, then let Pearl Audio confirm the final match for your turntable, tonearm, records, and phono stage.
Output voltage and internal impedance help determine required phono gain and loading. MM designs may also specify capacitive loading. Low-output MC designs demand especially quiet gain.
Cartridge weight and dynamic compliance should be considered with tonearm effective mass, headshell hardware, counterweight range, and mounting geometry.
Stylus profile, cantilever material, tracking ability, and recommended tracking force describe how the cartridge traces a record—and how carefully it must be aligned.
Overhang, offset angle, tracking force, azimuth, vertical geometry, and anti-skate should be established with suitable tools and checked as a connected system.
Stereo, true-mono microgroove, and historical record formats are different use cases. The cartridge and stylus must be selected for the records it will actually play.
Confirm stylus replacement, exchange, rebuild, and inspection options before purchase. Policies differ between replaceable-stylus and fixed-stylus designs.
Look for the manufacturer’s current values for:
Do not assume that the highest-priced model is automatically the best fit. Compare adjacent models for:
A true-mono cartridge can be valuable for mono microgroove records, while older coarse-groove records require a purpose-appropriate stylus and setup. Confirm the record format, groove type, stylus profile, and electrical configuration; “mono” alone is not enough information.
Pearl Audio can help determine whether a dedicated mono cartridge, a stereo cartridge, or a second arm/headshell is the most practical approach.
Service is part of cartridge value. Depending on the model, the maker may offer a user-replaceable stylus, dealer exchange, factory rebuild, or no field-serviceable stylus at all.
For a useful recommendation, tell us:
Use the manufacturer’s current instructions for mounting hardware, tracking force, alignment, cleaning, inspection, and service. Protect the cantilever during installation, keep the stylus clean with an approved method, and recheck setup after any change to the cartridge, headshell, arm height, or mat.
Pearl Audio can install and align compatible cartridges and verify the initial phono-stage settings.