Review Options:
Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating |
|
Reviews 1 - 5 (53 Reviews Total)
|
| Next 15 |
User Reviews
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
HP
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: September 5, 2011
Bottom Line: It is hardly a secret that the earliest versions of this ’table were
far from my expectations or affections. The initial quality of
construction was poor, and, oh boy, was the LP12 ever susceptible
to feedback. Nor did it exactly run on speed.
But: It did have belt drive and, thanks to the religious fervor
of its backers, taught all of us to listen to the “sound” of a
turntable, which, believe me, in that sense, hardly anyone did
before the Linn. And that was its decisive contribution to the art
of turntable design. Because the Linn did not reach down into
the bottom octave or far into the midbass, its midrange and highs
achieved a transparency, which accounted for its “sound,” thus
accounting for the beginning of its legend.
Needless to say, in its evolution, both via the company and
the DIYers, it got better. But I never, as they say Down South cotton to it
Used product for: More than 1 year
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: Pre 1995
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
du marcom
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: January 10, 2011
Bottom Line: I own a linn lp12, which has been upgraded as funds have allowed. The deck spec is now as follows. A cirused lp12 with an armogeddon power supply, naim prefix powered by a hi-cap, naim aro tone arm and a dynavector 17D2 moving coil cartridge. This is amplified by a naim hi-cap 72/ 140 naturally. I can honestly say that this set up gives a true taste of high end performance. The bass is deep and clean, not at all confused, as often stated, mid- range is articulate, and the treble really sings, this I think is due to the signal being amplified closer to the cartridge. As for the sound stage, well it feels like you could touch every instrument. I also own a naim cd3.5 powered by a flat- cap as a second source but i ultimately feel that this is a poor comparison, even though this is a 1000 pounds worth of player. Although this is possibly the best lp12 combination available, if you buy second hand and have the deck upgraded by an lp12 magician, sit back and have your mind blown away. Just a little note of caution. Buy yourself a decent record cleaning machine, a carbon fibre brush on it's own simply won't do and steer clear of digitally remastered albums of the mid-ninetys and you will be in audiophile heaven! Try a copy of Prefab Sprout, Steve McQueen in both formats to see what I mean. If your music leaves you with goose bumps, you now you have arrived in musical heaven
Used product for: More than 1 year
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: Pre 1995
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
servicef
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: April 4, 2010
Bottom Line: This is an excellent turntable. I use an SME tonearm with it and every musical nuance comes through. The turntable has been working without fault for over 20 years. No rumble and speed control (pitch) is right on. It has never been in a repair shop. Once set up I have left it alone. This is the turntable that I recommend of all others that I have owned or heard over the last decades.
Turntables that I have owned in the past. Dual, Thorens, Rega, Ariston, Pink Triangle, Stromberg Carlson, Weathers, Garrard, and many more. Also I recomment the VPI record cleaner, the one that has the means to go forward and reverse. That's the one I own, and it cleans records very well.
Used product for: More than 1 year
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: Pre 1995
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
RockFan
a AudioPhileDate Reviewed: February 14, 2010
Bottom Line: The turntable I should never have bought! Was auditioned against a Roksan Xerxes back in 89. The dealer managed to make both decks sound bad, blaming my kit I'd brought along! The UK hype was so strong back then that I couldn't trust my ears and walk away, and selected the Linn with ITTOK arm. It must be good every one said so!
The deck was delivered and still didn't sound good. I kept the deck as my primary source for 16years but was careful not to listen to too much else, as its speed/pitch shortcomings were ruthlessly revealed by CD players, although I personally don't like CD. I actually got the deck to sound pretty good a few years later by rigging up an Armageddon type supply and on some music like dance music where the coloration didn't matter it could sound stunning. On other older recording things fell apart where the mechanical integrity of the deck was tested, some of this may have been the edgy sounding ITTOK.
Years passed I decided it was time to pull my head out of the sand and try other decks. I bought a Townshend Rock from ebay and immediately here was something that strove toward accuracy and low coloration and was pretty enjoyable to listen to as well. The LP12 sounded rather hollow in comparison, you can really hear the springs in a neutral set up.
As someone said here, if you like the Linn don't listen to anything else in comparison, otherwise you will be sorely dissapointed. Decks like the Townshend Rock Reference absolutely kill the Linn having a combination of the Linns timing but with true bass extension, real world dynamics and neutrality.
Used product for: More than 1 year
Duration Product Used: AudioPhile
Product model year: Pre 1995
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
mag3474
a Audio EnthusiastDate Reviewed: February 13, 2006
Bottom Line: Having owned the eponymous LP12 with Ittok II arm for 2 years now I feel able to comment on its qualities for those intending to pick up a nice used example of this turntable. The suspended design whilst considered at the forefront in its day has now, to my ears, been surpassed by other manufaturers such as Clearaudio, VPI and of course SME.
I have noticed the wide range of comments in other reviews and feel that all of them can, in one way or another, be justified. On the whole, my experience with this turntable has been a good one. Once installed and properly set up (a task in itself) I enjoyed it through the Origin Live advanced dc motor power supply and through a Dino+ phono stage. For good measure I was using an Ortofon Rohmann m/c and the sound was, on the whole, very good with rich tonal imaging, fantastic soundstaging and lots of pace and rhytham.
Put on anything from Mozart to the Pixies and the LP12's character was there to hear with full, ripe and textured music which never lost its pace or rhytham - whatever was thrown at it.
I can completely understand why this turntable would have received such glowing reports from many satisfied owners. This is especially so when one considers I have had to spend almost 10 times the amount on its replacement to notice a worthwhile difference.
At the same time, this excellent used buy should be treated with some caution. Whilst it makes for an excellent second hand buy, there are also some ropey examples with shot suspension and tired arms/bearings. The servicing and careful set up is also a little bit of a bind and ultimately the old adage of 'you get what you pay for' does rear its head when comparing the LP12 to the best of the competition today.
The slighly lumpy(?) and nebulous bass can be mildly distracting on some pieces/ tracks, but I feel I am nit picking when taking into overall consideration what you get for your money.
Properly set up with a good arm and decent cartridge this turntable has delivered two years of musical pleasure to these ears and whilst its replacement is truly stunning - it has come at a significant price hike.
Overall this turntable must receive a qualified recommendation for what it does well rather than its short comings.
Used product for: More than 1 year
Duration Product Used: Audio Enthusiast
Product model year: Pre 1995
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At: ebay
|
Reviews 1 - 5 (53 Reviews Total)
|
| Next 15 |
Review Options:
Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating |
