as i mentioned in your query to me re: my electrocompaniet f/s, i used a linn kairn for 4 years w/electrocompaniet amps, to good effect. i tink the linn *synergy* is marketing hype, to try & entice ewe into an all-linn system. not wery wise, imho, if it discourages a linn sale to someone who doesn't want the all-linn thing. :>) i also heard a linn karik/numeric cd-system in an otherwise non-linn system, & it was excellent, for cd-sound.
my linn experience wasn't as gregm describes - the system was *very* detailed, revealing, & neutral. what it was lacking, imho, was soundstage depth, tho height & width were excellent. from others familiar w/linn, i understand this lack of soundstage depth mite be part of the price ewe pay for that linn "prat" - pace, rhythm and timing. this lack of depth is what stimulated my foray into tube preamps. i tried rogue, cary & melos. they *all* smoked the linn in depth, the rogue99 was the most coloured, & had no bass-response in my system; the cary slp98 was a nice all-'round performer, the melos music-director would hold its own w/the finest preamps extant, imho. musikdok, on this site, also replaced a kairn w/a melos pre, & he had the same before/after impressions as i did. but, i dunno what amps he's using....
hope this helps, doug s.