SONDEKNZ Posted January 22 Posted January 22 As an aside, we happily run a couple of tubes amps, but the summers here in Hangzhou, China - 45° C. or occasionally higher - make tube amplifiers unbearable. So, any day now our new summer amp will arrive: One minty and original QUAD 306 - with renewed smoothing caps! Having heard and read so many raves about this little amplifier, I’m really looking forward to putting the QUAD through its paces… 2
evgill Posted January 22 Posted January 22 (edited) Fingers too quick. Double posting apologies Admin please delete. I can't seem to. Edited January 22 by evgill Double Posting...Apologies
evgill Posted January 22 Posted January 22 (edited) I've been following Nick's threads across multiple Forum's but I'm only a member here and on the Green/White group and not sure where it was mentioned, but one of the comments was the potential issues with too much weight on the rear mushroom at the arm mount personally haven't noted as an issue. However I recall seeing an interesting potential weight distribution solution (if it was indeed a problem). This is a Lennart build on a Stiletto... (Mark, Tangerine came in very quickly saying this was NOT a good idea with an on board power supply and was definitely not a TA solution). I believe it was done to compensate for very heavy arms ...SME V I believe. Edited January 22 by evgill 1
SONDEKNZ Posted January 22 Posted January 22 [Regarding the sub-chassis counterweight above…] Someone has been thinking… 1
NickofWimbledon Posted January 24 Author Posted January 24 On 20/01/2025 at 4:21 AM, evgill said: Nick, i'll add that here in NZ (Dunedin) I put an LP12 owner onto them (Invercargill). He reverted back to the springs after a short time, preferred them. Circa late 80's fitted with Stack Sub with Karousel. Another small point. I have noticed a few who tried them said along the lines of ... ditched after two tracks, mushy, lack of focus... without a doubt that was my experience for a few tracks as well. I simply lowered the volume a touch, picked up a book and waited (my reasoning was that if nothing changed they were going) BUT about 30 minutes + in everything settled back to the familiar so they stayed "They probably make a badly set up LP12 sound better", nope if the LP12 is set up badly the TAICA's aren't going to help. "It you don't like a suspended LP12 buy something else". Sure, I've toyed with the idea of the Roksan Xerxes 20+ fitted with my Aro or Vertere MG1 but both at this time in my life are probably a "touch" more than I could justify to my long suffering wife. What I have, I am happy with. Sounds to my ears that I have lost nothing. Ease of use and peace of mind, not constantly worrying about 'pistonic bounce' is to me the biggest benefit. NOW if I could replace my 82/SCAP/250 with a single box without loss I'd be in heaven I should also say that I have high regard for Theo Stack's stuff, even though I don't use it. Ditto a Naim Aro. Together, they could mean that you have the highest spec LP12 of any of the respondents yet who has not reverted to springs. From pics and comments about other people's decks, we know that there are some really expensive LP12 setups out there with mushrooms, and some people may simply not have given a detailed account, but it is an interesting point that the mushrooms win for you even at that fairly exalted level. 1
NickofWimbledon Posted January 24 Author Posted January 24 On 22/1/2025 at 1:43 PM, SONDEKNZ said: [Regarding the sub-chassis counterweight above…] Someone has been thinking… Correction! You and one other. 1 1
Tasebass Posted January 24 Posted January 24 On 22/01/2025 at 12:55 PM, SONDEKNZ said: Sound quality including far superior pitch stability was always our highest priority. I am extremely sensitive to any pitch variation and this drove the whole project. The fact that handling and cuing are far easier - and that there is nothing at all to wriggle out of alignment - are just (massive) bonuses to the boon in playback quality. May I make a suggestion .... Go and check out a Technics SL1210G... Has all the attributes you mention above....I should know as I own one along with a Linn fitted with a Radikal 2 ... I doubt fitting mushrooms will give anywhere near the performance upgrade to said priority's you mentioned as a Rad 2.........( but Hey I could be wrong!!) No faffing around with suspension issues etc etc just install cartridge follow a few instructions and your away... You might be surprised... Tase. 1
NickofWimbledon Posted January 25 Author Posted January 25 4 hours ago, Tasebass said: May I make a suggestion .... Go and check out a Technics SL1210G... Has all the attributes you mention above....I should know as I own one along with a Linn fitted with a Radikal 2 ... I doubt fitting mushrooms will give anywhere near the performance upgrade to said priority's you mentioned as a Rad 2.........( but Hey I could be wrong!!) No faffing around with suspension issues etc etc just install cartridge follow a few instructions and your away... You might be surprised... Tase. Without wanting to divert my own thread down a rabbit-hole, you raising a lot of points here. Do you prefer an LP12 with a Radikal 2 to that Technics? The comparisons with unsuspended and/ or direct drive turntables is certainly interesting. As commented elsewhere, I struggle with this aspect of the discussion, because what several people claim as a major weakness of an LP12 that can be cured by removing springs simply does not match what we have heard in recent shoot-outs (which involved transporting my LP12 to dealers and was a bit of a pain as a result. A friend and I tried comparing my old LP12 (Cirkus, Kore, Lingo 4, Ekos, Krystal) with considerably more expensive options from Vertere and Brinkmann. Note that the Bardo is direct