it's all about the music

Sondek LP12

Unmatched over four decades, the LP12 is still the pinnacle of record player design. A revolutionary icon that’s still evolving. 

The LP12 is fully modular, so you can build it to your own unique spec. Too much choice? Don't worry, there are three pre-configured complete versions of LP12. 

Go for the ultimate Klimax version, entry level Majik, or upgraded Akurate. You'll hear more music than you thought possible from the groove of a record. Plus, you can upgrade any LP12 to the latest and best specification, piece by piece. 

Create your own revolving masterpiece by building your LP12 from scratch. Pick the components you want, and tune it it specially for you. With so many upgrades available, your journey towards vinyl perfection starts here.

Klimax LP12

Best of the best

 

The flagship Klimax LP12 turntable offers the pinnacle of vinyl reproduction today, setting the benchmark worldwide for all other turntables on the market. 

Over 40 years' worth of research and development has gone into this latest evolution of the turntable that turned the hi-fi industry on its head back at the beginning of Linn's journey to make better sound. Each precision-engineered upgrade has uncovered more music from the depths of the record groove. 
It includes the best of Linn's precision-engineered upgrades, and because it's modular, you can update it whenever we release a new upgrade. 

A Klimax LP12 is an investment that will amaze and reward you for years to come.

  • Sondek LP12 turntable
  • Keel machined sub-chassis and armboard
  • Radikal2 motor control unit & power supply
  • Brushed DC motor in acoustically isolated housing
  • Ekos SE precision tonearm
  • Ekstatik moving coil (MC) cartridge
  • Kandid moving coil (MC) cartridge
  • Urika II Moving Coil phono stage built-in to suspended base

Selekt LP12

Re-ignite your passion for music with a turntable that offers elegant design and exceptional performance. 

Loaded with upgrades including a separate dedicated power supply, machined armboard, Krystal cartridge and Linn Akito tonearm, this deck delivers a stunningly musical performance that will get more from your favourite vinyl records. 

Partner the Akurate LP12 with the Linn Uphorik dedicated external phono stage for best performance, or connect it to the built-in phono stage in Akurate DSM.

  • Sondek LP12 turntable
  • Kore sub-chassis and machined armboard
  • Lingo power supply and motor control unit
  • AC motor
  • Arko tonearm
  • Kendo moving coil (MC) cartridge
  • Krystal moving coil (MC) cartridge

Majik LP12

The ideal first step into high performance vinyl playback, Majik LP12 uses carefully selected Linn-engineered components to let you experience the iconic LP12 in an affordable package. 

It includes Linn’s latest sandwich-construction aluminium sub-chassis, patented single point bearing, and internal low noise power supply. Linn’s Krane tonearm and Koil moving coil cartridge complete the deck.

  • Sondek LP12 turntable
  • Aluminium Sub-Chassis and Laminate Armboard
  • Solid Aluminium Base Board
  • Internal Majik LP12 power supply
  • Krane tonearm
  • Koil moving coil (MC) cartridge
  • Adikt moving magnet (MM) cartridge
  • 45 rpm adaptor
  • T-Kable Phono tonearm cable

Components and Upgrades

BASEBOARDS

 

TRAMPOLIN

 

Made from high quality aluminium, the Trampolin base board is the best performance choice and can be fixed directly to the wooden plinth of your turntable. 

Its expertly-designed suspended feet provide any Sondek LP12 turntable with additional isolation from vibration, using acoustic dampening material to minimise interference for improved audio performance. 

Build up your own custom-spec deck using this base board as a foundation, or upgrade your existing Sondek LP12 - even if it’s an original from 1973! 

 

  • Aluminium base board
  • Suspended feet isolate deck from vibration
  • Retro-fittable to any LP12

SOLID BASE

 

The Solid Base provides a fixed, rigid platform for your deck and comes as standard on our introductory level Majik LP12 turntable. 

If your turntable is placed on a cabinet or shelf that provides its own isolation from vibrations, then this is the perfect base board for you. Alternatively, choose the Trampolin base board to benefit from the integrated vibration isolation this provides to the LP12. 

