Turntable advice

Check out Skyfi audio they have VPI trade in similar to what you are looking for in excellent condition at almost half the cost. I saw it in person last week when I was picking up a Hana Red and it looks new. With the money you save, put it toward a better Phono Pre. I've been using a McIntosh MP1100 and couldn't be happier with the quality and flexibility. I am running two tables a VPI classic 2 and a Technics 1200G (so 1 belt and 1 direct drive). I was looking at the Avenger but don't have the funds to justify right now. Best of luck!

@dan_springer "First" turntable suggests you're just getting into vinyl.  If so, there's a lot more to know about getting the best sound quality from a vinyl source (e.g.  record cleaning systems; record brushes; stylus cleaners; quality pressings & recordings; etc.).  

We can go on naming excellent TTs forever.  Do you have a record collection?  If so, what's in it?  It astounds me that people whose musical tastes consist of mass produced pop and rock music spend big $$$ on highly revealing systems in the first place, but especially where vinyl is the source.  In case you are a "serious music" lover, I apologize for gatekeeping...then I ask do you have pre-established opinions about what constitutes a satisfying LP listening experience?  When I began my audio journey at the cusp of the 1970's, I lusted for a Rabco SL8E on a Thorens TD-125, the epitome of playback perfection at the time, I thought.  At college a rich kid had one, and never once was there a day he could get it to work!  My much less ambitious Rabco ST-4 with an XLM was a tad fussy, but I played it to death.

If you have no background in the delights and physics of analog, I advise you to take it easy on yourself and get a Technics SL1000RES for $20K or the SL1210G for $4300, and buy an assortment of cartridges and headshells to make it fun.  Include an Ortofon SPU of some sort, a vintage Stanton 681 or Shure V15-V with an advanced stylus tip, a hot rodded Denon DL103, a Soundsmith MI, and a cheap Audio Technica VM95C for records in rough shape. The MC2700 has a very good phono preamp.  Let your ears tell you if you need more.

Lots of good feedback and thoughts here. As oldaudiophile, mentioned, I am indeed just getting into it and have a whole lot to learn. I’ve definitely thought about what vonhelmhotltz said with foregoing this endeavor and just making my digital as good as it can be. What attracts me to vinyl is the process, the sound which I’ve really come to appreciate and to some extent I think I will really enjoy looking for and finding albums. 
 

as far as introducing other brands, I definitely will look into that, but also have a dealer that I trust and who has treated me right, including service that has gone above and beyond anything I’ve experienced elsewhere. That's worth a lot and potentially limits my choices to stay with someone I trust. Brinkmann is also intriguing but above my price point currently. 
 

One completely different option that we talked about was starting with a lesser, but good table, specifically the Dr. Feickert Volare (shoutout to edgyhassle) and get a few years under my belt, especially since I don’t have a separate pre now. Then I could learn a lot more and buy an endgame table once I’ve figured that out and know that I’m committed to vinyl. That would also give me a longer upgrade path, but potentially more expensive than just buying one of the two tables I mentioned. 
 

I’ve read a bit about the VPI’s and it seems they are quite polarizing. I do love the look and sound when I’ve heard them (at multiple dealers and at shows, including southwest audiofest recently). I also really like the brinkmann taurus and the pure fidelity harmony sounded great as well. In almost all of those cases, the phono stages were significantly better than what I have now. 
 

Coming back to two that I’m looking at here, the avenger plus (seems similar to what you pointed me to exigem2, with the benefit of the rim drive system) has some nice features including a rim drive system, a good Tonearm (potentially debatable) and seems like it could have a lot of potential for future upgrades. The Harmony seems like it is great as well and potentially easier to use and learn on. I’m not as sure about the long term upgrade path, but I’m sure there is also potential there. The third option then could be something like the volare and so what I mentioned above and buy a better table in a few years. 

Thanks for all the feedback so far! And excuse the typos, I’m in the passenger seat while my son is practicing his driving for the third time, yikes!
 

Hey crustycoot, really good questions and thoughts. I don’t have a collection yet, but did buy a couple albums at the southwest audiofest. In my listening room, I would say I lean towards jazz and blues at least 60-70% of the time. The rest is some rock, which I’m coming to appreciate more and r&b/hip hop sporadically thrown in, lol. 
 

appreciate the input on my built-in phono too, definitely will let my ears lead me!