In article , Bob Latham
wrote:


To cut a long story short I eventually got a Linn LP12, Ittok and Asak.

Now you can say what you like but the dynamics, imaging and tone of that
thing was/is glorious to my ears. I still have it and still hugely
prefer it to anything I've heard since. That's not to say that it's not
coloration that I like, it may well be but I love it.

OK, thanks for the kind permission, I'll say what I like. :-)

For me the most annoying defect of the LP12/Ittok/Asak was the obvious
mistracking distortion of the Asak. Made things like massed strings during
climaxes at the end-of-side on classical music LPs sound like sandpaper
over rough wood.

The same mistracking and high HF distortion probably also gave things like
guitar and other 'impulsive' instruments more 'attack'. Maybe that's why
people who mainly listened to rock/pop liked it. Add in the LF resonances
and the way the belt-drive speed wobbled when the sound changed level, you
can end up with a mechanical version of 'smiley eq' to make the sound more
attractive to some. To me the result was more a 'music box' than a way of
listening to what was on the LP. But I realise that some people pay large
sums for music boxes... ;-

I also disliked the various clumsy 'features' of the LP12. Like the way the
lid bumpers tended to keep falling off, or the mat stuck to the LP and came
away with it when you took off the LP. And the declared 'need' to keep
messing about with the deck to keep it 'on song' as the acolytes might have
put it. Maybe they improved later, but the early Linn systems I had to use
all seemed to me to be made out of orange boxes, rubber bands, etc. Not
exactly construction I'd have expected for the price.

For me it made the Technics combo sound lifeless, flat and uninvolving.

I found the Technics and a V15/IIIHE simply lets me enjoy the music on the
LP and not keep hearing obvious added distortions/colourations from things
like the Asak. And meant I didn't have to waste any more worry/time/cash on
all the 'upgrades' Linn have peddled to LP12 worshippers who kept being
told this would get them to perfection.... until there was another
'upgrade' to buy. :-)

I expect your milage to vary.

It has. Thanks for giving me permission to say so. Can't say that I've ever
since wished I'd used a Linn TT/arm/cart. But I'm quite happy if others
enjoy them. :-)

So in my case, cutting a long story short: Experience of the LP12 / Ittok /
Asak was the reason I was so happy *not* to choose that combination.

Oh, and I also have disliked the way the old 'flat earth' Linn/Naim axis of
dealers + writers made it harder for many other UK companies with arguably
better products to setup and succeed.

Slainte,

Jim

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