Linn Sondek Hype

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.