Clueless and Seeking advice on TT purchase

I agree,the Scout is a steal at some of the used prices..thats my recmmendation to you.I didnt think of the Scout/Robin arm before.
Still Cluelss?

If you do get a turntable with Rega tonearm, definitely upgrade the counterweight. The one I use is F-2 Titanium Heavyweight Counterweight from Gregory Kerry,Inc. reached at email: gkerry@sympatico.ca
Both of the ads you provided links to made me drool. But, they lacked the counterweight upgrade.
My Sonographe turntable with Rega RB-300 tone arm is so far below what you are considering, I paid about the same for it, second hand, as for my new VPI record cleaner machine.
Still, the titanium counterweight makes my vinyl listening a joy.

Hi Clueless

I highly add my kados to the above votes for the VPI Scout. I recently received one and they are everything they are claimed.

All the best.

AEW

Hi Craig.

I think you might want to consider getting a Teres bearing, platter, and motor w/controller, and DIY'ing a base to your liking. Teres sells the items like this for DIY use. They originally came this way before Chris decided to make complete tables. It is fairly easy, and there are hundreds of others who have done this. And, it would really tie in to the DIY theme of your system.(And it would sound better than any of the other possibilities in that price range, IMO.)

You could put a standard or modded RB250 on it, and maybe a Denon DL103R, and have quite a package for the money.

Dear Clueless, Start reading Stereophile more, they are also clueless.