Buying a new TT today

What Mike says.

Thing about cartridges is that they wear out. And they wear out faster on cheaper equipment. And don't sound as good on cheaper equipment, or on incompatible equipment. So, what Mike says.

I think if you look long term, you should look at your whole system and try to figure out how you can get the most improvement for the $$.

if you are dead set on investing $2K on the analogue rig, Rega tables offer the best value at the low/mid end and hold their value incredibly well. They offer discounts with their own cartridges, which are OK at their lower end, better at the higher end. When you want to upgrade you’ll get a lot of this investment back. Their arms are the best value of all, and maybe you can get a dealer to put an upgraded arm on it and hold onto that long term and upgrade the cartridge next. Maybe a P3 with a power supply unit (If that’s fits with it) with an RB 880 arm? Otherwise a P6. Talk to a Rega dealer and push for a 10% discount. 
If you’re lucky, you can get a demo or used combo. All I can say is that the tone arm, cartridge and phono stage are the most important, assuming you have a TT that has a consistently accurate speed with good isolation.

Good luck and enjoy going down the rabbit hole and remember, the salesman will always try to get you to spend more as there is always something better. My guy turned an arm wire upgrade into an arm, then the whole table. Previously, my cartridge was the best part of my system,  and now I think it is well matched. That’s what you want.

I just bought a new VPI Super Prime Scout with some nice upgrades included from Upscale Audio in L.A.  I couldn't be happier and it would be a worthy upgrade from your Project.  You should check them out for sure.

This is an unusual thread. Not helpful. All the recommendations make sense in their own way. I started with thinking "turntable (Technics 1200GR)" then read millercarbon's view so I switched to "cartridge", then like that back and forth.

The only thing I could recommend is....do not go out and buy it today. Sleep on it, let it settle, develop your own feel for it. In not so long of a time, you will end up with a new cartridge and a new turntable anyway. So, you may wait a little and do what mikelavigne recommended, too.

Choices, choices.

Good luck and enjoy going down the rabbit hole and remember, the salesman will always try to get you to spend more as there is always something better. My guy turned an arm wire upgrade into an arm, then the whole table. Previously, my cartridge was the best part of my system, and now I think it is well matched. That’s what you want.

once you get into upgraditis with entry level vinyl you have to play the long game or you won’t know whether you are coming or going. and it drives you nuts (more nuts).....as you go in circles (rotate). hard to gauge baby steps with each step dependant on all the other pieces of the chain.

there are plateaus that make sense to reach.

so predict where you are going and go there. or open 15 more of these threads and drive us all crazy.

or just enjoy whatever process makes you happy.