Want to get into Analog

@mrpostfire You won't know until you try it.  Then you can formulate your own opinion.  Buying used presents some risk but it's a great way to dip your toe in the water.   Whichever way you go, try to get some help with the initial set up as it *can* be tedious and tweaky.  Personally, I enjoy this type of detailed work; not everyone does!  The Thorens table link in frogman's post above does look really nice.  I have no affiliation with the seller.  Good luck to you and please post your impressions if you go down this road!

I am with frogman. You gotta start somewhere.

My first vinyl setup was somewhat humble: A Clearaudio Champion with a Benz Micro Ace cartridge and Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena phono stage. I bought them used for no more than $2.3k circa 2006.

I was immediately hooked after the first listening session. It was warm, full bodied and so organic that either my Sony SCD-1 or Shanling CD-3000 (highly modified) wasn’t no match.

I now spend most of my time spinning the black discs.

YMMV

Reality is whatever the majority on this forum say it is, unless you are a realist.

Actually, the only reality that counts belongs to the OP ;)

I’m thinking of taking a plunge into analog sources by picking up a vintage DD turntable.

You must be an experienced user to understand what you’re buying when it comes to vintage DD. Or you need someone you can assist you.

There seems to be an endless supply of vintage tables available on eBay and CL.

Post the links, what do you like ?

Which models would be good values for under $1000 (total budget for turntable, arm, cartridge.

Your total budget is too low, but if you can exclude a cartridge from this budget i think you can buy some nice vintage DD turntables like Denon DP-80, you will have to make your own plinth for it if you can’t find this drive in original plinth, then you can add Denon DA-401 tonearm. This combination could be under $1k, but then you need a high compliance cartridge, i think for $300-400 you can find a good one (i could help, got some nice spares).

You can use the same scenario with Victor DD turntables, find a TT-81 drive, make custom plinth, add Victor UA-7045 tonearm. And fidn yourself a mid compliance cartridge like Victor X-1IIe for $300-400

Anyway you need at least $1200-1500 for everything.

And if you don’t know for $1400 you can buy brand new Technics SL1500c with build-in phono stage and pre-mounted cartridge as a package deal. This is a brand new turntable, released in 2019. Maybe it’s better ? Technics motor is superb, turntable made in Japan. All for $1400 including phono stage and cartridge. Think about it.