12-29-09: LindisfarneA Rega P3/24 is 2 or 3 times the price of a Debut III. And a bone stock SL1200 handily outperforms a Debut III in several ways.
With respect to the 1200 idea-it's cool, easy to use, speeds change at touch of button and arm height adjustments are readily doable...... BUT it just sounds a little clinical to me. Get a Rega 3.
As for that "clinical" sound of the SL12x0 family? It's easily tamed with better feet, better mat, the fluid damper, and/or a tonearm wrap. I'd start with the tonearm wrap--removes the upper midrange glare so wrongly attributed to direct drive or the speed correction mechanism.