Record Store Day is nearly upon us!!!

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With RSD 2015 only a few days away ( Saturday 18th April ), Not only will you be able to pick up that copy of limited edition vinly that you've been waiting for from your faviourite artist at your local record shop but you could also be one of the lucky few to get there hands hold of the VERY limited REGA RSD turntable right here at Audio T Swindon.

With the numbers of these being as limited as they are, Rega dealers only get a small hand full of stock so be sure to reserve you REGA RSD today to avoid disapointment!

If you're really lucky you may even be one of the extremely lucky few to get 1 of 12 signed RSD turnbales by artists such as:

Chrisse Hynde
Georgie Fame
Gaz Coombes
Gorgon City
Liam Gallagher
Mark Knopfler
Pete McKee (To be auctioned for charity by RSD's partner WarChild)
Pulled Apart by Horses
Peace
Royal Blood
Simple Minds
Suede
Tim Burgess

Call today to reserve your REGA RSD on TEL: 01793 538222

Only a week to go until Record Store Day!

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Record store day, April 18th, is nearly upon us and excitement here reached fever pitch today with the arrival of our exclusive Rega Record Store turntables!  


Here they are, sealed and waiting.  Some are already spoken for but you still have time to pre-order one. If you are really lucky you might even get one signed by Chrissie Hynde or Mark Knopfler amongst others!  Full details of participating musicians here.  

Just 12 of the 500 RSD turntables will be autographed so call us now if you want a chance to own a unique example of an already rare and exclusive turntable!   All are security sealed with no way of knowing whether an autograph may be hidden within but this is a one off opportunity not to be missed!

Rega are proud to sponsor Record Store Day this year.  Read all about it here.  

Local independent record store, Hundred Records in Romsey will be fully participating in Record Store Day with many exclusive vinyl releases available on the day.

Store owner Mark already has a Rega RP1 supplied by Audio T.  We also hope to have a Rega system running in Hundred Records during Record Store Day - you may even get a chance to spin your newly purchased vinyl!

If Mark is too busy to play your records, and we suspect he may be, pop over to Chandlers Ford with your new albums and we will happily play them on a Rega turntable for you.  We're always happy to listen to new music, especially on vinyl!

You can collect your Rega RSD turntable at the same time, but only if you reserve one soon!

We look forward to seeing you next Saturday, either at Hundred Records or here at Audio T, or, even better, both!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record Store Day Saturday 2015 April 18th

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Here at Audio T Brighton we will be featuring more than ever, the beauty of the vinyl record
and the ability of a great record player to engage the listener with fabulous music, on Record Store Day 2015.

Read more here

We have very limited stock of the Limited Edition Rega Record Store Day RP1 turntables

Find the list of who has signed them


Along with the outstanding range of Rega turntables we also keep the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable, so we stock the two most famous manufacturers of audiophile turntables, and for good reason.

Bring a record or two into the store and hear what we can do for your records.

Record Store Day

Rega Record Store Day Limited Edition Turntable.

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As Record Store Day approaches, we at Audio-T Manchester are getting ready for a busy day of all things vinyl and beautiful turntables.

And because for us turntables are high on the agenda we are proud to announce our first allocation of "signed" Rega RSD turntables for Record store day.(pictured below)

These special units can only be sold on or after Record store day which is on 18th April 2015. 

We have added some snippets from Rega's website regarding these very special turntables.

 

These rare beauties will be selling for a very reasonable £250. 

Here's how it works.

Rega will manufacture 500 units of the very limited RSD/REGA turntables.
Thirteen units have been exclusively signed by some of the participating artists. (see list below).
12 of the signed turntables will be secretly shipped in amongst the 500 units and all 500 will be security sealed.

Who has signed ?

