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Back on the old Linn Karousel...

I've also wondered what you'd think of the Karousel and whether it would help with the more solid / stable sound you're looking for. Despite owning one for a while I'm not sure. I suspect it would help a bit but not enough.
 
I've also wondered what you'd think of the Karousel and whether it would help with the more solid / stable sound you're looking for.

To be honest I'll just be a case of building up the deck and taking it from there. I doubt it will be ideal straight away. For example I don't want a single piece subchassis as that will tie me into a Linn or Rega arm. If I stick with a removable armboard I can change the arm later if I like, without having to remove the subchassis, which is a pain!
 
For example I don't want a single piece subchassis as that will tie me into a Linn or Rega arm. If I stick with a removable armboard I can change the arm later if I like, without having to remove the subchassis, which is a pain!
I might have got my wires crossed but, just in case, the Majik sub-chassis isn't single piece and will take the Karousel and Cirkus bearings.
 
I might have got my wires crossed but, just in case, the Majik sub-chassis isn't single piece and will take the Karousel and Cirkus bearings.

No, the Majik is extended to under the arm mounting point so, although you use a standard armboard, it bolts through the subchassis too. Thought about buying one and seeing if I could drill it for both Rega and Linn but.. bit risky and I'd never be able to sell it.
 
I'm not surprised it's good as the 12v motor kit for Rega turntables is good, and a damn sight cheaper! Wonder if I could fit one of those to the Linn...

I assume you meant the 24v motor kit.

It is something I have been considering for another deck.

For an LP12 care would be needed in extracting the press fitted LP12 pulley from a standard motor to replace the Rega pulley on the 24v motor. It would probably be necessary to come up with a different means of attaching the power supply to the cross brace because the attachment holes probably will not line up. Beyond that I assume it should work unless someone knows otherwise. The rpm for the motor should be the same.
 
The rpm for the motor should be the same.

I'd like to know. A Neo and 12v motor would be a cheap way to go. Also need to know if the motor shaft is the same diameter but I suspect it is. Move the board out of the deck, just longer motor wires.

I think you could do this.
 
I’ll doubtless get blackballed for saying this but I have only this week retrieved my old solid, stable, as in DD decks where the bass don’t fade away, LP12 sound and it´s got nothing to do with my LP12. After a few hours checking out different load capacitances on my A&R P77 after years in the wilderness, spent pratting around with 304, 103 Pro, Troika, MCs in general and diverse phonos, alternative sub chassis etc. it was always there just waiting to be let loose again. How come, when we all were using MMs, no one mentioned the word input capacitance, just rabbitting on all the time about 47K and tightening fasteners all the time. What a waste of 30 years. After a similar length of time, dare I fire up my Sugden A48II and dig out my Heybrook HB2s or shall I just cut my veins and that´s the end of it.
 
To retain the old skool Linn sound with the lovely old mid-bass bloom the last thing you should change in the subchassis. A late glued pre-Cirkus sub would keep that element intact.

The hump was lost in the transition to Cirkus and the change in ethos at the time to tighten everything up to crazy torque. When you assemble the deck keep sensible on the nut and bolt torque and that will help avoid that etched false detail sound of the mid-90’s.

If you can find a good pre-Cirkus bearing than try that first but avoid Cirkus and skip to Karousel if you can’t (using the subchassis washer available from Linn dealers to mount Karousel to pre-Cirkus subs). Karousel is only torqued up to 3.5Nm (opposite to Linn tight!) and keeps that lovely sense of flow and coherence that we enjoyed in pre-Cirkus times but brings more detail for the ride.

I think for your speed stability sensitivity you’ll need one of the speed feedback supplies like L4 or Rad. Best you can afford basically.

Rega arm on a standard armboard. I reckon this will be close to your ideal LP12.

good luck!
 
I've got a late 80's LP12 which is all original. Not seen much use in the years since kids came along. I bought a second hand Rubikon, some Anologue Innovation in sole spring replacements and an Avondale Audio Taps2. Never tried any of them :rolleyes: All this talk of the pre cirkus romance is making me want to keep it as it is.
 
So...

Ordered an LP12 chassis last night to build up a new deck. Give the old fruit box another go. Current spec except for a Cirkus bearing and I'll need a motor/PSU and subchassis/armboard to complete it. Plus an arm of course. Currently planning on keeping the RB2000 for it, maybe.

So, what's the skinny on subchassis'? So many options. Cirkus, Majik or one of the many aftermarket ones. The Stack Audio ones seem good value but what do these different kites sound like?

Quite fancy the Lingo 4 but it's not cheap. Is it worth it?

Important thing is that I want to retain the full, airy sound that made the LP12 so nice in the first place. If I wanted a super-clean record player I'd keep the RP10. Alive, fun, engaging are words I like.

Any experience or advice welcome? :0)
I think I replied to a similar post last year, you might do a search...

