How Much To Rival Good Digital Playback

RPL, I said that about pitch in an earlier post in this thread:

The people that push for analog, even with cheap rigs, ALWAYS omit the fact that digital has PERFECT pitch. I can infer that they can't hear differences in pitch...

I don't think this is question is presented correctly. Sound quality has nothing, or almost nothing to do with money. One can spend 5 thousand on very good components that just would not work together, while smartly spending 6-8 hundred would make a world of a difference.
But getting back to the original question, I would say that between table, arm, cartridge and RIAA corrector one has to spend between 15 and 20 hundred to beat almost any off-the-shelf CD player.

RPL,
I have to agree with you about piano on vinyl. Some of the worst recorded sound I've heard is solo piano, and especially harpsichord and pipe organ. Makes me seasick.