I would be careful in thinking/regarding a Woodsong plinth’ed as being the pinnacle of an LP12 set-up.
It’s very clear the plinth can have a material bearing on the sound and, of course, not all woods are the same - and Linn’s plinth offer great VFM in relative terms.
I have heard stories of some heavier-wood plinths (not sure by who - there’s not just Woodsong out there) which have dulled the replay - what this is down to is anyone’s guess. Sure, aesthetically, some of the after-market plinths look great - I have a W.
And then there’s the issue of the top-plate, how it’s fixed and how strong it is in supporting the suspension and innards.
What I do know, as I’ve heard it, is that the machined from solid-billet Stiletto plinth is so much better, probably due to the rigidity and vibration management this brings. But is it an LP12?
I´d rather doubt that effect to be of such great effect because tonearm and platter are highly isolated from the plinth, top plate and ground. There may well be something there, but it will be much too small in size to be really reproducible and to be assigned to be caused by either plinth or top plate.
Good point. My own LP12 was supplied by and fitted by Peter from Cymbiosis. I fancied a fluted black plinth but Linn had stopped making them so I chose one by Simon Price which was not as expensive as Woodsongs. This is my only experience with an LP12. I take your point that there are many variations (Harban plinths for example) and that sound as well as beauty are in the ears and eyes of the beholders. Perhaps I should have been more careful with my wording. I do think that the Tangerine Audio Stiletto’s one piece aluminium plinth/top plate with it’s brushed black finish is a lovely visual fit with some of the Naim range.
Yes - I covet one of these (too?) but the cost factors are, in relative terms, immense (IMV) and guide me to consider alternative vinyl spinners if I ever got serious about upgrading further. Plus, my dealer suggests it’s advisable to get TA’s baseboard too.
Several years back I tried to get an audition of a TA-pimped LP12 against an SME20/3a (SME V arm) and a.n.other. Unfortunately, SME then altered their outlets post a change in distributor and it was on then off. All-in, the SME was somewhat cheaper than the ‘LP12’.
The Stiletto really does clean things up from my listen to it…with Karousel I assume even more so.
…am not sure my humble wall TT shelf would take any more weight in any event!!! One thing leads to another in this hi-fi lark.
Regardless of what sounds better, there’s nothing to compare to the aesthetic quality of a Woodsong plinth. I have never seen any wood on any item have a finish like my Woodsong and this finish brings out a very magical appearance. There will always be a place for a beautiful piece of hifi like a wooden LP12.
I’ve never heard a Stiletto, but I don’t like the look of it at all. Also, I don’t like what alloy top plates do to the sound, so I don’t think for one minute that an alloy plinth is automatically better just because it’s one piece.
The Karousel really lifted the Stiletto/Eklipse LP12 to new hights. My sample has black Klimax Radikal, Keel, Urika 2, Ekos SE and Kandid. My dealer (who do not normally like anything non-Linn) was also impressed! It has that mastertape quality to it…clarity, flow, projection, prat etc
I agree. Much as I like the look of the Tangerine Stiletto, especially with the flutes, I prefer a wooden plinth. I have a Harban wenge plinth with a Tangerine Karmen top plate, which seem to work well together. The advantage of the machined top plate is a better interface with the plinth, so long as the plinth is flat, of course. I have posted pictures of it on this forum before, but here it is on this thread. BTW Must get a Karousel!
Why was black ash so popular when I got mine all those years ago! Saw older wood finish LP12’s and dismissed them as old hat as black was in, how things come full circle!
An age-old question about when does a player turn in to a FrankenLinn LP12 - and let’s start with is an LP12 actually a unique product, given the provenance of its design fundamentals pre-date Linn with, arguably, Linn taking these to a new level and the wider market.
As Naim proved early doors, speed stability & the arm could be improved upon/other equally good options provided. Now, there’s plenty of 3rd-party stuff out there, in many respects this borne from Linn not developing out the player/design further, which left room for things like different/better top-plates…unless you are wedded (should that be welded!) to the s/s plating. And then there’s the costs…which have left room for 3rd parties to offer very similar bits of kit but at lower cost. Of course, some kit (like the TA Stiletto) changes the sound (for the better IMV) but at substantial cost.
My mind bends to the fact that with so many variants of the ‘LP12’ out there, ‘LP12’ is simply a generic labelling and wouldn’t define as a ‘Linn LP12’ unless everything on it is Linn (inc the cartridge - I don’t like the Linn house sound).
…and as seems to be the case, virtually everything which an ‘LP12’ is built from, can affect the sound (even the grommets!).
If the modification was not Naim sanctioned then no, it would no longer be a Naim amp, or at least not until Naim were able to return it to the amp they designed and built.
Something that has puzzled me for a while. With mass production of plinths I accept that the timber may go through a selection process for size, defects and then is used for economy. With the aftermarket, select plinths I wonder if the makers are missing a trick. It depends on the timber, but often I see grain on the front that looks like the unhappy emoji.
Many years ago I was shown the jewellers display trick for clearing unwanted stock. Set the hands of a clock at ten to two and it smiles and sells, set them at twenty to four and is is unhappy and bypassed.
On the few plinths where the grain pattern dips in the centre, they look happy to me and then, does this have a more pleasing effect when using the deck?
I’m obviously not Dedicated enough ( sly Kinks reference! ) - never particularly liked the black Ash plinths, and especially the non-fluted ones…no character IMHO…must try harder!