Linn Sondek LP12

History

The Sondek LP12 turntable, introduced in 1972, utilises a suspended sub-chassis design and a patented tightly-toleranced single-point bearing. The LP12 has evolved since its introduction, but its basic suspended sub-chassis design has remained. At the time, the design was identical to the Ariston RD11 and similar to the Thorens TD150, both in turn based on the Acoustic Research XA turntable that was launched in 1961. The XA was created by renowned audio pioneer Edgar Villchur. The three-point "suspended sub-chassis" of the XA, using a compression spring system, was much improved upon and popularised in the LP12.

The similarities between the LP12 and the Ariston RD11 resulted in a patent case: Ariston vs. Linn, or more correctly, Fergus Fons Ltd, Hamish Robertson vs. Ivor Tiefenbrun. In 1972, the late Jack Yan Tiefenbrun filed a pair of provisional patent specifications for a simple point-contact bearing, and followed them up in June 1973 with a complete specification claiming 'improvements in, or relating to, gramophone record playing apparatus'. The application was accepted by the British Patent Office and published as BP1394611. In May 1975, following the publication of the Tiefenbrun patent, an opposition was lodged by turntable manufacturer Fergus Fons Ltd and the late William James Hamish Robertson. The patent was opposed on various grounds, including that 'what was being claimed as new, was in fact old', and that the idea was 'lacking in inventive step' over what was already known. A further ground of opposition was that the invention had been 'obtained' from Hamish Robertson, and was his original idea rather than that of Jack Tiefenbrun. Jack Tiefenbrun had formed Castle Precision Engineering (Glasgow) Ltd some 15 years earlier. Hamish Robertson had a company called Thermac in 1967, which became Ariston in 1970, and Ariston Audio in 1973. In 1970 Jack's son Ivor formed a friendship with Hamish. In 1971 Ivor made a prototype turntable with a ball bearing, and then went to Israel. While Ivor was away, Jack and Hamish changed the ball bearing to a single point bearing. Robertson's company Thermac then ordered forty of the turntables from Castle Precision Engineering Ltd. In 1971, and now operating as Ariston, Hamish showed the turntable under the model name RD11 at the Harrogate show, and set up a distribution network with C. J. Walker and Company. By the end of 1972 relations between Robertson and the Tiefenbruns had broken down. This allegedly led to a threat to Robertson that a copyright action would be brought against him if he had the RD11 turntable made elsewhere than at Castle Precision Engineering. In February 1973 Linn Products Ltd was formed to sell turntables made by Castle Precision Engineering. Robertson left Ariston, which by now had been taken over by Dunlop Westayr Ltd, and became director Fergus Fons Ltd. In the end The Robertsons’ opposition to the Tiefenbrun patent was rejected.

The thinking at the time was that the most important component of a high-end audio system is the loudspeakers. Linn presented an important challenge to that by claiming that the source (i.e. the turntable) was the most important part of the system.

Ivor Tiefenbrun has talked about how Sondek derives from the word Soundex as each hi-fi design always ends up having its own unique identifiable and recognisable sound. Some report the original name was just Sondek without the LP12.

Early versions were a platform for mounting third party tonearms, had a basic power supply arrangements, and would only revolve at 33⅓ rpm. Those users requiring a 45 rpm option would have to purchase a special adaptor to increase the diameter of the motor pulley and platter speed accordingly.

Throughout the years, there have been many changes resulting from development efforts to improve this table. These changes include modifications to components such as the subplatter and bearing, rubber feet, baseboard, armboard, suspension springs and grommets and reinforced plinth. A much improved on-board PSU, the Valhalla, was marketed as an upgrade option. Later, external power supplies became de rigueur firstly with the introduction of the Linn Lingo, and later the Radikal.

