how much should I spend to get a better turntable than my current turntable?

@grislybutter think about the new turntable that’s en route and stop being so sensitive. 
what cartridge did you opt for on your RT85?

@audphile1 

I AM NOT SENSITIVE JUST EASILY FREAKING OUT!!!!

:)

the Blue

Nice! Looking forward to your thoughts on this new table!

OP,

I found that buying my significant other an expensive present before upgrading a component on my audio system was the key. 
 

Over the last 36 years, this has enabled her to get a great home theater she loves (thank god she does not like jewelry) while building my system. Not much she can say when I think of her first. 

It arrived (!) Fluance RT85

My first impressions:

I set it up as described. The antiskating is not working, neither the counterbalance. If I set it to the prescribed values, the needle just skips and runs. So that must be my learning curve, now I have more appreciation for mmf. I asked another family member to start from scratch, read the manual, set it up, same result.

Also, the adjustable feet don’t adjust. They just don’t turn.

So I will figure out the proper setup.

The next issue is the plastic cover and the black piano surface. The cover has scratches on it from my fingers. Permanent, visible scratches. I was so careful I didn’t breathe when I touched it.

The black surface looks like will have scratch marks on it if I just look at it too long. It seems very impractical for the benefit of well.... not looking that great. I mean it looks OK, but nothing spectacular. But now I understand that practical beats pretty. I don’t want to freak out every time I swap albums and something falls out from my shirt pocket.

Anyway, maybe it will grow on me. It looks like a decent and solid design aside from the tonearm (maybe I read too much about it) being/feeling somewhat mediocre.

If it sounds good, I will forget about these issues and adjust, we must please our gadgets :)