Curious, as I've been going through similar motions considering going back into a vinyl solution on my system as well.
I concur with the Rega P3 suggestion.. it's a tried and true solution.
Also consider the VPI Scout, or a SOTA Comet, or perhaps a ProJect eXperience.
A LINN is a fabulous table, but can be a fussy soul to deal with. They are critical about setup, and what they are set upon. The more recent versions are less so, but still require much care and feeding... not a "plug and play" solution for sure !
There are also some real nice models from ClearAudio to consider.
My own suggestion (and I may heed my own words for a change !) is to grab a used P3 and a decent MM cartridge, and see if you really enjoy spinning vinyl.. if so, then you can always move up the gravy train to better spinners.