Funny noises about LP12's coming from the Private ads section

Not been following this thread all the way through but just dipped in to read a few pages back and noticed my name being banded around in vein (my nickname to those who know me offline is Harry).

Just for the record (pun intended) the reason I got rid of my LP12 wasn't because it was prone to footfall, but purely because I preferred the Orbe that replaced it for various sonic reasons. I have no axe to grind re Linn's reputation as a turntable manufacturer or those that choose a different audio path to my own.

Admittedly the brand new LP12 I owned back in 1999 was a very lowly variant i.e. Basik power supply, Akito arm and Grado Platinum Reference cartridge. The deck was delivered and set-up by an experienced Linn dealer. I subsequently did investigate what could be achieved with a fully loaded LP12 both at hi-fi shows and at a dealer's but found the Orbe (which I'd heard initially by chance at a hi-fi show dem which blew me away) was much more to my tastes and requirements. In the 5 and a half years that I've had the Orbe (it has always been used with an SME V and Van Den Hul Frog) all the other components in my system have been changed except it (and the arm and cartridge), now that surely speaks volumes.

Just a few days ago I took delivery of a new phono stage, in fact a pre amp with built in phono stage, a Bel Canto Pre2P and this appears to have un-leashed yet more performance that seemed to have lain untapped. I'm very satisfied with this set-up now and don't foresee spending anymore money here, although the Orbe Controller NC motor and PSU upgrade seems tempting (I've got the original quartz crystal regulated PSU and AC motor). Certainly spending 4 figures on an arm upgrade is out of the question.

On the subject of CD vs vinyl, if I could replace all the vinyl I currently own with CDs that sound as good as the vinyl original then I would. That's not to say that I find vinyl to sound consistently better than CD, but consistency is an issue in that I prefer to use CD because it is more convenient to handle and more consistent in terms of sound quality obtained. IME though, I do tend to find CD to be ultimately more dynamic than vinyl, the only recordings on vinyl I tend to find to be a good match for CD in terms of dynamics and impact are 45rpm 12 inches.

Most of my vinyl is second-hand/pre-owned and I don't go out of my way to purchase audiophile or premium recordings. I own both sources simply because it gives me freedom to access the music that I want to buy.

 

Surface noise isn't the same as the noise floor - I get the impression people often confuse the two, which is why people believe that CD has a lower noise floor than LP.

 

Arr the joys of parenting.....

 

Well that's fair enough.

Paul

 

Yes CAs resonate and also sound quite bright - a bad combination for surface noise.

 

Alledgedly down to the acrylic platter but who knows?

IMO those who think CD can equal vinyl either need to hear a really top record deck or they are listening for something different to me.

Downside with a TT is they are a real hassle to use and maintain. Good TT's sound remarkably like CD players in a number of ways.

 

My pt had an acrylic platter and didnt do that. I suspect a combination of the arm and cartridge given that I have heard those CA items on other decks.

 

You beat me to it.

"Low noise floor" to me, means that a piece of equipment is able to discern and reproduce eg very small noises which may not be audible with less sensitive kit.

For example, when I replaced my 52 with a 252 I could hear many more details of a piece, such as the movement of fimgers over guitar strings, the sound of a mouth moving when it produces song etc.

Regards

Mike

 

Just about sums about my opinion on the differences of opinion found amongst many debates in hi-fi, especially vinyl vs CD.

I'd have personally put that as "Good TT's sound remarkably like good CD players in a number of ways" ...and visa-versa.

 

I've only read a tiny bit of this thread but it seems to have an exceptionally high drivel content.

-- Ian

 

I'm just surprised that its one of the biggest threads here,and also contains the smallest amount of useful content....with a few exceptions.

Pity really.

 

Congratulations - you just added to it.

 

I can hear that sort of thing with my Avondaled 72 - A260z.

 

Which is often something that a really good CD based system can excell at.....mine certainly isn't in the best league,but can do this sort of thing with ease,as the noise floor is very low overall.

 

nice one bbv, very good my friend!
i think this thread is great.

 

get a room!

 

Congratulations - so did you.

 

Added to it Markus, he and another wrote most of it

 

They probably have.

 

You can blame the hifi company for that then, since they installed it... That LP12 Henryt had was a joke - flat, dull, boomy, and it would jump even if you were walking around upstairs.

Now, I've heard a (s)Hitachi non-supended 1980s plastic fantastic on that same rack (don't ask!) a while before the LP12, and that didn't jump.

His Orbe didn't jump either.

The reason? I have no idea (since the Hitachi should have skated like Torville and Dean!), but the Orbe's superiority is obvious - inverted bearing, and lower centre of gravity, because Michell used modern engineering, instead of ripping off an older style design (Ariston/AR) and tried to sell it as the best turntable ever made.

Oh - and the CD12 is a shockingly dull CD player - a Project Debut II will see it clear in musicality stakes.