Thoughts on the Linn LP12 turntable

Unless I’m mistaken, Ivor Tiefenbaum designed the original LP12 to minimize relative movement between the stylus and the record’s surface. This required identical suspension loading and damping at each corner of the turntable’s platter suspension, a rigid connection between the platter and the arm board, and arm board suspensions which matched the loading and damping of the platter’s. The consequently precise setup procedure requires technical expertise and a model specific jig which are beyond the scope of most audiphiles’ capabilities.

I invested ~$7k in a vintage ’90s LP12 equipped with an Akita 3 Tonearm and a Linn Krystal MC cartridge--each designed to complement the ballistics of the other. And the sound quality of my set up is the best I could ever hope for, even compared to current LP playback systems that cost twice as much as mine did. That’s why I agree with a great many audiophiles and published critics that the Linn LP12’s design is timeless, not a relic of the past to be discounted as such.

FWIW, I wouldn’t hesitate to make the same (ahem) "mistake" again.

BTW: I’m one of those impractical hipsters who actually enjoys the multifaceted ritual of LP playback, notwithstanding the accurate reproduction of the ultrasonic emotional and sound staging cues I hear in live music of which only high-quality analogue systems are capable. But I’m just an old geezer who loves live music more than just about about anything.

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!

😎

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.

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

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.