Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

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ThomasOK
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Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by ThomasOK »

Linn has announced today a new version of the Majik LP12. The turntable and cartridge remains the same but it is outfitted with a new Linn tonearm. The ProJect 9CC arm that has come with the Majik LP12 since introduction was basically a stock ProJect arm with a custom mounting collar and a Linn arm cable. Unlike that arm the new arm is a Linn design made to their specifications by Jelco in Japan. The new Linn arm is claimed to be a significant upgrade over the ProJect and Linn indicates it will become available for purchase separately in Spring 2019. This gives an entry level Linn arm that will be available separately, unlike the ProJect which was only available in the Linn version when purchased with the Majik LP12. I feel it is good news as I see it as a potential upgrade for people who want to move up from a Basik or early Akito arm and those with Akito 1s that have bad bearings, without having to spend the $2400US for the Akito 3. The price of the Majik LP12 in the US remains unchanged at $4320US.

Along with the introduction Linn have announced a promotion, from today through January 29th, where a purchase of the new Majik LP12 along with a Majik DSM at the same time will sell for $6249.00 in the US. This is a discount of $1070 over the combined prices of these two. Considering that Linn reduced the price of the Majik DSM from $4100 to $2999US with the intro of the Selekt DSM, this additional discount is quite interesting.

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by Matteo »

Thanks Thomas

Can the new arm be used with Kore and grey t-kable (standard in the Akito 3)?

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by mrco99 »

Good to see - or better hear - a better arm is being featured on the Majik deck.
Minor gripe would be that I'm not that fond of the big Linn logo on top of the arm.

Here is more news about it:
https://www.stereonet.co.uk/news/linns- ... -turntable

Curiously, this Linn promo of Majik DSM+LP12 runs from 4th of December until the end of January 2019. And the new deck is supposed to be introduced in February. So you will still get the deck with the old Project 9cc arm during the promo?

https://www.linn.co.uk/offers/do-you-be ... ajik/terms

To add to the confusion, the picture of the new Majik deck with Jelco tonearm is being shown on the Linn website, but is being specified as Project 9cc.

https://www.linn.co.uk/sources/turntabl ... majik-lp12

Anyone knows about EUR and GPB promo pricing?
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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by anthony »

mrco99 wrote: 2018-12-05 09:20 Good to see - or better hear - a better arm is being featured on the Majik deck.
Minor gripe would be that I'm not that fond of the big Linn logo on top of the arm.

Here is more news about it:
https://www.stereonet.co.uk/news/linns- ... -turntable

Curiously, this Linn promo of Majik DSM+LP12 runs from 4th of December until the end of January 2019. And the new deck is supposed to be introduced in February. So you will still get the deck with the old Project 9cc arm during the promo?

https://www.linn.co.uk/offers/do-you-be ... ajik/terms

To add to the confusion, the picture of the new Majik deck with Jelco tonearm is being shown on the Linn website, but is being specified as Project 9cc.

https://www.linn.co.uk/sources/turntabl ... majik-lp12

Anyone knows about EUR and GPB promo pricing?
The Majik lp12 is available now, the new arm will be available separately spring next year.
The promotion is Majik dsm and lp12 package 5000 GBP.
I believe the turntable price remains the same.
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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by Matteo »

mrco99 wrote: 2018-12-05 09:20 Anyone knows about EUR and GPB promo pricing?
On WigWam someone told 599 € for the arm

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by mrco99 »

anthony wrote: 2018-12-05 09:38 The Majik lp12 is available now, the new arm will be available separately spring next year.
The promotion is Majik dsm and lp12 package 5000 GBP.
I believe the turntable price remains the same.
Thanks Anthony (and Matteo) for your update on pricing.

So as from now, the new Majik LP12 is going to be supplied with - also during the promo - the new Linn/Jelco tonearm and this tonearm is available as a separate purchase as from Februari 2019.

That makes much more sense to me - knowing Linn to almost instantly offer availaibility when a new product is being launched.
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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by Matteo »

https://www.linn.co.uk/sources/turntabl ... majik-lp12

Now the Linn website states, among other, "Majik tonearm" and "T-Kable Phono tonearm cable"

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by mrco99 »

On the bottom there is still specified 'Project 9cc Tonearm'. I have sent an email to the helpline though to correct that.
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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by Matteo »

mrco99 wrote: 2018-12-05 15:57 On the bottom there is still specified 'Project 9cc Tonearm'. I have sent an email to the helpline though to correct that.
Oh yes, just saw it ...

The mystery is "T-Kable phono tone arm cable"

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by ThomasOK »

I haven't seen one yet but I am quite sure that it will fit on the Kore and should use any standard Linn tonearm cable. Linn definitely told us they were shipping as of the 3rd. I was informed that they had stopped production of units with the ProJect arm about a week ago in anticipation of the new version. It is curious that they show it with the T.Kable as the ProJect versions came with Linn Black interconnect cable with the Linn aluminum DIN plug. On the other hand there isn't a ton of price difference between the three arm cables they have been supplying. We'll have to see what they actually come with. If they were going to upgrade the table beyond the arm I would like to have seen them include the Trampolin 2. I still don't understand why they don't automatically include it.