Partnered tonearms and power supplies

Like most turntable units, many options to partner the LP12 are available (including Linn's own) for tonearms, cartridges and, to a much lesser extent, power supplies. Although Linn constantly espouses the virtues of a "pure" Linn system, and there is much talked about synergies with other Linn components, the LP12 user has the option of a number of third party options. Before the existence of Linn-branded tonearms, Linn was the importer for Grace, and used their 707 tonearm. The Sumiko tonearm and later the Mission 774 arm were also popular choices and much spoken of. The first Linn-badged arm, the Ittok LVII, was in production 1979-93. A 3-point-mounted arm with a large-bore arm tube designed and manufactured in Japan. It was gradually superseded by the Ekos. A budget arm, the Basik LVX, was produced from 1983 to 1986, and replaced by the Akito. For today's demanding audiophile, LP12 is commonly partnered with the Linn Ekos SE tonearm; the unipivot ARO tonearm from Naim Audio is also very popular.

External power options include Linn's own top of the line Radikal power supply featuring an auto-calibrating speed management system; Naim Audio manufactures the Armageddon power supply for the LP12, based on its own Hi-Cap power supply unit.

Linn were distributors for Grace and Supex Corporation at the time, and thus the Grace G-707 tone arm and Supex SD900 and SD1000 phono cartridges were also frequently partners for the deck. Early Linn-branded cartridges, such as the Asak and Asaka, and the 3-point mounted Troika (now discontinued), were produced by Supex for Linn. Linn's later subcontracted cartridge manufacture to Lyra Corporation in Japan. Paul Messenger, writing in Stereophile, credits Linn's endorsement and importation of the Supex brand for the resurgence of audiophile interest in moving coil cartridges.

Naim Audio manufactured the Linn-branded head amplifier (phono amplifier), the Linnk. Linn today manufacturers the Uphorik ("euphoric"), and Urika ("eureka") phono pre-amplifier that can be powered by the Radikal.

Linn capitalised on the success of the Sondek LP12 by introducing the more affordable Basik and Axis turntables, complementary tonearms for the Sondek and cartridges at different price points.

Popularity

The LP12 is popular with many audiophiles around the world for its excellent ability to play music with "pace, rhythm and timing". It is sometimes used by hi-fi reviewers as a reference turntable.

It was at its most popular in the golden age of vinyl playback, principally the 1970s through to the 1980s. David Thompson, writing in Record Collector News, said that the LP12 enjoyed a "stranglehold on the qualities of LP reproduction for many years". Its closest competitors were probably the Roksan Xerxes, the Well Tempered Table, several Thorens decks (TD125/126, TD160, TD2001/3001). the Michell GyroDec, the Dunlop Systemdek, the Logic DM-101 and the Pink Triangle PT1. However, the LP12 outsold them all in the United Kingdom. In fact, TNT asserts that "most foreign manufacturers of hi-end turntables didn't even bother to import" because they were faced with an uphill fight. Critics and reviewers would all too frequently conclude of any imported competitor that "an LP12 is better and you could buy two Linn's [sic] for that money".

The LP12 has acquired such cult status amongst audiophile turntables that many seek to knock it off its pedestal. Although the design has not been fundamentally revisited, there have been improvements to the turntable's design since its launch using advances in material science, over 40 years ago. It remains possible to buy a Sondek LP12 in a configuration not dissimilar to one made in 1973. In 2004, Stereophile said it was "a classic, a revolutionary, an iconoclast, a survivor." In 2011, ranking the LP12 the second "Most Significant Turntables of All Time" for The Absolute Sound, Robert Harley said: "It’s impossible to imagine the high-end industry without the LP12".

The success of the LP12 owed a lot more to marketing and the personality of Ivor Tiefenbrun, in what is essentially a niche audiophile sector, than engineering. Support of reviewers and dealers were the overriding factors, sweeping under the carpet the deficiencies of what in essence was a flawed pirated design. The major flaws were bass bloom colouration, difficulty of setting up the deck and maintaining the optimum set up. The setting up of LP12 which go “out of tune” has become something of an industry.

