Linn LP-12 still competitive with the very best?

Norman, the more your dealer touched your 'table, the worse it sounded. Thousands of people with a different dealer have loved the upgrades. Further proof he doesn't know much about it. I really don't care what anyone thinks of the LP12, but misinformation is not helpful. BTW, I do not use an LP12 as my main deck.

NO_regrets said:

"I didn't once think about what a new table would sound like."

I feel the same way even with my lowly Axis.

The Axis is not any harder than most table to set up correctly. You just need to use the standard paper cartridge mounting templates that Linn provides. These can be downloaded over internet and printed on any decent black and white home printer. Couldn't be easier or cheaper....

What is it about the LP12 that people seem to think makes it such a beast to set up properly? I don't see it with the Axis. Maybe the answers for those fed up with LP12s is to step down to an Axis, if you can find one.

I did spend a lot of time mounting various cartridges on various tables I sold working in various Hi Fi chains many years ago, which might give me an advantage over many that at most may do it once in a blue moon at most these days. Practice does make perfect with getting these things right.

It's not mounting cartridges that's tough with the LP-12, it's getting the suspension properly balanced. That's what makes people nuts.

"It's not mounting cartridges that's tough with the LP-12, it's getting the suspension properly balanced. That's what makes people nuts."

That's never been an issue for me with my Axis. I've had it for over 20 years.

Normal stylus wear is the only issue I've had to deal with in all that time.

An Axis can be had for much less than an lp12. It's said to have the larger Linn's best attributes in a simpler and more user friendly package.

Why is this "to get the suspension right thing" so difficult with the Linn? Are there tools to have this set up properly or is it a matter of "intuition"? It's like magic sometimes...

Chris