Here's how I see it. FYI, owned the same LP12 since 1990, which was owned by someone else before me. Ittok, Lyra, Kore, my own PSU, and cirkus until a couple weeks ago. I am a Linn fan, but I don't bludgeon others about LInn because the music is what matters. I built my own PSU and phono stage because I either didnt have the funds or the faith in what they were doing at the time. My dealer has uttered the words "Well, I see why you don't stop in and buy stuff as often". To be fair, I moved 2 hours away, too.
I haven't seen a reason to switch from the LP12, or a better option at a reasonable spend. My dealer has had tons of different options above and below the LP12 price point, and always says despite its issues, it still makes the music come to life for him more than anything else. (Rega, Mofi, Brinkmann, I forget all the ones he's had in). Mine gets played every day, and my musical taste has expanded non-stop since buying it. It's less the focus, and just the vessel.
The Karousel is so night-and-day better, you will laugh or cry within the first 3 seconds of hearing it. I couldn't imagine my deck getting hugely better, and never would've said it sounded slow, frumpy, or "small" before. And now I can confidently say that's exactly how it sounded before, in comparison. People who say every aspect of the sound gets a lot better are correct, IMO.
I asked my dealer why, despite all of the engineering prowess at Linn, and people complaining the LP12 never sounds good, did it take this long to get to this level of improvement? And wasn't the bearing the focus from day 1?! Like Cirkus was supposed to shut the door and be the bearing be-all-end all. He didn't have a great answer, beyond something about they weren't able to measure and manufacture at this level of precision (which I think is bunk, but whatever). I get why people would think "Oh, NOW you figure out that problem with the bearing?!?"
If you have a Linn, lucky for you none of that matters. It's chicken-feed money to get a jump so big you might pass out hearing it. Will it piss you off that you spent however much up to this point, to get there? I don't know. For me it was an unexpected leap that transformed everything by a margin I never imagined or expected, and makes it even more amazing to listen. For that to be US$1k is a nice gift. (Whoever said they should've charged $4k+, I am shocked they didn't because it's a bigger jump than anything I've ever heard at any price, and $4k would've seemed fair for this level of gain). My dealer told me early last year to not wait even a second to do it, and I waited 14 months. Wish I'd done it sooner for sure.
If you don't have a Linn, or haven't heard one with and without a Karousel and don't intend to buy one, respectfully WTF are you doing here? Keep your kickass turntable and share what great music you've heard lately. (Pharoah Sanders most recently here). I don't really care what gear you have, talk about what music you like and that's all that matters.