Linn Products provided dealers with large margins as rewards for selling sufficient quantities of the deck and this discouraged comparisons with more modern and superior sounding alternatives. Reports about the practices of Linn representatives have been posted on the Internet, including tampering with a demonstration Pink Triangle at a retailer. The British hi-fi press, most notably the magazines under the Haymarket umbrella, waxed lyrical about the LP12 and would always recommended it, even in systems with budget arms, cartridges, amplifiers and speakers. The young men reviewing at the magazines were very impressionable and open to being turned to a *way* and most were converted by visits to Glasgow and the persuasions of Ivor Tiefenbrun. Once he had the industry in his grasp it was very hard for other new manufacturers to find good and responsive retailers for their products and many fine companies and products were killed off, especially in the two recessions of the early 80's and early 90's. Along with British products, high performance Japanese direct drive turntables could not get a look in. It is recognised now that many of these direct drive decks, scorned by journalists at the time, are sonically superior to the LP12.

The price of the LP12, with the numerous modifications, has sky rocketed over the decades. The resulting profits enabled Linn Products to diversify and become a manufacturer of life style products in the digital age.

Product history

Changes thereto are elaborated below. related serial numbers in square brackets

Important upgrades

(in chronological order)

Lingo Power Supply (Introduced: 1990) Linn describes the LINGO as a "high precision, direct coupled, power supply designed to sit alongside the LP12 turntable". Prior to the Lingo, speed accuracy for 33 rpm (and 45 rpm) rotation was determined by the Valhalla power supply board.

The Lingo generates two 50 Hz sinusoidal waveforms which it amplifies and sends to the turntable motor – the Valhalla generates a single sine wave. Using crystal oscillators, one for 33⅓ rpm and one for 45 rpm. the two speeds are made possible. When depressed, the switch on the turntable supplies the start-up torque with which the deck's desired rotation speed is achieved. the switch on the turntable allows selection of the appropriate oscillator the output of which is fed into a synchronous counter to produce a 50 Hz or 67.5 Hz square wave for 33⅓ rpm and 45 rpm respectively. The square wave is filtered into a clean sine wave to minimise motor vibration, and amplified to 120V to feed the turntable.

The Cirkus upgrade (Introduced: 1993) The Cirkus kit aims to provide the LP12 with greater stability and ensure the bearing sits perfectly true to the chassis, through a redesigned bearing and stronger sub-chassis assembly.

The bearing housing height has been increased to improve lubrication; its mounting flange thickness has been substantially increased; the geometry of the top and bottom liners in the bearing housing has been altered to further reduce incidence of rocking. Thickness of the sub-chassis was doubled to improve rigidity, reduce flexing and improve control of the relationship between turntable platter and arm. With the new bearing comes a new sub-platter.

Keel (Introduced: 2006) The Keel upgrade to the LP12 is a replacement subchassis, machined from solid aluminium. It builds on the Cirkus upgrade (now fitted as standard to new LP12s) but is not included as standard in 'regular' production LP12s. Linn claims that the Keel is an application of its "close-tolerance aluminium machining", first seen in the ingot casing of the Sondek CD12 CD player. The Keel, along with the Ekos SE tonearm and Trampolin Mk.2 were three Special Edition upgrades for the turntable's 33⅓ birthday, 33⅓ being the standard rotational speed when playing LPs.

Trampolin Mark 2 (Introduced: 2006) The original Trampolin baseboard was made from MDF, rather than masonite, incorporating damping feet which were optimised for LP12 to be placed on heavy furniture. The Trampolin II is made from aluminium.

Radikal (Introduced: 2009) The 'Radikal' system, priced at £2,500, comprises a "control box", DC motor and power supply which, according to Linn, offers more accurate speed control, and reduced vibration and resonance. This is achieved by using on-board speed management system with automatic calibration, and use of a new motor with low magnetic field and electrical noise, located within a machined housing. It can be used to power the Urika phono amplifier or the Linn phonostage mounted inside the turntable.

Recognition