Linn Klimax LP12 turntable
High-end turntables · 2007–present In production
$30,968 US reference price
Linn Klimax LP12 is a current belt-drive, manual operation, 33/45 rpm playback high-end turntable. The US reference price is $30,968.
Decision snapshot
The five things to check first
- Plays
- 33/45 rpm
- System hookup
- Phono input or preamp needed
- Cueing
- Manual cueing
- Stylus path
- Cartridge identified
- Buying status
- Current model
Setup bottom line: Budget for a phono input or separate phono preamp as well as amplification and speakers. Check model-specific stylus evidence →
The fully-loaded Sondek LP12: Radikal DC motor and power supply, Karousel bearing, Keel sub-chassis and the Ekstatik cartridge. The ultimate expression of a 50-year-old design.
A half-century of continuous refinement in one deck.
Model history: Linn's Karousel single-point bearing, launched in 2020, is the first main-bearing revision for the LP12 platform since the 1994 Cirkus kit, adding tighter machining tolerances and a diamond-like-carbon-coated thrust pad for a lower noise floor; it is now fitted as standard across the LP12 range including the Klimax.
Checked against the manufacturer’s site: 2026-07
Who it suits
Best suited to: an established system where the amp, speakers and room can resolve what this deck retrieves from the groove. Less ideal for: a first turntable — the same budget goes much further spent on mid-range separates first.
Compatibility and setup
- Manual operation: you cue and lift the tonearm by hand at the start and end of each side — there’s no auto-return or auto-lift.
Good to know
- No built-in phono stage — use an amplifier with a phono input or add a separate phono preamplifier.
- Professional setup of tracking force, alignment, azimuth and arm height is worth budgeting for at this level.
Specifications
| Drive | belt drive |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual |
| Cartridge included | Ekstatik MC |
| Built-in phono stage | No |
| USB output | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Platter | aluminium |
| Tonearm | Linn Arko / SME |
| Dimensions | 445 x 140 x 356 mm (W x H x D) |
| Finishes | Oak, Cherry, Black Ash, Rosenut, Walnut (smooth or fluted); Piano Black; Alpine White; custom colour-match to any RAL standard colour in high-gloss, satin or metallic finish; built to order |
| Warranty | 5 years parts & labour (UK); phono cartridges limited to 1 year |
| Years | 2007–present |
How it sits in the catalogue
Its belt-drive mechanism is the majority choice in the database (151 of 183). On price it sits toward the top of its category — 96% of priced high-end decks cost less.
Cartridge and replacement stylus
Factory cartridge: Linn Ekstatik.
Keep the evidence layers separate
Buying evidence for this model
- US reference price
- $30,968. A dated guide value for comparison, not an offer or availability claim.
- Live retailer offers
- No live offer feed is enabled for this model.
- Retailer links
- Brand or product routes to relevant US retailers; a search link is not a stock claim.
An internally verified exact identifier may improve offer matching, but it is not published as a catalogue fact unless independently corroborated. Always confirm the exact model, final price, delivery and returns with the retailer.
Where to buy the Linn Klimax LP12
2 US retailers stock Linn — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |