Linn LP12 question

first things first...hello all friends old and new...hope things are going well with you all...now on to the rest of our show..

I have the vinyl bug and I'm in this thing for keeps....right now I have a Tech. 1700 mk II (just a starting point) and I've got a friend of a friend wanting me to buy a Linn lp12 w/akito arm and vahalla board....now I'm reading as we speak and this seems to be a pretty impressive TT..the sale price is 700 bucks and they assure me thats pretty much a steal.... As I'm reading the upgradablity kinda makes this TT one a long term keeper...I was not really looking to spend 700 on my first (real) TT but this seems too good to pass up...any advice would be great! Thanks in advance and keep on spinning!

Peace and Platters, Pogue

BTW I also posted this in the Analog room

I have an older LP12 with an rb300 arm. It sounds good but the thing you really have to be careful is setup of these units. Apparently they are very sensitive to adjustments and require precision tools and setup which I am unable to perform or understand. I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to turntables, I understand the basics of turntable/arm/cartridge setup, etc, but this Linn suspension adjustment business just turns my brain off for some reason.

I bought this unit for not too much money but then shortly after found a great deal on a Thorens 125, which i quickly fell in love with, and took its place as my main spinner. I found the thorens easier to use, gets up to speed faster, and has speed control and a little readout for speed adjustments, which i really like. I like knowing and having control over the precise speed of the table..

Still, LP12 is great and many people love it. My advice is that you:

1) listen to it first and see it how you like it. I find that sometimes I really love its sound, sometimes it is just so-so. Although my table is properly improperly aligned.

2) Get the serial number and figure how old it is. A web search of Linn LP12 serial will do it, or give me the serial# and i can track it down for you.

3) man, i forgot what #3 was. If i remember anything more I will add it later.

Good Luck,
Eric

1) despite the set-up issues is 700 a good deal?

2) what other TT's in the 500 range should I check out?

3) how much you want for your linn?

thanks Pogue

1) That sounds like a pretty good deal.

2) Rega, a nice old Thorens, or even a <flame suit on>Technics SL-1200</flame suit>. Many will disagree on that last suggestion, but I really like these tables because they are tough,easy to use, and have good speed control, good resale. They're great for a beginner with a non-megabucks-audiophile system, whose more into rocking out than having the ultimate in resolution or whatever. Read about the technics at http://www.kabusa.com maybe look at their souped up tweaked units.

3) heh heh. PM me..

Eric

I've been there, done that.

The Linn is a wonderful table. Unfortunately, it would skip every time the kids ran into the living room. I also found myself trying to improve the set-up of the springs to try to make it less environmentally sensitive, without much luck. I know of two guys who would own nothing else, but, I'm back to an unsuspended table (VPI Scout...well out of your budget). In retrospect, I liked my Rega Planar 3/Super Elys combo better than the Linn. My Scout is ungodly good for the money, as was the Rega...its just the Rega was cheaper.

I vote for the Rega, especially if it is your first one, or first in a while. You put records on and play them.

I just found out that the TT comes w/ a LVX Plus (Basik Plus) and not the Akito arm. It seems that this is a step down but I'm not sure how it effects the overall deal...one more point the TT is a mid 80's model. Hopefully I'll get to hear it for the first time tommorrow!!! wooohoo....


Peace, Pogue

might be a better choice. less fussy once set up, sapphire jeweled bearing. any arm like a grace 707, or especially the mmt would be good. mine is the mmt, many of which were sold this way. used ones pop up on audiogon frequently and most with mmt arms.

http://jmsound.com/Display/InvGen?su...&category_id=3