Who owned or owns a Linn LP12?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Kingof punk1977, Jun 11, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    What is the tonearm on that LP12?
     
  2. Nate

    Nate Forum Resident

    Looks like the Pro-Ject arm
     
  3. varyat

    varyat Forum Resident

    Location:
    wheaton,IL,USA
    The LP12 responds very positively to a power supply upgrade. A second hand Lingo would be where I would start. A trampoline is a very cost effective upgrade and should be on your short-list.Having your Ittok checked out would be smart as well- Chris can do this.
    Linn always recommends upgrading the turntable from the inside out. So Cirkus bearing, Lingo, Trampoline, a fresh cartridge in your Ittok and a new set of bushings/springs should provide you a very significant upgrade. Set up is key- Chris has a good reputation.
    Let me know if you need a Lingo- I have a Lingo 1 in very nice condition that was recapped/refreshed about a year ago by Thomas Okeefe- works like new.
    ATB,
    Mark
     
    Oggy likes this.
  4. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Now that you say that, I do believe I can read ProJect on the arm tube. Thanks
     
  5. Oggy

    Oggy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, England
    I remember when the Lingo came out and was stunned by the improvement it made - our shop sold loads.

    One of the regular dems we did, was LP12, Ekos, Troika which was Linn's top combination at the time compared to LP12, Lingo, Ittok, K9. Customers preferred the (£1500 cheaper!) Lingo combination every time.

    At the launch price, the Lingo was a relative Hi-Fi bargain for the performance gain. If I was buying again and especially if I had some 45s, I would probably buy the Lingo, before the Cirkus - though I would try and get a dem.

    Oggy.
     
  6. Nate

    Nate Forum Resident

    I enthusiastically recommend Accent on Music in Mount Kisco as well.
     
  7. Ozoid

    Ozoid Member

    Good to know there's a used Lingo available. We can talk about it when I'm ready to begin to revive the LP12, probably in the spring. I really hated to play with the belt before I could play a 45 rpm LP. I'll certainly have Chris check out the Ittok, and MusicDirect is a Koetsu dealer, so he can arrange the Black rebuild.
     
  8. TeflonScoundrel

    TeflonScoundrel Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I'll be joining the LP12 club in a couple weeks. I've got a new one on order that has a new rosenut plinth, the Kore and Trampolin2 to go with a used Ekos2 & Valhalla power supply. I'll be using my Soundsmith Zephyr cart and will get a Lingo sometime in the next year or so once I'm able. It will be a long couple of weeks I think. :waiting:
     
    Long Live Analog likes this.
  9. varyat

    varyat Forum Resident

    Location:
    wheaton,IL,USA
    Nice one Teflon! Please report back after things are up and running.
    Sondek lovers need to stick together :edthumbs: !!
    ATB,
    Mark
     
    TeflonScoundrel likes this.
  10. Chooke

    Chooke Forum Resident

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    Bought mine in 1979 but it is a lot different today than what it was back then. Over the decades I've upgraded the cart, bearing, speed controller and a few other parts. We've never had issues to justify power supply upgrades over here with 240v of clean power so I didn't touch that. Overall the Linn has cost me around $12k over the past two decades.

    Putting aside all the mystique around the LP12, I reckon it is an excellent turntable. They can be finicky and frustrating to get right, but get it right by experimenting with different cart/phono pre-amp combinations and IMHO it beats any standard VPI TT.
     
    Long Live Analog likes this.
  11. John

    John Senior Member

    Location:
    Northeast
    It will be an even longer year or so if that's how long it's going to take you to add the Lingo. I would recommend adding the Kore later, or doing what it takes to get it now. The Lingo upgrade is huge, I started with a Valhalla and if the Lingo hadn't come along I wouldn't have kept the table, just my experience. I upgraded only after a few months, I'm hoping you can do the same.
     
    Oggy likes this.
  12. TimB

    TimB Pop, Rock and Blues for me!

    Location:
    Colorado
    I have had a LP12 Valhalla set up for over 20 years. I replaced the Ittok arm with an Italian arm by Bellaro, it is a unipivot. The whole setup is great when the suspension is tuned correctly. I have also had a Rega P25 and an Oracle. I could easily live with a similar Reaga, not so with the Oracle.
    For the most part I really like the Sondek and it is why I still have it. I guess I should check out upgrades sometime for it such as the Trampoline and Cirkus upgrades.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2016
  13. Oggy

    Oggy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, England
    When I was selling LP12s, I always thought that the Lingo was one of the best upgrades, and certainly the best value for money.

    This was pre subchasis upgrades, excepting the glued version, but I used to demo Lingo, Akito, K9 against Valhalla, Ekos, Troika. Most went for the Lingo - it really is that fundamental. This was just as well, as even with 8 LP12s on dem, it was difficult to cover all combinations! Guess it's even tougher now.

    Have a listen to ensure the drive belt is the correct way round.

    Hearing good things about the new Krystal, cartridge.

