Thoughts on the Linn LP12 turntable

Don't they come with McIntosh gear in a retro package?

@pindac  An ongoing upgrade path of the original design and by the same manufacturer??

Its best to Google the Upgrade options for the LP 12 the subject matter keeps the Google Pages well informed of the variety of options that are on offer from third party services.

The Linn marketing strategy has made this viable, as the ambition of the average Linn Deck user, is that a upgrade is a must, talk about the power of marketing on a psyche.

Has not Linn in the past produced an inferior base deck ??,  to enable a so called upgrade path purchase to have a recognisable influence on the presentation.

If I were to offer a host of items as a route to a upgrade I certainly would need to consider what is required in the base model to make these exchanges seem a viable route to an improvement. 

@pindac I guess you believe that the only reason to update something is because it is inferior to start with? Perhaps, the reason for the updates is because over time Linn has been able to improve the platform due to technological and cost saving benefits? ( not because it was sub-par to begin with) Maybe you believe that stagnation is the way to go when it comes to this hobby...?? So, no, Linn has not produced an inferior base deck from the beginning, just a deck that can be upgraded as time passes and the technology allows..

This is, IMHO, one of the biggest strengths of this platform, it does not restrict you to the performance level that so many other non-upgradeable turntables do ( many of which are far more costly!)..and instead allows for performance improvements as either a) your budget allows and/or b) they come technologically feasible.

I certainly don't lean towards stagnation, I am aware of how technologies have evolved and become quite beneficial to be applied to a TT and supporting ancillaries, to the point where I have a Source equipment that has adopted modern technologies as a fundamental in the design.

The owned Linn TT is one that I have not been inspired by to consider a adoption of modern technologies to attempt to attain a different performance, it is the TT that is the least used from the selection of owned TT's.

My infrequent use of the owned Linn TT does not leave me without a regular experience of it in use. Within the Local HiFi Club a Members has one with a selection of upgrades, this same person also owns a heavily modified Thorens Model a Lenco GL 75 and a Technics SP10 R as their main deck.

Prior to the SP 10R the GL 75 had become their main in use TT, I have heard all TT's in comparison to the GL 75 and later all TT's including the GL 75 in comparison to the SP10 R.

I don't recall anything on offer from the Linn performance that was encouraging a positive appraisal from any of the attendees.

I was at another Club Members home, who has dedicated their main Source usage to CD. This member has been a host on many occasions and has heard many of the Clubs TT's, which range from a SME 20, Mitchell Orbe, SP10 R, SP10 MkII, Garrard 401, PTP Solid Nine, GL75, used within their system, as there has been many opportunities to carry out demonstrations of Phonostages and this system is one commonly used for the audition on days when they host. 

The club member was interested in being demonstrated the Linn TT in their system on a day they were to host a meeting. The Linn owner obliged and enabled this to happen, bringing along their complete LP Replay Source with the Lin TT.

I was able to be present and had in hand, my usual selection of LP's and Platter Mats to make available.

The Linn did not impress, it was difficult to even suggest it was making any kind of a positive impression, as it was presenting in a manner very different from the memory of other TT's used within the same system.

To try and discover if a little improvement was to be discovered, I suggested a period of exchanging Platter Mats and one was discovered to improve on the performance, which I gifted to the Linn owner.

I have not witnessed anything over +25 years that would encourage myself to spend more money on a Linn TT than I have already parted with. 

With my own Linn, I am happy to occasionally use it, the experience always ends up the same, I am happy to own it, it was a first entry into a long term hobby in maintaining a LP Source. I am also quite happy to put it back into storage, and make way, to have more time for experiencing the other TT's available and much preferred when used.