Linn LP-12 still competitive with the very best?

Now that everyone's heated up,let's look at some more of the "Linn picture".
Back in 1983, I opened an audio store. I wanted to carry the 'best'.
I selected, from products of the era, what I thought to be among that 'best'.

One product that I wanted to carry and did, was Linn Sondek. They did have very stringent requirements to become a dealer. At the time, caught up in the moment, I agreed to their requirements, thinking, 'hey, it's their product, they have the right to have input as to how and where, and with what other products, they are marketed.'

Very soon, after spending a full two days with the 'installation' of their product into my store, I began to rethink my choice. It all began with the revelation having another pair of speakers in the listening room would affect the sound. OK that's reasonable, 'excite the woofer, and send energy back through the crossover' and into the room, I get it. So, I'll lug speakers back and forth all day long to have that single speaker demo room. Work, but I am no stranger to hard work. Then the other shoe dropped. "Wearing a digital watch in the listening room will also ruin the sound."
Hmmmmm. Hmmmmmm....(Me pondering that one)
My wife had to hide her laughter from them. Knowing what a fanatic I am, she was gracious and didn't say anything.
OK, well, maybe the 'digital watch thing' could have some merit...maybe, but how much could it really effect the totallity of sound?
(The sound you heard was more shoes dropping, not the digital watch 'ruining the sound'.)
Then the theology that, "If someone runs in from the outside in desparate need of using the restroom, or wants to buy a postage stamp, or needs a drink of water--sell them a turntable.
My principal speaker supplier, which I won't name, was friends with Linn's people, but even they expressed serious doubts about the Linn choice, knowing that thier business model was one of exclusion of all other products.
They feared the I, because I decided to also carry one other English product, would be seduced to 'the dark side' of Anglophilism.
Let's think about this--if they won't allow dealers to carry other turntables along with theirs, that's their choice. They can set their distribution pattern in whatever light they wish to. The dealers have the right to decline, I know I had that right.
Let's fast forward some 17 years, and see how Linn came back to haunt me.
While working as VP of Sales and Marketing for THIEL Audio, I was teaching my "Eleven Hard Earned Lessons" to our dealers sales people.
In one store, while 'role playing' I told the sales person I wanted to hear the CS6. Two hours later he, without any regard to my protests, was STILL trying to sell me a Linn Sondek.
What chance did THIEL have in that store, if all the sales people, apparently from some contrarian training, behaved the same way? Seriously, it was actually spooky, it was as if they were involved in some 'cult', for want of a better word.
This whole scenario is Linn's option, again they can market however they chose. Its up to customers to make comparisons and then decide.
Also, Linn is not alone in this 'exclusivity' bent. Many small audio companies are protective of 'instore' competiton. Most dealers would rather present 'choice sale' rather than a 'yes or no' do you like it sales event, but that's not always their option.

Wow, interesting stories about "big brother Linn".

How is it that I see high end shops these days carrying the Linn line as almost entry level high end products aside many other competing even more highly touted lines?

Also I recall the dealer I bought my Axis from back in the 80s also carried Rega, in fact I bought the Rega Planar 2 first and then went to the Linn because I didn't think the Rega was any better than the Dual I had before that or the Philips 312 I had before that.

That dealer must have been one valiant sole to dare resist the Linn police and sell another line.

Mapman: are you still using a Linn as your prime analog source,and if yes why?

Schipo,

Yes.

Why:

- It's the best table I have ever owned

- It's been extremely reliable (20+ years and still going with no down time)

- in its current location on carpeted solid concrete foundation and massively heavy wood table, I have absolutely no issues ever with noise or feedback.

- Despite having a large record collection and growing and liking the sound, I only listen to vinyl maybe 20-30% of the time. My digital has always been competitive sound wise and when I have time to listen, I do not want to spend time manipulating vinyl. Since adding a music server, this is more the case than ever.

- when I do play records these days, it sounds even better than ever with other recent upgrades including DL103R cartridge and ARC tube pre-amp with phono section.

Basically, as long as it keeps working, the Linn is a non-issue for me. It sounds fantastic and nothing else I hear really sounds any better to my ears.

Basically, if it ain't broke, I ain't looking to fix it.

If the Linn does go up someday, I would most likely consider a different table mainly for just a change of scenery after all these years and mainly to perhaps provide a higher mass tonearm option for the low compliance DL103R cartridge, because I think that might work even better.

Yeah, but you should have seen the analog shi* hit the fan when I picked up SOTA a couple of years later.
They could abide my carrying Rega and a couple of 'lower fish' along with the Linn, but wow, it wasn't pretty.
Of course I'll never forget what a jerk the guy at SOTA was when I first called. I'll quote him, or at least paraphrase.
"Send me the price of two tables, I'll massage it for a while, (I swear to God he actually said this) and then call you when we're ready to ship."
Now, at the time, I guess, at least in the US market Linn was IT. Sota was maybe the first to take a serious pot shot at them. Oracle, I don't think was established yet, or at least I hadn't heard of them, and names like Thorens didn't compete. The 'Walker', not sure, came along about '85, and I sold a few. But SOTA hit the ground hard and posed at least a minor threat.
But don't get me wrong, in my neck of the woods, virtually every manufacturer was overly protective of its dealer base and took it personally if you took on a competitor of thiers.
Ready for this??
I hosted a coctail reception at my store in 1985/6 and had just taken on the SHURE surround sound processor, the first one I'm aware of...and I had it playing in one of my demo rooms. A speaker manufacturer came into the room and quietly said, "Turn that off", I didn't come here to compete with a Television."
They were slow to take on the marriage of audio/video, but have, and now market many successful ceiling, front, center etc speakers.
Wow, 24 years is a LOOOOONG time, and it changes practically everything.