Music is Life: The Story of Linn

What else can make you laugh one minute, cry the next, and become deep in thought the one after?
Music is humanity’s universal language. It is the great unifier and, is the sole reason for this independent, Scottish business’s existence. Linn is the most significant maker of precision-engineered music systems that you’ve perhaps never heard of.
“Music is Life” is a mini-documentary series that explores the inner workings of this fifty-year-old Scottish success story - and introduces the passionate, music-obsessed engineers behind the curtain.
Learn more about Linn Products at lin.mn/3U18p8G

[@Aconda]

Been a customer for 30 years now in 2024. Thank you for all the products you have created over the years. I have owned the majority of them.

[@AndrewParkOutdoors]

A wonderful and personable insight which takes me back to working there as a designer, like it was yesterday. Linn was how I imagine a young 'Apple' might have felt when I think back. Scotland's answer to Californian tech innovators. It had a wonderful entrepreneurial vibe both in Drakemire drive and latterly in Eaglesham . A big thanks must go to Ivor for giving me my first, and probably only, 'real job'. As a fresh faced student, wet behind the ears from Glasgow School of Art, the gaffer took a leap of faith in taking me on and giving me so much autonomy. Great to see him looking well and still involved. All the best to my old neighbours and work mates ( there might just be a handful still there) but the sound of the music will always endure on a Linn ! ATB Andrew

[@cameronthomson4247]

Phenominal piece of film. Covers the story of LINN Products brilliantly. Staff logevity of servise speaks volumes. I want to listen to the new 360's please!

[@jamie8097]

Fantastic example of best practice in manufacturing, research & development, investment in people. Thanks for sharing

[@davidtomsett]

The new Linn 800 monoblock amps got a fantastic review in Stereophile. John Atkinson said, ‘Wow’, praise indeed.

[@funland108]

I love this! What a great company to support - products made to last that bring some majik and excellence to the world. I have a 21 year old Unidisk 1.1 and nearly 20 year old Artikulate 320A’s with a new Selekt DSM. Stunning sound and beautiful to look at. Thank you everyone at Linn past and present 🙏🧡

[@ergloo6660]

I have owned my LP12 since the early 1980's, over the years I have upgraded to a Klimax care of Cymbiosis costing about £26k. Over that time would have needed about 4 replacement other turntables so I would have spent about £40k. In my opinion this is the most sustainable option enabling me to spend my money on records & occasionally amplification & speakers

[@Danny5140]

Hi, what a great part 1, it was great to see my late mother Agnes building the LP12’s down in drakemire, she retired in 1995, she came home in day with two boxes. I placed them in the living room and she said there not for me but you. One box contained an Intek amplifier and the other an LP12 that she had built. I still have it to this day. I ended up working there in 1995, left in 2006. Great to see old faces and I’m glad it’s still going strong.

[@stephenc8751]

I went into a small suburban hi-fi shop in Sydney almost 40 years ago and they played me Pink Floyd's The Wall on a Linn Sondek and Isobarik speakers. Was transformed! I felt like there was a helicopter above my head during Another Brick in the Wall. "You! Yes, you! Stand still laddy!". That day I bought the Linn Kans, Rega Player 3 and NAD receiver (as recommended by this little hi-fi shop). I've been a Linn fan ever since, and now on my fourth system. Though I've only ever been able to afford entry-level gear such as Kan (amazing bookshelf speaker). Classic and now Magik DSM (Ninka, Magic 4100 power amp, wired aktiv). One day I'll get the top of the range.. one day.

[@TheDjcarlos67]

I’ve had my LP12 since the 80’s. No mods, still use it daily 🎵😎🎶

[@MikeLindup42]

Still rocking my LP12, 35 years and still going strong. Lovely to see Ivor. Thanks, Linn

[@warrengday]

What a loving video, great to see so much of so many regular staff in it.

[@Musicianandteacher]

Brilliant piece of film that captures so much and I am grateful to be so local to such a high quality facility. It’s a lovely place to visit and somewhere I can imagine I’d love to work too.

[@Panerai670]

Have been a customer of LINN for more than 30 years … Proud of your technological development and definitely my life has changed since the day I stand inn front of Karik-Numerik. Thank you for sharing your passionate story about music.

[@AndrewJames1957]

Got my first Linn LP12 in 1979! My second in 1986 - still in use today. It needs a full upgrade! When I retire in a couple of years time I will add a streamer and new speakers!

[@cubez123ful]

I bought my first pair of Linn speakers aged 23 after having my mind blown in a sound booth. I'm 56 they sound better than ever. I play music most days I always have for me there's no higher standard. Mine are Linn Index Plus...great range of sound and textured beats. Deep House Heaven 😊

[@anthonycsimmons7215]

Bought my LP-12 in 1987, was the start of my journey into loving music. Thank you LINN.

[@kevinmcgrath3591]

I cant wait for ATMOS LP's to come out

[@ScottishWatches]

This was awesome!

