I need some turntable guidance

Just for the sake of comparison;  I had for many years what was a very good middle of the road direct drive which I purchased back in college.  It was the Marantz 6300 and I had been using (still am) the Audio Technica AT15ss/20ss cartridge.  To me it was nirvana.   However in the past several years I have been doing a lot of upgrading and based on what some very well respected guys in the audio business had been suggesting, I found a mint used VPI Ares3 which was about 9 years old and it didn't have a tone arm with it; but it did come with the very expensive and rare 25 pound super platter.  I was also told that if I were to find either the SME Series IV or V tone arm, I'd keep it for life.  I did in fact locate a mint used Series IV and I machined the arm board to accept the new tone arm.  I also modified a set of SVS isofeet medium durometer rubber speaker feet to mount to the VPI for vibration isolation.   The AT20ss was transferred out of the vintage Marantz and over to this new set up.   

I was expecting some improvement obviously, but what I heard immediately nearly floored me!  I was hearing details in the known well to me music that I had never heard before.  Plus the signal was so much quieter and there was virtually NO audible low end feedback from the bass frequencies at any very loud level.  I was blown away.  

That put me onto the next phase which was to try out several different phono stages and that proved to be another eye opener to me.  With each new upper level phono stage I put into service, there was something new in the detail to hear.   I just in fact received a custom built Whest PS.30 RDT SE 2019 from London about a month ago which was tailored to my AT20ss... it's just unbelievable how much detail is buried deep in the vinyl that one would never other wise hear.

So do not discount seeking out a nice used upper end turntable.  I think my Ares3/super platter/Series IV was around $9K retail and I have about $3300 into it not including my time to do some machine work and set up.  Recently I designed a micrometer head clamping system which will attach to the SME Series IV main shaft and it's being made on a CNC machine shortly and going out for some nice hard anodizing.  That will allow me to do on the fly VTA precision adjustments.  I really have no idea what this will gain me, but it will be fun to try it out, not to mention it looks really cool with the fine .001 thousandths inch scale on it.  And I can easily find my original starting point from where I like to set the VTA.

check out the Mcintosh turntables, the entry level is around $5000. the mid road. $7500. their best $10500..............im a cd man and streamer for free,  albums are too much maintenance with washing discs , storage, etc...... but they are romantic and kool, I'm getting to old to keep jumping up and flipping it over......poor me

 I've read your equipment list and it's impressive but you also say are you don't want to spend a lot of money on a turntable since you've never had one my suggestion to you is if you want to go cheap I would recommend highly recommend the rega rp3 now if you want to go a little bit more expensive and get a better turntable I would go with the rega rp8 I mean let's face it Riga is the biggest seller and the most celebrated turntables on the market I myself owner rega P9 with a ortafon cadenza bronze cartridge, my phono amp is a pass labs xp-27 and  my main amp is a pass labs int 60.I have never heard more beautiful music my life and I've been at it for 45 years. About the falling to sleep on the couch, I bought the q up and never had that problem again. Just remember analog will always sound better than digital 

Agree, Sota makes very nice tables, and it's always good to support "Made in USA" brands.

Not ego, Fun! The mythology behind audiophilia is fabulous and the explanation for what people think they hear are even better, without a shred of proof. Any scientist would be laughed out of the community. It is like a ride through a haunted house with gremlins jumping out ready to cut your throat. 
Turntables have two lives. One is to spin records the other is as artwork.
I'm all for the artwork and mechanical dexterity but try not to confuse them. I think the Clearaudio Statement wins the prize for artwork and I would never buy one even if I had the money to throw away.
Daveyf, the Linn platter rings like a bell, the sub chassis rings like a bell, the tonearm board is a flimsy piece of Masonite, the suspension resonance is too high and it is poorly dampened, if you live in a high humidity area like Miami the plinth will eventually fall apart. You can correct all these problems but then you would have a different turntable.
Get a SOTA , SME or Basis. You won't have to screw around and you will be much happier in the end.

Mike