drive and neither of those has bouncy suspension like a Linn. Iirc, we both thought that both of those were marginally ahead of that LP12 on sudden dynamics and extreme bass note grip (starting and stopping cleanly) and on background noise (and hence detail). I thought the Brinkmann Bardo in particular was ahead on the stereo image too. They are both grat options if you want to spend that sort of money. Problem 1 is that neither beat the old LP12 (to our ears or those of the chaps trying to sell the non-Linn decks) for pitch control. The LP12 was to us behind in the above areas, and its apparent advantage on sibilance and at the top of the vocal range of (say) young Joan Baez may have been due to my liking/ being used to its cartridge and phono stage. However, the LP12 was not significantly behind to us on the SQ weaknesses that are apparently ‘cured’ by mushrooms. Problem 2 is that the areas where that LP12 seemed to us to lose (modestly) to those other decks are areas that were improved pretty markedly when comparing to my newer LP12 with Stiletto, Skorpion, Karousel, Keel and Radikal. A shoot-out between a top-end RG1 or SG1, a Bardo with its long arm, top power supply and an HRS granite support, and the Stiletto (using the same cartridge and phono stage etc) would be interesting. However, given my imperfect hearing and listening-discipline, and all the above, I have not rushed to compare £20K+ of Vertere or Brinkmann source to my Stiletto LP12 (which cost well under half that). Repeated listening suggests that the Stiletto is ahead of the older LP12 on the apparently natural and extended decay of piano notes, which sounds rather like a claimed strength for a mushroomed LP12. It has also been poined out that the Stiletto deck wins on 'natural' timbre on both piano and violin. These are not the only areas improved by the better plinth, base, bearing, sub and PS, but they are relevant. None of that makes it wrong to spend £60 on mushrooms and pop them into an LP12. As a way of improving one area (if indeed it does) it may still be staggeringly better value than buying Stiletto, Skorpion, Karousel, Kore and Radikal, even if those also help other areas too. However, it seems much more debatable whether a turntable that already has all that also needs mushrooms urely for SQ. Almost everyone reckons mushrooms also help with footfall and/ or ease of use. I don't need that as I have a wall shelf and my hands are nt yet really shaky, but this is often cited as a the most undeniable plus of mushrooms. Hearing whether my guesses about SQ are actually right may still be worthwhile - as mentioned, the swing factor on that may be finding a nearby dealer willing to help.
evgill Posted January 26 Posted January 26 Remember, my LP12 was NEVER 'stock'. LP12/Aro/Pink Linnk PSU and top plate (no cut out for switch) and a rebuilt FR1 Mk3 as preferred and used by JV himself. Just to clarify WHY I even became interested in these 'polarising' little beasties. The removal of a layer of complexity with MY LP12. I had no doubt that my enjoyment of music was lessened every damn time I turned the table on, worrying whether the suspension was working as it should. Eyeballing it and second guessing and doubting my ability to 'get it right'... At time of purchase I was still running a Mober Sub-Chassis with his bearing. (My original bearing, pre circus would have been problematic to fit) and was actually happy with how it was sounding. When ordering my NZ$100 purchase (freight included) 1. was happy to lose/waste the $100 if I ended up binning them. 2. Wasn't looking at it as an UPGRADE, simply as an alternative to standard sprung suspension. 3. My only expectation was for them to not diminish my enjoyment of the music 4. Confidence that should I not like the result, reversal of this non-destructive modification was simple. As you know, after an initial (an hour or so) of pretty flat mushy listening everything settled down and snapped into place. IMO I had lost nothing and in fact felt that there was a slight uplift overall... so they have stayed in place. Since then: red collaro mat back in packaging, original linn returns. Purchased and installed the Karousel bearing and inner platter and ditched Mober Bearing and Inner Platter. The Karousel was 'the biggie' although great from fresh it does improve even more over time... I do have a full new spring set ready to go if and when I can be bothered but honestly? I'm not sure I want to venture down the "pistonic bounce" hole again. In conclusion. This mod works for me. To me, it's NOT an upgrade, simply an alternative and for a $100 and a little bit of spare time a very simple one to try. 2
e83cc Posted January 27 Posted January 27 On 26/1/2025 at 2:08 PM, evgill said: To me, it's NOT an upgrade, simply an alternative Most accurate comment to date. The only time I have heard "mushrooms" installed vs springs ( on the same deck ) I ended up with a lack of articulation in the lower regions that I could not dial out. With so many iterations of the venerable Linn around anythings possible - in my view the outcome is unpredictable and variable. 1
Tasebass Posted February 1 Posted February 1 On 25/01/2025 at 1:29 PM, NickofWimbledon said: Without wanting to divert my own thread down a rabbit-hole, you raising a lot of points here. Do you prefer an LP12 with a Radikal 2 to that Technics? The comparisons with unsuspended and/ or direct drive turntables is certainly interesting. Me either ...so I'll make this succinct The Linn....But.. Not so cut and dry so to speak... TBO there are more similarities between the 2 which after all should be the case as technology advances and heading towards the same or similar goals irrespective of the application and/or tech used.. For me ....the Technics is staying Tase. 2
Recommended Posts