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The Linn LV V, when was it introduced?

I don't think there would be much in sound quality between Basik LVX and plus, maybe it was changed due to it being faulty?

Makes no sense to go from one budget arm to another.
 
I believe the initial AKITO 1 had a cast bearing housing and the newer AKITO 2/B uses a machined ball race instead. I can't really speak for the Basik arm.
I have to say though, no arm dates better visually than the Ittok LVII, it looks just as modern today as it did back in it's introduction in my book.
 
maccavelli said:
I believe the initial AKITO 1 had a cast bearing housing and the newer AKITO 2/B uses a machined ball race instead. I can't really speak for the Basik arm.
I have to say though, no arm dates better visually than the Ittok LVII, it looks just as modern today as it did back in it's introduction in my book.
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I agree the ittok is still a looker.
 
spet0114 said:
.......Surely the sonic differences between an LVX and a Basik Plus are pretty small and it'd be pretty daft to bother 'upgrading' just to have the latest version of the budget Linn arm?
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On this particluar point I do remember the hifi press saying that the Basik Plus was a worthwhile improvement over the LVX. IIRC they put it down to the fact that the headsell was now fixed and that the arm had 'improved bearing tolerances'.

I can remember my local Linn dealer advocating such an upgrade so I wouldn't be at all surprised if yours had started with an LVX only to be changed to a Basik Plus, particluarly if done in conjunction with a cartridge change/upgrade.

Have you checked what it says on the back of your arm collar? Sometimes the arms were swapped without the collar being changed.
 
The Ittok is indeed a great (iconic?) looker and when in good condition feels great and still sounds excellent. But a knackered Ittok can be horrible...

For my money the best and most under-rated bargain Ittok alternative is a Manticore Magician/Musician (differences are in finish and wiring). A development from the Logic Datum S, but not that you'd recognise much, it has the look, feel, and heft that's reminiscent of one of the GB Tools arms. You can pick one up for the same price as an Akito, and it makes the Akito look, and sound, a bit like a toy. I think Manticore sold them much too cheaply at first (something they seemed to realise too late) and along with sorting out Logic's woes, it probably did for the company in the end.
 
I went through all the earlier linn arms ,lvv basik and basik plus all were fine to my ears eventually replaced by a hadcock and later a mission 774 which was excellent
Now I run a ittok and very nice it is
 
My first lp12 came with a lvv and I bought it in very early 80s for £260 with arm and bungled audio technical cartridge
 
I re-iterate what I said all those years back - my 1977 LP12 I bought in the lates 90s came with an LV-V, I always assumed it was the arm the deck was bought with. And as said - bearings easy to adjust, then not a bad arm…but was bettered by a modified RB250
 
Big Tabs said:
my linn lvv s-shaped arm sounds okay - not sure what the bearing loose comment means? How do I check?
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I sold the Linn arm on ebay for about £100 years ago.

I have a Linn Basik LV X arm (detachable head) on my Heybrook TT2 ‘B’ deck (the one with the chunky power switch)
The rubber sleeve perished but I sorted it with Bu-tac.
The lifting arm doesn’t work, but I never use them anyway.
It sounds okay with a Goldring 2100 on it and through an Arkless MM stage.
I use it for records that are a bit tired.
 
Dowser said:
I re-iterate what I said all those years back - my 1977 LP12 I bought in the lates 90s came with an LV-V, I always assumed it was the arm the deck was bought with. And as said - bearings easy to adjust, then not a bad arm…but was bettered by a modified RB250
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You were wrong then and you are wrong now.
The LV-V was not available in 1977.
 
Basik LV V was introduced in 1980 and originally included an OEM version of the audio-technica AT-750 with black stylus knob. This cartridge was a short-lived none VM moving magnet that had become audio-technica's default OEM from before AT-3400. By 1982, the included phono cartridge had changed to a Linn branded AT-93 which came to be known as yellow Basik. LV V was dropped in 1983 with the introduction of Basik LV X. Yellow Basik continued on as the included MM and was also packaged in bubble card and sold on its own until the introduction of K9 in 1985. I clearly recall the local dealer having the last of their Linn brand enhanced AT-93 stock priced at $90 (had been $75 for some time before then), this at a time when one could have had a new AT-95E for circa $30, or stick an ATN-95E replacement stylus on their yellow Basik for even less.
 
Bob McC said:
You were wrong then and you are wrong now.
The LV-V was not available in 1977.
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Craig B said:
Basik LV V was introduced in 1980 and originally included an OEM version of the audio-technica AT-750 with black stylus knob. This cartridge was a short-lived none VM moving magnet that had become audio-technica's default OEM from before AT-3400. By 1982, the included phono cartridge had changed to a Linn branded AT-93 which came to be known as yellow Basik. LV V was dropped in 1983 with the introduction of Basik LV X. Yellow Basik continued on as the included MM and was also packaged in bubble card and sold on its own until the introduction of K9 in 1985. I clearly recall the local dealer having the last of their Linn brand enhanced AT-93 stock priced at $90 (had been $75 for some time before then), this at a time when one could have had a new AT-95E for circa $30, or stick an ATN-95E replacement stylus on their yellow Basik for even less.
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Thanks both - so first owner of my LP12 must have "upgraded" - what would a 1977 LP12 have had for an arm originally that an LV-V would have been an upgrade for I wonder?
 
Dowser said:
Thanks both - so first owner of my LP12 must have "upgraded" - what would a 1977 LP12 have had for an arm originally that an LV-V would have been an upgrade for I wonder?
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By 1977, the Grace G-707 had taken over from the SME 3009 Series II/S2 imp that had been the default tonearm choice(s) previously.
 
Craig B said:
By 1977, the Grace G-707 had taken over from the SME 3009 Series II/S2 imp that had been the default tonearm choice(s) previously.
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i Wonder whether either were beaten by the LV-V? Certainly not by the time I bought it 20 odd years later - I’d suggest bearings were a good half mm off, there’s a post here from me somewhere being surprised at the difference nipping them up made (with a DL-110 from memory)
 
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