Good to hear, DaveyF. I'm considering a Radikal upgrade(based on needle-drops, mostly, and comments). The Kore is said to be better than the standard subchasis, and much cheaper than the Keel. Who did your work(I live in Northern California.)?
Linn LP 12... anyone else still like this design?
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Hi mmakshak, like I said in my last post, IF you can go for the Radikal it's a BIG improvement. Kore is definitely a step up over the older standard sub chassis...however, since I replaced mine along with the bearing ( Cirkus) I cannot tell you which is the bigger improvement, BUT all very worthwhile IMO. As for the "fettling", well as we both know, finding someone to do this is no longer an easy task in the western US. If you would like, I will PM you with my "fettler" ---BUT you have a few more options than I living in N.Calif.
Davey I can vouch for Jack D's comments on the Funk Firm mods to the LP12.
I had the full works on mine 4 years ago - new supports, armboard, DC motor and external power supply and rewired Ittok and carbon fibre arm.
It did not take away the PRAT features but made it a lot more accurate and neutral removing the traditional bloom.
I confess I have just changed it for a near mint Townshend Rock V which I have fancied for a long time and have not regretted it, but the Funk Firm mods are a really worthwhile exercise for a traditional Linn LP12 and a helluva lot cheaper than a new one.
I don't know if they are available in the US but if they are I would recommend any LP12 user to check them out.
I had the full works on mine 4 years ago - new supports, armboard, DC motor and external power supply and rewired Ittok and carbon fibre arm.
It did not take away the PRAT features but made it a lot more accurate and neutral removing the traditional bloom.
I confess I have just changed it for a near mint Townshend Rock V which I have fancied for a long time and have not regretted it, but the Funk Firm mods are a really worthwhile exercise for a traditional Linn LP12 and a helluva lot cheaper than a new one.
I don't know if they are available in the US but if they are I would recommend any LP12 user to check them out.
Hi Barry, the dealer who "fettled" my LP12 is a Funk Firm dealer as well. The Funk Firm mods don't really do much for me...not my "cup of tea" as they say
.Rob, great guess...DM is the man. I think he knows more about Linn's than anyone else south of LA! I kept my WTA as DM and I both feel that the WTA is a better sounding arm than the Ekos and Ekos 2. Upgrade to the Ekos SE...not sure IF I'm going to go in that direction.
. I think he knows more about Linn's than anyone else south of LA! I kept my WTA as DM and I both feel that the WTA is a better sounding arm than the Ekos and Ekos 2. Upgrade to the Ekos SE...not sure IF I'm going to go in that direction.Thanks Davey.Hi Barry, the dealer who "fettled" my LP12 is a Funk Firm dealer as well. The Funk Firm mods don't really do much for me...not my "cup of tea" as they say
You are right the Funk mods are not everybody's cup of tea but certainly the full works mods I had done really cleaned up the sound on my system,
Rob, great guess...DM is the man
many of the LP12s that left the store DM worked for had WTAs on them. i know it works really well as i've owned the setup before, i also had an ekos and the difference was the bass - the ekos has greater extension. the trade off as i recall was sound staging, the LP12/WTA combo could float images like nothing else the ekos wasnt as impressive in that regard.
Great memory, Rob. You summed up the difference between the two arms well. Personally,I would rather have an arm that can float images like the WTA can than one that is superior in bass extension. ( Particularly in my small room). The WTA isn't weak in the bass, but IMO does lose out to the Ekos arm and possibly the Aro in that one area. Not sure IF the Ekos SE solves the soundstage problem of the earlier arms...
I need to listen more--which as we all know is so VERY hard to do when comparing arms.Analogue innovation
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Ultra-rigid carbon fibre BLACK DIAMOND Racing Cones, mounted on threads inserted in the plinth, providing the most direct vibration "drain" to ground.
Sounds fantastic!
Do you have a link to purchase these that you might be willing to share?
Thx much and best wishes,
Don
Sure Don! Here's a link...
BLACK DIAMOND RACING...
Looks like they are selling for $90 CAD for a trio.
