Interesting thought- Linn &

I'm not dissatisfied at all with my LP 12- mine works and sounds great! But I do like variety. Why in the world would I own 3 distinctly different headphone amps? One is an OTL tube amp, the other also a tube amp but not OTL, and the there's a SS amp. It's for variety 

It just appeared to me to be fun to have an alternate table- I can imagine the Prime with a Dynavector cartridge! 

Well folks a Dual  1219 would be fun too. It's just about now I wish I never sold my V15 Type 3

Tzh21y- what cartridges were on the respective tables? 

What's interesting about your post is that you were surprised that the LP12 could sound really good. It's a common urban hifi myth that the LP12 is a bad music maker these days. 

I would say say that myth mostly comes from people how either haven't heard a properl se up LP12 or have not heard one in 30 years. 

Perhaps 25 plus years ago I went to hear a VPI HW19 table. The demo was awful- the dealer could not get the belt to stay on. Well, that soured me go VPI but my recent experience with the Prime was really very very good! The table prejudice works both ways- 

I guess I'm lucky. I've had my LP12 17 drama-free years

I get my LP 12 "tuned" perhaps once in 5 years. My car is in the shop for routine maintenance far more often. 

I've followed how this thread became a Linn vs the rest of the world thread. That said, were I starting from scratch in vinyl and would sink $10,000 plus into a vinyl front end, I would consider the Linn once again. But it would not be the only thing on my radar. I'm deeply impressed by SME these days. AMG as well. 

Heres as his I look at it- a top spec LP12 has to run about $20,000. In that price range the Linn is, I believe, competitive but it's not the only game in town. 

I too try to live by the KISS method, but easier said than done! But one thing Linn nailed in the KISS universe is the three point cartridge mounting scheme. 

Well folks, welcome to 2016. Let our biggest angst be disputes over the relative merits of the LP12 and whatever else. 

While I've not heard turntables/arms/cartridges that carry a $50,000 or more retail price, I have heard turntables/arms/cartridges upwards of $20,000, including a fully decked out LP12 (Radikal, kore, kandid, Ekos Se)- none gave clearly bettered the LP12. I did hear an oracle, with an SME arm and a Benz cartridge that was pretty terrific too

I too am deeply impressed by the Prime- and I'm a long time Linn owner.