Linn LP-12 compared to TW Acustic, SME, Nottingham

Thank you Headsnappin, this is the reality of the Linn now a days including some other brands.

Though I would take a 45 year old refurbished Garrard 301 in a heart beat....

Everybody has a Linn and they are common.

But not many listen to their LP12 with a Lingo which it really needs to keep up with the more modern TT. Name me a modern TT that does not have an outboard PS? Not many.

The LP12 with the Lingo is very emotionally satisfying. VPI and Basis may have a heavier sound, but IMO can be pretty boring emotionally. The LP12 has a lively presentation that music should have.

I am thinking about the Keel at the moment which will make it really modern, with less of that filmsy feel that the standard sub-chassis has always been criticized for.

Obviously YMMV as usual.

Somewhere on the Analog Discussion site there is a long, long thread on the highly related issue of whether the LP12 can be compared with or can compete with the best of modern tts. Try the search engine. You have hours of reading ahead of you.

My LP-12 had the Lingo. Did it help the Linn? Yes. Did it give me everything I was looking for? No. The Linn compared to the TW Acustic AC-3 is like walking into a dark room and flipping the light switch - oh the details... On the AC-3 I get to hear the breathy musician at the mic, with violins I can hear the bow on the strings, with the high hat I can hear the drummers brush work. Breathtaking. Phenomenal. Musical. The AC-3 takes me places the Linn never did - and never could.

As you say keepitsimple, everyone has had and loved their LP12, I did. Is it up to other current models? No I do'nt believe it is. Moreover, the add ons like the Keel, Lingo, Circus bearings, are outrageously over priced and make a fully kitted out Linn very expensive. I changed to Origin Live Resolution, clearly an improvement, in base, neutrality and now to a TW Accustic Raven one. The latter is an equivelant, possibly greater improvement over the Origin Live.
I have heard and enjoyed SME decks, the 10 and 20, but found them to be neutral, but lacking in drive and dynamics. Just my opinion, but in my view TW is the cream of the crop. Moreover, Thomas the designer of TW, very honestly says, you get 95% of the Raven AC one's, performance, for the intro model, the Raven One, at a pretty reasonable price.