I have to confess being a bit dogmatic on this matter, but as far as I’m concerned if it ain’t fluted afromosia, it ain’t right. These Harban and other fancy wood plinths are all very well, but they’re too blingy for my taste and if an LP12 doesn’t have fluting, it tends to look a bit tubby. I think a Sondek should look low-slung. That’s sexy!
Lol…at least it’s fluted
Nice one !
It’s a beaut.
Every single wooden plinth will have a different density, so a very subtle change to the sound will be heard. How much in reality? Very little I presume, as I’ve never done a perfect a/b comparison. Out of all the variables with an LP12 hifi system, I think the plinth is right at the bottom of importance. Set up, stands, floor construction, position, etc… all far more important.
BTW my Woodsong is a claro curly walnut, so no doubt best of both worlds
Nice Woodsong. The front left corner is the enchantress us hifi geeks can’t resist.
Count.d -
I agree the plinth is but one of a number of variables with an LP12 (and for that matter any other suspended TT – even the Regas too per another thread).
My thinking is that were a Stiletto priced competitively against say the cost of the more expensive Woodsongs + cost of say Khan top-plate (i.e. the Stiletto a bit more), then the Stiletto would sell like toasted teacakes. As @Josaa mentions above, the noise floor is eerily quiet and the sound so clean (in relative terms).
If one was starting out with an LP12 and was wedded to its form etc, then opting for the Stiletto (assuming competitively priced - I can dream!) would be one of my early decisions and certainly before choice of cartridge and may be even arm.
I’ve had an LP12 since the mid-eighties and enjoyed the various upgrades from Linn as and when I could afford them. Ended up with Urika / Radikal, Keel, and Se tonearm with Kandid and thought all gave a very worthwhile improvement. Then I went for Stiletto / Skorpion and that really was the best thing I’d ever done to the deck by quite a long way.
I never thought I’d part with my original fluted Afro. plinth and maybe I wouldn’t have if the Stiletto hadn’t been available in a fluted version as it looked the same just a different colour ! I’ve recently added the Karousel and that’s taken SQ even further.
Yes the Tangerine bits are expensive but if you compare them to the price of a Keel or some of the really high end cartridges maybe not so bad ?
I seem to remember the when Peter at Cymbiosis set up my lowly LP12 he mentioned he had a solid aluminium plinth himself and it sounded sublime. As a newbee (this was only around 12 months ago so I’m still in that realm) I didn’t know about such things and unfortunately didn’t enquire further but I’m now presuming he had the stiletto himself. Now my thinking is if someone as experienced as Peter Swain has one …
Talking of plinths, I wonder how those new colours are selling
Tartan could be mandatory North of the border!
following my recent fitting of a Karsouel @Cymbiosis this is the selection of Peter’s current LP12’s - I wanted to up grade my cartridge which Peter can show on the same deck one vs other - for me it was Krystal vs DVXX2
also myself and a couple of members of this parish met for a demo a year ago of a Kilmax, Tangerine and one other deck - the tangerine just took it for me over Klimax but only just
You went from a 80s Linn plinth to a stiletto, but you never went to a Woodsong plinth, so you’ll never know the improvement there.
As I say, I didn’t like what an alloy top plate does to the sound, so to me it’s not a given that the stiletto is better. Why hasn’t Linn done an alloy top plate? It’s very easy for them. They’ve done everything else and even recently spent huge amounts of time and money developing a new bearing, when there wasn’t really an apparent issue with the old one.
I’ve never heard the Woodsong and haven’t commented on it for that reason. I love wood myself and agree some of them look gorgeous despite the lack of fluting. My post was in response to your opinion that the plinth was the least important component part of an LP12 hi-fi ststem. I’ve found it to be quite the opposite. I think also there is going to be a difference between a seperate alloy top plate and a one piece plinth incorporating the top plate. Maybe something like the Keel being machined in one piece.
Linn are in business to make money and the Karousel has been wonderfully marketed and promoted. It would be very interesting to know how many owners have bought for £750 and how many have spent the £3K to get a " free " one !
I’m inclined to agree with regard to the importance of the plinth to sound quality. I went for the Booplinth a few years back purely on the recommendation of my dealer and I wasn’t disappointed. Given the mechanical nature of record player design having a rigid platform on which to mount the other components sounds like a rational approach to good design. I found it improved the clarity and timing, bringing instruments and voices out more distinctly without changing the musicality in any negative way at all. I’ll also admit to being a big fan of the fluted plinth look. Fortunately the Booplinth, being machined from a block of laminate, has a layered look that is reminiscent of fluting and therefore avoids making the deck appear “tubby”.
Of course, Chris Harban (Woodsong) does offer fluted plinths too. Before I chose mine I was shown a fluted walnut, which was very nice, but the wenge won me over.
“My post was in response to your opinion that the plinth was the least important component part of an LP12 hi-fi ststem. I’ve found it to be quite the opposite.”
No it’s the least important, it really is.
Arm, cartridge, bearing, motor, keel platform, platter, set up (in no order) all way more important. Let’s just leave it there.
Having upgraded through 5 Linn cartridges, 4 Linn tonearms, Radikal, Urika and Keel, my ears tell a completely different story. My Linn & Naim dealer rates Stiletto / Skorpion the biggest upgrade he’s done to his reference deck in 35 years and it’s certainly my biggest upgrade too !
We’re all entitled to our own opinions and if you think the plinth is at the bottom of the pile that’s fine by me.
yes would concure - tangerine deck in full flight is a musical reference point, Kilmax is not far behind IMO - don’t quiet have the budget yet
Hi Antz - so what are the differences - does the tangerine deck not have Keel in it? I am (well will be on Thursday when I get it back ) in a position where the innards are all done, leaving (potentially) plinth, top plate, cartridge and arm to go at. I am quite fond of my original 90s fluted plinth and unsure whether or not I would replace it, and think the cartridge would be next with maybe nothing else, but not saying never
[edited to add - just spotted that stiletto includes top plate]