With my recent acquisition of a Selekt DSM (thank you @gTunes for the opportunity), I am now on the hunt for an LP12 as matchy matchy make brain happy.
Considering how modular and upgradable the LP12 platform is, what are the actual differences between the Selekt and Majik? Are there any hard roadblocks to my upgrade path if I start with the Majik or is it worth hunting around to find a used Selekt.
My ‘tongue-in-cheek’ advice? 
Get a Majik LP12, and love and cherish it.
Whatever you do, don’t listen to Selekt or Klimax level LP12’s. You will be ‘richer’, but immensely poorer.
I speak from experience… 
Ah… sadly we are past that
I was at a local hi-fi shop buying some speaker wire and they gave me a demo on a Klimax → DSM → Exakt organik setup. That’s what led to my initial interest in finding a DSM at all.
I took my LP12 in for a simple service a couple of years ago, and thought I’d take the chance to listen to a Keel and Radikal whilst I was there. My deck was a Valhalla/‘Majik’ sub-chassis, fitted with Ekos 1 and Adikt.
I left with both, and a big credit card bill 
Seriously, get what you can afford. If you can afford Selekt over Majik, get it. Every upgrade to the deck is a step closer to ‘Nirvana’ (excuse the pun).
buy nirvana album, got it
I figure as much. Purely from a value perspective I’ll keep an eye out for something used, currently I have a rega P3 which does a lovely job.
I’d still like to get closer to what the magic sauce is that makes each step such an upgrade.
Reinforced sub chassis and the trampoline technology I can see being a huge plus for my setup (I am near the boiler) but once we get into all the arm and head options… my eyes cross a bit
A Klimax here would be a mistake. Between my Cornwall IV’s or monitor audio 500 7G’s as amazing as they sound to me, I’m sure would not do it justice.
That was the deck I had before my LP12.
I’m not joking when I say this: There are times I wish I’d have ‘stayed there’ rather than going down the LP12 route. The Rega P3 is a great deck.
Oh that P3 is going nowhere
I got it used for $600
You’re mistaken there. And it’s a good way to ‘kid yourself’ not to look at Klimax.
I have a relatively ‘cheap’ Linn system ‘downstream’, consisting of Uphorik, Klimax Kontrol, Aktiv Majik 140’s/Majik 126 (driven by Majik power amps), and the upgrades to the LP12 are clearly discernible.
You are very correct…. The source always comes first
Regardless (perhaps thankfully) any config of Klimax is out of the question for now
Every version of LP12 is upgradeable. I agree with @Martin_Kelly - go for the Majik level version. It’s very good. I started with an LP12 in 1980, and have upgraded it to full Klimax level over the intervening years (albeit currently with Kandid rather than Ekstatik) and it’s a superb machine, but a small voice in my head tells me over and over that I’d likely be almost as happy with a much lower spec’d version.
Michael
I’m with you 100% Michael. If only I hadn’t ‘heard’ that ‘stupid’ piece of aluminium, and that overpriced motor…!? Ironically, I was more than happy with my deck as it was 
The current Majik LP12 is the easiest way into the ‘crack den’ at Waterfoot
After 30 years with a decent but modest LP12 (circus, Majik subchassis, Ittok, Lingo) and a Chord Huei phono amp, I bought a brand new LP12 deck last year and spec’d it near-klimax (radikal, urika, ekos,…). Guess what, it sounded as good and very simiar to my digital front end (NUC directly to Dutch&Dutch 8Cs). But not better, which shocked me. So why have 15k+ parked in it? So I sold it again and now again enjoy my more modest LP12, which still taps my feet, I will keep it forever
Too true. I love playing vinyl, and have a large collection but it is ultimately a secondary source to me now.
I was contemplating going down the Ekos SE/Kandid/Urika 2 route. And yes, this spec did improve on my own. But for the improvements it offered I couldn’t justify sinking another few grand into the fruit-box. I’m happy with what I have.
These are all very valid points… I will go with the consensus of the Majik and leave room for some tinkering down the road 
Thank you all for the discussion!
Figured I’d add that I also have a Majik. Love it but most of my listening is digital these days and that influences where I spend my time and money (e.g., headphones and portable DAC/DAPs instead of turntable upgrades)
I will keep my eye on the FS listings