Keep the Linn. When you can afford to, upgrade the motor to an Origin Live DC motor. You will be floored once again! If you haven't bought a record cleaning machine, get one. One that works manually ( you spin the disc as you clean ) can be found for less than a couple hundred dollars. Use good fluids, I use the 3 step AVIS, along with a Zerostat 3 static removing gun. The Lp's are very quiet, and, again, you will be re-floored. Later on you can upgrade arms, and cartridges, etc., etc.
These aren't cheap suggestions, but if you buy a little over a period of time, it won't hurt so much, and you'll be very happy with what you end up with. I know I am! |
I assume your floors are very solid, or you would be complaining about footfall problems. If you can live with the cosmetics of the thing, I highly recommend the Target wall shelf, at about $150 or so. Really isolates the Linn and lets you experiment with various shelf materials very inexpensively. It comes with a plywood shelf, which works fine, but I much prefer Corian myself. You would be amazed how much the surface the Linn sits on affects the sound. Enjoy. |
Use your Dual 1229 amd chuck the Linn. :) Man, if only I had half of the money that I poured into that table in upgrades. I was never really happy with my Linn, it seemed that I was always doing some new tweek to improve performance. By the way, I am a huge Mcintosh fan and at one time had a Mr78, C29 and a MC-2300. No complaints. The Linn is a nice enough table, but silly problems began to creep up. Speed control, too fast then too slow, then death. Motors, my goodness, those stinking little gutless motors don't last. I went through three. Power supplies anyone? Belts? Bearing upgrades (well Norman, you didn't tell me that you listen to solo piano music, so that is why your LP12 sounds muddled, you need the Cirkus Bearing upgrade! We can accomdate you for only $$$$$) In any event I think I ended up selling my Linn for about $1100.. (it looked new) I had around $8000 into it. Couldn't stomach another upgrade or tweek. Your in my prayers man.
Norman |
Normansizemore, I'm sorry you had such troubles with your Linn. Mine has the Origin Live DC motor/power supply upgrade which only cost just over $600. This is as far as I need to go to get great unmuddled sound. My arm is just the Basik LV X with a Grado Ref. Sonata cartridge. I'm very pleased. I think the best thing I did was to get an inexpensive Nitty Gritty to clean the vinyl, along with the AIVS fluids, and the Zerostat. |
to answer the OP, yes the ikea lack is a viable option but mods (cheap) needed. specifically spiking it... search the forums and you shall find! when i have more time will get you the links...
Nicholas |
Abucktwoeighty, that's what I started with! And you don't need to be sorry, I am happy now and listening every day with no problems. Oh, and I liked the Basik tonearm, my Basik had a removeable headshell so I think it was the Basik Plus. I replaced it a couple of times and ended up keeping a Grace 747 on it. I used my turntable nearly every day, so my motor and original powersupply didn't last any time at all. I am thinking less then two years when I replaced them the first time. Don't waste your money on the Cirkus bearing upgrade, the original bearing is just fine. I have heard that the older Linns were more reliable than those from the late 80's and 90's. Mine was 1989. |
I had a time a while back where I thought of selling my Linn and getting a VPI as I was mostly ocencerns about the footfall and adjustment issues inherent to the LP12. I have solved the footfall issues and have, after closer examination, come to realize that the "majic" of re-adjustment are infact myth. I love the sound of the TT and plan to keep it. I also have Mcintosh and have heard for years from people that tell me "oh it's horrible, Oh it's ugly" etc. Well to them I say "eat a bug!" I love it and will continue to buy it. One thing is when I trade up it is easily sold. Funny how a market exists for a company approaching 60 yrs in the business can be so "horrible"!
