Have just bought a LP12 made in August of 1979 with an Akito arm that only had one owner, up to me. Just got thru polishing it up with some nice oil using cotton swabs, and now it's zipping along to the Modern Jazz Quartets "final" show.

my ears are quite happy :music:

one more LP convert...

LP 12 are supposed to be great TT. Congrats. Any pics??

So far so good, actually really good :-) I have a film camera, you have quite the Thorens collection :smoke: Heard good things about them also, this just happen to present itself to me :yes:

So far so good, actually really good :-) I have a film camera, you have quite the Thorens collection :smoke: Heard good things about them also, this just happen to present itself to me :yes:

OK ya'll got me interested now, being a very happy Thorens 125MKII/SME 3009II Improved/Shure IV HE on it for now since I bought it in HS in 1977,what is that the last 30yrs now, and having 4,000 lp's this thread makes me want to get a Linn now for the other seesteem,with the nice rig I'm used to all this time, would I be happy with the Basik or, save more up for the LP12, also this Akito arm the one to look for?
Thanks Craig

It looks like the Linn LP12 is pretty popular with the readers of Stereophile magazine. There was a real nice article on upgrading the Linn a couple months back.

Dennis

http://www.stereophile.com/tonearms/1007linn/index.html

OK ya'll got me interested now, being a very happy Thorens 125MKII/SME 3009II Improved/Shure IV HE on it for now since I bought it in HS in 1977,what is that the last 30yrs now, and having 4,000 lp's this thread makes me want to get a Linn now for the other seesteem,with the nice rig I'm used to all this time, would I be happy with the Basik or, save more up for the LP12, also this Akito arm the one to look for?
Thanks Craig

The local dealer had one in for a trade, the owner bought a NEW LP12. I think the Ittok arm is supposed to be better, but so far I am quite happy. I heard so much about the LP12 I thought might as well try.

It's amazing how long these things can last. I will be interesting to see how CD players fare over the long haul. What I get a kick out of with this, is that it still has parts being made and actually has an upgrade path :D I have never heard a Thorens, so I don't know how different or the same they might be.

I love my LP-12; the only fly in the ointment when I bought it was the single-speed Valhalla PSU. I replaced it with a Hercules II from Stamford Audio in the UK...now I've got both 33 and 45. Also replaced the Basik arm with an Ittok.

A great 'table.

I love my LP-12; the only fly in the ointment when I bought it was the single-speed Valhalla PSU. I replaced it with a Hercules II from Stamford Audio in the UK...now I've got both 33 and 45. Also replaced the Basik arm with an Ittok.

A great 'table.

What was it like going to the Ittok starting from the Basik?

Hard to say, because I simultaneously switched cartridges from a Grado Prestige Red to a Grado Reference Sonata.

The sound is noticeably improved, but I don't know what proportion of that is attributable to the cartridge and what proportion to the arm.

Having said that, the Basik/Grado Red combination sounded really good, and for not much money. It took me a while to find an Ittok, and they are not cheap in the least.

Hard to say, because I simultaneously switched cartridges from a Grado Prestige Red to a Grado Reference Sonata.

The sound is noticeably improved, but I don't know what proportion of that is attributable to the cartridge and what proportion to the arm.

Having said that, the Basik/Grado Red combination sounded really good, and for not much money. It took me a while to find an Ittok, and they are not cheap in the least.

That arm is supposed to be really really nice. So what do you feel the biggest changes are over the way you had it before?

Thanks

That arm is supposed to be really really nice. So what do you feel the biggest changes are over the way you had it before?

In terms of sound, a solidity and warmth that I did not hear before. The new arm/cartridge combination also tracks meaningfully better than the old one.

I love my LP-12; the only fly in the ointment when I bought it was the single-speed Valhalla PSU. I replaced it with a Hercules II from Stamford Audio in the UK...now I've got both 33 and 45. Also replaced the Basik arm with an Ittok.

A great 'table.

I've found the Hercules II to be an amazing upgrade. Initially, I bought it for the convenience of 45 rpm (was using a NOS later Valhalla that I picked up dirt cheap on ebay - seller didn't know what they had or whether it worked, etc). Needless to say, I knew someone who needed a Valhalla, so I sold mine and installed the Hercules II. Without even consciously listening for any differences, I IMMEDIATELY noticed a big improvement. Piano notes no longer had that "watery modulation" to them as they did with the Valhalla (playing Stiletto from Billy Joel "52nd Street" album)... Best of all, not only does it play at both 33 and 45, it sounds better AND cost less than the Valhalla board normally would.