We haven't been given any pricing on the arm separately and it is not on the price list they posted on the dealer site today. I guess we'll find out for sure when they release it in the spring.
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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by Matteo »

ThomasOK wrote: 2018-12-05 17:31 We'll have to see what they actually come with. If they were going to upgrade the table beyond the arm I would like to have seen them include the Trampolin 2. I still don't understand why they don't automatically include it.
According to the Linn official website, solid base seems to be ideal "for mounting on solid surface or suspended shelf".

I planned for January a visit to my dealer for changing my almost death Adikt stylus (more than 2,000 hours) and the problematic lid hinges and I will also get a solid base for the Trampolin 2 (my LP12 sits on a wall shelf).

As for the tonearm cable, I prefer by a relevant margin the grey t-kable that comes as a standard on the current Akito arm than the black Mogami one (standard on the Ekos).

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by ThomasOK »

I definitely agree that the Akito cable, which is basically the original T.Kable with the newer Linn DIN connector, is musically better than the Mogami T.Kable. It is better yet with the older style Linn RCA connectors, I just put such a cable on my LP12 to allow me to listen to something besides my Urika 1 as a phono stage.

My experience is that the Trampolin 2 is musically better than the Solid Base on any surface I have tried it on. From others I have heard that the Trampolin 2 doesn't get along well with the Mana turntable stands and shelves, but I have limited experience with those shelves so I can't confirm or deny it. I have tried it on Target wall shelves, Quadraspire wall shelves and racks, Audiotech, Archidee and NOKTable floor stands, as well as numerous racks and I have always foun4d the Trampolin 2 musically superior.

Your comment that you are going to "get a solid base for the Trampolin 2" has me a bit confused. The Solid Base is something that you would use in place of the Trampolin 2, not along with it. It is basically a Trampolin 2 without the compliant feet - same damped aluminum construction with a ground wire, same fastening to the plinth with 9 or 10 screws. But it uses the four small rubber feet of older LP12s so it doesn't provide the additional isolation of the Trampolin 2.
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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by Matteo »

ThomasOK wrote: 2018-12-06 17:38 Your comment that you are going to "get a solid base for the Trampolin 2" has me a bit confused. The Solid Base is something that you would use in place of the Trampolin 2, not along with it. It is basically a Trampolin 2 without the compliant feet - same damped aluminum construction with a ground wire, same fastening to the plinth with 9 or 10 screws. But it uses the four small rubber feet of older LP12s so it doesn't provide the additional isolation of the Trampolin 2.
Sorry for my bad English ...

I was intending "solid base instead of Trampolin 2", I know that you would use one in place of the another ...

Looking at the Linn website, they seems almost identical apart the feet:

https://www.linn.co.uk/sources/turntabl ... #trampolin

Also the material is identical (aluminium).

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by ThomasOK »

Yes, that is correct, same materials, different feet. Just make sure you keep the Trampolin 2 so you can put it back on after you've tried the Solid Base. Also if you have a Radikal it is important to make sure the motor casing is not in contact with the ring of the Trampolin foot in that corner or else you will loose some of the musicality of the LP12. This has been talked about elsewhere on the forum and could lead to a preference for the Solid Base as it has no ring there to contact the motor. But a simple fix will separate the motor and the Trampolin foot and restore maximum musicality.
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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by Matteo »

ThomasOK wrote: 2018-12-06 19:05 Yes, that is correct, same materials, different feet. Just make sure you keep the Trampolin 2 so you can put it back on after you've tried the Solid Base. Also if you have a Radikal it is important to make sure the motor casing is not in contact with the ring of the Trampolin foot in that corner or else you will loose some of the musicality of the LP12. This has been talked about elsewhere on the forum and could lead to a preference for the Solid Base as it has no ring there to contact the motor. But a simple fix will separate the motor and the Trampolin foot and restore maximum musicality.
I participated actively to this discussion and did the test with the white paper with positive result, but since then I became suspicious regarding Trampolin 2 + Radikal ...

I have a Project wall shelf reinforced with an additional layer.

I do not remember where, but somewhere I read that the current Adikt stylus is different and better than mine (December 2014).

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Re: Majik LP12 update with new tonearm

Post by ThomasOK »

Linn has changed the stylus on the Adikt twice. The first change, to Adikt/1 and Adikt Stylus/1 was a change to the suspension to alleviate the problem a number of owners had of low riding or collapsing styli. Linn stated there was no musical difference, just a change to make the cartridge body ride higher off the record. I could not see any difference under the microscope to the makeup of the diamond and cantilever. They did ride higher. This was changed to the Adikt/2 and Adikt Stylus/2 a while ago but I have not heard what the latest difference is. Since both the cartridge and stylus were changed to /2 it appears to be a change to the stylus again. I am not aware of any change to the body itself.
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