Which TT the Pro-Ject RM-5 SE or Rega P3-24?

Yes, it's contradictory. Admittedly so.

With a stock Technics, you have everything you need...and things that you
would cost extra with a Rega: speed control, VTA adjustment.

I suppose the overall take-away is that used Technics tables with nice KAB
upgrades occasionally surface for sale for around $750 or so. IMO, this is
pretty unbeatable, and something that you'd have to spend double or triple to
realize in a Rega with upgrades.

IMO.

Off my soapbox now.

Have fun.

Rega actually has very few upgrades for their tables. Most of what you see aftermarket items. With the exception of the external power supply what other upgrades does Rega offer?

Narrod, you may be right. I've done a pretty good job of debating myself into a corner here, so I'm gonna get out while I can.

Happy shopping to the OP!

Tvad, I've done that more than once. :-)

Agree that Rega actually does not offer much upgrades compared to most other turntable manufacturers, their business model is quite the opposite. As far as analog vs. digital, this has been much debated in other threads. Not to get into it here, but to grossly summarize, the musical distortion in analog, (not speaking of surface noise), is almost entirely at low frequencies, and therefore much less musically objectionable than the distortions of digital, which occur at higher frequencies. For the surface noise, get a record cleaning machine (I got the inexpensive Nitty Gritty from Audio Advisor) and a good set of fluids such as AIVS, and you can clean up most used vinyl very well. I would say I have at least a 90% success rate with this. You can also try a hand-washing method first for the really grungy stuff. For instance, I just bought the Bernstein Carmen with Marilyn Horne, considered the definitive both for performance and sonics (DGG tulip), which usually goes for big bucks on ebay or here, for only six bucks at a local store. It had a sheet of packing foam in it that had disintegrated all over the three LP's. I hand-washed them first, then put them on the cleaning machine, with what would have been perfect success, except for I dropped one of them when my hands were still soapy and wet, scratching one of the sides myself, oops. It sounds as great as advertised otherwise. Yes, sometimes you just get a bad pressing (I have interestingly had a few problems with the famous RCA "shaded dogs"), but if you invest a little in a good cleaning system, you can clean up most anything.