HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:14 pm Best thing to do with a LP12.

Stick on a long pole in the middle of the garden, soak it in Paraffin and set light to it. Dance around it singing "good feckin' riddance".

I was giving your post some thought Doc and considered a means of "Disliked kit destruction v2.0". Perhaps a 0.5-1m pile of Thermalite covering the offending article would be more satisfying to watch when ignited with a sparkler or similar.

It's no use, it's embodied black magic and voodoo will save it from the flames....

The legend can never die, many have tried...........It will only become a myth, a martyr if you will.

Like other great hifi components are destined to become.

Quad.
Radford.
BBC
Wonfor.
First Audio
FireBottle
First Watt
Lampzator
Arkless

Etc..etc..etc.......please feel free to add.

Seems Kid Creole is a real wind up merchant.

I do not like the deck because it uses the same principles as the 'RD11', TD150' etc. I have an aversion for those kind of Bouncy long arm board type deck. but for heavens sake if you have one use it. Yes they are classics.

Karnevil9 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 22, 2018 4:34 pm I do not like the deck because it uses the same principles as the 'RD11', TD150' etc. I have an aversion for those kind of Bouncy long arm board type deck. but for heavens sake if you have one use it. Yes they are classics.

Despite common sense telling me otherwise, I still retain a soft spot (I'm in denial about it) for the LP12. It helped pay my wages for decades, so it's unfair for me to totally slag it off.

The belt drive itself I can't objectively comment on, although I do remember hearing a good serviced Garrard 301 having much greater 'pitch' stability in the manner of analogue tape and digital, but the knowledge base built up since the original 1972 RD11's is considerable - for example, the plinth manufacturers and who made the best ones for purpose and so on. The mid 80's white sleeve bearings are to be avoided as they wear out more quickly I gather (I remember the really bad ones which failed in a few hours of use and the worn ones today would be the borderline samples 'saved' by the black oil they developed - motor engine oil and molyslip I remember - I saw the cans at a table and a large 'dispensing jug' where the bottles were being filled)

I know I know, new prices are ridiculous, but one or two of the best dealers for this thing now have a small stock of good condition traded in samples which they can work magic on depending on price and for a grand or so, you could have a top used example re-set up carefully. For some reason, Cymbiosis have a small stock of *good/serviced* Basik Plus arms, which will take most sub £300 cartridges well irrespective of the deck they're on, but they do need checking first as careless numpties can ruin them terminally imo...

Oh and I repeat, *musically* and pitch/wow aside, this deck ate a Rega for breakfast if it was set up properly!!! And apparently a well sorted older one still does!!! A mid 70's Jap direct drive may well be a good performing mugs eyeful, but it ain't the same and neither does it entertain the listener in the same way like a good working old fruitbox does, whatever the back story and all the other shit this thing's surrounded itself with over the decades...

P.S. if you have a PL-71, Sony 6750 or better Technics, then you wouldn't be reading this far and you can sit back smugly these days while these decks are still running. LP12 owners are a different lot - and it seems almost nothing can prise them away from it!

I had one from around circa 1974 with a Grace arm & cart, at the time i thought it was great, i only sold it to buy something different, the different wernt any better sounding just easier to use for me.

There we go again with the "set up properly", "set up carefully", "work magic on", "well sorted" rubbish. We only hear that stuff when people a talking about the bloody LP12! A decent TT should need nothing more than levelling and the cartridge aligned to do it's job.

Considering all they have to do is spin the record at 33.3 I perplexed how it could eat a rega for breakfast.

Dsjr just confirm you never compared the tts without differing arm and cartridges.

lol all i used to do was use my old Sound Organisation Turntable stand, remove the stand MDF shelf, put the deck sideways across it, level the stand, place a piece of correct thickness acrylic all around, between the platter & stainless top plate, adjust the suspension so the gap was equal, just like you set up the old STD turntable. NO B.S.. 5 mins job.