What improvement came first?

Of course there were speakers up to and past the level of the Linn.
Speakers will determine the overall sound of a system more so than any other component. You can not choose an amplifier without first knowing what speaker you are going to drive. Everything else is minor in comparison particularly if you are sticking with digital. Analog front ends, the tonearm, cartridge and Phono stage will of course determine how vinyl sounds but still not as significant as speakers. The key is whether or not you are happy with the speakers you have or plan to up grade them. If you intend on upgrading them do that first before spending money on other equipment. If you are happy with the speakers and do not intend on upgrading them than is up to you to evaluate the rest of your gear to determine where an upgrade might be most valuable.

Rudy Van Gelder and other recording engineers in the 50s often had to roll off the lows at ~100Hz in the final master because the turntables of the era couldn't handle the bass below that w/o skipping.  The vinyl playback technology had to evolve to facilitate a wider dynamic range.  This is one reason the remasters by Kevin Gray and others (using original analog tape) sound so fantastic...they opened the pipe back up as modern gear can fully handle it - the results are often stunning.

@ Erik_Squires
Can not agree with you more that room acoustics are first and foremost paramount to great sound. The reason few people talk about its benefits in the industry is they won't be making any monies from it. Majorities of audiophile products manufacturers are all about equipment. What a major blow in their side if people figured out room acoustics are of primary importance. It's less expensive to achieve great sound with room acoustics than with  insanely expensive audio equipment. My take anyway. Merry Christmas everybody!

Its true. Like the other day we were all at Mike Lavigne's. Best room acoustics I have ever heard, by far. For a while there I thought it was his fine system. But then we got a call on speakerphone and dang if that wasn't the finest audio I ever heard. So whatever you do, forget the system. Build a room. Then all you need is a speaker phone. Bose Wave at the most, stick a fork in it, done. 

Can not agree with you more that room acoustics are first and foremost paramount to great sound. The reason few people talk about its benefits in the industry is they won't be making any monies from it. Majorities of audiophile products manufacturers are all about equipment. What a major blow in their side if people figured out room acoustics are of primary importance. It's less expensive to achieve great sound with room acoustics than with insanely expensive audio equipment. My take anyway. Merry Christmas everybody!

Short and sweet!

Well said and thank you for these words....All audiophiles beginners and sometimes  others need to read these words....

Merry Christmas...