Advice needed on sub $1000 setup

Bmckenney, you make a good point, though it is backwards in Mark's reality. Obviously, he is not looking to maximize on analog primarily. He wants to upgrade to better components. Treatments will benefit everything acoustically in the future. Where are you getting CD info from? I dont see anything mentioned in Mark's post. Mark, what are you presently using for analog playback?

Well, looks like a modified Rega P3 is coming my way. Haven't heard back on the pre yet and still need a cartridge...The 304 looks like a sweet cart, but probably out of my budget at the moment (I was out of work for 49 weeks! Just started back...)

Bmckenney - I hear you on the acoustic treatment and agree a little money here can greatly improve a system. I've done a little work in this area but should do more. The reason behind the vinyl rig is I have a decent LP collection that I seldom play. My table is a Yamaha P-520 (direct drive, auto) that I bought over 25 years ago when I was in college. The cartridge is some inexpensive AT that was purchased at the same time as the table and I'm using a junk $20 pre to send it into my B&K. A $1000 (or less) vinyl rig is going to be like night and day.

Thanks Knownothing. The P3 I'm getting is the older P3, not the P3-24, so I think that means the shell is a 2-point mount, not a 3 point like the new RB301 arm (mine is a RB300 arm). The new Rega carts appear to be designed for 3 point mount. Can anyone tell me if they will still work on a RB300 arm?

BTW - I heard back on the Lehmann pre - so it is down to picking a cartridge. Thus far I've spent $700 for a Rega P3 with a Deepgrove subplatter, custom hardwood plinth, and a spare motor, and a Lehmann black cube preamp. That leaves me about $300 for a cartridge.

Some of the candidates:
Rega Elys 2 (sold with the new P3-24, but will it work on the RB300 arm?)
Denon DL-160 (I've seen a few reports of happy users with the P2 and P3)
Denon DL-103 (haven't found any reports users with this on a RB300 arm yet)
Benz MC20EL2 (prior owner used a Benz Ace, more $$$ than I can spare right now. Saw a few good reports on the low end Benz)
others?

The Dynavector 10X is a perfect match for Rega tables and arm. It has the boogie factor that synergizes with the Rega kit. You see a lot of 10X's on Rega arms that belong to happy people. The Denon 103 isn't the best match for the Rega arm compliance. It will sound OK, but won't sing. Don't know about the DL160 on a Rega arm. Benz could be good too but I don't know them. Rega cartridges are not good IMO, based on the one I heard. Good list otherwise, but I'd add the 10X to the list. And check compliance of each cartridge against the arm for ideal resonance. You should be able to get a 10X for close to your $300, and certainly worth adding another $50 for. One more thing, I don't know the amp you selected, but if you get a MC cartridge, even a high output one, you better have impedance load adjustments so you can get it down to 1K or below depending on the cartridge. If you don't have MC loading adjustments, I'd get a MM cartridge instead. Your next step, getting a cartridge to match the arm and phonostage, will make or break this rig.