At last....I will be a Linnie...and about b****y time too!!!!

Posted by: richard goldsmith on 30 August 2001

Well after much searching in a hi-fi desert, and after a few false leads on decks that failed to materialise (for more than a year), I put down the deposit on a late 80's Linn LP12/Valhalla with Ittock LVII. I'm so excited!

My immediate plan is to take the dubious AT MM on there and put my Ortofon MC15/2 until I recover financially. Any views on the suitability of this cartridge. I alrady own it and at least I know its provenance.

Many thanks to Rob Holt and others for their patient guidance and advice in the past on this matter. (I can park the Old Faithful Ariston RD80 into the second system).

Yippee.. PrAT and all that....

Posted on: 30 August 2001 by Tony L

quote:
My immediate plan is to take the dubious AT MM on there and put my Ortofon MC15/2 until I recover financially. Any views on the suitability of this cartridge. I alrady own it and at least I know its provenance.

Should be a good match. Remember to take the arm off to fit it, the bearings on the Ittok and Ekos are quite easily damaged. Linn have a good guide here : http://www.linn.co.uk/docs/disassemble_remount_instructions.pdf If you fancy delving deeper into the weird world that is the LP12 there is a setup guide here that dates from about the time of your deck http://www.pfmedia.demon.co.uk/flatearth/linn_set.zip

quote:
(I can park the Old Faithful Ariston RD80 into the second system).

I had one of them, and a right pain in the butt to set up it was too! Sort of like an LP12 but with everything built to a much lower tolerance. Damping the metal base of the plinth really pays off. I had a LVV on it, then I stuck some weird Audio Technica arm on that was a little better, can't remember what it was called though.

Tony.

Posted on: 30 August 2001 by richard goldsmith

Oh Gawd! That looks complex !! If I'm really careful, couldn't I avoid this? Surely careful fitting of a cart is no rougher than normal use of the arm? With all that removal and replacement, surely the likelihood of damage is greater? I see they like to wrench the hell out of the cartridge's mounting bolts.

(I suppose you'll all answer "too bad, you gotta do it").

Posted on: 31 August 2001 by Andrew L. Weekes

PLEASE don't fit the cartridge with the arm on the deck.

It's not that complicated to remove it, and if you bugger the bearings you'll regret it big time (and have the voices nagging you that you might have damaged them)

Things like cartidges need to be bolted tight to the headshell, it's too great a risk, really.

If you put two stable chairs on top of a table, you can place the LP12 perched in the gap between the two. Saves tilting it and risking damage to the main bearing. Someone recently worked through the gap of an expanding kitchen table - you may need one of those wheeled board car mechanics use for this technique

Andy.

Posted on: 08 September 2001 by richard goldsmith

I picked up the LP12 today. I chickened out and got the dealer to set up the bounce thing, as well as install the cartridge.

First impressions are pretty positive, but I have to say I think the MC15 is holding it back in performance.

Any thoughts on an AT OC9 on an Ittock LVII? Maybe a Dynavector 10x4? I wonder whether the Ortofons are the best things, tho a MC25FL looks promising.

Posted on: 08 September 2001 by Martin Payne

I used an OC9 in an Ittok II, and I loved it.

Yes, possibly a little bright, but great drive.

Not sure how it would compare to a current generation cartridge, e.g. Dynavector.

I think the 10x4 is excellent, but it's too long ago and too many system changes for me to say how the OC9 might compare with it.

I replaced the OC9 with a Troika, and that then made way for an AT ART1 (£1,000 when discontinued).

My dealer reckons a DV17 would be significantly better than the ART1, but I've heard mixed reports about the intermediate model (20x ?).

cheers, Martin

Posted on: 09 September 2001 by richard goldsmith

Thanks for the feedback, Rob. As it stands, by the time I imported the OC9 to Australia from the States it would even out to about the same price as the MC25FL bought locally, with trade-in of the MC15.

So I'd be looking for the better performer, all other things being equal. Any views as to which is better with an Ittock? Getting away from the Ortofon sort of appeals, esp. given other's favourable experiences with the OC9.

I've also had the AT440ML on my Ariston/Grace 707, with terrific results for the money($US99 from Raskin also). It seems the ML can "dig out" extra info that the MC15 is unable to do, tho it has to be said the MC15 is smoother. The 440 seems a little tizzy at times. I expect that wouldn't be a problem with the OC9.

Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Tony L

quote:
Tony Lonorgan has just bought a 25 so it would be worth quizing him perhaps.

I like it a lot, but be warned it really sounds like a dog for the first 50 hours or so - thin, tinny, with little happening tune wise. After running in this all reverses, the MC25FL is a really good cartridge for the price. It’s a great tracker and will sail through second hand vinyl without exaggerating the surface, its nice and controlled and seems to have no real vices. It plays tunes and really times well. I would certainly rate it above the OC9 which I found to be far too bright and thin sounding. I would describe the Ort as being pretty tonally neutral, it seems neither to bright or dull, bassy or lean. Its got a healthy 0.5 output too. A good all rounder, and a steal at the price.

Tony.

Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Tony L

quote:
As you also use an Aro its a bit puzzling as the bright and thin bit I associate with it in the Ekos.

Nah, not me. I have a P9 / RB900, though I had a LP12 / Ittok when I had the OC9, I sold the PC9 to a friend who also had a LP12 / Ittok, and it sounded bright in that too. I have never done a direct A B with the two carts, though the LP12 /Ittok is no where near as well controlled at the top as the P9 / RB900, so this might have something to do with it. I am however not alone in thinking the OC9 is bright. I definitely don't think it is a bad cart though.

Tony.

Posted on: 10 September 2001 by Tony L

quote:
BTW is the Rega Exact catridge any good?

Dunno. I have not deliberately listened to a MM for years! I know that Vuk and Joe reckon it is not really up to the standard of the P9.

Tony.

Posted on: 10 September 2001 by SaturnSF

I've been using a Rega Exact on my Ittok for a several years, I'm on my second one. It's a terrific MM, super PRaT, tonally nice, and good value as well.

Posted on: 11 September 2001 by Eric Barry

I have an OC9 which I've used in an SME IV and an Audioquest arm. It is a bit bright and harmonically thin. But despite the brightness, the treble is very pure and clean. The bass is deep and tight. The tracking is terrific. I think it's a great buy at the price, and will complement the Linn well, in that the Linn is very rich sounding and a bit rolled in the treble.

I must add I have only heard the OC9 through Naim, and that the recommended loading (and what I hear through the e-grapevine as well) is 100 ohms, which is supposed to tame the high end. The Naim boards are 570 ohms.

I also had a ML150 (now with broken stylus) which was very similar in sound.

--Eri