Linn LP-12 still competitive with the very best?

The Linn is competitive with the Rega and all the Rega clones out there. God knows there are enough of those, but competitive with the very best? That wasn't really a serious question was it?

I found all those Linn upgrades to be stressing. Kind of like putting disc brakes on my old GTO and then wondering if I also need to make them power brakes or buy radial tires. I bought a Scoutmaster and a very good cartridge. An upgrade is now a better table or a better cartridge. Less stress, no more bouncing, and I know my setup sounds as good as it possibly can.

I regard the question as 'tragicomical' and fear that
one honest answer will be painful for so many owners.
I myself never got the damn springs ok. So when I
acquired Audiomeca J1 it was some kind of liberation.
That even better is possible I discovered with Kuzma
Stabi Ref.
Cheers,
Nandric

Martin Colloms is an Englishmen. Would you even think of him using anything but a Linn? I am sure if he changed camps, his readership would stone him to death with their Linn's.

Schlipo
I am an englishman too And as an ex linnie I can honestly say that I feel the Linn has had its day amongst serious audiophiles.
The Linn marketing machine marches to its own tune here in the UK and its dealers are not allowed nor equipped to demonstrate the superiority of other designs,Sadly a good 70% of UK dealers are Linn/Naim dealers even to this day,the unsurspecting punter walks in and gets sold the same old philosophy as thirty years ago and walk out of the dealers having been convinced that what they have bought is the best that money can buy!
The prices for silly small percentage/performance upgrades are absolutely rediculous in real engineering terms.
I just hope that many of todays users will see the light just as I have