I recall buying a round dozen back in the day - at least 20-years ago - giving me a bit of flexibility in terms of 4 sets of 3 OR 3 sets of 4.
Not cheap, but NO REGRETS!
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Thank you for the link!Sure Don! Here's a link...
BLACK DIAMOND RACING...
Looks like they are selling for $90 CAD for a trio.
I recall buying a round dozen back in the day - at least 20-years ago - giving me a bit of flexibility in terms of 4 sets of 3 OR 3 sets of 4.
Not cheap, but NO REGRETS!
Too bad they only sell in sets of 3.
You almost really have to order 4 sets then.
Best wishes,
Don
Maybe they would be happy to sell you 4?
Perhaps ask them the question?
Every business needs sales, these days...
the LP12 is a rigid, low-mass design with little stored energy. Isolating it from floor-born vibration/foot falls is the crucial aspect to its installation. You're suggesting the opposite, that there's stored energy needing to be drained? I also noticed you removed the base board. I've used the solid CNC'd Tangerine Audio base which provides extreme rigidity and damping. Me thinks removing the base board would exacerbate resonances, not alleviate them.
Removing the LP12 baseboard is popular globally - but does put little fingers at risk of AC shock - unless you are running a DC motor, like me.
One option for AC motor users, is to cover the base with a weed-mat type fabric, again emulating an open base, but keeping little fingers out.
YMMV, but do try it first and have a listen.
With regard to feet: Because the LP12 motor bonds to the top plate - very firmly attached to the plinth - motor noise (vibration) will find its way through the belt and sub-platter to the stylus, unless you offer it a more attractive and direct route to ground. This is why the plinth needs an ultra-rigid "drain" to ground.
Typically, propping the LP12 plinth up on wooden children's blocks - to lift any soft, compliant feet off the support base - is a great starting point, if you want to see how the deck sounds with improved vibration drain to ground. Obviously, if you become convinced, wooden blocks can be bettered.
The LP12 suspension still isolates the deck from the floor, so no worries there.
Try and decide for yourself. Few revert...
As an aside, have you heard a "springless" LP12 yet? If not - you should!
Our LP12 is springless - installed AUDIOSILENTE Silicone Mushrooms instead - and even with our robot vacuum cleaner bumping into the stereo cabinet, our LP12 never flinches during play... Impressive!
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Glad to see them still getting playtime so many decades later , a Game changer of a table many decades ago for sure ..!
Regards
Regards
The LP12 is a turntable I have used in one form or another since I was 15.
I flirted with other TTs during the late 1980s for a few years, but promptly returned to LP12 ownership.
I currently run two LP12s in my systems.
Now have a Karousel bearing and a Zeta arm to fit to the main deck soon.
Now off researching suitable carts for the Zeta arm which has an effective mass of 16 grams so a high medium to high mass arm.
Simon
I flirted with other TTs during the late 1980s for a few years, but promptly returned to LP12 ownership.
I currently run two LP12s in my systems.
Now have a Karousel bearing and a Zeta arm to fit to the main deck soon.
Now off researching suitable carts for the Zeta arm which has an effective mass of 16 grams so a high medium to high mass arm.
Simon
SKODA used to make a car with the very best implementation of a "rubber donut" - instead of a universal joint - to connect the driveshaft. The rotation of the wheels relied upon the rubber donut to transfer the torque smoothly and reliably.
SKODA made the best rubber donut design around!
There were much better ways to spin a driveshaft, however - and now the rubber donut is gone from the high-octane world of motoring, forever.
Similarly, I'm a big fan of our beloved LINN LP12 - but our LP12 never sounded better than after the springs were completely removed and replaced with silicone mushrooms.
Even the best ideas get improved upon... eventually.
SKODA made the best rubber donut design around!
There were much better ways to spin a driveshaft, however - and now the rubber donut is gone from the high-octane world of motoring, forever.
Similarly, I'm a big fan of our beloved LINN LP12 - but our LP12 never sounded better than after the springs were completely removed and replaced with silicone mushrooms.
Even the best ideas get improved upon... eventually.
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