To venture back into vinyl or not,...that is the question.

It's so easy to advise spending a lot more than $500 because the real action seems to begin around the $800+ mark with decks like the Rega Planar 3 and the Pro-Ject Classic etc.

Stuff like the entry Rega's, Pro-Ject's, Fluance's etc can only suffice for a short while before the urge to upgrade grows irresistible.

However, that Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK mentioned by @elliottbnewcombjr earlier seems to offer such fantastic value for money that it might well be the best and least painful way to get back into vinyl. 

Direct drive for $250? Wow!

In fact looking at the Amazon page you can find some active Edifier R1700BT Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers for $149.

An excellent first system for $400. Surely newcomers to the world of separates can't ever have had it this good.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07N3S4X3P/ref=cm_cr_lh_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

Depends entirely on how many vinyl records you own.

I got back into vinyl about a year ago, and started with a Project Debut 3 turntable for 200.00 new, to see if I really wanted to get back into it. Although it was an entry level turntable, I immediately heard that magic again and was hooked. Of course, I grew up listening to records. It also didn't hurt that I have a decent system with a Cat preamp. After a few months I upgraded to a Mofi Ultradeck plus M, and now I'm a happy camper. If I decided not to get back into it, I could have sold the Project for what I paid and would have lost nothing. So, that's another way to go. Good Luck.

Yep ebm is right. To these ears, Vinyl rules. I personally prefer belt-drive tables over direct drive. Had a vinyl system many years ago, the magic amplified by MFA MC Reference preamp and ARC Classic 150 monoblocs. I just couldn’t stop buying records because the sound was magic for me. Never been able to equal that sound overall for musical enjoyment, although my system is pretty resolving.

if one can spare the money, and doesn’t mind the extra bit of work involved, I think it’s well worth it. One of these days I will rebuild a vinyl system again, Godwilling.

Not.

Save your money. I get the nostalgia part, but other than that vinyl is less accurate, noisy, inconvenient, a space hog, and an incredible waste of money compared to streaming. I'd find a hobby that makes more sense from a cost/benefit ratio. Or invest the savings.

This coming from someone who grew up with vinyl and got rid of hundreds of LPs thirty years ago. Why go backwards? My whole system is now voice-controlled. It's accurate, takes no space and is the epitome of convenience. You wouldn't go back to an avocado refrigerator and pastel bathroom, would you?