Well, I certainly didn’t expect to get the plethora of responses to my original post as I did. One thing I can say, audiophiles are extremely passionate about their hobby!
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Thoughts on the Linn LP12 turntable
I don’t see many discussions that include the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable and was wondering why? They’ve been around since the late 70’s and other then power supply and a few other minor changes (IMO) are relatively unchanged. I had one in the early 80’s and another in the late 90’s. They are somewhat finicky to get setup correct and once you do, they sound great. That being said I know there have been a lot better designs to come out since the LP12’s hey-day. Are they worth considering anymore or has the LP12 just become another audio vintage collectors item?
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OP, Honestly neither did I. I did a huge amount of research before swapping out my VPI turntable for a new Linn , and have listened to high end tables for years. If you read the professional reviews and listen to contemporary tables the Linn is near or at the top of most price categories in which they compete ($5K - $30K). They have been nearly forever.
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OP. Yes, you are correct... audiophiles can be very passionate about this hobby in many ways.... Vinyl vs Digital Single bit vs Multibit vs NOS Red book vs Hi-Res upsampling CD vs Streaming Belt drive vs Rim drive vs Direct drive Spring loaded vs Mass loaded Unipivot vs Gimbled Pivoted vs Linear tracking Tube vs Solid State Single ended vs push pull vs Class A, A/B, D Full Range vs Floor Standers vs Stand mounted Dynamic vs Panar/Ribbon Speakers Multi Driver vs Single Driver Certainly there are a lot of topics that can be discussed and debated. We all have our own set of ears and we all hear things as we hear things. We all have certain aspects of sound reproduction that are important to us. Whether it is tone, pitch dynamics, soundstage, etc What is important to one, may or may not be important to another. However, with all of the things that we have to discuss... I have rarely found a single product that has been as vocally polarizing as the Linn LP12. As of this post we are basically at 50/50 with 19 members showing appreciation for the LP12 and 20 members who feel that it has been left in the dust. There are a lot of products that are highly touted and are popular. But all too often, in time, many fall out of favor for the next best flavor of the month. Not to mention, go out of business. One thing I can say for sure is that my Linn LP12 has given me many years of musical enjoyment, has been able to continue to improve with various upgrades and has been in business for many decades. Best wishes to all, Don
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Let me chime in as a very happy Linn LP12 user. My "Pandemic Project" was building my own LP12 plinth out of walnut I seasoned for two years, and rebuilding my turntable with a combination of old/new parts. Since the LP12 is, as previously described, "deceptively simple" it takes just a modicum of DIY skills to assemble a LP12. Simple tools, a jig, the ability to follow instructions (thanks Cymbiosis and Basil Audio!), and patience are all that is needed. Therein lies the genius of the LP12 design--and evolution--over the past fifty years: the ability to create a quality turntable to your own unique desires and budget. |
@hipsterjefe So very true! And I'm sure your walnut plinth looks absolutely beautiful! I wish there was an easy way to post pictures on this forum (when it comes to computers I'm somewhat challenged, lol... I'd love to see your finished results 😁 Best wishes, Don |
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