Chrisse Hynde
Georgie Fame
Gaz Coombes
Gorgon City
Liam Gallagher
Mark Knopfler
Pete McKee (To be auctioned for charity by RSD's partner WarChild)
Pulled Apart by Horses
Peace
Royal Blood
Simple Minds
Suede
Tim Burgess

 

So, there you have it, could you be the lucky owner of a signed REGA RSD turntable?

Come along to Audio-T Manchester on Record store day.


New to Cheltenham - Chord Hugo Mobile DAC / Headphone Amplifier

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Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the ground breaking Chord DAC64 Chord Electronics introduced the 'Hugo' mobile Digital to analogue converter / Headphone amplifier, one of the most advanced 32 Bit DACs they have made.

The Hugo can be used both as a portable Headphone Amplifier / Digital Analogue Converter or as a reference stand alone Digital to Analogue Converter in an existing Hi Fi system.

The Hugo offers advanced connectivity and uncompromising play back cabability.

Inputs:


Optical TOSLink - 24-Bit / 192 kHz capable

RCA Coaxial - 24-Bit / 384 kHz capable

Driverless USB - 156-Bit / 48 kHz capable (Designed for Tablet / Phone)

HD USB - 32-Bit / 384 kHz and DSD128 (Designed for Computers and Laptops)

Note - On PC (Vista, Windows 7 & 8 the supplied driver needs to be installed for playback of music up to 384kHz and DSD64/128)

Bluetooth A2DP aptx wireless

Outputs:

2 x 3.5mm Headphone Sockets

1 x 1/4" Headphone Socket

Stereo RCA Outputs (For connection to a static HiFi system)

The Hugo has a built in battery for music on the move, with a full charge (Approximately 2 Hours) the Hugo will give 10 hours of playback time.

The Hugo is built to last. the case being made from precision machined aircraft grade aluminium.

Listening has proved the Hugo to offer outstanding performance for such a compact box. Headphone listening takes on a new experience. The sound is akin to plugging your headphones into an exceptionally high end HiFi system.

Using the Hugo as a stand alone Digital to analogue converter in an existing Hifi system is quite astonishing. It really does perform to a standard of many DACs costing a considerable amount more. Being a user of a DAC64 for many years the hugo easily achieves the outstanding sound quality expected and offers the convenience of portability.

Now available in the Cheltenham store, a demonstration is strongly recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Un-boxing the Nova Fidelity X40 Music Server, Streamer and CD Ripper

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New in the Cardiff Audio T shop the exciting Nova Fidelity range. "World class, high resolution digital audio."

In this months blog we are un-boxing the fantastic NF-X40, Music server with database, CD ripper and network streamer.

The X40 supports up to 4TB of hard disk space and solid state drives.

This wonderful piece of kit can be your easy introduction to streaming high resolution audio. If you're afraid of computers or are just setting up streaming music for your HiFi then this is a great option for you.

Due to the self contained hard disk the X40 is fool proof giving the facility to rip your existing CD collection as well as archiving your vinyl straight to the internal storage.

Supporting many file types including HD Audio up to 32Bit, DSD, DXD, FLAC, WAV, ALAC and AIFF using the Sabre32 digital to analogue chip. This teamed with a high quality analogue output in both balanced XLR and RCA the X40 makes for a great addition to any HiFi.

Our first impression of the X40 was of its extremely solid build. Consisting of a rugged, solid aluminium front panel with large easy to view screen and comprehensive remote and yet it's not difficult to use. 

As you can see from the back panel, the X40 is versatile. Phono input, line input, optical and coaxial digital inputs alongside digital outputs and balanced analogue outputs. The unit can be wired to your network or if you purchase the WiFi adaptor this can be fitted to the USB host 2.0 for easy wireless connection to your network.

Easy to change/upgrade hard disk that supports up to 4TB 3.5" and 2.5" SATA hard disk drives, not forgetting SSD (solid state drives).

Displayed is the 5inch full colour TFT LCD screen. Need a bigger screen? Look no further, the X40 has HDMI video output so you can connect to TV or monitor to help you navigate/manage your music library.

