From the VE Linn 'room.' My LP12 Sounds Crap

[_D_S_J_R_]

Those that know me KNOW what my main expertise in the late 70's to 2004 was, and that was being able to get hopefully good noises out of an LP12. I studied hard in the early days as no two ever came out of the box the same, developed a 'feel' for grommet/spring matching and was meticulous on cable dressing. Whatever one says about wayward part time reviewer Jimmy Hughes, he could get a great sound out of an LP12, even if the arm board wasn't level or symmetrical and the sub-chassis set too high or low and he was a fantastic teacher IMO.....

The thread above just drew me to it like a bee to a honey-pot! The sad thing is, I now KNOW just how far off the boil an 80's or earlier LP12 with 'energetic' medium to high mass arms really is - and it was Linn themselves who showed me. Add thirty years of varied use/abuse and anything bad is possible with these things now - and there's next to nobody there with access to proper spares who are able to fettle them (No, I'm not going to set myself up as my audio interests are elsewhere now).

I suppose my advice is NEVER to buy an elderly LP12 unless you know the sample over considerable time, or have easy access to a friendly (ex?) Linn dealer who knows these things and how badly inconsistent they could be. Shame is, the Cirkus kit, which replaces all the worst and most suspect parts, is now a pretty penny and rather more costly than a used LP12/Ittok I believe.

Oh Gawd, I think I may be posting this in the wrong 'room!' Pleae move if so...