getting into vinyl

It's apparent by your system that you're accustomed to high quality reproduction. It will take some doing and expenditure to equal your present setup. When I got into vinyl about three years ago I decided to wait until the system that I could afford was a keeper. Glad I did. 

OK. WHY do you want to get into vinyl? Have you heard turntable set ups that blew you away? Are there titles available only on LP that you can't find on CD? Have people told you that LP's sound better than CD's? For the life of me, this new phase of vinyl nostalgia is bewildering at best. Pops and clicks, the possibility of needle damage and the unnerving impossibility of track selection is enough to make me scream! And better sound? If YOU think so then go for it. I do own a turntable (VPI TNT Mark5 with 12 inch VPI arm and a Benz ruby cartridge, all set up at the VPI factory). Does it sound as good as my Cary 306 SACD player? It's very close. I upgraded my Cary to an Esoteric X-03SE player. It isn't even close now! Man, the Esoteric is a mile ahead. Certainly I can throw more money at the VPI but how much to better the Esoteric? Thousands! Get a turntable if you're really compelled to BUT, hear one that sounds great to you. Don't read about how warm or great they are. The only real advantage I can think of is the vast number of records out there that may never see release on CD and of course the great 12.5 X 12.5 area for artwork. Other than that, $2000.00 put into a great CD player will blow away most $5000.00 turntable set ups. My humble opinion. Good luck. Joe

I think it's a good idea for you to wait & rethink your budget as $500 only buys a decent cartridge today.
If you can find a vintage "restored" table with arm for a G note & a really nice phono stage for another G @ $2,500 you'll have a great start as you will only have to upgrade your cartridge in the future.
Then as your vinyl collection grows you can spend what you wish to upgrade piece by piece.
If you buy junk - you will never be happy & will never recover the cost of your mistake + you may lose your interest in analogue forever.
Be a little patient & save up some cash for the right first table even if it takes a year - In the meantime buy an album every month so you will have something to look forward to listen to.
Rome wasn't built in a day & I don't think anyone here has built any part of their system on their very first try.
Remember this post 5 years from now & then look @ your $5K analogue set up.

jfondel ...

What ever vinyl rig you end up with, remember ... its all about the music. Instead of spending your money on quality reissues at $25 per pop, start shopping at the local thrift stores and garage sales for your records. Always check the records in direct sunlight before buying anything as it will brutally expose the flaws in the vinyl. Find a good used record store that will allow you to trade in your rejects for store credit. Remember that all records of the same recordings sound different from each other. One record of Steely Dan may sound dull and rolled off ... and the duplicate may have him in the room right in front of you.  Lastly, be sure to buy a quality record cleaning machine ... something like the VPI 16.5. Record collectors NEED the record cleaning machine ... even for brand new records.

Frank