New Majik LP12, used LP12 or keep RP6

I think your wife is right, listen to the LP12 vs the RP6 before you decide to go down th Linn route... 

If you do decide to go with a Linn, then depending on where you start, there are many rungs to the LP12... many many upgrades all with a cost and with its own sound improvement..

This is where the decision to go new or used then comes in to play... if you can get a good deck - I would strongly suggest a Linn dealer - normally you could get a deck higher up the Linn ladder for a lower price... however there are pitfalls... circus bearing or the older bearing, the older plinth without the bracing or the newer one with and the even newer ones with the additional metal bracing, etc etc.

the advantage with a new turntable is that you start with an up to date base that you can build on to the lelel you are perpaired to go to

Wise words from Fernar. At the risk of stating the obvious, should you be thinking of going down the LP12 path, then a good dealer is essential imo. It really is all about the set up, and even modestly specced old LP12s can sound good when well set up. They will also have a different presentation to your RP6 though. Only your ears can decide....

C.

Why a Linn?- Still a very good TT but lots of options including a Rega RP 10.   

I'd consider other options as well.  

Regards,

Lindsay

I went from Rega RP3 to a used LP12 and upgraded it later (money,,,) with Keel and Lingo- that's the good and the bad with upgrade options....

Ralf

I went from RP6 to new Majik LP12 although I went with the Klyde cartridge rather than the standard one, and found it a great upgrade.

If you find Vinyl starts to get under your skin, as I have done, then there is much to upgrade in the future.

I also went new because I wanted this to be *my* turntable, growing with me.

Allan

Gurbinder - I made the same 'mistake'.

First I had my RP6 and it was a wonderful deck. Somehow the LP12 bug struck.... After extended demos, I just had to have it. So a new Akurate + with Urika and Radikal arrived 1 year ago.
But I kept my RP6 for the other room. Which was a mistake, as it was now clearly outperfromed by LP12. So the bloody upgradiatis struck again.... RP10 with Aphelion arrived and stayed.

If you like what RP6 does, you will absolutely love what RP10 does. One note though: my RP10 first arrived with an Apheta, which broke after 1 month (left channel died on a cartridge). So my dealer upgraded it to a new Aphelion. Now this really started to sing once the cartridge 'warmed up'. 

The best thing about LP12 is that it can be upgraded

The best thing about RP10 is its simplicity of set up.

If I had to choose one.... I'd have a really hard time doing so.

It has been 30 years since I lived in a city with a Linn dealer within 100 miles.   As a result, I have weaned my system off springs.  I kept my Rega 3 for many years and then got the Verdier.  It came on springs, but we migrated to Walker Audio lead feet (on an Arcici Suspense Rack) and most recently to Herbie's Audiolab soft Tenderfeet on the Fraim.  After the Herbie's feet, I can't imagine ever going back to springs.  

I know Linn floats a lot of boats with the LP-12 and it sounds great if you can keep it sounding great.   To me, springs are sub-optimal and I would avoid them in favor of another solution.  Either another table or another tweak.  If I had it to do, I would try the Herbie's feet, or a similar tweak,  on the RP6 or another table, and do everything I could do before taking the LP-12 plunge.  

I think you might be overplaying the spring issue, Skip. Decks set up today by skilled LP12 technicians don't go out of tune like the allegedly once might have.

C.

*they* once might have

C.

I went from a much more lowly Rega to an LP12 so can't comment on the RP6. The LP12 is by far and away the best turntable I've ever owned but setup is everything!

I have the misfortune to live near a Linn dealer who doesn't have the 'LP12 touch' and had to travel to get it set up correctly. This is a really important factor with LP12 ownership. The difference between correctly set up and incorrectly is night and day in playback quality. One good thing though, once correctly set up, it pretty much stays that way for yonks and with a little bit of belt maintenance, pulley clean and the occasional drop of oil it does stay on song!

I'm now on my second LP12 and the first one lasted me 25 years before I traded it for the latest top flight model. Set up is key as it always has been although the latest Keel and Radikal version is much less fussy and tends to stay on song longer. Mine also has a Tigerpaw Khan top plate which also solves the hassle of tweaking the suspension bolts on the stainless steel versions. I've not explored the Tagerine top plate but this is said by some to be an improvement on the Khan although both are frowned upon by LP12 purists

The downside of the LP12 is that it has become so expensive. The Majik entry version is ok but I personally went straight for Kore, Akito and Lingo, all new. My dealer extends the warranty to five years which is important to me.

