As Ivor Tiefenbrun launched the Linn turntable in 1973, the music world was shaken with the grand entry. Linn turntable turned many audiophiles into its favour with the premium sound quality and maybe much more. The device gained popularity very quickly. It was also designed with modularity in mind: Any of the more than 50 mechanical and electrical improvements that have been published over the past 50 years can still be used by customers who purchased an LP12 in the 1970s to enhance their gadgets. Truly futuristic!
There will only be 250 units of Linn's Sondek LP12-50, a high-end turntable that has the same delicate, classy, and quiet aesthetic as the original model. Other turntables in this price range may look like dramatic sculptures. Vinyl is a material, perishable product that needs care and attention; it is the antithesis of playing music. Also, the LP12 is more mechanical and hand-made with moving elements, assembled and engineered by Linn at his facility Glasgow, Scotland. An LP12 is the exclusive focus of a single craftsperson who assembles, tests, and packs a unit—a level of attention that is reflected in the $60,000 price. This makes the device distinct from other products manufactured in assembly-lines.
Product ambassador & trainer Gordon Inch characterizes Linn as a “high-fidelity audio company built on engineering principles.” Here, he walks us through each stage involved in creating the company's peculiar product.
Bedrok Shaping
Since the base of a record player determines its quality, Linn created a material called Bedrok to form the bases for this limited edition. Beechwood sheets are first used, and they are crushed until they form a sturdy block. After that, this slab is machined to fit the other parts. According to Inch, the Bedrok's function is to prevent resonance so that the turntable's spring and suspended components can perform as expected.
Switching
The modern design of switches which helps devices to be turned on and off, and to adjust the playback speed, is entirely different from the old-fashioned light switches kind of design in all the older versions of turntables. The refashioned switch is made in lathe using solid aluminium. It intended to be in line with the plinth or base. The modern switches stand differently as Ive's version provides haptic feedback, which is akin to the sensation of touching and holding a phone's touch screen, in place of producing a crisp click.
Bearings on a Thrust Pad
The LP12's performance is so dependent on Linn's bearings—the parts that make the turntable platter spin smoothly—that the company's logo is a line sketch of one. The most recent model, named the Karousel, is constructed internally from durable stainless steel and rests upon a highly polished bottom composed of high-carbon steel, known as the thrust pad.
Platter Production
The vinyl spins on a plate constructed of two halves, made of a thick zinc alloy - Zamak. The weight of the material helps to stabilize the record, and the two components of the module function as a firebreak. The slight interplay between the two offsets resonates in one of the platter's pieces. Because even a slight tilt in the record "can change the speed of the reading," according to Inch, its precise construction helps to maintain perfect flatness.
Laser Itching
A laser-etched plate is used to attach the name of the turntable craftsperson to the completed device, following a long-standing Linn custom. Here, the edition number and information about the partnership with LoveFrom are also included on the plate.
Tonearm Intensity
As the tonearm holds the stylus above the record, it's arguably the most time-consuming part. A batch of six of these elements can only be made in three days, and Inch claims that the level of accuracy and hand-eye coordination required "can drive some people crazy." Some of the 74 components are as tiny as one or two millimetres.
Motor Control Engineering
One of the few audio firms that can manufacture its electronics internally is Linn. The Radikal motor-control device is designed to tightly regulate the speed at which the platter rotates. In order to maintain the platters spinning at precisely 33.3333 revolutions per minute (or 45 rpm) it collects data from optical sensors and an inbuilt tachometer. The sound of a record can be significantly impacted by even the smallest speed variations.
Home Installation
Since each component is so fragile, the device isn't supplied completely assembled. In this case, Inch completes the project, a task that usually belongs to the skilled trade partners that take care of house installations.
Fulfilment
The completed piece, ready to play music and be passed on to your children when the time comes. Inch remembers meeting a third-generation owner of an LP12 in Seattle once; the player had numerous chips and scratches, as well as a large missing piece of wood. The client said, "The whole story of my childhood is in this deck," in response to the question of why he had kept it for so long.
Read more from the original article - Read more
