Linn LP12 question

thepogue

Active Member
first things first...hello all friends old and new...hope things are going well with you all...now on to the rest of our show..



I have the vinyl bug and I'm in this thing for keeps....right now I have a Tech. 1700 mk II (just a starting point) and I've got a friend of a friend wanting me to buy a Linn lp12 w/akito arm and vahalla board....now I'm reading as we speak and this seems to be a pretty impressive TT..the sale price is 700 bucks and they assure me thats pretty much a steal.... As I'm reading the upgradablity kinda makes this TT one a long term keeper...I was not really looking to spend 700 on my first (real) TT but this seems too good to pass up...any advice would be great! Thanks in advance and keep on spinning!



Peace and Platters, Pogue
 
My advice is as long as you do not have a foot fall problem meaning springy floors buy it ! :thmbsp:

Does a cartridge come with it. If so that would sweeten and already SWEET deal.

Grumpy
 
well...me bud already gave me a grado gold...

so i guess thats what I'll be mounting on the arm....I've got it but didnt mount it on my old TT

so far it sound like a good deal!! Peace, Pogue
 
$700 is cheap, maybe too cheap.

I would get it checked out by a Linn dealer before handing over your folding.

And a word of caution; not all LP12 upgrades will go straight onto older decks.

A Linn is not for a novice.

How about a new Rega or Pro-ject ?
 
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The Linn is one of the great turntables in recent audio history. It's a fantastically good piece of equipment. It would be a significant step up from your Technics. It is not for the faint-of-heart as setup is very touchy and it will perform at its best ONLY when all aspects of set up are 100%. And, like all suspended turntables, they are sensitive to footfall and therefore must be on a very sturdy shelf (or mounted on concrete, etc.). I own two suspended turntables so I know this very well.

Properly set up - they are a joy to behold and listen to.

If you end up not getting it, how about something like a nice Thorens TD-125 or TD-150? They are both very highly regarded and should be available, with good arm and cartridge, for $700, or less. :lmao:
 
I run an Ariston RD80sl which is essentially identical to the earliest incarnation of the Linn LP12 and am entirely happy with its performance. It can be argued that the original LP12 was a direct copy of the Ariston RD11 upon which the RD80 is also modelled.

That said, "dialing in" the suspension on an Ariston/Linn can be a frustrating effort involving many instances of AHA!! I finally nailed it .... Errum I think! ( Yes I know that some "authourities" suggest it is no more difficult than tuning a radio but look at how many authourities try to tell us that drywalling a house is a cakewalk!)

My advice would be that if you wish to experience the joys and aggravations of the LP12 without the expense look for a decent Ariston Rd11 or RD80 and experience the early Linn LP12 for about 25% of the Linn price.

FWIW I picked up an essentially pristine RD80sl complete with a Grace 707 arm and a low end Grado GTX cartridge for C$250.00 ( Grado lovers sheaf your swords ... The GTX was/is simply a decent cartridge that was sold as Grado's entry level cart ...kinda/sorta the Grado equivalent of a Chevy Malibu).

That cart is a decent unit when paired with right turntable but is not really well suited to the Ariston table because Grado carts in general are known to be especially sensitive to inductive hum from turntable motors and also because the motors used in the Ariston line are also notoriously prone to inducing hum.

I swapped in my Shure V15 III and the combination is superb. Getting the Ariston RD80sl/Grace 707/Shure V15 III "playing nice together" was more of a challenge than expected but the end result is well worth the effort.
 
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If it all works properly the Linn with the Valhalla for $700 is a bargoon. Yes the Ariston is a similar deck but when it comes to value the venerable LP12 is the king of decks and has been for close to 30 years. I agree with the other guys though that this table is NOT exactly a plug n play like your Technics. If you're willing to invest some time and effort into extracting all the table is capable of you should be very pleased with it's performance.


Mike
 
No argument from me on the Linn/Valhalla being a good deal at $700.00. Typically that setup runs $1000.00 up to $1500.00. Should one try that combination and be unhappy with the result it is very easy to Ebay the TT and PS and recover the cost.

On the other hand the Ariston units do not have the same public cache' and while Aristons have been appreciating a little over the past couple of years one cannot buy an Ariston and feel asured that they will recover 100 cents on the dollar if they decide that for whatever reason the Ariston is not what they are seeking.

Ironically I can Ebay my Grace 707 and Shure V15 III for considerably more on Ebay than I could get for my Ariston RD80 as equipped with the 707,V15 III ,and virtually pristine dust cover.

BTW guys If you want this analog package and/or my Klipschorns
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My executor will be happy to discuss it with your bank
 
thanks for all your comments

as far as checking the unit out...my friend works at a high end dealer and his co-worker is selling it. We've got a pretty close relationship via swapping vinyl and I'm pretty comfortable with trusting them. As far as setting it up and having a proper place for set up my stereo stand is bullet-proof and footfall shouldn't be an issue....my experenice w/ setting up TT's is lacking but I love to learn and play so I'll not mind wandering down that road.....should be fun and an education to say the least....but it seems from your advice it very well could be worth the effort! thanks again! and I'll keep you all up to speed....BTW anyone intrested in buying a set of Klipsh Chours II's? (I need to pay for this TT!! lol)

Peace, Pogue
 
Sounds like a good deal, and you could also have fun comparing it to the SL1700 which isn't a bad deck at all. As pointed out already, if the Linn for some reason doesn't cut it for you, you could easily sell it again and even possibly make a small profit.

- Harald
 
thanks for all your comments and help...

I just found out that the TT comes w/ a LVX Plus (Basik Plus) and not the Akito arm. It seems that this is a step down but I'm not sure how it effects the overall deal...one more point the TT is a mid 80's model. Hopefully I'll get to hear it for the first time tommorrow!!! wooohoo....


Peace, Pogue
 
Hey Mike! (ProAc Fan) Your Avatar reminds me of a real groovy all in one wonder I saw at the Salvation Army. They wanted $10 for it. I didn't buy it though. Did'nt want anyone thinking I was some kind of audio snob .

:lmao:
 
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