Linn Majik LP12 MC

"We are having fun and encouraged to take a holistic view of the music rather than focus on the details"

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Linn’s LP12 is the stuff of hi-fi legend. Officially launched in 1973, it wasn’t the first belt-driven suspended sub-chassis turntable on the market; but the combination of great sound, quality build, strong marketing and enthusiastic dealer network soon established it as a dominant force in the high-end record player market.

While the current LP12 looks much like the original, just about every part has been refined repeatedly over the years to keep the deck competitive with newer rivals. We have the entry-level Linn Majik LP12 MC record player on test here. It is one of the pre-packaged combinations the company offers to make things easier for potential customers. However, it is possible to construct your perfect version of this deck by picking from the extensive and rather pricey options list. We tested the range-topping, best-of-everything Klimax LP12 a few years back and it sounded spectacular; but it also currently costs around six times as much as this starter combination.

IT’S A KIND OF MAJIK

This Majik package includes the base LP12 turntable, Krane tonearm and the new Koil moving coil, though it is possible to swap the cartridge for the Adikt moving magnet and drop the price a little. The base LP12 uses essentially the same plinth, platter and main bearing as the models further up the range, but features more basic versions of the power supply, sub-chassis and baseboard.