Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr the
airport)

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.

Oddjob wrote:
Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr the
airport)

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.



You could say the same for anyone using Windows, IBM were going to use
CPM for the original PC, but the owner wouldn't talk to IBM so Billy Boy
got the job instead.

--
Nick

In article , says...
Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr the
airport)

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.


I would have thought that the 'floating' Thorens designs preceeded both of them..

T.
--
Please Tony, NO!! You'd look dreadful in a basque and fishnets..

"Nick Gorham" wrote in message
...
Oddjob wrote:
Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model
the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr
the
airport)

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of
LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.



You could say the same for anyone using Windows, IBM were going to use
CPM for the original PC, but the owner wouldn't talk to IBM so Billy Boy
got the job instead.



Serves the **** right - not talking to IBM (especially in those days) is
none too shrewd, is it?

"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Nick Gorham" wrote in message
...
Oddjob wrote:
Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the
model
the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland
(nr
the
airport)

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of
LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.



You could say the same for anyone using Windows, IBM were going to use
CPM for the original PC, but the owner wouldn't talk to IBM so Billy
Boy
got the job instead.



Serves the **** right - not talking to IBM (especially in those days) is
none too shrewd, is it?


Gary Kildall was the man in question, who died in 1994. Do a google
on his entry in Wikipedia for the interesting story. Fairly accurate IIRC.
Sad story but fairly common in new technology marketing.

Alan

in article , Oddjob at
wrote on 05/06/2004 4:11 AM:

Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr the
airport)

According to Hi-Fi World magazine, Hamish Robertson of Ariston approached
Ivor about his dad's engineering factory building the Ariston turntable (the
RD-11 - the RD80 being a later model). The article suggests that the
engineering factory didn't produce any, but that soon after Ivor started
Linn products.

Some people suggest that Ivor copied the Ariston for his early LP12. I
suspect that what Ivor took was the *idea* of building a turntable.

Take a look at the Thorens TD150 turntable. It fits exactly in a Linn Sondek
plinth. The 150 and the Sondek are two of the very few turntables to have a
full length armboard (the Ariston RD11 certainly didn't). Even the supension
springs are in the same places.

The idea of producing a turntable may have come from Ivor's discussions with
the head of Ariston. But I suspect that the design inspiration came from the
Thorens TD150.

All of this is supposition on my part, and may not be completely accurate.

But you really ought to get Stewart Pinkerton involved in this discussion. I
understand that Pinkie and Ivor exchanged several lawyer's letters over this
subject some years back. Interested in telling us more, Stewart?


Michael Jones
Editor, AudioEnz

---------------------
17 years of New Zealand's hi-fi and home theatre resource
http://www.audioenz.co.nz
Have your say on our forum at http://www.audioenz.co.nz/forums
email: info at audioenz dot co dot nz

On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 17:11:01 +0100, "Oddjob"
wrote:

Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr the
airport)

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

Yes.

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.

The treachery of the 'designer' is not the fault of the owners. Having
bought a demonstrably inferior mechanism however, is their fault!
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 18:56:59 +0100, Tony Gartshore
wrote:

In article , says...
Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr the
airport)

Actually, it was the RD11.

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.


I would have thought that the 'floating' Thorens designs preceeded both of them..

The TD 150 postdated the Linn/Ariston, that part of the design was
based on the AR turntable.
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

In article , says...
On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 18:56:59 +0100, Tony Gartshore
wrote:

In article , says...
Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model the
LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in Scotland (nr the
airport)

Actually, it was the RD11.

I was also told that Linn patented the design and sold thousands of LP12's
while the owner of Ariston committed suicide.

Is the above correct?

If so, shame on all you LP12 owners.


I would have thought that the 'floating' Thorens designs preceeded both of them..

The TD 150 postdated the Linn/Ariston, that part of the design was
based on the AR turntable.

Thanks for the correction Stewart, I'd always believed 'twas the other way around..

T.
--
Please Tony, NO!! You'd look dreadful in a basque and fishnets..

In article , AudioEnz
wrote:
in article , Oddjob at
wrote on 05/06/2004 4:11 AM:

Hello all, I've just bought an RD80 and was told that it was the model
the LP12 was based upon. They were built in the same factory in
Scotland (nr the airport)

According to Hi-Fi World magazine, Hamish Robertson of Ariston
approached Ivor about his dad's engineering factory building the Ariston
turntable (the RD-11 - the RD80 being a later model). The article
suggests that the engineering factory didn't produce any, but that soon
after Ivor started Linn products.

There are some articles in old issues of magazines like Hi Fi News that
give some details of the history of this. It is, shall we say,
'contentious'. I suspect that Ivor would give you a different view than if
you talk to the familiy of Hamish, or to one or two other people.

Some people suggest that Ivor copied the Ariston for his early LP12. I
suspect that what Ivor took was the *idea* of building a turntable.

Take a look at the Thorens TD150 turntable. It fits exactly in a Linn
Sondek plinth. The 150 and the Sondek are two of the very few turntables
to have a full length armboard (the Ariston RD11 certainly didn't). Even
the supension springs are in the same places.

The idea of producing a turntable may have come from Ivor's discussions
with the head of Ariston. But I suspect that the design inspiration came
from the Thorens TD150.

I can't recall the details off-hand (I'd need to re-read the old articles).
However IIRC there were also technical points like the way the turntable
bearing is arranged.


But you really ought to get Stewart Pinkerton involved in this
discussion. I understand that Pinkie and Ivor exchanged several lawyer's
letters over this subject some years back. Interested in telling us
more, Stewart?

FWIW I also supplied some information from published sources to the
relatives of Hamish some time ago. Unfortunately, this is an area where -
for legal reasons - some people may know more than they would choose to say
in public. This does not mean *me*, but at least one other person that I
have in mind. As a result, much of what one picks up is on a 'hearsay'
basis which makes it hard to assess.

Slainte,

Jim

--
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Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html