Is there a difference between Linn LP12 lingo 1 vs lingo 2 other than the case?


Is there a difference between Linn LP12 lingo 1 vs lingo 2 other than the case?

Thank you !
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Have to agree with @dfarmer - the lingo 4 is a massive and impressive improvement over my prior lingo 1.

And as @daveyf said- the 4 is in a very slim box. Google it and you’ll see it looks unlike anything else Linn. Linn “split” the lingo by housing part of the circuitry on a board that fits within the turntable (think valhalla) and the rest of the circuitry in an external box. There are 2 other ways the lingo 4 is a significant departure from earlier lingos- the 4 uses a 12v motor while previously a 120v motor was used and the 4 does use a tach for servo control as does the Radikal (but in a way different from the typical direct drive scheme). Since it is a synchronous motor its speed is locked in both by line frequency which is tightly regulated and the tach. It’s a built in redundancy.

 

@robob  Lingo 4 is contained in a much thinner box (slimline) than any of the other Lingo's. 

I think we need to acknowledge that the Lingo 4 that is the current version of the Lingo is far beyond the earlier versions in terms of Musicality. If you are considering buying a used Lingo version 1 through 3, do not give any more than $700-$900 because the Lingo 4 is 80% of the musicality performance jump of the much more expensive Radikal upgrade. The Lingo 4 is $2100 and transformed my Lingo 1 into a very serious analog front end not to mention that every blessed one of my records have an openness and musicality to a degree that just wasn't there before.

You will NOT have the same TT as you did before when you move up to the version 4.

I wasn't expecting this kind of improvement without having to buy the Radikal.

And you get a new motor with the Lingo 4.

Both zavato and daveyf are correct. Here is a bit more detail. The Lingo 1 was introduced in 1990 and was modified for safer operation in 1995 around serial number 10000. The Lingo 2 was introduced in early 2001, serial number 614522 on, and was the same circuit as the Lingo 1 in a larger Linn LK chassis. In Fall 2001 the main circuit board was significantly reworked using SMD's, serial number 656968 on, which resulted in better sound quality. The Lingo 3 is the same updated board in the newer Linn AV chassis.
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If I'm not mistaken, later Lingo 2's had SMD devices. One of the big knocks on Lingo 1's was the filter on the line inout spewing out lots of crud. I have a very late Lingo 1 (power button is different from early ones), which I bought new, and surprise, no line filter on the input. I had my Lingo completely recapped in 2019 and it's working great. The recap was precipitated by an issue I started to experience at 45 rpm which per the trouble shooting guide (finally found it on line), it was indicative of a failing phase. Recap and now 100%. Botton line, in my experience, Lingo 1's are not all alike and Lingo 2's are not all alike. 
Earliest versions of the Lingo 2 were identical to the Lingo 1 ( known as the shoe box) except for the case. Later versions were slightly modded as to how the board was connected and mounted and a few other minor aspects...leading to a difference in SQ.