LP12 upgrades

The single biggest improvement I experienced with my LP 12 was the Lingo, which surprised me. A much bigger deal than when I added an Ekos arm. And last summer I had my table tuned up by a longtime Linn guy in Westchester. That breathed life on the table too. I am happy with what I have now- Lingo, Ekos, Arkiv B, Trampolin, and I have zero desire to add a keel or radikal. I'll change cartridges when thevArkiv B is dead.

When you want the absolute, ultra real thing Performance with it, sell everything you have and get T-H-A-T:

Ultimate LP12 Tuning

I think you are on the right track. I know that just having the suspension set correctly can make a world of difference. These LP12's require a very delicate balance on the suspension to sound their best. You can add a number of upgrades, but if not dialed in correctly, the money is wasted. Again I suggest Rick only because I know first hand his expertise in reviving "out of tune" tables.
Best wishes
Theo

Thank you from everyone for the insightful responses....sound like I better save a lot of coin(for me) and find a decent shop, to start. It seems much better to do that than something I will later regret. I have always liked the classic LP12 sound but just wanted bigger and even more resolved sound to match the incredible performance of the Wyred 4 Sound separates we just bought. It appears that it will take an investment between 2-3 times what I paid for the table if I DO decide to go post Cirkus with simple upgrades....No Keel, no Lingo II, or Ekos tonarm(keep the LVII Ittok). The Armagedden PS, or Origin Live PS/motor kit, makes a lot of sense for less coin, when resources permit. Smartest thing sounds like starting from ground zero, have it 'set up' again, and then starting from there.(It has been over 20 years !!!....). I am sure that even with a modest cartridge it will sound better than many sub $1500 efforts from many others.
Again thanks so much to everyone.

If you haven't had it tuned by a Linn dealer recentley, you might start there. If the suspension isn't adjusted correctly and a reputable Linn dealer hasn't gone through the table you could be missing out on a better sound from your table as it is. Contact Rick at audioalternative.com and inquire with him as to his suggestion. He does a large number of LP12's a year and has people sending their table to him for tuneups and upgrades with wonderful results. Rick lives and breathes LP12's
and from my personal experience and my great sounding LP12, thanks to him, I can attest there is no better LP12 guru in my knowledge. I have seen his name recommended many times here on AudioGon (some by me) and I have never seen a negative response from anyone using his services. As far as shipping, he keeps in stock all orginal packaging and he will send it to you with full instructions on how to pack your table. Also he is honest and if he receives your table and sees that it in deep dis-repair, he will contact you and advise you on which is best. As a further note, I have been there when he is working on LP12's sent to him and each one is treated with respect and a delicate touch. Not to make him sound quirkish, but these LP12 are like a religion, he employs an almost a holistic approach, and he is not happy unless it is right.

I put an Origin Live Advanced DC motor on mine and the results were outstanding. I waited and waited before deciding to purchase and wished I would have did it sooner. An amazing upgrade. Search audiogon for "ORIGIN LIVE DC MOTOR KITS" and you'll find where I purchased mine. Like I said, I wished I'd done it sooner. I had the Valhalla prior to the switch.

Get a speed controller.

Pre Cirkus for me! But professional setup is imperative. I'd look for an Armageddon power supply. Huge upgrade over the Lingo. You can also ask on the Naim Forum. They are incredibly helpful with LP12s. Wish I still had mine but there were no setup guys in my area.

Linn is a world unto itself. I suggest you post your questions on the Linn Forum, as they love to chat endlessly about stuff like that. IMO, the Linn can be a really nice table IF you have someone really good to do the setup and upgrades for you. Some like the older pre-Cirkus sound, so don't assume upgrading will be better. All this said, I would personally prefer a well set up Linn to anything by Rega, Pro-Ject or Music Hall. But that's me.