llatpoh76
May I please suggest that discussions about the pros and cons of Peter Swain have run their course. I don’t see further comments will help anyone and only place Peter in an unenviable position of letting comments sit, or feel compelled to respond. We’re just descending into a never ending struggle from which nothing positive is emerging. It would be greatly appreciated if we could just please move on and return to the essence of the OP’s thread.
Peter
Well said Peter.
I started the thread to relay an experience on how the alternative LP12 configurations sounded to me. The Tangerine version of the plinth/ top plate
and base board v stock I more or else expected. Urika/ Krad2 v Supercap/ Superline I didn’t and thought that it would make for an interesting discussion/ debate
You are making it sound like suppressing dissenting voices is actually beneficial to a discussion forum.
The difficulty here is that Peter is somewhat limited in the scope of how he can address posts. I give dealers a little extra leeway with regard to the LP12 (mainly because Naim have made items designed to go with it and for so long the LP12 was almost a de facto part of the Naim system), but otherwise dealers cannot discuss non-Naim items and cannot be seen to be overtly promoting their business on here.
I am another Stiletto user.
In an ideal world, someone with bearing A, sub-chassis B, power supply C, plinth D, top-plate E, baseboard F, arm G, cartridge H and phono stage J could look up a table of Linn upgrades. That would show what to upgrade next for any given LP12 (at least if it only has Linn parts in it) for the best SQ gain, and it would be largely incontestable. Sadly, while good dealers can help, there is no such list.
There seems to be some consistency most of the time about the good-better-best rankings of (say) Naim streamers or pre-amps. However, a key advantage of the Cymbiosis approach that you have highlighted is imho that it reflects the reality of LP12 ownership and the staggering number of possible combinations.
Some sensible people with a given LP12 will dislike what a particular (say) bearing or PS change does to the sound, and many more will disagree about the relative merits of swapping the sub-chassis, bearing or arm on a particular LP12 for the next one up the ladder.
For example, I think many here would argue that upgrading from Ittok to Ekos while still keeping the original Valhalla/ Cirkus bearing, sub/chassis and power supply would be a mistake. Others may disagree about whether Kore to Keel or Lingo4 to Radikal is the more important move, and whether or not the appearance of the Cirkus/ Karousel upgrade means it must now come before either. A few like best the black bearing and original Valhalla. You may agree or disagree with consensus or advice on any of it, and the only way to find out is to give a listen to options.
Even among really good dealers, it is rare to find one who has enough different LP12s on hand that they can demonstrate as well as advise on the snakes and ladders of an LP12 upgrade path. To me, the posts here show how valuable both advice and demonstration can be on this.
Good post Nick.
It would be sad to close the thread. Even if personally I am not a fan of the lp12, i wait with interest what @Cohen will say when he will have his upgraded tt at home.
The same interest about Dan S very soon experience.
Well the thread has been fairly well received Skep. The negative stuff is just part and parcel of a “relatively” open forum and Richard D kindly volunteers his services to keep a lid on anything crossing the line. You, like me, can always mute anyone who offends you. I think I have around 20 on my ignore list 
Thanks Rooster and for Dan it’s within one day. I will only be a couple of weeks behind him 
I just didn’t want a thread about a couple of very possibly interesting outcomes being kicked into the long grass by people stirring.
I’ve deleted my closure proposition.
Hear, Hear!
I noticed friend. Please don’t let the boo boys get to you. Mute them. Debate is healthy but the semi veiled spoiler posts aren’t hard to identify or worthy of consideration.
Well Said 
It’s very unfortunate that great dealers are few and far between with this expertise but equally annoying when they are victimised purely because of their geographical position.
Criticism about one’s capabilities without first hand experience is very unpleasant if not wrong. 
Yes well you know first hand how a well set up LP12 can sound. By Peter’s own admission there a few other dealers who he’d trust with his deck. It’s not a turntable to buy from the “barrow boys” though is it?
20, that’s a lot! While my system is now very modest, I owned an LP12 for many years, having got my first one on my 18th birthday, and I hasten to add that it wasn’t a present but earned with wages from my first job. It was very basic back then, before the Valhalla board even, and it’s fascinating to see how it’s developed over the decades. The Stiletto has always seemed to be one of the most interesting upgrades to me. As you say, no negativity whatsoever is required on this thread and I’ll be very interested to hear how it works out for you at home.
Thanks HH
Yes Peter, thank you!
Indeed Richard and we have had many discussions over the years about moderation, but there are guidelines and I do my best to stick within them!! 
Yes, thank you Peter.
Your early LP12 experience mirrors mine HH. I bought my first LP12 with a tax rabate when I was an apprentice. A Valhalla LP12/ LVX arm/ Basic cartridge. That soon morphed into LP12/Ittok/Asak. I owned that Linn with a few more upgrades for at least a decade and regretting selling it after the event. There was a lot to like about the LP12/Ittok/Karma. 32.5/hi cap/250. Sara system that I owned around 37 years ago.