Linn Kendo Moving Coil Cartridge

About The Linn Kendo Moving Coil Cartridge

Kendo is a modern martial art form; translated from the Japanese it means "way of the sword". At Linn however, the word has unique connotations. The 'sword' is forged of boron, with a super-fine-line diamond tip. The 'armour' is nickel-coated, 7075-grade aluminium. Kendo is the eager apprentice to its master – Ekstatik - sharing the same values, and picking up many of its traits along the way.

Kendo is the outcome of Linn's efforts to capitalise on the elements of Ekstatik which work so well, using Linn's tried-and-true, trickle-down development methodology to produce a more affordable, high-performance cartridge which retains the same core design principles and acoustic fingerprint.

Kendo possesses a rigid, nickel-coated 7075-grade aluminium body. This specific grade of aluminium matches that of the Linn Arko Tonearm, for which Kendo was designed to be the perfect partner. This facilitates superb material synergy throughout the tonearm system, and effectively banishes unwanted resonances away from the delicate generator, along the arm, and out through the sub-chassis.

Our Review

The Linn Kendo moving coil cartridge is a high-performance, precision-engineered component designed to deliver exceptional audio fidelity. Drawing inspiration from the flagship Ekstatik cartridge, Kendo embodies Linn's trickle-down technology approach, incorporating key design principles at a more accessible price point. Its rigid, nickel-coated 7075-grade aluminium body ensures superb material synergy, particularly when paired with the Linn Arko tonearm, effectively minimising unwanted resonances. The low-mass boron cantilever, fitted with a super-fine-line diamond stylus, offers remarkable tracking accuracy and detail retrieval. With aluminium-bronze threaded inserts for secure mounting, Kendo is a refined and dynamic cartridge, perfectly balancing precision and musicality.