Can you top this ?


This is a true story. Just wondering if anyone else can tell a better audio horror story. I got a tip from a nice young audio salesman that a client of his had a Linn LP 12 for sale. It seems the fellow had returned from New Zealand and didn't know what to do about the voltage conversion. I made contact with this fellow who told me about this turntable guru in Florida that had modified this piece for maximum performance and prepared it for the 220v used down under. What I saw saddened and sickened me. Now understand, the owner has a REALLY nice Levinson system, is an accomplished musician and is highly educated. The base looked like it was made in junior high school shop class. The suspension was gone. The armboard was plywood. This thing was bolted together with 1/4-20 bolts. It had a Fidelity Reasearch arm and MC cartridge. The dustcover had been drilled on the backside for two short piano hinges. A small strip of aluminum was attached to the front of the dustcover for cosmetics?? There was a prop rod for the dustcover. Four huge chrome feet were attached at the base. He wanted to show it to me in more detail so into the kitchen it went under the light. He removed the platter and simply turned the thing upside down to show me the 50 HZ motor. When I asked why it was modified in this fashion he told me that it was too sensitive and skipped when people walked. I asked what it sounded like compared to his Mission CD player and he was at a loss for words. He finally asked how "my" Linn sounded compared to "my" CD player. I tried my best to be gentle with my reply by saying that digital music sounds very good today (it does) but that due to my age I have an extensive library of vinyl and place my emphasis there. I know after having re-read this post that I am not doing an adequate job of describing the TOTAL hack job done to this once fine piece. True story folks and it just happened today. Hope I sleep okay tonight.
lugnut
I see that kind of stuff on a daily basis. Not only does it make me mad, i feel sorry for the poor person that had that type of stuff pulled on them. What passes for a "professional modifier" or "tech" in the RF field nowadays is pretty sickening. The scary thing is that people actually pay good money ( sometimes EXTREMELY high amounts ) for this stuff and think that everything is working as good as possible because a "pro" did the work. That is, until they see what can really be done and usually for far less money. Then they get REALLY pissed, some of them wanting to literally pound the "professional tweaker" into the dirt. Quite honestly, i don't blame them one bit. Sean
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PS... some of the "professional tweaking" that i've seen done on audio gear is no better. I would be ashamed to say that i had done work of that calibre.
Lugnut, haven't you seen people do the same thing to an automobile?

Still, It is a shame for someone to ruin a nice player like the Linn LP12. Perhaps you should let him hear your player so he knows he has been taken advantage of.