The top plate is secured to the plinth in two places ( three if you have the corner stud ) and is supported on three sides … the side adjacent to arm rest ( the one we are discussing ) is unsupported
The top plate is pre shaped to curve downwards in all four corners so when pulled down tight by the fixings it ends up flat and the unsecured corners tight against the plinth
I cant see how the plate would end up like shown in picture
Also googled for images of LP12’s and struggled to find similar
Not saying its not ok ( Mr Swain surely knows his stuff )
I think the angle of the photo makes a difference but there are three LP12s here with bend in the top plate. Again, I’m not worried about mine at all, I am very confident it is set up correctly but there does seem to be a range of bend in different decks.
I hope this isn’t off topic and these three pictures are not of my own LP12.
A dip in the top plate there is unavoidable, partly because it’s unsupported and the sub chassis is pulling down on it, and partly because if you prebend the plate too much in an effort to counteract the dip it results in poor contact at the motor and switch corners.
Anyway, gentle reminder to LP12 owners - there is a very nice thread called Show Us Your Sondek
Hi Dan I hope you are well. following up on my last post in April. I have been tinkering around and have upgraded to a P8 fitted with a Audio-Technica VM760SLC special line contact stylus, to take advantage of the built in phono in the Supernait 3. I have also added a dedicated power supplier for the Neo psu.
It just doesn’t get better listing to music thru Micro diamond chip technology does it.
Haven’t seen an elite rock appear on here recently. A friend of mine had one when we were at uni. He maintained it was a LP12 killer- I had an RP3 at that time so it was out of my league. I remember the silicon oil a bit troublesome if it spilt onto a record- generally after- ahem- a few cleansing beers…
I’ve had it 10 years so far with only two silicone spilling incidents to date - funnily enough I think beer was involved then too. What a strange coincidence.
I heard a maxxed out LP12 at a dealers a few weeks ago, it was sublime but, returning home, the Rock didn’t disgrace itself at all by comparison. Which is fortunate given the potential scale of investment a new LP12 represents!
It looks in amazing condition. I have seen a few tatty ones for sale- but nothing in good condition like yours. My friends one had a record clamp that I think was standard? Not sure. It did sound amazing. And as you say if it gives an £18k Klimax a run for its money that’s some recommendation
Funny old thing about beer and hifi accidents- in fact that would be a good thread “alcohol injuries inflicted on hifi components- share the shame”!!
Thanks for sharing the picture.
The trough holds silicone gel and swings out to allow you to pop a record on then the paddle at the end of the tonearm is damped by the gel as the cartridge moves across the platter… seems faffy but you get used to it quickly
It provides front end damping for the cartridge and arm whilst allowing the tonearm to smoothly move across the record.
It limits the amount of lateral vibration of the cartridge possible and therefore ensures, as much as possible that it’s only the stylus that moves when tracking the groove.
