Linn LP12......That good??


I have an Ariston RD80 (very good) and a Thorens TD 160, also very good.
How good are the Linn Lp12 tt's??
I am always looking for the best most impressive sound.
I will have to sell the Ariston/Thorens if i buy the Linn because i will not need 3 turntables!
The Ariston almost looks like the Linn by the way.
So how great are the Linn's and what is the best combination to buy?
Thanks!
x1884
Nobody has mentioned price.With the $3K cart the Linn system is $10K so it ain't cheap.Again I mentioned that I have a Linn as a second deck which I keep saying I am going to sell but don't.Just not sure of I want to invest in upgrades when other decks like VPI,Blue Note,and otehrs exist.But one urban myth is you have to adjustthem every second play.Even though more susceptible to losing there setting because of being sprung once perolerly set up they do hold the setting for a while.Maybe not like a SME10 but there is a tade off for how you set up the suspension hard onmes will give hard maybe faster paced sound sprung ones have there virtures as well.
Chazz
Chazzbo
I know this is way behind but I do not post much. Try out the tripping the linn lp12 Fantasic site and you will see where these can go! I have  measurable improvements in bass and midrange with oscilloscope  readings!!!!   
I drank the Linn koolaid for years. I built a state of the art LP 12
with a keel, Radikal, Cirkus bearing. Then upgraded the Ekos Se to an Audio Origami PU 7 tonearm and finally a Tangerine Audio Stiletto solid aluminum plinth and skorpion base plate. This set up is as good as the LP 12 can get and noticibly better than a stock LP12.
But.......
It is still a wonky design quite antiquated relying on three crappy springs fighting against each other. The LP12 requires periodic adjustments as the sprung suspension behaves differently depending on atmospheric conditions, tonerarm cable flexibility and tension. Even trained Linn techs have to fidget with these things.
After all the money spent (over 16K) there are many superior reference tables that do everything that an Lp12 does lght years better. I know this is true as I have a Spiral Groove and a Tw Acustic each for comparable money and they blow away the LP12.

I had an LP12 in my house for about 2 years....I probably spent 22 months adjusting it.
stringreen, Pity that you did not avail yourself of a good set up tech! That would have resulted in a much better sounding table and one that wouldn't have gone out of adjustment.
Like so many posters who have had a less than sterling result from their LP12, you want to blame the table, instead of your inability to maximize the table...