A limited edition of 250 at  $60,000 

if you could would you?

 

Former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive has revealed his latest project, a collaboration with British audio brand Linn to design a 50th anniversary edition of its Sondek LP12 turntable.

The luxury $60,000 record player is the first non-Apple hardware project Ive is known to have been involved in since he and four other colleagues left the company in 2019 to found the design firm LoveFrom.

 

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/07/07/jony-ive-lovefrom-turntable-linn-design/

Very nice design - simple and minimalist in function.
Nevertheless, I would like to briefly point out a small suitable cross-reference here:
Ive's source of inspiration was famously Dieter Rams, who established the simple, technical design at BRAUN.

 

Active on few Audio Forums for a decade now while beginning to venture into how to get the most out of my old 7" USA 'rare soul' record's collection (a thing most who have amazing records collection don't bother with) with what I have gathered through the years made of good to fair new and old audio gear. Broke once I had to begin to DIY tweak what I had in order to improve. Following the "golden rule" doing 'em one by one to evaluate and unwind or keep on.

Beginning to acquire notions and confidence (just like I did with music and records) I began to understand that one 'man's heaven is another's man hell'. Had to discover by ear which one was mine. The myth of the 'best' universal phono gear is a myth. This for many technical reasons first. Then because like in every technology development to achieve certain specifications achievements it means compromise at another end. One specification is never all.

Finding out that some beliefs (mines that were too) out there (especially in platter drive design and method (very sensitive subject) - cables are also 'fire starters' but funnier - some go for themselves and others impose theirs onto others) are so deeply anchored and have achieved 'dogma' like status when I try to tackle these superstitions and hegemonic beliefs with an empirical approach I unexpectedly trigger a violent out of proportion defense reactions.

Letting me know that I 'hit the spot' (devil jumped out of the box - like an exorcist). Bad mouthing plain insults and caricatures instead of any argumentation in difference is proof. Proving typical of those who believe (like a secure vital stronghold as if their miserable life would depend on it - as if their 'castle made of matches' would be shaken) but also finding out that many audiophiles are over sensitive introverts whose sense of humor and spirit is just not existing.

So it is with great 'caution' that I will try to make few statements here. If Jony Ive's design to a point was a worthwhile addition by bringing some common sense into the design (in the best term : combining function, practicality & pleasure) of what were sad offices 'furnitures' then household's devices, the following Apple's commercial strategy turned it all into gadgetism with a Cult following. Obscenity. What was a fair alternative became a 'consumerism orgy'.

The Apple 'flag' in the days of prime tarnished to become its own worse self. Although I still use a MacBook Pro to this day. Like a fool. So I don't condemn it all nor think all they do is bad. It's more the company and their now "wayz". Wish it was simpler but it's not. As for Linn turntables they're good reputed ones (especially well crafted) but the 'romanced' story of the company is rather 'horrific' in real I find. But am not English so no patriotic pride factor for me prevailing.

My old 'now' Leak 'Sandwich' (15 Ohms) speakers are English though. And so is my beloved SME3009 tonearm. Both heavily DIY'ed tweaked though. Anyway these Linn LP12 turntables originally for what they are were 'copy cats' or 'carbon copy' of the Thorens TD150 first and TD160 after. Those pro-Linn who can admit to that (not all do) still claim that the Linn craft is superior. That's true. My DIY'ed tweaked most cheap and humble Thorens TD160 is still my pride.

Modern technology. Well all that is 'new' on this very market is in fact no real competitor. In regard of performance alone it's not. Unless one digs into inaudible to the human ear specifications... On the 'Bang for your Buck' ratio there's no comparison here. On these two companies 'joint venture' I'll stick to my words here above. But I understand the fact that others feel and prefer the opposite of my ideas and tastes and would go for it. Digging the 'diff'rent strokes 4...'

Only it's now taking those two Cult 'brands' into 'bourgeois' (deep pocket) commercialism objects of 'prestige' (bling-bling "prestige"). That which both companies were not originally. They were aiming at intellectual middle-class liberals whose nowadays salaries shan't be able to purchase them such high-end priced turntable like this one. What I see when I see those new 'Garrard', 'Thorens' and 'SME' is that far from musical enjoyment ; a fetishist bad trip nausea...

Zanetti's perfect example shows those world's appart with Braun's products and Dieter Ram's approach into marketing design for the mass with a popular German brand. There's a 'gap' between Jony Ive's Apple design who aimed to pro-elitists with Dieter's design for the mass. The same goes for the Linn's copy of the Thorens. Linn's TT were a social statement where the Thorens not. More than a criticism, something to bear in mind where ever one's preference lies.

...the Wandanlagen...system is a bit special too...

 

the mounting system is the vitsoe shelving system which is still available and although pricey its amazing quality and stores records perfectly...its amazing how much loading it can take, giving that its all on simple steel pins..

9 hours ago, Pigeon Thing said:

the mounting system is the vitsoe shelving system which is still available and although pricey its amazing quality and stores records perfectly...its amazing how much loading it can take, giving that its all on simple steel pins..

Looks kinda 'smart'. Crowning 'chic' bourgeois young (or wannabe) hipster interior thingy. Begging the question 'is this most  'elegant' slim wall-mount structure base for the turntable really sturdy enough to be efficient in regard to its 'decoupling' purpose ? My guess is ; not that good. But maybe it's more about a 'decor' object than a phono system.

Because with such 'pitiful' wall-mount light speakers thin box (back against the wall 😞 ) such a light wall-mount structure should still prove problematic somehow picking-up the speaker's 'bass' vibrations transmitted directly into the wall and into the wall-mount fixings and so on... Any real audio designers would avoid such design fault. Not flaw but fault.

Edited July 10, 20231 yr by Tlscapital

On 08/07/2023 at 09:04, Mike said:

A limited edition of 250 at  $60,000 

if you could would you?

 

Former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive has revealed his latest project, a collaboration with British audio brand Linn to design a 50th anniversary edition of its Sondek LP12 turntable.

The luxury $60,000 record player is the first non-Apple hardware project Ive is known to have been involved in since he and four other colleagues left the company in 2019 to found the design firm LoveFrom.

 

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/07/07/jony-ive-lovefrom-turntable-linn-design/

Went to linn for an interview, after the fifth person told me if they have nothing to do they just pop into work and do a few hours graft as they loved the place so much……

If you worked at ibrox aye ,wasn’t too gutted when they said no….

4 hours ago, Tlscapital said:

Looks kinda 'smart'. Crowning 'chic' bourgeois young (or wannabe) hipster interior thingy. Begging the question 'is this most  'elegant' slim wall-mount structure base for the turntable really sturdy enough to be efficient in regard to its 'decoupling' purpose ? My guess is ; not that good. But maybe it's more about a 'decor' object than a phono system.

Because with such 'pitiful' wall-mount light speakers thin box (back against the wall 😞 ) such a light wall-mount structure should still prove problematic somehow picking-up the speaker's 'bass' vibrations transmitted directly into the wall and into the wall-mount fixings... Any real audio designers would avoid such design fault. Not flaw but fault.

...yup, I imagine this is very true, but Ive never heard one in use, I think they got reissued a few years back, but as noted, def one for those with deep deep pockets, the storage system is great though..