    Enjoy your LP12, great way to listen to music.
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2016
    John likes this.
  14. TeflonScoundrel

    TeflonScoundrel Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I appreciate the advice. Thank you. I'm not able to get the Lingo to start with for a couple of reasons...the main one being cost, but I will definitely do so as soon as I can. If nothing else it gives me one more thing to look forward to.
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2016
    John likes this.
  15. kuma

    kuma Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Another fundamental change other than a power supply is the arm.
    I upgraded from Basik Plus to Ittok but was soon itching to upgrade.

    Add an after market arm such as Naim ARO then the deck's disposition changes.

    I own two Sondeks and enough parts to assemble a 3rd. Must have for me is the ARO tone arm even over a power supply upgrade.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2016
    raferx, royzak2000 and Oggy like this.
  16. Oggy

    Oggy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, England
    Used to dem Aro too. We had two, one with K9 one with Troika. LP12, Lingo, Akito, K9 was fundamentally better than LP12, Valhalla, Aro, K9 (and Troika).

    To each there own, and they all sound good. I'm saying what dozens of dems showed - most went Lingo first, some arm first.
     
  17. The Seeker

    The Seeker Forum Resident

    I owned a Linn LP12 with Ittok arm. I was extremely unimpressed.
     
    James Glennon likes this.
  18. Oggy

    Oggy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, England
    A correctly set up and undamaged LP12 / Ittok, certainly should not be unimpressive. Might not be the ultimate, but I never knew anyone "extremely unimpressed", in 12 years of selling them.
     
  19. The Seeker

    The Seeker Forum Resident


    Well, I was comparing it directly to my rebuilt Lenco and it was leaner, more forward, and just sounded weak and lame by comparison. Tonearms and cartridges were identical. Sorry about that. The Lenco had drive, pulse, muscle, and weight and the LP12 sounded like a Crosley next to it. The Lenco is playing right now. I collected my $1000+ for the Linn a long time ago. I really wanted to like it, though. I love British hifi. I see the LP12 as more of a cult thing than a pursuit of excellence because I don't think they represent a very good value, nor does the sound justify the price...and the Linn arms plain suck. Also, if you're going to go with that sort of design, I really think there are much better tables. For the money, I'd take a Thorens, Ariston, or AR over the Linn any day. But the best of the sprung suspended belt drives are the Empire 498 and 598, 598 sounding more open and holographic while the 498 has more weight and slam and a fatter sound similar to the best rim drives. It should be noted that the 298/398 machines do not sound as good as the 498. The 498 is the king of the Empires. And contrary to what many people seem to think, you can easily change the arm on a 498. I've done it. Oh no, I'm rambling again...
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 8, 2016
  20. kuma

    kuma Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Valhalla was not to my liking at all. I even opted for Basik PS over it. When I ABed the arm, the power supply used was Lingo on both decks and kept the same cartridge so the playing field is equal.

    I think Ittok went through several changes over its life span and I reckon some were better than others. My friend often talks about the *good one*. But generally uni pivot arms have a very different sound from gimbal types. ( and I normally do not like uni pivot! ) According to my dealer it's about 50/50 amongst his customers.

    I do think that current Linn EKOS SE is much better than predecessors.
     
  21. Oggy

    Oggy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, England
    The last Ittok I sold was almost like a silver version of the Ekos. I guess it was a LVIII mk 2! There were a few changes to the Ittok over the years, thicker piller etc. The last version was the only one with the Ekos style headshell. Sadly it wasn't around long, because it looked gorgeous and was a bit of a bargain.

    The Aro devided opinion, we even had brothers one buying Ekos the other the Aro. The Ekos SE is a big step up in performance (and cost!) over an Ekos mk 2.

    I have never compared a Valhalla to the new Basik power supply, but it doesn't surprise me that you prefer the later - the original design is very old now. The Valhalla was certainly a big upgrade over the original power supply board, but as I mentioned previously, the Lingo was a substantial improvement.
     
  22. Oggy

    Oggy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cambridge, England
    It's a very long time since I've heard a Lenco, so won't comment on it, just pleased you are happy with its' performance. Music is after all what is important.

    Have obviously heard numerous Thorens, Aristons and AR turntables, all fine products. In the 80s and 90s, I traded numerous in against LP12s, so this makes no sense to me, or I guess to the customers who were delighted with their upgrade. There really isn't anything more I can say or add to this.
     
    The Seeker likes this.
  23. DaveyF

    DaveyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    La Jolla, Calif
    IMHO, the Table is still SOTA. However, I'm not so sure that can also be said about the arm....particularly the Ekos SE. If nothing else, the cabling that is required to be used with the arm...the Linn Silver or the Linn T cable are IMO nothing special at all!
    The inability to adjust azimuth is also sub par. Now, I know Linn won't and don't agree with my opinion, but I think right now they are being pretty blinkered! Way past time for a super arm for the Linn LP12! Something along the lines of the new SAT or even the Kuzma four point....but able to work well with the LP12 suspension...all IMHO.:righton:
     
  24. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    What about the new AMG 9W2: http://www.amg-turntables.com/amg-9w2-tonearm/
     
  25. DaveyF

    DaveyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    La Jolla, Calif
    That's a very good question. I have not heard this arm although some Linn owners are not saying it is that great. I would like to hear it on the table. Anyone here hear this arm on a LP12?
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine