Linn LK280 Dual Mono Balanced 80W Power Amplifier

The LK280 is a more powerful development of Linn’s original LK2 power amplifier. Of similar height and depth to the LK1, it is wider. The only control is a power on/off switch on the right of the front panel.

Construction is totally dual-mono, apart from the centrally sited toroidal power transformer, and even that has dual secondaries, one for each channel.

Complete left and right channels of the amplifier—diode bridge, twin reservoir capacitors, voltage regulators, output transistors, heatsink, and input circuitry (everything except the output sockets)—are each carried on an individual vertically mounted pcb running the full depth of the chassis.

The rear panel carries a 3-pin male XLR socket at each end, these the same as featured in the LK1 and mounted directly on the pcb. One has pin 2 connected to define that channel as “left,” the other pin 3 connected for “right.” Two input leads are therefore required.

The outputs are taken from 4mm sockets, these taking only banana plugs—they are spaced too close to take dual bananas—and are very tight-fitting with conventional plugs.

A heavy internal wire connects the negative terminal to the junction of the two reservoir caps, while the positive terminal is connected to the two flat-pack output transistors with another heavy piece of wire. The series-pass voltage-regulator transistors appear identical to the output transistors and are in intimate thermal contact with them.

Conclusion
Exquisitely made but unusually styled, Linn’s LK1 and LK280 can be used as stand-alone pre- and power amplifiers.

I imagine, however, that they will almost always be used as a pair, due to the idiosyncratic XLR connectors, the ‘280’s low input impedance, and, last but not least, the fact that they do appear to form a musically synergistic partnership.

As Len Feldman said in the April 1989 Audio, perhaps the LK1 and LK280 should be regarded as a two-chassis integrated amplifier.

Linn LK280: Solid-state stereo power amplifier. Output power: 80Wpc into 8 ohms, 160Wpc into 4 ohms (conditions not specified), both 19.0dBW. Voltage gain: 26dB. Input impedance: 3k ohms. S/N Ratio: not specified. Slew factor: not specified. Polarity: non-inverting.

Dimensions: 12.6″ (320mm) W by 10.43″ (265mm) D by 2.95″ (75mm) H. Weight: 19.8 lbs (9kg).