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Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-03-03 20:45
by Robert Lake
I bought a new belt for my LP12,. From a non-official Linn shop. The belt was supposed to by original Linn.

The belt felt thicker and firmer than my old belts. It wasn't smooth either. There was a type of buckle on it that you could see when it was driven by the motor. I let it run for some time. The buckle did smooth out but was still there. Has Linn changed the belt with new motors?

The new belt didn't sound good either. When I played Eagle's Greatets Hits 1971-1975 it sounded like an old worn LP. Switching back to my old belt it sounded like a good old LP again. Thus, I let the old belt stay.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-03-06 17:22
by Mikeg
Surprised this hasn't been answered!

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-03-06 18:56
by Tendaberry
That doesn't sound like it was an original belt. I've never seen any type of buckle on any of my belts since 1986. Linn now claims a longer lifespan for their belts (since last year I believe), however that came with a hefty price hike as well.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-03-06 19:59
by ThomasOK
I noticed that the belt that Linn supplied with our new Majik LP12 appeared to be thicker and the rough side was noticeably rougher than previous belts. I did not notice any buckle to the belt (some type of seam?) but I didn't look for one. I then checked the last batch of belts I got from Linn and they too were the thicker ones. I planned to do a direct comparison of them but haven't had a chance to yet.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-05-28 17:24
by ThomasOK
I see that I didn't get around to following up on this one. I know it has been mentioned elsewhere by Fredrik but I don't remember the thread offhand.

Anyway, I have done a few comparisons. One was here on the test bench with an LP12 I was working on, one was with Fredrik when setting up for the Axpona show, one was on my own mid-level LP12 and the most recent was on a customer LP12 that was getting a Cirkus upgrade that comes with the new belt. In all cases I (and Fredrik and Simon, who was helping out at the show) found the older belt to be more musical. I find the new belt to give a thicker and more sluggish kind of sound. Things just don't flow as well.

I just found that a member on the WAM forum had emailed David Williamson about the question of there being a new belt and he received this answer:

"Yes,
Was released about 6 months ago.
New supplier, and took about a year to develop after trying all the other 3rd party belts on the market. All of which were terrible!

Regards,

David"

This fits in with my sense of timing as I first noticed the belt a few months ago when we received our demo Majik LP12 with the new tonearm. Noticing the additional thickness and the higher degree of roughness on the rough side, I checked the belts I had in stock and found the latest batch, which I bought a couple of months before that, were also the newer ones. I didn't open that package before then as I hadn't yet needed one.

I sent the customer who had the Cirkus done both belts back, marked for direction, and told him I recommended his original belt. He is thrilled with his upgraded LP12 (which also received a Kore, Lingo 4, Trampolin 2, Adikt, new felt mat and a full setup) but he hasn't tried the two belts yet.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-05-28 20:58
by Charlie1
I felt the same and ordered a spare old one.

At my dealer, I preferred the new belt which seemed more lifelike, but once I got it home I couldn’t get on with it. This was the Radikal deck so it would have automatically adjusted speed for the newer / thicker belt and visa versa. I also clocked the inner/outer platter just in case that swayed things.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-06-19 14:16
by Discodave
I did the same as Charlie1, albeit with a much lower spec LP12. Clocked (awesome noticeable hack) and changed back to the old Linn belt that I didn't throw out after buying new one for £50. Obviously better to get the new one I thought at the time, sure the old one has probably been on there for 20 years plus.

Old belt much better! £50 down the tube :(

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-11-08 22:59
by ThomasOK
I just received a new package of 6 LP12 belts from Linn and they appear to have gone back to the old style belts. This batch are thinner and smoother, especially on the rough side, than the belts they have been shipping for about a year. As I found the thicker, rougher belts to be less musical I am glad to see there appears to have been a return to form on them.

New Official Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-11-12 08:00
by Ron The Mon
ThomasOK wrote: 2019-11-08 22:59 I just received a new package of 6 LP12 belts from Linn and they appear to have gone back to the old style belts. This batch are thinner and smoother, especially on the rough side, than the belts they have been shipping for about a year. As I found the thicker, rougher belts to be less musical I am glad to see there appears to have been a return to form on them.
Do they actually sound better and how much are they?

Am I alone thinking a turntable belt shouldn't cost more than $20?

Ron The Mon

Re: New Official Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2019-11-12 19:22
by ThomasOK
Ron The Mon wrote: 2019-11-12 08:00
ThomasOK wrote: 2019-11-08 22:59 I just received a new package of 6 LP12 belts from Linn and they appear to have gone back to the old style belts. This batch are thinner and smoother, especially on the rough side, than the belts they have been shipping for about a year. As I found the thicker, rougher belts to be less musical I am glad to see there appears to have been a return to form on them.
Do they actually sound better and how much are they?

Am I alone thinking a turntable belt shouldn't cost more than $20?

Ron The Mon
I haven't listened to these latest ones yet. They do appear to be the same as the better sounding original belts but I will have to listen at some point to be sure.

I don't think you're alone at all, although you have probably been spoiled by cheap Audio Technica cartridges. However, Rega belts are $39 and $59 for belts that don't appear to be machined like the Linn belts are and have a lot less material, and there are plenty more out there that exceed the LP12 belt price of $80US.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2020-01-11 16:34
by Defender
I have one of the old belts and and with my one its really difficult to see the difference between the rough and the more smooth side because the more rough side is already really smooth. I had to go in real sunlight to see which side was more smooth.

To my surprise it sounded more musical to me when I did put the more rough side inside so the rough side touches the pulley and the inner platter. My understanding was so far that the more smooth side needs to be inside for best musicality.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2020-01-11 18:15
by ThomasOK
I, and other LP12 technicians I know, don't test the belt by looking at it but by feeling the belt. You squeeze the belt between thumb and finger and pull the belt through seeing which side feels rougher. On some belts the two sides are fairly close and it can be hard to tell. One UK dealer I talk to from time to time would rub the belt against his lips since they are more sensitive than your fingers. I have resorted to this as well when I have a particularly difficult belt. Don't forget once you have the inside vs. outside correct there is also a top and a bottom, which can only be determined by listening. And if the rougher side sounds better on the inside go with your ears.

Also I thought I updated this, or maybe I did so in another thread, but the new belts not only appear the same as the older ones but seem to sound the same as well. I had a customer recently who bought a new belt but I felt his old belt was still good. I did mark both belts as to proper orientation for him but found little difference in their sound, despite his original belt being over 10 years old. The thicker, rougher belt, on the other hand, sounded significantly less musical on the same LP12.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2020-02-22 12:54
by Defender
in case it helps to distinguish
the older belts have a measured thickness of 1mm (measured with a caliper)

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2020-09-08 21:24
by Lingomatik
I bought two circus kits in 2019. the drive belts are both bullshit.
They both get a bump and run up and down on the inner platter at one point.
they also twist a lot. no lp12 sounds good with them. an 8 year old belt is much better.

Re: Linn LP12 Belts

Posted: 2020-09-09 09:22
by Charlie1
I think Linn reverted back to the original belt after only a few months.