Turntable Recommendation for Beginner

Act- with all due respect, he said two things: beginner, and want stuff comparable to the ARC/B&W,etc equipment he has. As you will note, I started with relatively low budget- I think the WT is under 3k and the VPI less than 6. I'm sure there are cheaper tables, new, but frankly, I think when people start with a 1500 dollar turntable package and then wonder what the hype of vinyl is about, the answer is obvious.
I do agree that having competent set up help is a must. I still rely on set up people to help me, and I've been doing this along time.
Not trying to stir up trouble here, because you'll see that's not my style, but as they say "I want to make it clear for the record." (pun intended).
Best,
bill hart

VPI has a new turntable - "the Trveler" that sounds way better then its asking price. You could get a cartridge installed perfectly by the factory and be done except for the listening.

You've got a nice system, as others have commented. For most people I would recommend something very basic like the Project Debut or the Rega P1 but that would be an insult to the rest of your system.
I just upgraded from the Rega P5 with exacta mm cartridge to Clearaudio Concept with Concept mc cartridge. For you this might be a great place to start. I would also consider the REga P6 or P9. Regas have great energy but the speed stability issues can be an issue. They eschew heavy platters because they think they decrease the energy in the music. The Clearaudio is definitely a quieter and more detailed presentation, but a tad drier than the REga.
The Clearaudio and the Rega are both pretty plug and play. Most other tables involve a bit more work, ifthat is an issue.

Budget is important. It really defines your options and performance level.

Whart,
I think we all agree that the budget is really the key here. That said, even thought I agree that $1500 might be not enough to buy a good analog front, I would disagree somewhat with your assertion that "when people start with a 1500 dollar turntable package and then wonder what the hype of vinyl is about, the answer is obvious."

I grew up on vinyl, but with a turntable that was probably worse that the gizmo you can get from an in-flight magazine. That thing got me to love music. I re-discovered vinyl recently, but started with a rather modest turntable (MMF-5.1). This "cheap" table made me never want to go back to listening to CDs again. I have progressed to a much better table and the rest of the system, but I will forever maintain that even a very modest analog system can provide a very rewarding musical experience. In a way, I think the more money you spend, the more you move away from the pure and simple pleasure of just listening to music rather than your stereo. Just look at the majority of threads on this forum...

Speaking of stereos, your set-up is quite amazing so congratulations on that. I can't help but ask you, what is up with the Kuzma Airline tonearm comment? "It sucks"? The best comment I've seen on people's system pages! It gave me a good laugh.