So when you say all the upgrades to your Linn, what do you mean? There are three different sub chassis updates, 12volt ac motor with power supply and tachometer, dc motor upgrade Radikal update, etc. And that's not counting tonearms and cartridges. I believe that you can top out at $30-$35K, $55-$60K and you cannot do some of these updates without the power supply update. I'll assume you own a Valhalla based LP12?

Your comment is both funny- to me, and true!

Spot on commentary that is exactly what i was thinking being the owner of a Thorens 166 mk2. I was tempted with the Rega P3 cos it looks so light and cool. The upgrades take me back to traditional platter designs. Im thinking money spent on cartridges is better spent. Great video.

Well. Why don´t they sell a decent turntable in the first place?

It is! Thanks.

I agree and the LP12 is very sensitive to what it is placed on too. It likes the same thing, a very light and ridged support.

Purchased a platform for the rega 3 & got an amazing upgrade on the cheap.

Top tip is to buy a turntable with more mass in the first place, isn´t it? What´s the value of a product that is based on reducing as much mass as possible only to sell "upgrades" and platforms to compensate for this lacking mass? Rip off.

@@ENGLISHISBEST Everytime some happy customer cheers about spending even more money on an "amazing upgrade" to finally get this piece of crap running halfway decent makes me puke.

the easy upgrade is to place the TT as far away from the speakers as is possible , this info is missing from all upgrade and stand mount posts .. , I wonder why

Like the “5th Beatle”. Lots of them.

I'd rather say the Linn is "The scam artist's TD160"

The Linn will outperform any Rega period. Talk to any dealer who sells both and has long term experience with both. The issue or problem with a review like this one is what is the point of this review? When you have someone with basically zero experience with setup, with the exception of these two tables, someone who lacks the knowledge, tools, what to even look for (issues), particularly with the Linn, you're left with an LP12 of a certain vintage that may or may not have issues reviewed by a person who wouldn't know. There is just tooooo many ways, and variations, to owning a Linn and this tiny sliver of a take on their products, especially by an inexperienced owner, well what do you really get out of it. Take your 96 XJ6; when it is tuned up properly, chassis and suspension, tires just right, all by mechanics who know this car, it just sings. And that's the same with a Linn. Just one more thing, when visiting the factory in Glasgow years ago, Ivor drove a Walkinshaw Jaguar. It was fast , high performance. and drop dead gorgeous car.

Time to reconsider that notion. One of the oldest and best LP12 dealers in the states, a dealer that consistently used every possible variation and updates to it are now changing their mind about it. The new and limited Naim Solstice Special Edition Turntable (by the way they are also a top destination for Naim and know more about Rega tables than just about anyone). Not cheap but about half of the Linn's fully loaded price. And it comes complete; table, Aro arm, The New Naim MC cartridge, phono preamp, and a dual power supply specifically designed for the Turntable and preamp. All in, not bad for a statement product from Naim considering their other statement products can go six figures. Haven't seen or heard it yet but a while back, I spent two hours listening to I think three-hundred thousand bucks worth of electronics through these thin real tall Dynaudio's ($85,000.00?) with their own insanely made rips of just about anything I wanted to hear with an iPad controlling it all. It changed my world view on audio but for this KZfaq site and many others like it you wonder what's the point of listening to these people well intentioned or not discuss subjects that they are clearly even remotely familiar with and do not seem to understand that. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gat0hJhz1pinXXk.html

Excellent question

Yes, it was level. I plan to change springs and grommets soon. Thanks

You may ask Gus through customer service and social media. He knows best

Not soundproofing, acoustic panels. GIK Acoustics. Look for the video I made about them. Thx

@@MODAC thanks much and my apologies, I meant acoustic panels. I’ll check out the video

Watch this video: Building a Superb Hifi and Record Stand for My Marantz Receiver kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fM5hg9aVvam0XXk.html

Order some upgrades from Tangospinner then.

@@MODAC curious; not ready to pull the trigger. i wouldnt mind speakin or typing with someone who owns a current model p3 and isntalled their upgrades.

No, I’m using both belts. Much faster start up

@@MODAC I recently installed the GrooveTracer Reference Subplatter and Delrin platter. I was really surprised by the improvement. I’m typically skeptical about the incremental upgrades, but I’ve come to realize that the marriage of tonearm and platter/subplatter is almost as important as cartridge and speakers.

If you like the sound of your existing set up, why upgrade? My tt is 1976 and I still love the sound. So many comments go like this -- I loved xx tt for the 2 years I kept it! Hope this helps.

Go for the 6

Please watch this: GIK Acoustics Room Treatment Rescued My Room! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iLN5dqRqqbPJgYU.html

Ummm. They are very expensive. So no, I’m afraid.

I didn’t move the cartridge. I have 2 of them. Yes, set up is important, but I don’t go to the extreme like some.