As far as mounting the LP12 I have it firmly braced to the wall and it sits on 3 Aurios and that has how I solved the footfall. The biggest problem I have with the LP12 is that my job restricts the time I get to listen to it. |
Thanks for the suggestions, I should have said a little more. The one I bought came with the sound organisation wall mount, so I am covered there, but my listening room is in the basement, and I do not think I can install it because there are no studs. Because it is a basement I don't have footfall issues, thank goodness for concrete ;). I am not sure as to the durability of this one, as I don't know the age, but it came with the lingo power supply, and ekos arm, with a shure v15 mxr. If wall mounting is still the best option, I think I mount a couple of 2x4's across where the studs in the wall already are, then mount the table to that. The studs in the basement are spaced at the width of the drywall sense it is a faux wall. Which leads me to another concern, reading the paperwork it says it must be mounted onto a load bearing wall, which the faux wall is not, it is simply a way to hold the drywall over the concrete basement wall. |
It doesn't "have" to be a load bearing wall. It's just that a load bearing wall is likely to be better coupled to the mass of the house. So vibration damping will be better. The more firmly attached the non-load bearing wall is, the more likely it will mimic the effect of being a load bearing wall. If you're in a basement with a concrete floor, a spiked floor standing table or rack should be fine. It will serve the same purpose as a load bearing wall since you're coupling it to the mass of the house. |
Gsxr, if you are in a basement/concrete floor just get a nice stand and set it directly on the floor. I would not wall mount it unless floor space is an issue. With the solid concrete floor you will not have any issues if a good stand is between the TT and the floor. You would not need Aurios or to brace the stand against the wall. Are you having any issues with the wat the TT is playing at this point? |
The issue I am having is with the rack, it is a circuit city stand purchased purely on looks. It has gotten looser, which I am assuming is due to my constant fiddling with components, and blasting the hell out of it. So now if I go to change the volume on the old c28, it causes skipping. This is the reason I decided a separate stand would be in order. Since I have the wall stand, I think maybe I should mount it on that right now, although it will ungainly to look at with the 2x4's crossing the wall, and wait till I can afford a decent floor stand. I just do not know what a decent floor stand is, and what qualifies for light and rigid by Linn standards, seems an old metal shop bench would be perfect. I have one that weighs no more than 15 pounds, and is nearly impossible to bend. |
Is it possible to mount the wall shelf to a back brace and add a stabilizing footer that protrudes to the front the same depthe as the shelf and that way it is moveable? Or if you have the shopbench and can make that work until you can afford the stand you want. That would save patching holes in drywall later. |
A lot of opinions are generated about Linn but mine is positive. Most products in this hobby have an upgrade path so I do not belive that is a legit complaint. I have owned my Linn for about 12+ years and have upgraded to the Cirkus, Lingo, Ekos, and Trampolin, and I am also in love. My cartidge path has included Audio Technica, Benz Glider, to Shelter 90X. I believe I could recoup a sizeable portion of my investment based on Agon pricing. I too have toyed with newer tables (Avid, VPI) but happily decided to remain with my Linn. I don't even object to the cost of the annual tune up which by the way is the only time other than an upgrade that my table sees the daeler.....it has operated flawlessly. The Keel upgrade which I belive is simply overpriced, caused the table to receive a Stereophile "class A" rating. Before the Keel it was a traditionally solid "class B borderline class A." Nonetheless it is not hype if you believe....and it sounds like you do. |
I've some excellent sounding Linns. If you're happy, stick with it.
Linn turned me off way back in the 1970s with some rediculous hype (your thread title brought it to mind). They claimed that you couldn't sing along with direct drive TT. Of course, tens of millions of teenagers in the USA were listening to radio and singing along for many years, all driven by DD TTs. My own TT was a direct drive Luxman. I had no trouble playing my trumpet along with the Music Minus One LPs that I own.
That out and out lie along with poor dealers in my area. They were unable to demonstrate any superiority to my Luxman. Oh, maybe my Luxman was better. Who knows, the Luxman is long gone.
Despite Linn's founder's hyper exaggerated claims, the product IS very good. I suspect that you'll be happy staying with it.
Dave |
I've been most satisfied with my Linn Axis. It sounds better than ever with some recent system upgrades and has operated flawlessly since I bought it over 20 years ago.
It sits on a 60+ lb solid oak coffee table and operates flawlessly at any volume despite sitting forward of and off to the left of the speaks in a small 12X12 room.
I dread the day I might have to replace it. |
The one thing I notice about the Linn, is that it has specific music that it just absolutely shines, others, it kinda dumps out. I really like Don Mclean, but have never heard him sound as terrible as it does on the Linn. It gets frustrating to me as I am not sure what is acting poorly, Ie: the record, the player, the preamp, ect.... Starting into this stuff is so intimidating. |
