So here I am collecting secondhand components I see that fit the bill. A serviced 250 comes first. A serviced Hicap and a healthy Nac32-5. I was intially planning to shoot higher than the 32-5 but this one came up along with the NAP250 so it seemed the right thing to do.
I actually owned a second set of Naim SBL's back in the mid 1990's in a system based around a Naim CDi running a 72/HiCap/250. Sadly it didn't last long as I never really bonded with it and at some point or other needed the money more than a system I wasn't really using much. The SBL's have always been firm favourites though. I have always loved their speed, slightly dry lean quality, their fast unobtrusive bass and their huge ability to always rhythmically captivate and involve. I have found a lovely walnut pair of Mk2's which are pretty much mint.
The Linn LP12 you have seen already. I was initially thinking about getting a Roksan Xerxes. I remember hearing them back when they were launched and found it an exciting and very fast deck which gave a fir bit more detail than the Linn at a lower pricepoint. Even with a basic Rega RB300 the Xerxes seemed to out resolve an LP12/Ittok. I then read about issues with sagging plinths on older decks and came to realise that the backup for a Roksan isn't really the best. I did think about getting a Gyrodec but remembered that I had found these a bit boring when listening back in the days.
So although a part of me wants to do something different this time, I am sticking with the venerable fruit box and I am going to keep it to an older spec as research and friends tell me that the later cirkus bearing and trampolin mods may have changed the sound but not necessarily improved it and arguably actually removed some of the decks original high level of musicality and swing. I do plan on fitting it with an ARO though seeing as I had an Ekos before. I remember the Ekos as having a wide frequency range, a lot more detail and authority and grip than the Ittok but the Aro always had the reputation of being more about flow and romance rather than out and out detail. This is more my bag so Aro it will be.
The mana reference table also came up conveniently. This table was all the rage back in the 80's. It changed the sound of the LP12 considerably, tightening up the bass and specifically addressing some of its shortcomings. Along with the audiotech table it was considered the golden chalice of LP12 floorstanding supports.
Naim Armageddon (NAPSA) power supply for the LP12
This is my final acquisition. This came up used at a good price and my reading tells me that the Benz cartridges are slightly warm sounding with good detail that is not over etched or too bright. The prospect of this smoother delivery sounds promising to me and at the price I can't really go wrong. I would have liked to get a retipped Troika (Expert Stylus Company in Ashtead surrey do a good job on this I'm told) but I haven't seen one for sale so far.