Manufactured from high quality aluminium and fixed directly to the wooden plinth of the turntable, the Solid Base can be specified on all new Sondek LP12 turntables and can also be used to upgrade your existing Sondek LP12 if it has an older non-aluminium base. 

 

  • Aluminium base board
  • Fixed feet for mounting on solid surface or suspended shelf
  • Retro-fittable to any LP12

SUB-CHASSIS

 

Keel

 

Choose Keel - the integrated sub-chassis, armboard and tonearm collar - to give your turntable a significant leap in performance, helping to retrieve even more music from your vinyl records. 

Machined from a solid piece of aluminium, Keel provides extremely rigid support to the tonearm and platter. Plus eliminated screws, fixings and joins between each component so that virtually all vibration is removed, providing you with a more faithful reproduction of your music collection. 

And to ensure that the Keel is integrated seamlessly with the suspension system of every Sondek LP12 turntable, it has been engineered to maintain the same mass and centre of gravity as achieved with a separate sub-chassis, armboard and collar. 

 

  • Machined from solid aluminium
  • Integrated armboard and tonearm collar
  • Varying 'pocket' depths for consistent centre of gravity
  • Available for Ekos SE, Ekos, Ittok tonearms

KORE

 

Following the same design philosophy as the flagship Keel, the Kore sub-chassis and armboard is an essential upgrade step for anyone looking to improve their LP12 and bring it up to Akurate-level performance. 

Strengthened by a multi-layer, box construction of 1.5mm thick aluminium, the Kore’s sub-chassis is designed for extra rigidity and removal of unwanted damping, ensuring a more faithful reproduction of your vinyl. Three layers are bonded together using a unique Linn-specified adhesive to form an incredibly stiff structure, while keeping the weight low. 

The Kore armboard is precisely machined from solid aluminium and further strengthened with ribs on the underside to provide the ultimate rigidity. This is then bonded to the sub-chassis so that the assembly mirrors the valuable properties of a single piece; as the arm collar is bolted directly to the sub-chassis, the arm has a direct connection to the bearing. 

 

  • Aluminium subchassis
  • Machined-from-solid armboard
  • Compatible with Linn Ekos SE, Ekos, Akito, and Ittok tonearms
  • Versions also available for Rega, SME & Naim tonearms

MAJIK

 

Providing a solid and rigid platform for the LP12, the Majik Sub-chassis is fitted as standard to the Majik LP12 turntable. Also available separately as an upgrade, this latest design offers increased performance for any earlier deck that features the older 'standard' sub-chassis design. 

The multi-layer box construction of 1.5mm thick aluminium provides strength and rigidity and when 

teamed up with the LP12’s five-layer laminated armboard, creates a firm and acoustically damp platform for your tonearm. 

 

  • Aluminium subchassis
  • Used with 5-layer sandwich-construction laminated armboard
  • Versions available for Linn, Rega, SME & Naim tonearms

POWER SUPPLIES

 

RADIKAL

Klimax & Akurate Enclosures

 

Radikal is the highest performance motor control and power supply available for the Sondek LP12 turntable and comes complete with a brushed DC motor that replaces the standard LP12 AC motor. Radikal also powers the Urika internal phono stage for the LP12, where fitted. 

Radikal brings together several breakthrough technologies that enable a completely new and innovative approach to motor control in the LP12, significantly improving its performance. To ensure perfect timing, Radikal’s speed management system auto-calibrates the motor every time the Sondek LP12 is powered on. 

With radically reduced electromagnetic noise levels, the precious-metal brushed DC motor delivers a huge improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, getting you even closer to the music. 

Due to the unique design of both Radikal and the Urika phono stage, Radikal can be used on its own simply to power and control the motor, or in tandem with Urika, for a doubly impressive upgrade. 

Radikal is available in a Klimax chassis, machined from solid aluminium, or our standard Akurate-style chassis, so you can match it to your Linn system. 