[@jazzbase412]

I love Linn gear.👍

[@peterandersen4676]

Very interesting. But its important to remember and tell about the Ariston RD11 turntable. This was a pre-LP12 model, maybe the same as LP12, or 99% the same... all LP12 parts fits the RD11. I have the RD11 and I am not sure if there are any difference between them, other than the name and wooden chassis.

[@StukaUK]

Back in the 80s I chose Roksan over Linn. There wasn’t much in it though. Fast forward 30 odd years later I chose Linn Selekt DSM Organik as my streamer, so I hope I’m back in the good graces of Linn.

[@Michael-xz1nk]

An outstanding video!! I look forward to viewing the rest of this series, when available. It feels like Johnny Ive, the former Apple designer extraordinaire, had a hand in the development of this video. Kudos on that, if true? If not, great job Linn! I’ve been a Linnie for 41 years (started in 1983). I’ve had 3 LP 12’s until I totally gave up on vinyl for the convenience of streaming just the thousands of songs I love from my custom built playlists and nothing else around 2016. I still have 3 mint vintage systems including LK140 / 85 and Kolektor, from 2000, which enhance my life each and every day with different speakers in different rooms. I could not be happier. I also have a Genki CD player, which gets very little use, but I just can’t part with it. I took the brand promise of “Linn For Life” 4+ decades ago and I have never been sorry. The new Linn offerings are spectacular but well behind my budget at this stage of life. Nonetheless, I am, and will always be, proud to be part of the Linn family forever.

[@BruceW.-hs9qq]

Great video, I have two LP12's for more than 20 years. They sound like music.

[@spizzenergi2292]

Still got my 1984 LP12…fittingly the first record I played on it was “Tinsel town in the rain”

[@iNOLOGIST]

Bought a Sondek in 88 when I was training as a chartered surveyor. Gave that up and went to work at Linn in 1990. Worked beside Gilad that summer before leaving in 91 to move to London to work at the most successful Linn dealership in UK. Now have my own company involved in AV but I still use Linn products for all my audio needs. My uncle was a director of a company who made turntables in East Kilbride. BSR…. A major uk manufacturing group. He, my aunt and cousins lived in one of the houses at the end of the road that goes up to the factory in Waterfoot. He was tasked with looking on to these Linn guys to work out if they were a threat. BSR no more……I guess he got it wrong.

[@markscott6414]

Great presentation!👍 I love my linn deck! I know this is a linn payed advert but would it have been too hard, whilst talking about the rise of linn, to mention Julian Vereker?

[@bozeman_1941]

Spot the deliberate mistake! At 7:40 into the video, the guy building the LP12 has put the cartridge mounting screws in upside-down! The allen head bolts should be inserted from below, with the nuts on the top of the headshell! In case you're wondering, I worked for a Linn dealership back in the '80's-90's, and have built more LP12's (including my own in 1990, and it's still going strong, with the rest of my Linn system) than you can shake a stick at, and I was factory trained by Linn at the factory shortly after it opened, so I have met Huey, Dewey and Louie!

[@gordyboy18]

The cartridge body is threaded and the screws go in from the top. We stopped using nuts years ago. No deliberate mistake.

[@bozeman_1941]

@@gordyboy18 Oh; OK. So my knowledge is out of date. But if you were using a non-Linn cartridge (like my own AT OC9 Mk3) that doesn't have a threaded body, you should still put the fixing screws in from beneath, and the nuts on top, so the nuts can locate in the rebates in the headshell.

[@loushared6602]

You had me at Dog Man Star by Suede!

[@hamidrezahabibi8111]

I visited this magnificent LINN HQ in 2005-2007 from Tehran Iran and it’s an amazing experience that I will never forget. I had the honor to meet Sir Ivor Tiefenbrun. The Maestro is a fantastic source of ENERGY ✨💎🫡🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@marcse7en]

"Garbage in, garbage out!"

[@mileshember3501]

What a shame that so many of their products don't match up to the hype. I have heard some very poor Linn products, especially amplifiers (lent for testing by a local Linn agent). Who remembers the "ultrasonic parasitics won't be noticed by anyone" on one of the early DACs? Sorry to deflate the bubble a bit, and full marks to Ivor Tiefenbrun for creating a substantial and successful firm - but they are not as good as they claim. But then, who is?

[@PINKFL0YD-s2h]

I prefer Rega

[@RFIDemocracy]

Aye, n' eff it's no Sco'ish..it's c-r-r-rap. But seriously now, an impressive operation, to say the least.

[@cobar5342]

Linn products are very good - but over-priced to heck

[@rogerking7258]

I remember reading a review of the Sondek when it first came out in the early/mid 70s. I'm as sure as I can be that it was priced at around £100 without arm. What happened?

[@TheDevindahlgren]

At the end of the day, Linn is a business-and given its longevity, apparently a well-run business. Notice the advanced facility and the numerous employees, many of whom are engineers, continuing to innovate and improve their products. All that comes at a high cost. Linn knows precisely what it's doing. They've not only built a quality brand but also a fan base who will go on to support them, similar to how Apple has done. While it may seem overpriced to you, to many, they'll pay whatever it takes for the next great Linn piece because they value the experience of owning Linn more than the cost of it. And for me, experience is all that matters given how short life actually is.