Looking for a cheaper route to high quality vinyl playback?
Regrettably, as most people these days ‘know’ the value of an LP12 when they are selling it these days, this tends to set the base cost for one of my decks, after restoration, at quite a high level.
There are, however, some very good cheaper turntable options out there that I like to promote and occasionally, I have stocks of these to supplement my LP12 offerings.
Great lower cost options include :
The Linn Axis & Basik
The Linn Axis – and Basik – were very unlucky in that it was what the market had been crying out for from Linn for 15 years, but which it avoided building until the late 80’s when the future of HiFi was looking very much like it was going to be supplanted by the Compact Disc.
On that basis both The Linn Axis and Basik had limited production runs. In both cases, they are great players and gave people an option not available as standard on the LP12 – the ability to play 45 RPM records, at the flick of a switch with the Axis and a little fumble under the platter with the Basik.
With the Akito Arm and a K9 cartridge, great results were possible – and still are.
I liken these two and the LP12 to the Porsche range of cars. The LP12 being the 911 and the Axis and Basik representing the Boxster. Most people would prefer a 911, but the Boxster is still a great car – and so it is with the Axis and the Basik.
I do often get these in, often as ‘trade ins’ and so, do contact me if you are in the market for one of these.
Systemdek (various models)
The Systemdek is a surprisingly gifted machine. Similar in many ways to the LP12 with its 3 point suspended subchassis, but much simpler.
A well tuned Systemdek will produce great results and I like it very much because it does bring high quality reproduction with even a modest arm and cartridge at a bargain basement price.
Maybe not the best looking of machines – and the lids are very prone to scratches and damage – but a top performer on a budget.
Strathclyde Transcriptor Deck (STD)
305 – M (best option), D – (with the digital speed readout) and S (poor relation – but still okay)
Statement looks, simple components and easy to live with. The STD was probably the closest rival to the Linn LP12 and it is still a deck that I rate very highly – indeed I still own a few and run one in one of my systems.
Best suited to SME arms – particularly the 3009 S2 – in my humble opinion, this low profile and DeLorean inspiring turntable was built from stainless steel and deserved better from the market, but as is often the case, brilliant craftsmen are not always the most astute marketing men – or financial controllers.
Rega Turntables
I confess that I am not a huge fan of Rega Turntables, far too simple and flimsy for my liking, but I have to confess (begrudgingly) that they can put out a tune pretty well with the right arm and cartridge combination.
There is a plentiful of supply of them too, as they had a much lower price point in the 1980’s than the Linn offerings of the time.
Other Firms products worthy of consideration : Thorens, Pink Triangle, Dual 504/505/506, Pioneer PL12 and PL112, Trio 1033.