 

  • External power supply for LP12 and Urika internal phono stage
  • Supplied with brushed DC motor
  • Speed management system checks speed on every rotation
  • Dual speed: 33/45 rpmAvailable in Klimax or Akurate chassis


Available colours : Black or Silver

LINGO

AC motor supply

 

Lingo has received a major upgrade to deliver even better sound from your vinyl, thanks to the addition of ground-breaking technology derived from the extraordinary Radikal power supply. 

New Lingo incorporates a motor speed management system and uses digital processing technology to make the platter spin more accurately and more consistently. What’s more, it auto-calibrates the motor when the Sondek LP12 is powered on to ensure this accuracy and consistency every time. That’s crucial for music, of course: even the slightest speed variation affects the pitch, and a turntable that isn’t accurate is like a musical instrument that hasn’t been tuned properly. 

With on-board circuitry that fits inside the deck and a new external slimline power supply which can be easily concealed, the new model is neater, more compact and cleverer than ever. 


The source of the audio source, Lingo is the first improvement to make to your LP12, providing a clear upgrade from the internal Majik power supply and previous Lingo models. 

 

  • Power supply for LP12 with on-board circuitry which is externally powered
  • Supplied with 12v AC motor for LP12
  • Speed management system checks speed on every rotation
  • Dual speed: 33/45 rpm

MAJIK

Internal power supply

 

The Majik LP12 Power Supply is a neat and reliable motor control solution which fits inside the Sondek LP12 supplying consistent, low-noise power. 

To guarantee high quality audio performance from your turntable, this power supply filters extraneous mains noise, reducing judder in the motor for stability of speed. 

As a great starting point for any LP12 set-up, the Majik LP12 Power Supply turns the platter at a constant 33.3 rpm. Speed can be changed using the optional 45 rpm adapter. 

 

  • Internal power supply for LP12
  • Single speed: 33 rpm
  • Speed changed using separate 45 rpm adapter

TONEARMS

 

Ekos SE

Flagship performance

 

Ekos SE sets a new performance benchmark. Advanced materials have been carefully selected for their sound performance and low resonance properties. These minimise interference, resonance and microphony, meaning you hear every note from your vinyl collection in the way it was meant to be heard.

 

The arm tube is machined from titanium to reduce resonance, while a stainless steel bearing housing ensures precision of movement.

 

Whether you are listening to the first track of the day or have been spinning records for hours, the ultra-low friction bearings and temperature-compensated precision-springs ensure exceptional performance from the Ekos SE tonearm is maintained.

Each Ekos SE tonearm is precision-engineered to last and is hand-built to the highest quality standard to ensure you can continue to enjoy your vinyl collection for decades to come.

 

The Ekos SE tonearm is the perfect partner for any cartridge. Specify either our flagship Ekstatik, or high-performance Kandid moving coil cartridge to achieve ultimate performance from your Sondek LP12.

 

  • Machined titanium arm tube
  • Ultra-low friction bearings
  • Stainless steel bearing housing
  • Temperature-compensated springs
  • Long headshell accommodates almost any cartridge
  • Supplied with T-Kable (phono version)

ARKO

High-precision gimballed tonearm

 

 

With Arko, we have returned to fundamentals, by removing all bar the mission-critical elements of tonearm design, boiling these down to their essence, and then honing what was left to superlative standards. Perfectly poised and rigorously refined, Arko is effortful simplicity.

 

This tonearm features an ultra-stable gimbal platform which facilitates superb bearing concentricity and alignment. Its arm wand travels in space with minimum hindrance; the affixed cartridge bobs and moves with the warps and grooves of the record, with finesse and fluidity.

 

Special care and effort was taken to ensure that 7075-grade aluminium would be used exclusively throughout the arm wand assembly – from headshell to gimbal – with the resultant material synergy and coupling effectively banishing undesirable resonances away from the delicate generator, and out through the sub-chassis. 

Marry Arko to its perfect partner, our aluminium-bodied  Kendo moving coil cartridge, and this energy transfer is improved yet further.

