Thoughts on the Linn LP12 turntable

It sounded pretty good in its day, better than the AR table that was basically the model design used by Linn,  But the design was dated back into the mid-1960's. The Linn arms were manufactured by Jelco and OK, but Jelco had better models for much less.  Not sure who manufactured Linn cartridges, but they were never competitive with like-priced offerings from other cartridge manufacturers.

When VPI came along, it quickly dispatched a lot of Linn LP-12 tables to the for sale listings.  VPI and other table manufacturers moved the state of the art forward.  Linn stagnated.

Those hanging on to their Linn tables do so for sentimental reasons, not for performance.

I’m a Linn naysayer... I owned this table back in 1975 and I had so many problems with it after my car mechanic and I set it up i could never recommend it, which is why i sold it then. My friend also owns a Linn LP12, he bought his in 1980 and updated it in 2000 to the current model, he also set it up himself and there is no doubt that this table is easily bested by my new Crossley. I love my Crossley and i know for absolute certainty that it sounds way better than the Linn LP12 of any vintage. i have not heard a Linn LP12 since 1980, BUT I know for sure that it is overpriced and like bpoletti stated --exists for sentimental reasons and has no performance.

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. Sure beats the Project table and VPI Scout that I bought when first returning back to vinyl. But what it does is more than sufficient to keep me happy with its performance.

The analog front end is superior to my digital these days, so yes, it's quite satisfactory for me.

Best regards,

Dan

Meh - it may have been a great table when it came out, but I don't think anyone in their right mind would buy a new one now.  There are many tables that sound and look better at that price point. It may be a great starter table at some of the used price levels. There used be an ad for a Linn 40th anniversary LP12 here on Agon which started out at $40k and came with a bottle of Highland Park scotch. It dropped down to $22.5k over months - not sure if it ever sold. I was always tempted to make an offer of $50 for the scotch.

I have always been a fan of vintage audio having gotten into my first “high end” equipment In the late 80’s. I had been using a SOTA Sapphire for many years but found a decently priced used LP12 (circa 1990) last year. As someone who likes to tinker, I took the time to upgrade the motor and control (dual speed) and tune the table. Once I properly installed my cartridge, I was extremely amazed at the how much better this table was than my SOTA- quieter background, phenomenal dynamic range and outstanding soundstage. I do see all the “naysayers” but in my system, the LP12 is staying. I like the fact that I can continue to upgrade it as time goes by. In fairness, I haven’t had any of the newer higher end turntables (don’t have any need at this point), but I wouldn’t dismiss the LP12.