Is a GREAT turntable under $2000 possible???


Howdy folks-

I’m really enjoying my current set up and return to 2.1 channel listening and Home Theater. Here’s what I’ve got:

-Mc402 Amp
-Anthem Mrx 520
-Oppo 103 Bdp with Scott Nixon tube dac
-Mac Mini with a Scott Nixon Usb tube dac
-Audience and Wireworld cables
-Tekton Electron speakers

I’d like to introduce vinyl to my evening listening pleasure. Any recommendations for a turntable (including arm, cartridge, etc) under $2000? Is this a reasonable figure? I have no clue when it comes to turntables so any advice given is surely appreciated.

Brent

128x128knollbrent
Vibration/resonance control is what all turntables are trying to achieve as they go about tracking the previous grooves. It's an endlessly complicated business, but basically you might want to help lower the already good resonance floor of the Technics a bit further (let's say -10Hz where deck/cartridge resonance starts creeping). 

The lighter the structure the better it normally filters out traffic rumble etc, but movement is a no-no. That's why shelves can be difficult to get right - the wall is usually moving too much.

Huge mass can help with keeping it still, but it depends upon where your turntable lives. It might be worth checking if you could find an phone app to measure surface resonance before placing down your deck. That could take away a lot of the guesswork. 

Have fun! Always, always have fun with audio.

I just upgraded my table to an RPM 9.2 with a Sumico Blue point special EVO III for just over $1800 on sale from Audio Advisor.  That unit retails for close to $4K so its a great deal.  Very heavy acrylic platter, carbon fiber arm, and what I like best is it is filled with metal shot for dampening and uses opposing magnets on the feet so it is, literally, floating on air.  I can pound on the table top where it sits and it doesn’t resonate through.  I’ve very impressed with the soundstage of this set-up through my Martin Logan SL3 electrostats run through a Creek class a amp with a phono section.  Tight, accurate, tremendous separation.
Question is what is good enough to serve your purpose? I bought a Pro-Ject  Debut Carbon Esprit SB (DC) that cost ~$500 US about three years ago. I have a tin ear and listen almost exclusively to hard rock, so opinion is not well qualified and I can't tell enough difference between the good stuff and the great stuff to justify the large price differential. But I really liked the turntable. Big, thick acrylic platter and Ortofon cartridge that killed anything I could afford as a college kid several decades ago...  Back to qualified opinions.