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LP12 Stick or Twist?

Karousel is better than Cirkus but still loses out to the Soul of the earlier Black Bearing, but since the Black Bearing is virtually impossible to find in new condition these days the Karousel is probably the way to go now by default..

Personally, I believe that the Karousel brings us the best of the Black liner bearing and the Cirkus bearing. It brings back the emotion and musicality of the Black Liner bearing along with the accuracy and neutrality of the Cirkus bearing and then some. Definitely the best bearing that Linn have made IMHO.
 
You could put Cirkus in your LP12, not expensive these days. That dries up the bass and it's more neutral. Or try a Karousel if you're feeling flush.

The LP12 sounds great as it is in the bedroom system so I think I'm gonna leave it at that. In some ways, it's almost like it's back where it belongs: matched up in a classic system with a pair of Kan-like speakers being driven by a spritely 30w amp. I'm sure Linn sold many decks that ended up in a similar setup, albeit the amp would probably have been a Naim of some flavour. Next time you're over I reckon you'll recognise the sound presentation straight away, it really harks back to a different time, a time before good-sounding hi-fi became crazy expensive. Plus, with my bedroom being narrower than my living room, I'm sure that helps the speakers feel even more lively as you're literally closer to the action.

I've totally fluked a great result by trying the LP12 in my bedroom as it's turned out to be a real sing-a-long system... a real music-first system where fun comes first :)

Incidentally, it turns out the floor in my bedroom isn't quite as bouncy as the floor in my living room so I can actually walk up to the LP12 without the needle jumping all over the place - something that's absolutely impossible in my living room - so I'm now toying with the idea of shifting my Mana 3-tier into my bedroom to get the LP12 on some Mana. I defo need a wall shelf in my living room so my Technics deck will stay on that, but I reckon I can get away with a rack in my bedroom.

The only problem with that idea is that half the components in my living room will have nowhere to sit other than the IKEA Besta unit that would get freed up from my bedroom and I don't think all of it will fit. Mmm, I guess I need another Mana 3-tier lol
 


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