@@MODAC Gotcha! Thanks!

Not difficult but tedious. Companies like Wally Tools ( I own some), I wonder if they go too far. Most of the adjustments like rake angle are still approximations when you consider all the differences in tolerance of manufacture. Say you have the rake set perfectly but the stylus is not sitting straight up(right angles) in the groove. Also what Lp do you use for this setup? I've seen MF using a microscope to adjust rake angle, fine. But you put a different record on and rake angle changes. I will say that maybe really accurate rigs with expensive cartridges that come with individual graphs get more out of the most accurate setups than say a fifty-dollar Grado or AT cartridge. I have this aluminum case with maybe $500.00 of turntable setup tools all neat and tidy in their separate foam compartments and for the most part, will use most of them. Linns attitude about cartridges is once you get some hours on it, that it should not be moved as the tip has been cut, faceted by wear, and moving it would be difficult to line up those faceted points again. Also, you can dial in a cartridge by simply adjusting the counterweight by tenths of a gram. Again Linn has all this on their websites.

I suppose I will never know and not really bothered to find out. Very happy with the AT VM740ML. Excellent performing mm cartridge for a reasonable cost. Thanks and you’re welcome.

$$$. Please join my Patreon to help😄

No ! It,s a money go round. . Speaking from Scotland , ex dealer.

Yes, I am aware of how to adjust the speed of the LP12. Besides a phone app, I do not have a proper strobe to accurately check speed. I have multiple systems in my house that are continually changed. Do you think it’s easy to find a phono board in the US (or anywhere) for a 20+ year old Nait 3? I’m not sure that I want to invest anymore money into the old Rega. Resources better used elsewhere. Thanks

@@MODAC So I spoke to John Schwarz at Pro Musica (Chicago) and he has the phono boards for the Nait III in stock and at a reasonable price if your interested. It took me all of sixty seconds to find them. I don't think anyone in the country knows more about Naim audio products than John and Ken Christensen. Ken also is a Naim recording engineer. P.S., Ken informed me that they got in the Naim Solstice Turntable, arm and preamp combo and that it is better, sometimes subtlely in every way than a fully loaded Linn and this is from one of the most staunch supporters of the LP12 (until now) I know and has had every other table outside of the insanely priced gear in their shop and that says a lot about the Naim table. Didn't bother to ask about the price. Plus everything I just wrote goes double for Rega.

@@mortlach186 I can vouch for Pro Musica's two owners. They'll solve any problem that arises with either Linn or Rega decks.

1988. I have new springs and am planning to try to change them myself.

@@MODAC Hahaha so this utter useless then.. nice going dude!!

Good luck man. Quite tricky without the jig. But I’ve seen it done on a chair frame with the seat removed. The trick is the balance coz the weights are different at each point. IMHO all that softness etc you talk about will disappear when it’s set up right.👍

Like the “5th Beatle”. Lots of them.

Stating an opinion without hearing the results? Not cool.

@@MODAC Not really an opinion, its quite logical, unless you are saying Linn, Thorens etc wasted their time making heavy platters and 3 point suspension ).

You definitely do not .

@@r423sdex Rega planar 3 was £148 in 1981 the lp12 £340 without arm.

£340 without arm in January 1983 to be precise so double the cost of a 3 but with a main bearing with 50% less rumble than a budget Project!

Mee 2

What do you recommended as a new turntable purchase ? Project carbon good ?

True. Get a cd-player or, if you dare, some decent streamer. You´d be surprised.

You could buy a second hand Technics SL-1200 (MK2 and up) for $500-600 (in nice condition). Those are better than the LP12. Better specs and measurements.

@@felixfranzen7578don’t be silly.

Contact Gus at Tangospinner. He’ll help u sort it out. Thanks

@@MODAC Yup, it’s 18mm for the original Planar 3.

Building components to a price point requires compromises. The upgrades are available on the P6 and P8 for a lot more money.

The original Planar 3 was the stooge in the Linn retailers back in the day. That suited Gandy because he coattaied Linn sales. I'm in Scotland and worked in that industry for 25 + years. I will elaborate if you wish. Not blowing smoke.

I strongly disagree

@@MODAC They are made for DJing so they aren't comparable to a home hifi deck, it's like comparing a formula one car to a car and driving it on the road, I would do the timestep upgrade as featured in hifi world mag. Its no way better than a Linn LP12.

If you have the $$$ money. Tangospinner much more cost effective.

​@@MODACstop wasting money on upgrades you will have the money in no time

Aluminum with stainless steel spindle.

​@@MODACor Aluminium if we dont bastardise it 😂

​@@MODACThe linn LP12's inner and outer platters are made from a die cast zinc alloy know as MAZAK, which actually only contains 4% Aluminium. The castings are machined to very tight tolerances to ensure balance and rotational stability.

