NAIM 3.5 VS LINN LP12

The reason I'm asking this, is because of the
fact that I read a review on www.audioreview.com
of the CD-3.5 A guy who recently bought himself a CD-3.5 already had a Linn LP12 but also wanted a
decent CD-player.
He said he had a collection of 2000 LP's but ever
since he bought the CD-3.5 (and recently a flatcap to go with it)he rarely played his vinyl
anymore. That's why I got confuesed..

I'll wait and see what other people think here.

See ya'

I compared my LP12/Ekos/Arkiv/Longo against my girlfriend CD3.5 with Hicap.

The LP12 outperformed the CD 3.5 in EVERY ascpect. The CD3.5 is a great player and has good PRaT. I could easily live with that player.

But the LP12 is in a higher league. Go for the LP12. If the TT is in a very good condition the price is right.

Hermann

I am the original dinosaur as far as CD goes. Just recently joined the CD brigade with a Linn Mimik which I need to swap real soon. I have had an LP12 for almost 15 years and it (along with my 52/SUPERCAP) is one of my most cherished belongings. The LP12, as someone has already stated, whips most CD players into oblivion! The closest I have heard approaching the quality of the LP12 is the CD12 (at £12k!) and the CDS-II. The nice thing about the LP12 is the upgrading that is possible. Clearly the tonearm and cartridge but there is also the Lingo or Armageddon for the power supply, Cirkus which is a must and trampoline. I'm using an Ittok with Klyde into the Prefix and the results are outstanding. Make sure that you take advantage of the oppotunity that you have and buy that LP12!

Nigel

Your Linn Lp12 will easily outperform the Naim 3.5 if properly set up and a decent cartridge is used. However before you but the Linn LP12 consider the Roksan Xerxes. I have used the Xerxes for many years with Naim amps and I find it outperforms the Linn in every area!

Go listen

NB

--Eric

Which bands? It's true that many fewer new titles are available on vinyl, though it is probably more than you think.

"Then again, I like lots of different music and would probably find a lot of records to keep me happy in 2nd hand shops - Do you think that is realistic?"

Absolutely. Used vinyl is such a bargain, especially since the original issues of albums usually sound much better than the cd version. If you like classical or rock, tons of records are available at very low prices, like $1-$4 in the US. Jazz is generally a bit pricier.

"Some people balk at buying used records fearing that previous owner habits may indelibly damage their styli and hearing. This is clearly not the case (diamond vs vinyl = no contest)"

You can learn fairly quickly how to identify a record that is trashed from one that is mint. When they stopped carrying new vinyl, I was forced into used shops (early 90s) and discovered, to my chagrin, that old records (ie early pressings) were both cheaper and sounded MUCH BETTER than the reissues I bought in the 80s--a difference which more than made up for increased surface noise.

"but if you are serious about collecting 2nd hand records, you'd probably need a good vacuum record cleaning machine. They are around 400 quid. Most of the LPs I now buy are in fact 2nd hand."

This is absolutely not true. You can gain much enjoyment with a Decca or Audioquest brush and no cleaning whatsoever, and be state of the art with the Disc Doctor fluid and brushes, which are $70 total in the US--something like $.20 per disc cleaned.

--Eric

This is not a case of plumping for one or other of the two media. In my case, I have about 600 LP's collected over 20 years. I have an LP 12 to play them. But most newly released material is not available on LP, and has not been for at least 10 years. So, if you're going to hear releases from, say, 1990 onward, it will have to be on CD.

I have a Naim CDI which I have had for 6 years. My LP 12 knocks the socks off it for musicality, but that doesn't stop it from being a fine player. Most of my 700 CD's are material which is not now, and often was never, available on LP.

The bottom line is that where the LP is available, I will play it, but I will happily play a CD if that's the only choice.

For a person like you, who has no sizeable collection of either CD or LP, I have to say, reluctantly, that I think you should invest as much as you can in a good CD player and then spend heavily on CD, including secondhand CD, to build a collection. In my view, the concept of building a comprehensive LP collection from scratch (ouch!) is no longer realistic and unless you can afford financially to support both media, (which is the ideal) , there is no real choice.

I have two points:

a)you do not need to vacuum clean in order to enjoy vinyl--it is superior to cd even uncleaned.

b)you do not need to vacuum clean in order to have state of the art cleaning. The consensus on the record collectors list I'm on (and these people are quite serious about hi-fi and records) is that Disc Doctor is the best. I agree. Have you tried it?

It is different than alcohol-based solutions--it is more of a soap, so it holds the dirt in suspension. Once you have rinsed it a couple of times, I bet 1/100 or the original dirt is left.

Check out www.discdoc.com

Meanwhile, a vacuum cleaner is available from www.audioadvisor.com for less than $200, and those in the UK might be able to adapt it to your voltage.

--Eric

UK supplier, anyone?

John

--Eric

quote:

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Looking for decent, full inner sleeves (not those horrible see-through, semi-circular jobbies).

UK supplier, anyone?

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Try Vivante (www.vivante.co.uk) They do a decent poly lined paper sleeve in 50s, can't remember how much they cost though.

Tony.