 

  • 7075-grade aluminium used throughout arm wand, to produce superb resonant behaviour
  • Machined headshell with weight reduction pockets for increased agility
  • Cold-drawn 7075 aluminium arm tube produced to exceedingly high tolerances and accuracy
  • Gimballed design results in improved depth, impact, and emotion conveyed
  • Machined stainless-steel counterweight decreases arm wand inertia
  • Single piece, polished stainless-steel through-spindle for improved alignment and stability

KRANE

Static-balanced tonearm

 

 

Supplied with Majik LP12 or available as an upgrade, Krane is a high quality tonearm which, combined with the Karousel bearing, significantly elevates the performance of the entry level deck and provides even greater value.

 

This high performance tonearm features a static-balanced design and is hand assembled with high quality, precision aluminium and stainless steel components. It includes a polished Tungsten and Sapphire vertical bearing with dual ceramic horizontal bearing assembly, both of which are long-lasting and provide very low friction/rotational mass.

 

A range of adjustments make it easy to set up, including a laser etched scale for accurate and repeatable VTA adjustment, as well as an azimuth adjustment combined with a fixed offset angle to ensure perfect alignment of the cartridge and stylus. An adjustable headshell design ensures effective length is absolutely precise for proper cartridge alignment and performance.

The Krane tonearm is designed for Linn effective length and offset angle to ensure complete congruity with all Linn cartridges and other related Sondek LP12 components and accessories.

 

  • Static-balanced tonearm design
  • Dual ceramic bearing assembly for longevity and low friction & rotational mass
  • Anti-skating control via an easily accessible magnetic mechanism on the side of the tonearm
  • 3-point headshell for correct Linn alignment geometry and compatibility with all Linn cartridges and most third-party designs
  • 5-Pin DIN cable connection for use with Linn tonearm cable
  • Available only as part of the Majik LP12 turntable

CARTRIDGES

 

Ekstatik

All-new, flagship moving coil cartridge

 

 

In order to make our best cartridge ever, we needed to look further afield, and at more varied materials. We conducted extensive experiments; auditioning different materials and configurations for the body, inserts, cantilever, suspension, windings and leads. The result is Ekstatik – the new jewel in the crown of the Linn cartridge range. 

 

Our all-new, flagship cartridge, Ekstatik, sets a new bar for arm/cartridge synergy; its unique construction forges an harmonious synergy with Ekos SE; wicking away more unwanted resonances along the arm, and out through the sub-chassis. 

 

In our search for ever better materials, our experiments led us to the implementation of aluminium-bronze inserts. Now a feature of Ekstatik, these inserts allow us to reap the sonic benefits we found this alloy to possess. 

 

With a bespoke, honeycomb cut into the cartridge body, we have skeletonised Ekstatik so that overall mass is reduced to our preferred sweet spot of close to 7g. 

A micro-ridge stylus on a sapphire cantilever makes for an extraordinarily responsive cartridge. The sapphire cantilever is far stiffer than boron or aluminium, resulting in less loss between the stylus and the generator. 

 

The overall result is an agile, responsive cartridge with the added performance yielded from specifying these materials; masterfully matched in unique configurations.

 

  • Linn’s highest-performance cartridge
  • Aluminium-bronze inserts
  • Micro-ridge stylus on sapphire cantilever
  • Machined honeycomb 7075 aluminium body
  • Triple-point mounting system for accurate geometry
  • Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coated chassis

KANDID

High-performance moving coil cartridge

 

 

The first thing you'll notice about Kandid is that it is nude - the generator is exposed. With no cartridge housing, potential sources of resonance are removed which results in purer, cleaner sound, making all your vinyl sound better than ever.

 

We’ve also kept the weight of the cartridge down by using a plastic front yoke screw rather than metal. As well as allowing the counterweight to be moved closer to the bearing point which gives a quicker reaction to changes in the vinyl, using a plastic screw eliminates any magnetic interference to the delicate coils in the cartridge.

 

Another notable innovation in Kandid is the angle of the mechanical body and the tracking angle of the cantilever which have also been moved from 23° to 20°. This means that when it’s placed under tracking force on the LP surface, the flux lines remain symmetrical, ensuring that mechanical forces on the coils and iron core remain equal in all directions, avoiding any deformation.