As previously mentioned, if you are not confident with managing your music through your computer the Nova range is for you. Quick, easy ripping of your CD collection. The process consists of loading the disc, waiting for the X40 to read the information and then pressing the command for Rip. Within minutes the X40 will accurately rip and store the music for you. 

 

Job done!

To top it all, the dedicated phono input allows you to archive your vinyl with ease.

We are very impressed with this unit and the X40 is definitely the jewel in the crown of the Nova Fidelity family.

***The Nova Fidelity X40 is available at other branches of Audio T - check store for details*** 

Record Store Day approaches!

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After the success of the 2014 Record Store Day we are once again teaming up with Derricks Music to make 2015 even bigger and better! Put APRIL 18TH in your diary now!

This year Rega are the main sponsors of the day and have released a limited edition RSD version of the RP1 turntable. Visit Derricks Music on the day for your chance to win one of these limited edition turntables! All you have to do is be there on the day and fill in the entry form.

Once again there is a huge list of exclusive vinyl that will be released for the day. Either have a look at the Record Store Day webiste here or visit Derricks to have a look at the releases.

We will be at Derricks on the day showing a large range of rega products and playing records all day, you'll even be able to have a listen to your record on the RSD deck and you never know... you could be the lucky winner! I will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your turntable or hi-fi system, from set up queries to upgrade options.

You can read more about the Rega RSD deck and their link to Recors Store Day here.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Arcam FMJ A49 Amplifier and FMJ CDS 27 CD Player

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The Arcam FMJ A49 is Arcam's greatest ever amplifier.

 

A fully balanced design with exceptionally low levels of noise and distortion. The really clever thing about this design is the fact that it is a Class G design: Capable of cooly delivering 50 watts in pure class A (for the sweetest and purest sound) but, when called for, seamlessly adding up to another 400 wpc of class B.

The latest Arcam SACD/CD/Network streaming player, the FMJ CDS 27 is a perfect partner for any good system.

Fully balanced to partner the A49, the CDS 27 is packed with the highest quality components and engineering know how. The critically damped cover and chassis eliminating damaging microphonic vibration from reaching the sensitve electronics inside.

We carry both of these on demonstration, so please feel free to give us a call.

***Also available at other Audio T branches. Check our Arcam brand page for details.***

 

Looking for a new CD player or Streamer? Why not have both?

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Introducing the superb new Arcam CDS27. We've been waiting some considerable time for someone to offer a product like this. Really, it makes so much sense.

Not everyone what to change from physical discs to a network streaming system. Equally many are reluctant to buy a new CD player when technology and the market seems to be moving away from physical media.

Uniquely Arcam have taken this opportunity to offer a network player (streamer) and SACD/CD player in one box, the CDS27. 

Two things in particular make this offering outstanding to us. Firstly it sounds absolutely superb. Making music sound fun and highly entertaining whilst retaining Arcam's well established smooth sound.

But even better than this is the asking price of £800. Yes that's £800 and not a typo.

A full UPnP network player capable of playing up to 24/192 high-definition files and a SACD/CD player including full balanced output (single ended as well of course) for just £800. Remarkable.

Full technical details can be found here:

 

Record Store Day 2015

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Its nearly that time of year again when we can get our hands on some nice limited edition vinyl.

Saturday April 18th marks the annual return of Record Store Day, a day when we can celebrate and support our local independent record shops. Many artists from every genre have recorded music only to be released on this day and usually they are limited to small numbers. There will be new releases and re-releases, pretty much something for every vinyl collector.

 

This year record store day is being sponsored by British Hi-Fi manufacturers Rega. Rega make a wide range of top quality Hi-Fi products and are famously know for their quality turntables. To help promote this event Rega will be releasing a limited edition “Record Store Day” Turntable. Only 500 have been made and are available from a handful of dealers in the UK including Audio-T. If that isn’t enough 12 of the 500 turntables have been signed by world famous artists like Mark Knopfler , Chrissie Hynde and Royal Blood to name but a few.

