Need some guidance

There is nothing wrong by starting at that price point. If you like what you here you will avoid the hassle of having to sell the cheaper turntable to move up the chain. Don't forget you will also need a phono stage and cartridge to go along with your tt purchase. I bought a tt for the first time last year and have not listened to a cd since. Good luck with your selection.

Great table but don't ignore other brands. Set up can be in issue too. Getting it aligned and the weight set properly can make a drastic difference.

If you really want to learn about vinyl and all the skills that go along with optimizing turntable performance, I'd recommend a Technics SL1200 or any of its variants.

Reasons...

1) Relatively inexpensive entry to vinyl.

2) Easy set up and adjustability...removable headshell (easy to swap and compare different cartridges), VTA on the fly (learn the effects of Vertical Tracking Angle changes), easy VTF, easy leveling, etc.

3) Certainly not "starting at the bottom", especially when you consider the upgrade path that exists (e.g., KAB).

4) Plays good music! Dead-on speed stability.

5) Strong resale value when you do decide to move up the equipment ladder.

6) Built like a brick &*#@house!

Also - spend some time reading the archives of the vinyl section of the Audio Asylum and Audiogon websites. Learn how to clean and care for LPs.

Good luck - and above all - enjoy the music!