Speaking of "new old" LP12 turntables, here's one that I built from surplus parts (so I guess it can be considered "new-old"). I custom built the quartersawn oak plinth, formica/mdf armboard, and fabricated the top plate (had the plate stamped to size and drilled the holes myself)... I then installed an earlier subchassis/inner platter (I strengthened and modified the subchassis to improve the sound and eliminate any "warp" that occurred on some spotwelded units). It has a Hercules II board, a Thorens TD160 type outer platter (modified to fit), Pro-Ject 1.2 tonearm (modified headshell, 9" effective length), and to top it off, a Pioneer PL600 (earlier type) dustcover. Turntable is now on loan to a good friend's longtime friend (he is seriously considering buying it).

Speaking of "new old" LP12 turntables, here's one that I built from surplus parts (so I guess it can be considered "new-old"). I custom built the quartersawn oak plinth, formica/mdf armboard, and fabricated the top plate (had the plate stamped to size and drilled the holes myself)... I then installed an earlier subchassis/inner platter (I strengthened and modified the subchassis to improve the sound and eliminate any "warp" that occurred on some spotwelded units). It has a Hercules II board, a Thorens TD160 type outer platter (modified to fit), Pro-Ject 1.2 tonearm (modified headshell, 9" effective length), and to top it off, a Pioneer PL600 (earlier type) dustcover. Turntable is now on loan to a good friend's longtime friend (he is seriously considering buying it).

Nice work! I've been considering replacing my old mahogany plinth (from the 70's) with a new rosenut plinth from Linn. I'm using a diy oak armboard, which I really like. I've installed the origin live dc motor kit, and I bought a nos grado signature tonearm.

Nice work! I've been considering replacing my old mahogany plinth (from the 70's) with a new rosenut plinth from Linn. I'm using a diy oak armboard, which I really like. I've installed the origin live dc motor kit, and I bought a nos grado signature tonearm.

Thanks. I've had quite a bit of fun building them, just to see if it could be done. In fact, the whole "experimentation" began when I needed a top plate to complete one for my friend (but found out the price - made my own instead). From there, I got the courage to fabricate Formica/MDF armboards (from surplus 8mm MDF and surplus Formica) and even modify/improve the earlier subchassis (discovering the "real" secret behind the "Cirkus" so-called upgrade)... Speaking of "real woodgrain" armboards, I have successfully made them and prefer the laminated construction, like the current Linn armboards. I discovered with certain types of Formica (or "scuffed" surface Formica), I can glue a facesheet of thin real wood veneer for that real wood appearance (with the rigidity and integrity of the original Linn design). Unfortunately, the solid wood armboards tend to be warp prone (much like the earlier Linn armboards, which were 3mm "masonite" facesheets glued to a thin layered 4mm plywood piece).

As for your Linn, did you say Grado signature tonearm? The earlier wood type? or the much sought after "Laboratory Standard" tonearm? ....As for the DC motor setup, I haven't quite had the guts to try it, since I'm more than happy with the Hercules II setup for now (both in terms of sound and cost)...

As for your Linn, did you say Grado signature tonearm? The earlier wood type? or the much sought after "Laboratory Standard" tonearm? ....As for the DC motor setup, I haven't quite had the guts to try it, since I'm more than happy with the Hercules II setup for now (both in terms of sound and cost)...


I've got the Signature Labratory Standard tonearm with the unusual j type arm wand. It does seem to be extremely rare nowadays. I will stain the armboard when I get the new plinth. I'm also using a digital scale and a digital tachometer now, with good results.

What was it like going to the Ittok starting from the Basik?

IMHO the Ittok LVII or III is a great arm and an excellent used purchase value. Just make sure the bearing passes the arm bounce test. The difference you can expect is huge... bigger sound stage, greater level of detail, dynamically more solid, vast improvement in low end, tracks better. Basically, everything gets better and more of it. Also don't be concerned about the cartridge, upgrade the arm and (almost) any cartridge will sound better. It's the law of TT hierarchy. There are other arms, few will mate so perfectly as a Linn arm on a Linn TT, one caveat, Naim Aro. I have had an Lp12 Sondek with a Ittok LVII arm since '82 and have made most of the upgrades and seen and heard the rest. It's a great deck, especially when you buy one used these days. An outstanding value in sound. And if you haven't read Art Dudley with Stereophile, and previously his magazine, Listener, your in for a wealth of info on Linn (especially), rega, thorens, etc.

Happy (analogue) Listening! :beatnik:

When I was in High School in 1974 or 75 and was sinking big $$$ into records, I wanted to upgrade my Thorens/Sure Turntable/Cart combination. A friend had a sporty B&O linear tracker and I lusted after that. He said no, I should get a Linn. Never herad of it. Turns out the importer at the time was in Indianapolis, an hour away. I took $400 of my high school life savings and bought a Linn with a Grace tonearm and an early solid state cartridge.

I've kept up with the upgrades till I did the Valhalla, and it keeps me very happy. Now has an ITTOK with a Benz moving coil.

It has to be a fairly early machine - where are the serial numbers?