No need for anyone to get too sensitive, this has been good advice all around, and a good learning experience for me. I started the day with deep doubts and finished with a return to audio nirvana. Doesn't get any better than that. Except it does, and it is our particular quest. And all these suggestions are valid ways to improve, when the time comes.
For now, I'm grateful. I went from thinking my next big purchase would be a DAC, to worrying about replacing what I thought was a key component in what I was building (at high expense), to now looking at my turntable as being the weak link... all in less than 15 hours. That is really something.
Biggest lesson here is to keep trying everything in your armory, multiple times, to get as much understanding as you can. That Dennis Had pre that was a game-changer a year ago might be holding you back now. That old carver pre you have in the closet might just be worth trying out in your new system, just for kicks.
I get tired of moving heavy things and changing all the plugs with my bad eyesight, but damned if that isn't what we al should be doing... Throw enough stuff against the wall, something will likely stick.
But thanks all around for the suggestions. Thank goodness I didn't make the move I was contemplating, even if it makes sense in the long run, it isn't what makes sense for me now...
Steve