Wow!

Recently I've been a bit unhappy with my LP12. I've been thinking about changing the stylus/cartdridge. I've been looking at buying a new arm. A second hand Ittok or Ekos on Ebay. Just for background I currently have an LP12. Probably mid eighties vintage, but its beeen updated with a Lingo external power supply and the excellent micro-groove from Tom Evans. The cartdridge is the lovely Blue Point II from Sumiko. I didn't go for the Special as i wanted teh extra strenght a housing offers. I'm not the most gentle on my turntable.

But things seemed a bit fuzzy. Not as clear as they should be. Even extra sibilance at times. Ok maybe I should have just got the deck serviced.

Anyway while browsing on ebay(a slow month workwise) I came across a Linn LP12 upgrade kit from the company below.

www.srm-tech.co.uk.

It looked interesting. No half-hearted effort this. This is what they say and this is what it offers.

This is our Ultimate Sound Quality Enhancement Kit for the excellent Linn LP12. We guarantee it will significantly improve the sound quality of this superb record deck. The cost of this kit is roughly equivalent to ten audiophile LP’s – but this will make your whole record collection sound better! The kit offers a substantial cost saving over buying the items separately.

' SRM/TECH has been causing quite a stir amongst Ebay-savvy audiophiles of late. Its keenly priced and genuinely effective upgrades for Rega and other popular turntables are available either as individual items, or as kits designed to release the true potential of your turntable.' Hi-Fi World April 2005

The kit is designed to reduce external noise breakthrough, motor noise, bearing rumble, platter 'ring' and vinyl 'chatter' to provide quieter, more detailed reproduction, and comprises:

1. Silent Base. Designed to replace the flimsy hardboard baseboard, this is made from 10mm jet black acrylic which is solid and non-resonant. It features three adjustable spikes (complete with damping rings) together with access cut-outs for tone arm wiring and spring adjustment.

2. Acrylic Platter Mat. Made to fit inside the lip on the LP12 platter, this is made from 3mm acrylic and has a record label recess for perfect record support.

3. Platter Damping Ring (PDR). 19mm deep to fit LP12 platter perfectly. This acts as a peripheral wave trap, absorbing vibrations and resonances in the platter and enhancing rotational stability.

4. Tripod Platter Support. Three small discs, which sit between the sub platter and the outer platter decoupling the platter and reducing resonance.

5. The Revolution Disc & Spindle Damping Device. This is a 'soft clamp' with a sorbothane base. It clings to the record label and spindle, damping them very effectively, without distorting the surface of the vinyl - as conventional clamps do. The integral 20mm spirit level allows you to level the deck up perfectly.

6. Twin Motor Vibration Absorbers (MVA). The LP12 motor sounds at it’s best with two MVA's fitted, top and bottom. These fit tightly round the casing of the motor to reduce vibration which would otherwise be transmitted to the plinth or (via the belt) to the sub-platter.

7. Bearing Damping Rings (BDR). Supplied as a pair, these fit around the main bearing housing, effectively absorbing resonance generated within the bearing, which would otherwise be transmitted into the subchassis via the housing or (even worse) into the sub platter via the spindle.

8. Main Bearing Spindle Support Pad (SPP) High Purity PTFE pad that sits in the main bearing housing eliminating metal to metal contact and consequently reducing bearing noise.

9. Ultimate Turntable Bearing Oil. You have to remove the oil from the main bearing to fit the SSP, so we include a 10ml bottle of oil with the kit. This is the best bearing oil available - known to Audiophiles as 'Black Oil' it contains Molybdenum Disulfide and Graphite. Makes the turntable bearing quieter, more efficient and drastically reduces wear.

10. Adjustable Motor Thrust Bearing. Performs better than any factory fitted thrust pad as it allows the motor spindle to run on a lubricated 4mm hardened steel ball, dramatically reducing motor noise. Fully adjustable with the allen key provided, this will eliminate any ‘ticking’ noise from the motor.

Full instructions are included and are fairly straightforward. I was a little bit confused at times but got through it. Apart from the thrust bearing. I haven't tried to install this after my initial effort. However I emailed the company and they got back to me next day with extra instructions and a photo!!

SOme nice touches are the spirit level in the top of the record clamp. Shamefully my deck was not level. New bearing oil is a nice addition. This is something that should have been touched up anywa. Just like in your car. The instructions suggest trying the deck with and without the supports for the spikes. A matter of preference apparently. So far i haven't bothered removing them. I figure Stuart knows what he's at!

The silent base is particularly impressive. It looks well engineered, nicely polished and looks and feels far superior to the standard base and rubber feet that come with the LP12. I prefer the acrylic platter(with an indentation for the label) that comes with the kit. The olde felt mat always annoys me by attaching itself statically when removing a record. I would have one slight worry here in that if any dust/grit exists between the record and platter that the lack of absorption(provided by the old felt mat) could damage the record. Well at least its an added incentive to clean your records.

Not bad for having to a cope with a deck which has seen many design changes over its thirty odd years of existence.

So within two hours I had my deck up and running with all the enhancements. Its interesting in that many original parts of the Linn look pretty shapbby. The base in particular while the inside is pretty empty. Even the wood is chipboard. Maybe the latest models are of far better construction. I hope so for the many thousands they charge.

I can't remember what record I threw on first but in teh last couple of days the enhancement kit has kept me up late listening to

Joe Jackson
Mary Gauthier
Erasure
Dr. Alban
Underworld
Credence Clearwater Revival
Van Morrison
The National
Ray Brown
George harrison
David bowie
Prefab Sprout
Ron sexsmith
Massive attack
Deacon Blue
Doobie Brothers
...

You get the picture.

In almost every case there has been a dramatic change in sound quality. Detail is overwhelmingly enhanced. There is a huge improvement in detail at all levels. Bass and general sound quality is much tighter. Each instrument is far better separated. SOundstage much improved. Every record now is a new joy, a new experience. i have a whole record collection to rediscover.

Of course it can't work wonders. Prefab's Sprout is only revealed as having a narrow soundstage, not because of the recording but because of the cramming of grooves and minutes onto one slab of vinyl.

Sons of the Pioneers' records, records which I had previously enjoyed for their extra clarity are revealed as being overly bright. These are early RCA stereo records and possibly are not using the RIAA curve?? Either way I put the blame on the record rather than the turntable.

The Ray Brown disc is the Pure Audiophile pressing of Soular Energy on 2 180g Blue Vinyl discs. I don't have the problem of my needle jumping out of the groove(There's a warning of this on the sleeve!) but I do hear a deliciously rich sound in bass, midrange and treble.

This enhancement kit is priced at the relatively good value of £219 Sterling plus postage and packing. It modernises and brings the LP12 up to the standard of modern decks such as the Clearaudios.

The company also has Rega kits and even have started to produce a turntable of their own.

Highly recommended.