Linn Turntables

Posted by: Twelveeyedfish on 06 May 2003

I have a Linn Axis turntable with the Basik arm. I received this as an early inheritance so I wasn't involved in buying or listening. I'm using a Goldring 1012 cartridge on it. MM of course! It's running through a Project Phono box.

To me - this still clearly says "I'm better than CD" hence my interest in upgrade paths. I have a Nait 3 - I will still have it in 2 years time - probably 3.

As a forum of people who generally agree with the P3/LP12 camp... Clearly the Axis is a cut down LP12 so to speak and I was curious if anyone here had ever had any experience with one. I'm told the Akito arm is a useful upgrade by my soon to be Naim dealer but this leaves me with cartridge worries... I am wanting to buy the phono cards for the Nait3 - the cartridge may dictate which I will buy! MM or MC? I don't really have a "budget" so to speak - clearly a rohmann is off the cards - but I'm not against spending a little more than I feel happy with if it's worth it. A bit of auditioning may be in order I understand but even so - I need a starting point and you guys are muchous similar in music/passion/naim.

On a definite tangent... the Sound organisation rack - it's £160. Since a Fraim is not at all out of the question in the future, I would appreciate your opinion of it as a stepping stone. My system presently stands on a cofffee table Frown Anything you might say or suggest is always welcome. This will be my present for working hard over summer Smile

Andrew
Posted on: 06 May 2003 by JRHardee
Any dedicated rack will sound better than the coffee table. Is there a chance that you could borrow the SO rack for a few days?
Bear in mind that if it's anything like Mana, it will take a few days and some minor adjusting to settle in.
Posted on: 06 May 2003 by John K R
Hi Andrew,
The goldring cart is not the weakest link IMHO. The generally accepted hierarchy for the TT is 1/ the turntable 2/ the arm and 3/ the cartridge. Although I have had no personal experience of the Goldring I have heard good reports from trusted sources and would not change for a M/C until a better deck and arm were available.
An LP12 Akito 1042 would better an Axis Akito Rohman. Wait for an LP12 Ittok or similar before a M/C cart.
John.
Posted on: 06 May 2003 by Twelveeyedfish
Mr JRHardee - you registed for the forum on my 19th birthday!

Sadly - I don't have the chance to borrow the rack. This is a purely cost driven purchase (hence hifibitz.co.uk) - I do intend to end up with either Mana, or more likely, a Fraim. I could buy one of them initially of course but I don't think I could justify it until I have finished my studenty life and have actually found somewhere proper to live. I need to tune my hifi to my home in the first instance. Speakers and so on.

My coffee table is reinforced - I did a little work bracing it with some offcuts of mdf which did help the turntable significantly. I'm not sure it had sonic advantages so to speak just that it helped damp some extreme vibrations from the floor which were causing the arm to visibly lift when I trod (albeit quietly) to make a drink or grab an ale.

My local dealer(! heaven knows what you think that means now you know I'm a student!) uses Isoblues (£119 per shelf/base) for his demos. I've heard the Fraim elsewhere (back home) and I have been impressed.

I'm agreed in that anything is an improvement - but I read on some other thread about a guy using Hutter who noticed some niggles after a while. This is what initially led to my caution. Even so - coffee tables, although having some kind of sonic signature can't be better. Surely!

As for Mr Dixon. Thanks for that. I was considering trying my own PSU design. Since it is powered by a servo I was going to do something based on a microcontroller but frankly I don't think I have the time!

Also thanks for the tips on the akito - it seemed a sensible starting point since that is what the later axis models shipped with and they were considered "better". I did think there was potential for improvement which is why I asked! As for the mission arm... I've never heard of it. Will check it out tomorrow evening Smile

Thanks guys

Andrew
Posted on: 06 May 2003 by Phil Barry
An LP12/RB300 blew away an Axis/Akito I. An LP12/Akito blows away the LP12/RB300.

I'd agree with John.

As for the Axis PSU, my understanding is that it's pretty sophisticated, a precursor to the Lingo.

Regards.

Phil
Posted on: 06 May 2003 by garth
As far as a stand for your turntable goes, you could always get an Ikea Lack table as a stopgap until you can afford Mana, Fraim etc. It should be a definite improvement over a coffee table and only costs about $25 CDN.
Posted on: 06 May 2003 by redeye
Before you do anything...
One question. How many records do you currently own??
Posted on: 07 May 2003 by Twelveeyedfish
Hi again folks,

Mr Redeye, that's an excellent question. Until recently I haven't considered the Turntable a 'real' source. But after setting it up properly I began to like it and am collecting some jazz and classical amongst some other "novelties" and these are coming to total about 60 now. Not close to my CD collection but the beginnings of a collection.

I have looked at the OL turntables and arms. I have in the past bought a few things from them. I rewired my speakers (old ones) with their speaker cable with good effect. They are very reasonable. The idea of the "kit" does put me off a little. Though not much. I will look at them (along with the ikea webiste!) after I've posted.

John, sorry, you posted whilst I was in the middle of writing my reply but ages before I pressed post! I didn't mean to ignore you. The cartridge is ok actually. Big improvement over the K9 that was on there by default. I am happy with that. However the idea that linn arms are "dry" is particularly prominent which is my spur to think about upgrading.

I have heard the lp12 - a couple of formats. And I did like it. still, it's always worth keeping an ear in on things.

Thanks for the input as always folks

Andrew

diamonds - she'll pretty much have to...
Posted on: 08 May 2003 by Peter C
For the money an Axis/Akito is a good turntable and good enough to use with a Naim 3

Its easy to use and will get you listening to records.

As regards to the LP12, yes definitely worth doing the upgrade at some stage, its a lot better than an Axis.

However in the meatime enjoy your Vinyl with the Axis