McIntosh MT5 vs Rega 8 or 10

Why do you say many prefer the Rega 8 over the 10? Everything I read claims the 10 is another step up in improvements. Are you meaning the 8 has a better value/price ratio?

That's what I've read in many threads. It seems some people don't like the platter of the 10. I don't have personal experience of them, though my first decent TT was a Planar 3, and I still have a couple of Rega tonearms as secondary arms on my SME tables.

 "Everything I read claims the 10 is another step up in improvements. Are you meaning the 8 has a better value/looking for overall best sound. "

I would stick with those claims. You're always going to encounter opinion with "better value/price  ratio" with everything audio.

Based on your budget for the Mac table, if do keep the Rega P10 as your final choice, get the Apelian cart to go with it. You are going to plug it into a proper phono stage-$3-5K?

The MT5 is made by Clearaudio-there are options in your budget likely equal to or "better" than the Mac facade. 

Yes, looking at phonostage’s also. So many options. How about the Rega Aria or Aura?

I have a P10 and I highly recommend it.   I had the Rega RP10 before upgrading to the P10 and it was a big improvement.  I would get the P10 over P8 because the Rega engineers know what they're doing and they made refinements in the P10 over the P8.  The P8 is a very good value and if you can't stretch to the P10, get the P8 over the McIntosh turntable.

@smatsui

Yes, trying to stretch my budget to the P10. It’s  just a big jump (with the aphelion cartridge) from the 8. What cartridge and phonostage are you using with the 10?