Thoughts on the Linn LP12 turntable

As an owner of a contemporary Linn LP12 (almost Klimax) I can say unqualified that today’s Linn LP12’s perform at levels commiserate with their cost, competitive with units of many ten’s of thousands dollars. You can see my system under my UserID.
 

From my research and experience Linn has advanced continuously over the last decades besting their competitors while allowing all older tables to be upgraded to contemporary performance. 
 

I am currently listening to my Linn LP12 with a Koetsu Rosewood Signature using a Audio Reseach Reference 3 Phonostage… this combination is simply breathtaking.

@daveyf

+1.

@uncleang Seiously? “I’ve always seen LP12’s as a giant money pit with ’upgrades’ that are actually ’fixes’”

Refinement marches on. Over the last fifty years I have pursued high end audio and the changes have been truly amazing. Linn has shown they have what it takes to sell something high end with integrity. Like Leica and Nikon… invest with them and they will support you. The company will bring you along as they assault the state of the art, if you want to go with them. Linn has dedicated themselves to a really good design and improve, improve, and improve endlessly. I have seen this technique, time after time used by the Japanese: for instance used in the design of Namiki Fountain Pens. Classic design with every aspect refined over and over again to achieve perfection. Try one, one of the best three companies in the world producing fountain pens.

My friend and audio dealer talks about the Linn turntables he has “repaired from dealer setup”. Where carefully designed 3D washers are installed upside down, springs, mixed up…the deck not remotely leveled.

The contemporary Linn is an incredibly refined and sophisticated turntable. It’s incredible small size and this sophistication requires someone that can read English to set it up. After that, it needs no one to touch it for years. Any finickiness of forty years ago is long gone.

The ability to upgrade a great sounding <$5K deck to a world class performing turntable is a huge benefit not a shortfall.

Someone compared an AR turntable to a Linn… seriously? There is and has been no comparison. I owned an AR in about 1980, then added a VPI Aries in about 1987… there is no comparison in SQ between the AR and the Linn. The Linn is and always has been leagues above the AR. The background noise, of the AR is horrible… dynamics are equally poor. 

@daveyf

+1

The audio technology of the 1970’s and now are like the slide rule compared to a super computer for calculations. Every aspect of high end audio have fundamentally and profoundly improved over the last fifty years. Linn is one of the prospering companies because they continued to do research and development and push the high end… like companies like Conrad Johnson, Audio Research, Sonus Faber, Wilson. Look at the phone in 1970… look at the phone in your hand… an iPhone? Look at the difference… that represents progress… high end audio is very much like that.

I can’t imagine what a fantastic deal it would have been had I bought my LP12 in the 1970’s and been able to upgrade it periodically to be able to have the incredible performance I get today from my contemporary LP12. The sound I get is really amazing.

Also, I have had time to spend with Linn’s DACs and Streamers… wow. Over the last ten years or so… they have really gotten it together as a high end company. 

This thread reminds me of many Leica camera threads.

I have been a long time Nikon owner since the 70’s. Top of the line stuff for that last 20 years. I bought a Leica M10.

The Leica M series often reputed as the best camera of its format. Forums posts endlessly claiming them over priced anachronism/ best camera in the world. Much about “The Leica Look”. Often described as the analog look.

I shot my M10 for over a year as I worked on figuring out exactly what made it different. At long last I was able to describe exactly what it was about its rendering that was unique and exceptional. Folks with decades of experience with Leica generally agreed with me.

There is no question most of the very best photos I have ever taken are with that camera. It results in superior output to Nikon and Canon for many purposes (general photography / with aesthetics as the objective). The Leica lenses and M10 is a marvelous and exceptional camera. Linn LP12 reminds me of this. It gets a lot of criticism often from folks that have had incidental or not optimal exposure. But what propels the brand is its exceptional performance. My LP12 performs much like my Leica M10.

@daveyf 

+1

@no_regrets 

Don, thanks. I completely agree. 

OP,

Honestly neither did I. I did a huge amount of research before swapping out my VPI turntable for a new Linn , and have listened to high end tables for years. If you read the professional reviews and listen to contemporary tables the Linn is near or at the top of most price categories in which they compete ($5K - $30K). They have been nearly forever.

@no_regrets 

Beautiful system! And room. 

@mijostyn

Peoples values in sound vary considerably. It is appropriate you voice your opinion based on your experience. As we do with different experiences than you have had.

When I recently chose an LP12 over a Sota (which I really wanted to be my choice), VPI, Basis, Walker… a number of others it was based on a lot of research, listening (not all… I did not listen to Sota ). But recent professional reviews were that Sota had not kept up. … A good friend who loved them and had heard contemporary ones could not recommend them versus Linn, Basis and other contemporary tables. I had to listen to the overwhelming evidence.

I love the idea of owning a Sota… and I may buy one just for fun at some point. However, I can say with certainty the contemporary Linn LP12 is an exceptional table worthy of the cost. It’s performance is exceptional. There are many exceptional tables in it’s price range. One could be very happy with any one of them.