Thoughts on the Linn LP12 turntable

Belt Drive TT's born from this era, which there are a reasonable amount produced as Models from Brands, were produced at a time when CD was becoming the mainstream hard medium to record music onto.

It would have been ludicrous as a business model, to produce an expensive base model TT, and hope the CD option would not be selected in place of of a expensive TT.

It made much more sense to produce a very affordable TT, which a Belt Drive lens itself to favourably as a design.

Once the TT is in the hands of a New Owner, the real monies are to be accrued through hammering the idea home, that the owned TT is an inferior model unless it is to receive a selection of specific upgrades.

Look at all TT's competing for the same customers from the era of CD becoming the household replay medium.

The endless offering and suggestions of available upgrades, upcoming upgrades was the norm. The media loved a scoop on the next 'add on', the customer spent endless hours in dreamland believing the next plateau of uber HiFi was at their fingertips.

The lucrative side of this market has been so beneficial to Companies, those that are still involved, are using the strategy today for their increased ranges of products that are made available. Their are no shortage of customers, that are sure the upgrade path is a value for money path, and will buy into it with a blind knowledge of the performance and SQ on offer.

Now that is an exceptional influence for any business to have over an individual, especially with the individual showing a willingness to blindly believing the hype, and paying monies readily without reservation to learn the truth, WOW !

The Upgrade Options from certain Brands on their TT Models, Power Supply, Motor Controller, same brand Tonearms and in some cases same brand Cartridges is for some the future plan for their purchases, there is a pride in being able to aspire to follow a path, that the Brand Owners will quite happily imply is a route to Upgrading and Uber High Fidelity.

I have met with the Sales Teams of competing Brands, on many occasions over quite few years in my earliest days of HiFi, with the use of media and contact with a sales team, the purchase of such a TT born from the era was inevitable.

These Companies become very aggressive in their Marketing, placing very well groomed Individuals in prominent positions at events ot fronto of house at retailers adorned in Companies Branding, with a sole purpose of ensnaring the individuals making a general inquiry or expressing a casual interest, and then the follow up, where using what would be referred to as a pressure sale approach that was used by many organisations during the 80's and 90's.

I stand by the fact I purchased a Linn TT back in this era.

For me though, it did not take too long to realise I had bought a TT that was a result of a pressurised decision, the TT Upgrade path was not for me, I was not inspired to maintain this mainstream marketing model.

I was fortunate to have discovered other TT's and really reap the benefits by side stepping the mainstream.

My whole experience in HiFi and building a home system for more than 20 Years is built around side stepping the mainstream, and I am happy with the outcome.         

I usually refer to a Belt Drive Turntable I have owned for over approx' twenty five years and not used much for over twenty years, where it was superseded in use by other non Belt Drive TT's.

Occasionally the Belt Drive has a spin, as a reminder of what a Old Belt Drive design can do in comparison to a Old Idler and Old Direct Drive.

The Old Belt Drive does not encourage much to be done with it other than put back to its resting place. Where as each of the other Drives have been very successful at encouraging a furthering of their capabilities of performance.

The Old Belt Drive is a Linn.     

After having been influenced by Art Dudley, I bought a Garrard 401, and did a DIY overhaul. I built a plinth that I love, put a Dynavector 501 arm on it, and have been enjoying it for years.

The 401's are not fussy, built very robustly, and sound great.                        

I have owned the Garrard 401, it is the TT that was able to move myself away from using the Belt Drive TT's. I do not recall the desire to try out other Belt Drive TT's in my system once moved over to the Idler Drive.

The 401 ended up seated on a '9 Stone' Granite Plinth.

A PTP Solid 9 is its replacement today but not its betterment, each have their merits in the realm of Vintage Idler Drive Systems. Each Idler Drive method, are also now able to be modified with a modern design approach where materials are able to be used that are produced with improved machining tolerances and potentially have a beneficial impacts on the overall function of the original design.   

I have an Ariston Rd11. There are many accounts of how this design was “stolen” by Igor Tiefenbraum, I am not sure if the whole story will ever come out.

Multiple Parts that were produced for the Ariston Deck and the earliest Linn Decks were produced on the same premises that was carrying out the machining.

The Ariston and Linn are allegedly sharing parts in the Linn’s earliest build guise, the Ariston was a Branded and Successfully Marketed TT, prior to the first produced Linn Deck.

This is a fable that is voiced regular within the British Isles. I only know this version of the origins, through handed down story telling.

