Having a contemplative listening session - and reminding myself what a lovely piece of engineering an LP12 is. One of my most treasured material possessions.
Visually, your LP12 @Endon is quite similar to mine. Only obvious differences are your Cartridge (Linn Krystal - ?) and a Trampolin (or related) base.
Otherwise, remarkably close…
Yes- Tramp 2 lingo 2 and Krystal. I hope you get as much pleasure from your LP12 as I do.
I keep telling myself that I have reached the sweet spot in terms of upgrades- but visiting this site challenges that idea!!
Only Lingo Mk1 here - and that is a recent addition - along with the Kore.
My deck is from 1981. It has the standard hardboard base - but is on a separate stand, on a solid floor - so not likely to move. My cartridge is a Dynavector 10X - which has been my choice since 1979 (I had one in my Rega Planar 2 and this was transferred to my then new LP12, with a Rega R200 arm).
A more recent photo:
And it shows it looks well loved and is giving great pleasure.
Mine is an 1983- has an AM (Agnes Munro) label inside.
My Krystal is fairly used now and plan on auditioning a Dynavector when I come to replace it. My understanding is that they work really well with older LP12’s and Ittok. You have kept the faith since 1979 which is impressive!
Yes - and no. I changed to a Linn Asak in 1983, then an Asaka in '87, but switched back to a DV10X in 2001. TBH, I could not afford the keep running Linn MC’s, so dropping back to a DV10X made sense. It also meant I could used Naim N boards.
Ironically, some on here (they know who they are…!), tempted me to experiment with Naim E Boards, which is what I now use with my DV.
I timed my swap to the Cirkus bearing all wrong. Had I waited I could have got one cheaply, once the Karousel came out. But I have managed recently, to pick up a pre-loved Lingo and then a Kore.
I have looked inside my LP12, but there is no name recorded…
I have read before of looking for the initials of the builder inside the LP12, and that ‘AM’ (Agnes Munro) is the preferred builder.
Where inside the deck would I find the builder’s initials, how many other builders have made the deck over the years, and is there objectively any difference, particularly when owners (like me) have made so many changes to the deck itself?
Only geeks or nerds need reply to this!
As a geek and a nerd I am happy to answer!!
Stuck to the inside of the plinth - I think at the rear- is an old fashioned looking quality assurance sticker with AM written on it. I have a photo somewhere so will post if I can find it.
I am sure the sound is not any different with or without an AM sticker. My plinth is pre- braced so that’s much more likely to be relevant!
Agnes was quite a star at Linn back in the day so it is that historical reference that I am fond of.
I don’t recall AM being inside my old plinth…mine was pre-braced too.
Great photo, ta
Dammit, a trip to the loft beckons.
Thank you, Endon. I have the plinth off the LP12, as I will be sending it shortly to Grahams in London, who are putting together a deck for my son. That will be easy enough to check when I get home.
That looks very classy indeed, good show!
The tonearm looks (unless my memory is playing tricks on me) rather like the Syrinx of old. Is there any link between the two?
It does - and I believe there is…
Thanks Graham… As I understand it, the arm is an evolution of the Syrinx arms. Hand-built by John Nilsen (Audio Origami). It sounds incredible and is beautifully made.
Thanks for that confirmation. It looks great, but I wonder if it’s a bit ‘nervous’ or ‘skittish’ (which used to be said of the Syrinx, as I recall).
I’ve had my ARO for some 30 years now, and I wouldn’t change it for anything, although I have wondered about getting my dealer to get in and fit the Cymbiosis armlift thingy (can’t remember its name) before my cueing hand starts to get doddery with my advancing years. (I’ve never seen the Cymbiosis armlift other than in photos, and I’ve never read comments from users, but it looks OK, and may prove useful.)
PS I’ve now checked, it’s called ‘The Lifter’, which is pretty logical.
“The Lifter” is also made by Audio Origami. Peter at Cymbiosis mentioned it earlier when he was fitting my PU7. The PU7 doesn’t seem “skittish”. Do you mean in terms of handling? I’d certainly need a Lifter based on my (limited) experience of an Aro. It’s a lovely sounding arm but I didn’t enjoy cueing it, especially as a) it wasn’t mine and b) was fitted with a mega bucks cartridge!!
Gone.
Thanks, Basil, it’s one big happy family, really.
But surely that’s not the lifting device in use on your arm, or is it?