Linn LP12 Selekt Turntable

The LP12 Selekt sits in the middle of Linn's current turntable range, priced at £11,220. It is the specification at which three of the most consequential improvements to the LP12 platform are made at the same time: a better sub-chassis, a more precise power supply, and a moving coil cartridge with a boron cantilever and fine-line stylus. Each makes a genuine and audible difference. Together, they represent a significant step toward what the LP12 is ultimately capable of.

This is a turntable for the committed vinyl listener — someone who wants a reference-level analogue source and is prepared to invest properly in it.

Where It Sits in the LP12 Range

The LP12 Selekt sits above the LP12 Majik (from £3,700) and below the LP12 Klimax (£25,100).

The step up from Majik to Selekt brings three simultaneous improvements: the sub-chassis moves from aluminium to the Kore, the 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 MC with boron cantilever. These are not minor refinements — they are meaningful changes that each contribute directly to what you hear.

The step from Selekt to Klimax is also 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 a very large proportion of what makes the LP12 exceptional, and does so at a price that is, in context, reasonable.

If your budget is genuinely uncommitted between Selekt and Klimax, we would encourage you to hear both. We can arrange that in our showroom.

Sound and Performance

The LP12 has always been known for the way it organises music — for timing, rhythmic momentum, and the sense that a performance has been captured whole rather than assembled from components. The Selekt has this character fully. It also has the detail and transparency to reveal it in a way the Majik, for all its virtues, cannot quite match.

The Kore sub-chassis is a significant part of why. By machining the aluminium and bonding the armboard directly to it — eliminating a joint — Linn removes a point at which resonance can colour the signal. The result is lower noise and a more transparent presentation: detail that was previously masked becomes audible, and the sense of space around instruments becomes more convincing.

The Lingo power supply contributes to the precision of everything else. Speed stability is a fundamental of good vinyl replay — a platter that wavers, even slightly, smears transients and obscures fine detail. The Lingo holds speed to a level of accuracy the internal Majik supply cannot match, and the effect on timing and definition is clearly audible.

The Kendo cartridge completes the picture. A boron cantilever is stiffer and lighter than aluminium, which means it tracks the groove more accurately and follows transients more precisely. The super-fine line stylus profile reads more of the groove geometry, particularly at high frequencies. Together, these produce a cartridge that retrieves more of what is actually cut into the record — and at Selekt level, the sub-chassis and power supply are capable of resolving it.

Build Quality and Design

The LP12 is hand-assembled at Linn's factory in Glasgow. The Selekt shares the same fundamental structure as every LP12 — precision wooden plinth, suspended sub-chassis, separate baseboard — with the specification differences being in what goes inside it.

The Trampolin base provides an additional layer of isolation at the base of the deck, using suspended feet on an aluminium baseboard. It is particularly effective on surfaces susceptible to footfall or structure-borne vibration, and it is a sensible inclusion at this specification level.

The Lingo power supply has an external housing that connects to the internal motor drive electronics. It is a compact unit that sits alongside the deck; the cable management is clean and unobtrusive in practice.

The plinth is available in any colour, with custom matching possible against speakers or any other reference. Linn builds each LP12 to order.

Connectivity and System Matching

The LP12 Selekt outputs a standard stereo RCA signal from the Arko tonearm. A phono stage is required — the Selekt does not include one internally.

The Kendo is a moving coil cartridge. A phono stage with a suitable MC input and sufficient gain is essential. An MM-only phono stage will not work correctly with the Kendo. At £11,220, the turntable warrants a phono stage that is genuinely matched to it — a budget phono stage will be the limiting factor in the system.

We recommend discussing phono stage options before you order. The Linn collection includes options worth considering, and we can also advise on alternatives from other brands depending on your amplification and budget. The phono stage choice matters here — get it right and the Selekt will reward you considerably.

System matching more broadly: the Selekt LP12 will reveal what the rest of your system is capable of. It suits a carefully considered system — good amplification, appropriate speakers, well-managed cable routing. We are happy to advise on what works well at this level.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The LP12 Selekt is for the serious music listener who wants a reference-level analogue source and has matched their system — and their phono stage — to support it. It is the right choice for someone coming from a Majik who wants to hear what the LP12 is genuinely capable of, or for someone buying into the LP12 platform with the intention of owning it for a long time. It is not for the occasional listener or someone who is undecided about vinyl — it warrants proper commitment.

Buying from Martin's Hi-Fi

Martin's Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968, and the Linn range has been part of what we do for years. We are still family-run — Ted Martin's daughter Elizabeth runs the business today — and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

The LP12 Selekt is available to hear in our Norwich showroom; call ahead and we will have it set up with a system that makes sense for your budget. When you get in touch, you will be speaking to Dave or Chris — both experienced hi-fi specialists who can talk you through whether the LP12 Selekt, the Majik, or the Klimax is the right fit for your room and your system.

Reach them at [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], call on 01603 627010, or WhatsApp Dave or Chris directly on 07554 687137 for a quick answer after your purchase. You can read more about who we are and how we work on our Why Martin's page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY, open six days a week.

Contact: [email protected] | 01603 627010 | WhatsApp: 07554 687137 | 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY