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LP12 Origins

Here we go again...the LP 12 sounds like a dishwasher. Well, my friend, I wish my dishy sounded this good. Or is your dishwasher Kiri Te Kanawa? ;)

I have at home:
LP12/Cirkus/Lingo Ittok blah blah.
TD125
TD126
No fewer than 3 Garrard 401s in various states of repair.

I've owned the Aristons, or listened at friend's places, and I've listened to the PT LPT and Anniv. I've owned a different LP12 as well, it was a Valhalla jpb.

Now all these TTS sound very nice indeed. The Linn is better than either Thorens. Not by a lot, but by a bit. A decent 401 aces them all.

So let's not have any nonsense about it sounding "horrible", you will only get significant wow and flutter if the belt is shot.
 
Still it's very good to see that the good ole LP12 is capable of so much banter and discussion.. Surely to rank among the hottest of topics on audio forums.

John R
 
I suspect Coldplay will be much discussed in future generations - doesn't mean they any longer make good music though does it? :D

The LP12 is an icon of its time and Linn still feel they can get mileage out of the top equipped version at £9 - £10K or thereabouts (they wouldn't dare to charge that much if they didn't think they could get away with it).

Let's be honest now though. The main appeal of the LP12 is amongst the "used" community and any dealers worth their salt are going to pass good used bits on to friends, clients and even eBay I suspect. It's certainly more substantially made than its step-sibling (TD150) and the important bits are better than a standard TD125/126? although there may be someone out there willing to tackle a "blue-printed" TD125 bearing sleeve and thrust pad rebuild, which would improve things I'm sure - one reason I never bought a TD124 was because of lack of spares and plinths etc in the eighties and look at it now...
 
Here we go again...the LP 12 sounds like a dishwasher
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Mine sounds like a tumble dryer with apair of training shoes in it at the moment, belts and bearing nackered, got new bits on the way though so should be given the kiss of life next week.:D
 
337alant said:
Mine sounds like a tumble dryer with apair of training shoes in it at the moment, belts and bearing nackered, got new bits on the way though so should be given the kiss of life next week.:D
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While it's in bits, check the battens and blocks are firmly attached and don't be afraid to add a little wood glue if you have to...................

I know the LP12 so well I can't really get all gooey about it like I can a 401 or TD124. I know the 'Sondek is quieter and with fresh grommets (is there a ready supply out there because they should ideally be replaced every ten years or so or even sooner) it still sounds sexy...
 
DSJR said:
I suspect Coldplay will be much discussed in future generations - doesn't mean they any longer make good music though does it? :D

The LP12 is an icon of its time and Linn still feel they can get mileage out of the top equipped version at £9 - £10K or thereabouts (they wouldn't dare to charge that much if they didn't think they could get away with it).

Let's be honest now though. The main appeal of the LP12 is amongst the "used" community and any dealers worth their salt are going to pass good used bits on to friends, clients and even eBay I suspect. It's certainly more substantially made than its step-sibling (TD150) and the important bits are better than a standard TD125/126? although there may be someone out there willing to tackle a "blue-printed" TD125 bearing sleeve and thrust pad rebuild, which would improve things I'm sure - one reason I never bought a TD124 was because of lack of spares and plinths etc in the eighties and look at it now...
Click to expand...

Totally agree with you Dave. Which is why I'm offering a sub-chassis upgrade that less well heeled folk can fit to their LP12's and realise a surprising lift in performance ... Tis the beauty of the Sole.

Some of you more experienced folk need to listen to a LP12 suitably fettled. With a Sole fitted it is far less coloured, far more detailed, dynamic and involving a turntable than a standard or even a Cirkus'd version. I may even move into Thorens territory soon..


John R
 
We should have a definitive article on here about how to set up an LP12, maybe with video footage via youtube.
 
