2. analog
  3. 174360-170298

dumb down an LP-12

Ok so i decided to put together a  sound system for my office which is 2000 miles away from home and where I can spend weeks at a time. At home I have an MA-5200 and the accompanying macd player (with a dac input).

I had a music hall cd25.2 kicking arround (which i thought had a dac i could input into but i guess i waas remembering the mcintosh.)

I bought a croft integrated (sounded fun to goof around with tubes) will use the MH 25.2 which i thought i could stream into (nope). and I needed a table.  Tables have gotten very expensive in last ten years.....I have a cheap rega (rp2?) back home and never really felt much either way about it.

I thought - "hey your goofing around with tubes why not get a cool looking old TT and enjoy the look and vibe if the newer stuff has gotten this pricey..."

I bought an LP12 with troika for 15oo bucks. now I have learned a few scary things (SUT, HEAD amp, PARIS?) but its the setup finickiness that scares me. I wonder if going to an MM cartridge could avoid the gut-wrenching SUT decision and make the table less a musical instrument that needs to be tuned itself and more a device that plays music. 

Be nice - I am.

rand24us
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,835 posts
 

Nice choice of table. Unfortunately, in order to get the best out of your Linn, it needs to be set up correctly. This table is not an unbox it and drop it in solution. 

I would suggest that you find a Linn dealer who can set up the table for you. Once that is done, for your situation, I would think the choice of cartridge will be far less of a factor.

ghdprentice
6,362 posts
 

I own a contemporary Linn LP 12. The LP12 was and continues, with upgrades to be a great turntable. The setup difficulties have primarily been in the initial table set up… the sprung suspension. One of the cool things is with a few upgrades your table could be upgraded to a contemporary world class performing turntable. Unless you like detailed mechanical work… doesn’t sound like you do, would be better performed by a dealer.

 

Happinly my audio guy loves Linn and is a Master Linn certified technician. So, he set it up new. I think a cartridge set up is mostly like a cartridge set up on most tables.

So for me, I bought the turntable and plugged it into my phono stage and away I went… what support equipment do you have? I have heard the name set up transformer… don’t know what it is… and after nearly sixty years with turntables never needed one. You can see my setup under my ID.

 

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,404 posts
 

The Croft Integrated will sound great with a good MM like an Audio Technica VM750SH/VM760SLC.  Replace stock tubes with NOS Telefunkens for big improvement in SQ.

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

"Linn Certified Mechanic" - LOL! I am now onto my second LP12. Set up is just  adjusting the springs for a nice bounce. It only has to be done when changing arms . Fifteen - twenty minutes work. I do it myself. No need for a "specialist". The LP12 is the most over-rated TT! NOT worth what the tricked-out new ones sell for!

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