 

 

Preston’s independent record shop is Action Records on Church St and will be participating once again with Record Store Day. Be sure to get there early as there will be a pretty long queue. When you have been to Action Records come and see us at Audio-T and we will be happy to give it a spin.

 

We will have the Record Store Day turntables for sale on the day, and we also stock the Rega RP1, RP3 , RP6 and RP8

Rega give you 10 good reasons to visit Audio T Swindon...

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We are very pleased to annouce that we now have the stunning REGA RP10 with the new Apheta 2 cartridge on display here at Audio T Swindon.

The REGA RP10 builds on the huge success of the RP8 with it's skeletal plinth. The RP10 also has the brand new RB2000 tonearm, ceramic flywheel effect platter and a custom RP10 power supply (allowing total control and accuracy over both motor vibration and speed performance) guaranteeing the highest level of performance from a Rega turntable to date.

The RP10 can also come with ( or without ) it's perfect partner, The Rega Apheta 2 which when used together really do make for a musical and thoroughly enjoyable listen.

 

The REGA RP10 is more than an RP8 in a fancy dress! It a completely different beast and all the changes made to the RP10 all add up to a huge step up in sonic performance!!

Don't believe us!? Call or e-mail today to book your demo on what could be the last turntable you ever need buy!

Call Andy & Phil on TEL: 01793 538222

or e-mail us on: swindon@audio-t.co.uk

***The Rega RP10 is available from other branches of Audio T - check your local store for details***

 

Chord Electronics 2Qute DAC arrives in Manchester.

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The Chord Electronics 2Qute DAC !!...Chromey's really getting in to it...literally.

The 2Qute arrives at Audio-T Manchester and is entertaining us way beyond it's qute dimensions imply.

You may have already read about the Chord Hugo and the great press it has recieved, our Bristol store summed it up 

nicely in their review of Hugo here. Hifi World also got there mitts on one and review it here. The Chord 2Qute DAC has some similar traits in the sound quality and you could argue that it a sounds a little bit tighter in the bass department. Everything the Hugo is good at, such as timing and detail are evident in the Qute.

A big, wide open sound stage and an openess that lends itself nicely to some of the bigger systems we have running at the store.

 Gone is the headphone output,battery operation and bluetooth connection but it retains the same engine room as the Chord Hugo.

 

A dedicated BNC type coaxial digital input reflects it's desktop credentials.

Around the back is a "USB B" asynchronous connection for all your lush 24bit files that maybe stored on your Mac or PC.

An optical input also makes up the family of digital connections on the rear. 

The beautiful case work is typical of all the products from Chord Electronics.

2 Legit 2 Qute (hey...hey...) 2 Legit 2 Quit.

It may be Qute, however, be warned!!! It punches way above its weight.

 

OK...so as we always say "the proof of the pudding is in the eating"...

...so come along to our store in Manchester and take the 2Qute for a spin.

 

***Also available at other branches of Audio T - check store for details.***

 

See you in store soon.

 

Munir, Kevin, Mike and Dave.

 

 

Evolutionary and Revolutionary, Q Acoustic's new 3000 series are coming soon!

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The 3000 series sets new standards with its luxurious finishes, beautiful styling and amazing sound, all at an affordable price. So whether you're building a Hi-Fi or surround sound system the 3000 series is without a doubt one of the best places to start looking.

 

The new series starts with the ultra compact 3010 bookshelf speaker, shown below in the leather effect finish with 25mm concentric ring dome tweeter and 100mm Aramid fibre/paper bass driver.

The 3020 bookshelf / standmount speaker follows, again benefiting from the new concentric ring dome tweeter and Aramid fibre/paper bass driver, but now a 125mm drive unit is used allowing for a "full range" performance to be achieved. Shown in gloss black below.

