Linn Basik Turntable LVX Tonearm Shure V15 V Cart

I bought a near mint Basik/Akito rig a few years ago, swapped out the tonearm cable (rat bites...seriously), scored a new pair of hinges, and am using a Sumiko Pearl with a Cambridge 640p/Pangea P100 power supply preamp. I keep thinking I should buy something better while this thing still has value, but it sounds so damn good I can't pull the trigger on anything newer. Rock solid speed, amazingly engaging sound...I think it stays. It came with the K5 cart but I switched to an AT440ML that was sizzle city (my test for this is a Yo Yo Ma solo Bach LP). That was replaced by the Pearl (my local hifi shop dude recommended it) which sounds beautiful and might be the best 125 bucks I've spent on any hifi component.

I owned an LP12 with a Basik Plus arm. The best sound I got was with a Shure V15xMR cart.

Years back, perhaps 1990, I was looking for a new turntable. I food a dealer that sold Rega and Linn. I wound up with a Rega Planar 3.

I first listened to the LP 12 as a benchmark. Then I listened to the Axis, Basik and Planar 3. At the time I owned a Thorens with a Shure V 15 V.

All the tables I auditioned that day used a Linn K9 cartridge.

Of all the tables, the I eliminated 2 off the bat- the Basik because it was, to my ears, meh, and the LP12, just too dear. I prefered the Axis to the Rega, but I also liked the Rega and it's price was doable for me, the Axis, not so much.

Point is, for me, the Basik was not a typical Linn and in no way sounded like an LP 12. I saw no point in the table. However, I can see how one might prefer the Basik to an older LP12. I am curious how the LP12 you say the Basik beat was set up- what arm, cartridge, power supply, bearing assembly? my LP 12, though no longer top spec, was in its day the top spec'd LP12.

Eventually, after 8 years, saved enough coin and bought an LP12. I've now had had LP 12 16 years and aside from a flaky cuing mechanism, I am still excited to listen to it and own it.

I would imagine the Shure V15 would be a good match for the low mass Basik LVX.
There's a few of us here who own the Axis and have never felt the need to move up to the LP12. I'm told that the Basik has the same Linn house sound. The only thing I would change about my Axis is an upgrade to the tonearm which doesn't have the best damping, but damn good for 1980s design.

BTW, your Basik looks beautiful and you are correct; good isolation footers are a must.