It’s been four years since Apple’s design head Jony Ive parted ways to start his own design firm “LoveFrom” and there’s not been any hardware project by the design genius ever since. That’s until now, as LoveFrom has collaborated with British audio brand Linn for the 50th-anniversary edition of its most revered Hi-Fi turntable.
Yes, we are talking of the Sondek LP12 turntable that sees a refreshing remake, and only 250 models of the music equipment will be manufactured. In its own rights, Linn’s Sondek LP12 turntable has witnessed half a century of continuous evolution with over a million units sold to date. Now, Apple’s design pro unearths his love for music with the perfect canvas to showcase his magic.
Pros:
- Modern finishes
- Refined design
- White-colored variant
- Well-tuned audio
Cons:
- Eye-watering price tag
- Only for serious collectors
It all started over a meeting offer on Linkedin by Ive’s team, and the two companies eventually decided to collaborate. Initially, Linn thought an email by Ive was a spam message and deleted it. Thankfully he retrieved it from trash, and turned out to be the iconic Apple designer himself.
While the original makers heavily focus on the turntable’s sonic elements, LoveFrom takes a different approach with industrial design as the main focus. For instance, the design upgrade from the squared-off components including the top plate and arm board to have smoother edges. Also, the plastic rocker power button gives way to the aluminum circle. The two creative firms also updated the plinth that now is crafted out of a single block of unique wood. This elevates the look of the turntable while lending superior acoustic performance for a different sound signature.
The project is pro bono wherein Ive does it for the love of doing it. Just like a major percentage of their work that’s done because it’s their passion. During the design process, the team always had it in their subconscious to preserve the original’s silhouette while progressing the visual design to a more modernized look without compromising the quality. As Ive very cheerfully says, “life-affirming and so joyful to work on.” He added that his team loved to “play a small part in celebrating 50 years of an icon.”
As we said, only 250 numbered units of Linn’s 50th anniversary Sondek LP12-50 will be made with a price tag of $60,000. The iconic turntable will be available in a wood finish and the Apple-ish white color variant.