Kandid uses the finest nude diamond Line Contact stylus and benefits from a ceramic boron cantilever for ultra low mass and extremely high rigidity. The suspension mechanism supports hand-wound coils secured in a high-precision rigid assembly, terminated with gold contacts on flying leads for superb signal transmission. The coils in the Kandid also feature an extra winding to increase output.

 

  • Linn's highest performing cartridge
  • Moving coil (MC)
  • Low mass housing and cantilever
  • Precision machined 7075 aluminium body
  • Triple-point mounting system
  • Nude diamond Line Contact stylus

KENDO

Elite moving coil cartridge

 

 

Kendo is a modern martial art form; translated from the Japanese it means “way of the sword”. At Linn however, the word has unique connotations. Our sword is forged of boron, with a super-fine-line diamond tip. Our armour is nickel-coated, 7075-grade aluminium. Kendo is the eager apprentice to its master, Ekstatik; sharing the same values, and picking up many of its traits along the way.

 

Kendo is the outcome of our engineers’ efforts to capitalise on the elements of Ekstatik which work so well; using our tried-and-true, trickle-down development methodology to produce a more affordable, high-performance cartridge which retains the same core design principles and acoustic fingerprint.

Kendo possesses a rigid, nickel-coated 7075-grade aluminium body. This specific grade of aluminium matches that of our Arko tonearm, for which Kendo was designed to be the perfect partner. This facilitates superb material synergy throughout the tonearm system, and effectively banishes unwanted resonances away from the delicate generator, along the arm, and out through the sub-chassis.

 

 

  • Moving coil (MC)
  • Rigid, nickel-coated, 7075-grade aluminium body
  • Low-mass and stiff boron cantilever
  • Super-fine-line stylus
  • Aluminium-bronze threaded inserts
  • Perfectly paired with Arko tonearm

KRYSTAL

Moving coil cartridge

 

Krystal benefits from the same design principles inherent to our premium moving coil Kandid cartridge, allowing it to accurately track the minute modulations of a record groove.

 

Applying a similar approach to minimising mass as we took with Kandid, Krystal features a 'nude' design. The resultant decrease in inertia of the cartridge allows Krystal to react quickly to the topography of a vinyl record. It uses the triple-point mounting system for a solid connection to the tonearm headshell, while its aluminium chassis provides a lightweight, stiff and stable platform for the generator. Even the adhesive used on Krystal was painstakingly selected to provide the most rigid bond possible to avoid any dampening effects.

Krystal sits at the centre of our cartridge range, beneath Kendo. Its highly musical presentation and increased agility offers marked sonic improvements over Adikt  or Koil; providing the next step of the Sondek LP12 owner's journey towards vinyl playback perfection.

 

  • Moving coil (MC)
  • Precision machined 7075 aluminium body
  • Triple-point mounting system
  • Nude diamond stylus

KOIL

A formidable, entry-level moving coil cartridge

 

 

Koil is a superb first step onto the ladder of premium moving coil cartridges. This Majik-level cartridge provides a step up in performance from& Adikt; and is available either as an upgrade, or fitted as standard to a new Majik LP12 MC.

 

Choose Koil if you intend to use your Majik LP12 with a moving coil phono preamplifier. Upgrade from Adikt to progress your journey along the path to vinyl playback perfection.

  • Moving coil (MC)
  • Nude Microlinear Stylus
  • Low mass boron cantilever

ADIKT

Moving magnet

 

Adikt uses an efficient and affordable moving magnet (MM) configuration. This makes it an ideal starting point for any quality vinyl playback system and its performance is more than a match for many expensive moving coil (MC) designs.

 

It features a rigid body and Gyger II replaceable stylus, both of which help towards a finely detailed and dynamic sound signature. It is easily mounted on a wide range of tonearms, including Krane and Arko.

 

Adikt is fitted as standard to Majik LP12 MM.

