If you had $12k / £10k to upgrade your analogue front-end...

If it has to be new - the decks you cite have a great variation in sound style and quality.

The Rega's are a bit of a Lotus Elise to the Avid Mercedes SL. 

Do you want to buy new or second hand? For instance second hand would allow you to buy a very good 70's DD deck and then you can go to town on the cartridge and phono stage. I bought a Townshend Rock Elite for £300 and a JVC QL0 for about the same price. 

"Lotus Elise to the Avid Mercedes SL"

:)

Ariel Atom vs. Nissan GTR

@cainullah I currently own Moon 390 and M400s and use a Rega P8 with the Ania cartridge and the internal phono stage for the 390.  In my environment I view the digital and analog sources to be very equivalent.  Some recordings are better on vinyl others are better on digital.   

If I was in your place, I'd buy the P10 with Ania pro or Aphelion and invest in an Isolation platform (I have HRS) and live with it for a few months.  This allows you to option to upgrade if you like or simply buy more records because you enjoy the sound.

Good luck in your journey and let us know how it goes.

What are you running now?

Having used Thorens/SME combos my entire adult life I would start by comparing their new 1600/1601 decks to some of the non-suspended models you list.

The 1601 has automatic lift and platter stop @ the end of play, but I do not completely understand its cuing mechanism (the 1600 is completely manual).

DeKay

I’m not going to recommend a brand-- there is loyalty among those satisfied with what they arrived at- but instead, suggest some considerations:

1. Can you change arms. How good is the arm that comes with the table (if so) and what is its range of utility -most will accommodate a range of what are considered fairly high compliance cartridges- the cantilever motion is easily triggered- but there are cartridges that like more mass and a few (though largely out of vogue) that want to see less mass.

2. What is the turnable’s ability to self isolate. I have a few tables, one is massive but it could not be isolated effectively without extremely costly add-ons. How does the turntable, as delivered, isolate (both self-noise and environment).

3. I tend to break down tables into their component parts- the turnable with motor and controller; the arm (or arms) and the cartridge (leaving aside the phono stage which is an integral part of the phono front end).

4. Your budget could get you some bigger league stuff if used. There are enthusiasts who shy away from TT in particular as used items because they are more mechanical and wear, misuse or damage can be a real issue. So who you buy from, on what terms, is important.

5. it is really hard to demo (evaluate) turntables, tonearms and cartridges. Like almost impossible. But it may still be of value to get eyes if not hands on with various tables (and arms) to better understand what they are doing. Living with a unit is a whole different thing and depends a lot on very precise set up as well as voicing that makes the system sound better. (I’ve heard profound differences by changes in cartridge or the rectifier tube in my phono stage).

Where you are, geographically, may also be a factor in terms of availability, price and support.