Help ! Best MC cartridge for Linn LP12?

Were I in the OP's situation, I would go Kandid and call it a very good day. Sure, Linn is not the bleeding edge best, but it's quite good. Kandid and Ekos SE is frankly a no brainer in teems of a match. 

I do note I have owned my LP12 since 1998 and really like it. Presently fitted with an Ekos Mk 2, Arkiv B, Lingo, Trampolin, Silver T cable and Kore subchassis. Were I to start from scratch, there are some excellent tables available these days. I was mighty impressed by the VPI Prime, and I think SME makes a great table and arm. I'm invested in Linn, my LP12 has been ultra reliable, and I enjoy the music I get out of it, so what the heck. I'm not particularly into changing gear- if I like it, I tend to keeps it for years. 

I have an LP12 that I bought about 18 months ago - and had most of it pretty much maxed out with upgrades -   Radikal power supply, standard Ekos tone arm (not se)
 Keele suspension Circus bearings etc.   
I had it set up by a Linn dealer - and use a new Klyde cartridge - into a Linn Linto phono pre amp -  

My prior tt was a very old Lenco L85 -  but after building a very good digital system -  and still having 1000 vinyl LP's gathering dust -  I decided to invest in a decent turntable - and see if I could better my digital rig -   I likely have about 15k tied up in the Linn system -  which would have been closer to 20k if everything was new ( the basic LP 12 and the Linto were bought used ) 

I honestly feel this was a waste on my part -  from what I've read above - I likely could have chosen a better turntable -  but it may also speak to the quality of my digital setup -  ML CLX with twin Descent i subs - modest room treatment -  modwright dual mono line stage - mono block spectron amps and running springs power conditioner are common components to both analogue and digital systems - as well as good cables -   the only difference on the digital side is a Lampizator Big7 Dac - with plenty of tube options on hand and a Lampizator Komputer using Roon or Daphile -  when I play the same album - side by side as volume matched as possible -  the digital version still sounds better to my ears -( and others that have listened with me )   I have a gut feeling that if I'd chosen a different turn table - this might be reversed   But with 18,000 digital albums on a qnqp server - versus 1000 albums that don't get much attention ( because I'm not impressed with the difference) -  vinyl does not get much play -  it does not sound bad - just different -  and perhaps it the tube imprint of the Dac on the digital side that has me enjoying the digital versions better 

Bart 

If I were starting in vinyl from scratch and I had a $15,000 -$20,000 budget for vinyl playback gear I would seriously consider an SME 20 with a Series V arm. It's a little different with many of us LP 12 guys. I strongly suspect we wound up with $10,000 or more dollar in playback setup incrementally. 

I've had people that know analog (and I trust) tell me the 15,000 I have in my LP12 could have been spent with better results.  Like Bart, I have a great digital side and I don't get the same emotion from my vinyl. And I think I should. Hence the thought to upgrade cartridge. All of the excellent advice has lead me rethink a little. I'm going to first demo new phono section with existing TT set up.  If I can't get improvement I expect for the money, I'll try to demo a couple of turntables just to see what the difference is. I'm open to alternatives, even if it's selling the LP12. A wise man told me a few years back that "your first loss is your best loss". 

I guess I am lucky. My LP12 is tremendously musical. My digital side, with a Bricasti M1 at its core, is also extremely musical. Perhaps this is why I've not changed gear in years.