Where is the significant point of diminishing returns on hi-end turntable?

I believe, there is a big difference between freedom of expression and freedom of defecation. There are unfortunately a few low resolution brains working here.
I think, the OP will consider what we had to say and will make his choice soon. Whatever that will be should sound excellent or better.

@shydog17 - you state that "the forum is a place for free speech and sharing of views," to paraphrase. Then you proceed to do the opposite of "sharing" when you make blanket assertions that disparage other points of view, without any examples or evidence. Or you create straw-men, as when you assert that vinyl lovers supposedly like a "warm" sound, again with no evidence. that's why people lump you in with the shouter you're defending. 

@hometheaterreview I appreciate your comments about vinyl being dead and the convenience and quality of streaming. I have a very nice PS Audio DAC with a Bridge II and I stream Tidal regularly. I also have a respectable OPPO 105D player. I don’t dispute your facts although I have not verified any of them, doesn’t matter to me.

I do believe you are missing something about the "experience" of listening to vinyl. Am I paying more for a piece of vinyl that wears out? Yes. Does it pop once in a while? Yes. All the other "negative" things you said are true. However, for me it IS about the experience and some of the ritual. The flipping through physical albums at the local WaxTrax or Twist & Shout in Denver to find some cool artist I am not familiar with or track. The cleaning of the records through my ridiculously overpriced ultrasonic cleaner, carefully pulling them from their anti-static sleeves and clamping them. Is it inferior technology, maybe or definitely according to you but I don’t care.

I have a small collection of mechanical watches that have to remain on an expensive watch winder or they stop and lose time. Can I buy a $10 digital watch that is more accurate at telling time? Yes. Do I want to own that POS? NO!

I drive a 1998 manual transmission car that isn’t as fast as the more modern cars and you have to Interact with the car to match downshifts for example. I don’t care, it is more involving and enjoyable to me. I would also point out that my analog car is ever increasing in value as the new fancy cars are not.

I also grew up rolling my own film and shooting completely manual photography and developing my film and spending thousands of hours in the dark room printing. Can I do all of this digitally today and have technically better results? Yes. Is it as rewarding? Hell no! I do shoot digitally, however, my camera allows me to change the lenses and have full control over the aperture and shutter to create the images exactly as I want.

So, you may have lots of facts about why digital is better than analog that I cannot dispute you and don’t care to honestly. I just like the involvement of vinyl and how you have to work to make the sound maybe be as good as digital. Remember I have both and use both but when I sit down for a dedicated, focused listening session I like to play with the vinyl, read the liner notes and be involved in my music.

I love vinyl period ! 

Hometheater, The best thing you wrote in your uncalled for diatribe was, "End of rant".  Promise?  Because I don't think you're through bitching.  You're over, but not through.

Let me see if I understand your twisted logic: By spending money on new LPs, turntables, tonearms, cartridges, and phono stages, vinylphiles are "ruining the business". Yes, it's probably a dying business, but those of us who enjoy vinyl are certainly not to blame for that.  Meantime, my advice is cut back on the coffee.