linn sondek tt

@whart It is true, I am an advocate of the Linn table, simply because I do not like to see this excellent table decried by folks who really have little to no experience with the most recent versions. Instead, what I see are folks who are putting in their two cents based on their recollection of the table from twenty years ago or more, and from others who have absolutely no experience with it whatsoever, but are only too happy to naysay it.
Yes, the set up is crucial, but most Linn dealers were adept at that, and those that weren’t were usually able to direct you to someone who was. Problem is, that a lot of folks in the old days thought they knew how to do the set up themselves, leading to poor performance. These folks wouldn’t admit they had done anything wrong, so why not just blame the tool...or in this instance the design of the table.
I can tell you, I have owned this table in one form or another for over thirty years, and never have I been tempted to trade it in on a VPI or similar. If you understand the basics of how to place the table, and how to move it if necessary, all of the ‘issues’ that we hear about it going out of tune go by the wayside. OTOH, if you don’t follow some basic rules, then a more plug and play option, perhaps like the VPI or the SOTA’s will be more rewarding for you.

 @stringreen  Please tell me how you moved your Linn once the set up was completed. What protocol, if any did you use. There is a way to transport a suspension based table, fail to do that and all bets are off. Plus, again, I am assuming that the set up was done correctly in the first place, an assumption that has proven faulty on numerous occasions with this table. Did your Linn dealer or rep do the set up, or was it somebody else...you?

I myself would not mind a Linn as a 2nd table.  The do have their virtues.  Just because I said the scout bettered the Linn Radical in some ways does not mean that the scout was better.  The Linn was better but it cost between 18 and 20K.

Their is a six part video on Youtube describing how to set up a Linn.  Thats way too many videos for a setup of a table, especially when they cost upwards of 6K new at the low end.  Time is money and I would rather be listening than fiddling with the Linn.  However, if I could find one for a reasonable price, I like to tinker once in a while.

Davey.....on a pogo stick ----how else.    your comments are silly.

The suspension drift problems, and hence the mindbogglingly difficult set up, were well documented. It is disingenuous to refer to it as a myth. Many older decks had dodgy top pressed steel plates that were prone to warping. Getting the suspension to bounce properly and stay that way for more than a few days on those was nigh on impossible.

The top plate was eventually replaced by a new strengthened one by Linn (third party ones are also available). These may well address some of the problems, I don’t know.

Therefore if you are considering buying a used top plate for your endlessly updated Thorens TD150, I mean Linn LP12, be very careful. A whole world of pain is waiting.

Far safer to get a new top plate, be it from Linn or some third party. Without a well set up suspension the LP12 can sound very, very ordinary.