Help with TT ideas for my first TT


Hi All,

I have been reading alot of reviews and searching around for my first TT.  ALot of recent recordings that i want are basically only coming out on vinyl or super crappy mp3.  I have an Aaron integrated amp, with some custom built SB Acoustic Monitors (Bromo).

I am looking at the marketplace in the 1 - 1.5k range and see I can find alot of different solutions and wanted to get peoples thoughts:

Marantz tt-15 - Seems like  bargain at 1500, but difficult to setup
Clearaudio Concept - good reviews, bumps against the magnetic arm (Cement floor at my place)
Music Hall MMF 7.3 - Seems like a great solution
VPI Cliff Wood
Pro-ject X1 or X2 - Have read some reports of motor noise
Rega Planar 2 or 3 - Seems to be they are what they are

With such a crowded field how do people choose?  I live in Central Mass, and dont have alot of options in terms of auditions so would love to get peoples thoughts. 
kro77
I like this:

" Nobody ever said they’re taking the bus because they can’t stand the way the car picks up paint chips. Same deal."

So far i have taken to going down stairs each night with a beer and listen to one or two sides to just disconnect.  To your point there is something to just starting and letting the music go versus the instant change of the digital world.  More like a concert experience they begin and then end, you can skip or fast forward.

I am going to look at putting together a phono cable next just for fun, found what looks like a decent solid core silver one with low capacitance.
The Marantz TT15S1 was the first turntable I ever owned and it served me incredibly well for years. Easy to recommend. 
Rolled my own phono cable, and it seemed to have taken some of the top end brightness off the system.  What fun the tweaking is.
Continue to listen and it seems to be coming along.  The phone cable I put together I think is better than my reused rcas.

morphine is sounding really good.  
Can a cart change make really a huge difference? Looking at a clear audio virtuoso v2 for what seems to be a good price.