Thasalmon,
I've had 2 Linn lp12s, a used one from about 73 (!) believe it or not, and my current "anniversary" edition (1999).
I'm not going to say I would recommend it over another table, it's just the table I wound up owning for various reasons. The lp12 has its pros and cons. Getting it to sound right can be a PITA, but it has a certain musicality within certain constraints. I think it basically comes down to taste. Bass can lack control as Jackcob points out, although this can be tamed somewhat through setup.
To see how much you really like your table you should do the following (if you havent already):
Make sure arm bearings are good (set everything to "zero" on the tonearm settings and the arm should float (when tapped) effortlessly without interruption or irregular movements. if not it will cost around $500 to fix the Ittok.
Once you've established the bearings are good, NEVER tighten or loosen cartridge bolts with the arm attached to the table or you may ruin the arm bearings. I have ruined the bearings on an Akito by doing just that.
Get the best Linn set-up guy you can find to tweak your table.
Place table on a rigid surface perfectly leveled (from the platter of the table). Good choices: Sound Org floor stand (that's what I've got), Target wall shelf, Apollo wall shelf, Ikea end table (good $15 alternative). Use the heavier of the two Ikea end tables, the light one lacks warmth sonically.
Like I said I'm not endorsing the lp12, just throwing out some critical points I have found neccesary to make it sound acceptable. Best of luck whatever happens! :)
I've had 2 Linn lp12s, a used one from about 73 (!) believe it or not, and my current "anniversary" edition (1999).
I'm not going to say I would recommend it over another table, it's just the table I wound up owning for various reasons. The lp12 has its pros and cons. Getting it to sound right can be a PITA, but it has a certain musicality within certain constraints. I think it basically comes down to taste. Bass can lack control as Jackcob points out, although this can be tamed somewhat through setup.
To see how much you really like your table you should do the following (if you havent already):
Make sure arm bearings are good (set everything to "zero" on the tonearm settings and the arm should float (when tapped) effortlessly without interruption or irregular movements. if not it will cost around $500 to fix the Ittok.
Once you've established the bearings are good, NEVER tighten or loosen cartridge bolts with the arm attached to the table or you may ruin the arm bearings. I have ruined the bearings on an Akito by doing just that.
Get the best Linn set-up guy you can find to tweak your table.
Place table on a rigid surface perfectly leveled (from the platter of the table). Good choices: Sound Org floor stand (that's what I've got), Target wall shelf, Apollo wall shelf, Ikea end table (good $15 alternative). Use the heavier of the two Ikea end tables, the light one lacks warmth sonically.
Like I said I'm not endorsing the lp12, just throwing out some critical points I have found neccesary to make it sound acceptable. Best of luck whatever happens! :)