You certainly have an agenda. Thanks

@@MODAC I do. I'd like to hear from any others who have had tinnitus problems with the Regas. Incidentally, I've had some too with a Clearaudio Concept using the MC made for the model.

@@jimmyolsenschannel6263 Never heard of a turntable triggering tinnitus or trigger any illness? May I ask what kind of music you listen to when this occurs?

@@willanderson6963 Thanks for showing an interest. Since you ask, I listen to rock, jazz, folk, classical and all things in between, but really the style of music is irrelevant in this discussion. The tinnitus is triggered a few minutes into listening to any Rega player I've tried and also the Clearaudio Concept when used with the designated MC cartridge, not the MM. The use of a glass/ceramic platter on an unsuspended turntable seems to be the culprit.

And Thorens stole the design from Acoustic Research in 1965 :)

Different arm geometry and cut out size and type would make that impossible. Also the Ittok would not perform well on the Rega sonically, despite being a superior arm, it would highlight the short comings of the Rega and sound musically worse than the stock Rega.

Perhaps so. Why does Rega include a metal subplatter on the P6 then?

I think different could be better...even when you add pickles to your peanut butter sandwich...that's better. But, actually, I think your argument is right when you have not got a concensus for what might be correct .

In my opinion the early Rega Planar 3s were better than later production. They were more solidly constructed... even the glass platter is a bit thicker. And the Rega RB300 arm only got worse after years of production. It has a distinct arm pipe resonance you can hear when you tap on it and which brightens up the sound of whatever cartridge you are using. Some people conflate that brightness for detail which is why it's popular... they don't realize it's just an arm colouration. Add to that a thin crappy arm cable that's light weight in bass. The original Rega R200 arm found on early Rega tables while no champion was and is a more listenable arm than the RB300.

a fixed headshell is not a design flaw but a design feature.

My early serial number Linn LP12 sounded at least 5x as good as my housemate's pair of SL1200MK2s.

@@JesseValentine That's because your housemate didn't have the original heavy rubber mats on his/her 1200s but had felt dj slipmats instead, this makes the platter resonate. Never mind the Technics, do a blind comparison with any 300€ Thorens which is basically what Linn copied/imitated. My point is the LP12s aren't bad, but nothing special either, there's absolutely nothing that justifies their completely ridiculous price, they are a scam aimed at superstitious believers.

Are you saying the RP3 is better than an LP12?

Curious, what do you prefer and have possibly compared to the LP12 that you liked more? I'm going to check out the new Naim Solstice Special Edition as I'll be able to directly compare it to other serious tables. They're also a Nagra dealer and they have a new turntable, not to mention even Esoteric Audio who make drop-dead gorgeous SACD players and electronics have a beautiful turntable coming out. I have to think those products will be expensive. P S, I stopped on this website because of products under review but have come to the conclusion that he is just another empty hack like ninety-nine percent of the rest on KZfaq since Covid19 affected everything and got bored and felt they have something to say about whatever their interests are. My LP12 as it stands is a bit more expensive than the Naim and I am really happy with it, the thought of spending twenty grand and tax on a new table now, I don't know.

A new planar 6 is $1875.

@@MODAC So? After pissing away a lot of money on the celebrated "upgrade path" of a typical Rega fanboy you´ll probably spend that amount of money anyway.

@@BO-kh1iz nope. A fraction.

@@BO-kh1iz agreed. I got the p6 with exact 2 and it blows away my p3 elys 2.

That is one of the annoying aspects of owning an LP12. I’ve had quite a few turntables, and none besides that one requires “expert” setup. Is it a feature or a shortcoming? I don’t live near a Linn dealer, so I’ve had to watch a few videos on the dark art of Linn servicing.

@@MODAC When it is well set up,you generally forget about the hifi and you simply want to put a record on and listen to music,all the time.A badly setup LP12 makes the music sound boring and listless .The choices are listening to the musicians or listening to the sound of the instruments?

@@LeoShoSilva as I said in the videos, my LP12 sounds very good. I did not say there is anything wrong with it.

Well, I don’t believe you’ve been to my listening room to hear it. You certainly have a very strong bias that leaves you very close-minded on this topic. I just upgraded the platter on the Rega to a Delrin model. Even better than before. I recently changed the springs on the LP12 and tuned the suspension. Noticeably improved. Nothing wrong with the Nait 3. I used it for this demo with a Parasound preamp to make it an even playing field. I have numerous (better) components that I can use. I’m having fun here and you are taking this much too seriously imo. Thanks

@@MODAC Au contraire, it is you that is taking things seriously here. The Rega Planar 3 needs to be done up like a Cockney tart at Ascot to even get close to the sound of a standard Funk Firm Gett or an old Thorens TD160 Mk2. BTW the Naim Nait 3 is universally voted as Naims worst ever Nait.