Dear all,
After months of slagging off the LP12 I have finally heard one that I really really liked.
It was in a 52/6x135/Isobarik/all on Mana system. The LP12 had a Transfiguration cartridge on it and it's prefix was driven by a supercap. Large room, solid walls, 18' x 22'and we sat about 11' from the speakers.
Wow, what a sound. At last an LP12 with detail, speed, no bass hump, brilliant timing, but also with that lovely tunefulness and a really open midrange (voices especially)
The LP12 was modded a bit though, the motor was moved to the 8 o'clock positon and even thougt the LP12 had an Aro it also had some kind of battery power supply (maybe the PT one?) and a black top plate. It also bounced for ever perfectly when prodded, had no baseboard and some special feet. Also it had seven (!) layers of Mana under unit.
I have tried to explain the delights of a Well Tempered to you all and have slated LP12 users by calling it a bag of poo etc. I was wrong. So I am sorry. I hold my head in shame and feel the only honourable thing to do is bow out of the forum for a while I collect my thoughts, and move home back to London.
My head is bowed in virtual shame,
Dev B (on the wheels of steel)
Posted on: 05 July 2001 by Rico
Virtual shame to think that you might 'pull out' of here, Dev!
I suspect that the top-plate in question might have been the venerable PT top plate from the Pink Linnk.... is it possible it was the PT PSU as well? I was always very impressed with the effect of this supply on the LP12,... and you could still play your EP's too!
Pleased to hear that this has not prompted you to pop your well-hung onto Naimmarket, though! 
But none of this talk of resignation - ok?
Rico - all your base are belong to us.
Posted on: 05 July 2001 by Frank Abela
Dev
I know the Transfiguration cartridge and now your adoration of the WT makes more sense. The Trannie is also fairly technical (clinical?) in its presentation. That in combination with the PT power supply (PTs had a techie presentation too) and the Mana taking out the bass hump would make the deck lean towards a more neutral presentation, verging on clinical - which is what the WT is!
So you're finally coming down to London - only six months late! 
Glad to see you're only regrouping rather than actually resigning from the forum.
Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.
Posted on: 05 July 2001 by Top Cat
It's true, a well-setup LP12 is great, but I had no idea what an LP12 could do until I'd heard a truly great setup - from L&C, Edinburgh - contact: John Carroll - with Aro, etc.
It's just a bloody shame it decided to leap from the wall onto the stripped'n'sanded floorboards, distributing its guts forth all over... 
Ah well, thank f**k for insurance 
John
Posted on: 05 July 2001 by Mark Dunn
Hi all:
Dev said:
>The LP12 was modded a bit though, the motor was moved to the 8 o'clock positon...<
I've puzzled over this mod' for quite some time and I can't figure out the *overall* benefit. Yes, I can see how it could reduce some distortions - but at the expense of others. Can anyone explain the scientific theory behind the mod'?
Best Regards,
Mark DunnĖ
Posted on: 06 July 2001 by John G.
"After months of slagging off the LP12 I have finally heard one that I really really liked.
It was in a 52/6x135/Isobarik/all on Mana system."
Dev,
I know at one time you had an LP12 on Mana Phase Four/Five, what was the rest of your gear on at that time?
Had you ever put all your gear on Mana?
Glad you heard an LP12 based system you like.
Supports I'm sure played a key role.
Cheers,
John
Posted on: 06 July 2001 by Rico
I thought the motor repositioning was to do with balancing the pull of the belt to the mototr spindle, placing it more equally against the suspension points.
That is, in standard config the LP12 motor pulls laterally against the suspension via the belt.
Anyone else remember this, or am I as nutty as usual.
Rico - all your base are belong to us.
Posted on: 07 July 2001 by dave simpson
Shifting the unwanted movement induced by the motor (therefore stylus deflected from reading the groove which results in information loss) to the "front/back path" of the diamond/groove interface (as opposed to the former "side-to-side path") results (theoretically) in less LOI(loss of information).
Thinking about this somemore.....I *was* drinking a lot in the days when I read this as part of a Pink T. inventor's interview.
regards,
dave
P.S. Where's Petrik ? I deserve 25 FEP's for dredging up the term "LOI".
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by Joe Petrik
Dave,
quote:
Where's Petrik ? I deserve 25 FEP's for dredging up the term "LOI".
Was on vacation in Canada, eh, now back in the U.S. of eh.
OK, I'll award the 25 FEPs for mentioning LOI. And because I'm a benevolent FEP Master, I'm willing to award another 15 if you can correctly answer any of the following questions:
(1) Which long-discontinued Linn cartridge looked like Darth Vader's head?
(2) Which is the greater evil -- cannibalizing Briks to feed Kans, or Kans to feed Briks? Why?
(3) It's 1987. You're a true flat earther with an unlimited budget. What system are you running?
Joe
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by Chris Dolan
quote:
LP12/Valhalla/Ittok/Karma 32.5/Hicap/Naxo/Hicap/6x135/Isobarik PMS/NAT01/Nakamichi Dragon/Sony Pro Walkman for when you're out and about and NO CD!
Richard
I thought the Troika was out in 1987 - or are you just saying what your system was then?
Also, the sbl was available and was preferred by some.
You forgot to mention the Sound Organisation tables to support the system, and a Linn Amp as a door stop.
Actually if money was no object you would also have had a Cambridge CD1 to show how crap it sounded in comparison
Chris
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by John G.
Alot may argue the best going in 1987 was:
LP12,Valhalla, Ittok, Troika
LK1, LK2, K20 cable
Passive DMS
3 Sound Organisation Tables
Where was The Flat Response magazine at that time?
I know the creators started up a new mag, but where were they on the new Linn electronics... curious?
[This message was edited by John Gilleran on THURSDAY 19 July 2001 at 01:01.]
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by Ron The Mon
(1) Which long-discontinued Linn cartridges looked like Darth Vader's head?
Trak, Asak, and Asak "T"
(2) Which is the greater evil -- cannibalizing Briks to feed Kans, or Kans to feed Briks? Why?
Obviously, it is evil to cannibalize Kans because you couldn't get a "4-matched set" of tweeters or mid-bass drivers. Also, it is just plain old evil to have an inoperative set of Kans!!
(3) It's 1987. You're a true flat earther with an unlimited budget. What system are you running?
Rosewood LP-12 (Valhalla, Zener diode mod, Nirvana kit, laminated armboard, etc.), RB-300 w/BNCs, Troika, on Audiotech floorstand.
Rega 78 with Goldring 1020 "mono" on Audiotech floorstand. (no BNCs for convenience when it gets taken to jazz club meetings).
Naim NAT-01 with ST-2 or Galaxy antenna.
Sony Walkman-Pro cassette deck (best sounding cassette deck at the time) run off the custom-made Exposure power-supply for Walkman-Pro.
Philips VCR for best TV and video sound.
NO CD !!
Naim 32.5, Hicap, Snaic
Naim Naxo, Hicap, Snaic
four 135s
(all electronics on Audiotech stands)
Active rosewood Kans, on Audiotech wall-mounts.
(still basically what I'm running today except 140s instead of 135s)
(I've also owned and run all three "Darth Vader" models)
Ron The Mon