The reality is the founders of Linn were inspired to create a marketable product, which they did, they have now 50 Years on, developed a Brand that is household across the globe that as a business is turning over £ 1 000 000 000 per annum.

This type of story is not restricted to one British Brand, Rega have had their earliest RB Tonearm designs, become the bedrock products of many Companies that offer sale items based on the Rega RB Tonearm Design.

I’m not knowing how successful these Companies Sales are in comparison to Rega, when it comes to turnover solely from a Tonearm sale.

Was the  Avid Acutus set up on the exact same mounting system ?

Were the same Cart's and downstream System used for both Sources ?

It would even be off interest to know if the invited to the demonstration were not specially selected for their allegiance to a Brand ? 

There are practices used that are quite useful as methods of swinging  a presentation favourably toward a particular device.  

Sorry for my cynicism, I got out/escaped from the Dealership and HiFi Magazine  Lions Den, way too many years ago, and 'did not go back for my hat'. 

As commented on throughout the thread.

There are quite a few options to consider as an alternative TT, as a selection of the contributors have pointed to.

There are also a few long term owners who can't separate from their TT, and are expressing their content with the maintaining the use of the TT.

I am a long term owner, that has not been too inspired to use the TT over many years, the TT will become a handed down to a Grandchild along with some other owned TT's and ancillaries, from little Acorn's grow Mighty Oaks.

If the G'children showed a keenness to experience the Vinyl Set Ups that are available, that could potentially give some of my owned a Albums a service life of +50 years and then who knows the extension of their usage into the Century.

Not Bad for Albums that were a few £'s when new.      

There are many TT's that can be upgraded, it is a matter of how the upgrade is looked at.

Plinth Materials that are offering a improvement in comparison to the original selected material, where the improvement in stability of the alternative plinth material is much improved across different environments. It is quite common to see such items offered for sale.

A Tonearm or Cartridge is a simple and effective upgrade for a TT with these  ancillaries that are limited in their function.

Improved Synchronised Motors are commonly seen available, with a function that offers a very tight tolerance for speed stability.

There are rethinks on Platter Spindle Bearings as well, where a different bearing assembly can be exchanged to replace a original design.

In some cases even the Platter Material is offered in an alternative material to the originals design.

Linn have excelled at offering their own Branded Add On Ancillaries, steering their customers away from considering the comparative devices on offer from competitors.

There are options to upgrade most TT's, the search for the method will be a little broader that selecting a sale item offered by a Brand to be used with their own Brand TT.         

Its best to Google the Upgrade options for the LP 12 the subject matter keeps the Google Pages well informed of the variety of options that are on offer from third party services.

The Linn marketing strategy has made this viable, as the ambition of the average Linn Deck user, is that a upgrade is a must, talk about the power of marketing on a psyche.

Has not Linn in the past produced an inferior base deck ??,  to enable a so called upgrade path purchase to have a recognisable influence on the presentation.

If I were to offer a host of items as a route to a upgrade I certainly would need to consider what is required in the base model to make these exchanges seem a viable route to an improvement. 

I certainly don't lean towards stagnation, I am aware of how technologies have evolved and become quite beneficial to be applied to a TT and supporting ancillaries, to the point where I have a Source equipment that has adopted modern technologies as a fundamental in the design.

The owned Linn TT is one that I have not been inspired by to consider a adoption of modern technologies to attempt to attain a different performance, it is the TT that is the least used from the selection of owned TT's.

My infrequent use of the owned Linn TT does not leave me without a regular experience of it in use. Within the Local HiFi Club a Members has one with a selection of upgrades, this same person also owns a heavily modified Thorens Model a Lenco GL 75 and a Technics SP10 R as their main deck.

Prior to the SP 10R the GL 75 had become their main in use TT, I have heard all TT's in comparison to the GL 75 and later all TT's including the GL 75 in comparison to the SP10 R.

I don't recall anything on offer from the Linn performance that was encouraging a positive appraisal from any of the attendees.

I was at another Club Members home, who has dedicated their main Source usage to CD. This member has been a host on many occasions and has heard many of the Clubs TT's, which range from a SME 20, Mitchell Orbe, SP10 R, SP10 MkII, Garrard 401, PTP Solid Nine, GL75, used within their system, as there has been many opportunities to carry out demonstrations of Phonostages and this system is one commonly used for the audition on days when they host. 