DSJR
While it's in bits, check the battens and blocks are firmly attached and don't be afraid to add a little wood glue if you have to.
Click to expand...
Agree and it has been getting lots of love and affection over the last few months, fitted the corner brackets took off the top plate and re seated it with some tiny little pieces of blue tack like a gasket and bolted down the motor corner (doesn’t ring at all when tapped now), Fitted a new set of black springs and grommets, fitted a circus sub chassis, this really tightened up the sound, I have a very good late bearing and inner platter on the way bought a new motor new belt, black oil, new laminated arm board, Rega RB 250 with OL counter weight, SH clear lid as didn’t like dark one. and bought all the parts to overhaul the Valhalla, also have a flutter buster so lots to play with and just before it started running slow it was sounding fantastic.
Advice!, when I had it to bits I straightened up the spring mounting bolts so they where perfect, but now when I try to get the positioning of the arm board correct I cant get it into the right position as it hardly moves at all when I rotate these new springs, with the old springs I could play around and move it quite a lot by rotating different springs??.
 
This is the black art of Sondek set up. Please make sure the plinth is level (I know, some aren't square and true but still...) and that the top plate doesn't sag too much at the armboard side as this will upset things no end with the front and back springs. Make sure the top grommet is properly located in the hole in the sub-chassis and that the arm cable isn't pulling or pushing the suspension about. The motor wires can sometimes foul the sub too. I used to check the armboard squareness by taking off the outer platter and pushing the spindle to the left or leaving the outer platter on and lifting and pushing the spindle to the left. being a bit rough with the suspension is a very good way of stabilising the grommets on their mounts I found, but at the end of the day there's no alternative to experience in fighting hundreds of these things on a regular basis. I understand the current UK LP12 Guru is Peter Swain at Cymbiosis, although anyone who learned the black arts in the late seventies will do, as the LP12 wasn't as quality controlled as modern ones, although oldies like me will have gone rusty by now - especially me (squeak, groan ;))
 
murray johnson said:
Hi Paul,
Re TT2 and LP12, that of course is just your opinion. Mine's different. The point of the thread however was that the original LP12 was basically an Ariston RD11. Both of these turntables have more in common with the TT2, the Thorens TD150, TD160, STD and the AR turntable than they do with any others. They all share a similar characteristic sound. You might imagine that the LP12 is significantly different but I don't think it is and can't see substantial engineering reasons why it should be.

Turntables like the Garrard 301, the Pink Triangle, the Elite Rock or a Micro Seiki DD are very different in conception and often in the materials used. They do (unsurprisingly) sound different.
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Having owned a TD150 for years I can, with some conviction, say that the LP12 makes music easier to follow than the TD150. However thats not to put down the TD150, it is very good.
 
Wolfmancatsup said:
Let's hear it for Colin Macey at MK as well!
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I know that name, but can't put a location to it - soooo long ago now...

Ah, got it! I wondered if his Linn chip may have burned out by now, as it was very firmly implanted back then.....Means he's good at LP12's I suspect.
 
got my new bearing and inner platter, belt and new motor, fitted them and it sounds excellent, speed perfect on 33 and 45
 
DSJR said:
I understand the current UK LP12 Guru is Peter Swain at Cymbiosis...
Click to expand...

FWIW, Peter Swain has been explaining his LP12 setup procedures as "a brief overview" over in the Linn forum. It's a nice well-informed thread, covering all the tricks and tips they used to indoctrinate all of us who set up LP12s at dealerships with back in the 70s and 80s. Thread has been going for over a year now, and he hasn't even dressed the tonearm cable yet.

http://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=9941

I own both an early LP12 (#11XXX) and an original RD11. I can report that many parts are interchangeable between the two. The only real differences are the bearing and the motor pulley. The top plate hole for the power switch is a bit smaller on the Ariston, although very early examples of both tables used identical dual switch setups for the on and off switches.
 
O,no have been living with with my various Linn LP12 s for the best part of 30 years,totally oblivious of having being bullied into buying by a bunch of thugs masquerading as folks who actually enjoyed selling a product they had some faith in.
Is it too late to see the light and get my money back,now having heard that somebody who was still in his dads trousers when this stuff was being sold,has given the world the shattering news that all the buyers of Linns,so sadly misguided in their choice of turntable have been missing out on so much for long.;)
 
I have a Linn LP12 ( which I acquired at an advantageous price ) and also an original Acoustic Research XA. Due to my moving coil cartridge having gone to Expert Pickups for examination, I am using a Shure M75ED in the Linn. And also in the AR. I know this is heresy, but I get equal musical satisfaction from both turntables... MGM.
 
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