Second hand obviously cheaper. I would still buy from a dealer and get a good set up with a limited warranty. Peace of mind and all that.

Stu

Keep the RP6, less worry about which one of the 1000 lp'12 upgrades you could buy/try. A never ending story!

Gurbinder posted:

Hi Guys,

My current turntable is a RP6 with a Hana cartridge which is great but I can't stop wondering if a LP12 is better, so I have booked a demo on the weekend to see.

What option should I go down and what are people's thoughts???

Do I go new/used or keep my RP6???

My wife just wants me to have a demo and make my mind up as I keep going on about buying a LP12....

 

Thanks in advance.

My 10 cents FWIW: the LP12 is a great TT; over more than 20 years I have upgraded to a little short of full Klimax spec (don't have the Klimax Radikal).  The key to LP12 happiness is to find a dealer that REALLY understands how they work and how to set them up.  You don't say where you live, but in the UK there are several authorised Linn dealers that can do the job and sometimes they have used and reconditioned LP12's for sale.  When the LP12 has been properly set up there are not really problems with modern examples regularly going out of tune or their springs going out of whack.

You don't say how many LP's you have or intend to buy. This is relevant because it is quite possible you will get sucked in to the upgrade chain and if you start out with a Majik the end of the line deck comes in at around £15k-ish (last time I checked). So if you have 300 LP's and no intention to build a library your best be might be to stick with the Rega.  In any case - go and listen to the LP12 at a good dealer and see what you think; but bear in mind there may be no turning back

Rob and Bluedog make good points.  

Given that any high end TT comes at a cost you need to consider what return you'll get on the investment in terms of usage.   If you consider that it is worthy of the financial commitment then you should draw up a shortlist of decks to audition 

Regards,

Lindsay

Robiwan posted:

Keep the RP6, less worry about which one of the 1000 lp'12 upgrades you could buy/try. A never ending story!

Ah. Now I know why your LP12 mutated into an RP1, Robin.

Cheers, C.

I had a late eighties Sondek (Valhalla/Cirkus/Ittok + recent Adikt) that I bought used in 1992 until early this year, so 24 years of cherished ownership.  I considered upgrading it with a Lingo, at least as a starting point, but my local dealer didn't have the skills to service it adequately (my opinion after seeing his work, not his own) never mind get close to optimising it.  Looking for alternatives, at a London dealer, I demo'd a new LP12 Majik against an RP10, both carrying the same Dynavector DV20X2L cartridge.  Despite a similar price tag, the RP10 was significantly better.  Now, it may be that investing further with the LP12 can take you to a higher performance level than the RP10 but I'd suggest not to invest in a base LP12 unless (1) you have a good local dealer and (2) you are willing to spend a significant amount on future upgrades.  I put the sale price of my old my LP12 to the cost of the new RP10 and I really haven't looked back...

Christopher_M posted:

Robiwan posted:

Keep the RP6, less worry about which one of the 1000 lp'12 upgrades you could buy/try. A never ending story!

Ah. Now I know why your LP12 mutated into an RP1, Robin.

Cheers, C.

yes i like the rp1 performance just as good or even better. 

Ok, the update is the RP6 is going.

My wife and I spent a few hours at a very famous Leicestershire dealer yesterday and they have been asked to build a LP12 that meets my requirements and budget.

I can't wait.

Are you going to share your spec?!

I went from Planar 2 to Planar 3 to LP12 and have upgraded on the way. A turntable that is future-proofed through the opportunity to upgrade is a good investment, IMHO. If it has those qualities and it sets your foot tapping and lights your Mojo then it's the one for you. To these divine ears there's nothing to beat an on-song LP12. Whether new or SH, Just check your Linn dealer has the set-up skills required.

I check many turntables around 2-5k £, LP12 is just an endless upgrade path, in this age of quality deck you can do better than LP12, or join the Cult! and spend spend spend! sounds familiar business model? 

Gurbinder posted:

Ok, the update is the RP6 is going.

My wife and I spent a few hours at a very famous Leicestershire dealer yesterday and they have been asked to build a LP12 that meets my requirements and budget.

I can't wait.

Congratulations! You're in extremely good hands there and I'm sure you won't regret your decision! 

Clive

...well you won't go wrong there. Congrats.

Good choice!