I need some turntable guidance

noromance, then you are a seriously superior human. Not only is audio memory extremely short in all humans except noromance but our perspective of sound is subject to psychological modification. We hear what we want to hear except noromance of course who is superior to the rest of us. A good example of this and this has been done, if you put an amplifier in a bland chassis and put the same amp in a fancy one just about everyone will think the fancy one sounds better. Michael Fremer is a really easy read. The more expensive piece will always sound better. noromance do you think TechDas could use an idler wheel drive if they wanted to? What about Walker or any of the other megabuck tables out there. ALL belt drive. What you talk about, dynamic energy and oscillation is fictional mythology. Uberwaltz likes his 401 because in his brain it is a cool piece so it must sound good. It makes him happy which is great. It still rumbles like an express train. daveyf is hung up on LP12s. davey, I have owned two of them and tried just about everything to make them sound better. You just can not make a silk purse out of a sows ear. I would certainly take uberwaltz's 401 before I would go near a Linn. The Linn is so bad I would give up vinyl forever and just play my hard drive. 
effischer, I'll have to look into that. The spring tension must be adjustible in some way. You have to keep the resonance frequency between 2 to 3 Hz with a very high Q. So you either have to keep the mass constant or change the spring stiffness. I dearly hope the new owners have not messed things up. SME gets away with it because their turntable is so darn heavy that any change in tonearm mass is insignificant. Maybe SOTA is now using a heavier platform. Anyway I know the SOTA will not handle a 4 point 11 because I called and asked maybe two years ago.
I think concentrating on the music is a brilliant idea:)

Mike 

Dear @wemfan : This SME TT/tonearm is an excellent option for you:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9h9h3-sme-20-2-with-sme-v-tonearm-turntables


or a choice of today top of the line very well regarded Technics:

https://www.technics.com/us/products/reference-class/direct-drive-turntable-system-sl-1000R.html

In any case you need a cartridge with higher output level than the Ortofon MC named here and my recomendation is to go with Lyra line:

http://lyraanalog.com/etna.html

I used two different Lyra models with the SME tonearm and is very good match as will be the Technics.

Cartridges as the top Ortofon, Lyra, My Sonic Labs and the like are looking for a first rate phono stage for that cartridge could shows at its best, Your C2300 could be a weak link about but it's what you own and what you like.

All in analog is important but the source is of main importance and the cartridge is that source ( other than the LP. ), it's whom generates the analog signal: it's the transducer.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@mijostyn  You're projecting! Not everyone thinks like that, nor are they so easily fooled, either by others or themselves. Anyhow, this is a false dilemma. It does not boil down to either a $4,000 Garrard or a $50,000 Tech Das AF lll. 

@mijostyn You owned two LP12’s..and tried everything to get them to sound better??? Like what? I strongly suspect the issue you had was like so many other naysayers, who really shouldn’t own a table that needs to be set up CORRECTLY like the Linn--and that is...you never had it set up properly in the first place...and then you tried yourself to adjust it...Yikes!

BTW, how long ago did you ’own’ the two tables? Too bad you have an opinion now that isn’t what many other  current Linn adherents have...including myself. BUT, it is an opinion that is far too common...and since your experience in the distant past is not what you liked...then you lump all of your future posts about the table into this experience. Instead, perhaps make a little effort to go and hear a CORRECTLY set up new model with some music that you know...just a thought!!!