Is a GREAT turntable under $2000 possible???

Thank you @cd318 for you insight.

Clearaudio Concept

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. 

Don't know @rjsmith1 as this is my first go at vinyl. I think it's a good place to start!