The club member was interested in being demonstrated the Linn TT in their system on a day they were to host a meeting. The Linn owner obliged and enabled this to happen, bringing along their complete LP Replay Source with the Lin TT.

I was able to be present and had in hand, my usual selection of LP's and Platter Mats to make available.

The Linn did not impress, it was difficult to even suggest it was making any kind of a positive impression, as it was presenting in a manner very different from the memory of other TT's used within the same system.

To try and discover if a little improvement was to be discovered, I suggested a period of exchanging Platter Mats and one was discovered to improve on the performance, which I gifted to the Linn owner.

I have not witnessed anything over +25 years that would encourage myself to spend more money on a Linn TT than I have already parted with. 

With my own Linn, I am happy to occasionally use it, the experience always ends up the same, I am happy to own it, it was a first entry into a long term hobby in maintaining a LP Source. I am also quite happy to put it back into storage, and make way, to have more time for experiencing the other TT's available and much preferred when used.               

With my own Linn, I am happy to occasionally use it, the experience always ends up the same, I am happy to own it, it was a first entry into a long term hobby in maintaining a LP Source. I am also quite happy to put it back into storage, and make way, to have more time for experiencing the other TT's available and much preferred when used.               

This is not being a 'naysayer'. It is about an experience of replaying a LP, ones which have a significant influence when being experienced.

In relation to the owned Linn TT, It is a bonafide report on how a use 1990's era version of the TT stimulates the senses and emotions when used to replay a LP.

The resulting influence is quite clear, the Ownership is pleasant and produces a happiness, due to the sentiment around the TT.

The decision made to not use the TT continuously, also produces a feel good factor, where there is a happiness, to see it be put into storage and make way for other TT's to be used, that have for myself proven to be preferred as a tool to replay LP's.  Especially in being able to produce a connection with the stored content that adds to the stimulus during the replay.

As said, the Linn TT, will one day be gifted to a Grandchild, so there must be some type of value seen in it from my end.     

In relation to a TT, The perfect function, in relation to the mechanics and electrics, of any device and ancillaries, does not equate to a user experience that will be attractive and enjoyed by all who encounter such a level of function.

It is the same for a TT and ancillaries that are with identifiable shortcomings in the area of mechanics and electrics, for some, and most likely a large proportion of users who encounter such a TT, it will not equate to a user experience that has an attraction or is enjoyed.

The is no right or wrong way to meet the middle ground and above where there is a condition present, that does create an attraction and enjoyment for the user.

What is the goal of the investigation?                                                                          Is one looking of the LP replay that is most engaging and stimulating?

Is one looking for the outcome, where they feel there choices, have produced the most accurate assembly to allow for the optimisation function of the entirety of the  parts?

There are some who go on a quest to discover something that is new and notable, where just a simple change of a drive mechanism is enough, or an alternative drive mechanism or change of an ancillary has been adequate and improved over the  others that have been experienced prior to any new experiences.

I myself have been an individual who has shared in the former description of a experience. I have also been an individual who has shared for a longer duration in the latter description of a experience. 

There are the types who will require a whole lot of interrogating a set up for a TT, adding and removing Support Structures, Drive Mechanisms and Ancillaries, to find their attractor and place of enjoyment.

For these types, their is always an analysis not too far away, as well as a judgement.

What really matters in the end is not ones personal journey and experiences encountered, but how they accept the experiences of others, it is quite important to embrace another's notification, that they have discovered their happy place with the use of certain TT and ancillaries. The search does need to have an end, it is not necessary for it to be continuous.

Some will not wish to go on to reach such endeavours that others have, and are in my view quite fortunate to have settled contentedly with their made discoveries.

I have been sharing in the journey's of others and their experiences as seen on Lenco Heaven, where some contributors are totally content with a Basic Model, maybe a little TLC and a aesthetic change, others are content to settle with a Serviced Model and through to where there are to be seen a complete rethink for the mounting of the original parts to function as a TT.

What is witnessed on LH, is nothing new and can be seen as comparative trend with other Drives and Brands of TT's, albeit, maybe with a little less DIY involved to produce the changes being made. 

In no way am I implying there is anything lacking in the choices made, it is great that individuals have found a place of enjoyment and stimulus that offers a happiness, without needing to extend to the lengths that others have gone on to, over a long period of time with much fiddling. 

Not everybody needs to be adorned with the appraisal offered for winning a Grand Prix, to be able to claim their driving is a 'Job Well Done'.