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The Linn LV V, when was it introduced?

maccavelli

maccavelli

pfm Member
Hello, I am aware and have owned various arms from Linn, LVX Basik, Basik Plus and Ittok, alas no Ekos as yet. I recently came across an LV V, now this does look a bit old fashioned, a forerunner to the LVX? Can anyone tell me anything about it, how good it was? Good points, bad points etc.
 
It was a cheapo arm to just get Linn owners up and running. It came out around the time I bought my first LP12, circa 1983. Arm bearings rattled like an old tram.
 
Bob McC said:
It was a cheapo arm to just get Linn owners up and running. It came out around the time I bought my first LP12, circa 1983. Arm bearings rattled like an old tram.
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haha thanks. I have never ridden an old tram but I get the idea! It looks older than 1983 to me. When was the black Basik introduced?
 
Not all of them were bad and Linn replaced any rattly ones if the dealer could be a*sed to return them and not just pass on to the customer as-was! As an arm, it wasn't bad at all, if not as elegant as the OEM Rega R200 and it did its job well. In fact, early LVX's could easily develop loose headshell sockets and these sounded absolutely horrible, needing some stud-loc in the arm-tube/socket join.

I think the LVV was around 1982, possibly very early 1983 and the LVX around 1984-5 IIRC. The BASIK PLUS (not LVX Plus FFS) came a year or two later again.
 
DSJR said:
Not all of them were bad and Linn replaced any rattly ones if the dealer could be a*sed to return them and not just pass on to the customer as-was! As an arm, it wasn't bad at all, if not as elegant as the OEM Rega R200 and it did its job well. In fact, early LVX's could easily develop loose headshell sockets and these sounded absolutely horrible, needing some stud-loc in the arm-tube/socket join.

I think the LVV was around 1982, possibly very early 1983 and the LVX around 1984-5 IIRC. The BASIK PLUS (not LVX Plus FFS) came a year or two later again.
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From what I can see the LVX turned out to be slightly more reliable than the Akito ala bearing problems.
 
my linn lvv s-shaped arm sounds okay - not sure what the bearing loose comment means? How do I check?
 
hold the arm top near the bearing with one hand and the arm collar (fixed part) base with the other, by moving them at the same time in seperate directions (gently) it see if you can generate play.
 
You'll spot certain parts from the ADC arms but the LV-V had a better base and better bearings. If you can find one with good slop-free bearings and with no overtightening of the collar grub screw then the LV-V is actually rather a nice little arm. Weaknesses are at frequency extremes and in dynamics compared to the Ittok, but it's never anything less than musical, particularly on the Sondek. I prefer it to the LV-X. Not that long ago old ones were literally being given away by dealers, but not any more...
 
Mignun said:
You'll spot certain parts from the ADC arms but the LV-V had a better base and better bearings. If you can find one with good slop-free bearings and with no overtightening of the collar grub screw then the LV-V is actually rather a nice little arm. Weaknesses are at frequency extremes and in dynamics compared to the Ittok, but it's never anything less than musical, particularly on the Sondek. I prefer it to the LV-X. Not that long ago old ones were literally being given away by dealers, but not any more...
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so how much would you say a good one is worth?
 
My 77 LP12 came with an LV-V when I bought it 2nd hand, so guess it was available in the 70s.

I like the arm, bearing is easy to adjust. Am looking for one for my Lenco.

Richard
 
IIRC Adrian Orlowski reviewed one of the first LV-Vs back at the end of 1981.

As for what a good one might be worth, I'm going to avoid starting a rant about how ridiculous it is that these days you can no longer find LV-Vs for a couple of quid, or SME 3009s for 25p. But the reality is that these days no classic arm seems to go for less than a ton whatever it is, and there are many worse sounding arms out there that go for more.
 
Yup, £46 at launch including Basik cartridge. For perspective, the Sondek was £340. A Naim NAC42 and NAP110 would set you back £475.
 
The LVX was certainly around in 1983 because that's what I had on my LP12 bought then. I'm guessing it was probably launched a year or two earlier.

Rich
 
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