Linn Sondek Isolation


Hi All,

I recently acquired a mid-80's Sondek. It's being tuned and will be back in my eagerly waiting hands in a few days. I will be putting the table in small wood audio cabinet.

Do I need to set the table on isolation feet or perhaps the entire audio cabinet?

Thanks,

Tim
tim_j_thomas
I have a Torlite stand made expressly for the Linn by Russ Andrews in the 80s. Email me if interested.
A couple of things I have done to set my LP12 up is 1)place it on Aurios, that helps a lot and 2) brace the cabinet against the wall, preferably a stud area. I have a wooden block that is basically wedged between the cabinet and the wall, you actually want the wooden block to be under pressure from the cabinet trying to lean back toward the wall. I made one that is adjustable and I tighten it to make it tight.
While I know it runs counter to the standard advice posted in these threads, Linn recommends placing the TT on a light but rigid table. I can't copy page 14 from the LP12 manual (some sort of Adobe protection) but if you go to the Vinyl Engine you can download the complete manual yourself. Linn argues that a heavy stand will transmit vibrations below the frequency that the Linn suspension can handle. Similarly, suspension feet will interact negatively with the Linn's suspension. If mounted to a wall with brackets, they suggest that the plank on which the Linn sits should rest on the brackets, not be attached to them (i.e. decoupled). In fact, they say that if the table is placed on a massive stand, one should build a lighter decoupling stand (sort of your own miniature light-weight table) to place under it, to decouple it from the mass. I won't argue against the much greater expertise of other members (no sarcasm intended, I'm not involved in the hobby aspects of this to the degree of most posters) but thought you might be interested in Linn's own comments.
Don't listen to Buconero, but Schipo, Stanwal, Theo and Palewin are all correct.
I am trying to remember how far I was able to throw my LP12 after the last time I got up to get a drink (while it was playing a record) and it shook the hell out of my woofer cones? What a nightmare... I had it on a 161 pound turntable stand... yes, yes, yes I have hardwood floors... but still. Solution, Dual 1229 with Grace 747 tonearm. I can jump up and down and the table never moves. Not only that, I once again am enjoying the pace, pitch and power of idler drive, something that the Linn could never ever (even with $8000.00 in the never ending ongoing upgrades, power supplies, bearings, clips, motors etc., etc, etc.) come close too. I agree with the USED TANK idea, it is Brilliant (might want to sell that one to Linn as another upgrade!). Had I thought of it, I might still be using an LP12.