Linn Kendo moving coil cartridge

Key Features

Kendo (meaning way of the sword) is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armour (bōgu). The Linn Kendo's sword is its Boron Cantilever with a Super-fine-line stylus and its armour is the 7075-grade aluminium nickel alloy body.

The sword has a Super-fine-line stylus, this design has a sharper edge radius that plays the record groove walls, which allows better high-frequency reproduction (this is most notable at the inner groove where it is more difficult) resulting in better imaging, depth, and lower distortion and many other aspects of fine analogue listening that are lost when the high frequencies are not resolved well - normally caused by lower quality stylus shapes.  The advantage of a Boron cantilever is that its density is low, its lightweight, incredibly stiff and 100% inert. The boron cantilever can more precisely trace the information contained in the record grooves than say an aluminium cantilever. 

The open frame, the low mass body is precision milled from 7075-grade aluminium alloy giving it high strength and ductility. It also uses Linn's 3-point mounting, 2 at the front and 1 at the rear meaning no alignment set-up is required. The same alloy is used in the Arko tonearm, so when the Kendo is mounted in the Arko, it is as if the two are bonded as one.

Who is Linn?

Linn wants to bring you closer to the music you love, to feel every note, to experience your music with clarity and power, unlike anything you’ve ever heard. Their philosophy is simple too - don’t make anything unless it’s better than what’s available elsewhere. For them, “good enough” isn’t good enough.

Every system is built by hand in their Glasgow factory and bears the name of the person who made it. It’s built with precision and pride, designed for the future and engineered to extraordinarily tight tolerances. And of course, every product is rigorously tested before leaving the factory to ensure that it delivers outstanding performance today and for many years.

A Linn system isn’t just something to enjoy now. It’s an investment that will enrich your whole life.