Hi
I have an ancient Arcam Alpha3 amp, ...I have been on the lookout for a 2nd hand Linn but to no avail!
Linn LP12 .... nice TT but the sprung chassis can be tricky to get it to bounce right even for experienced TT users. Also, with so many upgrades over the years and the collector market going a bit nuts for them then they're probably not a good buy unless you're really confident that you know what you're doing. A better option is the Linn Axis. This is a solid chassis turntable along the lines of the Rega and Pro-Ject turntables. They're not difficult to set-up and use. The solid chassis also helps when it comes to using a carbon fibre brush to clean the records before and after playback. It won't sink or crash like a sprung chassis LP12.
The Axis is often overlooked in favour of its bigger sibling and, of course, Rega Planar 3 / P3. The LP12 is better, but not night-and-day OMG better. The Planar 3 / P3 is just different. The Rega RB300 and RB250 tonearms are better than the LVX/Plus but I'm not convinced that the deck itself is, so it's one step forward, one step back.
Axis comes with 33/45 speed selection on a touch button. That's a nice convenience feature. The original Linn Basic LVX tonearms and Basik Plus tonearms are decent and is easily adjustable for height (VTA - vertical tracking angle) to accommodate shallow or tall cartridges. The later Akito tonearm is a sideways 'upgrade' and has a reputation for sticky arm bearings so don't be talked in to '
it's better and worth more'. Kronos AV - a Hi-Fi shop in West Sussex - has an Axis for sale in its used gear for £349. It's a MK1 turntable with the Basik Plus tonearm and an Audio Technica AT95e cartridge. The price is good, and being as it's a dealer sale there may also be some kind of limited warranty. A quick Google should find the site and their FS post. They have free shipping too.
The AT95e cartridge is very much an entry-level piece but still decent enough to enjoy getting back on to vinyl. It works well in the turntable. The ARCAM will take this directly in to its Phono input.
When you're ready - or DH is ready - then the obvious step is a better cartridge. The shape of the tiny diamond tip makes a difference to how much information it drags out of the groove. The AT95e is a basic conical profile which is something like the sharpened end of a pencil. The next step up is an elliptical stylus. This is more like a spear point in shape so it tracks fine detail in the groove much better. It's going to sound mad that a cartridge can be as much or more than the s/h price of a turntable, but that's how it is with these bit of high precision engineering. Ortofon 2M Blue, Goldring 1042 or maybe a Rega Elys 2 could all be fun.
