AMG V12

Hi Brf,

That is good to hear about the AMG still being alive and well! I hope that they will be represented this April in Chicago at the Axpona show. I love what I've read in their reviews and am hopeful to being able to hear them. I'm also interested in the Spiral Groove tables as well as the Clearaudio Innovation Wood, both of which will be at the Chicago Show…but I'm leaning heavily towards the AMG.

I agree with how you feel about the Linn upgrade path pricing. An affordable option though would to do your upgrading of the Linn LP12 via the Funk Firm's modifications. They are awesome! I believe that they will be in Chicago this April as well.

No-regrets, thanks for sharing the photos, are those Dunlaveys?? Very good looking system and table. I haven't gone that far with mine, I do have mine wrapped in a beautiful cherry with some birds-eye that I just love. But using the pre-SE Ekos, Cirkus, Lingo with the newest motor, Cardas Golden Ref cableing and a Kleos. I do enjoy the table but I suffer from audiophilia-unrest and always want something different.
But I am agreement with you and Brf. Enough is enough. Linns prices for the SE Ekos, Keel etc, are not an investment that will yield equal returns. I see the AMG and see simplicity, style and hear a table and tonearm that exceeds my current table and much less future maintenence. I'm all in and if the money falls in my direction, I will move in that direction.

Hi Theo,

Thank you for the kind words. I'm sure your Birdseye Maple looks very beautiful as well.

Oh, you were correct. Those are my Dunlavy SCIV Signatures. I've had them since the mid 90's and love them to death. I can't ever imagine getting rid of them.

I'm curious as you've actually been able to listen to the AMG, what is it about the AMGs sound that you prefer over that of your LP12?

No-regrets, first off I don't blame you for hanging on to the Dunlavys, I used to spend a lot of time listening at the dealers showroom. A sad day indeed when they closed their doors. My LP12 vs. the V12, first off I think the delicate nature of the Lyra house sound is more freely expressed. The vocals seemed to be more accurate in timbre, akin to a live acoustic natural sound. We listened to Patricia Barber, Dusty Springfield and Chris Issac mostly, and when I came home and played the same albums, I realized that the information had less depth than at the store. I do feel the bass is pretty much on par between the two, with the exception of the speakers capability to deliver. But the overall nature in sound of the V12, to me seemed to let me relax my ears more when listening for certain passages than I get with my table. That said, I must provide weight to the overall system at the dealers vs. mine. Speakers, phono stage, Atlas vs. Kleos, but I still contend the overall "audio picture" of the V12 defined the ceiling of limitations of my LP12 unless I tweak mine at great expense, or choose to invest in the future a vinyl playback. The other notes I want to add is I think the AMG bearing design is a major contributor but would raise concern on isolation. I believe it would be a crucial ingredient in obtaining the maximum performance. Also I think the 12" arm vs. the Ekos adds to the ease of tracking allowing the cartridge to more freely track the groove. All personal opinion of course.

Dear Theo, I confess I must have been confused by your words: "I would confess the fully tricked out LP12 does outperform the V12 in bass response as well as minute extraction of details, but at an additional $12k it should. My LP12 is well equipped and adjusted with a Kleos but the V12 with a Atlas still leaves a noticeable margin in improvement over mine."

Here you mention some specific ways in which the LP12 outperformed the V12, but you conclude, it seems, that the V12 (with the much more expensive Atlas cartridge compared to Kleos) outperformed the LP12, overall. And then somehow I got the message that the V12 was more expensive than the LP12, when the case is quite the opposite, as you now say. Sorry for my confusion on all levels.