Linn LP-12 still competitive with the very best?

Chayro,
Your absolutely correct. The XKE was not reliable. My error of enthusiasm posting the concept.

The updates,the platter.' but' the bearing.
In my updates I stated the presupposition that the
platter of Linn is well designed and made so no updates
by this 'part'.But if Lurne is right about the inclusion
of the bearing in the 'disign concept' then the bearing
of Linn can't be optimal (i.e. not inverted ).
There is a firm legitimacy in our forum for both:
'subjective' and 'objective' approach to our hobby.
But I think that 'mechanical matter' can't be 'subjective'.
So I expressed my hope that physicist in our forum will
explain this issue.
Cheers

My LP-12 is late-80's vintage, Ittok LVii, no Lingo or other updates. Sounds pretty good. Could I replace it with something like a Rega P5 or P7 or a KAB-modded Technics and be happy, do you think?

Dazzdax, the logic of your statement is (as your jokes)
an enigma to me.If I understand your statement correctly
then your claim is:'the many upgrades of Linn intendend the same sound'.
The logic presupposes,if you mean 'the same' in logical
sense, that we can't make eny sense from 'upgrades'.
I must refer once more to Raul: 'If the design is sound
then why so many upgrades?'
I made some effort to elaborate on this 'proposition'
but,obviously,without eny result.
Cheers

I suspect the answer to the poster's question simply depends on ones point of view more than anything else.