Linn LP-12 still competitive with the very best?

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.

Mapman..well I am glad that to your ears it's sounds the best. But when placed side by side next to the Goldmund there was no contest. I will admit I wished Goldmund would have used the JVC motor from inception but it still is to my ears a better design all around. Now that was over 20yrs ago and I beleive their are now many better tables then the Linn.

Schip,

I wouldn't assert that it (my Linn Axis) is the "best". I'm sure it can be improved upon if desired.

I only state that I am satisfied with the sound, performance and value it has awarded me over the years, so I am not compelled to change.

I also have a $100 Skagen watch that keeps perfect time, and looks sharp that I am not likely to give up until it finally dies. I know there are "better" watches out there, but I have no need.

Mapman to say that you have no need to explore another table is fine, if your satisfied with the sound of the one now being used. I say now has I did over 20years ago the Linn is then and now superseded by better designs.