I am asking your opinion as to the best turntable

Bill -- knowing where you're coming from & where you are, it's difficult to recommend a "best". Rather, and keeping to what I've LISTENED to, I'll throw three choices based on sonics of course, + EASE of set-up & operation, reliability and EASE of maintenance.

Simon Yorke S7.
Yorke provides his own arm (VERY user friendly), but I believe the Schroeder Ref is superior. This is virtually a set-up once, plug & play TT. Maintenance is, well, zero; you might, however, consider throwing some oil into the bearings shafts, at least once. Really delighful. It's guaranteed for life, BTW, and if you ever feel like having it checked out, etc, that's free too (I think you pay postage).
This TT can be ordered to accommodate multiple arms if you wish.

Aas-Gabriel
A Swiss player that includes an arm that is similar, but not identical to the Schroeder design. Here the platter is suspended in an opposing magnetic field and the motor is decoupled, so contact between the basic TT components (motor, platter, arm board) is minimal. This TT can also accommodate two or more arms.
Problem: it is cumbersome (takes up space and is heavy). The platter magnet (losing its field) may or may not be an issue. I would expect not. I never had any indication of a problem.

Clearaudio Master Reference -- w/OUT the arm!! (Schroeder ref instead.) Not difficult to set-up and operate. Belt driven -- i.e. a possible maintenance issue. Cutting to the chase, "belt" is basically a chic name for any bog standard elastic band of suitable diametre. So, maintenance: minimal. BTW, the motors' speed stability is exemplary.
Problem: takes up space; price (the "Clearaudio premium")

That's the extent of my "upmarket" experience. Other NOT stratospheric TTs are very good/excellent but, to my (limited) knowledge cannot match the above. After all, you have lived with the stratospheric levels of a Sirius & now with a V. Indian:)

p.s. I must admit that the SME 30/V (that's the only SME combo I've tried), beautifully engineered as it is and user friendly, never did it for me sonically.

Cheers!

This is great!

I've never heard of most of these.

keep them coming.

Bill E

Bill,

I've got to agree with G m c if price is any consideration. All of the above mentioned tables are reported to be quite excellent. Unfortunately I doubt many have had the chance to A/B them. Isn't the Rocky Mountain audio show coming up? I'd go take a careful listen to what is displayed there.

Please take the following as intended. It is offered most humbly and is based solely on my audio memory vs. a direct A/B comparison. If you are placing a well designed, high mass rack on a concrete floor then a lesser model Teres may be just as effective, say a model 265. I say that after a lengthy listening session between a 340 and 360 model Teres and the three Schroder arms, a Triplanar and a Graham 2.2.

During this listening session the turntables were on a nice shelf BUT sitting on top of a very sturdy credenza. Not an ideal setup but still pretty darn good. I have extensive experience with a 265 on a great stand in ideal circumstances. To my ears, and based on memory alone, the 265 equaled the 360 because of the setup compromises during this "shoot out". I could be wrong.

The SME 30/2 is an excellent choice, however I stuck to a 20/2 with Pabst motor and gold SME V arm. I think that the 30 is not really worth while the extra $$$ compared to what you get from the 20.

Bill, after you have addressed usability & reliability & support, your best bet it too get whatever looks the coolest (or otherwise rings your chimes) & see what happens.
At the price points you are talking about (and much lower) it is 99% about personal taste and system matching. Nobody can tell you what you'd end up liking best & there is no way to do a meaningful audition unless it is in home and reasonably long term.