  • Moving magnet (MM)
  • Gyger II replaceable stylus

PHONO STAGES

 

URIKA II

A breakthrough in phono stage design

 

Using cutting-edge digital signal processing technology, Urika II now carries out the key process of implementing the RIAA curve in the digital domain. This brings you lower distortion, lower noise and more music.

Transported over Exakt Link, the musical information that Urika II delivers is perfectly preserved until the moment it reaches your ears, delivering a musical experience like never before. 


That’s not all. They take the same approach with Urika II that they do with the Exakt-enabled loudspeakers. This means they can optimise each and every individual device, correcting the variations inherent in the analogue stage to ensure outstanding performance every time. 

Urika II can be optimised to work with your preferred cartridge load values. Simply choose from the list of popular cartridges or enter your own, and easily change when you next upgrade your cartridge. 

Urika II is powered by our extraordinary Radikal power supply and is mounted on the integrated Trampolin base board within the plinth of your Sondek LP12 to maintain phono stage isolation and improve deck suspension. 

The perfect upgrade from Urika, the Urika II has been tested in incredible detail to measure the difference it makes, and most importantly of all ears were used to listen. 

 

  • Moving coil (MC) internal phono stage for LP12
  • The most precise implementation of the RIAA curve
  • Converts music signal to digital at the earliest point possible
  • Lossless digital output over Exakt Link (requires an Exakt-enabled Linn DS or Linn DSM player in the system)
  • Component manufacturing tolerances measured and corrected
  • Optimised for your chosen cartridge


Supported Cartridges : 

Linn : Aktiva, Kandid, Klyde, Krystal 

Non-Linn : Benz Micro Ace S, Denon DL103, Dynavector DV20x, Dynavector XV1S, Dynavector XX2 Mk2, EMT JSD 5, EMT TSD 15 SFL, Lyra Argo, Lyra Delos, Sumiko Celebration Pearlwood II, Van den Hul ‘The Frog’

URIKA

Internally mounted for superior performance

 

This unique moving coil phono stage fits snugly inside the Sondek LP12 turntable and works with the Radikal motor control to deliver the best performance possible when you use an analogue pre-amplifier. 

Urika delivers an impressive level of clarity and detail thanks to its location within the plinth itself which brings it as close as possible to the tonearm, minimising cable length and therefore signal loss and noise. Mounted on its own integrated Trampolin base board, the phono stage is also isolated from unwanted vibrations. 

To ensure consistent and faithful reproduction of the music, Urika features a dual mono design that banishes any potential crosstalk. 

Direct-coupled RCA and transformer-coupled XLR outputs allow you to choose the best connection option for your system and guarantee exceptional performance in all conditions. 


Powered by Radikal, which also powers and controls the LP12's top of the range DC motor, Urika is a transformative upgrade, letting you experience an exceptional performance from your LP12 turntable. 

 

  • Moving coil (MC) internal phono stage for LP12
  • Differential arm cable (T-Kable) with full screening
  • Independent dual mono channel circuitry
  • Mounted on integrated Trampolin for phono stage isolation and improved deck suspension
  • Powered by Linn Radikal

UPHORIK

Universal phono stage.

 

Get more from your vinyl collection as you fine-tune your turntable system with the Linn Uphorik phono stage. 


Sharing the same dual mono topology and fully screened differential input as with Urika, the Uphorik phono stage offers both versatility and exceptional performance. 

As the most flexible phono stage available, the Uphorik features separate dedicated inputs and circuits for moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridges, and has a full range of adjustments which allows you to easily optimise its settings to any cartridge, should you wish to upgrade in the future. 

Uphorik's flexibility also extends to connections. With a choice of balanced or unbalanced outputs, and RCA or XLR inputs, Uphorik is guaranteed to always meet your requirements, no matter how the rest of your system evolves. 

 

  • Moving coil (MC) & moving magnet (MM) dedicated phono stage pre-amplifier
  • Configurable load and gain switches for every cartridge combination
  • Dual mono channel separation with internal shielding
  • Balanced and unbalanced connections
  • Linn Dynamik Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS)


Available colours : Black or Silver

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