Users of the Linn LP12 turntable can now benefit from performance improvements thanks to the new distribution relationship between Russ Andrews and Stack Audio, manufacturer of high-quality after-market spares.

Announcing the new deal, Russ Andrews, long time exponent of the LP12, says, “I was very impressed by the engineering of the Stack Audio parts, they are beautifully made. Better still, when put together and set up properly they produced a very enjoyable and musical sound and we are delighted to be able to bring them to the many thousands of LP12 users across the country.”

Stack Audio

Stack Audio is a new company that produces a replacement sub chassis, armboard, top plate and base board for the LP12. Russ was interested because the approach taken by Stack Audio mirrored in part his own approach to LP12 upgrades, in that the components have very high rigidity with the aim of reducing vibrations and colourations.

The company has developed a new material they call ‘Solid Surface’, which is a composite of acrylic polymer, aluminium and minerals, which is inert and stable, with less resonance than metal or wood. This material is used for the Base Boards, the Sub Chassis and Arm Board. Fit and finish are very high, with the arm boards even polished to a high gloss piano black finish.

Stack Audio’s replacement parts – the Top Plate, Base Board, Sub Chassis and Arm Board – are designed to be a straight swap for the existing Linn parts. Although they are made with completely different materials, care has been taken to ensure they retain the same mass and balance of the components they are replacing.

Base Board

The Base Board is the simplest component to fit at home and can be completed without any special tools. Customers can choose from the SERENE or the higher performance ULTIMATE. As with all the components, the Base Boards have been designed to offer a high level of rigidity and vibration dissipation. The SERENE employs two levels of aluminium bonded with their vibration-dissipation compound; the ULTIMATE uses the same ‘Solid Surface’ material used in the Arm Board and Sub-Chassis.

LP12 Top Plate

Stack’s LP12 Top Plate is a rigid, stiff plate that is resistant to warping that dissipates vibration to reveal low level musical detail and information. There are two versions: the SERENE Top Plate which consists of two machined 1.5mm hardened stainless steel sheets, bonded by a specially developed vibration-dissipating adhesive. It is twice as thick as the standard top plate, but still sits flush with the plinth. Higher performance can be achieved with the ULTIMATE FF Top Plate, made from aerospace aluminium and precision milled to give a perfectly flat surface. It is then bonded using the anti-vibration compound to a second plate.

Sub Chassis

The SERENE Sub Chassis overcomes the problems of the original LP12 sub-chassis, which was made from thin steel and can warp over time, leading to alignment issues. It has been developed following extensive vibration modelling and listening sessions. It is machined to a very high tolerance, with a honeycomb structure of varying pocket depths to tune and balance the Sub-Chassis to work perfectly with the LP12 suspension.

SERENE Arm Boards can be used either with a Linn sub chassis or the SERENE Sub Chassis. The aim in the development of the Arm Board was to ensure a positive, rigid and tight connection to whichever sub-chassis it is connected and incorporates threaded metal inserts for a secure, long-lasting connection. The SERENE Arm Board is available with cut outs for Linn and Linn Ittok arms, Rega and Rega 3-point arms and SME arms with threaded inserts incorporated for fixing the SME and Rega 3-point arms directly.

Russ concludes by saying “When we received the components, we were immediately struck by the quality of their manufacture. And while the appearance of the components is all very well – the crucial thing is, of course, how they sound. Suffice to say, they didn’t disappoint. To our ears, each component enhanced the musical qualities of the LP12, making it more communicative and expressive. Tunes were easier to follow, music was more enjoyable and the sound became less ‘Hifi’ and more of a performance. I gave them an unreserved recommendation and we just had to add them to our product range!”

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