I am a big fan of the Linn LP12 table, having owned one in one form or another since the mid 80’s. I have always had my LP12 serviced and modded by a dealer. Knowing how it is not an easy table to set up, and that a bad set up is going to be detrimental, I have had ‘fettlers’ set up the table.
This year, I decided to replace my original Afro fluted plinth with a new Oak plinth. The original plinth and top plate were the only remnants from my original LP12.
Unfortunately, the art of ‘fettling’ these tables is going the way of the blacksmith…and fewer people are able to do this.Now, the LP12 is not a table that needs constant attention, even though folk who owned one back in the early 80’s thought so.
I acquired a beautiful new Linn oak plinth and then decided I needed to visit my closest LinnLP12 dealer for a plinth swap. For those in the know, this requires a complete and total tear down of the table. Not an easy task, specially since I own a Well Tempered Black arm, an arm I have used and liked for many years.
My closest Linn dealer has now retired, so my next option was to drive about three to four hours each way to North LA. Specifically to see Mr Stan Zeiden at Shelley’s audio. Stan has ‘only’ been working on these tables for decades and I knew he was the man to do the upgrade.
On Wednesday, I drove up to Stan and let him do his magic..and believe me, Majik it is!
Stan took several hours to swap the plinth, adding a new top plate and brace along the way. To say that the tonearm was a head ache, would be an understatement, since it utilizes a liquid bearing with silicone oil as the liquid. We had to remove all of the silicone and then replace it, luckily with new liquid that I had brought along. A very messy affair.
Stan set up the table and re-adjusted my Lyra along with setting up the arm.
After four plus hours, we were ready to test the table…and sure enough a big problem!
One channel was out. Stan quickly chased the problem to my arm wiring, which is something of a nightmare, as the arm utilizes litz wire. For those in the know, each strand of the litz is smaller in diameter than a human hair!
With exactitude and decades of knowledge, Stan re-soldered the litz at certain points and figured out that the cartridge pin had separated from the wire!
IME, very few techs could have done this, maybe one or two on the whole coast!
After re-soldering the pin to the wire, which is almost too small to see, we were back in business.
Now here’s the real eye opener, I always thought that my Linn was well set up, the pros who worked on it before were highly thought of. Yet, after Stan had worked his Majik, it was obvious that I had never really heard what my table was capable of!
Yes, it was good before, but now…simply better in so many ways. Who knew!
This is the crazy thing, I suspect that there are numerous Linn LP12 owners out there, who are happy with their table and sound, but have never heard what it can truly portray. Anyone who thinks they can get the maximum from the table, because they once set up a VPI or similar are delusional.
Moral of this story, a real and expert set up of any table, and particularly the LP12 is well worth the expense and the effort.
Thank you to Stan and the good folks at Shelley’s audio.
