Is a GREAT turntable under $2000 possible???

If you don’t want to buy used, look for a well made value priced table with a good cartridge. For example the Marantz TT 15S1 can be had for $1,499 and it comes with a Clearaudio Virtuoso ($800) cartridge. Clearaudio also makes the turntable for Marantz. It’s solid.

You have a number of options for a phono stage in the $500 range. Others can better provide advice for the phono stage.  There’s your $2,000 spend and this would work well.

@knollbrent - my earlier suggestion of the Marantz was my attempt to keep the total cost =< $2k.  I owned the Marantz myself and it served me well for about 5 years.  I have since upgraded to the Technics 1200G.   It's my retirement table.

You made the right choice given your willingness to stretch the budget some.

Nobody chimed in on the isolation platform so here goes.  You can duplicate Mapleshades offererings for less money.  I use a Booz Block cutting board.  It's 2 3/4" thick as I recall.  I use the same iso block pads they offer as well but you can get them here, and they are bigger pads:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200658811_200658811?cm_mmc=Bing-pla&utm_source=Bing_PLA&utm_medium=Air%20Tools%20%2B%20Compressors%20%3E%20Air%20Compressor%20Parts%20%2B%20Maintenance&utm_campaign=Klutch&utm_content=49494&msclkid=460a15c02a3512b4f6484f30a11434ec