How many times the bearing has been redesigned ?
How many times the subclasses has been redesigned ?
How many time have they redesigned the power supply ?
To answer these 3 - fewer times than most other companies have introduced new models. No upgrades are forced. If a new model were introduced every 8 years would that be a con job?
Oh come on -
Here are some examples -
Subchassis
strengthened in 74 with spot welded bar
revised again in late 70's
84 changed to glued subclasses rather than welded due to warping and the fact you can't weld junk metal and keep it straight
then we went to the keel ( I'll miss some of the subtle changes in between )
Motor
89 - they actually put a stainless ball in the thrust pad
2 years later they had to add a plastic cap ( with bodgy glue ) to fix the noise they tried to fix 2 years earlier.
now they've gone to DC motor with Radical
Plinth
has been changed multiple times - addition of corner buttresses, glue, thicker material
Suspension springs
changed in 81, again in 86, again in 88 ....
Power supply
pcb changes in the 70's
Valhalla power supply yin 82
2 years later mods to Valhalla power supply
then we get the Lingo
of course there were 4 versions of the Lingo before they got that "right"'
Lingo 1, Lingo 2, Lingo 3, Lingo 4
then the Radical power supply and its "revisions"....
Main bearing
updated in 74 - new liner material
updated again in 87 - new liner again, new thrustpad
87 magic oil ( they suddenly discovered high quality oil )
93 cirkus, then another subhassis upgrade with the cirkus
and on and on...
You could write a 300 page book on Linn upgrades and fixes, and still not cover them all.
Today it is a nice sounding TT but it is not reference grade.
It is a homage to midcentury design - but sadly they now even omit the horizontal grooves in the wooden plinth that gave it that iconic look.
On pricing - I sat down with the Linn importer about 10 years ago - they had just completed a full Linn LP12 upgrade for a customer - the bill was $50k. Today you can buy a Klimax new for $36k - go figure. Whats next for Linn - a pack of Linn spec'd Viagara for the old faithful ?