The flagship speaker in the range is the 3050 floorstanders, shown in American Walnut. Twin 165mm bass drivers are used to deliver rich immersive bass weight & scale whilst improved cabinet construction means you hear a controlled & precise performance. The 3050's really are an audiophile bargain!

The fun doesn't stop there though, the 3090c centre channel & 3070s Subwoofer can be used to complete an explosive surround sound movie system.

 

Coming soon...

 

Thanks for reading

 

Audio T
159A Chase Side
Enfield
EN2 0PW
Tel: 0208 367 3132

Top 5 Affordable Hi-Fi Upgrades

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These are our top 5 upgrades for a Hi-Fi system without breaking the bank.

1. Mains Cables

There are some products that make a good difference to the sound of a hi-fi system that seem to defy logic, and fancy mains cables are one of those products. However trust us, they make a worthwhile improvement to almost all systems and these are our two favourites under £200.

Chord Company Power Chord (IEC style only) 1M £175

Audioquest NRG-1.5 (Figure 8 style) 1.8M £145

2. Analogue Interconnects

It's an obvious one but upgrading your interconnect will make a big difference, even if it's a decent one from a few years ago the technology used keeps moving forward. Our favourite mid priced lead at the moment is the Chord Company Anthem Reference. It's not cheap at £450 for a 1M but the price will be going up on the 1st April, and it represents excellent value for money at the moment.

3. USB and Ethernet Cables

This is another controversial one, and only for those who have embraced the newer computer based music streamers and storage. Like the mains leads, some will argue that they can not make a difference, however we will happily refund customers who buy them and do not hear a worthwhile improvement. These are our favourites.

Audioquest Cinnamon RJ/E Ethernet 1.5m £79

 

 

Audioquest Carbon USB 1.5M £145

4. DAC

Getting a good quality DAC can make a massive difference to the performance of your Hi-Fi. They are especially good if you are taking music directly from a computer, but can also be good as an upgrade to an older CD player or Sonos. Please remember to budget for decent cables as well! Our current favourites are:

Arcam irDAC £399

Naim DAC-V1 £1295 (Price increase 1st April)

5. Cartridge (Plus service)

For those into vinyl, or getting back into vinyl. If your turntable is a few years old having your turntable serviced and changing/upgrading the cartridge will pay dividends. These are our favourite cartridges without spending a fortune.

Ortofon 2M Red £85

Dynavector DV 10X5 £379

More Glowing Delights thanks to Ming Da

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Following on from the Unson Research Sinfonia we now have the Ming Da Dynasty Cadenza Grande warming up (in) the dem room

 

This is a true beast of a valve integrated amplifier switchable between 110W in ultra-linear mode and 50W in triode operation.

 

 

Using KT120 output valves and equipped with a remote control and wonderful retro VU metres this amp will drive almost any speaker. And it sounds magnificent. We've had it running with the new B&W CM10 S2 which is a very happy combination, the soundstaging is expansive and the detail and resolution superb. 

 

there is a cover for the valves in perspex should there be any equiring fingers, or paws, that need to be kept safe, and also options for an internal DAC and for electronic bias control. Oh and it weighs a ton!

Definitely one to hear, so try to pop in while we have it here.

Any one for humble Pi ?

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Can a raspberry Pi be used to reliably stream high quality audio ?

The Raspberry Pi.

This question really has two parts.

One, can you stream audio to the raspberry Pi reliably and without any dropouts?

Two, can you output the audio to a quality DAC maintaining the integrity of the high quality file being streamed?

The USB and ethernet ports.

I have been playing around with this part time for a couple of years and now that the Pi 2 has been released I thought I'd better write it up before it's completely out of date!

All of this has been done as an enthusiastic amateur with no real computer experience to speak of, so please don't judge me for using incorrect terminology or going about things the long way round.

