At 7500 you really have a great choice of decks available to you. Try out a load of decks. You have some very nice Lenco and Garrard variants and you wil lfind they have a superb drive and 'boogie factor'. Direct Drives are very good at being neutral so hear some technics SP10's and similar decks, belt drives IMHO tend to have a wider range of variation - the SME 10 and 20 are very neutral - My own Amazon Model One has a very quiet backdrop and images superbly, although, having recently heard a Lenco variant - I think it doesn't time brilliantly. I personally regret not buying the DPS about 9 years ago when it came out first (I felt that I needed a few more reviewer approvals rather stupidly instead of trusting my ears) the DPS 2 has superb drive and boogie factor and was a rather superb deck for imaging as well. I personally found that the Platine Verier was a tad warm for me.
People tend to appreciate different things in sound, and that tends to change over time. At first I was crazy about imaging, now I am more turned on by timing.
I bought an Amazon Model One. I recently bought an old Townshend Elite Rock for £400 UKP with a Mission Arm and a Pickering XSV cartridge, I am yet to 'face off' against my Amazon Model One, but if truth be told, I have to say I am wondering if the Amazon Model One is as good, let alone better.
I have to say that Roscoeii is giving some excellent advice - listen to a Townshend Turntable before listening to more expensive decks, then listen to it at the end of your audition journey - you may save yourself some serious money.
I will say that budgeting for a good tonearm cable is mighty important. I have a Nordost Tyr, and plugging that in with the Shelter 501, was far better than a Transfiguration Temper V with the TCI cable.