$2000 turntable system

Leo, there is another thing to consider: set-up. A good TT in your price range, if properly set up, will sound better than a premium table which is badly set up.

Take-away - make sure that the TT you buy is easy to set up, and spend some time and money in getting it done right. A local dealer can be your friend here.

Get a used VPI HW-19 Mk III or IV and a Jelco SA-750D

+1

3 votes for VPI HW-19 & Jelco SA-750D,
I see a used VPI for $975 and new Jelco for $485.
About the same price as a Scout Jr.
Does swapping in a tone arm require any savvy?

If you can find a predrilled VPI HW-19 arm-board for a Jelco, Audioquest, Profile, it's pretty easy to swap out.  If you find a blank arm-board you kinda need to know/understand how to drill and mount an arm.

Actually, if you are looking at the HW-19 here on Audiogon, that Audioquest PT9 arm is the same arm as the Jelco, so you needn’t change out that arm. Excellent arm by the way!

However that table is a HW-19 JUNIOR so it doesn’t have the same top plate as the MKIII or MKIV. They use an acrylic/stainless steel sandwich which is MUCH heavier and denser than the MDF top plate of the Junior. Also the MKIII and MKIV have a removable arm-board where the Junior is a one piece plate.

The nice thing about the HW-19 is that is fully upgradable.  You can change out the top plate, the armboard, the platter, the motor, the feet, the suspension, so it really easy to get a top notch table for a pretty decent price.

I was a VPI dealer for many years and have setup well over 100 of these tables and still currently have and use 3 different HW-19 tables.  IMHO, still one of the best tables out there.