Bear in mind that you effectively get a £1500 discount on the package so you would definitely need a lot of second hand parts or a dealer willing to buy back the unneeded parts to make it work
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I have jumped in here without reading all the posts that follow this one so forgive me if my points have already been covered.
The LP12’s great strength, in my opinion, is that it can be upgraded in a huge number of ways to suit any budget as & when funds permit if you wish to do so. Of course, many see this as a big disadvantage & view Linn as just money grabbing. Take your pick.
A lot of us here started with the basic Sondek many, many years ago & have been blissfully happy at every stage of our upgrade journeys. I would suspect that todays Majik is very noticeably superior to my basic LP12 in 1981, especially with the fabulous Karousel bearing as standard.
When I bought my Nova in 2019 I did, of course, need a separate phono stage. My dealer recommended the Rega Aria & I have been delighted with it. It certainly lives up to all the reviews I have subsequently seen. The big advantage for you is of course that it is both MM & MC capable so you can start off with an affordable MM cartridge & upgrade to a wallet busting MC cartridge as soon as you win the lottery without requiring a quality new phono stage.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
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FWIW I did a head-to-head listening test between a P10 and a Majik, I felt they both sounded quite similar but the LP12 had a warmer, more musical presentation, though I preferred the aesthetics of the Rega. What swung it Linn’s way was the knowledge that I couldn’t really go any further with the Rega whereas a world of wallet-crippling upgrades awaited me with Linn ownership.
As for the merits of MC over MM carts, my understanding is one has to spend quite a lot of moolah on a MC cartridge to noticeably out-perform a good MM. On the advice of my dealer, I stuck with a lowly AT-VM95ML on a deck with Kore, Karousel, Radikal and a Roksan NIMA arm through a Vertere PS until I finally got my sticky mitts on a Naim ARO. Then and only then did I switch to MC with a DV-XX2.
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This is a voluntary process… You do not have to upgrade… 
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"This is a voluntary process… You do not have to upgrade… "
True, I was being a tad sarcastic but it’s unfortunate that nearly all LP12 upgrades are pricey. Nonetheless, for me it’s an enjoyable hobby and one of the reasons I chose Naim amplification over alternatives many, many years ago.
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They are much cheaper, pre-loved…!!!
Mine now features a used Kore & a used Lingo (Mk1).
Both these were sourced from a nearby Linn dealer.
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In todays turntable climate I’d pick a SL1200G if you want no faff and crazy prices.
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I can’t work out if you think the 1200G is crazily priced!?
Sorry for not being clear
What I meant, 1200G…if you want no faff and no crazy price like a full monty LP12, Solstice, Vertere etc.
OK its not really cheap but then there’s lower priced 1200/1500
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Thanks, reading this thread with interest as I am also a little tempted to go back to a LP12.
I would definitely try something better than the Rega Fono and also try a good MM cart. The P6 might surprise you?!
I’ve been very happy with how the SN3 phono stage sounds but appreciate this can be improved if you are willing to spend more (would say at least £1k extra).
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If your dealer didn’t advice you on how an AT-OC9XML will vastly outperform an AT-VM95ML they are not helping you.
The one near Leicester definitely still do this. Custom builds to a budget based on new/used/ex-demo parts are advertised on their website.
We’ve been pondering whether to keep vinyl in our system recently after upgrading. A decent phono stage and a custom LP12 is currently our preferred route, but it’s very low priority and we may still decide to pass.
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“If your dealer didn’t advice you on how an AT-OC9XML will vastly outperform an AT-VM95ML they are not helping you”.
Well, at the time he was building me a bit of a Frankenstein’s Monster of a deck from new and old parts because I couldn’t afford a Majik at the time, so it was down to budget. In any event, his advice was to throw money at the PSU, bearing and sub-chassis before turning to the tonearm and cartridge so who was I to argue?
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Hi @haffle
We have a very similar set up.
I have a Supernait3, NDX2 and recently bought an LP12 both going through PMC 25-23 speakers. I’m using the built in phono-stage on the SN3 with used Lingo4 and Kore. Minimal cables, no hifi rack, no power supplies. A Linn dealer built it for me. Rest of the kit sits on a sideboard. Looks and sounds great — couldn’t be happier.
Hummed and harred about a Rega P8 and considered other options. Always loved and wanted an LP12. I love the simplicity of the set up and the sound. I’ve got wooden suspended floors so had to get a wall bracket which you may need to factor in. I didn’t and had to wait months for a used Vulkan wall shelf which was transformational.
I highly support previous posts suggesting going second hand via a Linn dealer to build you something so you can include an off board lingo and Karousel as a minimum. Brilliant turntable. A thing of beauty to look at and listen to.
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When I bought my Aethos , my dealer suggested the Fono for my lovely ClearAudio Emotion .
A Fono will provide adequate pre amplification for something like a Rega 3 , it will be out of it’s depth with anything like a Rega 6 , let alone an LP12.
Now have Nova and Graham Slee, when Naim designed and built the SN3 , they would have expected the LP12 to be a common partner for it.
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I don’t know where you’re based, but a lot of Linn dealers can put an LP12 together from new and pre-used parts.
This gives you a lot more options and “bang for buck” for a similar price to the Majik spec.
I don’t have my LP12 now, sold it earlier in the year as I went for a Klimax streamer. But over the years upgraded with new and pre-used parts.
Have a chat with Peter Swain at Cymbiosis who are in Leicester. They will be able to help you and get a good LP12 to maximise your existing system.
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Thanks @DiggyGun - I am in central Sussex; there is a Lynn dealer in Guildford and another in Ashford (I am not sure whether one can name names here?), which are not tooooo far away. I’d be happy to travel up to Leicester to buy it, but ongoing support / service could prove a chore.
Haffle - what Cymbiosis will do that may make it worth your while buying your LP12 from them is to give you 2 options:
1: A Majik 'spec LP12
2: An LP12 built to your 'spec and budget using new and/or secondhand parts, which can be all-Linn or a mixture of Linn and 3rd party components
I (and many others on this Forum I’m sure), went with option #2 which will provide the opportunity to go beyond the Majik 'spec for the same or less money.
In your position I’d call your local dealers and ask if they can put together a custom-made deck for you (if that’s what you would prefer), as you rightly point out, a local dealer’s best for ongoing servicing and any warranty issues, etc. If not, then give the nice chaps in Rearsby a call - you’ll be in a very safe pair of hands.
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Great
Local is always best 
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With a LP12, there isn’t much that needs doing once set up. Occasional service which I used to do at the same time as any upgrades that I did. Look at it as a day out in the countryside, nice casual drive, bit of lunch and an upgraded LP12, result.
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