Mr Tiefenbrun has seen the light - again - apparently

[pure sound]

The Mamiya story may or may not be true but personally I'd doubt it as I once definitely saw the Ittok (without screen printing) in the catalogue of what I'm sure was a Japanese oem supplier along with various other arms. Not Jelco but someone like that.

EDIT

Actually a subsequent websearch reveals this which sounds about right.

"Originally manufactured for Linn by the Denon Parts Company of Japan (no
relation to the electronics brand), it was designed by a certain Mr Ito to
Linn's specification back in the late seventies. The Tik-Tok (as fans called
it) evolved over the years with various detail changes (such as a new
counterweight), until it reached its LVIII incarnation in 1989. This last
version of the Ittok was undoubtedly the best, featuring Ekos-style glued
armtube joints. By this time, the price had risen from the original £230 to
over £450." ...David Price

I think the Mamiya story was perhaps wishful thinking!

[shane]

Thanks Guy, I was sure I'd heard it somewhere!

[David Price]

For the complete anoraks here, his name would be written as 'Ito', and pronounced "ee-toe' in Japanese. There was a big Japanese connection with Linn in the mid seventies, not least the Grace arm. I also believe the Asak was a Supex (but could be wrong). Someone's got to get the low-down on all these hazy recollections of late-seventies Linn - I suppose it's got to be me. Doh!

My two cents; I thought the Kan I was brilliant, as was the Karik III, and the Ittok LVIII. Ironically, the latter was one of the best ever arms I've partnered with my GyroDec! With a Supex SD900V cartridge it was dynamite.

[Neil McCauley]

There was a big Japanese connection with Linn in the mid seventies, not least the Grace arm. I also believe the Asak was a Supex (but could be wrong).

Meanwhile ........

I believe that Mr T was quoted thus:

"Our approach has never been to give up and outsource to China or wherever. You might call it a genetic flaw on my part,” said Tiefenbrun.”

You can read the story in The Herald - with the above quote - here: http://www.theherald.co.uk/mostpopul...o_job_cuts.php

The word “never” seems unambiguous to me. So given this, what’s your view David P?

---//---

[shane]

The word “never” seems unambiguous to me.

About as unambiguous as the words "Made In Japan" on the base of every Ittok.

[Dave Cawley]

Audio Technica made some of Linn's cartridges. Can't remember which though....

Take a look at the Ittock bias compensator, then look at the Jelco one, identical? Second picture on www.soundhifi.com/sl1200/index.htm

The Jelco Rep of that era told me he sold to Linn, and a lot of other people too. David & Adam are reviewing a trio of arms soon, watch this space? And look at Hi Fi World December 2008 page 65?

But about Linn, they did a good job and didn't really produce anything that bad. But speak to Max Townsend about dealer brainwashing in the 80's?

Regards

Dave

[Neil McCauley]

But about Linn, they did a good job ..........

Regards

Dave

I've heard this, repeated mantra-like, since what seems like the beginning of time.

Q1. Err, what does this phrase mean?

Q2. Good job for who? The Directors - or the scores and scores of redundant staff perhaps? Or the investors, or ........?

I'd really like to have my ignorance confounded, rather than compounded. Can you help?

Thanks

HP

---//---

[i_should_coco]

Audio Technica made some of Linn's cartridges. Can't remember which though....

And I believe the Akiva (?) is sourced from Lyra....

[David Price]

I believe Jonathon Carr (Lyra) designed the Arkiv, then Akiva. That's no bad thing. As for Linn never outsourcing, well maybe Ivor's forgotten about his early years! But didn't they bring Ittok production in house sometime in the mid-eighties? I remember stories about the fabled 'Scottish Ittoks'. Certainly the Ekos is made in Glasgow, as I saw them being made with my very eyes. Still, his 'substantive point' is that Linn is a manufacturing company, a Scottish one and a British one, and he is right, and I think that is a great (and rare) thing nowadays. As Howard knows, soooo many brands are now designed in the UK by a handful of people then made in China by thousands. I think that's a shame. Not because I am anti Chinese or racist (my wife is Chinese!), but because the UK **must** have some manufacturing industry. We can't build our future on banking and burger bars - as recent events show.

[griffo104]

The latest version of the Kan and the Keosa Floorstander were outsourced (to a company in either Japan or China) - and you could tell. Pretty awful speakers in horrid black vinyl wrap which were an attempt to get a budget speaker on the market. The Kan was ok but not as good as a Wharfedale diamond, which was much cheaper, or the cheaper efforts from the likes of Tannoy but the Keosa was just not very good at all and wasn't that much cheaper than the far better Keilidh.

Also don't Goldring make the Adikt for Linn ?

I always liked the fact that all my Linn gear had a sticker on the back of it giving the name of the person who assembled and tested the units.