The answer to part one is a resounding yes. Audio can be streamed to the Pi with no problems whatsoever. This can be done using ethernet or wi-fi, although wi-fi is obviously signal strength dependent. The wi-fi is achieved via USB.

USB wifi dongle.

There are a number of specifically designed operating systems for the Pi which allow you to do this.

At various times I have used Volumio, previously RaspyFi, and Rune Audio. I switched between these for reasons of DAC and audio card compatability.

The Runeaudio web controller.

Part two gets a little more complicated.

Audio can be passed from the Pi to a USB DAC fairly easily and there are a good selection of high quality DACs that will work out of the box.

I have tested Volumio 1.4 edition with the Rega DAC, Naim DAC-V1, Chord Hugo and the Cyrus DAC 6 and 8 amplifiers.

The ever popular Chord Hugo DAC.

There are however limitations related to how the Pi processes all this data.

The USB and Ethernet ports are processed through the same bus which means that if you are trying to stream 24bit audio into the Pi and output to a USB DAC, you may experience audio dropouts to the point that the music is unlistenable.

To resolve this issue, I would recommend using a raspberry pi audio card. Such as the HiFiBerry DIGI or the Wolfson Audio card. These connect to the Pi using the GPIO (general purpose input output) pins, not the USB and therefore you can stream high definition audio through the Pi and output through a coaxial or optical connection.

This also allows you to use non USB DACs to convert the audio.

The Wolfson audio card, installed on the Pi in a custom case.

I chose to experiment with the Wolfson card which turned out to be a small error as the drivers haven't yet been incorporated to the main raspberry pi kernel, meaning I had to use specific operating systems.

This is where Rune Audio came in very handy as they have built a kernel for the card. The HifiBerry is much better supported as the drivers have been incorporated into the main raspberry Pi kernel.

If you are hoping to use internet radio on your Pi, then I would suggest installing Squeezelite on top of whichever audio OS you have opted to boot your Pi with. This will allow you to get internet radio through Tune In, meaning that the BBC streams won't stop working at random intervals.  

The Logitech Media Server Controller used for controlling Squeezelite in a web browser.

Now the important bit. Does it sound good?

The sound is quite impressive considering how it is being achieved.

However, if you compare to a proper streaming product, then there is no contest as to which sounds better. Having compared both the Naim UnitiQute 2 with the Pi + DAC-V1 and the Cyrus Stream XP2QX / 6 DAC with the Pi / 6 DAC, in my opinion the proper hifi streaming product sounds significantly better in both cases. As you would expect really.

A selection of DACs that can make the Raspberry Pi really sing.

In conclusion, I've had some fun playing with code and trying to get this to work and as a second system it really is very usable.

It is never going to replace your real hifi though.

The "Streaming Pi" in it's case.

 

A lot of the stuff I have used is community maintained or developed for free. If you find any of this software of use, please donate to the developers.


Hardware used

Raspberry Pi B rev 2 512Mb RAM

Wolfson Audio Card

Edimax Wi-Fi card

 

 Operating Systems and Sofware used

Volumio (formerly RaspyFi)

Rune Audio

Squeezelite. For the Raspberry Pi use the arm6hf download.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Words: Mike

Pictures:Munir

 



 

 

Melco N1A Network Storage and more.

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What does it do? First of all it brings your music back where it should be, that is, with your Hi-Fi where it belongs. It sits in your Hi-Fi rack together with your favourite bits of Hi-Fi kit rather than in another room as part of a computer system.

It comes with 4 USB sockets for one backup (USB 3) one for expansion (USB 3) one for import (USB3.0) and for convenience one on the front panel for import (USB 2). It's got plenty of space for your music as it contains 2 x 2TB hard drives (that can be used as a raid array).

In operation it is superb. Plug it in, power it up, and within half a minute it is ready to use. This product is built from the ground up for audio streaming and you can tell. In a blind test against our usual NAS I picked the Melco every time.

