Show us your Sondek

Deja Vu…

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A smart quip, no doubt, but I won’t be changing either of my Armageddons.

But it would be nice to actually see your LP12 Armageddons in some new photos, Graham. That’s all.
I’m more than happy that you like your set ups, honest.

Let’s see more of them… :+1:t3:

I have Lingo 1 serviced with IEC inlet filter removed, serviced by Darran at Class A.

It sounds very good. However, I am planning on a Radikal very soon. And a 552 of course.

My LP12 sounds top notch with Ekos 2, Trampolin 2, Linn T Kable and Tom Evans The Groove + SRX power supply, Karousel and Kore. Nice Dynavector XX2 Mk2 cart.

With Radikal should be in a good place.

I may do the Keel and go Ekos SE.

But one thing at a time. 552 is more of priority tbh.

I haven’t listened to the Aro arm so can’t comment. Lots here rave about them.

I must say my Ekos 2 is rather nice. Maybe I should stick with it.

Always good to hear everyone’s thoughts on LP12 bits and what’s best way to go.

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Yes that iec inlet filter just played havoc with all the other gear on the same mains circuit. Back in the day it
wasn’t identified.

I like the Ekos alot also Dan. I even liked the Ittok. They are both very dynamic sounding and can thrill on some albums. The ARO is not as dynamic with less zing in the bass but it has a lovely fluid midrange and comes into its own with keel. I also played more albums with ARO/ Geddon than with Ekos/Lingo. The latter sounded great on 30% of albums but could sound overbearing on many more than I appreciated. Still you owna great deck and system overall. I loved the 52 pre.

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The recent changes with phonostage, cart and tonearm brought huge improvement. And everything on my system became so much more alive with 500DR. The amp has the ability to upgrade my sources. Nice Superlumina interconnect on NDS now too.

The deck is very nice. 52 very nice too. What are your thoughts on 52 vs 552?

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Not fluted! An LP12 is not an LP12 if the plinth is not fluted

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Here is the Armageddon supplied by Cymbiosis in August last year, bought from Peter as ‘used’ (@ £500).

I would have been happy to buy new, but the Armageddon is discontinued (very disappointingly so, in my opinion), and I reckon that I was fortunate to get an ‘as new’ one at all.


I’m sorry for the ‘hazy’ photo. I have taken a new one on the iPhone, but it seems then to take an age to transfer the image from the iPhone to this site.

I’ll see what I can do tomorrow, and also (I hope) post a photo of the Olive A’geddon in the main system.

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I’ve never seen a ‘Geddon in the flesh (that I know of, maybe once back in the ol’ Sound Organisation mists…but that may have been too early…dont recall ever hearing one).

Surprised it carries no frontal logo. Looks like a HiCap case, almost.

Almost identical, but the A’geddon never had any backlit illumination in its Olive incarnation, or a bulb in this version. There were concerns, so I have read, that the electrical ‘noise’ of any bulb/illumination would affect the unit’s performance. (The Olive version actually uses luminous green paint inside the front plastic fascia to make it look as if it has internal lighting - rather odd, but rather sweet, I think!)

I am parroting what I have read elsewhere about this unit. Someone who actually understands this may want to add further info.

Ah…if it was introduced in the olive range, I couldn’t have seen one at Sound Org…it was CB back when I hung around London Bridge.

I don’t remember the precise history, Stevie, but I believe that the A’geddon is a product of Naim’s first attempt to build a ‘superdeck’ TT. It didn’t get beyond the development stage because of Naim’s then close relationship with Linn - under which Naim produced electronic gear and Linn produced the TT.

Actually, the original Naim Armageddon was a set modifications to the LP12 born out of Julian Vereker’s exasperation with Linn at what he perceived to be shortcomings of the LP12 that were holding back Naim’s development efforts on amplifiers: There would be little point in improving Naim amplifiers if the result was merely to expose even more ruthlessly the shortcomings of the source most commonly used with them.

Back then, the only superdeck TT that Naim was attempting to build was a souped-up LP12.

More in this post:

Not necessarily Clive - they just present music differently

One day I’ll have both decks going through the 252/SCDR/250DR and that will be the test

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552 is a more refined and fleshed out sound so expect to enjoy more albums if you go down that route Dan IMO. The 52 can thrill though with its incredible leading edge speed🤔 I liken the S1 to a much better version of the 52. But all the Naim pre amps that I’ve owned sounded really good Same with their power amps and streamers.

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Hi Mike,

A big yes.

My previous deck was a Cymbiosis Signature LP12 with Radikal 1, Urika 1, Aro keel and Aro with XV1s. I can’t say with certainty what % the Zeus makes combined with the Karousel and the Javelin but the combination is certainly night and day compared to the previous set up but speed stability is a significant part of it and beyond what the Valhalla can do.

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Just arrived. Unmarked. Now all I need is an LP12 to fit it to :+1:

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Ha take your choice :grinning:

Can’t upload at the moment Cohen for some reason

I’ll try again shortly

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I was counting up the other day and deduced I’ve had 22 upgrades to my LP12 in the 42 years I’ve had it.

The only 2 original parts now are the lid hinges (yes, really) and the outer platter.

I guess that makes it “no longer an original” but I’m happy the end of the road has arrived.

Now at Keel/Ekos SE/Ekstatik/KRad2/Karousel level so that’ll do me.


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