Is a GREAT turntable under $2000 possible???

excellent!  the record dr is a great machine and a big value.  don't forget some mofi anti-stat sleeves!  

Record Dr. is pretty great indeed. Easy to use and does what it’s supposed to do, clean your vinyl. Static is gone too which has been a nuisance on some of my new records. Some records still pop and crackle but I think that’s just part of the original pressing. I will be getting a protractor soon. I may be able to fine tune the cart a little making for a cleaner, better image.

I suspect some records are noisier than others. Got a NM   U2 Joshua Tree US 2007 and it's pretty crackly even after cleaning and using brush. I clean the stylus after every record too. 

Any thoughts on this?

I do have a VPi Classic 3 in Piano black Store demo. Any Turntable you purchase honestly comes down to setup and attention to detail. A Well executed rig even with a Technics could be good also ! Always go to your nearest dealer, Pay retail prices and have him set it up correctly. That service will give you an amazing relationship, invites to dealer events and a knowledgable staff when you run into problems.

Any opinions on the use of Groove Glide? I ordered the cleaning set but will wait till I hear back regarding those that have tried it and their opinions. Thanks!

Sounds an excessive budget especially given your equipment.

For $800 you can do very well.

I use a refurbished PL550 TT in burl magnolia veneer with a Denon DL-110 cartridge...check out my system

I wanted vintage FM radio vinyl sound - and it is exactly what I want from vinyl.