Linn LP12 turntable

I have an LP12. A well configured LP12 is a delight -- lovely, musical sound, a pleasure to use. Because it can be upgraded on a modular basis, the key question is what upgrades it has. The Lingo power supply, particularly the Lingo 4, is key. Valhalla ps is a negative. Also, the arm should be the Ittok LVII at the earliest. I plan to get Kore soon, but think the table sounds good now. I guess the ability to upgrade annoys some people, but I like that I can take the table up to true reference level in steps. Meanwhile, it sounds great. The table in my other system is a fully rehabbed Thorens 124 with a nice SME arm and SPU cart and I never feel like the Linn with my Hana ML gives up much in the musicality department. If it really has $14k in even relatively recent upgrades, it's probably a great table. Sounds great mounted on a simple wall shelf IMHO if you have footfall issues (I did). 

dza

Going back to my earlier post (and all the memories of the LP12 from the 80s) l have read your comments on the Ittok.

l remember the introduction of the Ittok in relation to the turntable and recall it was surpassed by a new rival design. Apparently a small company in Edinburgh called Syrinx developed the PU2, a low mass arm that had caught the hi-fi worlds attention….well in the UK anyway.

The less expensive Syrinx PU2 was out performing the Ittok in side by side tests in listening rooms. The arm garnered the name, The ‘’Ittok Killer’’ quite by chance and keeps that legend alive today.

l have heard lots of LP12 turntables (some friends still have them) and some sounding fantastic and others not worth the money. In the 80’s lots of Linn owners adopted this killer. The King was apparently dead…..Long live the King!

Anyone else remember non Linn arms that sounded better than the arms Linn were peddling?

It’s a well known adage that one company can’t be the best at everything! Like your hi-if system as a whole, don’t let yourself be unduly constrained by one brand.

Thats my logic!

@Mylogic - re Ittok shortcomings. One thing that always drove me mad about the Ittok was its severely limited vertical travel - very easy to disturb the suspension if manually taking the record off the platter.

The soul of the Syrinx lives on in the Audio Origami PU7 which I haven't heard, but which is by all accounts a very fine arm.

One contemporary competitor to the Ittok was the Alphason HR 100S. And of course the Rega RB 300. The thing was that neither of those arms worked well on the LP 12 because they were too light to adequately balance the suspension. On a Roksan, the situation was very different.

The LP12 was designed with European floors in mind, let's say, sturdy. If you have soft, or bouncy floors, then a wall mount will bring out its best. Depending on condition and "upgrades" that's a fair market price. I would still try to talk the price down a little. The design is older than the Linn branding, it's kinda the Chevy small block engine of the hi-fi world; a lot of parts and mods to keep it going for a very long time.

OK, false alarm. The Sondek LP12 at my local dealer was too good to be true. Not sure of the DOM, but it is a Valhalla/Ittock model, with a 70% worn Dynavector XX-2A. The upgrades were that the local dealer rebuilt the Valhalla power supply & installed the trampoline, so no Karousel bearing, Lingo PS nor Kore arm board. 

The only good news is Audio Advice was a Linn dealer and the technician is well trained and experienced & the price is now $2,200. It probably is a reasonable price, but no steal. I think it is a pass.

Thank you for all your well informed advice! It’s been fun learning about the LP12.