Recently it had an update which allows you to plug in a Dac for a complete solution. As I was writing this we received the new 2qute Dac from Chord electronics so out the box it came, we plugged it into the Melco and it worked flawlessly straight away (Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on the 2qute).

For me this is a game changing product as we can now, with confidence, sell you the complete streaming solution that works out of the box without getting bogged down with talk of computer periferals. Don't take my word for it though, come and have look and listen.

Linn LP12 springs back to life!

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Over 100,000 examples of the iconic Linn Sondek LP12 have been produced in the forty plus years since it first appeared.

Many, like this one, belonging to one of our long term customers, and bought here many years ago, have been resting unused for some considerable time whilst CD has been the primary source of music at home.

It's all there, and working, just a bit tired and in need of a bit of TLC and a makeover.  Like many, this particular customer, is reconnecting to his record collection and rediscovering the joy of listening to vinyl. There really is nothing quite like it.

Having recently invested in a significant system and speaker upgrade, the goal was to breathe new life into this classic vinyl spinner rather than go down the costly path of fitting every possible upgrade.

This particular example, from the early 1980s, has the early dark tinted lid.

A new clear lid will sharpen up the appearance but first the turntable is placed in a Linn set up jig and powered up to confirm that the motor and Valhalla power supply are both working correctly.

The Ittok arm is also checked to ensure both the vertical and horizontal arm bearings aren't exhibiting any sticky points in their travel and the arm moves freely in both planes.

The Linn Karma cartridge is well past it's best and will be replaced as part of the overhaul.

The stripdown commences with the removal of the arm and outer and inner platter.

The power supply, suspension and sub-chassis and armboard can then be removed.

At this stage the top plate is checked to ensure the correct fit against the wooden plinth.  Any movement or rattles in the rear motor corner badly affect the performance of any LP12.  The main bearing is also emptied of old oil and inspected for wear whilst the sub-chassis/armboard assembly is separated from the suspension.

The suspension bolts are checked and adjusted using the Linn T bar tool to ensure they are totally vertical before reassembly.  Failure to do this makes accurate suspension set up very long winded if not impossible.

New springs, upper and lower grommets and lock nuts are used to reset the suspension.  Thirty year old rubber will have hardened and springs this old are about as fit for purpose on a suspended turntable as ancient shock absorbers would be in a car.

The next job, and often the longest on a Linn, is to level and reset the suspension to ensure free and smooth vertical travel with no sideways movement, both when static and with the platter turning.  This example is one of the easier ones and soon settles into a satisfyingly smooth and precise bounce.  The alignment of the armboard is checked with a Linn Kinky tool (yes, really!) to ensure the correct position of the arm pillar relative to the centre spindle.

The bearing is filled with new Linn oil, a new belt fitted and a new Dynavector DV10XV high output moving coil cartridge is fitted to replace the ageing Linn Karma, the arm balanced and tracking weight and bias set. The cartridge is aligned with a Linn protractor and the VTA (vertical tracking angle) of the arm is checked and adjusted.

 

The turntable accuracy is checked with a Linn strobe disc and speed checker.  All is now as it should be.

 

Finally, thirty years of oxidation and pitting to the platter rim are removed by the application of Brasso and a lot of elbow grease!  The newly polished finish is protected with a high quality car wax.  Similarly the wooden plinth is cleaned and has several coats of wax furniture polish applied to restore it's lustre.

 

A new clear lid and hinges finish off the makeover nicely.

 

 Job done.  A thirty year old Linn looking as good as new and ready to spin LPs for a few more decades!

If you have a Linn LP12 or Rega in need of servicing, overhauling or updating please phone me or email first.  I'm quite happy to offer advice or look at other makes and models of turntables but space, and time, are limited, and there's only one of me!  Please call me and book a slot before bringing in your pride and joy.

Alan

N.B. The blog is from our Southampton store, however majority of our stores can offer a similar service.