My resonse is somewhat jaded as I readily admit I have a preference for suspension tables in the below $1500 price range. That being said my table for the for the past 25 years has been a modded AR-the turntable- with an Audioquest PT5 arm. I have over the years upgraded cartidges and currently have an Ortofon Cadenza Red which is fantastic. All the mods were done by George Merrill, Dave's mentor and the father of the AR mods. Many people have not heard these tables and think they absolutely could not compete with newer technology. Not true. I would put my TT up against any $1500 table. I have had several amps and preamps pass through my system but I have not had the yen to upgrade my turntable. I have upgraded speakers, rolled tubes ad infinitum, changed cables and added tuning fuses, etc. My TT is still here. I can get upgraditis with the best of them. My digital front end is a McCormack UDP1 Deluxe (I have had a good half dozen CD players too!) that most people who hear my system agree the TT sounds better.
I also have a Thorens TD160 Super stock in a second system which is a much better TT than a TD160 (which I also own currently unplugged) with a modest Linn Basik arm and a Goldring 1042 cartridge (last cartridge in the AR before the aformentioned Ortofon). It sounds pretty darn good. It may be a candidate for Dave's mods at some point.
One advantage the Thorens has on the AR is the ability to switch from 33 to 45 with the flip of a knob. With the AR you have to take the platter off and change the belt on the pulley. Minor deal maybe but if you invest in a lot of 45 LPs it may matter.
All that being said, if I were looking at new tables in the $1500 range, the Clearaudio Emotion looks interesting at least and can be had with cartridge new for $1500. I would try to hear one if I were you. Used, the basic VPI Scout or a tricked out VPI HW 19 come up for sale used in your price range from time to time. Nice Sotas also come up now and then.
I personally have been happy with my modded AR. Dave's upgrades/mods are even improved from GMs having taken them to another level via Anthony Scallia's upgrades of the mod parts, Thorens or AR. I do not think you can make a bad choice one way or the other. As always, if you can audition your options, preferably A-B, it would help your decision making process.
I also have a Thorens TD160 Super stock in a second system which is a much better TT than a TD160 (which I also own currently unplugged) with a modest Linn Basik arm and a Goldring 1042 cartridge (last cartridge in the AR before the aformentioned Ortofon). It sounds pretty darn good. It may be a candidate for Dave's mods at some point.
One advantage the Thorens has on the AR is the ability to switch from 33 to 45 with the flip of a knob. With the AR you have to take the platter off and change the belt on the pulley. Minor deal maybe but if you invest in a lot of 45 LPs it may matter.
All that being said, if I were looking at new tables in the $1500 range, the Clearaudio Emotion looks interesting at least and can be had with cartridge new for $1500. I would try to hear one if I were you. Used, the basic VPI Scout or a tricked out VPI HW 19 come up for sale used in your price range from time to time. Nice Sotas also come up now and then.
I personally have been happy with my modded AR. Dave's upgrades/mods are even improved from GMs having taken them to another level via Anthony Scallia's upgrades of the mod parts, Thorens or AR. I do not think you can make a bad choice one way or the other. As always, if you can audition your options, preferably A-B, it would help your decision making process.