Linn LP12 Selekt Turntable

The LP12 Selekt is the mid-level specification of a turntable that has been in continuous production since 1972 — the point in the range at which three of the most consequential improvements to the LP12 platform arrive simultaneously: the Kore sub-chassis, the Lingo power supply, and the Kendo moving coil cartridge with boron cantilever and super-fine-line stylus. Each of these represents a genuine and audible step beyond the Majik specification. Together, at £11,220, they define an LP12 that captures a very large proportion of what makes the platform exceptional — a reference-level analogue source that rewards proper investment and delivers musical performance of a kind that very few sources at any price can match.

This is not a turntable for the undecided listener. It is for the committed vinyl enthusiast who wants to understand what the LP12 is genuinely capable of, and is prepared to build a system around it properly.

Where It Sits in the LP12 Range

The Selekt sits above the Linn LP12 Majik Turntable and below the Linn Klimax LP12. The step from Majik to Selekt brings three simultaneous improvements: sub-chassis moves from aluminium to the Kore, power supply moves from the internal Majik unit to the Lingo, and the cartridge moves from the Adikt MM or Koil MC to the Kendo with boron cantilever. These are not minor refinements — each is a meaningful change that contributes directly and independently to what you hear, and their combined effect is substantially greater than any one of them alone.

The step from Selekt to Klimax is real and substantial — the Keel sub-chassis, Radikal power supply, Ekos SE tonearm, Ekstatik cartridge, and Urika II internal phono stage represent the current limit of the platform. But the Selekt captures the LP12's fundamental character fully and completely. If your budget sits genuinely between the two, we would encourage you to hear both at our Norwich showroom before deciding.

Kore Sub-Chassis — Eliminating the Joint

The Kore is machined from a single billet of aluminium — a sub-chassis in which the armboard is bonded directly to the machined structure, eliminating the mechanical joint that exists in fabricated sub-chassis designs. Every joint in a mechanical structure is a potential source of compliance and resonance — a point at which energy can accumulate and return to the signal path as noise. By removing the joint between armboard and sub-chassis, the Kore removes a structural inconsistency that the Majik sub-chassis cannot avoid. The result is a quieter, more transparent mechanical platform — one that allows the Arko tonearm and Kendo cartridge to operate without the coloration that a less rigidly controlled sub-chassis would introduce. Low-level detail that was previously masked becomes audible; the sense of space and placement around instruments becomes more convincing; the presentation as a whole becomes more open and more honest.

Lingo Power Supply — Speed as a Musical Discipline

Speed accuracy is not a secondary consideration in vinyl replay. It is foundational. A platter that wavers — even fractionally, even at frequencies below conscious perception — smears transients, blurs the distinction between adjacent notes, and undermines the timing and rhythmic momentum that the LP12 has always been known for above all else. The Lingo holds platter speed to a level of precision that the internal Majik supply cannot approach, and the effect is immediately and consistently audible: timing becomes sharper, leading edges of notes are more clearly defined, and music acquires a forward momentum and rhythmic conviction that reveals what the LP12 is truly about as a musical instrument.

Kendo Cartridge — Boron and Super-Fine-Line

The Kendo is the correct cartridge for the Arko tonearm — body and arm wand both machined from 7075-grade aluminium, a deliberate material correspondence that ensures vibrational energy moves through the cartridge-to-arm interface without accumulating at the boundary. The boron cantilever transmits groove modulations with exceptional precision and speed — stiffer and lighter than aluminium, with internal resonances well above the audio band. The super-fine-line stylus profiles the groove wall over a narrow, precisely defined contact area, retrieving higher-frequency content with lower distortion and tracking inner grooves — where demands on the stylus are greatest — with a composure that a standard elliptical profile cannot match.

At Selekt level, the Kore sub-chassis and Lingo power supply create a mechanical and electrical environment that fully supports what the Kendo retrieves. The three improvements work together — cartridge, sub-chassis, power supply each playing their part in a system that is coherent rather than assembled from individually optimised components.

Build and Finish

The LP12 Selekt is hand-assembled at Linn's factory in Glasgow. The Trampolin base provides isolation at the deck's foundation — suspended feet on an aluminium baseboard, effective on any surface susceptible to footfall or structure-borne vibration, and a sensible inclusion at this specification level. The Lingo power supply occupies a compact external housing that connects to the internal motor drive electronics; cable management is clean and unobtrusive.

The plinth is available in any colour, with Linn able to match it against loudspeakers or any other reference. Each LP12 is built to order. Finish choices — including the full range of high gloss options and custom colour matching — are available through our Norwich showroom.

Connectivity and System Matching

The LP12 Selekt outputs a standard stereo RCA signal from the Linn Arko Tonearm. A phono stage is required — the Selekt does not include one internally. The Kendo is a moving coil cartridge with 0.45mV output and 100Ω recommended loading: a dedicated MC phono stage is essential. An MM-only phono stage will not work correctly with the Kendo and will be the limiting factor in the system if it provides insufficient gain.

At £11,220, the turntable warrants a phono stage that is genuinely matched to it. We recommend discussing phono stage options before ordering — the correct pairing has a significant effect on what the Selekt delivers, and it is a conversation worth having properly. For those who want analogue integration within a Linn Exakt system, the Urika II internal phono stage is the upgrade path to consider.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The LP12 Selekt is for the serious music listener who wants a reference-level analogue source and has the system — and the phono stage — to support it. It is the right choice for someone stepping up from a Majik who wants to hear what the LP12 is genuinely capable of, or for someone entering the LP12 at a level they intend to own for a long time. It is not for the occasional listener or the undecided — it rewards proper commitment and repays it with musical performance of an order that is difficult to replicate at anything approaching the price.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

The LP12 Selekt is available to hear at our Norwich showroom — call ahead and we will have it set up within a system that reflects your amplification and budget. We also carry the full range of LP12 upgrade components, including the Linn Karousel Bearing Kit and Linn Bedrok Plinth, for those who want to discuss the upgrade path from an existing deck at the same time.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.