THe DaRksIde CAllS... Smeags new TT... Gulp its an LP12!

Quite a step down from my Clearaudio Ref, but such are our credit crunched times. I could afford this and got it off a friend for not much dough at all.
Rosewood, Hadcock 242 , Audio Technica ART1 cartridge, Cart man isolator, Trampolin and... (I think a Cirkus), and Origin Live speedbox and motor upgrade*. *Linnies say these are crap, but also feel they are blasphemous contraptions and must be burned at the stake for heresy against Our Lord Ivor. - but it sounds good - not Krap. I'll give it Viking name after.

Okay, it lacks the gob smacking accuracy and imaging of my former Teutonic acrylic colossus, but it makes me go all fuzzy at the knees on some stuff it really gets to the heart of the music. I'm almost willing to forgive the quirkiness of a unipivot arm on a suspended chassis. If the budgie bangs his mirror it skips a track - okay I made that bit up - but you get the idea! I also got a valve Consonance cyber 40 phono stage a shop was selling off used, with some exotic tubes inside. Looks quite sheksy too. Very Pleased. I'm not at liberty to reveal what I paid inc the phono stage, as I got cut some very fair deals from people who know I'm stuck, lets just say less than a good CD player for the lot.
Now sadly broke again - damn bills. All the good stuff of mines gone and all I have is bills these days and a couple of good tunes, I really hope the economy picks up soon. Car just failed its MOT today - woo-hoo! something about wishbones.

 

Hello

Hi SMEago

I know times are tough but chin up your Lp12 can be made to sound very good. Just make sure its well set up. The Linn people will have you believe that no one but those held in a bath of Ivor's pee, by the ankles can do it. Wrong ! I built a Linn for the first time a few months before I lost my Job. My boss said it was the best sounding Lp12 he had heard, so there it can be done.

The cyber phono stage is quite good, so, if you can get it sorted.

I know a while back you said you feared loosing your Job. I hope this didn't happen.

Best wishes and regards D Louth 77

 

Hey Smeagol, well done...! I always keep a lookout on ebay for LP12's and will one day buy one. At the moment I use a Linn Basik deck with an Alphason Xenon tonearm but I'd love to transplant the arm onto an LP12 and fit it with a Dynavector DV10X5 high output type. I love vinyl as a means to an audio end and buy most of my new stuff from Amazon or Diverse Vinyl. At the moment, for around 350 quid, I cannot think of another deck I want as much as an old but mint LP12.

 

By the way Smeags... regarding being hard up, I'm self employed and after all of the bills have been paid I have a measly 350 quid a month with which to buy the things I like the best... TOYS...!!!

 

Thanks guys.

I had a Dynavector DV-20X moving coil, they do a high output version, occasionally they appear on ebay at a good discount. Very impressed for the dough I paid. I haven't quite lost the job, yet its still rocky, but years of debt have finally caught up with me. I confronted my fears, yet doing something about this has proved very nerve racking, and I'm getting a very rough ride. I'm boxed into a position of a shedload of negative equity, and not being able to earn less than my current salary due to debt obligations. Next year should be better. I'm not going into specifics, suffice to say if I had £350 left I'd be blissfully happy! At the mo its one takeaway a week and the occasional bit of vinyl. I rarely socialise as I cannot afford it. I have friends with great jobs and expensive taste. There are only so many freebies you can accept before your pride says no more. I'm stuck in a job I hate, yet can't leave. The salvation of my old car and music, I guess, are what keeps me going. I wish I could sound happier, but at the moment with Christmas looming its a bit of an anuual lowpoint for me. I just read this back, God it sounds depressing, but thought I'd share. The LP12 has proved a revelation for the tiny amount I paid, both that and the phono stage were a couple of coincidences in rapid succession, so somebody up there likes me! Ill get the courage to take the "lidd" off the linn some time and start tweeking, but not this month!

 

That's good news - at least you've not lost the important stuff

 

Hi smeago

I know what you mean. I am there too. Keep on going on. God bless you.

Regards D Louth77