Linn Bedrok LP12 Plinth Upgrade

It's the value of materials over the obvious extortion that bugs me. I've been quoted $800 to have a one-off block of Panzerholz, a CAD and a CNC waterjet plinth built for a Garrard 401.

@noromance while I agree with you, the price of the new Bedrok plinth seems excessive, I also know that unless a very high price is asked for high end anything, potential buyers assume it is less worthy.

Looking at the latest issue of The Absolute Sound, we see numerous pieces of gear that are priced at or above the price of a brand new car! The complexity of just about any new vehicle, never mind the number of parts and engineering prowess that has come into play, makes all high end audio gear look ludicrous on its face.

@newton_john No question, you are correct that Linn’s target market for the new Bedrok plinth are existing Klimax owners. I know of one such owner who has ordered the new plinth.
My point is that as the price asked increases to the sky, personally I would be becoming more discerning and make sure that the table I am considering will perform at the highest level. I would not, and will not, just keep jumping on the Linn upgrade band wagon without at least educating myself as to what the competition offers at similar price points.It does surprise me that the person whom I know who has ordered the Bedrok has not done this, but he falls into the category of high end consumer that shops by price, assuming the higher, the better.

@daveyf  Yup. There are so many wealthy folks nowadays with open checkbooks and not a care in the world willing to pay for high-priced toys. 

@daveyf

Your second paragraph is complete nonsense.

The price of the LP12 relative to other turntables hasn’t changed at all.

What has happened is that Linn, not for the first time, have launched a additional level of the turntable above the current Klimax LP12.

This is not going to make any difference to the sales of the existing LP12 range of products. Why should the existence of an additional option put people off the LP12 and push them to other brands anymore than they are already inclined?

It is actually a positive as LP12 owners now have another level to aspire to, even if they don’t want it or can’t afford it at the present time. How on earth can that make the LP12 less competitive as you imply?

As always, any development in the LP12 orbit brings out all the Linn bashers and those who are jealous of people with greater spending power. Why give them any more encouragement with that spurious argument?