After owning my LP12 for 35 years I am trading it in for a Brinkmann Balance.
It is with some sadness as the LP12 got me into hifi all those years ago and has been my constant companion.
But after having heard a Vertere MG-1 (far ahead of an Akurate LP12) and then Brinkmann (in totally another league) it was ultimately a very easy decision.
I do wonder to what extent the continued popularity of the LP12 is due to some form of nostalgia that also kept me under its spell for so long rather than its actual sonic merits.
Argh caveat that I have sometimes been seen as the anti Linn around these parts. However, I would mention 2 significant moments. Back in the 1980s I used to go to a dealer who used to demo the LP12/Valhalla/Ittok vs Michell Focus/Mayware and the common consent of those that attended the demo was that the Focus was considerably ahead. But I already had an Ariston RD80/Linn LVX so bought neither.
Roll forward to 2008 and I’m in the market for a new TT and I demo’d Xerxes vs LP12(Ekos) vs Avid Volvere vs Rega P9. However, not all the decks were in the room at the same but I managed to have each at home separately. To my ears all made great music but the Avid and Xerxes were in terms of dynamics and involvement (the musical experience) very considerably ahead and ultimately I went with the Xerxes. However, I’ve been to numerous listening sessions where a Linn has been the TT and it’s always good. Ultimately it’s subjective and personal choice.
Congrats for your purchase ! The Brinkman balance is looking very nice, specially on HRS platform.
Have you taken the Roont ps ?
What is the cart and phono?
Been a Linn user since 1981 and was at Cymbiosis for a couple of upgrades this weekend so heavily invested in my LP12, but did like the looks of the Verterel MG-1. I also just happen to be listening to Tower of Power Back to Oakland when the track Don’t Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream) started to play when I started to read this thread could it be a subliminal message from Glasgow?
I’m sure it has an impact on many of us. Also, sometimes people stop comparing and settle with what they like most at that point in time. It can get a bit tiresome doing these comparisons, especially if you keep on preferring the LP12 each time. I’m sure many people think, ‘enough is enough - I’m just gonna stick with this now and perhaps do an occasional upgrade to the deck.’
Glad you’re enjoying the Brinkmann. Not heard one myself
Thank you! I didn’t order the platform - I am getting a slightly bigger glass shelf made for my Fraim and will see how it goes. I’ve heard good things about the Ront but that will have to wait. Cartridge is Lyra Kleos SL and I’m sticking with my Superline for now as well.
The Vertere does look very nice and sounds great. What I didn’t like about it is that the PSU transformer is a wall wart - I expect a bit more for £10k. Also the arm looks a little, hmm, delicate and doesn’t have a damped arm lift.
I am in the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ camp.
Like many, I am a long term LP12 owner (41 years), & it has always sounded fine to me, whatever I have paired it with. I have therefore never considered another TT but confess that I have no idea how good it actually is against all the current competition.
It may well be that if I were looking for my first top class TT today I would prefer several of the LP12s rivals but, due to what I consider it’s excellent performance, I have no interest in finding out.
I understand those rather more curious (& not as lazy?) as me who are keen to explore alternatives. But I also suspect I am not alone in being satisfied in what I have already got!
I’ve reached the same conclusion re LP12s (as a breed), the primary aspect being that to transform an LP12 you need to get a Tangerine Stiletto plinth IMHO, which tightens everything up, probably their base-plate too. The difference to an ordinary wooden plinth is alarming.
But this is super expensive (>£7k more all in IIRC), on top of other LP12 upgrades – and this all assumes you have the Klimax Radikal casing. How/why this should be necessary to provide a basic PS for a TT motor & timing stability is beyond me.
The challenge in this is working out where your personal point of inflexion is, as used higher-spec LP12s don’t tend to command attractive re-sales values, such that it could be better to break the deck down(?).
I may be wrong but there is a way to get rid of the Vertere wall wart. They have a device called a Challenger that the Tempo drive of the MG-1 plugs into. Supposed to further improve the sound as well. Nonetheless it is weird. An external power supply (Tempo) that has a wall wart….but you can get a second small box Challenger to get rid of the Wall wart.
Does look like a beautiful contemporary table with great sound though. As to the arm I wonder if LP12 owners who want a unipivot can use it? I think it is standard Rega mount and geometry so should work on a Rega Kore?
Some wall warts only contain a transformer, so keeping it away from the rest of the electronics and making it easy to replace with a bigger one in a box should you care to roll the dice.
