keep the LINN or get a NAIM

Hi Joolz,
Since it's from a friend and since you're getting it cheap I would go ahead and buy the Naim then see which amp you prefer and sell the other. Assuming you get the Naim cheap you'll be able to sell it to cover shipping + other costs.
The Naim's a great amp, but not very powerful, and not suited to loud rock especially if the speakers are not too efficient. I have no idea how it compares to your current amp ... but if you don't like it you'll sell it very easily. It's not like you're buying some wierd unheard of brand. That's what I'd do.

Hi, JoolzIf you're a fan of the British prim & proper philosophy, then the Naim is almost certain to please you. I've owned the Nait3R, which supposedly uses a superior potentiometer compared to the non-remote version, and found it to yield a rather esoteric sound. Good bass, nice mid-band and great demarcation of instruments and voices makes the Nait3 a prudent choice for the non-anglophobe audiophile. These virtues notwithstanding, I could listen to the Nait for no more than 30 minuets at a time before fatigue set in, but that's a symptom of most British gear, IMO.

fatigue! thats what i get with the system i have already--it sounds killer--but after playing rock for an hour i need to put on acoustic music or ambient--it feels like my ears are compressed--
how do u solve this! what kit is non fatigue for rock music????
thanx guys---

If you don't like listener's fatigue, then eschewing all things British from your system is necessary. Every country "voices" their audio components as a reflection of their cultural mores, and England is no exception. For a system that's conducive to long listening sessions, I would suggest looking into French-made products, ergo, Micromega, Audiomeca, Kora etc.