Rega v Linn 'house' sound.

[YNWOAN]

The Linn house sound has morphed quite appreciably over the 40 years I have known it, whilst the Rega sound has changed relatively little (in terms of house sound/character). The reasons for this are pretty obvious from a design/project management point of view. Linn started off as a company with skills in mechanical/acoustic engineering, but relatively naive in terms of electronics. Gradually they have swung completely across that axis and are now predominantly an electronic design company with some ‘legacy’ interest in mechanical engineering. In the process Linn have made heavy use of using young, untried, designers and believed in ‘teaching them in the Linn way of doing things’. What this has really meant is that the house sound has swung about quite severely over the years. Luckily the Linn marketing department reinvented the whole ‘tune dem’ to mean whatever they wanted at the time.... but that’s a different story.

Meanwhile Rega have a very heavily defined and set design ethos (some may argue that it is overly defined) and have rigidly stuck to it - the end result is a sound that has always emphasised speed and attack. Sophistication and tonal truthfulness are qualities that have crept in in latter years, but they have still retained those original core strengths.

 

[Charlie_1]

Get thyself a PT1, an LP12 with added get-up and boogie and somewhat less authority.

Heard a PT for the first time the other week and found it very enjoyable.

 

[Vinny]

 

[YNWOAN]

I’ve got a classic PT with Aphason HR-1000S and Van Den Hul cart - it sounds great - but the PT is not well made (the bearing and platter are but the rest isn’t) and, whilst very good on its own right, it doesn’t invalidate the work of Rega or Naim (forum politics aside). I should add that I don’t actually use the PT as I have a better sounding setup for daily use (not Rega or Linn).

 

[Vinny]

Personally, I have never listened to the standard of manufacture of anything...……………………………

 

[dave charlton]

So no clarity? No emphasis on detail presentation, lots of distortion? Muddled sound? OK. Well I'm always happy to be wrong.

Maybe I should have said 'vinyl sound is nothing like CD' imho

 

[Vinny]

More crisps and popcorn anyone? A more comfortable chair perhaps?

 

[dave charlton]

Assuming both decks are fully Rega and Linn (deck, arm, cart, phono), can anyone who's owned or listened to both describe the sound differences?

I know this is probably not helping matters but a few years back a dealer particularly known for his 'sound advice' show me a partially boxed Linn for a customer - it sported an RB1000

 

[FireMoon]

The Rega is German express engine with a Giesel smoke ejector and German style smoke deflectors
The Linn is a Duke Of Gloucester ie, a BR design nicked from Stanier who nicked the idea from The GWR.

They both do the same job, one just somehow is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye/ear depending on your own particular choices/prejudices though performance wise that means that, one can argue for both for differing reasons.

I would argue, with the judicious use of 3rd party mods and a few more decades experience of development one can build yourself a Linn that does the best bits of both Rega and Linn without most on the issues attributed, rightly or wrongly, to both designs.

TT and steam engines have much in common. Both dropped as a concept before they had reached their natural development threshold because something different and at times, worse in terms of performance over time yet a lot easier to work with, came along.

 

[Paul Mc]

Good summary of the LP12.https://zstereo.co.uk/2013/02/26/linn-sondek-lp12/

 

[dave charlton]

I would argue, with the judicious use of 3rd party mods and a few more decades experience of development one can build yourself a Linn that does the best bits of both Rega and Linn without most on the issues attributed, rightly or wrongly, to both designs.

No need to wait, I'll take a P10 now

 

[Ronaudio]

Out of idle curiosity, I intend to obtain an AB comparison of the new Rega Planer 10 (when the dealer gets one) against my mid spec Linn (Ittock 2/Kore/lingo 4, Krystal, etc.)
I expect the detail retrieval of the Rega (with the top Rega m/c cart) will be the equal or better of the Linn, but suspect the presentation is also bound to be significantly different.
Should be interesting, and will report back with the subjective impressions...

 

[Rack Kit]

No need to wait, I'll take a P10 now

You haven't heard it yet! Have you?

 

[dave charlton]

You haven't heard it yet! Have you?

I think I may have to wait till the Bristol Show next year Meanwhile I have an Apheta in need of refurbishment

 

[Seanm]

So no clarity? No emphasis on detail presentation, lots of distortion? Muddled sound? OK. Well I'm always happy to be wrong.

When I had an RP6 I found it detailed and all the rest, but very vinyl-sounding in that it emphasised the spatial separation of instruments. Personally I think that that's the main thing records bring to the party. I think it is distortion, just not the kind that muddles the sound - just the opposite: it gives it an unnatural definition (in a good way).

Never heard an LP12! Some day.

 

[Rockmeister]

When I had an RP6 I found it detailed and all the rest, but very vinyl-sounding in that it emphasised the spatial separation of instruments. Personally I think that that's the main thing records bring to the party. I think it is distortion, just not the kind that muddles the sound - just the opposite: it gives it an unnatural definition (in a good way).

Never heard an LP12! Some day.

OK in fairness, using cd replay to define vinyl sound was lazy and probably wrong. I meant an emphasis on clarity; I think that comes closest.

 

[Frankiesays]

Where would you put the NAS TT's in terms of sound? To me they seem very simple design wise, just a thick heavyish plinth, ditto the platter, I have an early Interspace with a thicker plinth that the later ones, I would prefer a more cohesive sound than the TT gives me (or is it the Jelco 750 tonearm?). Sometimes rock or heavy dance music sounds a bit disjointed, would prefer a more fluid sound, should I seek out a mid 80s LP12? The fiddly set up does not appeal to me! Though it has been improved with the addition of the Project speedbox SE.

 

[Darren L]

Where would you put the NAS TT's in terms of sound? To me they seem very simple design wise, just a thick heavyish plinth, ditto the platter, I have an early Interspace with a thicker plinth that the later ones, I would prefer a more cohesive sound than the TT gives me (or is it the Jelco 750 tonearm?). Sometimes rock or heavy dance music sounds a bit disjointed, would prefer a more fluid sound, should I seek out a mid 80s LP12? The fiddly set up does not appeal to me! Though it has been improved with the addition of the Project speedbox SE.

I would suggest trying a unipivot tonearm on the NAS Interspace, probably an NAS unipivot for a non -fiddly set up, though I've no experience of the Jelco tonearm, I've owned an Interspace, Hyperspace and now Dais, I tried numerous tonearms on the Hyperspace, but I could never have described the sound as disjointed, quite the opposite.

 

[Frankiesays]

I would suggest trying a unipivot tonearm on the NAS Interspace, probably an NAS unipivot for a non -fiddly set up, though I've no experience of the Jelco tonearm, I've owned an Interspace, Hyperspace and now Dais, I tried numerous tonearms on the Hyperspace, but I could never have described the sound as disjointed, quite the opposite.

Perhaps it depends on what music you listen to? WIth some genres its great, others like hip hop, dance and some of the more discordant rock it can get a bit messy.

 

[Darren L]

Perhaps it depends on what music you listen to? WIth some genres its great, others like hip hop, dance and some of the more discordant rock it can get a bit messy.

While I don't listen to any hip hop or dance music, I do like trip hop and a lot of the music I listen too would be 'discordant' rock