Linn Bedrok LP12 Plinth Upgrade

The new Bedrok plinth for the LP12 is being discussed extensively on the web.

Probably what is brought up the most, is the very high price. The price puts the new plinth and table into the realm of some very fine turntable competition. Something that should be checked out by anyone considering the combo, IMO.

Also, IME, the entire rest of the system needs to be optimized first, along with the room and power supply from the wall before such an investment should be considered for the table. Otherwise, i doubt that the full benefit of this plinth will be heard.

Looks like Baltic Birch plywood, a great stiff, low resonance form of wood (most popular in it's 19mm/13-ply form). Art Dudley made the base for his TD-124 out of the stuff. It’s also great for equipment racks and/or shelves.

If it really is Baltic Birch, then it is horrifically overpriced.  I heretofore thought the plinth of the 50th Anniversary LP12 was made from a densified wood, like Panzerholz, which is expensive to buy and very difficult to machine, somewhat justifying the high cost. I also thought the new plinth upgrade for ordinary LP12s would be the same as the plinth designed for the limited edition version. If the plinth upgrade really is made of Baltic Birch, which is a good choice but very pedestrian (see Lenco Heaven), then there is no possible justification for the high price, in my opinion. Furthermore, it would be easy to make one yourself or have it made by a skilled furniture maker, for much lower cost.

@lewm   I think the new plinth is made from a composite wood material that essentially is like Panzerholz in its density. Apparently, the CNC machining is very time consuming and complex, resulting in the pricing. That and the fact that Linn kind of painted themselves into a corner with their LP12 50th Anniversary pricing...at a mere $60K! With the main difference between the current Klimax model and the 50th being the Bedrok plinth...and a price increase of $30K!! 

From the link info:

Bedrok™ for LP12 is the first-ever, plinth performance upgrade from Linn. Formed of orthogonal layers of beech placed under extreme pressure and heat to create an entirely new, solid and massive material, this engineered, ultra-dense wood has negligible resonance and superior acoustic isolation.