Vinyl***What If***

Entry level all inclusive table from Pro-Ject or Rega is what I’d recommend.Buy from an authorized dealer. Grab a SpinClean record cleaner, clean records are happy records.You can get great results from vinyl without breaking the bank.

Forgot to mention the digital tracking force gauge. Only 10 bucks on Amazon

To the OP - Here’s the my view on this...

1. you have no legacy vinyl, so no real need to invest in a vinyl rig
2. you are not "inclined" to invest time and effort involved in setting up, maintaining and eveolving a vinyl based system
3. any "low end" vinyl setup will not compete from a sound quality perspective to todays digital front end streamers like a $599 Bluesound Node 2
4. you’ve probably read in many places (Including here) how wonderful vinyl can be and how much more "organic" it sounds - so perhaps that is the reason for your initial post?

Now consider...

1. There is only one "playlist" on a given side of a vinyl album - i.e. the order of the tracks on each side
2. The album almost always ends at an inoportune moment.
3. you have to get up at least every 20-30 minutes to play another album/side/track
4. The stylus wears out every 600-1200 hours (depending on cartridge/stylus type) and replacing it can be expensive
5. Turntable placement/support can be fraught with vibration issues
6. todays vinyl seems to have pressing issues that I had not encountered 30 years ago, so returns can become an issue
7. keeping vinyl clean can be a chore
8. A Vinyl album is more expensive than its digital version

If I had not already had an investment in albums and a turntable, I would have given up on vinyl long ago.

As it is, I have spent lots on upgrades, cartridges, phono stages and other tweaks to get my vinyl rig to the level of performance where it is now.
I probably buy more vinyl than digital music at present, but that tends to go in cycles.

So I have to ask - why start now?

The learning curve is steep and time consuming and the outlay can be significant and if you do not "evolve" with with the many aspects of a vinyl rig, you may simply lose interest after a very short while.

OR, the alure of vinyl will grab you and you too will spend lots of time/effort/$$$

From a convenience perspective digital is the way to go, but when I want to relax with a glass of my favourite scotch, for some reason - vinyl is generally my choice.

However, I also have some stunning digital tracks that stir up the same emotions.

Just another opinion

freediver....I agree with much of the above regarding all the caveats about the expense and time consuming “costs” in albums IF you are seriously desirous of a quality system. I began with a much more basic system about 6 years ago and am now on my fourth turntable and lots of other peripherals (which equals $$). But with that said I don’t think there is anything wrong with starting out basic. It’s just fun!  In fact I just bought my daughter a fully automatic turntable for $100. She just buys used albums for under $5 each and loves the whole “vinyl” experience. So starting out basic is in my opinion just fine. Don’t think, however, that it will be anywhere near the sound what higher quality gear will provide. If you enjoy the ritual and tactile experience then you can always move up the vinyl ladder. Good luck. 

You don't mention the investment you are willing to make for this experiment other than "inexpensive" which is subjective. Therefore, assuming a budget based on your other equipment and stated goals, I recommend a Clearaudio Concept new or used. Its pretty much plug and play and I think has enough performance for you to judge if you want to commit to the medium. You will have everything else you need.