Linn Bedrok LP12 Plinth Upgrade

Like @lewm, the AR XA was my first good table. But the arm wasn't so hot. I replaced the AR with a Thorens TD-150, which had a suspension, platter, and bearing very similar to the AR, but with a much better arm.

I then got a TD-125 (with an SME 3009 mounted on it), which was nothing but trouble. I had it in the repair shop many, many times, and the electronics were never fixed. Too complicated.

The Linn Sondek was a much better approach to turntable design. The basic design (including 3-pt. spring suspension) was the same as the AR and Thorens, but with superior machining and finishing (especially of the bearing).

I guess then that the wood used to form the plywood is Beech, not Baltic Birch. But "placed under extreme pressure and heat to create an entirely new, solid and massive material."

Is "plinth" the term the English/Irish/Scottish/Welsh use for what I’ve always called the "base" of a spring-suspended turntable? I like how they spell flavour, humour, and whilst.

Looks like Baltic Birch plywood, a great stiff, low resonance form of wood (most popular in it's 19mm/13-ply form). Art Dudley made the base for his TD-124 out of the stuff. It’s also great for equipment racks and/or shelves.