Help ! Best MC cartridge for Linn LP12?

@papafrgog
I have set up many Linns with the Ekos tonearm - here are my suggestions

1. Invest in a wall shelf - this will lower the noise floor of your Linn over any floor mounted rack.
   
2. I would question your use of the Audioquest Leopard tonearm cable. To me it looks too stiff for the Linn suspension to operate optimally.
   
3. As far as cartridges go, the Ekos is quite versatile - I have set up many Koetsus ( including the stone bodied ), Decca, Van den Hul, Dynavector and Linn successfully to name a few. The only range I would avoid would be the Clearaudio’s. Given that you like rock the Koetsu’s may be a bit loose in the bottom end. Look at the reviews, your phono gain and system characteristics to find optimal match. If you don’t have enough gain you can easily loose dynamics.
   

I have to agree with the first poster veeyat. I’ve heard a fully decked out lp12, garrard 301, thorns All in custom plinths side by side in a friends system. All with very good arms and carts. All playing through a nagra pre driving 6 quad mono amps driving 6 quad (3 stack) else 57s. And to be frank the Lin just can’t compete with the garrard and thorns. Also on hand was a tricked out VIP with an air bearing arm that’s was lovely as well. I think your best bet is to sell the linn and move on. Hate to stir the pot here but. There is much Better out there for your money specially used. I build a garrard 301 as well after hearing his set up ditching a tricked out oracle Delphi mk 4 and couldn’t be happier

glennewdick, the system that you heard the 'fully decked' out LP12 is an interesting one....please do tell us what the 'fully decked' out LP12 consisted of? Hate to stir the pot here also, but I think one could safely say that a Quad 57 system driven by 6 Quad mono amps would be in of itself a little.... colored. I like the sound of the 57's--a lot, but the Quad mono amps were not the most 'resolving' IMHO, LOL.

Everyone, the suggestions are excellent. To address some specifically:
1. Vibration/ footfall- a HUGE problem I discussed in previous posting. Resolved by ripping out floor under equipment & pouring 12'x 8' x 5 deep concrete slab. Ran separate dedicated 20a supply circuits with 8' deep copper ground. Equip rack is Critical Mass Soto  Vocce w black diamond iso shelves. Noise floor & vibrations pretty well handled now. 
2. All cabling is Transparent Reference or RefXL. The AQ Leopard TA cable is stiffer than the Linn cable, but I was careful to install to allow movement. The SQ improved so much I'm not going back to the original.  
3. Great point about upgrading phono section over cartridge w limited life. In fact I can easily audition a few phono sections in my price range to see if I get the improvements I'm hoping for. I want more resolution or detail than I currently have, particularly in the upper midrange. Maybe even more analytical, if I could actually hear an example of what that is. I'd like a little more extension in the highs. Of course everyone wants lower noise floor, speed & broader soundstage. 
4. Having hybrid system with a full lush sound now, going to a SS phono stage might be a option. Any thoughts on Merrill Jens, T+A, vs
Lamm, Zesto or Aesthetix Rhea ? This change might as impactful as going to a Lyra Etna or DV1-S, which are my first choices for a cartridge upgrade.

I honestly appreciate you the helpful and thought provoking responses. For the other responses, go f yourself. Haha.