Want to get into Analog

Mrpostfire, I'm over 70, I had vinyl until CD's came out, and I have no idea what the "vinyl experience" is about; without a high end analog rig it was "crap" and good riddance.

However, it's entering a new dimension in music with a top flight rig. What you don't want to do is waste money by buying something cheap. This is a long term investment; musical pleasure for the rest of your life.


    https://www.soundandvision.com/content/luxman-aims-reach-more-vinyl-enthusiasts-new-high-end-turntab...



That looked like something you could live with, I believe I could. The best thing about new, is the possibility that you might be able to try before you buy; this TT business is very competitive.

In regard to a cartridge, I recommend that you get one in the vicinity of 1K; like ice cream, they come in different flavors, but more or less the same quality in said price range.

The best way to choose a cartridge without auditioning it, is to carefully read the reviews, and read as many as possible. Pay close attention to the music, the reviewer is using;  if he uses music that is compatible with your tastes, and gives that music glowing reviews, you've got a match.

It ain't easy being an audiophile, but the rewards are tremendous.

@mrpostfire ,
Many good suggestions here. I believe all the Nottinghams require manually moving the belt, so probably not for you. 
Vintage Luxmans, Thorens and the new Technics with built-in phono stage all sound like good options. 
A couple of sub-topics not addressed too much yet:

1) Record cleaning is the key to minimizing ticks & pops, even if you plan on playing mostly new LPs. For about $500 of your total budget you can get significantly cleaner, quieter LPs using a combo of ultrasonic cleaner, DIY fluids and rinse/dry with a wet vac. Read @rushton 's thread here where includes his PositiveFeedback article and other posts that expand on how to do it most cost-effectively. A commitment to cleaning records and immediately storing them in good new sleeves is required to get anywhere close to the sound you are investing in.

2) Phono stage needs to accounted for in your budget. It also must be carefully chosen to match gain and loading with the cartridge and preamp you'll be using. Don't just buy individually suggested items without informed opinions on if they play nice with each other. Aspects to note in your questions will be phono stage gain options, loading options, cartridge output and compliance. Don't feel like you need to become an expert overnight, just ask "Hey does this cart match well with this tonearm and this phono stage?". You'll get plenty of help. Cheers,
Spencer

My take on vinyl is that: You must be DRIVEN. It’s not only about different sound. It’s an hobby, like those cool people who purchased vintage cars and keep them up. You may invest a lot of money to spin an old record that Princeton Records wouldn’t pay $1 for it, with noises and distortions and all, but it’s endless, addictive fun.

If you are not that driven - just an curious cat, Technics made very reliable tables that sound good with very little maintenance. Perfect starter.

Look at all of your new options and see if one of them will give you a rig on a trial basis that you can return.

I had a similar problem with pre-amps, and I managed to borrow some before I decided on a tube CJ.