I have owned an LP12 since 1985. From 1990 to about 2017, it was regular/original subchassis plus addition (in 90) of Lingo I and Cirkus bearing. It was a nice warm sound, undoubtedly toe-tappy, coloured yes, due to that mid-bass bloat, but a sound I had grown used to. For reasons now unfathomable, I wanted to 'upgrade' and brought in a new Kore, followed by new L4. A used Ekos II went in too, alongside a new Krystal. Of course that's a lot of changes, but somewhere in the transition I had lost that warm, bloated sound for a more clinical, perhaps more 'correct' sound that was not really to my taste. My suspicion is that it's the Kore, with its integrated arm board. I still have the original, and may swap it back in. That task is alas hampered by dismantling/extracting the L4 in the process.

And as for the L4, let me warn you, it is a right pain to actually use! Don't laugh, how can something with ONE button be hard to use? Well, the L1 I had for 25 yrs was press to play 33, press again for off. Long press from off for 45. The L4 is completely different, at least mine is. Short press for 33, but 4-5 second press+hold for off. An L1-style second press goes to 45. I simply hate it. You could PLAY a Napalm Death ep in the time it takes for the L4 to turn off!

I am also now a year into owning an SME30/2. And as of late, I am back to the LP12.
 
A lot of useful opinions here, thank you.

I'm veering towards the Cirkus subchassis, which is actually the same as the glued pre-Cirkus except for the double thickness at the bearing.

The PSU I don't know about. I like the idea of the Lingo4. Also like the idea of converting a Rega motor kit to work on the LP12 ;0)
 
I had an Armageddon for a while, and an Aro for several years. I may try that option again, though sourcing them is of course getting harder and harder. On that note, I see that LP12 bits is most sparse in their current arm inventory. Like you, I may faff around with a second LP12, and a Naim-centric one is worth a try.

The SME is correct yes, ultra stable, clean sound, yet isn't quite as much 'fun' as a Linn (gets all nostalgic for 1980s-1990s, students days, no mortgage, Inter-Railing, playing Sarah-flexies on a Aro'ed LP12, blah blah blah, de-generates into full-on grumpy old man...)
 
On power supplies I am actually considering everything from an old Basik power supply and a Lingo4!

Yeah, sounds crazy but the really old LP12/Ariston had a lovely warmth and bounce to the sound and I wonder how much of that was the simple PSU, if you can call it that. Far from accurate but a nice noise and I can always change it later.

The Lingo4 appeals because the 12v motors on the Regas work really well and it's about the best supply I can afford. But no idea what it might sound like.

I've had the Vahalla, Norton and Avondale so fancy something different.

Out there options are an aftermarket supply, not so keen on that idea as I don't think decks with aftermarket bits sell as well. Or converting a Rega 24v motor and Neo to work.
 
Nah, bollocks.

Over the years a multitude of arms have been approved for nailing to the fruit box. In the beginning there was SME, Mayware and others. Linn's older arms are just Japanese arms with a Linn badge on. More recently they've sent out the Majik with Pro-Ject, another Jap arm and..who make the Krane again?

So only Rega make arms that cannot work on the LP12? Garbage. Linn just don't want you to do it because you might realise that the emperor is buck naked. They don't want you to discover that Rega's cheaper product sounds better than their expensive one.

Back in the day I replaced an Akito mk.1 with an RB 300. It was a much better arm and stayed for many years until I replaced with a PU7.
It's a Linn acolyte thing regarding Rega's on the LP12
 
Back in the day I replaced an Akito mk.1 with an RB 300. It was a much better arm and stayed for many years until I replaced with a PU7.

I think the stock RB300 is broadly comparable with the Ittok. Ittok has much tighter and more powerful bass and better dynamics but RB300 is more neutral and cleaner. Strip the paint off the Rega and rewire it and forget the Ittok.

I like the Akito but it's far too expensive for what it is. I can't believe how much new ones cost and I can't believe they sound good enough to justify it.
 
I like the Akito but it's far too expensive for what it is. I can't believe how much new ones cost and I can't believe they sound good enough to justify it.

I remember when the Akito came out - it was $395 USD if my memory is working. Now it seems to be $2,400 USD. Wow.
 
I think the stock RB300 is broadly comparable with the Ittok. Ittok has much tighter and more powerful bass and better dynamics but RB300 is more neutral and cleaner. Strip the paint off the Rega and rewire it and forget the Ittok.

I like the Akito but it's far too expensive for what it is. I can't believe how much new ones cost and I can't believe they sound good enough to justify it.

Perhaps some of the better Rega tonearms would be a good choice, a nice 880 , the RB3000 or perhaps a technoarm may work nicely.
 
A lot of useful opinions here, thank you.

I'm veering towards the Cirkus subchassis, which is actually the same as the glued pre-Cirkus except for the double thickness at the bearing.

The PSU I don't know about. I like the idea of the Lingo4. Also like the idea of converting a Rega motor kit to work on the LP12 ;0)
That’s interesting as you went on for years telling everyone how awful the Cirkus bearing and it’s accompany sub-chassis was.
 


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