HI guys - being the person who started this thread I thought I'd keep you up to date on my decision making and fact gathering. First, I've yet to make any analog changes but I've added a power conditioner and super tweeters. Strange but true. But what is amazing is that the combination of these two budget tweeks have improved my sound a real lot. The conditioner (Chang Lightspeed) has blackened the background with no apparent strangling of dynamics. The super tweeters have improved the overall imaging and coherence, not really just the high treble.
Where I'm leaning analog wise is to keep my Avid table and upgrade my motor and cartridge when budget allows. After all my fact finding, without hearing a damn thing, I dont believe an approximate 8K investment in a high mass table will give me a high enough percent improvement to warrent the bucks. Believe me, I'd like to see a 150 pound table on my rack but opinions are down the middle on the above questions. But tomorrow I may change my mind.